first step on the ladder...

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ksouthy

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Kieran
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looking at a Canon EOS 550D 18.0 MP Digital SLR Camera - Black (Kit w/ EF-S IS 18-55mm and EF-S IS 55-250mm Lenses)
would this be a suitable start off for a beginner wanting to shoot a bit of sports and wildlife / scenery ?

any help is appreciated :)

Kieran
 
Yes that's a perfectly good kit for starting off with. There are better lenses for wildlife but they are a lot more expensive. Those kit lenses are very good value for money.
 
Yes, they will be great - those two lenses are possibly the most highly regarded entry level models Canon has available.
 
Thanks for the response chaps! I was hoping to go buy some gear Saturday just gone but I got called out at work :-( so I have to wait until this weekend now.

Cheers!
Kieran
 
Good starter kit, but you will find 250mm a bit short for wildlife, unless it is large, in which case I would want a longer lens in any case to be further away from it :D You can make up for a shortfall in focal length with good fieldcraft and camoflage, and patience.
 
You may find shooting sport with the 55-250mm difficult, due to the relatively slow nature of the lens. Shooting sport outside in the bright day light will be fine, but low light / indoor sports will be challenging to get tack sharp images.
 
As a starter kit that will be great. I started with a 550D and an 18-55 IS lens, but instead of the 55-250 IS I went for the 75-300 MkIII. The 55-250 IS is a much much better lens than the 75-300 and will give you some tremendous photos. As long as your not planning to shoot indoors in poor light (sodium lamps in gyms) then you will be absolutely fine.
I gave my 550D to my wife when I got a 7D and a 5D2, but I've since sold the 2 bodies and borrowed the 550D back until I got my 5D3 through. It was like a breath of fresh air to be using it again as it's fairly easy to use (specially if you get used to the Q button on the back). I'm sure you'll be very happy with your camera, I know I was and still am.
 
I'm also a beginner and bought it after my 2nd hand 1000D was stolen. I cant fault it at all although I only got 18-55mm kit lens and would love a 55-250mm . HD Video is great but eats up memory card space, and harddrive space for that matter!
 
The 550D is an excellent camera by all accounts, and I agree with the previous posters about the two kit lenses. The 55 - 250mm is particularly good value for money. It's a bit short for sports and wildlife, and you'll probably find the f5.6 at the telephoto end restrictive, but it's affordable and you have to start somewhere.

You're really looking at long, fast, lenses for serious sport and wildlife photography but these are expensive - extremely expensive, and there's time enough to start thinking about them later on once you've built up a bit of experience and have a better idea of what you actually need. The 55-250mm will still be useful though, and it should be enough for now, if you can work around its limitations and pick your shots.
 
I concur with everything that is said above, I use a 550D, I had never used a SLR previously and it was very easy to pick up.

I bought the 18-135mm lens rather than the 18-55 and it has suited me well up until now.

Great entry level camera.
 
My first DSLR after years of point and shoot and Bridge cameras. Very good piece of Kit. I got the 18-55 with mine but bought a Tamron 70-300 which seems to be good value for not much money.

Alan
 
Fine as a starter kit.
 
Mani Gill said:
I concur with everything that is said above, I use a 550D, I had never used a SLR previously and it was very easy to pick up.

I bought the 18-135mm lens rather than the 18-55 and it has suited me well up until now.

Great entry level camera.
Click to expand...

I too have that lens and I found that its a good walk around lens
 
wow thanks for all the help!
I got dragged into our local currys last night by the missus looking for some laptop mouse. got chatting to the chap looking after the cameras and he recommended a
CANON EOS 1100D Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm + 75-300mm Zoom Lens kit which they had up for £479
so I tried my best to knock him down as much as I could and got him down to £450 for the kit, bag & 8gb sd card.

I took it. got to start somewhere :) I havent had chance to do anything with it yet.

hopefully I wont be told by everyone on here ive made a mistake in buying this kit, but its a start for me.
 
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