DSLR camera help

Stuff · 08-31-06, 12:53

Hey guys I have been searching around a lot and was looking for advise on a new camera. I searched this site and saw that a couple of you guys have the Rebel XT (the main dslr I'm looking at). I just have a few questions that I hope you guys can help me out with.

1. Where should I buy one from? I looked on amazon and they have some "refurbished" ones for cheap (~$570). Are refurbished/used ones a bad Idea to look at?

2. What else should I get? I know I will need a memory card and I think I might get a bag to protect it. In time I will get all the cool other stuff.

3. For some reason the Rebel XT's with the silver body go cheaper than the ones with the black bodies. Why is that? I can't find any differance in specs.

4. What is a good photograph forum so that I can stop bugging you guys with my questions?

Thanks a lot for any help guys!!

TigerMike · 08-31-06, 01:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuff

1. Where should I buy one from?

2. What else should I get? I know I will need a memory card and I think I might get a bag to protect it. In time I will get all the cool other stuff.

I can't offer a whole lot of help, but as fas as where to buy, check out B&H Photo, one of the largest photo supply houses in the US.

You don't necessarily have to get much of anything else to start taking great pictures, but it all really depends on your budget and what you will be primarily taking pics of. At some point, you will surely want other lenses, for better quality and more photographic options. Filters are another popular add-on. Photography, like most any hobby, is one of those things where you can spend as little or as much as you want to achieve your goals.

Here's a forum you might like: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/ but there are myriads of others too.

Grouse · 08-31-06, 02:23

Fred Miranda is where i hang out
http://www.fredmiranda.com/

Dragonfly · 08-31-06, 02:45

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/

Excellent forums for all camera makes and models here. The Canon forums are superb.

Slickdeals.net for best prices. Here's a recent Digital Rebel thread:

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthr...=Digital+Rebel

holland_patrick · 08-31-06, 05:24

you could get the rebel XT but now the XTI is out which is better with 10mp and slef cleaning sensor..

Make sure you get good glass... I'm on both of those forums also.. same name and I have an XT...

you just have to get used to post prossesssing a little.

I got mine at Circiut city.. they had a great 15m 0% deal and they have a nice bag/extra battery combo you can get.. it will set you up nice.. PS the 75-300 they have there is garbage.. if you really wanted it all sell you mine for $100..

JohnnyDaJackal · 08-31-06, 06:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuff

Hey guys I have been searching around a lot and was looking for advise on a new camera. I searched this site and saw that a couple of you guys have the Rebel XT (the main dslr I'm looking at). I just have a few questions that I hope you guys can help me out with.

1. Where should I buy one from? I looked on amazon and they have some "refurbished" ones for cheap (~$570). Are refurbished/used ones a bad Idea to look at?

2. What else should I get? I know I will need a memory card and I think I might get a bag to protect it. In time I will get all the cool other stuff.

3. For some reason the Rebel XT's with the silver body go cheaper than the ones with the black bodies. Why is that? I can't find any differance in specs.

4. What is a good photograph forum so that I can stop bugging you guys with my questions?

Thanks a lot for any help guys!!

1. Buy from the cheapest, reputable dealer out there. Dell has some good deals every once in a while if you check out slickdeals.net or headlinedeals.com If not just use pricegrabber.com and get it from a reputable dealer. B&H has the Rebel XT body only for $630 right now.

2. What do you need? Your gonna need good lenses which will cost a lot of money. Lenses range from $300-$10k

If you want something real good you'd spend around $1k for good glass. Other then the lens you'll need a good bag, cleaning supplies, blower, large and fast memory cards, tripod, and maybe a good flash later down the road.

3. I have no idea why one color would be different, nor have I ever seen this

4. http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...splay.php?f=80

It's honestly an extremely expensive hobby, that you should do some researching prior to investing in it. It's not as easy as buying the camera, memory card and bag. The old saying for detailing applies here too, process > product, but you'll quickly want better equipment, if your this interested in photography. Not to many people buy dSLRs for snap shots, and if you do your better off suited with a "prosumer" camera.

