I'm completely new to the hobby and could use some help

TaDa

I finally got sick and tired of missing all of the shots of my son with the near second delay on our point and clicks. I went out and purchased a Canon Rebel XT with the kit 18-55 lens. My wife also purchased me the Canon 70-300 USM IS for my birthday (which will be coming up soon). Also, someone had a 50mm 1.4 with hood and filter, for $250, so I snagged that. My son is currently 2 years old, and the main focus of my new camera, but I also will be trying out some nature pictures once Spring comes. I guess what I'm asking is:

Any other glass that you guys would consider a "must have"
Any accessories that you would consider a "must have" (I've been told to look at the Canon BG-E3 battery grip)

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated

swintonphoto

I think you've got a great start. I think use the gear you have for a while and see if you feel it limits you from doing anything you want to do. I don't know if there is anything else you "need" at this point.
If I had one recommendation - maybe a tripod. But, again that depends.
Play with the camera and lenses for a while. You will probably be very satisfied with what you have. Congrats and welcome!

ziggy53

Welcome to the Digital Grin.

Easily as important are electronic flash units for indoor work, as well as some light modifiers (which you can even DIY for little or nothing.)

I highly recommend either the Canon 580EX/580EX II or the Sigma EF-500 DG Super with E-TTL II (or newer EF-530 DG Super.)

One or two of these flashes will lend a lot to the scene, when used properly. They also provide a light to assist the autofocus.

At very least, a Sunpak 383 or Vivitar 285HV auto flash can be used.


For light modifiers I recommend two:

A scoop type reflector:
http://www.fototime.com/inv/908195739C4C0D3

... and the "Better Bounce Card"
http://abetterbouncecard.com/

If you want a commercial product, Joe Demb makes some very nice products:
http://www.joedembphotography.com/flipit/

I use all of these for different situations.

TaDa

Thanks for the input guys. Hadn't thought about a flash, but makes sense for the darker times and also, with something to deflect the bright flash, my son's skin won't come out as light, but be more natural. Awesome. Thanks.

I just posted up some shots in the Sports thread from the night that I broke in the camera at Brian Leetch's number retirement ceremony. Please feel free to critique as it will only make me better. I'm really liking this place thus far.

leaforte

I think you'll like your 70-300. It's been a fun lens for me. And the suggestions of flash should open many doors.

Zanotti

TaDa wrote:

I finally got sick and tired of missing all of the shots of my son with the near second delay on our point and clicks. I went out and purchased a Canon Rebel XT with the kit 18-55 lens. My wife also purchased me the Canon 70-300 USM IS for my birthday (which will be coming up soon). Also, someone had a 50mm 1.4 with hood and filter, for $250, so I snagged that. My son is currently 2 years old, and the main focus of my new camera, but I also will be trying out some nature pictures once Spring comes. I guess what I'm asking is:

Any other glass that you guys would consider a "must have"
Any accessories that you would consider a "must have" (I've been told to look at the Canon BG-E3 battery grip)

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated

I loooked at your sport shots and thought they were nice shots.

As someone who has just gone through much of the same as you are doing now, I suggest you quit buying anything for a few months and just learn. I found that what I wanted changed fairly dramatically as I learned more about both the hobby and what I wanted to shoot.

As you go on, start making a list of what you might want to have and cull the list over time. There is also a whole world of software and computer imige enhancements that you will discover. That also gets expensive.

Its not all cameras and glass. There are computers, courses, books, lights, backgrounds, and a world of other things.

I suggest you search out the Dgrin tutorials section and read all of that. There is a lot available here to learn and get you on your way.

Z

TaDa

Zanotti wrote:

I loooked at your sport shots and thought they were nice shots.

As someone who has just gone through much of the same as you are doing now, I suggest you quit buying anything for a few months and just learn. I found that what I wanted changed fairly dramatically as I learned more about both the hobby and what I wanted to shoot.

As you go on, start making a list of what you might want to have and cull the list over time. There is also a whole world of software and computer imige enhancements that you will discover. That also gets expensive.

Its not all cameras and glass. There are computers, courses, books, lights, backgrounds, and a world of other things.

I suggest you search out the Dgrin tutorials section and read all of that. There is a lot available here to learn and get you on your way.

