DSLR camera questions

[FNAWSM]

Yes im aware this is off topic and there is a thread for that but i didnt want to bury it 2 or 3 pages deep. Im looking to get a new DSLR camera, something a step up from my canon powershot s3is. Ive been eyeing the canon rebel t2i for a while and there is a nice sale for it at best buy right now. Im aware that the t3i is about to release but when it comes out it will be out of my price range for a while and i cant wait that long. My question is: does anyone have experience with this camera or recommendations on a camera to look at? Id like to stay at around the $800ish. From all that ive read the T2i is an amazing camera for the entry level dslr cameras and even rated better than others that were about twice as expensive. Thanks for the tips and im sure ill be back with more questions about lenses and how to use the camera. For what its worth, the rebel T2i runs around $830 after taxes and comes with an 18-55mm lens.

[tigerclaws1318]

I have purchased the T2i a month ago and never really got the chance to play with it. As for the camera you will not be disappointed with what you get for the price. Amazing camera with outstanding picture quality if you know how to mess around with the settings. The 15-55mm lens features image stabilization that compensates for camera shake. Highly recommend this camera.

[Ilya]

Yes im aware this is off topic and there is a thread for that but i didnt want to bury it 2 or 3 pages deep. Im looking to get a new DSLR camera, something a step up from my canon powershot s3is. Ive been eyeing the canon rebel t2i for a while and there is a nice sale for it at best buy right now. Im aware that the t3i is about to release but when it comes out it will be out of my price range for a while and i cant wait that long. My question is: does anyone have experience with this camera or recommendations on a camera to look at? Id like to stay at around the $800ish. From all that ive read the T2i is an amazing camera for the entry level dslr cameras and even rated better than others that were about twice as expensive. Thanks for the tips and im sure ill be back with more questions about lenses and how to use the camera. For what its worth, the rebel T2i runs around $830 after taxes and comes with an 18-55mm lens.

Go for it.

For someone who will not be doing any photography work for a living, the T2i is fine. Hell, even my old XTi that I currently have would be sufficient for you. I started out just doing photo stuff for fun, but I've since begun to do actual work so I have upgraded my lenses. I now have a 18-200mm f3.5, 50mm f1.8, and the stock lens.

Here is my pictures using my old body (camera) with the new lens. Bottom line is your T2i will be plenty enough for you. Once you get it, learn how to use manual mode correctly and you'll be all set. Here are the basics for your lens (stock 18-55):

The lens is f3.5-5.6 (this varies from lens to lens - the lower the f-stop start point the more expensive the lens). This means when you're shooting at an aperature of f3.5, you can afford to turn the shutter speed to a faster setting such as 1/100 (I think the 18-55 goes up to like 1/6000) while still keeping the ISO at 100 (the lower the ISO the better as the pictures are less grainy). When you are shooting at f5.6, you have to turn the shutter speed to a lower setting such as 1/10 to make up for the lost light and might have to adjust the ISO as well.

If you can find the correct relationship for certain environments between aperature (f-stops), ISO, and shutter speed....you'll be on your way to taking good pictures.

I highly suggest you invest in a tripod because at slow shutter speeds (such as 1 second which is usually needed when shooting car photos at night for example) your hands tend to shake and make the pictures blurry. If you must use the camera without a tripod, try holding your breath when you take the pics. It's a snipers trick to steady yourself.

Hope this wasn't confusing. Definitely take the time to learn the camera man and you'll be VERY happy with the T2i.

[FNAWSM]

Thanks guys for your feedback and i would still love to hear any other members opinions on different brands like Nikon, Sony etc.

Like i said before, ive only heard good things about the canon T2i and im sure it will be plenty for nice pictures of my Baby (as in human) and my baby (as in m45). I actually think instead of getting the T2i Im going to preorder the T3i that is set to be released in the next few weeks. From what ive seen its basically the same camera but it has a swivel lcd display rather than a fixed viewing display along with a few other little updates. Not a huge diff. but that would be a nice feature to have and i hate to buy something when the newer one is coming out in a few days (just a personal thing). Either way im excited and thanks again for the opinions and tips.

