Shopping for a new camera

I spent 6 to 8 hours surfing from comparison to comparison. I want the best bang for the buck . Consumers guide says the #1 pick in america is the CANON REBEL T3i/ 600D 18mp DSLR . So after another couple hours looking/shopping a price at about 900 landed to me. It comes with 2 lens a 18-55 and a 75-300 lens and all the tripods spar batterys and bags and on and on and o n . They say this is the best upper entry level camera on the market for the money today. I want to take great pictures of wildlife,maybee some storm/lightning pictures ,knife pictures and then vacation pictures. Im tired of the crapy pictures I take with my HP637 that I bought used off ebay for 30 dollars 6 years ago ,I do have a slightly and I do mean slightly better camera its a canon 5mp sure shot. I want not to buy another camera ever unless I get real serious. Please if you think this is a bad choice for the money please let me know, I can get the bare bones set up with one lens for 580 dollars landed but I want the telephoto lens.and all the gear so I think 300 more is pretty darn good for all the extra bells and whistles. Kellyw

Kelly, before you commit to making a purchase, you may want to visit a place that specializes in photography/ cameras so that you can handle them, ask questions and see the level of involvement that it takes to shoot. I bought my wife a high end Sony SLR and me a D60 a few years back... she hated her camera, it was too complex and required a mid level amount of knowledge that was clearly not for a beginner. Sure the point and shoot function worked well (auto) but at $800+ it didn't work better than her 7.2 Polaroid. Needless to say, the Sony got "das boot," and we now shoot with a D60 (kept it even after owning a D90 and a Rebel) and a Polaroid 7.2 point and shoot.

Im not a pro, but I do shoot with a Canon T3i and its a nice camera. I have a IS lens that is a 28-135 that does pretty much everything I need and more.

In my opinion you cant go wrong with that choice.

Congrats in advance on the new camera.
Randy

I am guessing you went to dip review.com?

I have had a Eos Rebel, a T2i and now have a T4i Canon. They are all amazing cameras. You won't go wrong with that line of Canon cameras or their respective Sony "D" line equivalents. The camera bodies are good and fine but the lenses will make the difference. Before you buy a lens, research on dpreview, it could save you some money.

Stepping up from a point and shoot to a DSLR with 18meg pictures will be like going from an old black and white TV to HDTV. You will have a blast.

Randy dam dog you got a kick ass new logo I like it. Thanks mike ,randy and tracey , mike I know its a big step but ive never took baby steps, I got into knives had a file tried it once ,bought a 1x20 grinder tried it twice ,ok 10 times then bought a custom KMG with all the bells and whistles. I really hate spending money 3 times to end up buying the best last so over the years I usually just spend the money suck it up and never look back cuzz I know I did the right thing. I will be asking alot of questions like a kid at christmas but I think a few classes or private lessons will help me make the most of the camera. I have tried the canon powershot and ive used 4 new duracel batteries in 2 days so at that rate ide have the camera paid for in 2 months of pictures lol But seriously . I will go to the canon dealer here ask him if he can match the price landed and if so Ill buy it local, I think warranty is huge especially with electronics. But it will have 1 year from a internet purchase new. I will sell a few knives to cover my cost and let her rip . Kellyw

Guys I ve really been hitting the web sites reading till my brain hurts and Im done researching . I made a slightly wrong choice, thye t31 was made about 2 and a halfd years ago its a great camera but in june they came out with the CANON REBEL T4i 650d its the big brother to the T3i but its got a touchsceen feature the first of its kind in cameras and will go from movies to camera with no buttons to switch it does it all by itself . Its made for me, ill be saving a few more pennies, Im getting the 50mm 1.8 and the 18- 55mm IS and the 55-250 IS the deals out there dont come with the Image stabilizer in the 75-300 they cheap out and dont tell you. I could ask for the IS on the 75-300 but its another 300 over the plain one and the 250mm is the same price as the 300 . The camera has a feature that really will allow me to go into the 35 mm mode and get 1.8x more out of the len ide be using so the 55-250 would really be like a 88 -400 somthing . Anyhow im so so done, I did all the research im doing and for stills of knives and pictures of people with in 20 ft the one lens will be jsut fine now the other 50mm 1.8 is also for stills and upclose shots for knives and stuff and the 55-250 will get me well within the distance I need for wildlife. They say only birds and others like that need the super telephoto like a 200-400 or a 300 -600and now were talking 2 to 5k for a lens and really thats for top pros. Now the camera Ive choose is probalbly the most sound of all with the touchsceen made for ametures that want high end and really are just learning. After a while ill know how to get the most out of my camera. Thanks ya all keep watching Ill be posting soon. kellyw

Hellgap,
Wait a few months and it will drop in price by about half.
I have learned to never be in a rush for a camera or any other computer device.
Give it a while and the features you want will drop in price and we really don't need that much for our knife pics unless you want to go Pro?

I recently purchased a Ipad and those have a great camera in them for knife snapshots. Plus a lot more! I can edit and post them too! Plus more.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com

Yeah, what Laurence said. Normally when talking about electronics and software, you never want a "first of its kind" of anything!

