Newbie questions

[Harri]

Hi, more and more recently i have been interested in taking up photography as a hobby until it drove me to research into digital cameras and it seems that the 10d is a great camera, and that if i get it from ebay it is a great price (£1100ish).

Being the newbie that i am though i do not understand much about digital cameras, in particular lenses. If someone could explain what for example 16-35mm means, and f2.8 etc. What makes one lenses better than another? At the beginning i was mostly interested in landscapes and smaller natural beauties such as waterfalls. But after coming to this forum and seeing some amazing close up shots of flowers i'd really like to be able to do that as well, btw, am i right when i say that macro means close up? So what lense could i get that could do both close up work and landscapes, also if i wanted to shoot something far away would that involve buying another lense or could i use a magnifier or something?

Long post i know but i hope some of you can answer some of my questions.

Harri

[robertwgross]

One of the most effective methods of learning is to take a photography course from a local community college.

---Bob Gross---

[SoCal69]

Harri:

No offense intended, but those questions are basic to photography with an SLR and would take up quite a bit of space here to answer. I applaud your newfound interest and you seem to be on the ball with the questions you are asking. I would recommend picking up a primer on the basics of photography (SLR photography in particular). A book would answer your questions more fully and in better detail than I could do here. Good Luck and I hope to see your future work posted on this forum soon!

[Harri]

Thanks for the quick responses i'll have a look for a book on amazon now and i intend to start classes in September.

[jmublueduck]

huh... this is slightly off topic, but I got ragged on for suggesting this in a thread a while ago.

While this is an online forum to find answers, I agree. This is like asking, "I want to cook a gourmet meal; what pots & pans should I buy?"

Definitely go learn the basics before dropping loads of money on gear... you don't want to "waste" your $$$$ on stuff that you don't know how to use to its potential.

[Harri]

I'm sure if you look around you'll see lots of lense threads but i'm sorry if my lack of knowledge offended you.

[jmublueduck]

Harri wrote:
I'm sure if you look around you'll see lots of lense threads but i'm sorry if my lack of knowledge offended you.
oh no... no offense taken Harri, I apologize. I was speaking in general, also in light of another post. I do commend you for asking & am fully behind you in learning... there's just SO much info to gather in the photography realm. SoCal69 pretty much phrased this point in the way I meant it, even though it didn't come across as such... oops.

sorry about the misunderstanding... if you have more specific questions, please ask away ;)

[jmublueduck]

IN FACT I'll answer these questions... they're not that detailed... sorry for being a dork Harri.

If someone could explain what for example 16-35mm means
there is a whole science behind focal lengths, but essentialy what these smaller lengths (28mm & less) mean are extreme wide angle. The smaller the length, the greater the angle.

...and f2.8 etc.
"f-stops" a.k.a. apertures, are the designation of how much light a lens allows to pass through it. It's hard to explain why w/o going into tons of detail, but the smaller the number, the greater size opening a lens has... therefore allowing more light to pass through. If more light hits film or a sensor, the exposure time reduces, allowing faster shutter speeds. Also, larger apertures can be used to create blurred backgrounds. Vice-versa applies for smaller apertures, such as f/16, 22, etc.

What makes one lenses better than another?
simply put, build quality, construction, and quality glass.

am i right when i say that macro means close up?
essentially, yes. Macro is another designation, but simply, it refers to ultra-close-up.

So what lense could i get that could do both close up work and landscapes
a standard zoom with a small minimum focus distance (characteristic of the lens), such as the EF 28-135 IS, a 5x zoom.

also if i wanted to shoot something far away would that involve buying another lense or could i use a magnifier or something?
yes, there are tons of add-on accessories: extension tubes, closeup lenses, tele-converters, etc. For optimal quality though, another lens would be ideal.

good luck w/ the process,
~ scott

[Longwatcher]

This is my recommended 10D starter kit

recommend getting in this order.
-10D kit
-50/1.8 (50/1.4 is better option, but costs more)
-28-135 IS
-75-300 IS
-Extra Battery
-a pair of CF cards (OK, you really need to get one of these with the 10D kit)

advanced options:
-BG-3D battery grip
-one of the various devices with a mobile HD and CF card reader
-RS-80N3 remote switch
-Tripod
-420EX flash (550EX better)

camera Bag/case to put it all in with room for more lenses and stuff.

