Yeah I wasn't planning on being able to take great pictures of them while they're flying at first, more hoping that I can just sit quietly somewhere relatively close and capture anything interesting or get some great nature shots. I had already assumed the lenses I would need for capturing birds in flight would be way too spendy for me right now lol.
I could get some great pictures of the birds at the rehab center though. I actually took some with my camera phone today lol. They're obviously not very good but I was cleaning the owl pens and some of them just gave me the funniest looks so I had to. :photo
Yeah I wasn't planning on being able to take great pictures of them while they're flying at first, more hoping that I can just sit quietly somewhere relatively close and capture anything interesting or get some great nature shots. I had already assumed the lenses I would need for capturing birds in flight would be way too spendy for me right now lol.
I could get some great pictures of the birds at the rehab center though. I actually took some with my camera phone today lol. They're obviously not very good but I was cleaning the owl pens and some of them just gave me the funniest looks so I had to. :photo
Well one thing you can do then for that is "bait" the birds. Set up some sort of a blind, or just something you can hide behind and have your camera set up, and put some food or something that will attract the birds, then you can get some cool shots that way and won't need the super spendy lenses...
Well one thing you can do then for that is "bait" the birds. Set up some sort of a blind, or just something you can hide behind and have your camera set up, and put some food or something that will attract the birds, then you can get some cool shots that way and won't need the super spendy lenses...
Ah that's a good idea. Thank you :P
I can't wait to get a camera >.< lol. And for finals to be over.
A few weeks ago I bought a bag full of camera gear off Craigslist because it had one lens that I wanted. I've got the rest of this stuff just sitting around and would be happy to help out a student if you wanted it.
The camera is a Minolta Maxxum 350si. There are also four rolls of film, several filters, a camera strap, and an old ugly camera bag (ugly, but useful), plus the user manual for the camera. I'd be happy to send it for you if you'll just pay the cost of shipping (probably $10 or so USPS priority).
I don't have any lenses I can give you for free, but I have two that I'd sell cheap if you were interested. One is the Minolta 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 and the other is the Minolta 70-210 f/3.5-4.5. You don't have to buy either lens to get the camera for free, I'm just offering them if you want them. I would take $75 for either lens or $130 for both.
If you just take the camera, your best bet for finding a lens is at KEH.com. Any of the lenses for "Minolta Auto Focus" will work. If you've already found something that works for you or aren't interested in this particular camera - no worries; I just wanted to offer.
A few weeks ago I bought a bag full of camera gear off Craigslist because it had one lens that I wanted. I've got the rest of this stuff just sitting around and would be happy to help out a student if you wanted it.
The camera is a Minolta Maxxum 350si. There are also four rolls of film, several filters, a camera strap, and an old ugly camera bag (ugly, but useful), plus the user manual for the camera. I'd be happy to send it for you if you'll just pay the cost of shipping (probably $10 or so USPS priority).
I don't have any lenses I can give you for free, but I have two that I'd sell cheap if you were interested. One is the Minolta 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 and the other is the Minolta 70-210 f/3.5-4.5. You don't have to buy either lens to get the camera for free, I'm just offering them if you want them. I would take $75 for either lens or $130 for both.
If you just take the camera, your best bet for finding a lens is at KEH.com. Any of the lenses for "Minolta Auto Focus" will work. If you've already found something that works for you or aren't interested in this particular camera - no worries; I just wanted to offer.
This is an incredible offer. I would jump on it. The only down fall is the whole lens transfer over to a digital camera later thing. But the two lenses he is offering are great lenses. I'd say jump on it, and when you decide to go digital, just start there. One other thing, if you decide to go out on a shooting trip with both film and digital, now not only are you carrying two bodies, but lenses for both as well. Where as the other way you can one lens for two cameras. Now you've got 2 lenses for two cameras, etc... I hope that's clear. But, having said that, assuming all this camera equipment works he's offering, it's an amazing deal. Both lenses and body, film, and filters, and bag all for about $150. Can't beat it.
If anyone can offer some insight on these cameras, other recommendations, or information for beginning photographers I would be eternally grateful!
J: As far as equipment goes, like the others have said there's no need to spend a lot on a film body. Shoot it, sell it, or shelve it when you're done with the course. In the meantime, embrace it completely (as if you are given a choice, ). Put Digital completely out of your thoughts for now, and concentrate on Aperture, Shutter Speed, and Composition. Photography at its core is really that simple (OK OK I know... Easy to learn, Difficult to master).
