What camera would you have bought if you're a beginner at photography - 40D,450D,50D?

[ngws77]

Would you trust salesmen rather than a shooter around your age, and the many experienced users here?

The 17-85mm lens is not good, to put it simply.

With regards to your 50D / 450D issue, here's my take if you have the money for either one (50D kit or 450D with better lens)- Go to the stores (good stores like Cathay Photo, MS Color, John3:16) and ask to have both the 450D and 50D taken out. Try out which feels better in your hand (with no regard to the price) and tell us.

Back last year, I did the same thing with the 400D and 40D and I found out that the 400D felt more comfortable cos it was lighter (i never knew the 40D was light then, was a newb), so I coupled the 400D with the L lens and went home.

You must think about what you're going to shoot though. Landscapes? Family? Portraits? 450D with a good lens (or a couple of them) will be enough. Sports? Events? Low-light? 50D will suit you better.

Cheers,
Zexun

Can i ask if the difference if the image for the quality for the KitII 17-85 is very obvious as compared to a 'good lens' or does it require a keen eye to pick it up?

I was thinking of getting the 50D with the KitII as i thought it would provide me more room to play around with initially on a single lens. I would accept a slight compromise in quality but if the difference is really alot as compared to other lenses than i guess there is not much of a point in getting it.

And why is this lens bad optically? Is it because it is compromised or due to bad design?

Thank you in advance

 

[Headshotzx]

Can i ask if the difference if the image for the quality for the KitII 17-85 is very obvious as compared to a 'good lens' or does it require a keen eye to pick it up?

I was thinking of getting the 50D with the KitII as i thought it would provide me more room to play around with initially on a single lens. I would accept a slight compromise in quality but if the difference is really alot as compared to other lenses than i guess there is not much of a point in getting it.

And why is this lens bad optically? Is it because it is compromised or due to bad design?

Thank you in advance

Compare sharpness / contrast on your own *here*.

The problem with the 17-85mm is distortion at 17mm-- far more noticeable than the 18-55IS kit.

You will do a lot more by spending your money on the 18-55IS (kit1) + 55-250IS (S$360).

 

[ngws77]

Compare sharpness / contrast on your own *here*.

The problem with the 17-85mm is distortion at 17mm-- far more noticeable than the 18-55IS kit.

You will do a lot more by spending your money on the 18-55IS (kit1) + 55-250IS (S$360).

Hi thanks for the insight from the chart.

I wonder how that will translate in actual photos..

Thanks again

 

[Old Man Lee]

get the best dslr money can buy, if u have a rich daddy.
if not, beg or steal to get the money.
it will be a money well spent.

Stay away from the 17-85mm kit2, it's not good optically.

My dad bought for me my first dslr back in Dec last year for my 15th birthday. It was the 400D + 17-40L + 50mm f/1.8II + misc stuff like bags & filters. Cost me S$2.4k. 10 months down the road, my total spending for photography equipment is S$4275.

I take it that you're slightly younger than me (I'm sec4 this year). Here's what I think will benefit you since you seem enthu about it so much so that you wanna join photog club.

Get a 50D + 18-55IS kit1 and a decent bag (~S$50-100) and extra 3rd party batts / memory cards (~S$100). From then on, save up on your own to get the EF-S 55-250mm IS lens for S$360. And if you're a rich-man-son, get a 430EXII flash next time.

I regularly shoot events in school, and just did one event today. It really depends on what you want to shoot. If it's normal school events, an 18-55 kit1 plus flash will do. However, if you're tasked to shoot sports / concerts and performances, you'd need to spend more on a longer zoom.

I'm going slightly off-tangent here with all the "you can spend money on this and this and this" suggestions. So, my advice? 50D kit1 when the price becomes stabilised at around S$1800. You can't go wrong, and the 50D will last you a long time. If you're a fast learner like I am, a 450D will seem like a limiting factor after awhile, esp if you take sports, events or low-light stuff. If you're into photography as an art, 50D kit1 is more than enough.

Cheers,
Zexun

 

[whatcamerashouldibuy]

get the best dslr money can buy, if u have a rich daddy.
if not, beg or steal to get the money.
it will be a money well spent.

haha. indeed, money well spent. teaching the youngsters the wrong stuff eh ...

 

[ArcticFox]

What's your budget, TS?

 

[thaBuzzed]

If I could roll back time right now definitely 40D but back then I didn't know whether I would take up this hobby really seriously so took a cautious approach.

If you want to play safe, go for the 450D with the kit lens -don't be shy! If you've got cash to burn 50D + 17-55 definitely!

 

[peekarwe]

I think TS has bought already but the postings will probably help others who are deciding as well. I started my brother off yesterday by buying a used 300D (old and slow). He will have lots to learn and it will be months before he finds it a limitation. But I guess there isn't much downside to it.

 

[Redkangoo]

Have you sign up the Free- DSLR course from Canon?

