I am considering slr digital but ? about video capable ?

klby

zoom /optical, zoom/electronic ? resolution ? how many pixels ? Main reason I consider slr is manual focus in poor light, is there any alternative ?
Answers include fuji finepix s 6500fd & panasonic lumix dmc fz50 both sound good but not avaialble to look at anywhere ! Is buying blind the only way to get these cameras ?
Answers include fuji finepix s 6500fd & panasonic lumix dmc fz50 both sound good but not avaialble to look at anywhere ! Is buying blind the only way to get these cameras ?
Answers include fuji finepix s 6500fd & panasonic lumix dmc fz50 both sound good but not avaialble to look at anywhere ! Is buying blind the only way to get these cameras ?

Answer
No SLR does video.

With an SLR, you zoom with the lens, so all options will be optical.

Anything over 6 megapixel is perfect for 8x10. The more pixels, the bigger prints and the more you can crop.

You don't necesarrly need manual focus in poor light. Some SLR's use quick bursts with the flash to focus in dark areas and some others use smaller built in lights.

An alternative to SLR? A digicam I guess... but that's just what everyone else has.

Best SLR Cameras for club scenes?

Brittany R

What is the best SLR camera for taking video and photos of nightclub scene without flash. I want to be able to take great quality pictures and videos in low lighting. Anyone with experience please let me know. thanks. links would be nice also.

Answer
You can forget shooting video in clubs without an external light source.

Any dSLR with clean results at 3200 or 6400 ISO and a fast lens like a 24-70 f/2.8 or even a 50 mm f/1.8

Have you ever tried shooting in a club? Do you have someone at the clubs who will let you in to shoot their patrons?

Before you spend a dime, check with the club(s) manager and see if you can even get permission to take photos.

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Discolored iPhone 4 camera?

C

I have had my iPhone 4 for a year now, and I use it for school more and more. However, I have noticed that when a picture of a white board or white paper is taken, there is a almost green tinted discoloration near the center of the picture. My friend's iPhone has exactly the same problem. Does anyone else notice this?

Answer
try cleaning the lens with a proper lens wipe, could just be grime. All phone cameras get dirty quickly because of their constant use as a phone.

How Do I Clean a Camera Lens ?

Q. i was in canda in niargra fall maid of the mist and got water on it my camera still works
i found out the lens has acoating some kind of stuff that the water washed of how can i put what was there before?

Answer
Get a lens cleaning kit. It will have lint-free tissues and the correct fluid. Or you could get a soft cloth that's safe for coated optics, then just breathe onto your lens, enough to leave a film of light mist, then wipe in a circular motion with the soft cloth.

Don't use regular tissues or toilet paper. Also, don't use your shirttail, unless you want to put scratches on your valuable lens.

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What is the best Canon Lens for doing wedding photography?

Looking for a lens that is good and affordable.
I want a lens that is way under $1,000.

Answer
The 24-70mm f/2,8L & the 70-200mm f/2,8L should cover all you really need, both lens cost above 1k.

If it's too much for you, you can look at third party lens that offer similar focal range.

I wouldn't bother with a wide angle lens for wedding photography, it's a nice add on if you already have a nice coverage, other than that it's just to wide to cover an entire wedding with that kind of focal.

Wedding photography lens?

Awesome-sa

Well I'm not shooting the wedding. Just shooting the reception and doing formal shots of the bride her family and shooting the party etc. I have an XT and standard lens as well as a 50mm. I was thinking about investing in a 70-300mm lens. Good idea or not? The reception is indoors.

I know its pretty basic but it works for a broke college student.

Answer
The EF 50mm f/1.8 "Nifty- Fifty" and EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM are good lenses for those on a tight budget. The 50mm will be your best bet for low-light indoors at the reception but, you may occasionlly find it frames a little tight on your XT. That's not necessarily a problem but, if you aren't already aware of it, a 50mm lens on your camera will be the 35mm/full-frame equivalent of an 80mm, short-telephoto lens. So if you need to do any wider shots, you'll either need some extra stand-off distance or you'll have to accept the tighter frame.

A wider option, albeit more expensive, is the EF 28mm f/1.8. There's also the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 that many people on tight budgets find very useful for candids. Either of these would get you closer to a "normal" focal length on the XT. Downside is that both lenses get mixed reviews and are much more expensive than the 50mm f/1.8.

For what it's worth, all of Canon's 70-300mm lenses are a bit slow and will require flash under many conditions. If you can, spring for the IS USM version, you'll be able to get away with a few extra stops of hand-held speeds/apertures. This won't compensate for a moving subject but it will make up for a good bit of camera shake on your end. Ultimately, at the pro-level, you'd want something with an f/2.8 or faster aperture and bump up the ISO while being careful about noise. Noise is far less of a problem on full-frame cameras but it sounds like it will be a while before you are ready to make that move.

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Digital SLR, beginners?

flawedperf

So I'm thinking about buying my very first digital slr
The nikon d90
is that okay to start off with?
I heard many people thought it was an okay starter dslr

Answer
Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Nikkor Zoom Lens
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001ENOZY4?tag=dcmb-20

Review:
Several months before the D90 came out, I bought a D60 to hold me over until the D90 was released. Well, I've enjoyed using both cameras, but this one is a huge step up and more suited to an advanced enthusiast, like me. It's a real pleasure to use.

ERGONOMICS - The D90 is solid, tight, and well-balanced with the 18-105 VR lens. It's always ready and it shoots very fast. I love all the direct access buttons; they're easy to press, with good tactile feedback. And since you're not going into the menus as much, you can work faster. It's heavier than the D60, but that's OK. It's still very manageable to carry around and it fits my average-sized hand better too. The shutter sounds different than the D60 (if that matters to you). It sounds more like a professional camera; more like a fast "whoosh" than a "click-click". And there are so many internal customizations that you can set it up exactly as you want.

LENS - Biggest surprise was the 18-105 VR lens which I expected would be ho-hum, but turned out to be pretty sharp and clear. Better results than the 18-55 VR. We've really come a long way from the days (30 years ago) when you were cautioned to ALWAYS to buy a prime lens, NEVER the kit lens because of it's poor image quality. With computer-aided design and new technology, that's not true anymore.

IMAGE QUALITY - I shoot RAW for maximum detail and the ability to adjust settings afterward if necessary - like exposure or white balance. Image quality is very good to excellent depending on your RAW converter. To my eye, best results are obtained with View NX/Capture NX, but Adobe ACR/Lightroom still do a very good job. When shooting JPGs using the Standard Picture Mode, images are sharp and colors are true, without over-saturation. You can always use different Picture Modes and customize any of them to get closer to the in-camera results you want. For example, you can boost saturation and contrast and save the setting as your default if that's what you like.

LIGHT METER - Metering is fine and seems to be quite accurate in most cases. I use matrix metering mostly. As with any camera, you have to get to know the meter. If I had to be VERY critical, I'd say when it's pushed, it's more likely to preserve shadows than highlights, usually when Active DLighting is on. To me that's a good thing. Another website mentioned a slightly "over-enthusiatic" meter in its review. The good news is: if you really feel exposure results are not to your liking (whether over or under exposed), the meter is fine-tuneable, so go ahead and customize it as you see fit. I would just work with the meter first -get to know the camera and adapt yourself to it before you start making any adjustments. That said, I've used the D90 in a very wide range of lighting conditions and I can truly say that while exposures may vary occasionally, they've always made perfect sense for the situation. I've never been shocked or puzzled by the output.

LIVE VIEW - is great for the occasional high or low shot. I didn't think would need it, but when I had the D60, I found myself in many situations where I really could have used it. Unlike a point-and-shoot, focus is slower in this mode and shooting seems somewhat clunky. I wouldn't use Live View if I were in a rush or trying to get an important shot. It's just a nice little extra.

MOVIE MODE - this is a nice novelty and may be handy in a rare moment, but I'm generally not a video camera person. I'm surprised to read that some people have made movies and commercials with the D90. I keep promising myself to use this feature more, but I don't have a tripod and I'm just too jittery and uncreative to get good cinema-like results. Moreover, from the little I've tried it, I'm not impressed - there's no autofocus during filming and the movie comes out over exposed and far from HD quality. The user manual is not very helpful either. But I didn't purchase the camera for this feature, so I'm not disappointed.

