I was considering the 30D over the XTi because I was under the impression it had built-in image stabilizing, but after another look at the specs, I guess it doesn't. Since I'm just getting into this hobbyist level of photography, I think I need the 30D, at least not now.
I'm sure the L-series lenses are worth the money, especially considering resale values are very high, but it will definitely take longer to save up for them!
As a young amateur photographer (i've been doing this for a year and a half), i'm excited and delighted to see someone move into DSLR.
From my impression of your posts, you are fairly new to this but definitely have a level of excitement in your tone. Good stuff. But I do have a few things to add that i'm sure will help you.
First, to address your initial issue with exposure. I have a Rebel XT, essentially the same interface, just a different sensor and a few features than the XTI. I know the manual settings are daunting at first and its mighty discouraging learning all that new stuff. Do not, absolutely DO NOT look away from these things. Understanding exposure is essential to even shooting in Auto. To give you a basic rundown of Canon cameras, theres three main manual settings.
M, AV, and TV. M is full manual, where you have to set the shutter speed (the speed in which the sensor captures light, this deals with capturing fast motion, or slow flowing waterfalls etc.) and the aperture (deals with how much light is let in, practically, this is basically how blurry the background is or how much of the picture you want in focus, of course it goes much deeper than that, but intially, thats what you should know). AV is aperture priority. In this manual mode, you set the aperture, and the camera automatically sets the shutter speed. After a week with my Canon, this is pretty much what i've been using for the past 18 months. Its really not hard, I could even play with words a little bit and say its easy, because it really is. TV is shutter priority. This is direct opposite of AV, where you set the shutter speed and the aperture is set automatically, this might be usefull for sports shots where capturing fast motions is your "priority", hence the name shutter priority.
Please, do not be discouraged by those reviews, its trivial at best. If you want to master the unlimited potential of a Canon DSLR, I believe its almost mandatory to jump right into the manual stuff. Generally, auto exposure features are for moments when you don't have the 1-2 seconds to capture something, which honestly is rare.
Now to address your Image Stabilization problem. If your going to buy the Sony for that purpose, you're killing yourself. Image Stabilization is rarely rarely necessary unless you're shooting in low light conditions. Now, granted, you may absolutely need that, however, with a decent flash (a worthy investment), and some time playing with manual exposure, you can easily dodge that necessity. Plus, with a steady hand, you can get some awesome moments in your photographs. Of course, if you have a case of Parkinson's like Ali, then you have a different story...
Now you may be reading all this and saying "man, this is too much for me." When I started with DSLR, i felt the same way buddy. But reading forums for maybe a month, I was well into everything and working on skills rather than learning the camera. Do not be discouraged. I am open to anything you need, questions, whatever. PM me if you want my email or samples of pictures.
If you want a friendly camera focused community that teaches you a lot about photography. You should first and foremost check out this forum: photography-on-the.net Its got a creative name, so don't think its a typo. ;D .
You should also check out this website:
http://the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EOS-400D-Digital-Rebel-XTi-Review.aspx
This author knows his stuff.
Also, I recommend an author named Scott Kelby. Look him up on Amazon, but this guy has books that are focused on noobies. His digital photography book, a sort of small handbook, is absolutely genius for new photographers. Basically, he ditches the complicated scientific approach to photography and tells you what you need to do to achieve different shots, without the fancy smancy language.
I hope this helps, I fully fully fully support you getting a Canon. You'll fall in love with it. Plus, the accessories, lenses, equipment compatibility and all the support will keep you on your toes for years to come.