Better go attend 1st from Canon or can join me at www.pss1950.org

If you keen, go for the pay course
Basic Photography Course - Practical Techniques for Beginners
(Fee: SGD 200)



Lesson 1 - Introduction
• Photography versus snapshots
• Digital SLR concepts
• Lenses
• White Balance
• Filters
• Flash
• RAW versus JPEG
• Photo editing software


Lesson 2 – Understanding Exposure
• Aperture
• Shutter Speed
• Aperture, Shutter Speed with ISO
• 1/focal length explained
• Creative effect from Aperture: Depth of Field
• Creative effect from Shutter Speed: Controlling movements
Lesson 3 – Practical field trip 1
• Controlling Exposure
• Practicing Depth of Field
• Controlling movements on various subjects



Lesson 4 – Metering & basic flash
• Understanding Metering: How your camera respond to light
• Evaluative, Partial & Spot Metering
• Using camera’s built-in flash
• Using external Speedlite flash
• Bounced versus Direct flash

Lesson 5
• Metering in various lighting conditions
• Getting the right exposure from low to high contrast scene
• Backlighting situation
• Using flash
• Slow Sync and 2nd Curtain Sync flash
Lesson 6
• Output & presentation
• Basic RAW conversion
• Basic photo editing demonstration
• Printing

 

[whatcamerashouldibuy]

what's TS btw ?

 

[Redkangoo]

what's TS btw ?

Threadstarter...which is you....

 

[Lseries]

um , the 1st question is what is your budget, if the budget is more than enough for you to get 50d, then why not? I myself am a photography enthusiast - my 1st dslr is a sony a700 but now i have moved to canon since my father gave me his 1Ds Mark III and eos 5D. even if you are a beginner, there is nothing wrong to have a good dslr for a start. not to boast, but my friend, who is also around my age ( me is 15 now is getting an alpha 900 by the end of this month ... basically - it all depends on you ( if you can afford something better, get it .

compared to 450d , i think that 50d is a lot better in terms of resolution, speed, noise reduction, etc etc . don't mistake me for comparing these 2 cams just by referring to the specs - i have classmates who have these 2 cameras and i did try to shoot some pictures with them - yes , for general purposes i guess 450d is not bad at all , but again .. if you can get a better one ......

 

[ahpan]

450D is recommended and it's perforrmance is already quite good. If want to ugprade to a better camera (Full frame) in future, then take this and learn first.
If not going to ugprade further, go for the 50D and stick with it.

 

[whatcamerashouldibuy]

Threadstarter...which is you....

oh right, lol .
haha. ppl still post commentson this thread, amazing... i think it'll help those who can't decide, decide.

 

[lohkam]

Can i ask those 450D users out there, when you all 1st got your 450d, the lens kit which comes with it, is it IS or non-IS?......I have not ask the retailers yet

 

[SimonTemplar]

Can i ask those 450D users out there, when you all 1st got your 450d, the lens kit which comes with it, is it IS or non-IS?......I have not ask the retailers yet

The lens kit should be with IS.

SimonTemplar

 

[peekarwe]

compared to 450d , i think that 50d is a lot better in terms of resolution, speed, noise reduction, etc etc . don't mistake me for comparing these 2 cams just by referring to the specs - i have classmates who have these 2 cameras and i did try to shoot some pictures with them - yes , for general purposes i guess 450d is not bad at all , but again .. if you can get a better one ......

Of course a higher end camera is better than a low end camera. Why not buy a HasselBlad? Why not buy every single prime L lense out there? Because, you DON'T know what type of photography you'll enjoy. Maybe landscape? Maybe portrait? Some formats are better than others. So, the recommended first start camera will almost always be cheap, so that the downside of moving up and upgrading in the future is small. Say you buy a HasselBlad, immediately, should you think that you dun like the weight, the costs of maintenance, the accessories' pricing, and you want to sell it, your immediately downside (resale value of the camera), could easily buy you a brand new low end camera already.

Yes, the camera is nice and good but does it suit your style? You may have the money to buy it but is it the best camera to buy if your main interest is macro photography? Or maybe social photography?

 

[Lseries]

well, we are not talking abt any super serious photography stuffs here, and not even mentioning anything about full-frame stuffs? just comparing 50D and 450D are we?

as the TS said , "Considering that you are interested and certainly want to pursue photography in the future, what would you have done? If you had just enough money to buy an EOS 450D- wait & save more money until you've got the means to buy an EOS 50D OR invest immediately in a EOS 450D ? "

of course it's true that its better to start with the cheaper ones if you will upgrade it in the future. I don't really think that there is no harm if you can afford the better one though. did you see the word NO HARM..if.. afford . and abt the lens - it's kinda out of the point, its the camera owner's choice ... he will know what style of photography that he usually does sooner or later.



and again , "Of course a higher end camera is better than a low end camera. Why not buy a HasselBlad? Why not buy every single prime L lense out there?" because you don't want to?

"You may have the money to buy it but is it the best camera to buy if your main interest is macro photography? Or maybe social photography?" it depends more on the lens i think

 

[Headshotzx]

Note to all: The threadstarter has already purchased his 450D

 

[Lseries]

then gratz

haha