Z

Thanks so much. This is some of the best advice that I have received thus far. I guess I'm treating photography like I treat golf, throw money at new equipment, and it MUST make you better, right? Well, guess I should spend the time to learn how to use the equipment first. Lots of terms to learn like stopping down, etc. Thank you. I will spend a couple months just "learning". BTW, no, I am not going to buy another lens, but can anyone tell me what people mean when they are selling a "sharp copy" of a lens? It's still a Canon lens that they're selling, not a "copy" as in Sigma or something, right?

ziggy53

TaDa wrote:

... can anyone tell me what people mean when they are selling a "sharp copy" of a lens? It's still a Canon lens that they're selling, not a "copy" as in Sigma or something, right?

Lens fabrication is part science and part art. No two lenses are exactly alike and, especially with consumer level lenses and third party lenses, variations exist.

When someone says they have a "sharp copy" of a lens they are saying that particular lens is better than the average lens in that lens series.

Since it is mostly a subjective assessment, take the statement with a grain of salt. Be sure to get some image examples, which the owner should gladly oblige if truly a good copy.

rpcrowe

I agree with ZIGGY53
Learn your camera and lenses and what their limitations are before thinking about other lenses. Then, only if you find that you desire some factor which your lenses are not capable of, consider another lens.

One piece of equipment which will probably be a good purchase (even now) is an electronic flash. Great units renge from the relatively expensive Canon 580EX (series) down to no-name units sold on eBay for a pittance. I would personally avoid a cheap no-name flash unit.

The 430EX or Sigma EF 500 or 530 Super units are great and cost a lot less than the 580EX (series). Another viable inexpensive option would be a used Canon 420ex which doesn't have the bells and whistles of the above units but, which is still a very capable flash.

All of the above flash units are capable of providing sync at any shutter speed (high-speed-sync) which makes using them outdoors for fill flash very easy.

On the lowest side of capable flash units are the Sunpak 383 and the Vivitar 285HV unnits. Both of these units use the older Thyristor exposure control which is still capable of achieving good exposures (Thyristor was the standard of the industry for many years).

I would choose the Sunpak 383 over the Vivitar 285HV unit because the 383 can both rotate and tilt. The 285HV can only tilt its head. A flash that can rotate will be easier to bounce when you have the camera in the vertical position.

See this link for some good flash information

http://planetneil.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/

Glenn NK

Zanotti wrote:

As you go on, start making a list of what you might want to have and cull the list over time. There is also a whole world of software and computer imige enhancements that you will discover. That also gets expensive.

Its not all cameras and glass. There are computers, courses, books, lights, backgrounds, and a world of other things.

I suggest you search out the Dgrin tutorials section and read all of that. There is a lot available here to learn and get you on your way.

Z

Some good advice, particularly about the software and learning sources (courses, books, tutorials). Don't forget public libraries, and there are so many tutorials available online at no cost, it would make your head swim; I probably have a hundred book-marked on various topics.

I'd been using film SLRs since the early sixties (not a typo), and digital opened up a fascinating world of digital modifications and enhancements. Where once I'd throw away a flower shot if something in the frame was distracting, now I "work" it out (often using airbrushing). In post processing, one can enhance selective colours to achieve "your vision" of the scene. This isn't cheating, it's being creative to enforce your interpretation of what you saw.

nightspidy

Suggestions of "must haves"

Zanotti wrote:

As someone who has just gone through much of the same as you are doing now, I suggest you quit buying anything for a few months and just learn. I found that what I wanted changed fairly dramatically as I learned more about both the hobby and what I wanted to shoot.

As you go on, start making a list of what you might want to have and cull the list over time. There is also a whole world of software and computer imige enhancements that you will discover. That also gets expensive.

Its not all cameras and glass. There are computers, courses, books, lights, backgrounds, and a world of other things.

I suggest you search out the Dgrin tutorials section and read all of that. There is a lot available here to learn and get you on your way.

Z

First off, welcome and congrats on the new purchases, nice to see another canon-lover . The above is very good advice. When I first started out with the REB XT, kits lens and the 55-200mm it was all I needed at that time. As I played around with the camera and gear that I had, I learned more and more about what I "must have" based on what it was that I was shooting more and more. I have been upgrading my collection over the past 12 months and believe me, it is so much more than just a camera body and lens, although lens' are one of the most important aspects of photography IMHO. This forum provides a wealth of knowledge and expertise and like I have said before, it is my "bible" when I am stuck. I think what you have right now is an excellent starting point and now just get out there and shoot, shoot, shoot!

claudermilk

Add another welcome & don't buy anything more for a while vote. You have a lot of gear to learn about already. Just use what you have & get really familiar with it; perhaps even limit yourself to one of the lenses for a while to get a really good idea of what it's strengths & weaknesses are. After a while you will start to find where the kit is missing something for your needs & be able to make wise purchases.

