400d kit question

instinct

instinct

instinct

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26 Sep 2006
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Just a quick one I guess!
I'm looking into buying a 400d and am quite new to this area of photography, e.g. anything other than point and shoot.
I've been looking at the packages available - the basic kit which comes with the 18-55mm lens looks to be alright, though I have read quite a bit stating that the lens isn't all too good...
So! What after is just a bit of advice on whether to buy the 18-55mm kit, or to go for the body only and get a slightly better lens? I'm not looking to spend a lot on a lens, but just to find out if there is a lens out there which people would recommend going for rather than the one bundled with the basic kit?
I just thought it might be worth looking into spending an extra £30-40 on top of the kit price (so around £70 for a lens) and going body only,rather than deciding to upgrade to this a few months down the line.

Can anyone offer any advice on this?
 
The kit lens is indeed pretty bad, it's made to a budget is why. The optics aren't great and the build quality is poor but it IS possible to get good results out of it but you will need to stop it to about f/8 before you see them.

If you search the forum you will find lots of threads on replacements for the kit lens both from Tamron and Sigma but neither of which can be had for £70. For that price tag your only real option is the 50mm f/1.8 prime (or the niffy fifty as it's called), again search the forum and you will find even more threads on that lens. Of course, this lens is a prime, so no zoom, so you would have to zoom with your feet ;)

Personally, I got the kit lens because I couldn't wait to save the extra money for a good replacement kit lens. I then replaced it when I had the money.
 
I'd say get the kit lens and use the extra £70 + (£30 hehe) and get a Sigma 70-300APO, which can be had for around £100. That will give you a good range for landscape and subject photos.

Don't get me wrong the kit lens isn't great, but for a starter like myself and you it will be a good starting lens. It just means you have to work a little harder to get good shots. The 50 1.8 is also a great lens to get, but it isn't nearly wide enough for landscape shots and the like.

My current set up is 400D + 18-55Kit + 70-300APO. All the photos linked via my sig are taken with this, I have no other lenses.

Chris.
 
^^Gord^^ said:
Eh? 70-300 for landscapes as the 50 isn't wide enough? :confused:
Click to expand...

hehe, na mate.

18-55 for landscapes.
70-300 for subject photos.

Obv subject to overlap and the like. :)
 
Another vote to buy the lens kit because you will find out what you like to take photos of. Remember there is no one lens that will do everything. Find out what you like to take photos on and then go down that route.

Happy purchasing.
 
Get the Nikon D80 kit, the lens is superb.
Problem solved ;)

How can canon get away with the pap they bundle with their camera :/


If you must get the canon, get the body only, then look for this:

Sigma 18-50mm AF F3.5-5.6 DC Digital Lens for Canon AF Mount

Its about 40-50 quid, and Sigma is a well respected brand.
 
Last edited:
Helium_Junkie said:
How can canon get away with the pap they bundle with their camera :/
Click to expand...

Because given that the 400D is £300 cheaper than the D80, they had to cut corners somewhere...

If you're going to compare kit lenses, compare the D40 and the 400D: both kit lenses are fairly pap.
 
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