Newbie Advice

[buginajar]

I am a complete newbie when it comes to photography. I am a graphic designer/web designer and the photography bug has bitten me pretty hard recently. It is so intriguing being able to artisticly capture a moment in time. I am a photoshop junkie and would like to get into photography to augment my professional career.

I have researched and come to the conclusion that I want a Canon dSLR camera. More specifically the Digital Rebel XT.

Do you think that would be too much camera for a complete novice like me? Also, do you think the kit lens would serve me well along my journey for camera competency?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[etaf]

Do you think that would be too much camera for a complete novice like me? NO - if you start with this camera then you will not be changing it in 6mths once you have more experiance.
With regards to kit lens etc
whats the budget for spending on kit - there are other lens which are better then kit lens but the $$$$$$ go up a lot.....

also make sure you handle the camera and it feels good in your hands

[whchan]

Don't worry. Photographers nowadays learn and pick up the picture taking techniques a lot faster (compared to 20 years ago using film) since digital photo enables you to view the pictures the moment you take them and be able to learn from every signle shot (if you are willing). I don't know ANYTHING about photography ~1.5 years ago and I have come a long long way in this short period of time. Internet also provides a great source of information if you have questions about a particular topic in photography.

You will really enjoy it.

[buginajar]

Thanks for the advice!

[Jon, The Elder]

etaf is right on. Don't fall for the "kit lens" deals, they are not always the wise choice.

Personally, I would suggest the Canon 28/135IS. It has very acceptable quality optics and it provides a very nice range. It is a top notch 'walk around' lens and one you will use for a long time.

Go to: www.pbase.com/jpferguson and check out my horse shots. A large percentage are taken with the 28/135.

[lostdoggy]

Seti nice photos.
Bug, make sure you try out the XT for fit. I have large hands, not real big, and have hard time holding the camera. It has been suggest in other threads to use the additional grip. As for the Kit lens, I agree with them that the kit lens is not that great, but $100 is not bad. the 28-135 IS lens goes for about $400 over the cost of the body. Its a very good lens, but its a EF-S lens meaning at present it will only fit the 300D/350D/20D. If the bug should bite again and you want to buy the next camera body and the next camera body has a full frame sensor you might be out of luck. The other consideration on the 28-135 IS lens is the 1.6x Multi factor. You would not have any wide angle coverage. If wide angle is not inportant to you then thats great. I would suggest keeping the Kit lens just for the time you need something little wider then the 28. Thats just my 0.02.

[Jon, The Elder]

Buginajar - Now you see the problem with questions here?

Every single answer you have gotten up to now -
IS 100% CORRECT AND ACCURATE. And, each follows a certain philosophy based on personal experience.

Buy several lenses, then you can come back and ask about how to clean your sensor ! That one alone is good for at least 7 or 8 responses and product links.

After the chintsy camera strap cuts a groove in your neck, ask about alternatives.

With several lenses, you will need a backpack/camera bag. Then a bigger one, and then.......

Don't forget the question about lens hood pros and cons and what, if any, filters you need.

You can spend at least a week discussing size, number, and brand of CF cards.

Front focus - back focus - no focus are good ones too.

Monopod/tripods are good for a few quick queries to fill in an odd day or two.

God help you if you decide to print your own shots !!

And don't forget external flashes-

And thats just stuff that I asked about !!

[Andy_T]

Buginajar,

I think the Canon Digital Rebel XT would make a very fine learning tool for you. I'd suggest to go with the kit lens first and add whatever you find lacking from your camera.

Best regards,
Andy

[rdenney]

I think the Canon Digital Rebel XT would make a very fine learning tool for you. I'd suggest to go with the kit lens first and add whatever you find lacking from your camera.

Preach it, Andy! Start with a cheapie do-all lens and learn how it is that you see images. As you develop your personal vision, you'll know where you need to go with lenses. The kit lens is a very good place to start, and it's cheap enough so that you are not making a long-term commitment without experience.

I have a moment, so here's a quickie skeletal outline of How Photography Works.

Photography works because of light. Therefore, light is at the root of nearly everything photographers do. Part of the camera measures the light, and another part controls how much reaches the sensor. The measurement part (the "meter"), has a whole range of different ways of evaluating the light on the scene. Each has strengths and weaknesses, but for most folks partial evaluative metering works most of the time.

Once you know how much light there is, you have to get it to the sensor. The quantity of light reaching the sensor is controlled by two things: The lens aperture and the time the shutter is open. The lens aperture setting is the ratio of the aperture diameter to the focal length, and it turns out that the same number means the same amount of light with any lens. It also means that a smaller number means more light. Thus f/2.8 admits much more light than f/16. These are called f-stops for historical reasons that no longer matter, but it's a term we still use. The shutter open time, or shutter speed, is measured in fractions of a second. But usually just the denominator is shown, so you see 60 or 125 and they mean 1/60 and 1/125th of a second. So, a larger number (125>60) means less time and therefore less light. Thus, you can achieve the same amount of light by using a wide aperture and a fast shutter speed or by using a narrow aperture and a slow shutter speed. Much of the effects photographers get depend on which end of that scale they choose, because each has different visual results on the image.

Your camera will choose both aperture and shutter speed for you according to a set of common rules, and this is called Program or P. Or, you can set the aperture and let the camera set the shutter speed--Av. Tv is when you set the shutter speed and the camera sets the aperture. M is when you set both. Put the camera on P and learn from the start not to use the so-called "picture modes" including the green rectangle and the other end of the dial.

Any good book on photography will expand on this outline. Resist the temptation to get a book on digital photography. Instead, get an old book that talks about the basics of exposure and learn that first. You'll be much further along much quicker.

The one part that is exclusive to digital is determining the file format and size. Always make the largest image file. I would start with Large JPEG mode, which will let you make prints directly from the memory card at a photo shop. Once you are ready to be more creative, change to shooting in RAW mode, and you'll have much more power over the final image, but it will require a software step in the computer before printing at the local lab.

And you can drive the sensor hard to simulate more sensitive film, though this will add noise at high values. Start with ISO 200--it's a good, general-purpose setting.

So, when you get the camera, mount the lens, put the dial on P, the ISO on 200, image size to Large, image mode to JPEG, and start taking pictures. Don't be upset if they seem flat--Canon does that on purpose to provide the most tonal information possible to give you the most flexibility in making a print. You'll learn how to punch them up to meet your objectives, and you'll be glad the camera didn't do it for you.

And always remember that what you aim the camera at and when you press the button has far more to do with great photography than any of the above.

Rick "who thinks an artist turning photographer has a big advantage going in" Denney