Took the plunge!!

[ScottJE22]

After much deliberation (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=33029), I am now the proud owner of a Digital Rebel! Based on the advice from the other thread and some feedback from others, I opted to get the DRebel with the kit lens to get started. It wasn't that much more than just the body and it'll give me a starting point to determine what other lenses I will really use.

I sold some old camera and ham radio gear on eBay and it did surprisingly well, so I promptly ordered the "thrifty fifty" 50 / 1.8 II from Adorama. I also ordered UV filters for the kit lens and the 50 as well as their "Slinger" bag to hold everything. I have a LowePro backpack (the "MiniTrekker"?), and it was great for packing my old Maxxum and three lenses plus my G1, but I wanted something smaller... I also ordered a 512 card from NewEgg to supplement my 2 128MB cards.

Anyway - what a great way to spend a long weekend! Taking care of my 37-week pregnant wife and learning the ins and outs of the Digital Rebel...

I shot a bunch of stuff in large/fine at the beach around sunset in ISO 100 and some pics around the house playing with 800 and 1600 in available light. What a great camera!!

I have now realized that I need to do a lot of homework and start refining some reasonable digital workflow and get into shooting some RAW. The G1 to iPhoto to CVS for printing doesn't do justice to the images that come from the DRebel.

I also have access to Photoshop CS from the school where I teach so I plan to start learning that as well. I'd love some pointers from anyone else who recently moved from casual P&S shooting to more serious shooting... searching this site for "workflow" gives you about a million links!!

Hope everyone else is having a great weekend! My wishlist is already starting.... 17-40 L, 70-200/4 L, 28-135 IS, oh the list goes on. I'm going to need a second job...

[CyberDyneSystems]

Hey congrats!

You'll love it!



//considerig making it a new rule that only people with the names Scott, Tom and Ian can join this forum.... :wink:

[ScottJE22]

//considerig making it a new rule that only people with the names Scott, Tom and Ian can join this forum.... :wink:

Well you won't get any argument from me on that one! :D

I should also mention that it was touch and go for about 24 hours there when I was fairly seriously considering a D70 :shock: I'm thrilled with my decision, though -- the controls are familiar from my A2 and my G1. It's like coming home :D

[robertwgross]

I'd love some pointers from anyone else who recently moved from casual P&S shooting to more serious shooting... searching this site for "workflow" gives you about a million links!!


I think the standard beginner mistake is to "over-refine" the image, and they end up with something that looks artificial.

Another problem comes from staring completely at the screen image until it looks perfect. Come back in a couple of days and sometimes it looks completely different. So, at first, be careful of what you delete that might actually be good, and be careful of what you show around to friends that might still have some flaws. No matter how well-calibrated your computer and printer are, you can still get a print that looks rather different from what you thought you saw on the screen.

I eventually got into a plan of deleting any obviously technically bad shots first. Then on the next pass, I study the good ones a little more closely, and I delete 10%. Then the next day...
That continues until I have only the very best ones from the standpoint of composition.

---Bob Gross---

[CyberDyneSystems]

Great advice... but if I did that.. I think I'd end up with maybe 4 photos :lol: :lol: :lol:

[robertwgross]

Great advice... but if I did that.. I think I'd end up with maybe 4 photos :lol: :lol: :lol:

But those four would be very, very good.

When I shoot a wedding, the keepers are about 60-80%.

When I do nature photography, the keepers are fewer.

---Bob Gross---

[Bruno1520]

I am now the proud owner of a Digital Rebel!
See what happens to people when they start reading this forum :)
You will enjoy it and with a baby arriving soon you will have a good subject.

Ray

[ScottJE22]

I am now the proud owner of a Digital Rebel!
See what happens to people when they start reading this forum :)
You will enjoy it and with a baby arriving soon you will have a good subject.

Ray

I did read your warning, Ray -- but by then it was too late.... The forum claims another victim :)

I was going to replace the G1 anyway, but I figured it would be with a G5. After coming here a while, I sold some stuff on eBay to cover the difference and opted for the Rebel...