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Dslr Cameras; What do you own? Recomendations?
Topic Started: Dec 3 2010, 07:16 AM (1,025 Views)
jtm_usa
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Auckland, North Shore
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Hey guys, considering buying myself an early xmas gift
I was looking at the canon 550d aka rebel T2i

What camera do you have and what do you think of it?

Any recomendations?

Also what is a good starter zoom lens?
Its a bit daunting with how many lenses there are :o
Thanks guys
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E910
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MOTUL 300V
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Just get one of those package deal/twin lens kits to start with. That way you'll have two decent lens (18-55 & 55-250). Then you can worry about bigger & better ones once you've mastered the camera.
If you can live with out HD video you might still be able to pick up a 450d twin lens kit. My mate brought one at the beginning of the year for about $1200 new.

http://www.einfo.co.nz/shop/canon-450d-185...ck-p-10415.html

http://www.einfo.co.nz/shop/canon-550d-185...56-p-17575.html

Could also look at Nikon as well. They make some amazing gear, my old man has the D90 I think. The D3100 dose HD video & is cheaper than it's Canon rival but possibly not as good.

http://www.einfo.co.nz/shop/product_info.p...oducts_id=21135

http://www.einfo.co.nz/shop/nikon-d5000-18...ck-p-16495.html


Both the 550D & D5000 get similarly good reviews on www.dpreview.com
アルテッツァ RS200-Z 6MT
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NewZealanda
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Andrew Adamson
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Ahhhhhhhhhhh! You are all starting to sound like my dad. He loves his DSLR's and Im pretty sure hes got 2 of them plus another digital one that you dont look through. Nuts about photography.
Andrew

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Nunga
Soccer Mom
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I have a 7D, which is I suppose a more up-market version of the 550D. For the money, a 550D is hard to pass up (it wasn't available when I bought my 7D) and with the power of HD video, it can be used for everything!

I definitely agree that buying a typical twin-lens kit is the way to go; I opted for an 18-200mm Canon EFS lens, and while a great lens, I feel that maybe it loses a bit of depth in some photos, and it's a massive thing to carry around. Don't rule out looking at other manufacturers for lenses (or cameras for that matter); Tamron make good lenses, Sigma make brilliant lenses.

A lens you definitely have to buy at some stage is a 50mm portrait lens; Canon's basic F1.8 50mm is a great piece of kit every amateur and professional photographer should have, in my opinion. And for circa $120 (or cheaper online), it's chump change. Also, consider the various filters you can use (I recommend getting a UV filter at the very least) and of course a tripod. That's a must.
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War_Machine
Stock
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If you want, you can pm me your email address I can pass it onto my mate. He is a Canon Sale Rep. He is obsessed with them too. He doesn't mind talking the shit about Canon cameras.

My gf was thinking about a Canon 500D but he said its a waste and the 450D is cheaper and actually takes a better picture over the 500D.
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arw
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Soccer Mom
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I reckon it is all about the lenses and best to research the type of lens you will want to use first for the photography you want to do. Buy the best lens you can afford and skip the kit lens.

I purchased a canon 40D a few years ago with the kit lens 17-80mm. Purchased the 50mm f1.8 shortly after. It was the live view and exposure bracketing which sold me on the 40d at the time. Now the cheaper camera bodies can do those things. I've never had the money to purchase the lenses I intended to get later on which has been a bit frustrating. :)

The 50mm f1.8 is a good lens, awesome for portraits on the cameras with the sensor crop factor. But with the sensor crop it is a little limiting for using it as a general purpose lens.

My brother purchased an older second hand 5D body through trademe and bought a few good quality new lenses to go with it. I think thats a great idea. The full frame sensor Is very nice.

A friend has a 1000D its a great camera for its price. It will take all the same lenses as the other modern canon camers.

Nikon make nice stuff too. Another friend has a Nikon D700, they had an old nikon slr from the 80's and had lots of lenses to use with the D700.
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Haydinho
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Soccer Mom
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Nikon D90 :woot:

Alot better to use than any canon,

Plus all they make are cameras.... cant say that about most other Cam companies.
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CharmaineE
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I have a Canon 450D with twin lens kit. It takes great photos and would recommend it.
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Higgsy
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Joining the wagon club
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woot, picked up a 7d

now ive got;

canon 7D
canon 30D
canon 10-22mm
canon 70-200mm f4
canon 60mm f1.8
430EX ii

from a beams ITB to a 2JZ
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alimac
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Canterbury, NZ
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Also be aware that more pixels isn't necessarily a good thing. Too high a pixel count on a small sensor can (not necessarily will) cause digital noise, and may also cause the sensor to heat up and fail.
Yellow RS200z 6MT
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Stephen
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Altezza Club of Australia
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The lens quality is very important.
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xnickx
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^^ You may thank me ^^
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Currently still a n00b with the DSLR, had it a while now but thought recently (like last night LOL) that I want to get back into it and get into it properly.

