Help with buying DSLR

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get_nick

These snozzberries taste like snozzberries...
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I'm looking at getting a DSLR to upgrade from my point and shoot. main concern is getting larger, high quality photos that my little camera can't provide.

I am leaning towards a Canon Rebel XSi, but I would like to get the Nikon D90 in case I want to use the video mode. I know the video isn't that spectacular, but it would be a nice feature to have in case I ever have an, "omg that cop is tazing a 90 year old woman" moment, or if there is some really cool race event that I go to.

I would like to buy a 2 lens package. For the Canon I would get the 18-55 and the 55-250 lens.

Is there anything I MUST buy when I order my package? Any filters, cases, cards or anything I should look for or will I be fine with the body and 2 lenses?

Most photos will be of cars, local landmarks, and of the girlfriend. Photos will range in size from 4x6 to possibly 18x24 if i can capture something great.
 
My only suggestions would be to get a UV filter for each lens to protect the glass from dings and breakage. The filters cost like 7 bucks each and can save you the heartache of broken glass in a lens. I have seen this first hand with a student that was careless with one of my cameras. The filter was trashed but the lens was intact. Secondly I would check around your area for a camera store that sells used lenses. Get the know the staff there and ask lots of questions about the type of shooting you will be doing. The kit lenses are ok for average use but you will be well served to get a better quality lens in the future. Get ready they can be pricey but the results are awesome. I would also reccomend a good bag and a large memory card. I have 4 gig CF cards in my XT and XTi cameras and they hold roughly 1000 photos unless you are shooting in RAW mode. I haven't looked over the new XSi yet but I think they may have moved to SD cards.

By the way I just purchased a large format photo printer so I can print off images up to 24X36 and the shots I've blown up from my cameras have turned out awesome. I can print for anyone that wants for just the cost of the ink/paper and shipping the tube. PM me if you want me to do some stuff.
 
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from what i have read, the canon lenses get really good reviews. there are a lot of cheap, shitty lenses out there.
 
Don't get me wrong the kit lenses are very good but you will notice that your photos may go soft at some focal points. I still have all of my 8 cameras with their kit lenses. But I have also picked up a few other higher end lenses as well. You can tell the difference between them. I am not saying that you have to replace the kits lenses to get quality shots.
 
so should i just buy a body and an aftermarket lens?

i would like just 1 lens that could do it all. but i don't think there is one.
 
No I would still get the kit with the two lenses so you have some versitility you seem to get a better deal with a kit. Get to know your camera and the settings and most importantly know how the setting affect the image. Then down the road take a look around on CL, Ebay and your local camera stores for some used lenses that are a good deal. There is no one magic lens. I have some 18-55mm, some 75-300, and one 50-500mm that I use on a regular basis. I constantly look at my local camera stores site to see if I can score some new sweet used glass for my collection.
 
The shutter in my D40x failed 2 weeks ago after only 23,000 shots :( (seems to be a common thing with the D40x, other models are unaffected). I'm looking to upgrade to the D90 as well. I would have liked to wait until the video feature matured a bit but having no camera sucks. :D

Nikon uses SD cards now too, and 8 and 16 GB cards are cheap nowadays... go the large card route instead of several smaller ones, you'll thank yourself later.

Ditto on the UV filters... Practically all DSLRs can't detect UV, so you're basically using it to protect the lens. They're cheap, get one for each lens and never take it off. Another thing you'll thank yourself for when you crack a filter that would have been your lens!
 
One of my favorite cameras that would probably fit you best is the sony alpha 350 doesnt cost as much as most of your cannons and nikons and from experience gives some great photos it also has a nice tilt screen feature just in case you need to get an odd angled shot...but on all cameras you should use the eyepiece... good assortment in lenses... and with the money you save you could invest in a small hard drive camcorder... well thats my .02 the best thing for you is to go to a camera shop and play... after all the camera has to fit you
 
go to a camera store.
look at every dslr they have, touch it, handle it, molest it in every way.

believe me, if you are a serious buyer, they wont mind spending the time with you to let you play with them.
its like buying a bike, you want to find the one that fits you. ask the person behind the counter all the questions you can think of.

i prefer canon, and want to get a 50d, i have a xti right now, but want better.
every make of camera has a different layout, and some you just wont be comfortable with, or the feel of the camera could be too big or small, too light or heavy for your personal taste.

lenses you will want are an everyday walkaround lense, the one that will be basically primary for you, i use my kit lens the 18-55mm for that, its decent.
then you will want a zoom lens, for those faraway shots, i have a 70-300mm.
the everybody needs a 50mm prime lense, no zoom, just a straight 50mm piece, very good for low light inside/night pics.
then a wide angle lens. i dont know how many times i wish i had one of those. i really need/want one.


go touch them all, play with them, look at the overall cost of them, the cost of the lenses for that particular body. everything like that.
and always, buy the added insurance on the damn thing. it is a very very useful thing to have.
 
