DLSR advice

Basicly I fancy a DSLR, almost soley for landscape shots.... Im a cannon fan so would probably be looking at an Eos.

Any advice regards lenses and specific model? My budget is around £500- £600 total initailly.

Dont woory about staeing the obviuse as Im a total DLSR Novice!!!

 

Paul. I'm biased as I've been using a Canon 450D since May 2008. If you buy it with the 18-55 kit lens it will set you back about £433 from Amazon and possibly a bit cheaper if you shop around. The new EFS 18-55 lens, as supplied with the camera is a vast improvement on the earlier 18-55 lenses and would be a good start for you, though if you are seriously into landscape you'll probably want to look around for something a faster in due course.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos450d/

 

Thanks Dave, Im going to be having a look at a few in the flesh on Monday and will post what i get.

 

Thanks woo.

Irritatingly the camera shop are low on stock so they suggested visiting on sat as they've only got the cannon and Nikon in stock. Good job i rang before i drove over.

Still it gives me more time to look into lenses. Ill probably want a good 18-70 and a 70-200.... just got to work out which.

 

I use the Canon 400D and see no reason to upgrade to a better spec camera, obviously the 400d has now been replaced with the 450D.

The kit lens that comes with the 450D now has IS (Image stabilisation) which has in latter years become more mainstream and is appearing in many cameras and lenses now, this is why the new 18-55kit lens will appear better Dave.

Progard
For landscape work you would normally go the other way from the 18-55 kit lens to perhaps a 12-24 or a 10-20, this gives you a wider FOV (Field of view) over one of the super-zooms such as the 70-200, which confuses me as to what you actually want as its very easy to be seduced in a shop into buying a lens you wont actually use very much.

I have several lens's...

18-55 Used 80% of the time
10-20 Used 10% of the time
28-135 Used 10% of the time
75-300 Used occaionally, very occasionally!!

But then I do take true landscape photos 99% of the time.

What do you see yourself actualy taking Photo's of? How do you see yourself using your new camera?

Steve...

 

Steve, This is the sort of thing I do with my point and shoot cannon ixsus 60. Ill be using the DSLR for similar:

 

The Canon 450D will suit you just fine then, with the 18-55 kit lens for starters, and dont forget to do my famous trick and haggle for a spare battery gratis from the shop owner, its the least he/she can do as you'll be spending so much with them. Consider also that sometime in the near future you'll want to get a decent tripod, and maybe a remote release (remote control shutter release), useful for group shots you want to be in and for photos without touching the camera at all (This gives clearer, sharper photos).

Steve...

As for the zoom you mentioned, I'm not sure you really need it at present, sure it will give you some reach, but both of the shots above have room to walk in them.. It is your choice though (of course) and if you feel you do want one then an extra lens with reach is handy to have.

 

As well as haggling for a spare battery you could try haggling for a free memory card!
If you are in the least bit handy with a soldering iron you can make your own remote release for next to nothing.

Left - homebrew remote from my junk box - 35mm film cannister, cable from a dead mouse and a couple of salvaged switches.
Right - intervalometer/remote from Hongkong
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Nice one Dave, I have a mate who has bult a remote into his 5D battery grip, clever sod!

Is your intervalometer the 99 exposure or 399 exposure model?

Steve...

 

399 exposures Steve and at £21 inclusive of postage I reckon it was a pretty good Christmas present to myself!

 

They are always good christmas presents when you get to choose....even better though...is when someone else pays for it. .:D

So, I guess your planning on doing star trails then...

Steve...

 

Now how did you guess about star trails Steve:gnthb:
I want to give it a try, but the problems here are firstly the weather and secondly light pollution, but hopefully when we get away on our travels again to the highlands in early spring I'll get away from the latter.

The intervalometer didn't really 'cost' anything as I funded from Ebay sales of some radio gear. If you've not already looked at it (you probably have) Linkdelight have some really good canon stuff very much cheaper than in the UK and their customer service is as good, if not better than many UK retailers.

 

Hehe..I'm playing with that stuff too, best bet is in two weeks time at the time of the New Moon, providing its cold and clear. There is so much to get right you'd best practice before you go...even if they are too light, at least you'll be familiar with the technique..

I'm using a mapping software called memory map to help me with location, in its 3d mode helps me work out best vantage points... Here's Buttermere with Fleetwick at the far end and Honister pass to the left of it..



Steve...

 

Thanks steve and dave, Im thinking ill probably stick with the kit lens initally to see what its limitaions are then buy more lenses or upgrade if needed.

Im, just waiting for my camera shop to get a Sony alpha A350 in so I can compare it to a Cannon 450 in the flesh.