ISO - I really like the new wide range of ISO settings, especially when coupled with the Auto-ISO setting. Mine is customized to keep the camera at ISO 200, but kick in at 1/30. In this example, anytime lighting decreases enough for the shutter speed to drop below 1/30, the D90 will automatically compensate by raising the ISO high enough (up to an ISO limit you set) to help keep your shutter speed at 1/30. Once the ISO maxes-out at your limit, the camera has no choice but to start bringing down the shutter speed. Noise at high ISOs isn't an issue. In fact, you have to zoom in pretty close for it to be even slightly noticeable. I use Auto-ISO mostly all the time. Its an amazing feature! I only turn this feature off when I want to stick to a particular ISO at all times (if its on a monopod or I've stabilized the camera in some way).

ACTIV

Whats the difference between the zoom camera lense and SLR lens?

bobs3301

The average priced SLR lenses provide a zoom of only 4X noramlly (high-mm / low-mm ) . Why do ppl buy those cameras when the ultra zoom cameras have a zoom range of almost 20X noadays ? Whats so great in SLR and a separate lens ?

Answer
OK first of all saying a camera has 20 X or 10 X is really more a marketing thing than telling you any data about what the lens does, A 10mm-50mm a 20mm to 100 mm and a 100mm to 500 mm are all 5X lenses though they are nothing alike. Point and shoot cameras can more easily give you a larger zoom range because they have to only focus the image on a small sensor. Also they are not worried as much about things like chromatic abberation or lens distortion ( e.g. Barrel Distortion ). They do not have to be particularly fast lenses ( dSLR lenses can have much larger aperatures to let in more light, large aperature lenses are called fast lenses) In short they are not held to the same standard that optics on a dSLR are. And will never have the ability to deliver the same quality images.

In addition dSLR will have a bigger sensor. A larger sensor will give you more light to each pixel which gives better dynamic range, better color saturation, better geometric accuracy and lower noise, A dSLR has interchangable lenses so you can change the perfromace of the camera dramatically by changing the lens. An example of this is thats its almost imposible to get good bokeh whith a point and shoot but with a dSLR you can put a 50 mm 1.4 lens on it and get great bokeh. If you need a faster zoom you cannot add it to your point and shoot. If you want a wider angle than your point and shoot goes to again you are out of luck.

A dSLR has a better image processor. A dSLR will have faster write times to a card and a larger buffer so the ability to take more shots per minute, In a dSLR what you see in the veiwfinder will be what you get in your photo as far as composition. A dSLR will give you more control over your settings and therefore over your photos. A dSLR will have a quick phase-change autofocus system that aquires the image much much faster than the , contrast based autofocus on a point and shoot. Doing away with that lag that occurs when you push the shutter release on the point and shoot. A dSLR will have a more accurate metering with more metering options a dslr can use multiple flashes and some will control several flashes that are off camera to be used in the same way studio lights are

In short a point and shoot gives you light wieght and OK photos over a large range at a cost of image quality and image control. The dSLR gives you more control, the ability to make better images, more versatility at the expense of having to put in the time and effort to learn how to use it.

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Canon AE-1 35mm SLR Manual Focus Camera (Chrome) with 50mm f/1.8 FD Lens... a good camera?

softballpl

I'm in love with this camera, but I need to know a little bit more about it.
-how to get pictures developed
-is it a good camera overall
-any other information I should know

Answer
Canon is a very good company, they make a good product. 35mm cameras are relatively small (for film cameras) and easy to use, and SLRs are especially nice. A 50mm F/1.8 lens is just your normal lens. It would be nice to have a zoom lens. You probably could find one not too expensive since film cameras are on the way out.

The AE-1 was made from 1976 to 1984, and it was extremely popular, selling over 5 million cameras. It was the first 35mm camera with a microprocessor in it! It has modes for full auto exposure, or shutter or aperture priority, so you have the widest range of possibilities for 'creative control'.

If you're not into photography already, you will need to learn how shutter speeds and apertures interact, how to use them. You can learn this better on a 35mm camera than a digital camera. This allows you to control focus (depth of field) and also motion blur, which is a good thing for a photographer to master.

If the camera hasn't been abused, if everything works okay, then it's a good camera, and will last a long time. Open the back and hold it up to the light and snap the shutter several times at various speeds. You'll see the shutter open and close, and you can get an idea of how consistently it works. If the shutter seems to be hanging up, or it makes funny noises, that's not good.

You can get pictures developed anywhere, supermarkets, drugstores, etc. If you want to really get into it, you can develop them yourself. I used to do that. There are also 'custom labs' that professionals use that develop and print much better, but cost a lot more. Or you can get a 'film scanner', a gizmo you run your negatives through and it turns them into very high quality digital pictures that can then be edited with Photoshop or some similar software.

does canon 35mm lens, interchange with the new digital camera's?

Answer
if you're going to mount it in a canon digital camera, it would.
It actually depends on how old the lens is.
Canon EF lenses made since 1987 for Canon EOS bodies will fit the new Canon EOS digital bodies.
The older FD lenses (before 1987) will not fit Canon EOS bodies, film or digital.

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cleaning camera lense?

Starlet

i tryed to clean my camera lense with a lens cleaner but i think sum of the cleaner went inside the lense rest of the camera is working i can still take pictures its just blurry n not as clear the outside of the lense is clean but on the inside its like the cleaner made it white.....it looks as if sumthing is evaporating in the lense...but i can still take pics there just not clear....will the cleaner go away...is there any way i can fix this?

Answer
If only you'd taken the time to READ the instruction sheet. It says: "Apply a small amount of the lens cleaning solution to a lens tissue. Never apply any liquid directly to the lens." Or words to that effect. If you had READ the section on "Care & Cleaning" in the Owner's Manual for your camera you'd have seen a similar warning.

About all you can do now is let the camera sit in a warm, well ventilated (not directly in the sun) place and hope the cleaning solution evaporates without causing any damage. If the solution damaged the coating on the inside of the lens a new camera is in your future.

Good luck.

Cleaning very dirty camera lenses?

Truth

I have two lenses, a 70-210 Tamron and a 35-135 Kiron. They are for my Nikon F3s and I haven't used them for a few years since I got my dig's. Problem is I want to give them and an F3 to a friend and I had set them aside with no caps and forgot about them. Just looked and they each have a layer of dirt on them which I have no idea how to clean. Predictably worried about scratches. If I have blown off all that can be what's the next step? Dishwasher? (kidding) Thannks

Answer
Buy a lens cleaning kit with the liquid made for camera lenses. First, use a very soft bristle brush to remove any loose dust/dirt and then wet a piece of the lens tissue and very gently wipe from the center of the lens to the edge. Repeat as necessary, using a new lens tissue each time. DO NOT put the lens cleaning solution directly on the lens.

Once the lenses are clean, suggest to your friend that they invest in a good quality UV filter for each lens. In the future all they'll have to clean is the filter.

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Compact System Cameras or Digital SLR?

b

I'm planning to upgrade my Digital Camera, I don't know which to get. I don't want the bulkiness of the SLR but then I'm not sure if the quality of the Compact System Cameras are a little bit the same as the SLR? Any ideas on which to pick and feel free to suggest what models are the best. Thank you.
If i'm planning on pushing through the Compact System Cameras because I can change the lens, is there a justification for this?

Answer
The Compact System Cameras are designed for people like you. However that said many pro's on this site are leery of this new mirror-less system, will it last or is it just a fade? The jury is still out on that score.

If you feel there is validity in this thought you might consider an economical "bridge" camera that is one step above what you have now. In that it has a lens with a lot of magnification and the ability to do close ups of flowers, etc. Good cameras in this area are the Fuji FInepix S4500 and the Canon Powershot SX50 IS. The Canon being closest to a DSLR. Lenses on bridge cameras are not interchangeable.nor can you add a different lens to this type of camera. Your cost vary here from about $160.00 to $300.00+

With a DSLR your entry level costs are $500.00 to $800.00, plus other lenses than the usual 28-50mm zoom that is most popular. And you can't do macro/close ups flowers without a specific lens. Yes the quality is with the DSLR camera no contest about that. However I own both a bridge camera and a DSLR and when I want to be "lazy" I take the bridge camera, knowing that I can do close-ups and enlarge to 11x14 prints.

What makes a good Digital Camera?

Connor

What is it that makes a Digital Camera good?, Is it the amount of megapixels, or it's features, I don't know, what is it? Also what is likely to be the best Camera on the market as of right now?

Answer
There are 2 things which combine to make a good digital camera. The first is the sensor. Physical size of sensor is much more important than number of megapixels. The bigger the sensor, the clearer the image and the less noise you will get, especially at higher ISO settings. The second is the quality of the lens. There's no point in having great "features" if the lens distorts them.

