Considering a Digital SLR

Nazbit

Nazbit

Nazbit

Soldato
Joined
11 Dec 2004
Posts
3,871
Hi all,

Basically my camera is quite old now, the zoom is excellent but its only 3 mega pixels and quite a chunky camera.

I went to new york last year and was frustrated by the fact I couldnt take pictures the way I would have liked, and me and my family have decided to go back there in febuary.

So im thinking now (the next month or two) might be a good time to invest in a digital SLR camera.

I have to admit, I dont know an awful lot about them, but I would like to learn.

What cameras should I be looking at?

I looked in to them a while ago and most people seemed to rate the Canon EOS 350D and Nikon D70 although I notice both of these have now been replaced.

Also could you reccomend any places to do some reading around the web?

Cheers
 
Thanks, I found quite a lot of information there.

I like the look of the Canon 350D and its about the right price for me.

My main uses would be photographing buildings, land marks etc while traveling and a bit of motorsport every now and again aswell as the obvious day to day photos of people, special occasions and what have you.

Been having a look around a well known camera store and two kits have caught my eye.

The first is the standard Canon EOS 350D body and EF-S 18-55mm USM Lens with a Canon Bag for £459.99

The second is Canon EOS 350D Silver, the standard 18-55mm USM LENS, a Sigma 55-200mm Lens and a bag for £569.98

Is the second kit worth the extra £110? (I understand that sigma lense is near £200 on its own)

Or would I be better going for the first kit and getting a different zoom lense to use?

I will pop in to the shop and ask them for a proper demo on monday but I would like to get a bit of background first thats all.

Cheers
 
I'd say the second kit probably is worth it. Neither lens is of the highest quality but they're both perfectly adequate. If you get serious you will end up wanting to upgrade them eventually.
 
Its great that digital SLRs are being bought up by so many people these days - makes me less nervous when brandishing a camera these days. Every household should have one!
 
I have been looking quite a lot at the 400D today actually, it is within my budget so I suppose I should be going for that one over the 350D.

Should I buy the body only and choose some lenses seperatley or go for the kit lense and a bigger zoom lense aswell?

Like I said earlier, im mainly looking at architecture, buildings and motorsport etc.

Budget for the whole lot is £600 (can stretch to £650 )

The EOS 400D kit with EF-S 18-55mm Lens is £530 leaving me £70 - £120 for a zoom lense.

The body alone is £489 leaving me £110 - £160 for lenses which doesnt seem to get me much.

So what do you guys reccomend?

Cheers
 
For that money, I'd look for a 400d with a EF 50mm 1.8, then try to pick up a 2nd hand zoom later.

I like my 24-85 a lot, but on as 1.6 crop DSLR you might find wide angles are not covered very well (though you might not, depending on where you are coming from...) Might need a bit more cash too, though you might get one in budget if you forget the 50mm,
 
Would any of these lenses be any good to start off with? They are all within my budget...

  1. Tamron 70-300mm F/4-5.6 LD Macro £199.99 (£99 when bought with the camera)
  2. Sigma 55-200mm f/4-5.6 DC (Canon AF) £99.99
  3. Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro (Canon AF) £114.99

The Canon EF55-200mm F4.5/5.6 MK2 USM is a bit more expensive (£189) and I Would have to save up for a month or two for that. Is it worth getting the canon over the others?

Cheers
 
Nazbit said:
Would any of these lenses be any good to start off with? They are all within my budget...

  1. Tamron 70-300mm F/4-5.6 LD Macro £199.99 (£99 when bought with the camera)
  2. Sigma 55-200mm f/4-5.6 DC (Canon AF) £99.99
  3. Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro (Canon AF) £114.99

The Canon EF55-200mm F4.5/5.6 MK2 USM is a bit more expensive (£189) and I Would have to save up for a month or two for that. Is it worth getting the canon over the others?

Cheers
Click to expand...

Are you looking at those lenses as your only lens to start of with or looking at getting one of those with the kit lens?

If you are getting the body and kit lens, you could get the tamron with the camera for £99 (if I have read your post right) and still be within your budget but I have no idea what the tamron is like quality wise.

Personally I would get the kit lens and possibly the canon 50mm f1.8 then save up for a zoom at a later date. The sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro DG is a good quality lens at a good price and would be worth looking at.

You wont be disappointed with the 400D :)
 
daz.wallace said:
Are you looking at those lenses as your only lens to start of with or looking at getting one of those with the kit lens?

If you are getting the body and kit lens, you could get the tamron with the camera for £99 (if I have read your post right) and still be within your budget but I have no idea what the tamron is like quality wise.

Personally I would get the kit lens and possibly the canon 50mm f1.8 then save up for a zoom at a later date. The sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro DG is a good quality lens at a good price and would be worth looking at.

You wont be disappointed with the 400D :)
Click to expand...

Hi, thanks for the reply.

Yes I will be buying the 400D kit with the standard kit lense, im looking for another lense on top of that.

Im just playing about with my bank balance at the moment, I can just stretch to the 400D kit and the sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG Macro lense (at £114?)

Would this lense be decent or shall I just buy the kit for now and save up for another lense later on a month or two down the line? E.g. are the cannon 55-200 and 75-300 lenses worth saving up for?

Thanks in advance.

Mattw said:
i was looking at the tamron today myself actually, unfortunatly my bank balance was giving me a dodgy look
Click to expand...

What did you make of it?
 
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Nazbit said:
Hi, thanks for the reply.


Im just playing about with my bank balance at the moment, I can just stretch to the 400D kit and the sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG Macro lense (at £114?)
Click to expand...


Not that one (which you can get for £98 if you look) it's the APO version which can be had for £158

Nazbit said:
Would this lense be decent or shall I just buy the kit for now and save up for another lense later on a month or two down the line? E.g. are the cannon 55-200 and 75-300 lenses worth saving up for?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
If you cant stretch to the APO version, I would wait and save up, plus that would give you time to get used to your camera with the kit lens, especially if its your first DSLR.

Hope this helps :)
 
Ok thanks, Im just reading about the APO version now.

Its just out of budget but I'll get the camera and kit lense this week and have a play about with it.

Then when I have the money I will get the sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro DG.

Cheers

EDIT - By the way, Im guessing from your earlier post that you have a 400D yourself? Do you have the sigma 70-300? If you do then any sample images you could send my way would be appreciated.
 
Nazbit said:
Ok thanks, Im just reading about the APO version now.

Its just out of budget but I'll get the camera and kit lense this week and have a play about with it.

Then when I have the money I will get the sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro DG.

Cheers

EDIT - By the way, Im guessing from your earlier post that you have a 400D yourself? Do you have the sigma 70-300? If you do then any sample images you could send my way would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

I do have the 400D, upgraded from the 300D and I did have the sigma lens but sold it with the 300D to finance the upgrade (I got the EF-S 17-85 f4-5.6 IS USM instead of the kit lens) I do have some pictures taken with the sigma on the 300D if they will do?

I sort of wish I'd kept the Sigma now as I am having real trouble finding the EF70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM I was going to replace it with without having to import it
 
Yer if you could send me a few pics taken with that lense on the 300d then that would be great.

Email is in my profile.

Cheers
 
Nazbit said:
Yer if you could send me a few pics taken with that lense on the 300d then that would be great.

Email is in my profile.

Cheers
Click to expand...


Just sent some to you, though windows resized them so they could be sent, let me know if you want to see any of them full size :)
 
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