Should i get a new dslr? Or new Lenses?

Hi thanks for taking the time to read this.

Im new to the slr world, and just a few months ago brought a second hand eos 400d to start out with. All i have is the standard 18-55mm lens that it came with.

I have been thinking about enrolling into a dslr course, and am tossing up between updating my camera, or simply getting a new lens. I want an all rounder lens approx 18-200mm.

Will Getting a decent lens and learning help improve my photograpy alone, or do i really need to update my old 400d?

Thanks for you time

What is your budget?

Welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of DSLR.
Taking a class is a very smart way to get yourself a jump start. Don't worry about the gear yet, that's my .02.

Kronie wrote in post #15002548
What is your budget?

not quiet sure how much i want to spend, somewhere under 1k lol.

marzie84 wrote in post #15002542
Hi thanks for taking the time to read this.

Im new to the slr world, and just a few months ago brought a second hand eos 400d to start out with. All i have is the standard 18-55mm lens that it came with.

I have been thinking about enrolling into a dslr course, and am tossing up between updating my camera, or simply getting a new lens. I want an all rounder lens approx 18-200mm.

Will Getting a decent lens and learning help improve my photograpy alone, or do i really need to update my old 400d?

Thanks for you time

Guess what i really should of asked is the 400d quiet capable of taking great shots if used properly? or are newer cameras heaps better?

I would recommend using the 400d and the 18-55 for a bit. You could also get a 75-300 for under $150 just to have a longer range zoom to play with . That way you can learn the camera and lens, see what or if its limitations are and see what it doesn't do that another camera or lens will. I think a class is a great idea. You could also pick up Brian Peterson's book "understanding exposure" Lots of good stuff in there.

I think this combo you have is a good starting place. The camera and lens can take great images.

Kronie wrote in post #15002642
I would recommend using the 400d and the 18-55 for a bit. You could also get a 75-300 for under $150 just to have a longer range zoom to play with . That way you can learn the camera and lens, see what or if its limitations are and see what it doesn't do that another camera or lens will. I think a class is a great idea. You could also pick up Brian Peterson's book "understanding exposure" Lots of good stuff in there.

I think this combo you have is a good starting place. The camera and lens can take great images.

Thank you so much for your wonderfull advice Kronie you have been very helpfull. I think i may buy another lens and keep practising and learning as much as i can I deff want a lens that can zoom in a bit more as im very interested in close up macro shots of insects ect.

would a zoom lens upto 135mm be enough to take close up macro shots? was looking at the canon Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens

I read that the 75-300 is one of the worst telephoto zooms Canon makes.

I have an 18-200 and I am very happy with it. It is remarkably sharp and the Chromatic Aberration and Barrel distortion it exhibits are corrected well enough with software. You can pick one used around $400-500 from a reputable dealer (B&H, Adorama, KEH).

If you want a shorter range walkabout lens, the EF-S 15-85 is said to have superior optics and a good range.

The EF-S 17-55 2.8 has superior optics, constant f2.8 wide open throughout the range and a commensurately superior price.

EDIT: I missed the 55-250 a great lens for the price (less than $200 used). Definitely worth considering. For macros, any of the above with some macro rings will do.

I'm fairly new to photography too, but here's my advice:

1) The 400d is still a fairly good camera for what it is, ie an entry level DSLR. Learn to use it first before you consider buying a new body. Then, when you are certain you need a new body, decide what you want to photograph and then use this decision to guide you to the right body (ie, if yoiu like wildlife the 7D might be your choice whereas if you like portraits or landscapes a 5DIII or 6D might be better)

2) It is usually better to invest money in new lenses first rather than a new body. However, this doesn't mean you should rush out and immediately buy a Canon L series lens. The exact lens you are best off with will depend entirely on what type of photography you plan to use it for. Play around with your 400d and the 18-55 for a while and get an idea of the type of photography you want to do, then research which lens will be the best to accomplish this. You could consider an EF-S 55-250 zoom to compliment your 18-55 for the time being, if you find you need a bit more reach, they can be bought very cheaply used.

If you go out and buy new kit without really having an idea what you'll be photographing, you'll probably end up regretting your purchase.

3) Used lenses are a good way to go if you have a source you can trust if you want your budget to go a bit further. I use a dslr forum here in Germany to buy used lenses and it has worked out well so far. Decent lenses (e.g. Canon L series) hold their value quite well so if you buy used but then decide the lens isn't for you, you can sell it will little loss. ALWAYS keep the original boxes and invoices for when you want to sell on.