H: First, the mechanics (we'll keep it simple)...
Aperture: Determines how much of your Subject will be in focus, and also how much of the Background will remain in focus. That's it. Really.
Quick Recommendation: Shoot at maximum aperture 90% of the time, your instructor will love it.
Shutter Speed: Locked in a dance with Aperture (where one goes, the other must follow). The main thing you need to know about Shutter Speed is that it must remain high to avoid Blur. Unless you want to slow it down to demonstrate some slow shutter effects - which I'm sure your instructor will have you do from time to time.
Quick Recommendation: When your shutter speed gets too low (and you start to see too much Blur from subject motion or camera shake), time to take preventive measures: Brace better, use a Tripod, increase your film speed (ISO), etc.
ISO (Film speed in your case): For best image quality, keep it as low as possible. Increase it when you start to see too much Blur (this will in turn allow you to use faster shutter speeds).
Quick Recommendation: 400 ASA film is a good starting point (ISO400 is a good starting point for Digital too).
Focusing: If your camera/lens combo is Manual Focus only, then you'll definitely get a workout. Try to keep your focusing back/forth turns to a minimum. Trust your eye. If you have Autofocus, then use a single AF Point. AF tends to look for the closest object with sufficient contrast ("Smile Shutter" notwithstanding!).
Quick Recommendation: Focus on the eye (half-press), recompose, and shoot. If your subject is in a different area of the frame, then switch to that AF point if you have the opportunity.
Exposure: Your camera's metering system will ALWAYS try to turn Everything you take a picture of into This...
No kidding. Really.
To compensate, when you are taking a picture of a dark object, then you will have to Reduce your exposure (dial a faster shutter speed to darken the picture).
When you are taking a picture of a light object, then you will have to Increase your exposure (dial in a slower shutter speed to lighten the picture).
Strong backlighting will also have to be compensated for by increasing your exposure.
Do yourself a favor and get yourself a Grey Card (looks like the above). Place it in the same light as your subject, and set your camera's exposure to it. For most subjects, your exposure will be very very close.
Use Center-Weighted metering for greatest predictability and consistency. Use Spot Metering when you have time to study the scene.
H: Hey, this Photography business isn't too darn complicated, huh? And it'll become a lot clearer (very quickly) once you get a camera in your hands.
J: So, basic operation... Load some 400 ASA film, set your aperture to Widest (lowest f-number), Meter your scene and adjust your shutter speed accordingly, Focus, Compose, and shoot.
H: Oh yeah, a bit on Composition.
J: I live by 3 rules... Light, Angle, and Timing (usually in that order). Now depending on the type of photograph/photography, one or another might become more critical to your photo (such as Timing in photojournalism). Keep these three at the forefront of your consciousness while shooting though, and you are sure to reap the rewards.
H: Lastly (trying to keep it simple here), train your Eye. Viewing others' photography, and honest Critique of your own will have huge benefits. See what you are doing right and wrong (keep an open mind through those tough critiques!), and seeing what makes others' work successful will be key to developing your own artistry.
Well, I hope this gives you a bit of a leg up on your classmates (erm...competition). Have fun with the new camera, and the class. See you back here soon.
The only down fall is the whole lens transfer over to a digital camera later thing.
Well - you could go Sony. All the Minolta auto-focus lenses work on a Sony DSLR (these two lenses work fine on my A700). If you wanted a Canon, Nikon, Olympus, or other brand then Candid Arts is correct - you'd be starting from scratch again (but still not out much money!).
I (and seemingly in the minority) think doing the course with a film camera will be a good choice.
Having to do everything manually will help you to become a more proficient photographer.
Also there are far too many digital shooters that rely on firing off a barrage photos of a subject,
delete - take a heap more and hoping one of the shots nails it. working with film will encourage
and teach you to choose you're shots wisely.
You won't be relying on auto focus and focus assist etc... honing the skills for a sharp eye.
You will have fewer choices..(can't just change you're film speed at the touch of a button)
so it teaches you to utilise and work well with what you have and might make you understand
that you don't always have to chase the never ending tail of technology for 62 AF focus points..9600 ISO...etc
Sure.. they are handy - but for a grounding - you will know that it is not essential and realise you don't always
have to spend a fortune or need the latest fancy kit to take better photos.