Megapixels are pretty much irrelevant when you get beyond about 8. A 7.2 megapixel camera can produce a 20"x16" enlargement at 150 pixels per inch. Just how big do you want to go? As you cram more pixels on to the same sensor size, the individual pixels get smaller, so it gets much more difficult and expensive to make them more sensitive to light, which means they don't perform well in low light. That's why most cheap compacts with high megapixel counts give rubbish results at high ISO settings in low light.

Those reasons combined is why DSLR cameras outperform most compacts, apart from one or two expensive large-sensor compacts. DSLR cameras have large sensors and interchangeable high-quality lenses.

So the best image quality is actually going to come from a Hasselblad with huge sensor and fantastic lenses. But that is going to cost many thousands and it will be huge and very heavy. Being the "best" camera for image quality does not make it the best camera for most people.

Even if we stick to the more affordable standard DSLR cameras, there are several levels. The best image quality right now comes from full frame DSLR cameras. The Nikon D800 is the best out there right now. But that is still expensive. It is also big, heavy and needs a big, powerful computer to handle the 36MP pictures.

Of course the D800 isn't going to be "best" if you want small, lightweight and portable. It also doesn't have the fastest motor drive around, so may not be best for fast-moving sports photography. So what is technically the "best" camera for image quality is not necessarily the best for you. You have to take into consideration your budget, what you want to use the camera for and how big and heavy you are willing to put up with.

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i'm using nikon FM10 [35-70mm lens] now I'd like to use digital camera.which has the same lens quality?

Kushali

Answer
SLR cameras are part of a camera/lens system and that system is proprietary to each brand. Since you are already using a Nikon 35mm SLR with a Nikon lens, you might want to consider a Nikon digital SLR that is part of the same family of cameras and lenses. Nikon certainly has a long reputation of making some of the best lenses and cameras in the market. Canon is the only brand that currently offers parity in terms of the number of cameras, lenses and accessories available. And Canon certainly matches Nikon for quality but, if you are already using Nikon, it makes sense to stick with them.

Nikon digital SLRs are offered in a wide range of price ranges and levels of complexity. All of them offer fully manual control of exposure settings for ISO, aperture and shutter speed just like your FM10. High-end/professional models like the D700 have imaging sensors that are the same size as a frame of 35mm film in your FM10. Unfortunately, these models start at about 2500 US Dollars and go up from there. The cheaper models have smaller sensor but this is not a problem for most DSLR buyers.

Check out http://www.nikon.com to see their current line of digital SLRs. You might also want to checkout http://www.dpreview.com for reviews of most of their current models. Ultimately, you'll want to try these cameras out in person at a camera store before buying. Coming from the FM10, any DSLR is going to be a little different but, it makes the most economic sense to take advantage of the lens you already have and continue using Nikon digital SLRs.

Digital SLR camera lens question?

Barry

I have an old Pentax Spotmatic SLR that the body is shot. I do however, have all kinds of lenses, macro attachments, and slide copier. My question is: Is there a digital SLR camera available that I could use the old Pentax accessories on? The body accepts 50mm screw-on lenses.

Answer
I had a pentax spotmatic in the early 70s and it was a durable camera but it indeed had the old pentax screw mount, called the M42 mount, that is NOT compatible with the current K bayonet pentax mount without an adapterring . Alot of the old lenses were Zeiss lenses of great quality

here is a good thread on adapters
http://photo.net/pentax-camera-forum/00I5oY

And here is B&H listing for an adapter
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/97561-REG/General_Brand_ABPKS_Pentax_K_Body_to_Universal.html

BTW for the record Nikon has the best backwards lens compatibility for mounting system without using third party adapters They can use any lens AI converted onward on current DSLR though not with all fuctions. Pentax went to the K mount in 1975 and Nikon F mount mount was introduced in 1959. the old F mount pre AI lenses or NAI can be converted for about 20 dollars to AI converted lenses that do work today

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what is the best canon dslr lens for portraits?

Sta7

Answer
No idea about specific models of canon lenses, but as for focal lengths...

I'm on a Sony with a 1.5 crop and use the Sony 50mm f1.4 (equiv. 75mm) and Tamron 90mm f2.8 (equiv. 135mm) primes.

If I had to choose, I think that the 50mm is a more versatile lens for everyday shooting as well as portraits. Both primes are sharp, but the f1.4 is more useful.

I'd say get yourself an expensive zoom that covers the 50-100mm range or go for a fast 50mm prime.

Canon - EF 35mm f/2 Wide-Angle Lens vs 50mm f/1.8 lens?

Anonymous

I just bought my first "real" dSLR (m previous was considered an 'inbetweener' -- not quite a dSLR, but too advanced to be a point and shoot. It was a Canon Powershot SX30 IS) and got the kit lens that came with it, which is an 18-55mm f/3.5 lens. I really wanted to buy the 50mm f/1.8 lens for everyday use, and a wide angle lens for creative/fun shots. I don't really know the differences between these two lenses (the 35mm f/2 wide angle and the 50mm f/1.8) so could someone please list the differences and similarities? I'm debating on buying both lenses or just one, since I'm really new to the whole lens situation. Thanks in advance for any help!<3
The camera that I currently use is the Canon EOS Rebel T3i / Canon EOS 600D.
I'm 15 and I want to buy one for myself, and since I'm turning 16 in a few months, my parents want to buy me another for my birthday, so I'm wondering if I should spend my own money on a lens or if they're similar enough that it wouldn't be worth it? I have enough money saved up, but I just want to make sure that they aren't twin lenses if that makes sense. :}
to fhotoace -- i don't use the powershot anymore, that was my old one. I'm now using the Canon Rebel T3i, which is an entry level dSLR. The people at best buy said the 35mm that i'm talking about is a wide angle lens, but they didn't seem to have any more information on it.

Answer
The 35mm lens has been long considered to be the beginning of the wide angle region. In the 35mm SLR days it was definitely considered a wide angle lens. This distinction is still valid today, regardless of whether or not it is used on a cropped camera or not. The reason for this is the lens still retains it's characteristic perspective distortion whether or not it is used on a cropped camera or not.

Way too much emphasis has been put on crop factors, almost to the point that it has become the new myth. Thing is, a 35mm lens is a 35mm lens, and if you use it on a cropped camera - if you use any lens on a cropped camera, you just have to remember you have to backup to get an equivalent photo.

Still, 35mm lenses are often preferred by cropped camera users as they approximate what they would get with a 50mm lens on a full frame camera or SLR, regardless of the 35mm characteristic perspective distortion.

But if you already own a 50mm lens, there is no need to buy a 35mm lens. They are close enough together that you don't need both.

I still prefer the 50mm lens. I bought a 35mm lens for my camera, and sold it as I still liked the 50mm lens better. True, you have to backup a bit, but that is not an issue for me most of the time.

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What is the best way to clean a lens on a 35mm camera?

Angellover

I've got a Cannon Sure Shot Owl 115. It is a 35mm camera. When I look through the shutter window (the little window that you look through to focus and capture the object) I have a little white smear on my lens unless it is zoomed to 10x. That is too large for most short range photos. The lens isn't removable. How can I clean that off without damaging my camera? I don't want that smear in my holiday photos, Thanks.

Answer
Hi AngelLover, that Canon sureshot is a great little camera.

Remember that any smear you see thru the viewfinder window is NOT going to show up in your photos.

That smear is simply on the front viewfinder lens. It is the tiny glass lens above the main lens of the camera.

Here is what you do.

In a bright room place the camera on its back on a table.

Look at the front viewfinder lens from different angles until you can see the smear.

If the smear is on the front of the lens it is probably one of two things, either a fingerprint, or possibly some other sticky debris.

Most drugstores, camera shops or big discount stores sell cheap lens cleaning kits for less than $5. They come with a brush, a rubber blower to blow dust off, special tissue paper, and a bottle of cleaner.

First blow any dust off the viewfinder lens. Then brush the lens gently.

Next moisten the special tissue with a drop of fluid. Dab at the lens gently. Wipe dry with another cleaning tissue.

If this does not work, try cleaning the back viewfinder lens.

If the smear is inside the camera, don't worry because it will not show up in your photos.

Cleaning an older camera at a shop is not worthwhile unless you are under warranty.

Best of luck.

