Canon EOS 550d for an enthusiastic novice??

jus_tin

jus_tin

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Hi, ive currently got a bridge camera which ive had for a few years now and im starting to find its holding me back a little. it wasnt an expensive camera (£150) just something to get me started and learn the basics. its got all the manual options which im pretty confident with but its pretty limited and i now want to progress further.

I tend to photograph landscapes mostly, abit of macro plus motorsport (F1). Im looking at the 550d and was wondering for my current skill level would the 550d be wasted on me or is it a good camera to continue learning on? Id just buy the standard kit lens to begin with then gradually buy the lenses i need as i learn more with the camera. obviously the step from £150 camera to a £550 camera is quite big so was thinking is there a camera in-between that would be a good choice?
 
jus_tin said:
Hi, ive currently got a bridge camera which ive had for a few years now and im starting to find its holding me back a little. it wasnt an expensive camera (£150) just something to get me started and learn the basics. its got all the manual options which im pretty confident with but its pretty limited and i now want to progress further.

I tend to photograph landscapes mostly, abit of macro plus motorsport (F1). Im looking at the 550d and was wondering for my current skill level would the 550d be wasted on me or is it a good camera to continue learning on? Id just buy the standard kit lens to begin with then gradually buy the lenses i need as i learn more with the camera. obviously the step from £150 camera to a £550 camera is quite big so was thinking is there a camera in-between that would be a good choice?
Click to expand...

if you do decide on the 550d my 3 month old 1000click model is up for sale in the classified section at a bargain price :)
 
Unfortunately i havent hit the 25 post mark yet and rather than going around spamming peoples posts could you send me a pm with price etc please mate. Thanks.
 
im not sure if im allowed to offer you things via PM, maybe a mod could clarify, I will send you teh text from the advert at this point
 
advert text sent no mention of prices at this juncture
 
Get the 550D, it is an astounding piece of kit...
I'd conceder some better glass too like the 50mm f1.4 or the 35mm f2
Good luck
 
If you can stretch to it try the 600d which has the swivel screen and better video.

But the 550d is a nice little camera to start with.
 
I went front the Pany FZ28 to 7D so I'm sure you'll enjoy the 550D very much.
Do it :)
 
jus_tin said:
Hi, ive currently got a bridge camera which ive had for a few years now and im starting to find its holding me back a little. it wasnt an expensive camera (£150) just something to get me started and learn the basics. its got all the manual options which im pretty confident with but its pretty limited and i now want to progress further.

I tend to photograph landscapes mostly, abit of macro plus motorsport (F1). Im looking at the 550d and was wondering for my current skill level would the 550d be wasted on me or is it a good camera to continue learning on? Id just buy the standard kit lens to begin with then gradually buy the lenses i need as i learn more with the camera. obviously the step from £150 camera to a £550 camera is quite big so was thinking is there a camera in-between that would be a good choice?
Click to expand...

A 550D is I'd say a great way to build up your skills while also having a high quality camera. Canon's entry level SLR's have lots of automated modes that gradually let you build up you skill so your not going to have to start at the deep end.

If £550 was more than you really wanted to spend you could save a bit on that buying one used(£450) or buying a used 500D(£390).
 
to be honest the 550d is at the top of my budget. have also considered the d3100 body then spending the rest on a good lens? budget is approx £600 so £350 for d3100 body then £250 for a lens??
 
Being a newbie I decided on the 550D & have been delighted with the results. Have decided that it will last me another 12-18 months & use any spare cash on some L lenses so when the time does come when I get a better camera I'll have some quality lenses to match.
 
i think im pretty much decided on the 550d, i just find it hard to part with my cash and keep considering similar priced cameras plus the fact i keep hearing a cameras no good without the right lenses so thats why considering the d3100 and getting a good lens if it will out perform the 550d with the kit lens?
 
The swivel screen of the 600D is a gimmick, and it has the exact same sensor as the 550D so video is no better.
 
i wont be using the camera for video anyway, id rather not have video to be honest especially if it compromises another feature the camera could / should have. i have looked at the 600D which has got an impressive screen resolution, but id prob go for the cheaper 1100 d over that and get a good lens with the spare cash. the D5100 looks ok too.

think its down to...
Canon 550D
Canon 1100D
Nikon D3100
Nikon D5100

With the 1100D and D3100 id just buy body then lens seperate so really if that will out perform the 550d and D5100 with their standard kit lens i'll prob go for either the 1100D or D3100.

What do you think??
 