Got myself a starters package a while back, is a Olympus E510 and got 2 lenses with it (can't remember what now LOL)

Just recently started a 2011 DSLR project on FB too!
Feel free to comment etc :)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=266573&id=564990193
Contacting me for parts

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xero
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3X Repeat Offender
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Higgsy,Feb 14 2011
09:43 PM
woot, picked up a 7d

now ive got;

canon 7D
canon 30D
canon 10-22mm
canon 70-200mm f4
canon 60mm f1.8
430EX ii

Thats a really nice setup there, similar to mine... I have

7D
17-40mm
70-200mm F2.8 II
50mm 1.4
18-135mm (kit lens)
70-300 F4-5.6 SM III
430EXii
580EXii

Also, its worth investing time in photo-retouching tutorials over the net,
I wouldn't touch the software that comes with the camera, use what the
industry uses, adobe bridge/photoshop or adobe lightroom, You shouldn't
be taking photos, and have the mentality that photoshop can fix everything
as learning the techniques properly is much more enjoyable, and you'll get
so much more out of taking photos.
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jtm_usa
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Auckland, North Shore
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xero,Feb 14 2011
06:31 PM
Higgsy,Feb 14 2011
09:43 PM
woot, picked up a 7d

now ive got;

canon 7D
canon 30D
canon 10-22mm
canon 70-200mm f4
canon 60mm f1.8
430EX ii

Thats a really nice setup there, similar to mine... I have

7D
17-40mm
70-200mm F2.8 II
50mm 1.4
18-135mm (kit lens)
70-300 F4-5.6 SM III
430EXii
580EXii

Also, its worth investing time in photo-retouching tutorials over the net,
I wouldn't touch the software that comes with the camera, use what the
industry uses, adobe bridge/photoshop or adobe lightroom, You shouldn't
be taking photos, and have the mentality that photoshop can fix everything
as learning the techniques properly is much more enjoyable, and you'll get
so much more out of taking photos.

xero,
how do you find the 50mm 1.4 lens? that is the next lens im looking at from my standard 18-55mm kit lens
is it worth the extra money from the cheap toyish 1.8 50mm?
i got a canon 550d over the holiday period, as im a bit of a newbie to dslr's (used to do photography in highschool using film)
but so far im really impressed with the 550D
and in the future i will look at the 7D.
is there any limitations to the 7D? what do you enjoy most about it?
thanks xero.
-jason
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xero
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I love my 50mm, easily the sharpest lens I have... Great depth of field and quick accurate focusing...
The 7D Is a great camera, the only limitation it has is that it is not a full frame
sensor, other than that.. Its awesome, having the smaller sensor means it can top the 8 frame
per second (depending on what card your using) where as the 5Dmk II is a touch slower...

If you already have the 550D, I would get a 5Dmk II if you can afford it, I wish I had... The 550d
& 7D are comparable on performance bar the faster shutter speed & low light capabilities. Both
shoot full HD video, both are around the same M/P, and have a similar processor... What you will
gain is the more rugged body, weather proofing & shutter life (its around 10x better) And the size
of the camera is suited to bigger (sorry ladies) male hands... I can't stand wrapping my mits
around the 550 & 60D's, waaaay to small, there are good deals to be had... Please don't go to
and of the regular electronic stores, you'll pay a premium... I use Progear (www.progear.co.nz)
in New Market, they have better cash prices... And being a dedicated camera shop, they know
what they are talking about and can give you better advise on what you need... Not how much
money they can get from you, I deal with Phillip, he's a top bloke.
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Higgsy
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Joining the wagon club
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xero,Feb 15 2011
05:17 AM
I love my 50mm, easily the sharpest lens I have... Great depth of field and quick accurate focusing...
The 7D Is a great camera, the only limitation it has is that it is not a full frame
sensor, other than that.. Its awesome, having the smaller sensor means it can top the 8 frame
per second (depending on what card your using) where as the 5Dmk II is a touch slower...

