canon 400d for beginner?

dt-86 · 12 Feb 2015 at 00:30

hello everyone, just wondering if a canon 400d would be a good camera for me as a beginner digital slr? it will be used for taking random pictures (family pics, parties, wildlife etc)

Smeghead · 12 Feb 2015 at 09:06

Do you have a specific budget in mind? Maybe there's a better option within your budget.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with it though. For a beginner and learning it'll be fine. The lens is more important to be honest, especially if you want to experiment with depth of field (blurry background).

dt-86 · 13 Feb 2015 at 01:38

Smeghead said:
Do you have a specific budget in mind? Maybe there's a better option within your budget.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with it though. For a beginner and learning it'll be fine. The lens is more important to be honest, especially if you want to experiment with depth of field (blurry background).

i have already purchased it only got the 18-55mm lens with it but i will be upgrading lens once i get used to camera and the settings. now that i have it just raring to start taking pics with it

jpod · 14 Feb 2015 at 00:52

Nice one

Try doing the daily challenge on flickr - you will use your camera every day for a year and learn lots.

Great camera and that lens will do you for a long time.

Look out for a second hand 105mm lens, great for portraits, possibly macro too.

WoZZeR · 14 Feb 2015 at 09:21

Enjoy learning, it's both fun and frustrating at times.

I still use my 350D regularly even though I have a 5D MK1 now. I even won a village show photography competition last year with a piccie taken on my 350D! The 18-55 is OK for starters, I have a Polarising Filter on mine, they are reasonably priced and really help bring out the contrast on a nice day, look for one with a 58mm thread size.

The other lens I regularly use with it is an el cheapo Canon EF 75-300, it's OK up to about 200mm and you can get good blurry backgrounds with it.

Have fun!

Unicorn · 14 Feb 2015 at 12:14

I use my 400d and im a beginner, Look at 400d plus software also for more advanced camera trickery

Using 18-55 and 80-200

dt-86 · 17 Feb 2015 at 19:36

Unicorn said:
I use my 400d and im a beginner, Look at 400d plus software also for more advanced camera trickery

Using 18-55 and 80-200

by the looks of it 400d plus is a custom firmwware? tbh i have only got the camera and dont want to start into custom firmware just yet lol ! i would be much unpleased if something went wrong :eek:

dt-86 · 17 Feb 2015 at 19:38

WoZZeR said:
Enjoy learning, it's both fun and frustrating at times.

I still use my 350D regularly even though I have a 5D MK1 now. I even won a village show photography competition last year with a piccie taken on my 350D! The 18-55 is OK for starters, I have a Polarising Filter on mine, they are reasonably priced and really help bring out the contrast on a nice day, look for one with a 58mm thread size.

The other lens I regularly use with it is an el cheapo Canon EF 75-300, it's OK up to about 200mm and you can get good blurry backgrounds with it.

Have fun!

i have got very frustrated already i dont mind the 18-55mm lens that come with it but wouldnt mind a better lens atm

Luke · 17 Feb 2015 at 21:25

And so the spending begins....!

I started with the 400D and 18-55mm lens.
Then bought a Tamron 70-300mm DI VC lens.
Then upgraded to a 550D.
Then got a 50mm 1.8 lens.
Then upgraded to a 7D.
Then bought an 18-135 STM lens.
Then bought a Canon 300mm f/4 lens.

It's madness!!!! Where will it stop? Probably not until I have a 5D Mk3 and another half dozen lenses...

monkey_boy · 17 Feb 2015 at 22:03

what sort of timescale was that little lot done in?

Luke · 17 Feb 2015 at 22:11

8 months

dt-86 · 18 Feb 2015 at 03:17

Luke said:
And so the spending begins....!

I started with the 400D and 18-55mm lens.
Then bought a Tamron 70-300mm DI VC lens.
Then upgraded to a 550D.
Then got a 50mm 1.8 lens.
Then upgraded to a 7D.
Then bought an 18-135 STM lens.
Then bought a Canon 300mm f/4 lens.

It's madness!!!! Where will it stop? Probably not until I have a 5D Mk3 and another half dozen lenses...

this will be me very soon, im thinking about doing a photography course or try and teach myself :rolleyes:

8 months

lol my upgrades wont be that quick thats for sure due to funds :mad:

jonneymendoza · 18 Feb 2015 at 11:28

Luke said:
And so the spending begins....!

I started with the 400D and 18-55mm lens.
Then bought a Tamron 70-300mm DI VC lens.
Then upgraded to a 550D.
Then got a 50mm 1.8 lens.
Then upgraded to a 7D.
Then bought an 18-135 STM lens.
Then bought a Canon 300mm f/4 lens.

It's madness!!!! Where will it stop? Probably not until I have a 5D Mk3 and another half dozen lenses...

prime example why some people should upgrade to a 5d/6d from a 400d instead of going through anotehr rebel/high end crop sensor body when eventually what they ever wanted was a Full frame.

You would have saved money going straight to a 6d!!

Luke · 18 Feb 2015 at 22:49

jonneymendoza said:
prime example why some people should upgrade to a 5d/6d from a 400d instead of going through anotehr rebel/high end crop sensor body when eventually what they ever wanted was a Full frame.

You would have saved money going straight to a 6d!!

Not really in my case.
I paid £150 for the 400D which I then traded against a 550D paying an additional £100.
I then sold that And bought a 7D for £370 only needing to add £190 to the proceeds of the 550 sale.
So in essence I had an £440 outlay for the camera body. I'm not actually looking for a FF camera at present as it would mean longer lenses which I'm a way off being able to afford and I don't want to go down the TC route.

Incremental upgrades!!!