Is a 55 mm lens good for a 35mm camera?

micky

Answer
Yes a 55m lens is the normal lens for 35mm (film) camera. However anything from roughly a 45 or 48mm to a 58mm has been on the film cameras of the past. Is this a good lens, depends on you and your shooting style. I came to like a 28mm and an 85 or 90mm lenses and skipped the the 50 or 55mm lens most of the time.

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Canon or compatible Macro lens advice?

Marc

i am very new to photography and would like to know more about macro lens. My fiancee bought me a cannon 550d for an engagement present and i have 2 lens's that came with the package. the EFS 18-55mm lens with marco 0.25m/0.8ft and 75-300mm lens with macro 1.5m/4.9ft. i would like to start taking photo's of nature (insects mainly) and i do not have a clue what to do.

i have taken some decent(ish) close up photo's but i would like to get closer (think ant on a pin head or pollen on a bee's head) i have been into a couple of camera shops but they have tried to sell me stuff rather than advising me what i need to achieve these types of pictures. as i said i am very new to photography so my knowledge base is ZERO. could somebody please give me any advice about taking extreme close up pictures and anything else they think i need to know.

thank you in advance
thank you nick i have looked in to MPe65 and it is a bit out of my price range at the moment. is there a compatible brand that makes this type of lens? pollen shots were probably a bad example. your fly shot is amazing and that is deffinatley that type of shot i would like to achive

Answer
For those extremely close shots like this,

http://imageshack.us/a/img803/3808/flly.jpg

you have several options. The easiest, but most expensive is get an MPe65 Canon lens. It has the highest magnification ratio of any macro lens out there.

A cheaper option is to reverse wide angle lenses, which is what I used to shoot the fly you see here. It costs next to nothing, but is rather hard to do for a beginner. These days I rely on an MPE65 for very close macro shots. To adequately light your subjects, use a speed light with diffuser, or even better, a ring light setup.

BTW showing pollen is getting EXTREMELY close. You would need extension tubes with your MPE65 lens or reversed lens to show that in any detail.

EDIT:

No other brand makes a macro lens that has a magnification ratio of 5:1 like the MPe65 can. They're all 1:1 ration. The good news is you can get around the same amount of magnification by adding extension tubes to your macro lens. 3rd party brands like Tamron and Sigma offer some excellent macro lenses at around $400. Add to that some cheap extension tubes with electronic contacts, and you have an extreme macro machine for around $500. Some suggestions:

Sigma 70mm f2.8 EX DG - $430: This my favorite macro lens. Optically it's superior to any macro I've ever used, including Canon's 100mm. SUPER sharpness, contrast, and color! Built quite well too. Focusing is slow, but most don't auto focus for macro anyway. I shot these with this lens attached to a full set of extension tubes.

http://imageshack.us/a/img845/4899/dragfly.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img210/7674/damsfly.jpg

Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro - $415: This lens is legendary as a "fantastic plastic". Cheap plastic outside, wonderful optics inside.

Extension tubes: These are glassless tubes that fit between your lens and camera. They essentially put the camera farther away from the sensor plane, increasing the magnification, but at the same time cutting down on available light, so it's recommended to use a light source when shooting because available light may not be enough (insect/flower macros ALWAYS look better with a ringlight or speedlight). If you don't have a speedlight, even the popup flash can help. For modern lenses you always want to get extemsion tubes with electronic contacts so the lens can communicate with the camera body. The cheap ones work just as well as the more expensive ones by Canon or Novoflex. They're around $100

http://www.amazon.com/Vivitar-VIV-EXT-C-3-Set-Extension-Tubes/dp/B00570TLJY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1349553069&sr=8-3&keywords=extension+tube+set+for+canon

- Nick

What is the best Canon telephoto and macro lens??

hello

I purchased a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi and I want to go all out and buy ONE great lens. I want super mind-blowing macro and telephoto so I can get amazing photos of flowers and bugs and also things like the moon or other things that happen to be farther away. Is there such a lens?? If not, what would be the best macro and telephoto lens (separately)?

Answer
I also have the XSi (450D). I didn't buy the kit lens, but an 85mm f/1.8 prime and a 17-50mm f/2.8 lens. Unfortunately, there's no such thing as ONE great lens that will do it all.

For Macro, I would recommend the excellent, EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro. It's super sharp and rates very well. It also makes a great portrait lens.

For telephoto, I would recommend the EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM. It's a great lens with the added benefit of image stabilization. It's a lot cheaper and lighter than the f/2.8 version and makes a great choice, especially for shooting in good lighting.

Or for super telephoto, the EF 100-400mm f4-5.5 L IS USM is a great choice.

I wouldn't recommend the cheap, EF 70-300mm lens...it's not the best.

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I have a canon rebel xt camera,what would be a good lens for wedding photography?

goss

Answer
I always wonder when people ask this kind of question. Maybe you are an extremely skilled and experienced photographer, in which case you should have some idea of the focal lengths and speed you need. Just having a digital SLR does not make a wedding photographer. The industry is overrun with folks who got their dSLR last month and are advertising to shoot weddings next week. The lens is important, but other factors are so much more important.
Hopefully, you are experienced and are not planning on using someone's wedding day as a trial run.

Your Canon Rebel has a crop factor, so you will need a wide angle zoom and a moderate tele zoom at f/2.8, or a selection of primes to cover the same area. Of course, you have a backup camera body and flash. Bracket. Diffusers. Synch cords. Batteries. Several gigs memory. And you shoot RAW. Photoshop. Fast computer. Good luck.

Lens for wedding Photography?

JDR

I'm fairly new to photography and will be shooting a wedding in the fall. I've read that a must have lens is the 70-200mm 2.8 (mainly for the ceremony). Since i will be using a Sony A200 which is not full frame and with the sensor conversion (x1.5) this lens is actually 105-300mm. Should I still get it or make the adjustment and get a lens more like 40-135mm (somewhere around that)??

Answer
The 70-200 mm is the "third" lens wedding photogarphers use when they are shooting the candid shots during the reception.

With as little you know about photography in general and wedding photography specifically, you really need to work as an assistant to a working professional wedding photographer before you take on such an assignment. Remember, there are no re-shoots for weddings, sports or breaking news. One of the reasons only seasoned photographers usually take on those kinds of assignments.

No matter what you may have "heard" or "read" the most used lens by wedding and other event photographers is the 24-70 mm f/2.8 and 50 mm f/1.4 or f/1.8 when using a camera like yours. If they are using a full frame camera, a 85 mm or 100/105 mm portrait lens is used instead of the 50 mm.

I did not read any mention of what external flash and flash bracket you intend to use or what backup camera you will have with you.

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Lens on a crop lens camera?

Ralf

If I put a 50 mm 1.8 lens on a Canon D7 or a Nikon D7000, is it still 50mm? Even if the lens is a DX Lens for Nikon? I'm confused. Please help, thanks.

Answer
On a DSLR...forget all about the "crop factor", it doesn't mean anything. The only thing that matters is how the lens frames the shot you want.

If a camera has a 1.3x "crop factor" with the 50mm, it will frame like a 65mm lens would on a full frame camera. If the camera has a 1.6x factor, then the lens behaves like an 80mm....BUT the lens is still a 50mm. It is just a matter of using what gives you what you want.

For example, when I shoot I don't say "Well, I need the framing view of a 150mm lens on a full frame camera, so 150/1.3 is 115.384615mm". Instead, I just grab the lens that I know will give me the framing I want...or at least close to it. I MIGHT grab a 100mm (which would be a 130mm equivalent and take a step or two forward) OR grab my 70-200 and zoom until it frames how I want, but I don't bother looking at the lens guide to see what it shows...I look through the viewfinder and say "that's the shot I want.

What is the best brand of DSLR camera?

wolleybell

thanks...

Answer
Top brands of DSLRs are, in alphabetical order -

Canon, Fujifilm, Leica (BIG $$$), Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Sony and, to a more limited degree, Sigma (who makes lenses for many different camera brands, but has entered the advanced camera market). All of these companies make high quality cameras with significant market position that means they are likely to stay in the business for the foreseeable future. Any of these would be a good choice and would usually be selected according to your preferences for features and particular style.

Check out the Digital SLR Guide web site for an excellent guide to selecting a camera. Keep in mind that the most important part of your choice is not the camera but the lenses because that is what will take the actual photograph. Plus, if you pursue this interest for very long you are more likely to replace a camera body long before you replace a lens.

http://www.digital-slr-guide.com/index.html

My personal favorite is Olympus because they offer excellent value for the money. They are a smaller but very innovative company however they use a system called Four Thirds (4/3) with a smaller sensor than most of the other brands and that has been an area of great criticism and controversy. IMO, Olympus has done an excellent job of engineering and been able to provide many innovative features with their cameras. They helped to develop amd then adopted the Four Thirds system, an open standard that any other camera company can use to make compatible products. So far Leica and Panasonic also make camera for this standard and Sigma also makes lenses for 4/3 cameras..