If you already have the 550D, I would get a 5Dmk II if you can afford it, I wish I had... The 550d
& 7D are comparable on performance bar the faster shutter speed & low light capabilities. Both
shoot full HD video, both are around the same M/P, and have a similar processor... What you will
gain is the more rugged body, weather proofing & shutter life (its around 10x better) And the size
of the camera is suited to bigger (sorry ladies) male hands... I can't stand wrapping my mits
around the 550 & 60D's, waaaay to small, there are good deals to be had... Please don't go to
and of the regular electronic stores, you'll pay a premium... I use Progear (www.progear.co.nz)
in New Market, they have better cash prices... And being a dedicated camera shop, they know
what they are talking about and can give you better advise on what you need... Not how much
money they can get from you, I deal with Phillip, he's a top bloke.

pretty much ditto everything that mark says.

i bow down to the skill and knowlege this man has.


also like to add though that the 50mm 1.8, even though its "cheap and palstic" its a great lens.
from a beams ITB to a 2JZ
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xero
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3X Repeat Offender
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This shot was taken at my last photoshoot using my 7D w/17-40mm,
2 flashes and a touch of photoshop trickery...

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Haydinho
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Soccer Mom
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I hate how people go buy a flash cam and then photoshop the images,... thats why you got a flash cam, to take those great pics first time! not to play with them on the PC... anyone can photoshop.
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xero
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3X Repeat Offender
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Alrighty then, Here's the original

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Higgsy
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Joining the wagon club
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Haydinho,Feb 15 2011
05:55 AM
I hate how people go buy a flash cam and then photoshop the images,... thats why you got a flash cam, to take those great pics first time! not to play with them on the PC... anyone can photoshop.

sorry dude, im gonna have to dissagree there.
photoshop takes a lot of practice/work to get things right.

--edit--
this is why i idolise you mark. beautiful shot
from a beams ITB to a 2JZ
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tikboy2007
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Lowered
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got a friend who is into this, swears that pros avoid using flash at all times :huh:
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Higgsy
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Joining the wagon club
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your friend is wrong.
unless he means using internal flash.

external flashes and off camera flashes are the "bees knees"
from a beams ITB to a 2JZ
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xnickx
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^^ You may thank me ^^
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Remote trigger flash units WIN! Especially when doing night shots like in clubs etc with a slow exposure and delayed flash :D
Contacting me for parts

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Higgsy
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Joining the wagon club
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off camera flash for the win!!


http://strobist.blogspot.com/
(for the bestest off camera help ever)
from a beams ITB to a 2JZ
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jtm_usa
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Auckland, North Shore
[ *  * ]
xero,Feb 15 2011
05:17 AM
I love my 50mm, easily the sharpest lens I have... Great depth of field and quick accurate focusing...
The 7D Is a great camera, the only limitation it has is that it is not a full frame
sensor, other than that.. Its awesome, having the smaller sensor means it can top the 8 frame
per second (depending on what card your using) where as the 5Dmk II is a touch slower...

If you already have the 550D, I would get a 5Dmk II if you can afford it, I wish I had... The 550d
& 7D are comparable on performance bar the faster shutter speed & low light capabilities. Both
shoot full HD video, both are around the same M/P, and have a similar processor... What you will
gain is the more rugged body, weather proofing & shutter life (its around 10x better) And the size
of the camera is suited to bigger (sorry ladies) male hands... I can't stand wrapping my mits
around the 550 & 60D's, waaaay to small, there are good deals to be had... Please don't go to
and of the regular electronic stores, you'll pay a premium... I use Progear (www.progear.co.nz)
in New Market, they have better cash prices... And being a dedicated camera shop, they know
what they are talking about and can give you better advise on what you need... Not how much
money they can get from you, I deal with Phillip, he's a top bloke.

thank you for the reply xero,
im waiting to see if canon will bring out a new 5d mark III interested to see what the megapixels will be, i will be looking at this as my next upgrade, for now i will deffinately get the 50mm 1.4 usm and maybe a wide angle lens since i really enjoy my landscape shots :)

wicked picture by the way!
the origional isnt that different from the pshopped one!
im all for photoshop and enhancing pictures, it requires some true skill and effort to really get good quality results from pshop.
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