Keep a small notebook and pen and record you're camera settings and light readings
for each shot and you will learn to re-create each photo if need be and understand
why your results will look the way they do. I still shoot film (as well as digital) and I
get a certain kind of buzz when doing so that I don't get with the digital.. all the way
up to the sheer excitement of waiting for your photos to be developed.
It teaches me to be patient and encourages me to think in a world with an ever growing desire
for immediancy and instant gratification. Good Luck - I don't think you made the wrong choice
I (and seemingly in the minority) think doing the course with a film camera will be a good choice.
Having to do everything manually will help you to become a more proficient photographer.
Also there are far too many digital shooters that rely on firing off a barrage photos of a subject,
delete - take a heap more and hoping one of the shots nails it. working with film will encourage
and teach you to choose you're shots wisely.
You won't be relying on auto focus and focus assist etc... honing the skills for a sharp eye.
You will have fewer choices..(can't just change you're film speed at the touch of a button)
so it teaches you to utilise and work well with what you have and might make you understand
that you don't always have to chase the never ending tail of technology for 62 AF focus points..9600 ISO...etc
Sure.. they are handy - but for a grounding - you will know that it is not essential and realise you don't always
have to spend a fortune or need the latest fancy kit to take better photos.
Keep a small notebook and pen and record you're camera settings and light readings
for each shot and you will learn to re-create each photo if need be and understand
why your results will look the way they do. I still shoot film (as well as digital) and I
get a certain kind of buzz when doing so that I don't get with the digital.. all the way
up to the sheer excitement of waiting for your photos to be developed.
It teaches me to be patient and encourages me to think in a world with an ever growing desire
for immediancy and instant gratification. Good Luck - I don't think you made the wrong choice
Perfect. Exactly what I think I was trying or meant to say.
Wow sorry for being pretty much MIA yesterday and not responding to anyone, I was studying for finals (eeeeeek!).
Jekyll and Hyde - THANK YOU! Your post was very informative and nicely structured. I'm sure I will refer back to it many times as I'm starting out.
Pupator - Thank you for your kind offer, it was very much appreciated. However, I'm in the process of arranging a purchase of an Elan IIe from another user so I think I'm all set on the camera department. I do have another friend that I just found out was taking the course as well, so if it's alright with you, I'll check with her to see if she might be interested.
Candid Arts - Thank you so much for your continued support and advice, it has been extremely helpful.
Everyone! - A huge thanks to EVERYBODY that has helped me on this thread and in pm's. It was amazing to receive this much support from people who don't even know me. Everyone's advice has been invaluable and I can't wait until I can post pictures that you all helped me to take!
Wow sorry for being pretty much MIA yesterday and not responding to anyone, I was studying for finals (eeeeeek!).
Jekyll and Hyde - THANK YOU! Your post was very informative and nicely structured. I'm sure I will refer back to it many times as I'm starting out.
Pupator - Thank you for your kind offer, it was very much appreciated. However, I'm in the process of arranging a purchase of an Elan IIe from another user so I think I'm all set on the camera department. I do have another friend that I just found out was taking the course as well, so if it's alright with you, I'll check with her to see if she might be interested.
Candid Arts - Thank you so much for your continued support and advice, it has been extremely helpful.
Everyone! - A huge thanks to EVERYBODY that has helped me on this thread and in pm's. It was amazing to receive this much support from people who don't even know me. Everyone's advice has been invaluable and I can't wait until I can post pictures that you all helped me to take!
You're extremely welcome. This is what we are all here for. You'll love the Elan IIe, I love mine. Any lens you get for it will work on any Canon Digitial you get later on. So...BONUS!
Good luck! Can't wait to see some of your shots! Now I just need to start scanning some of my own prints I've done in the dark room to get some critique other than what little has been done in class.
My camera arrived today and I'm so excited!! Thank you Divamum for such a fantastic deal!
I've only had it for about a hour but I've already filled one (almost two) rolls of film just playing around with the manual settings. I started off in automatic, but decided I should probably practice as much as I can in manual. Needless to say, my excitable pets were not good test subjects, so I ended up taking a bunch of pictures of my water glass lol! Thankfully my apartment has a ton of windows and is right next a pond system so I have no buildings blocking my view and I have a ton of natural light.
