First camera first pictars

[baron insig]

Canon eos 400D Kit lens no filters









i realise the compositions coulb be better, and some stuff could be straight too

 

[3ssence]

Gratz, exactly the same camera i bought this week !

xD

The kit lens is a touch flimsy isn't it ! However, it takes decent enough shots to get started and learn the ways of DSLR until you have enough money to upgrade to some higher quality optics. Also, get a UV lens filter asap, they aren't too much, around 15 pounds for a Hoya 58mm (canon kit lens diameter) and are essential for protecting the lens elements from degradation by sunlight.

 

[baron insig]

yeah first thing on my pay cheque buy list is a polarising and a uv filter

and im putting a bit of money aside for a lens

 

[jondy]

Great pictures! I especially like the long crop you've made, where did you take the photos? Lots of lovely subject matter for you to explore!

Don't worry about UV filters if you're just using it to protect the lens.. it's not really worth spending the money, as

• the front elements of lenses don't really need protecting anymore - back when the glass manufacturers used was soft, UV lenses were necessary, but with the hard glass today this isn't the case
  
• they degrade picture quality slightly
  
• all modern lenses (especially digital-only glass, including your Canon kit lens) are multicoated today anyway, so there's little need for extra UV protection - if you're worried about flare then a lens hood is what you need
  
• they cost money that could be put toward a new lens

Of course, if you're spending a lot of of time up in mountain air UV filters help cut through the haze

Which lenses are you looking at? I'd recommend picking up a 50mm prime, the f/1.8 if you're strapped for cash or the f/1.4 if you can stretch to it... although they're not quite 'normal' lenses on digital bodies having a prime will be great for your composition, they're also among the sharpest lenses Canon makes stopped down and will give you some real depth of field to play around with if you shoot wide open.

 

[sinkoman]

Those are really nice

I like the composition and angles you've used.

And don't worry about filters. There one of those "umg want to spend moneys on" things that you really don't need at all. UV filters are the only ones I could justify purchasing, and that'd still only be to protect the lense you're using.

And I agree with jondy. If you're looking at new lenses, stay AWAY from zoom lenses. The quality of the lense tends to suffer as the zoom range goes up, and it's really easy to introduce un-wanted compression or expansion into your photos when you forget the consequences of zooming in and out.

Prime lenses and wide lenses are really the only lenses i've ever used. Save yer monays, and get a prime lense.

And don't forget that the actual rating of the lense itself will be skewed since you have a digicam, and not all sensors on digicams are the same dimensions.

28mm wide lenses are also a HELL of a lot of fun.

 

[jondy]

And don't worry about filters. There one of those "umg want to spend moneys on" things that you really don't need at all. UV filters are the only ones I could justify purchasing, and that'd still only be to protect the lense you're using.

IMHO polarising filters are a useful tool.. you can achieve a similar effect in photoshop if all you're doing is shooting sky but when you're dealing with water and wet foliage they can be indispensable. They're great to experiment with, too.

 

[baron insig]

could i be cheeky and get linked osme decent ish lenses?

i havent a clue really im jsut jumping in what woudl you recomend?

the kit lens seems comfortable for shooting, but close ups? or depth of field? im confused

 

[jondy]

For lens reviews, a great place to start is slrgear.com, they've got lots of reviews up and test lenses thoroughly. KenRockwell.com is also great, he's a little more subjective but will probably give you a better idea of what you want.

As to which lens to buy (or aspire towards!), it depends what you want to do. If you find yourself shooting a lot indoors and are limited by the ~f/3.5 maximum of your kit lens, a fast (large-aperture) prime lens will be ideal for you. If you find yourself wanting to reach out and frame subjects that are far away, you need a telephoto lens. What do you want to capture, and more importantly, how do you feel your current lens limits you?

 

[sinkoman]

could i be cheeky and get linked osme decent ish lenses?

i havent a clue really im jsut jumping in what woudl you recomend?

the kit lens seems comfortable for shooting, but close ups? or depth of field? im confused

Buy a book on film photography.

Once you understand the concepts, everything will sort of click.

 

[baron insig]

i want to try night shots, so a faster lens would be better for that?

money isnt a big deal. to an extent if its worth it ill save up if i have to.

but overall i think a large aperture kinda all rounder type lens would be my best bet atm,

 

[sinkoman]

i want to try night shots, so a faster lens would be better for that?

money isnt a big deal. to an extent if its worth it ill save up if i have to.

but overall i think a large aperture kinda all rounder type lens would be my best bet atm,

Faster Lense???

What do you mean by, "Faster Lens"?

For nightshots, the sensor will need to be exposed longer, to make up for the lack of light in the shot, so you'll need a lens that can open the aperature WIDE (IE lower Fstop).

A Normal lense WILL be your best bet, no doubt about it. Buy as many of the long ass "umg COMPRESSION" lenses as you want, but you'll most likely use your Normal lens more than any other.

You'll have to figure out what "normal" is for your camera on your own though. The thing with digi-cams, is that the light sensors are all different sizes, so a lens that's normal for one cam, will probably NOT be normal for another.

 

[baron insig]

, yeah ccd's on some cameras are miniscule!

im gunna go down to the privatly owned camera shop and get proper advice n buy a decent lens