TaDa

rpcrowe wrote:

Learn your camera and lenses and what their limitations are before thinking about other lenses. Then, only if you find that you desire some factor which your lenses are not capable of, consider another lens.

One piece of equipment which will probably be a good purchase (even now) is an electronic flash. Great units renge from the relatively expensive Canon 580EX (series) down to no-name units sold on eBay for a pittance. I would personally avoid a cheap no-name flash unit.

The 430EX or Sigma EF 500 or 530 Super units are great and cost a lot less than the 580EX (series). Another viable inexpensive option would be a used Canon 420ex which doesn't have the bells and whistles of the above units but, which is still a very capable flash.

All of the above flash units are capable of providing sync at any shutter speed (high-speed-sync) which makes using them outdoors for fill flash very easy.

On the lowest side of capable flash units are the Sunpak 383 and the Vivitar 285HV unnits. Both of these units use the older Thyristor exposure control which is still capable of achieving good exposures (Thyristor was the standard of the industry for many years).

I would choose the Sunpak 383 over the Vivitar 285HV unit because the 383 can both rotate and tilt. The 285HV can only tilt its head. A flash that can rotate will be easier to bounce when you have the camera in the vertical position.

See this link for some good flash information

http://planetneil.com/tangents/flash-photography-techniques/

I have been looking for flashes, and must admit that there are a ton to choose from. I ask you guys in all honesty, what is the huge difference between a 580EX that goes for almost $400 and the Sunpak 383 that goes for $75? I know that they use different lights, and I'd imagine that the 580 recharges a ton quicker, but would a Sunpak still be able to get me good shots at home? Does the Sunpak sync at shutter speed? (though I have no idea what that means?)

ziggy53

TaDa wrote:

I have been looking for flashes, and must admit that there are a ton to choose from. I ask you guys in all honesty, what is the huge difference between a 580EX that goes for almost $400 and the Sunpak 383 that goes for $75? I know that they use different lights, and I'd imagine that the 580 recharges a ton quicker, but would a Sunpak still be able to get me good shots at home? Does the Sunpak sync at shutter speed? (though I have no idea what that means?)

Lots of differences between these two flashes.

The Canon 580EX/580EX II communicate with the camera and use the camera to coordinate the exposure. (E-TTL II) The 580EXs can accept external battery sources for faster recycling and/or more flashes. The 580EXs also have the ability to focus the light according to the lens focal length, avoiding the waste of excessive spread. The 580EXs can also use FP/HSS mode to sync at very high shutter speeds.

The Sunpak 383 is a very economical "auto" type flash that only communicates with the camera via a sync pulse from the camera. You must use the camera's flash sync speed or slower, FP/HSS is not available. You can get telephoto and wide angle attachments, but they are attached manually as required. If all you want is a basic flash that only supports auto or manual mode of operation it actually works pretty well from ISO 100-800 and f-stops of f2, f4, f8.

ChuckM

Not necessarily equipment related but I enjoyed these two books as I learn what I'm doing with a camera...

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Exposure-Photographs-Digital-Updated/dp/0817463003/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

http://www.amazon.com/Learning-See-Creatively-Composition-Photography/dp/0817441816/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

TaDa

ziggy53 wrote:

Lots of differences between these two flashes.

The Canon 580EX/580EX II communicate with the camera and use the camera to coordinate the exposure. (E-TTL II) The 580EXs can accept external battery sources for faster recycling and/or more flashes. The 580EXs also have the ability to focus the light according to the lens focal length, avoiding the waste of excessive spread. The 580EXs can also use FP/HSS mode to sync at very high shutter speeds.

The Sunpak 383 is a very economical "auto" type flash that only communicates with the camera via a sync pilse from the camera. You must use the camera's flash sync speed or slower, FP/HSS is not available. You can get telephoto and wide angle attachments, but they are attached manually as required. If all you want is a basic flash that only supports auto or manual mode of operation it actually works pretty well from ISO 100-800 and f-stops of f2, f4, f8.

Thanks for the help. Someone just listed a 580EX on Craigslist for $250 and I am going to try and snag it. I really think my 50mm 1.4 is going to become my favorite lens, and with the ability to throttle back the amount of light that the flash puts out, that is a really nice feature for me to avoid the over-exposure. Thanks!