Stephen

[infinitedrift]

These were taken with my Pentax Kx DLSR. I bought it for $550 with 18-55mm and it also comes in a two lens kit for $650 i belive. Its so user friendly and the best thing about Pentax is that every single lense they ever made will fit thier newer cameras...thats big for buying used lenses that normally hundreds of dollars. I belive canon and nikon come out with new lenses every 3 years but those lense will not fit your older camera. I got the Kx from QVC, they have payment plan called "easy pay" if you dont want to pay all up front, comes straight out your debit card, no intrest.

post5965181.html?hilit=new camera#p5965181

[pedsemdoc]

You've made a good choice. Ilya brings up some good points--I bought a used Manfrotto tripod with a Gitzo head and it has been one of the best investments ever. A decent flash is important for indoor shots because the built in pop up flash is really crap (on any camera). '

DPreview.com is a good site to pick up knowledge and see people's shots. EFlens.com has a review on a bunch of EF canon lenses-just remember that the Rebel series are APS-C sized sensor (1.6x cropped view) not really noticeable with day to day use, though.

I have a Canon 20D--one of the first generation prosumer Canon models--only 8 MP, but it continues to take some brilliant photos but if you've got good glass (Canon L lenses-the majority have white bodies) you can take better photos than a 7D using a "bad" lens...cuz' it's all about the lenses as long as you have a semi-decent body and lighting (Early AM or dusk is the best time to snap shots for natural light.)

I highly recommend the Canon 70-200mm F4-it's only about $400-450 and it takes some fantastic shots if you're looking for a long term investment. The "nifty 50 " F1.8 II 50mm is another lens that is cheap but gets really excellent reviews.

GL withe the photography thing--it can become all consuming like modding our Ms if you want to take it that far.

[FNAWSM]

well right when i think i have things figured out you go and tempt me with another option! Just joking and thank you for your input. After you mentioned it i did some searching about it and it gets some great reviews aswell. Lots of good things about it and i could get that one with 2 lenses for less than the new T3i that would come with just one lens. You mentioned that the pantax allows for more interchangable lenses but doesnt the canon still take a ton of diff lenses? Ive also read that the canon doesnt have an Image stabilizer in the body but rather in the lenses. Im assuming this will be a problem when i try to add diff. lenses bc they will have to have IS in them. Are these hard to find? Im a noob to all this so im soaking up all of this new info so thanks.

[FNAWSM]

peds, Thanks for all the info aswell, you typed your response when i was typing mine so i hadnt seen it yet. Ill be sure to check out those sites you listed. Any info on the IS in the lenses rather than the body? is that a common thing or just a cannon thing? Will this make finding other lenses more difficult down the road?

[Ilya]

Sorry for the double post.

I highly recommend the 50mm f1.8 lens from NewEgg.com for $100. Great lens.

[FNAWSM]

^i couldnt find this lens, anyway you could link me? $100 is cheaper than i thought a good lens would run (im def. not complaining). I know the real good lenses can be hundreds and thousands of dollars so why is this so good at $100? Either way i would love to check it out, thanks!

[Ilya]

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-50mm-1-8-Ca ... B00007E7JU

NewEgg (where I got mine for $100) has deactivated the item. I got mine like 2 weeks so PHEW, just made it evidently. Still, great price.

[pedsemdoc]

Camera bodies with IS turn ANY lens into IS ones, however if your body doesn't have it--you've need to get ones with IS if you want it. IS basically gives you about 1 to 1 1/2 f-stops more vs non-IS same lens. This is more noticeable if you're doing hand-held shots (hard to keep your hand steady esp after lots of Starbuck's) vs tripod or even a monopod (something to look into if you're doing a lot of outside, on-the-go shots)

The f1.8 50mm is just an all-around great lens for the money. Metal mount versions are a little bit better build quality vs plastic ones but glass is still good. You get the nice background blur (bokeh) and since it's a fixed focal length-there's no zoom hunting trying to frame the shot. You step up or back to get the shot. It is a very good lens to start with outside of the kit lens which a lot of Canon snobs seem to dismiss, but I don't think it's that bad--of course I have the non-IS version and I believe the newest Rebels come with the IS version.

The other thing to think about using are sites that let you rent lenses--it's good to try out and experiment a few before you buy before spending your hard earned coin on something that's too heavy/big, has poor low light performance, etc.