I've recently upgraded from a 3000N to digital with a refurbished 500d. It cost just shy of £300 and I'm over the moon with it so far! Brand new casing on the outside. Find one for the same price as mine and you will have some cash left for a semi decent lens
 
I got a 550D at christmas last year. I went up from a bridge camera, the same sort of route as the op. It is a fantastic camera and I've learnt so much since I got it. I'd look into getting a 2 lens kit with an 18-55 and a 55-250. I've just upgraded to a 7D but I wouldn't even consider getting rid of my 550 as I'd miss it too much.
 
jus_tin said:
i wont be using the camera for video anyway, id rather not have video to be honest especially if it compromises another feature the camera could / should have. i have looked at the 600D which has got an impressive screen resolution, but id prob go for the cheaper 1100 d over that and get a good lens with the spare cash. the D5100 looks ok too.

think its down to...
Canon 550D
Canon 1100D
Nikon D3100
Nikon D5100

With the 1100D and D3100 id just buy body then lens seperate so really if that will out perform the 550d and D5100 with their standard kit lens i'll prob go for either the 1100D or D3100.

What do you think??
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I think you need to nip into a shop and hold all the cameras, have a play etc... you may really like the feel of Nikon better than Canon. You may not.

Regardless of what things look like on paper, holding and using the camera is the thing that most people on here would consider to be very important in the decision making process:)
 
Yup i had a 550D too, its a great camera and very easy to get to grips with, i upgraded to the 5DMK2 and sold my best friend the 550d with lenses for £300, things you do for mates.
 
jus_tin said:
i wont be using the camera for video anyway, id rather not have video to be honest especially if it compromises another feature the camera could / should have. i have looked at the 600D which has got an impressive screen resolution, but id prob go for the cheaper 1100 d over that and get a good lens with the spare cash. the D5100 looks ok too.

think its down to...
Canon 550D
Canon 1100D
Nikon D3100
Nikon D5100

With the 1100D and D3100 id just buy body then lens seperate so really if that will out perform the 550d and D5100 with their standard kit lens i'll prob go for either the 1100D or D3100.

What do you think??
Click to expand...

In terms of sharpness the Canon and Nikon kit lenses are actually very good indeed for the price. The real advanatges then more expensive lenses will give you are more range, a larger appature, macro ability, better autofocus, better build and the ability to use filters more easily(the fronts of the kit lenses and some other cheap lenses spin which makes using grads of polarizers much more difficult and time consuming).

Do you want some of those advanatges right away or are you prepaired to work with the kit lens for awhile?

What your going to do with the pics is also a factor I'd say since having 15-18 megapixels really comes into its own when your making large prints.
 
I went from a bridge camera to a 550d great camera you`ll be amazed at the difference between this and a bridge camera no more holding back world is your oyster.
I`ve just upgraded to a 5d mk11 but will still keep my 550d as well
 
Lbm said:
I think you need to nip into a shop and hold all the cameras, have a play etc... you may really like the feel of Nikon better than Canon. You may not.

Regardless of what things look like on paper, holding and using the camera is the thing that most people on here would consider to be very important in the decision making process:)
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This, I went to buy a 450d and decided I didn't like the feel of it so ended up buying a second hand 30D from the classifieds section.
 
ohara said:
The swivel screen of the 600D is a gimmick, and it has the exact same sensor as the 550D so video is no better.
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That is true...
 
Forget about the nikon d3100 a friend of mine has it, it ain't got nout on the Canon 550D
It's like buying a mercedes or a fiesta.
 
Does the 550D come with a multi-quote button?
 
Like a lot of people replying, I've not long bought a 550 and love it. I would however suggest trying them out in a shop to see how they fit in the hand.
I didn't go for the 600 as I thought that knowing me, I'd catch the screen on something and wreck it.
 
Moreorless said:
In terms of sharpness the Canon and Nikon kit lenses are actually very good indeed for the price. The real advanatges then more expensive lenses will give you are more range, a larger appature, macro ability, better autofocus, better build and the ability to use filters more easily(the fronts of the kit lenses and some other cheap lenses spin which makes using grads of polarizers much more difficult and time consuming).

Do you want some of those advanatges right away or are you prepaired to work with the kit lens for awhile?

