Too much too soon?

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Garyman

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Gary
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Hi all,

Just after a little bit of advise.

Total newbie when it comes to DSLR but I've always been interested in photography.

Having recently purchased a (2nd hand) 450D with the standard 18-55mm IS kit len, I've been reading lots about the various settings and how to get a good pics etc on this very forum.

I still have plenty to learn- its such a mine field! :shrug:

The thing is, being on forums, you read about items that I feel I need and I've already purchased a Sigma 18-200mm DC off ebay as I felt I needed a longer zoom :oops:

I then purchased 2 bags- the Lowepro Nova 160 as well as a Hama Track Pack 110 Colt.

Purchased "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson after seeing it being mentioned on various occasion here.

And now I'm after a Nifty Fifty.

However, is this all too much too soon?

I was out and about on Monday with the family with the Sigma and some of the pics I took were not very good. I mainly had it on AV but thats all I could tell you.

When I had it on Auto, the flash always popped up but would take a better picture than I did in Manual.

As per an earlier post I posted somewhere on the forum, there were times when I had the Sigma on and it wouldnt let me take the shot and I had to move further AWAY from the subject and had to zoom in in order for the camera to let me take the shot.

But if I swap the len back to the 18-55mm, then the shot can be taken from the original position :thinking:

I'm now thinking of selling the Sigma until I have learnt more about the camera and how to take good pics.

What do you guys reckon?

Gary
 
Well you have a very good camera and TBH until you learn to get the best out of it, throwing a lot of gear at it in the hope that it'll suddenly turn you into a good photographer is just a waste of time and, as you're already finding out, money.

However a good bag is an essential but not quite sure why you purchased two.

I would say stick with the basic kit lens and the 450D and REALLY learn what you can do with just that.

Then once you feel you really NEED a longer lens, not just WANT it, decide on the basis of the types of shots you take.

I always recommend the Canon 28-135mm IS USM lens as a good walkabout lens which would complement the kit lens nicely.

.
 
Lenses have minimum focus distances, this is the closest you can be to a subject in order for the lens to achieve focus. The sigma zoom is more than likely going to have a longer minimum focus distance than the 18-55.
If you look at the focus window on the lens (if it has one) find the sideways 8 figure and then turn the focus ring the opposite direction as far as it will go. This will then tell you in feet and meters the minimum focus distance. So you'd have to be x feet away from the subject to get focus.

Just keep practicing, its a lot of info to take in, but you will absorb it quickly. Dont get succkered into thinking more gear will make you better, it wont. learn with what youve got and then once your ability inceases beyond the scope of the gear, you can think about new shiny things.
 
:lol:

Welcome!

I understand your problem. I have the 400D and also (amongst others) the siggie. In my experience it is the best walk about lens and I too took/take ;) some really dreadful pictures with it! But I've also taken some I'm really happy with.

No matter what lens you use you have some basics to learn and so I would recommend sticking with a lens and learning how to use the combination. The lessons may then be transferred to other lens. Read the book, and keep re reading! Unless you have eidetic memory you will need to!

The problem about the distance to focus varies for each lens. My siggie also has a macro facility meaning I can get closer to an object and focus. Minimum distance is usually detailed on the lens...

Most of all - ENJOY :D

Too slow :(
 
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I originally set on getting just the Hama bag- just something to take out and about with one len.

However, the deal for the Lowepro came up recently on Amazon so thought I'd get that for future when i do get more gear.

I purchased the Siggy mainly for the zoom (ness) lol but already realised maybe that was too soon.

i've done plenty of reading (the tutorial on the forum etc) and feel I'm getting there but so much more to learn.

OK then- pretty much pointed out that the Siggy is no use atm so may as well get rid and get another one when the time comes.

Keep the advise coming!
 
I wouldnt get rid of the sigma. Just learn its limitations. According to google its minimum focus is 45CM. So just makes ure you are 45CM away from anything you try to focus on.
 
TCR4x4 said:
I wouldnt get rid of the sigma. Just learn its limitations. According to google its minimum focus is 45CM. So just makes ure you are 45CM away from anything you try to focus on.
Click to expand...

That would explain it lol
 
Getting more and more kit won't make you a better photographer, just a less wealthy one. Go out and use it and learn it's limitations, get lots of practice, look at lots of photographs and figure out what you like taking pictures of, get lots of practice, read books, read online tutorials, and get lots of practice. Also try posting some pictures up in the relevant forums on here and get some feedback, you may get some useful feedback, which you can then put into practice.
 
Howdy mate :D

Like I said on TRO, I am in the same position as you; had the camera 4 weeks now.

I did want Sam told me (funky), and read the 500D manual cover to cover. This helped so much!! The tutorials are fantastic, but you need to know how to work the camera first.

I would say keep your lenses, unless your tight for cash. But just go out there and take some pics. I thought I needed a 70-300m, but to date I have been fine with the kit lens.

You can still get nice DOF pics using your kit, so you don't NEED the nifty 50. Remember that it's also zoomed in quite a bit.

Good luck :D

ps. get out there and practice. Sit in a field, take a pic, look at the settings, look at the histo, jump into manual and make it better.

Learn what you need to do to make the pics better.
 
