Advice on purchasing 350D

splintax · Nov 8, 2005

Hi all,

Have been browsing these forums reading the advice on offer and seems like here would be a great place to ask.

I'm a newbie to the DSLR world and am hoping to get into it and take some decent photographs, since I've never really been happy with the results given by P+S photography and am interested in possibly pursuing it as a profession one day. (I'm still in high school.)

I've decided after a significant amount of browsing that the 350D is the way to go for me. However, I have a few questions that I hope you may be able to answer...

With regard to memory, which CF cards would you recommend? I definitely want to get a 1GB or bigger card, and I'm finding the 'Ultra II' and 'Extreme III' cards from SanDisk very appealing. Will these have any practical value to me though? I'm interested in taking shots in succession using the 14-frame buffer, but I assume that using very fast CF should allow me to take more than 14 shots?

To start off with, I'll probably just get the kit lens. Is this a good idea, considering that I'm a newbie to DSLRs? Also, when I get enough money to get some 'better' lenses, what would you recommend? I'm interested in trying out some macro photography.

What do you think about purchasing equipment on eBay? I think I'll get my actual camera from a local store so I can get the $150 cash back from Canon, but I'm looking at maybe buying additional lenses and CF from eBay. My friend said this is just 'not a good idea' - especially buying the whole camera there - why?

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies

Scott

FocusingOnFlorida · Nov 8, 2005

splintax said:
Hi all,

Have been browsing these forums reading the advice on offer and
seems like here would be a great place to ask.

I'm a newbie to the DSLR world and am hoping to get into it and
take some decent photographs, since I've never really been happy
with the results given by P+S photography and am interested in
possibly pursuing it as a profession one day. (I'm still in high
school.)

I've decided after a significant amount of browsing that the 350D
is the way to go for me. However, I have a few questions that I
hope you may be able to answer...

With regard to memory, which CF cards would you recommend? I

definitely want to get a 1GB or bigger card, and I'm finding the
'Ultra II' and 'Extreme III' cards from SanDisk very appealing.
Will these have any practical value to me though? I'm interested in
taking shots in succession using the 14-frame buffer, but I assume
that using very fast CF should allow me to take more than 14 shots?

To start off with, I'll probably just get the kit lens. Is this a

good idea, considering that I'm a newbie to DSLRs? Also, when I get
enough money to get some 'better' lenses, what would you recommend?
I'm interested in trying out some macro photography.

What do you think about purchasing equipment on eBay? I think

I'll get my actual camera from a local store so I can get the $150
cash back from Canon, but I'm looking at maybe buying additional
lenses and CF from eBay. My friend said this is just 'not a good
idea' - especially buying the whole camera there - why?

I bought mine from an online vendor. fatwallet.com Here is a link

http://fatwallet.pricegrabber.com/search_attrib.php?page_id=48&form_keyword=canon+xt&rd=1

You can sort by price, add your zip and it will calulate your shipping from each store. Finally, click on bottom line price and it will sort them by price including price + shipping.

I have bought things on ebay and never had a problem yet. You can get ripped off just as easily through one of the online stores. The benefit is the feedback they get. Your can see what kind of service others have received. On fatwallet I have dealt win BeachCamera, BuyDig, ButterflyPhoto, B&H Photo, ZipZoomFly, and Norman Camera with absolutely no problems.

I also got a great deal on a Sigma 105mm Macro (that had hardly been used) from ebay.

Do your research on the seller before purchasing.

splintax said:
Thanks in advance to anyone who replies
Scott

--

Russell Homes
http://www.focusingonflorida.com

BhagathMPanackal · Nov 8, 2005

This is possibly a good starting point.

splintax said:
I've decided after a significant amount of browsing that the 350D
is the way to go for me. However, I have a few questions that I
hope you may be able to answer...

With regard to memory, which CF cards would you recommend? I

definitely want to get a 1GB or bigger card, and I'm finding the
'Ultra II' and 'Extreme III' cards from SanDisk very appealing.
Will these have any practical value to me though? I'm interested in
taking shots in succession using the 14-frame buffer, but I assume
that using very fast CF should allow me to take more than 14 shots?

The best cards would be I guess the Sandisk 1GB (I have 2x 1GB Ultra II).This is fast enough for me The reason for 2 cards is basically if some thing goes wrong with one of your cards, you still have the other one. Also if you plan to shoot RAW, then your 1 GB will be eaten up in no time. So better have 2x1GB. If you have the budget gor for 2x2GB cards.. I guess the number of pics that can be held in your buffer memory while pics are being wirtten on to your disk basically depends on your setup. Like if its in Auto,TV,AV,Manual etc...I'm no sure about the complet facts. You can get some idea by looking at Phill's review or by search..

splintax said:
To start off with, I'll probably just get the kit lens. Is this a

good idea, considering that I'm a newbie to DSLRs? Also, when I get
enough money to get some 'better' lenses, what would you recommend?