+1 on the not rushing to new technology.

Laurence I did just that, I found a smoker deal and my wife bought it for me for a anniversary giftits been 28 years some ruff but mostly you couldnt ask for better. My wife is the soul of our family. I changed my mind and found out that the t3i was the number 1 camera but the new t4i rebel d650 has the touch screen technoligy and is the first of its kind. I have taken a few pictures but im a little afraid of it so im going slow. I got 2 lens bundle the 18 55mm 3.5 5 is and the 55 250 f 4.5 6 is Ibought an extra battery and 2 lens filters to protect the lens from scratches I also bought a low price tripod and now Im thinking a teleconverter like a 2.2 , but here is my dilema is the teleconverter going to incrase my telephoto that much better than if I just buy a 2.2x lens a fish eye with macro and wide angle what is a decent lens but not alot of money. This camera bundle retails at 1800 but the price has been dropping fast. about every month they went down 200 I cant see them going much lower than a 1000 bucks . I paid 850 and all the little extras uv lens and battery and tripod came to 1000 the normal price for the 2 lens bundle was near 1800 a while back but have dropped. They are alot like computers 6 months later its like obsolite well I sure hope not. Anyone let know what some cheaper but decent brands of lenses to get are. I have been told about sigma what about OPTICA OR VIVITAR I know jack about this but I do want quality if I have to pay I will cannon lens are not cheap I think they might be over rated but they are really good. Help thanks kellyw

I started with a canon 30D, upgraded to 50D and now the 7D. Camera complexity is a very important issue as already mentioned so if your not going to take the time to understand the various shooting modes beyond auto then your probably better suited with a simple point and shoot, maybe a high end one with various modes so you can learn about them if you chose.

Having said that, a good portion of your image quality is going to come from your lenses and your post processing of images. Point and shoot cameras often save files as jpgs and do a lot of in camera sharpening etc so the image you get looks good. WIth a DSLR, they generally do a lot less in camera image manipulation so what you get out of them often doesnt look as good to start but with some post processing work can look superior. The major manufacturers generally have a pro line of lenses, for canon, its the "L" designation and these lenses are fast and sharp but also very expensive.

My walk around lens on my camera is a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM which I got with my 30D and have simply moved it from body to body as I have upgraded cameras. It currently retails for about $1900. Many of the "kits" come with rather cheap lenses so keep that in mind when looking at a DSLR.

I choose this camera and got the 2 lens kit because its the number one rated entry level pro camera for the money rated by north american consumer guide. I like the touch screen feature this helps people like me get into phtography alot easier as it walks you through as you go pretty much. Kinda funny you say lens cost alot . I got the 2 lens kit and yes they are the cheaper ones but im new and using a 2 k lens right now makes no sence at all . But one of the strong points of this camera it is pretty much the same as the 6d just not the big price they introduced this to compete with nikon. Now alot of the pros all said its also great because being so affordable it allows you to savemoney on more lenses and in the very near future ill buy 2 new lens One macro mostlikely the 100mm and im looking at a 500mm telephoto. now this is gonna cost like 2 grand. If I can find a good used one I might pop . Now another interesting thing happened. My wife was at a girls fashon show and was talking to our friend when I went and picked up my wife we talked . Her x husband is a big time pro wildlife photographer, He has been a profesional photographer going on 30 years. My wifes friend is calling her x to ask if he will take me with him and learn this hobby for me. I know her x a little as our city isnt really big and I hope the phone rings. I will but a 2x teleconverter until I can afford a better lens. until then my 18/55 and my 55/250 will have to good enough along with the teleconverter . Im looking at a used canon 11 I probably should but the 3rd generation well see what my wife x says. Thanks for chimming in , Im new at this and any help is appreciated. I also stayed with the t4i because of the size with my neck injury I couldnt carry the larger 60d or7d . the t4i is only 20 ounces and fits my small hand good the 6d felt big. anyhow later kellyw

Congrats on the new rig, its a great starter DSLR. Teleconverters will often reduce image quality to varying degrees depending on what lens they are paired up with etc. WHile they certainly allow you to get a shot you may not otherwise get due to distance, the image you end up with may not be worth getting.

As for the camera weight, thats going to be the least of your worries if you are looking at long reach lenses, they get heavy fast. Add in the fact that its very difficult to hand hold a high mm zoom at full range without getting blur unless you have a very fast shutter speed your likely going to be lugging around a tripod as well.

Photography is much like knifemaking, you can get by with a minimal set of tools but by spending a bit more it opens up new possibilities and increases your odds of getting the shot you want.

If you havent found it already, check out http://www.dpreview.com/ they have a lot of camera and lens reviews.

