Help me choose a DSLR

[zopperman]

I just found and read this thread. I might have given different advice than some others. However, I think you made the right choice.

My advice would have been to get an entry level DX camera (or whatever Canon calls DX, meaning not full frame). Also, get an entry level lens. It will be cheaper and if you choose not to persue the hobby you wont be out a ton of money. Also, you can take great pics on an entry level DSLR and entry level kit lens. This is what you did, so excellent choice IMO.

Don't be talked into getting super fancy lenses at this stage. Take out your new camera and take tons of photos. Take the time to learn how to use it and how to get the effects you want (shallow DoF, or long exposure, etc...). All of this can be done with your new gear. Yes it can be done better maybe with more expensive gear, but that can wait until you learn how to use your current gear, and decide that you're going to stay with the hobby.

One thing I'd suggest getting soon is a cheap 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4 lens. You can do a ton of shallow DoF stuff with this and get that cool portrait look for cheap (not to mention have a little better ability to shoot in low light without a flash). This adds some additional capability to your kit and also some additional fun factor

I'd suggest reading the book "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Petersen as well. It really helped me when I was first starting. This is a very fun hobby which will get very expensive as you grow into it, so save as much money now and learn and have fun on what you have. Later, when you want fancy gear you can sell what you have now to offset a move to full frame or whatever.

That's the plan!! i was actually impressed with the shallow DOF with this lense at 3.6 I'm sure it's way better at 1.8. The 1.8 lens is only 95 bucks so after i pay off my other stuff ill grab one.

 

[zopperman]

JUST CAME!
I feel like a kid at christmas
I ordered two batteries and a charger as well as a 67 mm UV filter all for 25 bucks. Came with a case and 16GB card. The case is actually pretty cool too. My Macbook doesn't have a CD drive so i cant install the software till i find an external one to borrow. The battery is charging right now, can't wait till it works and I can take some pictures!! No more iphone uploads of my truck!!

also, [MENTION=92049]LandCruiser[/MENTION] , this is the lens it came with if you're not familiar with it: http://www.amazon.com/Canon-18-135m...77130820&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=canon+18-135

 

[LandCruiser]

JUST CAME!
I feel like a kid at christmas
I ordered two batteries and a charger as well as a 67 mm UV filter all for 25 bucks. Came with a case and 16GB card. The case is actually pretty cool too. My Macbook doesn't have a CD drive so i cant install the software till i find an external one to borrow. The battery is charging right now, can't wait till it works and I can take some pictures!! No more iphone uploads of my truck!!

also, [MENTION=92049]LandCruiser[/MENTION] , this is the lens it came with if you're not familiar with it: Amazon.com: Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Standard Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras: CANON: Camera & Photo

I'm familiar with it. It's your garden variety kit lens. You won't be disappointed if you don't look too close, but if you're really after high quality images it is soft around the edges, not at all fast, distorts at 18mm, and will suffer from chromatic abberration

I'm not a pro photographer, but I'd like the pictures I take to be as good as they possibly can be so I use an FF camera and L-glass. Like I said, as you get better with photography you will find yourself outgrowing your gear and will probably want to invest in better glass and a better body.

The problem with EF-S cameras is that you don't really get anything out of investing in EF-S lenses, and they can't make the most out of EF lenses due to the crop factor.

 

[zopperman]

I'm familiar with it. It's your garden variety kit lens. You won't be disappointed if you don't look too close, but if you're really after high quality images it is soft around the edges, not at all fast, distorts at 18mm, and will suffer from chromatic abberration

I'm not a pro photographer, but I'd like the pictures I take to be as good as they possibly can be so I use an FF camera and L-glass. Like I said, as you get better with photography you will find yourself outgrowing your gear and will probably want to invest in better glass and a better body.

The problem with EF-S cameras is that you don't really get anything out of investing in EF-S lenses, and they can't make the most out of EF lenses due to the crop factor.