Olympus lenses are generally been among the highest quality products available in any given price range, particularly the less expensive "standard" grade lenses. (They make more expensive "High Grade" and "Super High Grade" lenses, too). My suggestion would be to look at the E-520 because it has a number of improvements over the earlier E-500 and E-510 models, primarily to improve image quality in difficult lighting situations

To look at some pictures made with Olympus (mostly E500 and E1) cameras and lenses go to my Flickr page here -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robs-photo-memory/sets/

To understand the Four Thirds camera system you can get more information at these sites

http://www.four-thirds.org/en/index.html
http://olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_digital_slr.asp

There are also many avid user groups that can help you get the most out of any of the popular camera brands.

HTH. E mail me if you have specific questions.

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Wedding photography lens?

Awesome-sa

Well I'm not shooting the wedding. Just shooting the reception and doing formal shots of the bride her family and shooting the party etc. I have an XT and standard lens as well as a 50mm. I was thinking about investing in a 70-300mm lens. Good idea or not? The reception is indoors.

I know its pretty basic but it works for a broke college student.

Answer
The EF 50mm f/1.8 "Nifty- Fifty" and EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM are good lenses for those on a tight budget. The 50mm will be your best bet for low-light indoors at the reception but, you may occasionlly find it frames a little tight on your XT. That's not necessarily a problem but, if you aren't already aware of it, a 50mm lens on your camera will be the 35mm/full-frame equivalent of an 80mm, short-telephoto lens. So if you need to do any wider shots, you'll either need some extra stand-off distance or you'll have to accept the tighter frame.

A wider option, albeit more expensive, is the EF 28mm f/1.8. There's also the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 that many people on tight budgets find very useful for candids. Either of these would get you closer to a "normal" focal length on the XT. Downside is that both lenses get mixed reviews and are much more expensive than the 50mm f/1.8.

For what it's worth, all of Canon's 70-300mm lenses are a bit slow and will require flash under many conditions. If you can, spring for the IS USM version, you'll be able to get away with a few extra stops of hand-held speeds/apertures. This won't compensate for a moving subject but it will make up for a good bit of camera shake on your end. Ultimately, at the pro-level, you'd want something with an f/2.8 or faster aperture and bump up the ISO while being careful about noise. Noise is far less of a problem on full-frame cameras but it sounds like it will be a while before you are ready to make that move.

help with wedding photography?

Mo-ni-que

i'm a beginner at photography and my aunt has asked me to photograph her wedding, just because she doesnt care if she has fancy pictures or anything, she would probably not mind it if her pctures were taken with a disposable camera haha but she wanted to let me practice my photography.

so, i found this lens that is supposedly perfect for portrait pictures, its called the Nikon 135mm f/2 DC, and it blurs the background nicely and makes the subject very sharp and all that, but its like $1300, does anyone have any suggestions for a cheaper lens that will do similar things as this lens?

and also, any other suggestions for equipment or lenses i could use while photographing the wedding?

thank youuu
thank you for the suggestions but i want to make it clear that shes not expecting much, its her second marriage and she doesnt care much about hardcore wedding pictures, she just wants to give me a chance to practice.
but thanks again
i'm using a Nikon D3000 and i already have a 18-55mm lens that it came with

Answer
Honestly, unless you are planning to shoot many more portraits on a full frame camera in the future, you should just think about getting the 50mm f/1.8. Inexpensive and a good portrait lens on the crop sensor. Also good in low light. But you will have to manually focus. If you want a do-it-all lens for the rest of your photography needs as a beginner, think about the 18-200VR. The VR will give you a couple more stops in camera shake terms, and more reach for further away in decent light. It is *NOT* a lens for wedding photography in general, but will serve for a one-off event for an amateur, and then you can continue to use it. The go-to lens for wedding photography on a crop frame is the Nikon 17-55 f/2.8. Pricey, but a great lens. The Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 is a good choice if your budget won't permit the Nikon version. If you don't have a flash, consider the SB600 or SB900.

Here is a link for first time wedding shooters:

http://www.rokkorfiles.com/Wedding101-page1.html

If there is enough light, you should be able to cover the bulk of the wedding with the kit lens. Outdoors in day time you should be fine. If you are in a dark cave of a church, you won't be fine. There's where you turn to the 50mm fast lens.

Make sure she is truly not expecting album shots. Some people really don't care much about quality photography, but only want a reminder of the event in snapshots.

Look at some good pro wedding sites and pay attention to the type of shots they get, and the posing of the formals. Visit the venue before the wedding and take some test shots. Pick out a pretty location for a few formal portraits, with uncluttered background and even lighting. At the wedding, make sure you at least get a good closeup and full length shot of the bride, and the couple together. Also the close family members, and the wedding party if there are attendants. Get pictures of the oldest and youngest. Hold the camera straight, tilt is seldom a good idea. Check your histogram for exposure. Stay away from blowing lots of highlights, but do not underexpose. If you are not comfortable shooting on manual, (and as a beginner, you are probably not) shoot on Program mode and use exposure compensation when needed. If you do not know about exposure compensation, then find out about that before the wedding. If you can process RAW images, then shoot RAW. If you do not have a workflow for RAW, then shoot your finest quality large Jpegs, or shoot RAW + Jpeg. Use as low an ISO as possible, but do not be afraid to go higher to get the shot and avoid blur. Noise from high ISO can be lessened in post processing, but blur is forever. Have lots of memory, and don't fill the cards to capacity. Keep the used cards in a safe place. Do not delete the trash and missed pictures in the camera. Wait until post processing. Download the images to your computer, then back them up immediately to CD or DVD. Go through them for the first edit. You will delete the blurry, missed focus, odd or unflattering expressions, closed eyes etc. Keep the better ones. Now you pick the best ones to tweak. Keep a light hand in manipulation. Wedding photos should not look like Myspace profiles, so easy on the contrast and saturation. Make them natural looking. Then load the best onto a CD or DVD for the happy couple to choose and print their favorites.

It is unlikely that your photos will be amazing, but with some preparation and care on your part, you will at least get some good shots to remember their day. Hope it goes well, and good luck!

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Canon 24 - 70 f2.8 L or Canon 24 - 105 f4 L ?

kaptainfel

I heard the 24 - 70L has less vignetting and distortion than the 24 - 105L (and brighter in the viewfinder) but then the 24 - 105L does have a slightly greater focal length range and image stabilization... ....which do you prefer?

Answer
Canon 24 - 105 f4 L is 0.7" shorter, 0.2mm narrower and 0.6 lbs. lighter. It has 3rd generation IS that gives you a 3-stop shutter speed advantage when shooting handheld and the 24-105mm adds an extra 35mm of focal length on the long end.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AZ57M6?ie=UTF8&tag=computer0bd-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000AZ57M6

The 24-70mm better than 24-105mm for It's a faster lens. That translates into the following advantages: At f/4.0, the 24-105mm cannot stop subject motion blur as well in low-light situations where the 24-70mm's f/2.8 can give you a shutter speed that is twice as fast. Note that IS does not have any impact at all on subject motion blur, only on camera shake on your end. If bokeh (background blur) is important to you, the 24-70mm will have a slight advantage over the 24-105mm given its wider aperture. A wider aperture also helps a camera focus a little better in low light.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009R6WT?ie=UTF8&tag=computer0bd-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00009R6WT

sigma v. Canon 24-70 lens?

selectivel

What (except for the cost) is the difference between the Sigma 24-70 lens and Canon. I want to add a 24-70 lens to my collection, but I want some input. I am a photographer and plan on doing small backyard kind of weddings this year and I was told the 24-70 was the best for the Main lens. Please help me!

Answer
24-70 f2.8 is a staple lens in any kit. Combined with a good 70-200 (I like the f2.8L and the f4LIS) you can cover a nice zoom range.

I started out with a Sigma 24-70 f2.8 EX DG Lens, used it for a good couple of years and then switched to the Canon 24-70 f2.8L

Ok firstly both lenses are built pretty solidly (especially the canon) I've had numerous accidents with the sigma and have pretty much destroyed it (hence the switch to the Canon lens) but it took a lot of punishment in that time. I'd say I'd shoot on average 400-500 photos a day with it in conditions ranging from -30 to +10 and it has never once let me down. Because I also shoot a lot of stuff whilst moving (on a snowboard!) it's also had a few knocks and has survived well considering.

