New dslr-what else do I need?

[4HOLIDAYS]

My DH surprised me with the T4i I had been wanting! Yah!

I haven't had anything but PnS for 8-10 yrs now. He got it with the 18-135mm STM and the 40mm STM pancake lenses.

1- Filters, we live near the beach, so that is a given situation for me. We do a lot of pics there every year. Friend has recommended B&W UV Haze MRC 010M filter. Thoughts?

2-I had been thinking more of the canon 50 f1.4 vs the 40mm 2.8 he got(he got it for $100 when he bought the camera) Will this be able to do about the same?

3-Any accessories that you wish you had had when you were starting off? Othere than more lenses? Like the bags, cleaning,diffusers...no big purchases.

I have the " Undersanding exposure" and trying to process all that info,but am right now just playing with the new camera trying to learn the settings and menus.

Thanks for sugestions and help.

 

[MolonLabe]

I'll be closely watching this, I just a T4i last week too. PnS for me too previously.

 

[SrisonS]

Congrats on all the new gear!!!! And those are a nice couple of lenses to start with too.

If you do a lot of low light shooting, the 50 1.4 will be a better bet [the 1.4 means it's a faster lens than the 2.8]. But see if you feel limited by the 40mm first. The 50mm is also a little too tight of a focal range for some; so that's something to keep in the back of your mind if you eventually start looking into getting one.

I would also say that a bag would be a good purchase. Even if you don't carry it everywhere, it's nice to have a safe place to put everything. And you can't beat having one when you go on vacation.

I'd also throw a tripod on the wish list; with some type of shutter release as well.

 

[photo_chick]

Filters.... I'd go for a circular polarizer first. I'm not a UV filter user myself since they really don't impact digital like they do film and can degrade image quality. Get a lens hood if you really want to protect the front element of your lens. You'll want a hood anyway to help control flare.

The 40mm f/2.8 STM... the plus is the STM lenses will auto focus when shooting video. It's a good bit faster than your 18-55 lens, but it is a little slower than a 50mm f/1.4. I've not used the 40mm myself yet, but if it were me I'd be inclined to keep it and maybe add a wider prime or something to my kit at a later date.

The first accessory I buy with a new body is a comfy strap. Then I buy an extra battery or two and twice as many memory cards as I think I'll need. My Lenscoat Bodybag is also another favorite accessory purchase of mine.

 

[SplashMo]

I keep a B&W UV filter on all my lenses to protect the lens.

Shoot for a while with the lenses you have. I really like my 85mm f1.8 . It really would add to your collection. Great portrait lens (very flattering). Also good for inside sports. Eventually you might want a faster wide angle lens. Lens choice comes down to what you shoot. If you have a kid in field sports you might get a lens with more reach at some point...

www.kenrockwell.com has a very straight forward aproach to lenses. He shoots nikon on the DSLR side but his comments cross over and he does review canon as well...

With the lens filter to protect the lens and a small bag you are ready to go. Congrats!

www.dpreview.com is a great site and they have a canon lens forum...

 

[honeylove]

The first accessory I buy with a new body is a comfy strap.

Totally agree on this one. Using the strap that comes with it, can be a pain, it would always dig into my neck/shoulder.

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

Thanks for quick answers. So far I love playing with the camera! I took pics with both lenses-what fun-love the low light!

I am going to get 1 extra battery immed,will add another befeore next trip. I have 2 or 3 mem cards that are Class 10 , 16 gb,20mb/s, should they be ones that write faster? I see ones that write 50mb/s-will that make much dif for me? I will prob get the 32 so I can do video as well.

I def. will want a lenscoat bodybag, I usually have a totebag as my usual purse so I was hoping to be able to keep the camera in the lenscoat inside my tote for normal use(non-trip) On a trip/vacation I think it will be around my neck mostly. Do you think it will be protected enough like that? I am careful with my totes-several are the dooney disney ones.

What do you girls do? Carry just a camera bag with everything from the puse in it? or the purse/tote with the camera equip added to that? Or one of each?

Is the hood for each size lense like a filter? I always see them,but thought they were for more advanced photographers.

My DH keeps saying I should get the circ pol filter as well, no idea what he is basing it on so I come here for some "real" advise.

Thanks again. I can't tell you how much advise and info I have gotten from reading this board over the last few months!

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Being a guy, I will not answer the question of bags! Besides I have a closet full of bags that at the time I thought were the answer to my prayers which soon became obsolete! My recommendation to all new DSLR owners is to slow down and start learning your camera, its bells and whistles, etc. You approach new equipment as problem solvers. I recommend that you start shooting at every opportune moment and learn your style of what you are going to shoot. When your existing equipment is not able to achieve what you want, research what equipment will allow you to do it. The photographer is usually the determining factor of good images, but there is an equipment factor. I speak from personal experience! Example: I shoot a lot of motorsports. As long as our races were day races, I was fine. Unfortunately, International Speedway Corporation decided to install lights and run night races. While my equipment was capable, it was a struggle. To solve the problem, I ended up buying a new camera body with higher usable ISO. Which also coincided with my purchase of the Sigma 30 f1.4 to capture the dark ride images at WDW (my personal obsession). Again, my recommendation is to approach all equipment purchases as problem solving endeavors.