I also returned to the photo shop Dot Dotsons today and they had a Canon EF 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM lens on sale for $125.00. This seemed like a fantastic deal but would it be a good starting lens for wildlife/birds?
I also returned to the photo shop Dot Dotsons today and they had a Canon EF 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM lens on sale for $125.00. This seemed like a fantastic deal but would it be a good starting lens for wildlife/birds?
My camera arrived today and I'm so excited!! Thank you Divamum for such a fantastic deal!
I've only had it for about a hour but I've already filled one (almost two) rolls of film just playing around with the manual settings. I started off in automatic, but decided I should probably practice as much as I can in manual. Needless to say, my excitable pets were not good test subjects, so I ended up taking a bunch of pictures of my water glass lol! Thankfully my apartment has a ton of windows and is right next a pond system so I have no buildings blocking my view and I have a ton of natural light.
I also returned to the photo shop Dot Dotsons today and they had a Canon EF 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM lens on sale for $125.00. This seemed like a fantastic deal but would it be a good starting lens for wildlife/birds?
Dang, I was hoping you hadn't bought one already. I'm looking to sell my elan and 28-80 lens as of today. But, congrats on the camera. What lens do you currently have?
The 100-300 is a pretty good focal length for birds and such. The aperture isn't the most desirable if the birds are in flight, unless you have A LOT of natural light, or shooting with higher ISO film. But it should work I think for the most part. You'll have to get good at tracking, which can be rather difficult, and something that I haven't even gotten close to calling myself even decent at. I'd say the 100-300 will only be on your camera when you're taking pictures of far away wildlife/birds, otherwise, it'll be sitting in your bag. For a good walk around, beginner, not looking for super high quality, cover as much area as possible lens, I'd look into the 28-135 like this one here.
The Canon EF-S 55-250mm, f/4-5.6 IS is a crop 1.6x lens and will not fit the Canon film SLRs (nor will any EF-S lens for that matter.)
Good call. Didn't even pay attention to that. I'll edit my post so as to it's not confusing anyone. Duh...
Dang, going back through, I had the EF-S 17-85 on there as well. Where is my head today? Anyways, took both off, as well as a 28-135 that came with less extra stuff and was more spendy. Left the best deal one there.
I currently have the 28-80 lens on it. I'll keep an ear open when I start my class in case someone is looking to buy a camera.
I am still not sure if I want to get the lens or not, I have it on hold until Tuesday but I would like to make the decision soon so they don't lose any interested customers. I think I'll probably just go in with my camera and test it out. As I said in my last post, I live right near a pond system and pretty close to a river as well so sometimes I can see eagles perched on the trees that are relatively close to my back balcony. I'm assuming most of pics will be taken there and at the rehabilitation center so I don't foresee a lot of flying pics just yet.
I currently have the 28-80 lens on it. I'll keep an ear open when I start my class in case someone is looking to buy a camera.
I am still not sure if I want to get the lens or not, I have it on hold until Tuesday but I would like to make the decision soon so they don't lose any interested customers. I think I'll probably just go in with my camera and test it out. As I said in my last post, I live right near a pond system and pretty close to a river as well so sometimes I can see eagles perched on the trees that are relatively close to my back balcony. I'm assuming most of pics will be taken there and at the rehabilitation center so I don't foresee a lot of flying pics just yet.
Thanks!
Well, You might then look into this lens (EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM) as it has the IS, plus grants a little wider focal length. The IS will greatly benefit you if you're not using a tripod. Especially at 300mm. There's a rough rule that your shutter speed should be 1/focal length. So at 300mm, you should have at least a 1/300th shutter speed. And depending on the available light, your aperture might not allow you to do that without bumping your ISO up. And on a film camera, you can't just bump your ISO like you can in digital as your stuck to what you have in the camera. So the IS will give you an extra stop or two to help with camera shake. Just a thought. Might try to find that lens used some where.
Good luck with all the shooting. Try and get some of your shots posted, kinda looking forward to seeing them now after all this discussion.
When I went digital 4 years ago I had been using a Nikon F3hp for about 10 years. I now own a D700 and a D200.
I still do and will continue to use the F3 (mainly for B/W) In my humble opion it is the best manual camera ever made. You can now get a good one on Ebay for around £200 and most of them that are avaiable seem to be in the states.