If you shoot Canon, get a used 30D/40D instead of a new XSi. The improvement to interface and build is worth it. The newer 18-55 IS kit lens is actually pretty decent if you can get your hands on one of those. As far as extra equipment goes, I would recommend a bag and a Canon flash.

For the record I shoot with a 40D, the 17-55 IS, 50/1.8 and 85/1.8 primes, and a 580EX flash.
 
just depends on the budget really.
i would much rather have the 50d, the 60d is supposed to be getting released soon, so the 50d will be dropping in price.
 
I went down the same path... what to do what to do.

In the end I spent less money on a body (Xsi/450D) and more money on lenses.

DO NOT let video be your buying reason, that shouldn't even be a thought, use your cell phone for video if that's the case. If you want an SLR buy an SLR. something that does pictures good, anything else shouldn't matter.

As for the UV Filters, to protect the lens? use a lens cover, if you don't have the cover on then your neck strap should be around your neck. A lot of pro shooters will argue about UV filters, I have some and use them some times, however they do make a great point.

Why place a 20 dollar piece of plastic/glass over a 800 dollar lens?

I have ZERO regret with buying the xsi, the kit lens isn't bad 18-55 IS lens, and you can use most any Canon lens with the camera so when you upgrade the body down the road, your lenses will follow.
 
In my case that 20.00 filter protects my lenses from 30 teenagers checking out my 8 cameras on a daily basis.
 
yeah, the video isn't really a concern with buying a camera. i think i'm going to go with the xsi. digital video cameras are so cheap theses days, i could pick up a small one and throw it in the camera bag.
 
i dont use any UV filters.. it stays in my bag or around my neck
 
i dont use any UV filters.. it stays in my bag or around my neck
Bottom line, lenses can range from $100-10000 no matter what, when I handle my camera I make sure I handle it with care, anytime I allow anyone else to use my camera the first thing I do is put the strap around their neck, no ifs ands or buts.
If they remove the camera from around their neck then the camera goes straight into my camera bag.

Quoted from a photography site.

As for protection, well that's pretty silly. A lens cap provides protection.
If you insist on using a UV filter as "protection", buy the best
multi-coated filter money can buy. B+W, Hoya, Heliopan. Don't put a
second-rate filter in front of a good lens. The image is only as good as
it's weakest part.

Again, $20.00 piece of plastic on one of my nicer lenses just doesn't make sense to me.


Xsi is a great camera, just make sure you buy lenses that can be used with canons higher end cameras the Xsi allows you to use lower end lenses as with higher end stuff.

Always remember, the camera is only as good as the lens attached to it. Speaking of that, the lens is only as good as the filter attached to it lol.
 
^^ yea.. nobody uses my camera but me... the fiance tries and has to beg literally... one thing though, strap goes around her neck.. and i usually supervise , she's dropped one to many point and shoots ...
 
If you aren't sure yet, you need to do more research. An SLR will last you as long or longer than a car, and most people spend a long time researching cars.

Don't listen to chestercheto48. UV filters aren't needed anymore, as the image sensor already filters UV light. It was needed when we were all using high-sensitivity film, but not so much anymore. This is something that people have argued about over the years, and probably will continue to argue about.

The only filter I ever use is a circular polarising filter. And then even not that often, it's better for taking pictures of cars and other shiny stuff.

It's not the camera, it's the glass, and the eye behind the glass. Play with every camera you can in your price range for a bit. Read the manuals of all of them, then play with them again. The key here is not to be impulsive.
 
If you aren't sure yet, you need to do more research. An SLR will last you as long or longer than a car, and most people spend a long time researching cars.

Don't listen to chestercheto48. UV filters aren't needed anymore, as the image sensor already filters UV light. It was needed when we were all using high-sensitivity film, but not so much anymore. This is something that people have argued about over the years, and probably will continue to argue about.

The only filter I ever use is a circular polarising filter. And then even not that often, it's better for taking pictures of cars and other shiny stuff.

It's not the camera, it's the glass, and the eye behind the glass. Play with every camera you can in your price range for a bit. Read the manuals of all of them, then play with them again. The key here is not to be impulsive.


Did you even read my post? The only reason I suggested a filter was to protect the lens from accidental abuse. I currently advise a yearbook staff of 30 15-18 year old students who have been given everything in life and have virtually no respect for property because mommy and daddy will replace it no questions asked.

My reasoning for suggesting it was simply because over my 9 years advising I have had no less than three instances where students were careless with the camera/lens and the filter came back broken but the lens survived. That "not needed" filter saved me the cost of buying a lens or most likely in my case taking that camera out of use beause I do not have an unlimited budget to replace camera parts.

I simply put it out there as a precautionary tactic as he may or may not be new to using a dslr camera. Don't discredit my suggestion simply because you don't believe in it. I was not the only one to suggest it btw. Let him make the choice.
 
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