Canon DSLR Accessories Help Please!

[Soccer Princess]

just ordered my first DSLR camera -- the Canon T3i!!! I am so excited, but I know I have a lot to learn.

Does it have everything I need with it for just starting out or are there some accessories I will need to buy to make it useable?

It came with a 16GB memory card. Will the pictures on this camera take up more room than my point and shoot (assuming they will?). If so, about how many pictures will it hold? We are going on a trip to WDW next week and want to make sure I have enough room.

Also the lens it came with is a 18-55mm. Will this be sufficient for most things there? Since I will only have it a few days before, would you recommend I bring this and my current Cybershot?

Any other tips and advice? Thanks!!

 

[photo_chick]

With the 18-55 kit lens and a memory card you're good to go. But if it were me I'd add a second battery and a couple of other memory cards to my bag to make sure I was covered.

Will the pictures take up more room... it depends on the file size of the cameras. Look at a file from each and compare.

 

[Wingman]

Good advice on the second battery and memory card. Other than that, just shoot for a while and see what you think you are missing. You can invest a lot of money into this hobby buying stuff that you don't really need.

 

[jfinke]

Good advice on the second battery and memory card. Other than that, just shoot for a while and see what you think you are missing. You can invest a lot of money into this hobby buying stuff that you don't really need.

This is very true. I have tons of stuff. I do try to use most of it, however.

You will probably want a lens of longer reach at some point. I will say this, save for what you want vs. compromising on cheaper stuff. I have a couple of lenses I regret buying because I ended up buying the better stuff a couple of months down the road.

 

[KCmike]

Hope you have fun. I would take both cameras just in case you have any issues. Always good to be prepared. When you look to extending your lenses you probably will want to make the 55-250 your next purchase. Its a great lens and gives good image quality (IQ) for the price of around $250. They call it the nifty two fifty. Practice as much as you can in all different lighting environments. Change the settings all the time to see what you like. I can't tell you enough to practice and shoot a lot before you go. Otherwise you will come back wishing you had.

 

[LordAthens]

I third the second battery. DSLR batteries last quite a long time, especially compared to P&S's, but that can be a issue as well. Many new DSLR shooters never remember to charge the battery because it lasts so long. I actually know of a few who even lost the charger before it needed recharging. Lithium Ion batteries will hold their charge for quite a while when sitting idle, so get the second battery, charge it and keep it in your bag.

I don't follow Canon very deeply so I'm not sure if one is available, but if they offer a vertical (aka "battery") grip for your body, I highly recommend them. It doubles your battery life (most will accept a second battery in the grip) and many will also accept AA's for emergency use. In addition to the power bonus's, the real use of them is being able to shoot portrait comfortably. Also, if you have larger hands, they make a smaller body feel much more secure. They are generally very pricey for the OEM brands (my Nikon grip was ~$270 for my D7k) but there are also usually 3rd party knockoff's available, some of them actually VERY good. There is a 3rd party grip available on Amazon for my Nikon for $40 and it includes travel charger!

 

[theduck619]

You can't go wrong with a extra battery! I also recommend a nice comfortable strap. The one that came with my Canon DSLR cut into the back of our necks. We found one over on Etsy and we love it. It really helped when we were in WDW and it was on our necks all day.

 

[KAYLI'S DAD]

Thanks for the advice on here. I also am a new T3i owner and I just ordered 2 batteries on amazon for $12.79 so I will have 3 batteries and I already have a 16gb and a 32gb and we are leaving in 3 weeks.

 

[larryz]

I don't follow Canon very deeply so I'm not sure if one is available, but if they offer a vertical (aka "battery") grip for your body, I highly recommend them. It doubles your battery life (most will accept a second battery in the grip) and many will also accept AA's for emergency use. In addition to the power bonus's, the real use of them is being able to shoot portrait comfortably. Also, if you have larger hands, they make a smaller body feel much more secure. They are generally very pricey for the OEM brands (my Nikon grip was ~$270 for my D7k) but there are also usually 3rd party knockoff's available, some of them actually VERY good. There is a 3rd party grip available on Amazon for my Nikon for $40 and it includes travel charger!

They are, indeed, and I recently picked up an OEM for my T2i -- it changes the profile from squat and rectangular to more square, and has function and shutter buttons making portrait shots every bit as easy as regular landscape photos.

It holds two of the battery packs in a slide-out carrier, and also comes with a 6 AA battery holder (also slide out) that can be used in an emergency if your battery packs are out of juice.

Of course, the portable intervalometer is a handy item to have as well -- unless the T3i natively shoots intervals (I dunno - the T2i doesn't, but the EOS software will handle it as long as you have a computer within USB distance). Could make for some neat time-lapse shots of fireworks on your tripod...

 

[larryz]

Thanks for the advice on here. I also am a new T3i owner and I just ordered 2 batteries on amazon for $12.79 so I will have 3 batteries and I already have a 16gb and a 32gb and we are leaving in 3 weeks.

Just realize that the $12.79 batteries are not OEM Canon... they run about $35 each...