I also reguarly use the manual Nikkor 50mm f1.8 that I got with it on my D700.
Thankfully my apartment has a ton of windows and is right next a pond system so I have no buildings blocking my view and I have a ton of natural light.
I also returned to the photo shop Dot Dotsons today and they had a Canon EF 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM lens on sale for $125.00. This seemed like a fantastic deal but would it be a good starting lens for wildlife/birds?
H: Yes, a good 'starting' lens. Here's a link to random PBase photos/galleries that were shot using this lens. It should give you a fair idea of what kind of results to expect with this lens (albeit most were shot with 1.6x Crop cameras)...
I also reguarly use the manual Nikkor 50mm f1.8 that I got with it on my D700.
J: Rheina, put the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 (Mk I or Mk II) on your short list too. It's a great starter low light lens. You'll also find that it'll throw those backgrounds nicely Out of Focus for more of an Artsy Fartsy look (Teach' will love them).
The Canon EF-S 55-250mm, f/4-5.6 IS is a crop 1.6x lens and will not fit the Canon film SLRs (nor will any EF-S lens for that matter.)
H: Ziggy, although I'm primarily just a Lurker in these parts, I just wanted to say how absolutely impressed I've always been with your selfless willingness to help out (not to mention your expertise). Many thanks.
When I went digital 4 years ago I had been using a Nikon F3hp for about 10 years. I now own a D700 and a D200.
I still do and will continue to use the F3 (mainly for B/W) In my humble opion it is the best manual camera ever made. You can now get a good one on Ebay for around £200 and most of them that are avaiable seem to be in the states.
I also reguarly use the manual Nikkor 50mm f1.8 that I got with it on my D700.
Comments
I could get some great pictures of the birds at the rehab center though. I actually took some with my camera phone today lol. They're obviously not very good but I was cleaning the owl pens and some of them just gave me the funniest looks so I had to. :photo
Well one thing you can do then for that is "bait" the birds. Set up some sort of a blind, or just something you can hide behind and have your camera set up, and put some food or something that will attract the birds, then you can get some cool shots that way and won't need the super spendy lenses...
OneTwoFiftieth | Portland, Oregon | Modern Portraiture
My Equipment:
Bodies: Canon 50D, Canon EOS 1
Lenses: Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5, Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro, Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8
Lighting: Canon 580EXII, Canon 420 EX, 12" Reflector, Pocket Wizard Plus II (3), AB800 (3), Large Softbox
Stability: Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 Tripod, Manfrotto 488RC4 Ball Head, Manfrotto 679B Monopod
Ah that's a good idea. Thank you :P
I can't wait to get a camera >.< lol. And for finals to be over.
A few weeks ago I bought a bag full of camera gear off Craigslist because it had one lens that I wanted. I've got the rest of this stuff just sitting around and would be happy to help out a student if you wanted it.
The camera is a Minolta Maxxum 350si. There are also four rolls of film, several filters, a camera strap, and an old ugly camera bag (ugly, but useful), plus the user manual for the camera. I'd be happy to send it for you if you'll just pay the cost of shipping (probably $10 or so USPS priority).
I don't have any lenses I can give you for free, but I have two that I'd sell cheap if you were interested. One is the Minolta 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 and the other is the Minolta 70-210 f/3.5-4.5. You don't have to buy either lens to get the camera for free, I'm just offering them if you want them. I would take $75 for either lens or $130 for both.
If you just take the camera, your best bet for finding a lens is at KEH.com. Any of the lenses for "Minolta Auto Focus" will work. If you've already found something that works for you or aren't interested in this particular camera - no worries; I just wanted to offer.
This is an incredible offer. I would jump on it. The only down fall is the whole lens transfer over to a digital camera later thing. But the two lenses he is offering are great lenses. I'd say jump on it, and when you decide to go digital, just start there. One other thing, if you decide to go out on a shooting trip with both film and digital, now not only are you carrying two bodies, but lenses for both as well. Where as the other way you can one lens for two cameras. Now you've got 2 lenses for two cameras, etc... I hope that's clear. But, having said that, assuming all this camera equipment works he's offering, it's an amazing deal. Both lenses and body, film, and filters, and bag all for about $150. Can't beat it.
