Posted: 4/28/2006 3:49:11 AM EDT
| I am looking for a good beginner slr camera setup. I am looking at the canon EOS 350D!! Can anyone tell me their thoughts on this camera and also what accessories should be considered essential for this camera. I am thinking I need a good multipurpose lense at first and I have read that a lense with IS is a must. I would probably be taking most of my pictures outside if it matters. Also would a offbrand lense like sigma work just as good on this camera? Thanks for any help. |
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I picked up a 350D in February. Went with the kit lens. Found lots of good info here: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/ |
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First of all, before you plunk down the money for a new 350D, consider a used 20D. You can find them for around $850 in very nice condition online. www.fredmiranda.com has a Buy/Sell board that often has great deals on cameras and lenses. My advice for a good set of starter lenses would be this: Canon 18-55 f3.5-5.6. Available with the 20D or 350D as a kit lens, or you can find them for around $60 used. Sigma 24-70 f2.8. Used they go for around $350. Canon 50mm f1.8. New they are under $100 and while they have a plastic mount, they are very, very sharp lenses and good for portraits and low-light photography. Sigma 70-300 f4-5.6 APO. Sells new for around $150 IIRC. It's not the best, but when you get to the telephoto range you don't get quality cheap. Once you feel you've got more of a knowledge of photography, here are a few medium priced lenses you might look at: Canon 10-22 EF/S lens. Around $650 new, as low as $500 used. Great wide angle landscape lens. Canon 70-200 f4L. $600 new, under $500 used. Awesome lens for the money. Very versatile, sharp and great color. Sigma 50-500. $950 new, as low as $750 used. A bit slow, but if you want to reach out and touch distant wildlife, you won't find anything of this quality cheaper. Also, you might consider getting an external flash. The built in flash isn't good for much beyond fill flash and snapshots. Hope this helps. |
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+1 on the 20D or (if you can afford to buy new, a 30D). A LOT of camera for the money. The full auto mode gives you an easy starting point. As you become more experienced, the creative modes allow you to gradually take more control... all the way to full manual operation. Canon did a nice job on this one.... +1 on the EF-S 10-22 as well...,..great lense for the money...gives you the fun of superwide angle photography.... |
| My price range is upto $1500 and I will be taking this camera on vacation and would like to know which lense(s) would be a good start as I will be taking some pictures of people and some pictures of landscapes. I am completely new to the photograpy on this level and from what little I can tell yet I may need a wideangle lense for the the landscapes and another for portraits? Any help is apprectated. Is this Canon Rebel XT a good camera? |
It's all right, especially for a beginner, but if your hands are even slightly big, you will find it a little bit small. If you're set on the XT, get it from a reputable online retailer for as cheap as possible, with the 18-55 kit lens. After, buy the 50mm 1.8 lens, which will cost you under $100. It's a good portrait lens with the 1.6 crop. Play with those for a while, then later think about getting the 85mm 1.8, which runs about $300 and will also be good for tighter portraits, and the 10-22, which runs about $600 and will be great for landscapes. |
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The rebel is a good camera to start with Buy the body and then buy better quality lenses For $1500 you can get (BH Photo current prices) Rebel XT $669.00 with $100 rebate $569.00 Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 $429.00 Sigma 105 Macro $399.99 Cannon 50mm f/1.8 $79.95 1GB Extreme III CF Card $64.75 (or 98.96 for 2GB) Check out dpreview.com and fredmiranda.com for alot of info on all DSLR cameras I cant help much on the Cannon side, but if you have any Nikon questions I will be glad to help in any way I can Chris |