What your going to do with the pics is also a factor I'd say since having 15-18 megapixels really comes into its own when your making large prints.
Click to expand...

i suppose i could wait a while as i get to grips with the camera, though i am like a spoilt impatient child when it comes to new things i want it all right away :D i love macro shooting and want to do some playing with long shutter speeds for light trails etc. but mostly i enjoy landscape photography and with winter coming cant wait to get out in the snow for long walks.

i suppose if getting the 550d then waiting a while to get lenses is better then getting a cheaper body and a good lens is the best scenario... i guess thats the answer.

lucky_13 said:
Forget about the nikon d3100 a friend of mine has it, it ain't got nout on the Canon 550D
It's like buying a mercedes or a fiesta.
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i was just wondering if you stick on a good lens on the d3100 will it take better pics over the 550d with kit lens??? but sounds like the 550d is quite a nice camera so mind is pretty much made... :thumbs:

DaveF said:
Like a lot of people replying, I've not long bought a 550 and love it. I would however suggest trying them out in a shop to see how they fit in the hand.
I didn't go for the 600 as I thought that knowing me, I'd catch the screen on something and wreck it.
Click to expand...

will be popping to shop on the weekend and have a good old feel, just hope the canon feels right otherwise back to square one :thinking:
 
There is a limitation with the entry level Nikons. They lack the screw drive for older Nikon AF lens designs which means that many primes are manual focus only. For entry level users this may not be a problem but perhaps the Canon has a little more mileage in it before you'd want to upgrade. But also consider looking at second user, say Canon 40D or 50D, Nikon D90, Sony A700 or Pentax K20D. There's a lot of bang per buck with any of these that will keep you happy for a long time.
 
I am a few days away from buying my first Canon, the 550D! Upgrading from a Nikon D80.

Looking at reviews online it just looks way better than anything else in this price range. Mainly because it has 60fps video, and also because Canon pics always seem to look better than Nikon. Also hoping the high ISO noise is better than the D80.

One thing I will miss is the top lcd display. Anything else I should know before buying?
 
philxthomas said:
I am a few days away from buying my first Canon, the 550D! Upgrading from a Nikon D80.

Looking at reviews online it just looks way better than anything else in this price range. Mainly because it has 60fps video, and also because Canon pics always seem to look better than Nikon. Also hoping the high ISO noise is better than the D80.

One thing I will miss is the top lcd display. Anything else I should know before buying?
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•• Just off to buy beer an popcorn, this could turn into an epic thread **
 
jus_tin said:
i suppose i could wait a while as i get to grips with the camera, though i am like a spoilt impatient child when it comes to new things i want it all right away :D i love macro shooting and want to do some playing with long shutter speeds for light trails etc. but mostly i enjoy landscape photography and with winter coming cant wait to get out in the snow for long walks.

i suppose if getting the 550d then waiting a while to get lenses is better then getting a cheaper body and a good lens is the best scenario... i guess thats the answer.

i was just wondering if you stick on a good lens on the d3100 will it take better pics over the 550d with kit lens??? but sounds like the 550d is quite a nice camera so mind is pretty much made... :thumbs:

will be popping to shop on the weekend and have a good old feel, just hope the canon feels right otherwise back to square one :thinking:
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My guess would be that in optimal condictions the 550D with kit lens would have more real resolution than a lower megapixel body with a high quality zoom. That said something like the 500D still provides alot of resolution, you'd only really notice the difference if you made very large prints(A2 size and up) or croped pics alot and even then it would hardly be night and day.

If this £600 is all you'll have for an extended period then I think the real question you need to ask yourself is whether you know what you want. Thats really the main reason its often recommended to stick with the kit lens as theres no such thing as a "best lens", there are always going to be comprimises so you need to know whats important to you before making them.
 
philxthomas said:
care to explain?
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"Which is the best camera make?" is the question that everyone has an opinion on, and every one of them is different. They're all correct for a given degree of "correct". :)

I heard of someone with a Sony A700 who consistently got better results than his Canon and Nikon friends, so much so that they were considering switching brands. The guy suggested that before they did that, to swap cameras for a short while with each of them. Guess what? As he took on the Canon and then the Nikon, the photos from these cameras each got miraculously better while the Sony got worse.

At a given price point any DSLR (or SLT) will give pictures that are probably indistinguishable from each other at normal print sizes. If you see a lot of Canon pictures that look better than Nikon, it's likely that the reason is that the owners of the former that you saw happened to be better at processing their pictures than the latter. Go and check out dedicated user forums for the major cameras and you'll find superb results from all of them.

When it comes down to it, it's what feels right in the hand. Some love the way a particular brand does things, others don't. Get out and play with some different models in your price bracket and base your decision on that.
 
philxthomas said:
care to explain?
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(not sure what the bull thing is it was meant to bee an astrix, stupid iphone)

Once you say you are upgrading from Canon to Nikon or Vise versa all hell normally breaks out, some people are very Brand protective
 
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yeh i should have known. the 550d seems good so far though. one thing that put me off getting a newer nikon is a lot of reviews for the 5100, 7000 etc still said the metering system over exposes, which is a nightmare in the d80.
 
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