The Canon lens is also really well built and will also put up to the rigours of heavy use! Plus a major advantage it has is it is fully weather sealed (when used with a corresponding sealed body).

I'd say overall the Canon lens is better due to the weather sealing and the fact that it is really sharp for a zoom lens (especially if used with a cropped sensor.. I use a 1.3 crop body and it's amazing). You'll probably find a bit of vignetting around the edges if you shoot full frame. It's sharper than the sigma, the AF is faster and isn't as loud and it also has a much better lens hood.

Of course the Canon L is just over double the price of the Sigma so you have to factor that in.

Edit: I'd definitely get either of the 24-70 2.8 lenses over the Canon 24-105 f4L, You lose some AF capability with choosing this lens and I find f4 too slow for indoor work. f2.8 is ok for indoor wedding work. The 85mm f1.2 would obviously be far superior but you'd be limited to a fixed focal length and nobody likes seeing a photographer creeping round in the middle of a ceremony composing shots :)

Hope this helps

Rick

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Good fisheye and telephoto lens for my Canon 550d?

Q. Hello, yup. I'm an experimental photographer. and admit that i'm kind of an amateur too, but what good fisheye lens would you recommend for my canon 550d? I wouldnt wanna buy something that turned out to be a load of crusty doodoo. Please help :D. oh and hopefully affordable ones. haha. the pro "red-ringed" ones aren't under my budget :p :(. (i'm kinda saving up for telephoto lens too)

Oh and just a follow up. What would be a good telephoto lens? I was kidna going for the EF 70-300mm f/4 IS USM cause i heard the others are kinda.. bad haha. or should i save up more for the f.4L IS USM? is it worth it?

Answer
make yourself clear what you want.go to camera store and try the lens which you wanted to buy.then you will come to know what focal length you really need.then by that required focal length choose the lens.dont waste your money after buying the lens and feel that this is not i expected..tell me what you are going to shoot with fisheye and telephoto lens?if you want to see the object which is far away,get a binocular.,or better rent some all around lens with the focal length of 18-200mm.then check out your photos ,then you will find which focal length you most like to use..

Dnt be hurry to buy a equipment,be hurry to learn what its all about.

canon t2i(550d), looking for a 50mm lens, value for money and performance wise what can you advise?

Q. shooting video, and want as much advantage i can get in low light with a nice film look?
im a big fan of carl zeiss but the price isn't ideal for me at the moment.

Answer
The 50mm prime lenses available from Canon are the f/1.8, f/1.4 and f/1.2 All three are excellent for low light shooting, with f/1.2 being the one that can shoot in the lowest light conditions. The f/1.8 would be considered economy level, the f/1.4 would be more of a consumer level, and the f/1.2 is a professional level prime.
The f/1.8 is the most inexpensive out of the three, but also the cheapest make. This lens small, compact and most importantly, only about $100. I have this lens and it takes excellent pictures with that great blurry background and sharp focus, but I find the focus ring to be mediocre. The focus ring is very small, about a cm wide and when manually adjusting, might be more difficult, especially for people will larger hands. This lens is completely made of plastic, including the mount, which could be a deal breaker because this makes it substantially less durable than the f/1.2 and f/1.4. However, for the price, this lens is well worth the money.
The f/1.4 is larger, more durable and more expensive than the f/1.8. This lens looks much more like a lens than the f/1.8, it's strong and has a metal mount, but still has the plastic body. This lens is powered by a USM motor and has full-time manual focus. A f/1.4 will cost you around $400 and if you're looking at a good, sturdy lens that isn't overly expensive, this is probably it.
Lastly is the f/1.2 This lens is the largest out of the three and also the most expensive. One of these will set you back about $1000, but is a much more professional lens than the other two. This lens is part of the professional L series that Canon sells and is constructed of all metal with plastic extremities.
You're best bet of finding the perfect lens for you is to go in to a local photography store that provides all three of these and try them all out for yourself. With this information on your mind, you can try them all out and see which one is the best for you, it could be any of these.
Good luck!

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What's the cheapest digital camera I can get with interchangeable lens?

Riley

I'm kind of interested in photography right now, but I don't want to spend much on it because every time I bought a camera in the past it ended up in the back of my wardrobe never seeing the light of the day.

Now I've learned a bit more about it and I'd like a camera with interchangeable lens to play around with, but I want one that is as cheap as possible, since I'll probably forget it soon enough.

Answer
I've had interchangeable lens cameras for 35 years and I am still waiting for a digital camera with interchangeable lenses worth investing in. The market is moving so fast that in three years you would have a hard time using the lenses on a new body or vice versa.

Unless there is a specific function like fisheye or perspective shift a fixed wide range zoom is a much better buy, and then you would have few choices. KODAK EASYSHARE Z981 for $250 has14 megapixels and 26-676 mm lens (35mm equivalent). You can't buy two lenses for that price. Just about every camera maker makes a similar model, just make sure it has manual focus, aperture and other settings.

Need help selecting a interchangeable lens camera?

Amber

I am looking at purchasing an ILC and want suggestions. I haven't looked at very many, but am hoping you might have some suggestions. I will talk about 2 that I have researched a little bit and why I like or dislike them.

Sony-NEX f3... this camera has a slightly higher price tag than the other one I reviewed, but has a better sensor as well. It takes better pictures at higher ISOs.

Panasonic Lumix GF3... this camera has more lenses available, and has a cheaper price tag. It doesn't do so well in low light situations.

Does anyone have any comments on either of these cameras? Or like I said can you recommend a different one?

I am looking for a camera for a hobbyist that I can get professional-like pictures from. I plan on printing up to 11x17 pictures.

Any advice would be great!

Thanks
I apologize as my lack of correct terminology has insulted some people. I am not trying to go professional and I never will. I appreciate the art, but it just isn't for me as a career. In that sense I am a newbie and always will be :) Anyway, for those of you who don't understand what I meant about "professional-like" I wasn't referring to composition, white balance, depth of field, or exposure. Rather I meant crisp, sharp, and etc photos. I know the photographer can influence these results as well, but some cameras can do this better than others. I am not naive enough to think that I can just pick a certain camera and be awesome at it.

I genuinely appreciate the other answers I have gotten thus far.

Answer
Both cameras will produce good 11x14 prints. Don't get hung up on the NEX having fewer lens options when buying new lenses. The NEX mount can accept a host of older manual focus lenses (like M42) via adapters. There's a link in my source that covers the various adapters available for the NEX.

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Right lens for disney world vacation?

tvxq

I'm taking my 18-55mm lens and 75-300mm lens for our vacation to disney world. I just want to know your opinion if I will need the 75-300mm lens at Magic Kingdom? I'm positive that I will need it at Animal Kingdom. I don't want to take my bulky camera bag with me in the parks. How about Epcot and Hollywood Studios? And also is it fine to use tripod inside the parks? I'm traveling with my husband and I'm hoping to get few shots together. Thanks!

Answer
Stick with the 18-55 and forget about the tripod. You can get a little GorillaPod if you want to use a tripod, or just hand your camera to any of the 1000s of people who will be in the park. Generally, I look for people who have a dSLR of he same brand around their neck, because they are most likely going to be able to shoot the photo with minimal oversight. You would have a hard time swinging your camera around you by the strap without hitting at least 1 or 2 people with a similar camera anywhere in the park.

How do you protect your camera from theft at Walt Disney World?

question

I am a high school student who has to take photos of the upcoming field trip to Florida.We will be flying from TEXAS. I will be bringing a EOS digital Canon Rebel with lens. I am worried that since the camera is so big, that somebody will try to steal it! Any Suggestions? Also, if I want to go on a ride, and I have my gigantic camera with me, what do I do with the camera? Do I hold on to it during the ride?
Finally, is there any gear that I can get that will prevent me from losing the camera? The camera is quite expensive.

Answer
I wouldn't worry about it. As long as you're not leaving your camera completely unattended, I'm sure it won't get stolen. As others have mentioend, since it's a school trip, if there's a teacher or chaperone not going on the ride maybe they could hold it for you. All of the rides have baskets or holding areas anyway, though. For example, on DINOSAUR there is a pull out basket that can hold a large camera. On Kali River Rapis there's a compartment in the center of the raft to hold everyone's bags and belonging so they do not get wet or damaged. I imagine you could probably have a Cast Member look after your camera as well. There are Cast Members at the loading areas for each ride. Explain to them that you have a large, valuable camera that you're worried about, and as if they'd be able to keep an eye on it for a few minute while you're on the ride. I'm sure mothers carrying larger items like diaper bags do it all the time.