Stuff · 08-31-06, 10:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyDaJackal

1. Buy from the cheapest, reputable dealer out there. Dell has some good deals every once in a while if you check out slickdeals.net or headlinedeals.com If not just use pricegrabber.com and get it from a reputable dealer. B&H has the Rebel XT body only for $630 right now.

2. What do you need? Your gonna need good lenses which will cost a lot of money. Lenses range from $300-$10k

If you want something real good you'd spend around $1k for good glass. Other then the lens you'll need a good bag, cleaning supplies, blower, large and fast memory cards, tripod, and maybe a good flash later down the road.

3. I have no idea why one color would be different, nor have I ever seen this

4. http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...splay.php?f=80

It's honestly an extremely expensive hobby, that you should do some researching prior to investing in it. It's not as easy as buying the camera, memory card and bag. The old saying for detailing applies here too, process > product, but you'll quickly want better equipment, if your this interested in photography. Not to many people buy dSLRs for snap shots, and if you do your better off suited with a "prosumer" camera.

WOW. Thanks a lot that is some great advise. I'm by no means rushing into this new hobby. I have been reading and reading for the past several days and its going to be quite sometime before I have read everything and made up my mind. One of my main reasons I have been looking at these cameras is I have always wanted to do the more artistic shots but never had the eqipment. I'm not looking at this cameras take an occasional snap shot of a birthday party. I want to get out there and experiment and take pics. I have done this with other people's film and digital cameras and just want to do it with my stuff now. Thanks guys!!!

JohnnyDaJackal · 09-01-06, 05:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuff

WOW. Thanks a lot that is some great advise. I'm by no means rushing into this new hobby. I have been reading and reading for the past several days and its going to be quite sometime before I have read everything and made up my mind. One of my main reasons I have been looking at these cameras is I have always wanted to do the more artistic shots but never had the eqipment. I'm not looking at this cameras take an occasional snap shot of a birthday party. I want to get out there and experiment and take pics. I have done this with other people's film and digital cameras and just want to do it with my stuff now. Thanks guys!!!

I'm not trying to discourage you, just giving you some warning. When I sold my "prosumer" camera last spring for a dSLR I didn't think I'd be spending a ton of money into it. I've now been researching to death every piece of equipment I purchase. After my flash purchase I would have spent around $2k for my setup (Rebel XT, Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8, Canon 70-200mm f/4L, Sigma DG EF500 Super flash, bags, cleaning supplies, flash cards, tripod etc.) I also bought all my stuff from B&H and was able to avoid taxes as well as shipping charges. So this hobby can definitely suck your wallet dry!

dSLRs are really cool with all the options available with them, but I wouldn't disregard some of the higher model prosumer P+Ss so fast. When I had my Finepix S5100 I was able to get some great shots that won awards in my local camera club competitions.
Just to give you an idea you can look in my gallery in my sig. Most of my pics on the bottom of the 2nd page we're taken with that camera.

01bluecls · 09-01-06, 08:32

Awesome info guys as I started a thread a few weeks ago about photography. I have been reading about photography here and there but not as much as I would like since the semester has started. Not looking to buy a DSLR right now, but I do realize some of the camera are body only. What is a good general sized lens? I will probably get two lenses when the time comes. I want one for long distance shooting that is decent and one for close shots that shoot good pics of cars and take macro type shots as well. Any suggestions?

chpsk8 · 09-01-06, 09:25

I had good luck buying a camera at Butterflyphoto.com . They had the best deal on my Canon Rebel XT at the time. I saved a little over $400 on a camera and spare lens.

holland_patrick · 09-01-06, 09:25

it depeneds on which cammera you get I have a canon so i know canon stuff if you got a nikon i would have no clue.. forget pentax and olmpus i would be lost farther.. anyways... it's really on price.. if you want one lens to go from wide to tele the sigma bigma would be one 50mm-500mm but it's huge and not realy a waly around lens..

my perfect set up..
10-24 ef-s
28-105 is
100-400 is

this gives you good range and is on most of the range.. BUT it would be near 3000 in lenes
so it's not cheep.