Also, as far as UV filters, there are two schools of thought. Personally, I don't use them (except on rare occasions when I know I am in an extremely dangerous situation) for protection in deference to the aforementioned lens hood. The UV filter was almost a required piece of equipment back in the day of film because ultra-violet rays had a detrimental effect on the film. That does not exist today with DSLR's. I do not like extra pieces of glass between my subject and my sensor, if I can avoid it. If protection is a major concern and it gives you piece of mind then use it, with the knowledge that it may effect your images (especially if you use the cheaper ones).

 

[Hunnypaw]

Maybe a solid or good quality hand strap instead of a comfy neck strap? Options... options....

 

[Hunnypaw]

Also a speedlight is a nice accent when you need artificial lighting.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

What do you girls do? Carry just a camera bag with everything from the puse in it? or the purse/tote with the camera equip added to that? Or one of each?

I will tackle this one as I have struggled with it and have posted threads about it myself in the past.

Personally, I have a collection of camera bags now, all of which I have things I like about and things I don't like about. As my bag has gotten bigger and heavier, I wanted to find something that had room to put my few "girly" essentials in so I didn't have to carry a pocketbook as well. (No freakin way!) Protection of my gear is important to me as I carried a Canon bridge camera in my pocketbook around for years as a spare and it became trashed. (Now what I have is too big and bulky to do that anyway.) Comfort is another aspect that's caused me to buy and buy some more via trial and error.

So...

Currently I have a Slingshot 302 for my dSLR and gear and girly essentials. No problem with space. Also water resistant. For the mirrorless I still have everything in a Crumpler but that's the bag I'm most disappointed with as it's "rounded out" over time and was horribly uncomfortable to carry at WDW. I'll be moving everything from there into the Slingshot 100 which I bought when I first got my dSLR and is still in as good condition today as it was then, several years ago. What's nice about the Slingshots is that you can wear them as a backpack but they slide around without taking them off so you can get your gear out. Not ideal with breasts, lol, but better, IMO, than a bag that doesn't have that feature and that you have to carry on your shoulder, which gets old and painful really fast. Realistically, you do still do a lot of taking the bag on and off for rides, bathroom breaks, meals, etc., but overall, carrying it on your back, I find, is easiest.

Every woman will have a different opinion, of course. Newer, more feminine, user-friendly bags have also emerged so those would be worth taking a look at as well. If you carry a good deal of equipment around in large bag (or will in the near future), carrying a pocketbook around on top of that is a PIA, particulary at the parks. When I have my car I keep everything in there, no problem. (Both camera bags and a purse.) But carrying a big bag around the hot parks all day (and some other places even at home) is one of the more unpleasant tasks related to this hobby.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Alternatively, you could always get yourself one of these:

 

[photo_chick]

I def. will want a lenscoat bodybag, I usually have a totebag as my usual purse so I was hoping to be able to keep the camera in the lenscoat inside my tote for normal use(non-trip) On a trip/vacation I think it will be around my neck mostly. Do you think it will be protected enough like that? I am careful with my totes-several are the dooney disney ones.

What do you girls do? Carry just a camera bag with everything from the puse in it? or the purse/tote with the camera equip added to that? Or one of each?

I seldom carry a purse, my camera bag often serves that purpose. I do have a camera bag that looks like a purse (a Jo Totes) for when I need something a little nicer or less conspicuous. But a lot of times I go out with the camera and just the bodybag on it (I have the bodybag that accommodates the camera with a lens on it) and nothing else. At WDW I carry a hip pack that holds our ponchos and water bottles. I tend to stick an additional lens or two in there, cushioned in the ponchos.

I do know several photographers who have made foam compartments to drop into their favorite purse. Crumpler also makes one now. so that's also an option.

Is the hood for each size lense like a filter? I always see them,but thought they were for more advanced photographers.

You do need a hood to fit each lens diameter. The job of a hood is to help control flare and anyone can benefit from that. Considering that entry level glass is more prone to flare than professional glass in my book new photographers could benefit even more.

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

I am not going to rush into a bag -I am the one who carried the lumix, video, water, res info, glass cases...all in my tote. My DH thinks I have too many bags already-I really don't, he just thinks if you have 2, than that's about enough! I will have to read lots of reveiws and reread some of the threads before buying one.

I will ck into the straps and hoods. I appreciate the info. These are things I wouldn't have even thought about.

Anyone have thoughts on the mem cards? Does it make much dif to someone just starting out? Does that write speed make a big dif? How does it effect your use?

Tues night is my son's ice hockey game so I can't wait to see how the camera will do. I'm off to read more of the manual and books!

 

[photo_chick]

Write speeds really come into play if you do a lot of burst shooting or record video. If you shoot a frame, wait a few minutes then shoot another a slower card won't affect you much. But if you're rapid fire spraying and praying you will want a faster card.

I have cheaper slow cards mostly with a few fast cards that I pull out in the situations where I need them. It works for me. Some people like all fast cards, some don't care.... it's really dependent on how you shoot.

 

[SrisonS]

Also a speedlight is a nice accent when you need artificial lighting.

I completely forgot about an external flash. But I highly recommend getting one. You could run into issues with the on-camera one, while using the 18-135 (especially if you get a lens hood). But an external flash is way better, no matter what.

Yongnuo makes a good, inexpensive one too.