Asking for help choosing

Chillijam

Chillijam

Suspended / Banned
Messages
87
Name
Marc Jennings
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi there,

I guess these questions have been asked here a billion times already, but I have some specific questions to ask for opinions on before taking the plunge and buying my first DSLR.

I have the option to buy a second-hand Canon EOS 350D with the kit lens for around 150 quid, which seems like a pretty good deal. However, I had previously almost convinced myself to go for an Olympus e410 with the 2 lens kit. That would be a lot more expensive, but would I be happier with that camera? I would probably not use the second lens, at least not until I'm a lot more comfortable with the out-of-camera basics like composition and lighting.

So, on to the specific questions...

Does anyone know what kind of (if any) dust protection the Canon offers? (see my post in the landscape forum to see why I am slightly paranoid about dust on the sensor)

Can anyone also provide some feedback on the quality of the kit lens on the Canon? To be honest, I don't yet have much of a clue what I'm looking at with lenses, but I'm keen to learn.

If anyone could spare the time to answer these points, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks
Marc.
 
Canon 400D's with a kit lens can be had for not much more and that has the automatic sensor cleaner thing built in. If you're careful when changing lenses it shouldn't be much of a problem anyway. I always liken it to loading new film into a film camera carefully ensuring there is no dust getting in the back. I tend to change lens with the body facing down and always ensure the end of the lens is clean before doing the swap.

Unless you're going upto a 40D Canon the body is not remotely weather sealed but then you're talking bigger money, the lenses won't be weathersealed unless you go for L lenses again big money. On the plus side if you went for the 350D you'd learn a lot and it also opens up good opportunity to find some good second hand EF lenses which can be used if and when you update your body at a later date.

I'm a Canon man but go with what feels right for you in your hands, I find the 350D a bit small.
 
Dust protection is more of a gimmick AFAIK anyway, it's certainly not an infallible way of keeping the sensor clean, it may reduce dust, but it's not perfect.

I've never been too careful about changing my lenses etc, maybe I've been lucky but I've never had any real problems with dust or anything else, I just use a rocket blower on the inside of the camera once a week. There is some dust thats visible at F32, but lets be honest, at F32 the pictures aren't great anyway :)

Can't help you on the quality of anything Canon though, but it can't be that badly built, lots of people use them :D
 
I'd say buy the cheaper option and use it to learn with. Learning about correct exposure and composition is more important than the camera brand. Once you know what you are doing and not just using 'auto' you can make a more informed choice on upgrades or changing brands etc.

Dust is not an issue to worry about as cleaning is quite easy as long as you go about it correctly. Dust only shows with small aperture settings in any case (f11 f16 etc) and mostly will not be seen at all. Just looked at your landscape and I guess the cameras owner is either too scared to clean it or never shot at f20 before like you did :)
 
100% agree with RobertP.
 
I'm inclined to agree. With the Canon, I can get a good camera without paying a fortune. I guess I am just hedging my bets slightly here.
Thanks for the input everyone!
 
Dust will always be a problem.

Sensor cleaning, provided its tacked properly isn't that big a deal - an Artic Butterfly and rocket blower will shift most stuff - some stuff will require pecpads & eclipse fluid or some other wet system.
 
Get the 350D and a Rocket Blower if it's dusty...

That'd be my choice anyway!

Cheers,
James
 
If you can get the 400 for same price 2nd hand Id go for that. The 350 LCD display is pants IMO :) Otherwise I think they are pretty much the same except for the sensor cleaning on the 400............
 
£150 for a 350D and a kit lens :thumbs: I'd go for it ; you'll not get a deal like that again in a hurry. The 350D is old now but it is a perfectly capable camera.

Learn about what you like using what you've got, and then spend money on good lenses (e.g. any of the L series) before thinking of upgrading the body.

As for dust, forget about it. I have a Nikon D80 and D200 and because of diffraction making images soft at higher f numbers I never shoot above f11 and I've never had dust visible in my pictures. As others have said regularly blower bulb the inside and you'll be fine.
 
Thanks again everyone. I've just told the guy that I'll have the 350 off him, and I'm going to collect it tomorrow morning.

Look out for some pretty poor shots from me over the next couple of weeks until I figure out a little of what I'm doing. ;)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top