The Sigma 18-200 will give you a very good range with out the need for changing glass often. I like this option as this means there is less chance to get dust on your sensor. But I'm not sure what kind of photography are you interested in.the 18-200 will give u a good wide angle and telephoto range.

I find the internal flash good but not enough for me. I did a small trip to a cave near by and the pics came out quite dark with the internal flash even with FEC. So I went for Canon 430 EX. This is a good flash unit for a good price. I'm not sure if you can still get the 420EX.The 430 EX has a little bit of Manual control as well.

The Canon 50mm f1.8 is gr8 for indoor and low-light condition. I dont own this yet but I use my friends lens some times.

splintax said:
What do you think about purchasing equipment on eBay? I think

I'll get my actual camera from a local store so I can get the $150
cash back from Canon, but I'm looking at maybe buying additional
lenses and CF from eBay. My friend said this is just 'not a good
idea' - especially buying the whole camera there - why?

Try and get every thing in store. 1st you can get rebates in the US i believe and 2nd you can return them incase there are any issues with the glass or the body. Only some sellers on ebay offer this.

Hope this helps you...

Here are some of the pics that I've managed to upload of my recent trip to London.(no post processing at all..)I'm pretty new to this DSLR stuff so still trying my Luck with PS. The day was very dull and cloudy. This is a mix of both the glasses. No flash unit used though. And yes try and get a good backpack to fit all in..

http://photobucket.com/albums/c393/bhagathmp/London/

splintax said:
Thanks in advance to anyone who replies
Scott

themodelhotspot · Nov 8, 2005

I have had no problems using E-Bay for several purchases including, Studio Lighting kits, 2 gb CF cards, Backdrop stands, muslin backdrops, many accessories for the Rebel XT (eyepiece extender and both IR and wired remote control, extra batteries and a couple lenses. Just be sure to check the feedback rating and actually read some of the negative feedback to see what the actual problem was. Either way if you use a credit card and you don't receive your merchandise you can always charge back the transaction as fraud and get your money back. In this day and age there really is no drawback to ordering from anyone online if you use your credit card as payment.
--
Canon Rebel XT
Canon 50mm F1.8 Mk II
Sigma 24-70 F2.8 DG Macro
Sigma 55-200 F4-6.3 DC

FocusingOnFlorida · Nov 8, 2005

BhagathMPanackal said:
splintax said:

I've decided after a significant amount of browsing that the 350D
is the way to go for me. However, I have a few questions that I
hope you may be able to answer...

With regard to memory, which CF cards would you recommend? I

definitely want to get a 1GB or bigger card, and I'm finding the
'Ultra II' and 'Extreme III' cards from SanDisk very appealing.
Will these have any practical value to me though? I'm interested in
taking shots in succession using the 14-frame buffer, but I assume
that using very fast CF should allow me to take more than 14 shots?

Click to expand...

The best cards would be I guess the Sandisk 1GB (I have 2x 1GB
Ultra II).This is fast enough for me The reason for 2 cards is
basically if some thing goes wrong with one of your cards, you
still have the other one. Also if you plan to shoot RAW, then your
1 GB will be eaten up in no time. So better have 2x1GB. If you have
the budget gor for 2x2GB cards.. I guess the number of pics that
can be held in your buffer memory while pics are being wirtten on
to your disk basically depends on your setup. Like if its in
Auto,TV,AV,Manual etc...I'm no sure about the complet facts. You
can get some idea by looking at Phill's review or by search..

BhagathMPanackal said:

To start off with, I'll probably just get the kit lens. Is this a

good idea, considering that I'm a newbie to DSLRs? Also, when I get
enough money to get some 'better' lenses, what would you recommend?

Click to expand...

The Sigma 18-200 will give you a very good range with out the need
for changing glass often. I like this option as this means there is
less chance to get dust on your sensor. But I'm not sure what kind
of photography are you interested in.the 18-200 will give u a good
wide angle and telephoto range.

I find the internal flash good but not enough for me. I did a small
trip to a cave near by and the pics came out quite dark with the
internal flash even with FEC. So I went for Canon 430 EX. This is a
good flash unit for a good price. I'm not sure if you can still get
the 420EX.The 430 EX has a little bit of Manual control as well.
The Canon 50mm f1.8 is gr8 for indoor and low-light condition. I
dont own this yet but I use my friends lens some times.