I havnt been in here in a while, but seen you posted to the thread so thought ide reply. I have now had the camera for about 2 months. Now lenses are pretty much endless, I opted for the kit lenses for the simple reason that they are cheap and if I ruin them im out 3 hundred dollars tops per lens. Now that ive saved a bunch of money got a couple ok starter lenses I am seriouslt looking at 2 high end lenses.The one is a 100mm L series canon macro lens with a f2.8 I think it will be used in conjuntion with lens tubes to get up close and personal. I want to see bugs eyes and stuff but then on the other hand I also want a wild life lens again the L series 100/400mm f4.5 5.6 the only problem is I keep hearing about the problem they can have with dust as the lens works on a push pull system and draws air into the lens each time its zoomed so the possibility of getting dust inside is greater. Now im also now looking at a sigma 100 /500 but im just trying to stay in the same price range. The macro is 1 thousand and the telephoto is 1500 on sale. The people who sole me the camera have lied to me in the past couple weeks so my buisness goes else where . I have been told that sigma is a good lens but also they break easily. If im spending on a high end lens I dont want trouble. Here is one picture I took a few days ago just platying around

The canon L series lenses usually have pretty good seals so dust issues really should be minimal. I guess it can also be heavily influenced by where you live and where you will be shooting. Obviously desert/dry regions will have more dust potential. I would say if your in a dusty area your camera is more likely to experience dust issues than an L class lens.

Having said that, lenses are a big investment so what I recommend to friends just getting into it is to do your online research and find some lenses you think you would like, then rent them and try them out before buying them. There are some online places that do lens rental at a reasonable price but if you live in a major city you will likely have a shop that rents as well. Ive been able to rent the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM from friday afternoon to monday morning a couple times now for like $35. Man I love that lens but talk about a beast, the thing weighs in at like 3.28 pounds.

The dpreview.com web site does an amazing job in reviewing lenses. I would not make a major camera or lens purchase with out reading their review first. I have several lenses they have reviewed and gone back to verify their findings and they nailed it. Things like if a lens is good in the middle of favors one end, jiggle in focusing, noisy (for video), dark around the edges, fuzzy, etc. It's really educational.

I have the 100-400 L IS version len. Probably the least used len I own. Not fast enough for wild life, slow to operate, very heavy. My basic travel kit includes: 10-17 S wide angle, 24-70 2.8 L, 70-210 2.8 L, 300 2.8 L IS, and 2x Canon converter. Covers 90% of what I need on most trips. I use the 24-70 for most of my knife shots.

The 300 is what I use for most of my wild life shots. I have the 500 L IS for major wild life work , but it weighs a ton.

If I could only have two lens it would be the 24-70 and the 300 and that is what I carry in my day bag.

Holy crap george thats a fortune in lenses you own. I have been reading alot online going to the review area on you tube and watching the reviews done by the pros , lots of goof ball to weed out but there is some really good info. I have been looking at other brands of camera lenses .Now Ive been looking at Sigma and some of the reviews arnt good so im now leaning toward Tamron . Im looking at 2 lenses. the MACRO 180mm with Optical stabilization and the telephoto is the tamron 200/500mm is now I believe that I can get a used macro for in the 400 dollar range and then buy a new 200/500 for wildlife. George will the 180 macro double as a telephoto with a 2x extender? That might be all I need. I cant afford 3 or 4 grand for a L series lenses. The 500mm like what you have is an 8 thousand dollar lens if not more. the 300 L is can be 4 grand with the converter/ extender. Tell me what you think of the high end sigma macro and the 50/500mm telephoto the other is the 150/500mm they dont get crazy good reviews so im leaning towards the tamron. What about TOKINA Lenses they are even more affordable. Any good??? George or Tracey. thanks guys Kellyw

The 180 with a crop sensor is actually about 30% longer and with a 2x extender should give you over 400mm so yes it would work for a long range lens. The question isnt really will it give you the reach, the question is will it provide enough light to allow a fast enough shutter for wildlife? A general rule of thumb is you need a shutter speed equal to the zoom length (and a steady hand) to not have any motion blur. So lets say your shooting 180mm with a 2x converter your around 420mm so your going to have to have a shutter speed around 1/400-1/500 to get the shot hand held. To get that shutter speed your going to have to be working in unshaded daylight and may have to increase your ISO which may introduce some noise.

The thing about photography is you make due with what you have to work with. Having the 180mm and 2x converter will allow you to get shots you cant with your kit lens BUT you wont be able to get the same shots that you could with a nice fast L lens.

Photography is like a black hole that sucks you in and can consume all your capitol if you let let. Ive seen some amazing photographers get by with next to nothing and still produce amazing photos.

FYI, YOu can buy Canon bodies at a discount through the Canon Loyalty Program.
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=225452

All Canon bodies are solid in terms of optical clarity. It's the glass you put on the front.

My kit consists of a 7d with one of the following hanging off the front: Tamron 17-50 2.8 non-VC, Sigma 24-60 2.8 EX DG, Canon 50mm 1.8 (The Nifty Fifty), or a 70-200 F4L

You don't always have to go Canon glass to get solid performance. The Tamron I found for $280 shipped and it's on par with the Canon 18-55 2.8IS for a quarter of the price. Pixel Peepers might quabble or talk about the auto focus, but I haven't had an issue shooting weddings as long as I use the AF Assist light.

But yea. Check out the CLP, pick up a beat up point and shoot on eBay, and pick up your body 20% off.