OneTwoFiftieth | Portland, Oregon | Modern Portraiture
My Equipment:
Bodies: Canon 50D, Canon EOS 1
Lenses: Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5, Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro, Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8
Lighting: Canon 580EXII, Canon 420 EX, 12" Reflector, Pocket Wizard Plus II (3), AB800 (3), Large Softbox
Stability: Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 Tripod, Manfrotto 488RC4 Ball Head, Manfrotto 679B Monopod
J: As far as equipment goes, like the others have said there's no need to spend a lot on a film body. Shoot it, sell it, or shelve it when you're done with the course. In the meantime, embrace it completely (as if you are given a choice,
H: First, the mechanics (we'll keep it simple)...
Aperture: Determines how much of your Subject will be in focus, and also how much of the Background will remain in focus. That's it. Really.
Quick Recommendation: Shoot at maximum aperture 90% of the time, your instructor will love it.
Shutter Speed: Locked in a dance with Aperture (where one goes, the other must follow). The main thing you need to know about Shutter Speed is that it must remain high to avoid Blur. Unless you want to slow it down to demonstrate some slow shutter effects - which I'm sure your instructor will have you do from time to time.
Quick Recommendation: When your shutter speed gets too low (and you start to see too much Blur from subject motion or camera shake), time to take preventive measures: Brace better, use a Tripod, increase your film speed (ISO), etc.
ISO (Film speed in your case): For best image quality, keep it as low as possible. Increase it when you start to see too much Blur (this will in turn allow you to use faster shutter speeds).
Quick Recommendation: 400 ASA film is a good starting point (ISO400 is a good starting point for Digital too).
Focusing: If your camera/lens combo is Manual Focus only, then you'll definitely get a workout. Try to keep your focusing back/forth turns to a minimum. Trust your eye. If you have Autofocus, then use a single AF Point. AF tends to look for the closest object with sufficient contrast ("Smile Shutter" notwithstanding!).
Quick Recommendation: Focus on the eye (half-press), recompose, and shoot. If your subject is in a different area of the frame, then switch to that AF point if you have the opportunity.
Exposure: Your camera's metering system will ALWAYS try to turn Everything you take a picture of into This...
No kidding. Really.
To compensate, when you are taking a picture of a dark object, then you will have to Reduce your exposure (dial a faster shutter speed to darken the picture).
When you are taking a picture of a light object, then you will have to Increase your exposure (dial in a slower shutter speed to lighten the picture).
Strong backlighting will also have to be compensated for by increasing your exposure.
Do yourself a favor and get yourself a Grey Card (looks like the above). Place it in the same light as your subject, and set your camera's exposure to it. For most subjects, your exposure will be very very close.
Use Center-Weighted metering for greatest predictability and consistency. Use Spot Metering when you have time to study the scene.
Quick Recommendation: Google the "Zone System"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_system
H: Hey, this Photography business isn't too darn complicated, huh? And it'll become a lot clearer (very quickly) once you get a camera in your hands.
J: So, basic operation... Load some 400 ASA film, set your aperture to Widest (lowest f-number), Meter your scene and adjust your shutter speed accordingly, Focus, Compose, and shoot.
H: Oh yeah, a bit on Composition.
J: I live by 3 rules... Light, Angle, and Timing (usually in that order). Now depending on the type of photograph/photography, one or another might become more critical to your photo (such as Timing in photojournalism). Keep these three at the forefront of your consciousness while shooting though, and you are sure to reap the rewards.
H: Lastly (trying to keep it simple here), train your Eye. Viewing others' photography, and honest Critique of your own will have huge benefits. See what you are doing right and wrong (keep an open mind through those tough critiques!), and seeing what makes others' work successful will be key to developing your own artistry.
Well, I hope this gives you a bit of a leg up on your classmates (erm...competition). Have fun with the new camera, and the class. See you back here soon.
J&H
Well - you could go Sony. All the Minolta auto-focus lenses work on a Sony DSLR (these two lenses work fine on my A700). If you wanted a Canon, Nikon, Olympus, or other brand then Candid Arts is correct - you'd be starting from scratch again (but still not out much money!).
Having to do everything manually will help you to become a more proficient photographer.
Also there are far too many digital shooters that rely on firing off a barrage photos of a subject,
delete - take a heap more and hoping one of the shots nails it. working with film will encourage
and teach you to choose you're shots wisely.