BhagathMPanackal said:

What do you think about purchasing equipment on eBay? I think

I'll get my actual camera from a local store so I can get the $150
cash back from Canon, but I'm looking at maybe buying additional
lenses and CF from eBay. My friend said this is just 'not a good
idea' - especially buying the whole camera there - why?

Click to expand...

Try and get every thing in store. 1st you can get rebates in the US
i believe and 2nd you can return them incase there are any issues
with the glass or the body. Only some sellers on ebay offer this.

Many of the onlline stores are qualified Canon dealers therefore you can still get the rebates.

BhagathMPanackal said:
Hope this helps you...

Here are some of the pics that I've managed to upload of my recent
trip to London.(no post processing at all..)I'm pretty new to this
DSLR stuff so still trying my Luck with PS. The day was very dull
and cloudy. This is a mix of both the glasses. No flash unit used
though. And yes try and get a good backpack to fit all in..

http://photobucket.com/albums/c393/bhagathmp/London/

BhagathMPanackal said:

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies
Scott

Click to expand...

--

Russell Homes
http://www.focusingonflorida.com

BAK · Nov 8, 2005

Start with the kit lens.

Chances are, the 50mm f1.8 lens would be your best second lens, for portraits of people and shooting school events without flash.

You can even shoot school sports with the 50mm lens, if you think hard about where to stand.

Take lots of pictues of relatives; they need to be encouraged to give you camera equipment instead of socks on your birthday.

There's no need to ever take 14 pictures in a row. Learn when to press the shutter release.

That said, one really fast card and one normal card will serve you well, and save you some money.

Skip E-b ay for lenses, unless the lens is brand new, from a reputable dealer with an E-bay account. Later, when you know more, you might go to E-Bay

Good luck...

BAK

Ove Sentlig · Nov 8, 2005

splintax said:
Hi all,

Have been browsing these forums reading the advice on offer and
seems like here would be a great place to ask.

I'm a newbie to the DSLR world and am hoping to get into it and
take some decent photographs, since I've never really been happy
with the results given by P+S photography and am interested in
possibly pursuing it as a profession one day. (I'm still in high
school.)

I've decided after a significant amount of browsing that the 350D
is the way to go for me. However, I have a few questions that I
hope you may be able to answer...

With regard to memory, which CF cards would you recommend? I

definitely want to get a 1GB or bigger card, and I'm finding the
'Ultra II' and 'Extreme III' cards from SanDisk very appealing.
Will these have any practical value to me though? I'm interested in
taking shots in succession using the 14-frame buffer, but I assume
that using very fast CF should allow me to take more than 14 shots?

To start off with, I'll probably just get the kit lens. Is this a

good idea, considering that I'm a newbie to DSLRs? Also, when I get
enough money to get some 'better' lenses, what would you recommend?
I'm interested in trying out some macro photography.

What do you think about purchasing equipment on eBay? I think

I'll get my actual camera from a local store so I can get the $150
cash back from Canon, but I'm looking at maybe buying additional
lenses and CF from eBay. My friend said this is just 'not a good
idea' - especially buying the whole camera there - why?

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies
Scott

chiliman · Nov 8, 2005

splintax said:
With regard to memory, which CF cards would you recommend? I

definitely want to get a 1GB or bigger card, and I'm finding the
'Ultra II' and 'Extreme III' cards from SanDisk very appealing.
Will these have any practical value to me though? I'm interested in
taking shots in succession using the 14-frame buffer, but I assume
that using very fast CF should allow me to take more than 14 shots?

Try http://www.robgalbraith.com . He tests cards in lots of different cameras; you can decide for yourself whether the extra speed of the more expensive cards is worth it.

splintax said:
To start off with, I'll probably just get the kit lens. Is this a

good idea, considering that I'm a newbie to DSLRs? Also, when I get
enough money to get some 'better' lenses, what would you recommend?
I'm interested in trying out some macro photography.

The kit lens is an excellent one to start with. It provides a very useful range of focal lengths. When you have more experience and start encountering this lens's limitations, you'll know what to shop for. (Focus speed, wider apertures, different focal lengths).

When you're ready to shop for a macro lens, try reading the reviews at http://www.fredmiranda.com or doing a search for "macro" in the "canon slr lens talk" forum here at dpreview. You'll grow old before you run out of reading material.

splintax said:
What do you think about purchasing equipment on eBay? I think

I'll get my actual camera from a local store so I can get the $150
cash back from Canon, but I'm looking at maybe buying additional
lenses and CF from eBay. My friend said this is just 'not a good
idea' - especially buying the whole camera there - why?

