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Archive 2007 · Is this feasible?

ashurbanipal
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p.1 #1 · Is this feasible?

Hello, photographers everywhere.

I am sorry if this question is raised every 10 minutes, but...

I purchased a Canon 720IS and found that I love photography, but am dissapointed by the IQ of this camera. (Pictures with a lot of uniform color are grainy and the focus doesn't seem sharp at all).

I've found someone who would buy this camera, so I'm thinking of upgrading to an SLR, but I want to only spend $500-$600 (I'm a college student. I have to eat too.)

Most of the photos that I like to take are:
-Outdoors shots of mountains, plants, waterfalls, etc.
-Indoors shots of people, generally with dim lighting. I hate using a flash here.
-"Special effects" shots- very short DOF, star shots, HDRI, 2nd curtain flash for night-time car shots, etc.

My thoughts on cameras:
-Old is fine, as long as I'm not buying a time bomb.
-I would prefer to stick with Canon or Nikon, so that if I get very interested in photography, I've already chosen a brand I would feel comfortable sticking with. I don't know much about the other brands, but if that's where I should go, say it.
-Rugged construction is good- I love Canon's magnesium cases.
-6 MP is enough, 8 is wonderful.
-The cameras I'm considering are the D40, D70, 10D and 20D.

My thoughts on lenses:
-I really like the idea of fixed focal lenses, because I care more about image quality and price than convenience
-I don't care who makes the lens, just how well it performs.
-I think ideally I would have a 28-35 mm prime and a 50 mm prime, or maybe one of these would be a zoom. (Of course, "ideally" I would have a wide angle lens too, and how about a f/1.2 L, and perhaps...

)

Other:
-Am I crazy to consider the 10D? To me this seems like the best option, because I could afford a really nice prime lens, or maybe one OK prime and one cheap zoom lens (although the 10D doesn't fit the 18-55 kit lens, does it?)

-My main goal is to get great image quality.

Thanks for any questions or comments. I'm in a hurry, so I may need to restate or clarify some of these points.

Dec 11, 2007 at 02:05 PM

Forrest Egan
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p.1 #2 · Is this feasible?

Between the 10D and 20D, I would spend the extra money on the 20D. But there's probably a $200 difference on the used market (~$300 for a 10D and ~$500 for a 20D).

Reasons to get the 20D:
- you have the ability to use EF-S lenses.
- slightly better high ISO performance (above 400 ISO)
- faster fps rate (5fps vs 3fps)
- higher resolution (8mp vs 6mp)

If none of those matter to you, the 10D should be just fine and save you about $200.

For lenses, the 35mm f/2.0 and 50mm f/1.8 are reasonably priced. Again, if you buy used you can save a few bucks.

Good luck!

Dec 11, 2007 at 03:50 PM

invalid2
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p.1 #3 · Is this feasible?

I think you might want to consider the 18-55 in place of the 50/1.8. It will get you wide angle and it is reputed to not suck when stopped down.

Dec 11, 2007 at 05:35 PM

Forrest Egan
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p.1 #4 · Is this feasible?

invalid2 wrote:
I think you might want to consider the 18-55 in place of the 50/1.8. It will get you wide angle and it is reputed to not suck when stopped down.

Except the OP has made it clear they would like to take flashless photos indoors...by the time they stop down the 18-55, they'll be forced to use flash.

Dec 11, 2007 at 05:58 PM

invalid2
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p.1 #5 · Is this feasible?

invalid2 wrote:
I think you might want to consider the 18-55 in place of the 50/1.8. It will get you wide angle and it is reputed to not suck when stopped down.

Forrest Egan wrote:
Except the OP has made it clear they would like to take flashless photos indoors...by the time they stop down the 18-55, they'll be forced to use flash.

In my experience, the 35/2 is great for available light, especially indoors. The 50/1.8 is usually too long to be useful for 22mm cameras indoors. Therefor, I suggested that the OP consider the 35/2 and 18-55. The first for indoor photos, and the latter for landscape work on a tripod.

Dec 11, 2007 at 06:12 PM

ashurbanipal
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p.1 #6 · Is this feasible?

I've been looking at a lot of reviews, and I think these posts have helped me make up my mind-

I'll try to get a Canon 10d (wait until after Christmas for a flood of old cameras once people get new ones for Christmas, right?) and one prime lens.

I'm trying to decide between the 35/2 and the 50/1.4. My gut feeling is that the 35/2 would be more useful since it's a more "standard" focal length, but I like the USM and the larger aperture on the 50/1.4.

Any thoughts? I don't have any real-world experience with what each of these focal lengths will "feel like" on a 10d- which is more useful?

Thanks!

Dec 13, 2007 at 03:42 PM

Forrest Egan
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p.1 #7 · Is this feasible?

the 35mm will be close to a 50mm on a film camera

the 50mm will be close to an 85mm on a film camera

Which is more useful entirely depends on how you use the camera and what feels right to you.

Dec 13, 2007 at 04:31 PM

ashurbanipal
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p.1 #8 · Is this feasible?

Fair enough.

I guess I'll have to try each and see how they feel.

Dec 13, 2007 at 05:58 PM

claudermilk
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p.1 #9 · Is this feasible?

$500-600 for the whole kit? That's awfully tight for getting into a DSLR--they are not cheap.

I would guess a 10D and 50/1.8 might fit within your budget and do what you need. The 50/1.4 is nicer and 1/3 stop faster, and the 35/2 is an easier length to use indoors, but each both of those are $300 by themselves.

Dec 14, 2007 at 11:45 AM

hsw21
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p.1 #10 · Is this feasible?

Yes , it is feasible.
Used rebel XT + 35mm f2 and 50mm f1.8.
Used 10D + + 35mm f2 and 50mm f1.8.
OR
if you only want 1 lens, you probably can get a used 20D with that.
I have it and like it.

Dec 15, 2007 at 07:25 PM

monochrome
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p.1 #11 · Is this feasible?

That point and shoot you have, is capable of some pretty good things.

http://photo.net/photodb/presentation?presentation_id=317651

Dec 16, 2007 at 04:05 AM

ashurbanipal
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p.1 #12 · Is this feasible?

Oh, certainly.... I don't mean to disparage the Canon 720IS, as it's the best p+s I've ever used, and of course, my skill level is still very low compared to the overall capability of the camera.

I'm just really picky about image noise and things like that. (I got a dell latitude laptop a while ago, and while they are great laptops, they had issues with noisy pixels. I coudn't stand it, so I returned the latitude and got an ASUS V6J instead. It has been wonderful).

Dec 16, 2007 at 05:32 PM

dcains
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p.1 #13 · Is this feasible?

Another vote for a 10D and EF 35 f/2, which is a combination I still use often (just have a look at my avatar). The 35 is a "normal" lens, it's generally fast enough, and the 10D/35 is a great kit to learn the basics with (i.e. exposure and composition).

Dec 16, 2007 at 06:53 PM


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