You won't be relying on auto focus and focus assist etc... honing the skills for a sharp eye.
You will have fewer choices..(can't just change you're film speed at the touch of a button)
so it teaches you to utilise and work well with what you have and might make you understand
that you don't always have to chase the never ending tail of technology for 62 AF focus points..9600 ISO...etc
Sure.. they are handy - but for a grounding - you will know that it is not essential and realise you don't always
have to spend a fortune or need the latest fancy kit to take better photos.
Keep a small notebook and pen and record you're camera settings and light readings
for each shot and you will learn to re-create each photo if need be and understand
why your results will look the way they do. I still shoot film (as well as digital) and I
get a certain kind of buzz when doing so that I don't get with the digital.. all the way
up to the sheer excitement of waiting for your photos to be developed.
It teaches me to be patient and encourages me to think in a world with an ever growing desire
for immediancy and instant gratification. Good Luck - I don't think you made the wrong choice
Perfect. Exactly what I think I was trying or meant to say.
OneTwoFiftieth | Portland, Oregon | Modern Portraiture
My Equipment:
Bodies: Canon 50D, Canon EOS 1
Lenses: Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5, Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro, Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8
Lighting: Canon 580EXII, Canon 420 EX, 12" Reflector, Pocket Wizard Plus II (3), AB800 (3), Large Softbox
Stability: Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 Tripod, Manfrotto 488RC4 Ball Head, Manfrotto 679B Monopod
Jekyll and Hyde - THANK YOU! Your post was very informative and nicely structured. I'm sure I will refer back to it many times as I'm starting out.
Pupator - Thank you for your kind offer, it was very much appreciated. However, I'm in the process of arranging a purchase of an Elan IIe from another user so I think I'm all set on the camera department. I do have another friend that I just found out was taking the course as well, so if it's alright with you, I'll check with her to see if she might be interested.
Candid Arts - Thank you so much for your continued support and advice, it has been extremely helpful.
Everyone! - A huge thanks to EVERYBODY that has helped me on this thread and in pm's. It was amazing to receive this much support from people who don't even know me. Everyone's advice has been invaluable and I can't wait until I can post pictures that you all helped me to take!
You're extremely welcome. This is what we are all here for. You'll love the Elan IIe, I love mine. Any lens you get for it will work on any Canon Digitial you get later on. So...BONUS!
Good luck! Can't wait to see some of your shots! Now I just need to start scanning some of my own prints I've done in the dark room to get some critique other than what little has been done in class.
OneTwoFiftieth | Portland, Oregon | Modern Portraiture
My Equipment:
Bodies: Canon 50D, Canon EOS 1
Lenses: Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5, Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro, Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8
Lighting: Canon 580EXII, Canon 420 EX, 12" Reflector, Pocket Wizard Plus II (3), AB800 (3), Large Softbox
Stability: Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 Tripod, Manfrotto 488RC4 Ball Head, Manfrotto 679B Monopod
I've only had it for about a hour but I've already filled one (almost two) rolls of film just playing around with the manual settings. I started off in automatic, but decided I should probably practice as much as I can in manual. Needless to say, my excitable pets were not good test subjects, so I ended up taking a bunch of pictures of my water glass lol! Thankfully my apartment has a ton of windows and is right next a pond system so I have no buildings blocking my view and I have a ton of natural light.
I also returned to the photo shop Dot Dotsons today and they had a Canon EF 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 USM lens on sale for $125.00. This seemed like a fantastic deal but would it be a good starting lens for wildlife/birds?
Congratulations on the camera.
Here's a pretty good review of that lens:
http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/203-canon-ef-100-300mm-f45-56-usm-lab-test-report--review
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Dang, I was hoping you hadn't bought one already. I'm looking to sell my elan and 28-80 lens as of today. But, congrats on the camera. What lens do you currently have?
The 100-300 is a pretty good focal length for birds and such. The aperture isn't the most desirable if the birds are in flight, unless you have A LOT of natural light, or shooting with higher ISO film. But it should work I think for the most part. You'll have to get good at tracking, which can be rather difficult, and something that I haven't even gotten close to calling myself even decent at. I'd say the 100-300 will only be on your camera when you're taking pictures of far away wildlife/birds, otherwise, it'll be sitting in your bag. For a good walk around, beginner, not looking for super high quality, cover as much area as possible lens, I'd look into the 28-135 like this one here.