Hope I could help! Have a great time!

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Is a Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i 500D SLR Camera +5 Lens Kit a quality camera?

suesdiscov

Answer
Hi Sue,
Actually, the Rebel XSI was rated higher in Image Quality compared to the T1i - by Digital Photography Review. Not sure what you're referring to with the "+5 Lens Kit", but that sounds like an eBay thing, and most folks believe that we should stay away from eBay when buying a camera.

The Canon Rebel XSI (EOS 450D) is really a fantastic camera for the money, especially with the 18-55mm Kit Lens.
Have taken thousands of pictures with the XSI while traveling abroad. It takes excellent pictures, itâs relatively light in weight, easy to use, and has amazing battery life. The number and type of camera settings really provide as much or as little control (automatic) of the camera as desired.

The XSI received great reviews from Digital Photography including a higher rating for Image Quality (9.0) than the successor Rebel T1i (EOS 500D), whose image quality was rated at 8.5.

There are more expensive cameras that have not achieved this 9.0 Image Quality rating .

Rebel XSI = Imaging Quality = 9.0
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneosâ¦

And a 4.5 Star Rating (out of 5.0) from 496 Rebel XSI owners on Amazonâ¦
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012YAâ¦

And of course sample photosâ¦
http://www.dpreview.com/gallery/canoneosâ¦

Hope this helps, good luck! :-)

Digital Cameras?

Anita

What is your favorite digital camera. I would just like to know because I'm getting a new one for my birthday.

Answer
Whatever kind of digital camera that you get, please keep in mind that high megapixels aren't everything. I have seen better pictures from a 2 megapixel Canon than a 6 megapixel Vivitar -- I think this is because the Canon had better optics (higher quality lens glass, more light sensitivity, etc).

I would stick with the big names in cameras, like Canon, Nikon, Minolta, etc. But for a non-traditional camera manufacturer, Sony makes some nice stuff, too.

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what is the best walk around/portrait canon L lens for the 50d? I mostly take pics of kids!!?

Kitty

My camera is about 2yrs. old and I mostly take pictures of kids but I do both indoors and outdoors.......I have read numerous reviews and even called Canon to ask their recommendation
24-105mm f/4
24-70mm f/2.8
I don't understand the difference between f/2 or 4 and all reviews seem to say something different!!! I know what end result I am looking for---sharp crisp images without hours of editing which I haven't totally learned yet either!
One more thing.....my daughter is very sensitive to light and squints before the flash if she is expecting it!!
Please HELP!!!
I do thank everyone for their wisdom and time! We live in a VERY small rural area so really internet classes are my only option, our local library is very small as well so not much to pick from! I do agree that I need to learn all I can on my own to totally understand.......I'm trying!

Answer
Let me first say that L-series lenses do not take inherently better photographs and most people can't tell the difference between images shot with L verus non-L lenses. These are great lenses but, it may not be necessary to spend so much money to get the results you want. FWIW; between the two, the 24-105L is significantly lighter and easier to walk around with. It also covers a wider range of focal lengths than the 24-70L and is image stabilized. Having said that, the 24-70L shows less distortion at its wide end and is one stop faster. You've already mentioned you don't understand this key difference so I'll cover that.

The difference between f/2.8 and f/4 is one stop of light. In practical terms, this can mean the difference between a blurry shot at 1/30th of a second and a relatively sharp shot at 1/60th of a second. It might also means the difference between a realtive clean shot at ISO 800 (@f/2.8) or a noisy shot at ISO 1600 (@f/4). Those are the simplest examples to illustrate what 1-stop means but the bottom line is that if you don't already fully understand this, you are about to spend a great deal of money on a lens that by itself, will not improve your images.

Another note, your 50D is a 1.6x crop body. In simple terms this means your field of view with either of the lenses you've asked about will be fairly narrow and not necessarily ideal as a walk around lens but, they'll be just fine for portraits. The 50D and similar Canon cameras are typically sold with with 18-55mm or 17-85mm lenses that are nearly perfect as walk around/portrait lenses for 1.6x crop bodies. Alternately, the 50D was sometimes sold with a 28-135mm lens which was designed for 35mm film and full-frame digital cameras. Most people find the 28--135mm lens really isn't wide enough when they are out, walking around and may opt to replace it with an 18-200mm super zoom for that allows them to do almost everything with just one lens.

If you are seriously considering spending the money to buy a 24-70L or 24-105L for your 50D but don't plan to upgrade to a full-frame camera like a 5D/5DmkII, two additional lenses you should also consider are the EF-s 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM and EF-s 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM. These are not "L" lenses because that designation is exclusive to full-frame Canon lenses but, they are as good a any L as far as optical quality is concerned. The difference is that EF-s lenses are designed specifically for 1.6x crop-bodies like your 50D with smaller sensors. When I shot the 40D (almost identical to the 50D, just a year older), my walk around/portrait lens that said on my camera almost all the time was the EF-s 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM.

One final note, your daughter is likely blinking because of the pre-flash that tells her to expect the main flash. Consider half-pressing the shutter to focus/meter and then waiting a second or two before you actually take the picture. If you don't already have one, also consider a shoe-mount flash like the 430EXII.

Canon lens for wedding?

Missy C

I got a canon xsi with the kit lens for christmas and I am getting married this summer. I have a friend that takes really great pictures and she is going to take my wedding pictures (we are on a budget). I like the kit lens, but it doesn't zoom in very far, and I know she will probably need a lens that will zoom more... do I need another lens and if so, which one.

Also, I was reading something about a wide angle lens... what is this and why would you need one? I just dont see how you would carry all of this stuff around with you...

Please dont talk down to me because of my choice not to hire a professional, or my ignorance on this topic. Please only reply if you want to help me.. Thanks in advance

Answer
What lens you need depends a great deal on the venue and where she will be allowed to be. Also how much light you have. A 200mm at f/5.6 (as most consumer lenses are) is not going to be of much use if you need f/2.8 @ 1/10 and ISO800 just to get the exposure. If you need a fast lens, I would buy the Canon 50mm f/1.8. Nice portrait lens on a crop sensor. Fast enough for dark conditions. Sharp. Relatively cheap. Easily available. *But* wide open or near maximum aperture will leave no room for focus error.

Why wide angle? WA is where about 80% of my wedding coverage lands. I use a 50mm f/1.4 and a 17-50 f/2.8 a lot in digital wedding coverage. (For film, I prefer a 24-85 and the 50mm.) The 70-200 not as much. Most of the getting ready, formals, groups and reception shots will probably require wide angle. Your kit lens (is it 18-55 or so?) will cover the that end adequately if you have enough light, either ambient or by using flash or off camera lighting. If you don't have a flash, get one. Yeah, a flash and a 50mm lens will be the most bang for your buck. The 580EX is what the Canonites use frequently for weddings, I believe. (Sorry I am not sure, I use Nikon, so not positive on the model number.) Get a diffuser of some sort and practice using it. The Fong Lightsphere, Demb, Stofen and Bounce card are commonly used and not that difficult to learn. If you are familiar with manual flash output you will do fine after a few weeks practice. You will have to modify your flash output for the light loss, but your flash photos will be vastly improved. If the surroundings are fairly dark, you will want to drag the shutter to avoid the deer in headlights look.

Don't forget to have a backup camera of some sort. I have three, sometimes four camera bodies with lenses and flashes at every wedding. As an amateur of course you probably won't have access to or need that much. But do get a second camera of some kind, film or digital, and have it primed and ready to go with fresh batteries and memory or film.. When I am shooting, I usually have two setups around my neck, one with WA lens and one tele, or sometimes one film and one digi. Things can and do break, balk or fail so be prepared.

