Final 350D questions

[mattsiesco]

I am looking at getting my 350D by the end of July and Im quite excited, but also kind of nervous. I have a few questions.

1. Is BestBuy a good spot to buy from or should I try Ritz Camera? Those are basically the two choices I have around here. Also, when buying, should I make sure that its newer so it has any problems fixed from older models? So what I mean is.. Are all the serial #s the same quality/feature-wise?

2. Should I get a filter right away, like a UV or Polarizer? Im not sure if I need one yet and perhaps you have some good advice.

3. I know this has been asked, but is it true that its luck of the draw with dslrs; as in you may get a good one, you may get a bad one. With no experience in DSLRS, I doubt I would notice the difference between a good and bad one and I dont want to throw $1000+ on a 'bad' camera.

4. Do you recomend any accesories besides the memory card and remote/cable?

5. Any last 'minute' tips or comments on purchasing a dslr? This is my first one and Im kind of nervous.

Thanks for your patience, I know there are alot of these posts.

matt

[theflyingkiwi]

let me be the first by saying that the 350D is a good camera and a great place to start. that I am sure you already know.

being in the US I don't know what best buy is like nor do I know what Ritz Camera is like. However I have read enought posts in this place and found that alot of people recommend B&H.

I have delt with them and found them to be ok. (the things that I ordered was just small bits)

2. I normaly get a UV filter to go on the lens, you don't really need to, but it is going to protect the front element from dirt and damage etc.

3. Not to sure on this one, call cameras are made equal and I believe that in some cases that it comes back to the owner that is causing the problems. eg not knowing how the camera works. But like anything that has a human factor there can always be problems.

4. Memory and batterys are the best accesories, being digital you can shoot for hours if you have plenty of space and plenty of battery. the extra bits comes down to your shooting style

5. the best thing I can say and that is get outside and shoot with it, when you have finished go out side, open the door and go outside again :lol: + don't pixel peep :)


and one last thing, enjoy it :) as playing with a new camera feeling only comes once and a while :)

[arunchs]

1. I usually prefer adormama
2. A UV is usually mounted to protect the lens. But if you think you can take good care of the lens, avoid any filters. They could degrades the image to some exent, especially prominent with digital cameras.
4. A CF card reader would be useful. It is a quick and easy way to download images to the comp. Using the camera to download is a very very slow process and also eats up the battery quickly.

[condyk]

I always recommend a battery grip for this camera as the small size can make handling difficult with anything other than a small, light lens. The grip is used to enhance handling/balance rather than to offer extended battery life ... tho' it's great for that too. I would buy an extra OEM battery via ebay rather the expensive Canon one if you need it.

Many come to DSLR via a point and shoot and some are disappointed. Remember that shot straight from mthe camera may appear a little dull and undynamic. You need to use the included Photoshop Essentials to 'tune' each picture. You very soon learn the exact standard setting to apply to most images. Normally I just use auto levels or auto contrast and the same Unsharp Mask settings 90% of the time. Takes 30 seconds per image.

Also, it is worth learning to use the camera on one of the 'creative' modes, or even full manual. It really adds to image quality rather than relying on the full auto modes. The manual offers enough to get you going on that stuff, or just ask here.

I never use UV filters. They are expensive (good ones anyway!) and don't add value to an image. CF card reader is a good buy definately and they can be very6 cheap off ebay. Don't bother with the USB connection as way too slow. The Canon handstrap I find a great addition. I hate the neck strap, but I normally use a very long zoom and it's just much easier and more comfortabloe to carry around.

Use the very best quality setting in JPG to start with as it's much quicker and satisfying when you're taking lots of shots and playing around. Switch to RAW when you want to move up to the next level with some serious shots. RawShooter Essentials is a good free application for processing RAW.

There may be some quality issues across brands and some duff items get through the net. However, from my own experience I think most problems are caused by lack of experience. The more time I spend learning to use my camera on full manual the more consistent my shots became. Understand depth of field as this can cause out of focus problems that people then blame on their gear. Also, use the centre auto focus point rather than let the camera decide or you may also find some shots are out of focus. Read the manual and play around.