First Time Out w/ my Rebel XT

[Tink10]

Well, we took our first trip to the zoo & I was like a mad woman with my Rebel XT.... Here are a few pics (I hope I resized them correctly) I'm a total novice, so any constructive criticism that anyone can offer would be great.......

TIA!

 

[Kelly Grannell]

everything is very nice except for the lion. The framing would be better if it's lower a bit so the front legs won't get cut off.

 

[Tink10]

Thanks so much Kelly........I was getting stampeded by a brownie troop & had a few issues getting a decent spot.....I did make up for it by getting a pic of just the lion's feet.....

I ended up taking about 800 shots & I couldn't wait to upload everything to my computer. I was so disappointed because so many things came out blurry.......It really makes me realize just how much I have to learn......

Thanks Again!

 

[Kelly Grannell]

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!! Good shot on the feet alone!

About camera shakes, try different ways of holding the camera. I'm sure you already know this but as a reminder, the right hand on the camera body, the left hand under the lens, angle your body a bit (don't make your body parallel to the camera body), usually with the left foot protuding out more than the right by about half the length of your foot (if not more). Lower your body a bit so the center of gravity is lower too.

Sorry if I'm preaching.

 

[Tink10]

Please don't apologize!!! Any advice that I can get is very welcome....

I took everthing in autofocus & guess that I will be until I fully understand all of the technicalities. (so many settings & whatnots) I'm just hoping that I'll have a better grasp of it all before I leave for The World" next month. (I really want to get some shots in some of the indoor rides)

Thanks Again!!

 

[Mellie0119]

Great shots! I've had a Rebel XT for about 7 months and am still learning.

I've found that if I take 100 pictures and get 10 or so *really* good ones, I'm doing well. Get a big CF card and go crazy- I have the 4gig card.

I really need to learn how to used the advanced settings because right now I have an $800 point and shoot. I've been pouring over my manual every chance I get, and am going to try and sneak in a photography class this summer (before our trip in August).

 

[goodferry]

I found this website VERY helpful, it really explains all the settings well and gives you the confidence to experiment with the creative modes
http://photoworkshop.com/canon/

 

[Mellie0119]

Thanks!

 

[captaincrash]

Don't forget that the shutter assembly has a finite lifespan. I believe it has been said that the life of he sgutter is under 35,000 actuations. I did not know this and sort of went bonkers shooting all sorts of things with my digital rebel and abruptly after 2 years I started getting error 99 messages. These messages interrupted function of the camera and would reset if I removed the battery. After researching the problem I tried the eraser solution on the lense / body contacts but had nominal results. In the end I sent it in for a new shutter for about $180 from Canon. After receiving it - I decided I would be a bit more judicious about my shots which forced me to think a little more. A good thing.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

That's the "problem" with digital. People shoot - then think. Treat digital just like a 35mm film, think - then shoot, then you'll have no problem with shutter lifespan or having too-little memory card.

 

[DonaldDuckFan]

did you use the lens that came with the camera for these or did you buy one? These look like GREAT close up shots!!! I've been considering buy the Rebel XT for a while and wanted a good close up lens for it, this looks really good.

TIA,
Amy

 

[Tink10]

Hi Amy & Thanks!


The Bear, The Blue Bird, The Wolf, The Hawk & The Baby Goose were all taken with a Canon EF 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS lens.

The others were all taken with a Sigma 18-200.

Because this was my first time out with my Rebel, I used auto-focus for everything, (because I haven't learned the technicalities yet )

 

[captaincrash]

I also have the Canon 70-300 f4-5.6 IS. It is a great lense and I love it! I've also HAD a Canon 28-200 (it was never tack sharp, and the construction left me indifferent); and I've had a Tamaron 18-200 f3.8-6.3. The Tamron was a strange lense that was ocassionally super tack sharp while just as often it seemed to not snyc and focus properly. It was a bit further out of focus then I would tolerate all too often. Yet it seemed to have achieved focus in the viewfinder. CLoser examination of the image on a computor monitor clearly revealed the extend the extent of error. I sold the Tamron after about 3 weeks. I cannot use an 18-55 KIT lense on the 10D without cutting the back off. I have yet to try that stunt to use it... although I have seem online sites that show how to do it.