[FNAWSM]

ok i figured that was the case, that seems like a good price. This may be a stupid question but i have no experience yet with these things, bc it is a 50mm and not a range like 18-55mm does that mean there is no zooming with that lens? Im guessing the advantage of this lens is the aperature being 1.8 versus the 5.6 when at 55mm? Ive been watching youtube videos about dslr shooting tips and im learning so many fun tips and facts. I could see this getting very addictive and expensive. How much does a good 18-200mm lens run? Also if i have a canon can i only use canon lenses? And what happens if i use a lens that doesnt have the IS built into it with my canon body that doesnt have IS? Will i only notice this in lower light situations or at longer exposures? thanks guys

[FNAWSM]

I keep typing a reply and stopping and then coming back to finish only to see that during that break many of my questions have been answered while i was away. Thanks and sorry for asking the question that you have already answered.

Great idea about renting lenses, never would have thought of that. I plan on using the stock 18-55mm lens that will come with it and getting the 55mm f1.8 lens and just trying to master those for a little while. After i save a little more i will try to get something with more zoom like a 18-200mm or so.

Also from everything i have read the T2i and the soon to be released T3i use IS lenses and not IS body. I would think IS body would be better because you can use more lenses but who knows. When using the 55mm f1.8 do you have problems with blurring because its not an IS lens and the T2i doesnt have Body IS?

[Ilya]

ok i figured that was the case, that seems like a good price. This may be a stupid question but i have no experience yet with these things, bc it is a 50mm and not a range like 18-55mm does that mean there is no zooming with that lens? Im guessing the advantage of this lens is the aperature being 1.8 versus the 5.6 when at 55mm? Ive been watching youtube videos about dslr shooting tips and im learning so many fun tips and facts. I could see this getting very addictive and expensive. How much does a good 18-200mm lens run? Also if i have a canon can i only use canon lenses? And what happens if i use a lens that doesnt have the IS built into it with my canon body that doesnt have IS? Will i only notice this in lower light situations or at longer exposures? thanks guys

My 18-200mm cost me like $440 on Amazon. I think it's a $500+ lens. Either that or I got it for $340 and it was a $400+. Dont' remember the exact numbers. I got it used though.

[tonyynguyen]

Canon and Nikon are the top dogs in the dslr field. In my opinion, the best way to find a dslr best suit for you is to go to a retail store and hold one in your hand. I'm an Nikon shooter, I tried the lower end Canons and the plastic bodies weren't right for me.

With your "IS" question, non-IS lens will work fine. Image stabilizer only really matters when you're hitting the lower shutter speed. And for bodies with built in image stabilizer, I don't think Canon nor Nikon carry any DSLR with this feature. Even the highly regarded Canon L Lens 70-200 2.8 is non-is, although there is a IS version for a grand more.

[infinitedrift]

yes the IS body is def better, those pics in my thread were taken on a tripod with IS off, but with it on its amazing too.The shutter speed on "hi" is pretty damn fast for a begginer SLR. I have taken tons of fast moving pics of dogs and other animals while in motion and its like they were standing still. About the canon lenses being interchangable, that was the kicker for me when i was reading about them. I was in love with canon/nikon quality and still am but the lense thing killed it for me...check out pentaxforum.com for more info. The new Pentax is the Kr with just faster shutter speed and crazy colors.

[tonyynguyen]

Canon have EF mount and EF-S mount lens. EF mount lens can be used on EF-S bodies, but EF-S lens can't be used on EF bodies. EF bodies are Canons full frame cameras ( usually $2000+). So you shouldn't worry too much about lens compatibility.

Same with Nikon. Except their acronyms are different.

[FNAWSM]

Any other opinions or tips out there?

[Ilya]

RULE OF THIRDS!

[FNAWSM]

Hey guys, im just about to buy my camera from best buy and i thought i would see if anyone has any coupons or other means of getting a discount on a canon camera from BB? Thanks everyone

[a.blanco0905]

Hey guys, im just about to buy my camera from best buy and i thought i would see if anyone has any coupons or other means of getting a discount on a canon camera from BB? Thanks everyone

I imagine it's an expensive camera, if so talk to the manager and tell him you want a 25% discount. If he asks why, tell him there's a recession going on, worked for me a Lowes for a fireplace my wife wanted. He might haggle down to 15% or 10% and if he just doesnt want to give you a discount, ask one of the regular guys when the other manager is going to be in and you could also ask them who's the "cool" manager. There's always one. If this doesnt work then ask him to sell you the dispaly model!!! Good luck!!!

[szh]

Hi, all.

While I decided that this thread was off-topic, I left it in here for a while ... same with the other "OFF-TOPIC" thread.