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Haha- thanks Joe.

could do with the money for the Siggy but could also keep it- depends if I get the asking for it.

with regards to the Nifty- the one I purchased a couple of weeks ago was for a friend and I borrowed it for an afternoon and managed to get some really good pics and feel its something I "know" how to use so would like to get one for myself.

I didnt get a manual with my 450D. Seller said it was posted but i never got it :(
 
Garyman said:
with regards to the Nifty- the one I purchased a couple of weeks ago was for a friend and I borrowed it for an afternoon and managed to get some really good pics and feel its something I "know" how to use so would like to get one for myself.
Click to expand...


The big deal with the 50mm is the size of the aperture. You mentioned earlier about shooting in Auto (&flash) giving better results than Av.

You do alright with the 50mm. I am guessing the light was low resulting in the kit lens struggling and dropping the Shutter Speed so low it created motion/shake blur. If you were shooting in Manual then no doubt it would be under exposed.

At 50mm the kit lens is three stops slower at f5.6 which equates to 8times less light at the sensor than the prime at f2.
 
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Garyman said:
I was out and about on Monday with the family with the Sigma and some of the pics I took were not very good. I mainly had it on AV but thats all I could tell you.

When I had it on Auto, the flash always popped up but would take a better picture than I did in Manual.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that light may well have been an issue, when you get up to 200mm you need a fast shutter speed(the focal lenght as a fraction of a sec is a basic guide so 1/200th of a sec at 200mm, 1/100th at 100mm etc) to avoid hand shake blurring the pic. If you were using a narrow appature I.E. one with a higher number that drops shutter speed and to compensate you need to boost the ISO, up to 400 on a 450D shouldnt lose you too much quality.

The IS stablisation on your kit lens(I'm guessing you have the old non OS Sigma?) can help with low shutter speeds IF the subject is still but won't make any difference if its moving.

The best quality you can get on your Canon cheap is I'd say the Canon 18-55 IS kit you have, the 55-250 IS tele(around £150 or less) and the 50mm 1.8(around £80). If you did sell the Sigma thats what I'd go with and no more, if you preffer having one lens though and are mostly taking shots that won't benefit from IS you could use keep it to learn with, the quality isnt THAT bad.

That gives you alot of range and a large appature should help you learn and it will also let you see what you tend to use most. That way when/if you want to spend more you can make a more informed choice rather than buying something your not sure you'll need.
 
Thanks for the informative post Moreorless

I was actually thinking of selling BOTH the 18-55 IS and Sigma 18-200mm DC (non OS) to fund a Canon 18-135mm IS you see on other (higher end?) model/kit.

Is that worth doing or just stick and learn with the 18-55?
 
Hi my first Dslr was the 450d abd I bought one of the dummies books specifically for the camera and it taught me how to use the camera completely totally recommend it and when u can spare done cash I would recommend the nifty fifty and the 55-250mm both are great value good luck
 
I did look into getting a Dummies for 450D guide but just thought about reading the tutorials here.

Recently purchased "Understanding Exposures" by Bryan Peterson and a free DL of "Digial SLR Settings & Shortcuts for Dummies" which will do for the time being
 
Garyman said:
Thanks for the informative post Moreorless

I was actually thinking of selling BOTH the 18-55 IS and Sigma 18-200mm DC (non OS) to fund a Canon 18-135mm IS you see on other (higher end?) model/kit.

Is that worth doing or just stick and learn with the 18-55?
Click to expand...

I'd say it depends on what range you think you need and whether your comfortable changing lenses.

Pretty much any lens that starts at 18mm and goes over 100mm is going to have signifcant weaknesses in image quality. The 18-135mm for example is ok up to 55mm(although not as good as your 18-55 kit) but pretty poor above that with very soft corners indeed, its not really built that much better than the kit either with the same noisey autofocus and rotating front element. That said if you really feel you need the range in one lens I spose a less than great shot is better than no shot at all.

If you really felt you needed more range than your 18-55 in one lens now I'd personally buy a Canon 17-85mm IS. Its not a perfect lens either(a little softer at the corners than your kit at the wide end but sharper in the center) but its got an acceptable performance over its entire range. Whats more its a higher standard lens than the 18-55 and 18-135 made of tougher plastic with better focus and zoom rings, USM autofocus which is faster and silent that you can adjust manually even in autofocus mode, a front element doesnt rotate so you can user a polarizer and 1mm more at the wide end. Has a bad rep as it was overpriced in the past but you can buy it used today for £200 very easily.

The other "quality beginner" lens that often gets recommended is the Tamron 17-50mm 2.8(not the VC version). Doesnt offer much more range than your kit lens but has a constant large appature which means its better for low light people shooting plus its very sharp indeed. Costs around £270 new and around £200 if you can find it used, not nearly as common as the 17-85mm though.

The real high quality zooms for a crop are the Canon 15-85mm IS and 17-55mm 2.8 IS but they cost around £600 and £700 respectively.
 
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Something i tell most noob's is to read the camera manual front to back. It makes a massive difference to understanding the basics and how to change all the settings on the camera.

As posted you can get all the manuals from the canon website and download them as PDF file.

I have a lot of kit and as the saying goes, all the gear and no idea, but im getting there :) And i have no doubts you will too, just have fun and take loads of photos.
 
So is it worth trading the 18-55 IS plus Sigma 18-200 for the Canon 15-85? noticed forum trader have one for just under £200.

Or just stick with 18-55?
 
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