Help choosing my first dSLR? - 1

I've been interested in photography for a long time now, and I've mainly used my little Canon point-and-shoot and a Minolta 35mm camera but also various film cameras and my high school's dSLRs (mainly Canon) and now I think that I'm ready to upgrade to a dSLR of my very own. I'm leaning heavily on Canon cameras, mostly because I've already used them more than Nikon, but I'm not completely closed to the idea of a Nikon or some other camera.

I've been looking at the Canon EOS Rebel t1i and t2i and am kind of stuck in between. I've used both, and love them both.

If I were to get the t1i, I would get it new.
If I were to get the t2i, I would most likely get it refurbished, because of price.

Are refurbished dSLRs alright to purchase? I would buy it from Adorama.com, which I've heard is a reliable website to get cameras, lenses, etc. The t2i would be refurbished by Canon.

The bottom line is pretty much that:
I've done my homework about the camera that I want and have narrowed it down a lot.
Should I get a new t1i or a refurbished t2i?

Also, I know that the kit lens that comes with both isn't that great, so what would be a good, affordable, lens for me as beginner dSLR user to purchase?

Thank you.

Added (1). That's what I'm thinking here, but is a refurbished t2i alright to purchase?
My budget is pretty much allowing either a new t1i or a refurbished t2i.

T2i is the better choice here. It might be more expensive, but is better and more improved from the the T1i

The T1i and T2i are both great cameras, and it doesn't matter which you get. They are very, very similar and the differences won't affect the quality of your pictures. I would recommend getting whichever is cheaper, and putting the money towards lenses.

If the refurbishment has been done by Canon it should be just as good as a new camera. Also check the conditions of sale, how easy it is to return it if it goes wrong, etc.

You're right in that the kit lenses are among the weakest lenses available for a DSLR. However, they are still significantly better than the lenses in almost every compact camera. My advice is to stick with the kit lens for a while until you decide which type of photography you enjoy best. The kit lens is specifically designed for beginners, so don't immediately discount it. I've had my XSi for a couple of years now and while I do have about 6 lenses, I still use the 18-55mm kit lens as a general "walkabout" lens because it is light and versatile.

After a few months, if all your photos are taken around the top of the zoom range, you might consider buying a 70-200mm lens or something like that, to give you a bit more "reach".

If all your photos are taken around 50mm, then you should consider buying the 50mm f/1.8 which is an excellent lens in terms of sharpness, bokeh, and low-light use where flash isn't an option. The 50mm f/1.8 is also one of the least expensive lenses.

If you look in the properties of your photos, it will tell you what focal length the photo was taken at, and what aperture and shutter settings. You can use these to judge where the kit lens is missing out.

Have fun!

Buy a refurb from Cameta Camera, who has a very good reputation for selling factory refurb units. It will come with a good warranty.

I think is better to get a new camera for your first dslr

I don't know much about Canon (I'm a Nikon girl), but the Nikon refurbished products I've bought from Adorama have been just like new. My camera body came refurbished with less than 300 shutter actuations, and both lenses were like new as well.

If a new T1i costs the same as a refurb'd t2i, then get the t2i (I'm assuming it's the better camera). Or you can get a refurb'd T1i and another lens, like a 50mm 1.8 or 1.4.

If you're not completely closed to Nikon, you can go to a photo store and try out a Nikon camera and see how it feels in your hands compared to the Canons you are used to using. Both brands are superb.