Then play with it for awhile and figure out you need a wider lens, get 16-35L, find out "L" glass is even better and start buying all "L" glass (oh sorry, that's me).

[coarphoto]

check out www.naturephotographers.net look around there for very informative articles it's free and it will give you a great start. i might also suggest a book on the subject - i would check out the following authors...john shaw, art wolfe,george lepp..as well as some creative net surfing and check out the magazine outdoor photographer good luck!

[Harri]

Thanks, the replies have been very helpful and i am looking into prices of the stuff in the starter kit recommended.

Harri

[cowman345]

I'm not sure how others feel about John Hedgecoe, but I was introduced to photography through his New Book of Photography that I think cost around 35 bucks and is surely as informative as any class.

The book covers everything from very basics to how to develop your skill and creativity as a photographer, how to take BETTER pictures.

-dave-

[MarkH]

longwatcher wrote:
This is my recommended 10D starter kit

recommend getting in this order.
-10D kit
-50/1.8 (50/1.4 is better option, but costs more)
-28-135 IS
-75-300 IS
-Extra Battery
-a pair of CF cards (OK, you really need to get one of these with the 10D kit)

advanced options:
-BG-3D battery grip
-one of the various devices with a mobile HD and CF card reader
-RS-80N3 remote switch
-Tripod
-420EX flash (550EX better)

camera Bag/case to put it all in with room for more lenses and stuff.

Then play with it for awhile and figure out you need a wider lens, get 16-35L, find out "L" glass is even better and start buying all "L" glass (oh sorry, that's me).

Hi there, I am not a newbie (I bought my 10D almost 2 days ago and have taken almost 300 shots) but this advice seems relevant to me too. Actually I might be an advanced user (I've read the manual). :)

I have this:
Canon EOS 10D
Ridata 512MB CF Card
Canon 50mm f1.8
Canon 28-135 IS
Bag that holds the 10D with 28-135 attached.
Tripod (old, crap, but works for now)

So I presume I should buy another battery? another 512MB CF card? I think this is what I'll do.

I'll probably get a X-Drive II for greater storage while away from home.

Lenses? Maybe I should see how I go with the 28-135 so I can guage more accurately what I need? I am considering 75-300 IS (heard that it is a mediocre lens) or if I can wait for my savings to pull out of negative - 100-400 L. Also considering Sigma 15-30, I am not sure how much I would use wide angle and as such don't want to pay for L glass.

Flash? 420EX or 550EX will be on the cards, when I can spare the money.

Remote? Could be useful when using the tripod, the local camera store has a 2nd hand RS-80N3.

Battery grip? Do I really need one? Maybe I'll see how I go and how many shots I take with portrait orientation.

What about a monopod, they are not very dear and could make it easier for the heavier lenses to be used without a tripod?

BTW
I really like the 28-135 IS, nice lens and not to bad for macro when at full zoom.

Oh well, my battery is charged, so I'm off for a walk.

[CyberDyneSystems]

I got a Monopod before I got a decent tripod,. sort of backwards, but for me it made sense,. I love it for those walks in the woods. :)

[Andy_T]

Harri,

If you're completely new to photography and might be unsure about how much money you'd like to shell out on your newfound hobby, you might also consider less expensive alternatives for starters.

I (also an amateur:-) am using the G2 and am very happy with it so far. It's a great camera (most likely one of the best 4MP consumer cameras), compact and versatile. As opposed to many other consumer digital 'point-and-klick'-cameras, it offers a lot of the creative possibilities of real SLR photography

Of yourse I'd LOVE to upgrade to the D10 (or Nikon D100, so I could use my old Nikon SLR lenses) but my wife insists that the mortgage on our house comes first;-).

I'd just suggest that investing some 300 - 500 bucks in a good 'cheap' digital camera (e.g. picking up a used one) might be an alternative to get started.

Regards,
Andy

P.S.: For landscapes, you'd maybe like to use a good wide angle lens (at least 28 mm, better 24mm or 20 mm). As the sensor on digital cameras is smaller than 35 mm film, the focal length of the lens has to be multiplied with 1.6 (so you'd need a 16 - 19 mm lens) in addition to the beginner's package. Extra $$$.