 

[lmok]

Ok, This digital rebal xt slr is what I have been wanting to get. However, how will I know what lens I need to be using. And what about speeds and all of this stuff. Going on the cruise June 3rd and I'm afraid that if I get this camera and don't know how to use it I won't come home with get pictures. Right now I have a sony point and shoot. But after a Gatorade bath--I now need a new camera.

 

[captaincrash]

Even with the KIT lense you should get better results then most pocket cameras - depending on the subjects, shooting conditons, your skill and creative ambitions. If you're thinkinng of a lense to add to your KIT - then that is probably a somewhat personal consideration. IMHO you must already have some idea of how wide or narrow a perspective you weigh heavily with. Or - you may or may not be critical about image perfection. When I started usig my digital rebel I was quite happy with just the KIT lense. Then I added a 28-200 canon zoom and blissfully shot most shots with it. Only a year later were my suspicians cofirmed that the 28-200 was a bit of a dog. It was unsharp and sort of a poor performer all around. BUT - I was otherwise happy with the power of the DSLR body.

Then I swapped bodies (Replaced the Drebel with a 10D) and sold the 28-200 in favor of a Tamaron 18-200. This was curiously tack sharp at times - while at other times it actually missed focusing! I figure it was a design or software interface issue somehow since it was not a Canon lense. So at this point I was fed up with the underperforming Canon 28-200 and odd performing Tamaro 18-200 and I decided on a retail purchased Canon 70-300 IS f4-5.6 zoom. The 70-300 is a woderful lense and it seems to rival my comparisons against a 70-200 f4 L lense... plus the reviews peg it as a close performer on a 1.6 sensor. So I'm quite happy.

Now I am in the market for a 24-85 or a 28-105... depending on which comes up 1st as a bargain on Ebay or whether I get emotional about one or the other. For now I squeek by on the 70-300 and a Canon 20-35. I am not ready to plop down the big bucks for L lenses where I have difficulty seeig a difference or reading measured test results that certify the performance gains. Yeah... I know the L lenses are weather sealed, fit and function better then the consumer grade line - but I am really happy with the value and performance of the consumer line lenses.

If I were workig with a full frame sensor then I have no doubt that L lenses would be preferred if not required. I can see differences = but not so much when we are using the sweet spot of a lense in the 1.6 sensor DSLRs. Gotta love the design advantages there!

So... if you're thinking about another lense... maybe you could BORROW a lense from a Canon pal for the cruise. That might give you some experience with another focal range without the up frot expense. Either that or read about lenses here, on Fred Miranda and PhotoZone... and pick something to buy. I do believe though that you should NOT rush a decision. In thoery you will have the lennse for some time.... and resellig a used lense on Eay is a bit of a hassel.

Hope this helped more than confused you!

Cheers!

 

[JR6ooo4]

Nice shots! I love the zoo for practice. I am thinking of getting a year pass to Brookfield Zoo, chicago.

Check the shutter speed on the blurry pics. If it is near 1/60 or slower (like 1/10) then the shake was not completely your fault. Not many people can "handhold" a camera with a shutter that is open that long, IS will help some. Raising the ISO will allow a faster shutter and is one of the strong points of a DSLR. With my old Sony 717 I could see much noise at ISO 200. With my XT I can get printable shots at 800 or 1600.

Mikeeee
Also about the shutter life. Practice is the best teacher...
You can buy a MACK warranty, if the camera is new, to cover repairs or
I have "personal article insurance". All my cam equipment is about $80 annualy which includes accidental damage like dropping it in a pool. And no deductable. I have my policy with allstate. Also our two laptops are insured.