Here is the lecture portion of my program. Being "ignorant" of various lenses and camera gear is fine. I am ignorant about a lot of things. If I need to know, I ask, or more likely do some research, just like you are. Here is my caution to you: Be very **very** VERY sure the photos do not matter that much to you. Your friend may be a good photographer of her kids in the park, landscapes, bugs or pets etc etc etc, but has she shot weddings before? She may do a fabulous job, if the photo gods are smiling and the light is perfect and everything goes to plan. But what is her plan using the kit lens from 300 feet away in a dark cave of a sanctuary trying to capture the vows when she needs ISO 4000 at f/5.6 and 2s? (OK, I am exaggerating, but not by much.) Can she cover several different happenings at once? Weddings are sorta like little mini plays with several different stages. It is hard to make all that flow until you have done it quite a bit. If you miss something, it is gone. There are no excuses and very few do-overs. That is why we are always advising new wedding shooters to assist with a pro for some amount of time. Takes the pressure off and allows one to learn, but not at the expense of mucking up a couple's wedding photos. The point is, you don't have an ideal setup equipment wise. Combining that with an in-experienced photographer might mean you get less than good images of your once in a lifetime big day. So be certain it is OK if you end up with a bunch of mediocre snapshots, and be sure your friendship can stand that strain if it does happen. And if the pictures are great, you can be thankful and relieved (and uncannily lucky) and get your friend a nice gift for performing like a champ.

Best wishes on your upcoming nuptials.

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Finding a replacement kit lens for a Canon EOS 400D DSLR Camera?

Jessica

Ok, so I recently smashed the kit lens for my camera because of a faulty tripod - camera's ok but now out of warranty so I can't get it replaced. I need a lens, just the same as the lens I originally had, which comes with the camera - 18-55mm focal length. I know it's not an amazing lens but it did the job for about two years and I'd like to still have it for the future! They seem to be very difficult to source online. Any chance anyone knows of anywhere selling them on?

Thankyou!
Thanks for your help so far! I'd love to upgrade to one of those lenses, but i simply don't have £300 to spend on one, never mind £500 :(
Also, Fishmeister - any suggestions? I know it's not a great lens but it would do the job for £30 til I save up enough for a better one.

Answer
If you are talking about the 18-55mm (non IS) lens then good riddance, don't buy another one!. They are considered the worst kit lens Canon have even produced. I sold mine unused for about £30 buy it now on eBay and I consider that a good price. Don't waste your money and time on another piece of crap lens like that, save your money and buy a proper lens.. The fact that it broke is a blessing in disguise.

Now go buy a good quality real lens.

+++

Additional: I understand that money can be an issue. If however you were happy with the lens and happy with the images it took then you have no reason to buy a more expensive lens, the 18-55mm (non-IS) is on ebay frequently for very little money.

If however you can stretch your budget to £90-120 then you could look at buying the 18-55mm IS version which is a very nice lens!..
http://the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-S-18-55mm-f-3.5-5.6-IS-Lens-Review.aspx

You may also consider looking on eBay for one of these ..
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/canon/ef_35-135_4-56_usm

I bought one of eBay for £55 and it is a great lens. Distance window, metal mount, USM, great image quality. I do recommend looking out for one on eBay, I use this as my 'walkabout' lens frequently.

Also consider the Canon 50mm f/1.8 II (about £80-90)
http://the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-50mm-f-1.8-II-Lens-Review.aspx

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Canon rebel t3i, good camera?

Ariah

I've heard it's a good camera, but I want to hear some reviews/opinions on it. Where did you get it? How much was it? Do you recommend it? Any extras I should consider buying with it?
I'd like to order it with my Christmas money online, so if you have any recommended sites to order from, please link them in your comment!

Answer
I have owned the Canon EOS Rebel T3i since the month that it came out. Of course when it came out it was much more expensive, now since it has been updated by the T4i and the T5i; it's much cheaper. You can find it as of the time I am writing this for $437 with the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens. I am a reviewer on Amazon.com and wrote a review on this camera when it came out, but I will update my review as of today with a much more detailed review; I will include a transcript below and include my reviewer page for you to visit and confirm this. In plain and simplistic approach though, I highly recommend this entry level DSLR.

Review:

The Canon EOS Rebel T3i/EOS 600D/ EOS Kiss X5; a truly fantastic entry level DSLR for the price it's available at after being replaced by the Canon T4i & T5i. Featuring an 18.0 megapixel APS-C CMOS Sensor and a DIGIC 4 image processor it packs quite a lot of power in a small body. The camera is capable of shooting continuously at a maximum speed of 3.7 Frames per second; which isn't bad. It can also shoot in Full HD at 30 frames per second or 24 frames per second; or 720P at 60 frames per second.

The Drawback with video:

There is one thing that might make you avoid this camera if you want it specifically for video. It doesn't have the ability to focus automatically when recording a video. It is per say, possible; however, the time it simply takes to automatically adjust the focus takes way too long and is very noisy when using any lens that doesn't have USM (Ultrasonic Motor). This is not a bad thing though if you plan on shooting video in manual focus, it takes a while to get used to it, but the video quality that is produced with this camera is simply superb!

The camera features a 9 Point AF system which for the most part in my uses has proven to be decently accurate for the most part. Considering this is an entry level DSLR, it is more than enough for the average user. You can always just manually focus on your subjects and avoid being mistakenly focused on something that you don't want to be emphasize.

One of the most useful designs of this camera is the Vari angle LCD display it offers. It is what made the camera unique when it came out and it introduced a wide variety of possible shots without the discomfort that you would have had to go through before. Let's say that you want to take a photo from the bottom up, at a bug's eye perspective; before, you would have had to either lie down on the floor to look through the viewfinder or struggle by looking at the display that was only viewable at a certain spot. Now you can simply take a knee and flip the display in order to compose your shot with ease. The complete opposite of this scenario is also applicable, taking a picture from top to bottom you simple flip the display and adjust to where you can see your environment and subject perfectly.

Low Light shooting with this camera can be a struggle, at least with the stock lens that is usually bought with the camera (18-55mm). Pictures begin to look noisy reaching about ISO 1600. They are however still usable. When at ISO 6400 it can be pretty noisy, but any other camera would struggle here as well unless it is a true professional DSLR that reaches extremely high ISO sensitivities. The ISO on the camera is expandable to 12,800, but at that sensitivity pictures are pretty much useless. They will look as if they were taken with a cell phone and noise is observable everywhere even without zooming into the picture. If you want to take pictures in low lighting conditions you have two options: A) You can always use an external flash if possible, or use the pop up flash that is integrated on the camera. B) You can purchase a separate lens for the camera that a wide aperture; such as f/1.2, f/1.4, f/1.8
Some of these lenses can cost a lot of money, some more than the camera it's self. Remember though that the overall quality of an image can usually be a lot better with a great lens that an excellent camera with an average lens. The f/1.8 Canon lens runs you about $100, the f/1.4 about $300, and the f/1.2 for either $1,400 for the old version and $2,000 for the newer version.

How does this camera compare against a normal point and shoot camera?

A main concern by many is if having a DSLR like this will make a vast difference than the average point and shoot camera or high quality cell phone camera. The answer to this question is a simple yes. You will notice the difference with just the first time that you take a picture with this camera. 18.0 megapixels is a lot! There are other camera's in the market such as the Nikon D3200 with a 24.2 megapixel sensor, but in reality... you will never have a need for such a plethora of megapixels unless you are going to be printing out billboard sized photos. 18.0 megapixels is already enough and megapixels isn't always everything. The truth with megapixels is that sometimes too many of them can degrade the quality of a picture. In low lighting conditions a camera with a lower amount of megapixels will out perform the one with a higher amount of megapixels. This can be proven even with the simplest of camera's such as a webcam. The less the megapixels, the more light enters due to the pixels being larger.

The body of the camera is tough and is sure to last a long time if taken care of. I have owned this camera since the month that it came out and I don't regret purchasing it. It has never failed me in any occasion. One thing you should note though, if you want to record video with this camera; make sure you purchase a good memory card that is capable of processing the data quickly or else you will find the camera automatically stopping video recording. I would recommend a memory card such as the PNY Elite Performance SDHC memory card. It features 90 MB/s read speeds and won't let you down when recording video. It is also enough to capture continuous shots when shooting in RAW which extends the usefulness of a picture when editing them. The advantages of editing when you take a picture in RAW are simply amazing and is something that no normal point and shoot can offer.

Overall I rate this product a 5 stars out of 5 stars!

I hope this review has helped you out!

My Sources: Head Photographer for a High School Yearbook, Amazon Reviewer, Owner of the Camera, Experience in Photography

Camera on Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-T3i-Digital-Imaging-18-55mm/dp/B004J3V90Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387151246&sr=8-1&keywords=canon+t3i

My Reviewer Page on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A2Z9S2RQD542CP?ie=UTF8&ref_=ya_your_profile

My Review on the Product:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1XVKM5R1AK4ZF/ref=cm_aya_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B004J3V90Y#wasThisHelpful

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