Upgrade when your abilities start to show the weaknesses of the camera and lens. You can do a lot before you need to upgrade, such as learning proper exposure, composition, etc.

This is a real bargain at $399.00 http://www.adorama.com​/CA18200AFR.html The Canon 18-200mm lens is a good general purpose lens for someone that does not want to change lenses and for travel when needing to carry a minimum amount of gear.

This is free and better than many books: https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=414088

Go slow with purchasing gear. Get some idea as to what YOU need and not necessarily what people like me have or might recommend. Try to get it right the first time or you will end up spending a lot of money buying and selling and buying, etc.

Cheap is not always the best. I have a house full of items (not photography items) that were a real bargain but now sit as new in a box because I did not really need them, but they were cheap. Ten unused items purchased for $100 each means a wasted one thousand dollars.

I strongly recommend an E-TTL flash that will tilt and swivel for low light photography. They are great when used properly. An f/2.8 zoom lens is wonderful to blur the background and for lower light situations. Mine is not nearly fast enough to be usable in my home without a flash. Remember, f/2.8 is not really fast, just faster than most zooms. Get a flash of low light photography.

Don't worry about making mistakes. We all have a history of mistakes and for some reason they seem to happen at the worst possible time. Learn from your mistakes and take lots of photos. The world of DSLR photography is challenging but the rewards can be indescribable.

I shouldn't do this to you but it is something you might consider for a better camera and a very usable lens: http://www.adorama.com​/ICA60DK1R.html The refurbished 60d plus 18-135 lens is $999.99 at Adorama or $831.66 plus tax at Canon through their Canon Loyalty Program (CLP.)

The camera bodies are better, but mostly in terms of features and conveniences. Sure, IQ gets better but it isn't as significant as what a good lens would do. My advice is to keep your body. Buy a "nifty fifty" - 50mm f1.8 so you can have a fast lens with a narrow depth of field. You can pick up the nifty 250 (Canon 55-250) for about $200 refurbished and you can have something longer that is a lot longer. I'm not a fan of the 75-300. The 55-250 is much sharper. If you want to upgrade the body, the T2i would get you the same sensor as the T3i, 60D and 7D. That upgrade would only be about a hundred bucks or so to sell yours and buy a used one.

You could also look at a 17-50 f2.8 from Sigma for about $600 and it has a constant f2.8 and is incredibly sharp.

Improving your skills as a photographer will ALWAYS trump a new lens or body. When I go on Flickr and see an 18 yr old with a 1000d and only a 50 1.8 posting pics that make my jaw drop, I get over any gear lust I might be having at the moment and get slapped back to reality real quick.

"Upgrade when your abilities start to show the weaknesses of the camera and lens. You can do a lot before you need to upgrade, such as learning proper exposure, composition, etc." - this is absolutely right. POTN is really bad about inspiring GAS in members. Got to be careful

FYI: for macro, you either need a macro lens, extension tubes, or a reverse mount solution.

Whether or not a new camera with a new lens will make a difference is dependent upon several things. I have never used a 18-200- although I know there are some who adore that lens- some will say tradeoffs- others- just love it the way it is.

First off, your 40D is probably best up to about 800 ISO.. Years back, 800 might have been enough- but in today's world- especially in homes with much poorer lighting than was typical 50 years ago- 800 is probably not enough anymore. A newer body might get you to taking pics where you would typically give up with the 40D...
The second thing is the phenomena of having new gear. To some, this is exciting to some- another reason to pull it out and use it.. Sometimes, newer gear has more functionality- and the lack of functionality also leads to decline in use... Also consider whether you want a larger body or a smaller body- same thing for lenses...

Personally, I hated the 18-55- mainly because of its limited range. Hated it with a passion. the best lens I got afterwards was not necessarily the much more expensive replacements but a lowly 18-135 IS.. Since then, I have replaced that with a 18-135 STM (T4i ) which is really sharp- a very nice kit lens.. To me, that one kit lens represents a nice walkabout range for a crop camera- good enough for about 90% of all pics I take.

If you do consider a body- you might want to consider downgrading to a Rebel (downgrade- figuratively ) such as a T4i- that has lots of modes- things that might interest you- like HDR, etc.. The other thing you should consider is whether or not the ergonomics of a larger body - like the 40D is getting in the way.. The 40D is a relatively larger body- and may not be as comfortable for you as you would like- so go to a local camera store and find out if you find other bodies more comfortable. As you don't have a lot of gear- you may want to also try out a Nikon or two- and see if they are more to your liking..