XTI/400D Users Chat

bill boehme wrote in post #4060738
I see that you have a good assortment of lenses, but if you are looking for a wide angle lens to give improved performance over the kit lens I would like to recommend the EF 16-35 mm f/2.8L USM as an excellent choice. I got one recently, and it stays on the camera most of the time. The 18-55 mm kit lens is nice and a good performer considering its cost, but the 16-35 leaves nothing to be desired.

Also, 17-40/f4 is another good lens to consider. Sure, it does smaller aperture, but you really don't miss much when you shoot landscape. Plus, I have heard the IQ is on par or better than 16-35/f2.8

WaltA wrote in post #4062659
I understand that out of the box pushing the shutter button half way locks both the Exposure and the Focus. Splitting them into 2 functions allows me to focus on one object in my picture and then set exposure using another.
Just another way to be creative.

There are verrrrry lengthy posts on this forum discussing this with words of wisom from a lot more ecxperienced people than me and its a Ford/Chevy argument - like many on here. Some love it - some think its stupid.

Once I got used to it I use it all the time.

I will just add couple of things on top of what has been said here. By use AE lock for AF lock will prevent you from accidentally taking the picture. Plus for moving objects, you determine the exposure when the shutter is fully pressed. Personally, I think it is easier to track moving objects.

ipschoser1 wrote in post #4061945
I love my 400D! I got it last April and it's got about 6500 clicks on it so far. I'm using the 70-200 f4L, 17-40 f4L and a Wigma. Faster glass isn't to far down the road for me...

Why do you need faster glass? I see you already have 70-200/f4 and 17-40/f4. all you need now is 24-105/f4 to complete your collection
Don't tell me 70-200/f2.8 IS is your next lens.

here is a sample pic w/ my sigma 10-20

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sunnythepsychocat wrote in post #4063953
Why do you need faster glass? I see you already have 70-200/f4 and 17-40/f4. all you need now is 24-105/f4 to complete your collection
Don't tell me 70-200/f2.8 IS is your next lens.

I'd LOVE to have a 70-200 f2.8 IS!!! The faster glass is needed for indoor shots. I'd more than likely get a 24-70 L if buying today.

I love my XTi. I came from the P&S world and decided to learn about photography and buy a "real" camera about 6 months ago. Since then, it has become almost an obsession. It is unbelievable the pictures you can get from this so-called "entry level" camera once you learn how to use it.

I shoot mainly in Av, and my subject matter is usually my two kids. I just got the Tamron 28-75 f2.8 to replace my kit lens as my main walk-around (although my kit lens is really good), and also have the 50 1.8.

The one thing I will mention, since there are probably quite a few new shooters reading this post, is take the time to load the software that came in the box with your XTi. Digital Photo Professional is really easy to use, and the difference it can make in your final product is amazing. You don't need to shoot RAW if you don't want to. You can go back and fix white balance, and sharpen pics or add/subtract contrast, brightness, etc in less than a minute per shot and make your pics look like the "pro" pics you wanted when you first got a DSLR.

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Nice to find this thread ... I liked Canon IQ ever since I got my first P&S Dig Camera A60 ... but was annoyed with its slow focus. Switched to Sony S90 and W50 later, but finally took the plunge and bought the XTi just before my Hawaii trip ... what can I say ! It has been very nice until now, coz I just got the nifty fifty and whoa !! Kit lens so far is good but will buy better glass later.

Somehow I feel I need to increase the sharpness overall ... I shoot mostly in M mode slightly overexpose by +1/3 most of the time. Will need to experiment with Av and Tv but most of my shots until now are portraits or landscape, nothing much moving targets.

one such shot from the Big island is here ...

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flthere wrote in post #4064765
Nice to find this thread ... I liked Canon IQ ever since I got my first P&S Dig Camera A60 ... but was annoyed with its slow focus. Switched to Sony S90 and W50 later, but finally took the plunge and bought the XTi just before my Hawaii trip ... what can I say ! It has been very nice until now, coz I just got the nifty fifty and whoa !! Kit lens so far is good but will buy better glass later.

Somehow I feel I need to increase the sharpness overall ... I shoot mostly in M mode slightly overexpose by +1/3 most of the time. Will need to experiment with Av and Tv but most of my shots until now are portraits or landscape, nothing much moving targets.

one such shot from the Big island is here ...

How do you overexpose +1/3 in M mode? EC is only applicable to non-M modes... Do you mean you just adjust shutter speed down a stop or open the aperture open an extra stop? Or, do you just up the ISO?

David Saunders II wrote in post #4065849
How do you overexpose +1/3 in M mode? EC is only applicable to non-M modes... Do you mean you just adjust shutter speed down a stop or open the aperture open an extra stop? Or, do you just up the ISO?

You adjust aperture or shutter so that the meter indicates 1/3 stop above zero. ISO is only adjustable in full stops on the 400D, so that wouldn't work.

I bought the XT just about 2 years ago this month. I like it so much that when I wanted to pick up an extra body to serve as a back-up. The XTi was a logical choice.

Two of the best things I've adjusted to in the last 15 months was shooting RAW and using M. Manual (M) taught me to think about the light is striking the subject and background. RAW let me get the most out of my images.

Highly recommend both. Try it, you might like it.

Kevin

Hello from a 400D user. Well not right now, but I bought one in Feb. 2007. Sold it when I moved, but going to buy another one in a few weeks. Here is a sample shot I took last winter from the camera. I enjoyed using the camera, having come from a Nikon D50. I would like to get something with a bit more FPS, but I dont shoot that much sports to worry about it from day to day. I only have a kit lens and a nifty 50 for now, but want to expand my bag after Christmas. I rented a 70-200 F4 L and loved it so thats something I am going to consider getting.

Here is my gallery of my XTi.

So a question I have for the 400D users is :

Is it a hobby camera only? Its considered a con-sumer (not even a pro-sumer) camera and I just wondered what everyone uses their 400D for.

A little background on the question is that I (like lots of you) came from the High-end P&S to a "low-end" DSLR. I'm wondering now if I would have been better off staying with a top of the line P&S.

I believe my pictures are very good (for an amateur) but being at the bottom end of the chain I see lots of pressure to "upgrade". And seeing as there is no income from my photography hobby even though I can buy a 5D if I want one I have a hard time justifying it.

Looking for some thoughts on this ....

Hey FOX - I see you have some car shows in your gallery. Thought you might like this.
There are a lot of old car collectors here in White Rock and they park down on the beach often just to get together - very informal.

I love to run down there in the setting sun and take some shots.

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Hey all, i'm still rather new to photography but in the month and a half or so, i've learned to love my camera and go from auto mode to all out manual. I'm getting great shots with the kit lens, but i'm really enjoying my nifty fifty. I hope to pick up a 28-135mm IS USM & a Sigma 10-20mm soon. Click my flickr to see some shots.