Yeah i definitely wish it was a bit faster, but I wanted the focal length of this for stuff like vacations where there is something too far away to see. Though like I said before I'm going to grab a faster fixed length lens when funds allow. From my film camera, I have a 70-300, 18-135, fixed 50mm 1.4, flash, and some other goodies that I want to sell. I'm keeping my case and some filters that I have laying around, but hopefully i'll be able to make a few bucks off that at B&H's trade in window. AT least the lenses. The sigma 70-300 has to be worth something still and I'm sure the 50mm would sell in a heartbeat and I could use the money towards one for this camera.

I'll out grow this kit one day, maybe when I have a real job and have paid off my tuition.

 

[eddiebx]

Yeah i definitely wish it was a bit faster, but I wanted the focal length of this for stuff like vacations where there is something too far away to see. Though like I said before I'm going to grab a faster fixed length lens when funds allow. From my film camera, I have a 70-300, 18-135, fixed 50mm 1.4, flash, and some other goodies that I want to sell. I'm keeping my case and some filters that I have laying around, but hopefully i'll be able to make a few bucks off that at B&H's trade in window. AT least the lenses. The sigma 70-300 has to be worth something still and I'm sure the 50mm would sell in a heartbeat and I could use the money towards one for this camera.

I'll out grow this kit one day, maybe when I have a real job and have paid off my tuition.

You're gonna get peanuts at B&H trade in, they're seriously a bunch of jews, lol. I got a quote of like 300-400 bucks for a literally brand new open box Nikon lens which is ~800 MSRP and also still in production. You might have better luck off loading that stuff on ebay or craigslist.

I would just keep the old 50mm prime and get yourself an appropriate sized macro reverse ring so you can screw around with it. Older manual lenses that still have the aperture ring are best for this. This is what I am talking about: Reverse Mounting Your Prime Lenses for Affordable Macro Photography

 

[zopperman]

You're gonna get peanuts at B&H trade in, they're seriously a bunch of jews, lol. I got a quote of like 300-400 bucks for a literally brand new open box Nikon lens which is ~800 MSRP and also still in production. You might have better luck off loading that stuff on ebay or craigslist.

I would just keep the old 50mm prime and get yourself an appropriate sized macro reverse ring so you can screw around with it. Older manual lenses that still have the aperture ring are best for this. This is what I am talking about: Reverse Mounting Your Prime Lenses for Affordable Macro Photography

woah thats cool haha. well thats sad about B&H i was hoping they would at least give me a bit..

 

[ebg18t]

Just spend a lot of time taking pics and find out what you like most. Like some of the others I use a full frame 'd' series canon with all 'L' glass. You can upgrade your glass when ready. But for now just learn and enjoy what you have.

 

[zopperman]

[MENTION=92049]LandCruiser[/MENTION] [MENTION=50591]gaterose[/MENTION]
@everyone else that's been helping me

finally, here are some pictures!! (following two posts)

Here's three comparisons messing with manually selecting focus points and DOF. All three photos have the same

ISO 250
135MM
f 5.6
1/200

 

[zopperman]

Here's a few cool ones of my truck/the beach today. I shot pretty much everything in manual or picked one of the priority settings. I had the ISO set on auto.

I don't have the slightest clue on how to edit photos, so these are just as they were taken today. I'll eventually invest in lightroom.

Here's a bird on a garbage can:

ISO 100
135MM
f8
1/400




This one was while we were walking, but i like how it turned out

ISO 100
79MM
f 7.1
1/200



I took a few versions of this, messing with DOF, liked this one the best

ISO 100
53MM
f 8
1/200



Another bird:
(looks like theres a bit of noise in this one)

ISO 3200
135MM
f 22
1/1,250



I waited for a bird to fly under the sun for a bit
ISO 3200
42MM
f 32
1/1,600




ISO 3200
92MM
f 14
1/4,000



she didn't know i was taking this either

ISO 100
38MM
f 9
1/200



ISO 320
85MM
f 5.6
1/125



ISO 3200
52MM
f 5.6
1/80