But now, I think this one needs to be moved to another forum ... we have discussions on cameras in Gen Chat occasionally.

I will put it there in a bit, so that people have a chance to see this post of mine here first.

Z

[FNAWSM]

boo, might as well just delete it all together and save some cyber space.

[a.blanco0905]

Hi, all.

While I decided that this thread was off-topic, I left it in here for a while ... same with the other "OFF-TOPIC" thread.

But now, I think this one needs to be moved to another forum ... we have discussions on cameras in Gen Chat occasionally.

I will put it there in a bit, so that people have a chance to see this post of mine here first.

Z

Ok, so I named that thread "off-topic" for a reason, every other car forum has a "general" thread where people talk smack, or whatever it is they want to talk about without leaving the confines of their own car forum. So why are you going to "move" it to another forum? Also there's a gazillion threads about off topic stuff and you pick Steven's camera thread? and just about a month ago someone was like "Hey, here's pix of my car with my new cam" and that thread is still alive somewhere??? With all due respect, what are you doing as a moderator?? Arent you supposed to make the community a better place? How're you doing that by eliminating an "off topic thread" that's causing no harm and if anything is doing good.

[szh]

We have lots of forums here at NICO, because we have a ton of people with different interests and different desires of topics to read.

We keep the threads separated into each forum for that exact reason ... so, for example, people don't enter this forum to read about the Z or enter the Z forum at NICO to read about the M, right?

Else we would have one super-giant forum and infinite threads to wade through to get to the ones we want. Threads would scroll off the main page so fast that we would not find the site interesting anymore! Do you know that we get more than 18,500 posts per day at NICO?

Frankly, I am a bit relaxed about allowing non-M threads in this forum - I let things slide more than I should really. So, I did not bother moving the off-topic thread for example ... I figured letting a single thread stay for that purpose would not harm things too much, so our M owners who frequent this forum could post random stuff in there.

The Gen Chat forum was specifically where our members do indeed expect everyone to let down their car hair and talk about stuff unrelated to cars - the name of that forum should be obvious (used to be called "General Chat" originally for a reason!).

Also, equally importantly, on the topic of DSLRs, having the thread in Gen Chat - where other threads on cameras pop up quite a bit - you are likely to see more posts from people who have bought high-end cameras and will be willing to provide info and their experience.

But, now you also see the usual difficulty of being lax and where it goes "give them an inch and they will take a mile". Pulling in the reins always leads to balking. : Would you prefer that I follow the NICO rules rigidly? Probably not, I suspect.

Anyway, most importantly, as the M forum Moderator, I do get a fair amount of freedom to be both lax in enforcing the rules and in making sure that people follow them too when necessary. . Please accept that and don't worry about it too much - you will be happier!

Z

Moved to Gen Chat!

[FNAWSM]

lame, surely people dont get paid to do this job do they? the thought of that really bothers me for some reason.

[szh]

We are all volunteers ... no paid Moderators at all.

Z

[a.blanco0905]

We have lots of forums here at NICO, because we have a ton of people with different interests and different desires of topics to read. We keep the threads separated into each forum for that exact reason ... so, for example, people don't enter this forum to read about the Z or enter the Z forum at NICO to read about the M, right?

I understand your take on this, all I'm saying is that there are members who come into the M forum ocasionally and dont venture outside of this forum for anything else.

or whatever it is they want to talk about without leaving the confines of their own car forum.

[telcoman]

Yes im aware this is off topic and there is a thread for that but i didnt want to bury it 2 or 3 pages deep. Im looking to get a new DSLR camera, something a step up from my canon powershot s3is. Ive been eyeing the canon rebel t2i for a while and there is a nice sale for it at best buy right now. Im aware that the t3i is about to release but when it comes out it will be out of my price range for a while and i cant wait that long. My question is: does anyone have experience with this camera or recommendations on a camera to look at? Id like to stay at around the $800ish. From all that ive read the T2i is an amazing camera for the entry level dslr cameras and even rated better than others that were about twice as expensive. Thanks for the tips and im sure ill be back with more questions about lenses and how to use the camera. For what its worth, the rebel T2i runs around $830 after taxes and comes with an 18-55mm lens.

I upgraded from a canon powershot which was my first digital camera to a Nikon D80
I'm a novice when it comes to photography and I'm still learning how to use it. The D80 has been replaced with the D90. Using a tripod allows taking pictures at night.



Telcoman