Success on eBay depends on who you're buying from. It's a bit like asking, "Is eating at restaurants good?" It depends on the place. Do your research. And if you want to find all of someone's negative (or neutral) feedback, the easiest way is here:
http://www.toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/negs

Good luck, and happy shooting.

Andrew

FocusingOnFlorida · Nov 8, 2005

themodelhotspot said:
I have had no problems using E-Bay for several purchases including,
Studio Lighting kits, 2 gb CF cards, Backdrop stands, muslin
backdrops, many accessories for the Rebel XT (eyepiece extender and
both IR and wired remote control, extra batteries and a couple
lenses. Just be sure to check the feedback rating and actually read
some of the negative feedback to see what the actual problem was.
Either way if you use a credit card and you don't receive your
merchandise you can always charge back the transaction as fraud and
get your money back. In this day and age there really is no
drawback to ordering from anyone online if you use your credit card
as payment.

funny thing, as long as I've used ebay, I never thought to look up muslin backdrops. Thank for the tip.

themodelhotspot said:
--
Canon Rebel XT
Canon 50mm F1.8 Mk II
Sigma 24-70 F2.8 DG Macro
Sigma 55-200 F4-6.3 DC

--

Russell Homes
http://www.focusingonflorida.com

Jeff_edge540 · Nov 8, 2005

Great camera to get started with!

Back in the day - I had to learn photography using a manual focus, manual exposure film camera that I had to wind myself! NOT! Who the F.. would go through so much trouble just to take a picture?

Anyway, i digress.

If you can find a really good deal get the Sandisk Ultra II 1GB (or 2), otherwise just buy the Extreme III card. The extra speed is really worth the extra $. Do not get the plain cards. They are just too slow. They will work, but who the f... wants to?

also, you need a flash. Get the 420EX off ebay. The 430EX is just too expensive. Not worth the extra $$ .

Try and get the Off Camera Shoe cord 2 on ebay also. It will allow you to get creative with the flash...

As far as anything else on ebay.. Good luck. I find that most camera stuff sells for close to retail. I'm not paying retail on ebay. Period. I'd rather just buy the stuff at BHphoto.com.

Oh, the kit lens is fine. and if it breaks - no big deal, just buy another one. They cost like 1/4 of most lenses.

Post some shots when you get setup.

and most importantly.. don't worry about the details of your gear. just have fun and make the most of what you got.

billybob_jcv · Nov 8, 2005

I have bought used lenses, flashes and other accessories from eBay, fredmiranda.com, KEH and B&H. I have never had a really bad experience from eBay, but I have been disappointed a few times in what I bought. A few of the things I have bought on eBay had "issues", for example:

1) An EF70-200 3.5-4.5 that has a pretty loose zoom. It doesn't creep - it falls with a clunk. This is a pretty common issue with this lens. I got it real cheap, and the color and sharpness is excellent, so I kept it.

2) An EF24-85 "champagne color" that is pretty soft, not nearly as good as I hoped. I got it cheap because the barrel is cosmetically pretty rough. I'm going to resell it one of these days.

3) An old MD-mount Vivitar zoom that had a very bad case of fungus. This was the worst - the seller claimed she knew nothing about cameras and didn't know. I think paid $20, and she refunded my money (less shipping) and told me to keep the lens. I think I tossed it in the garbage.

I'm a bottom feeder - I try to buy stuff with poorly written ads or no pictures and hope to get a bargain. Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't. The chase is fun too.

For example, I just bought a 550EX off eBay that was described as his "backup" and in "mint condition" for $200. As long as it actually works, I got a good deal. We'll see when it arrives!

My experience is that it isn't what's in the ad says that is important, it's what the ad DOESN'T say. Don't assume (@ss-u-me) ANYTHING. If they don't specifically say it works great - assume it doesn't. If they don't say the glass is clear - assume it isn't. If they don't say how much the shipping is - assume you will be ripped-off. If the deal looks too good to be true - it is NOT true! Remember that there are millions of people on eBay, and it is now VERY uncommon to get a really great deal. You get deals only be being quicker to the buy-it-now button, or by taking risky chances. If you can't afford to take the risk, my advice is to buy it from a good retailer like KEH or B&H and avoid eBay.

Last advice: Don't get hung-up on the card performance. Just get a reasonable card and you will be fine.

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Advice on purchasing 350D

splintax

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BhagathMPanackal

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themodelhotspot

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FocusingOnFlorida

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BAK

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Ove Sentlig

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chiliman

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FocusingOnFlorida

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Jeff_edge540

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