Hope any of that helped.
OneTwoFiftieth | Portland, Oregon | Modern Portraiture
My Equipment:
Bodies: Canon 50D, Canon EOS 1
Lenses: Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5, Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro, Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8
Lighting: Canon 580EXII, Canon 420 EX, 12" Reflector, Pocket Wizard Plus II (3), AB800 (3), Large Softbox
Stability: Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 Tripod, Manfrotto 488RC4 Ball Head, Manfrotto 679B Monopod
The Canon EF-S 55-250mm, f/4-5.6 IS is a crop 1.6x lens and will not fit the Canon film SLRs (nor will any EF-S lens for that matter.)
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Good call. Didn't even pay attention to that. I'll edit my post so as to it's not confusing anyone. Duh...
Dang, going back through, I had the EF-S 17-85 on there as well. Where is my head today? Anyways, took both off, as well as a 28-135 that came with less extra stuff and was more spendy. Left the best deal one there.
Good lookin out on those links Ziggy.
OneTwoFiftieth | Portland, Oregon | Modern Portraiture
My Equipment:
Bodies: Canon 50D, Canon EOS 1
Lenses: Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5, Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro, Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8
Lighting: Canon 580EXII, Canon 420 EX, 12" Reflector, Pocket Wizard Plus II (3), AB800 (3), Large Softbox
Stability: Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 Tripod, Manfrotto 488RC4 Ball Head, Manfrotto 679B Monopod
It's OK and I'm glad your helping others.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
I am still not sure if I want to get the lens or not, I have it on hold until Tuesday but I would like to make the decision soon so they don't lose any interested customers. I think I'll probably just go in with my camera and test it out. As I said in my last post, I live right near a pond system and pretty close to a river as well so sometimes I can see eagles perched on the trees that are relatively close to my back balcony. I'm assuming most of pics will be taken there and at the rehabilitation center so I don't foresee a lot of flying pics just yet.
Thanks!
Well, You might then look into this lens (EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM) as it has the IS, plus grants a little wider focal length. The IS will greatly benefit you if you're not using a tripod. Especially at 300mm. There's a rough rule that your shutter speed should be 1/focal length. So at 300mm, you should have at least a 1/300th shutter speed. And depending on the available light, your aperture might not allow you to do that without bumping your ISO up. And on a film camera, you can't just bump your ISO like you can in digital as your stuck to what you have in the camera. So the IS will give you an extra stop or two to help with camera shake. Just a thought. Might try to find that lens used some where.
Good luck with all the shooting. Try and get some of your shots posted, kinda looking forward to seeing them now after all this discussion.
OneTwoFiftieth | Portland, Oregon | Modern Portraiture
My Equipment:
Bodies: Canon 50D, Canon EOS 1
Lenses: Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5, Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro, Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8
Lighting: Canon 580EXII, Canon 420 EX, 12" Reflector, Pocket Wizard Plus II (3), AB800 (3), Large Softbox
Stability: Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 Tripod, Manfrotto 488RC4 Ball Head, Manfrotto 679B Monopod
I still do and will continue to use the F3 (mainly for B/W) In my humble opion it is the best manual camera ever made. You can now get a good one on Ebay for around £200 and most of them that are avaiable seem to be in the states.
I also reguarly use the manual Nikkor 50mm f1.8 that I got with it on my D700.
J: Right-O!
H: Keep at those pets! Pets make outstanding practice subjects!
J: Very astute. Light is Key.
H: Yes, a good 'starting' lens. Here's a link to random PBase photos/galleries that were shot using this lens. It should give you a fair idea of what kind of results to expect with this lens (albeit most were shot with 1.6x Crop cameras)...
http://www.pbase.com/cameras/canon/ef_100-300_45
J: Rheina, put the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 (Mk I or Mk II) on your short list too. It's a great starter low light lens. You'll also find that it'll throw those backgrounds nicely Out of Focus for more of an Artsy Fartsy look (Teach' will love them).
H: Ziggy, although I'm primarily just a Lurker in these parts, I just wanted to say how absolutely impressed I've always been with your selfless willingness to help out (not to mention your expertise). Many thanks.
Enjoy your new toys Rheina!
J&H
Ainsley, welcome to the Digital Grin.
Nice equipemnt and thanks for the comments.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums