rob answers:

Hi,

There is no best lens. There are over 60, all meant for different purposes. Most people with the 7D would know it

But alright, what is it that you intend to shoot? For example, for bugs and macro, a macro lens will be the best. For animals far away and portraits, telephoto etc.

Here’s a Lens Buying Guide – http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2009/11/buying-a-lens/

rob answers:

Apple Quicktime Pro is what you need, which will allow you to work on the video from your 7D directly, or convert it to another format that is more easily worked with, such as AVI or WMV.

You get it directly from Apple, I believe the cost is about $30.

rob answers:

When was the last time that you had picked up your Owners Manual? 99% of the time you would had discovered on HOW TO TURN ON THE FLASH SIMPLY BY READING THE OWNERS MANUAL.

rob answers:

Manual mode is for setting everything yourself. If you don’t know how, don’t use it.

rob answers:

I don’t know of any recovery software that will work while connected through the camera.

You need a card reader, which will show up as a drive letter in Windows. Make sure the reader can handle CF cards. I use PC Inspector Smart Recovery (free), and it works like a charm. A card reader will cost you all $20 if you buy an expensive one. You can probably find one for less than $10.

rob answers:

To take a properly exposed picture, the exposure needs to be right. Exposure is a combination of shutter speed (how long the exposure lasts), lens aperture (how big the hole is in the lens which the light comes through – bigger holes let in more light), and sensitivity (the ISO setting on the camera – a higher ISO means the camera sensor is set to be more sensitive to light). These need to be balanced properly for your pictures to be correctly exposed, and getting the exposure right is one of the primary skills a photographer needs to have.

Tv = shutter priority mode. You set the shutter speed to what you want it to be, and the camera sets the aperture (and ISO, I guess, if auto ISO is turned on) to whatever will give the best exposure. However, some shutter speeds may just be too fast to get a usable shot under some conditions – for instance, setting a shutter speed of 1/1000 in shutter priority mode for taking photos indoors isn’t going to give you much joy. Shutter priority’s usually used for things like sports, where the photographer wants to make sure the camera uses a fast shutter speed to freeze the action.

In manual mode, the camera will let you do pretty much what you want – it’s getting right out of the way and letting you do whatever creative stuff you want. When the shutter speed’s high, your pictures are dark because not enough light is getting to the sensor. At lower shutter speeds the shutter is open for longer, and if it stays open for long enough the image will be blurry because you can’t hold the camera absolutely still, so you need to use a tripod and make sure your subject’s not moving.

Why not keep the camera in fully automatic mode for a bit while you get used to it? You can watch the apertures and shutter speeds the camera picks for you in auto mode to see what sort of combinations are likely to work for what subjects, then move onto Program mode, which sets both shutter and aperture but gives you a bit more control than fully auto, then experiment with aperture priority and shutter priority. There are few reasons to switch to fully manual mode in general photography these days – the closest I seem to come to it now is aperture priority..

rob answers:

Depends on the condition really but it’s a pretty good deal and assuming it works you can go a long way with it. Get some 35mm film, and maybe some books out of the library on the basics of photography and learn to use the manual functions and enjoy it!

rob answers:

You can sit with it and the user manuals, even while watching TV and play with all the controls to the point where using it becomes intuitive.

Composition you can learn here

http://photoinf.com/General/Robert_Berdan/Composition_and_the_Elements_of_Visual_Design.htm

rob answers:

Http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastcentralillinoiswxphotography93/

In my opinion you are ready to step up to either a Canon 7D which can use the EF-S lens you already own or all the way up to a 5D Mark II full-frame DSLR. Just remember that the 5D can only use the EF lenses and definitely not the EF-S ones. The 7D of course uses the same size sensor as your XS although with improvements.

7D review:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/E7D/E7DA.HTM

5D Mark II review:

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/E5D2/E5D2A.HTM

Happy shopping.

rob answers:

I just got my Rebel this past weekend and I’ve felt intimidated with the options plus the pressure I’ve put on myself to start producing incredible shots immediately. But greatness takes time and what I’ve been told from the few professional photographers I know is that the best way to learn the art is through experience. Books are good for building your basic foundation, however, each camera is different, so just get out there and shoot. Keep a log of the settings you use for each shot (a lot of that information will be saved in the metadata of the image’s file). When you upload them to your computer, compare what settings worked in what situation.

rob answers:

I would “think” you would also need some proof of purchase receipt. I have a Canon D60 I bought in 2002 and it still has the original, unused warranty card with it, however, I certainly know I could not get any free work done on it. Canon surely must track serial numbers and date of manufacturer. Sending in the warranty card is not even necessary when purchasing a new camera. I am thinking that any authorized dealer reports the serial number to the manufacturer of any sold camera. The purchaser really only needs proof of purchase to obtain warranty work. The card just makes the process a little faster and convenient. So in your case, I would not feel too confident that you could get warranty work done free if needed.

Of course, as the others said, camera repair has nothing to do with original ownership. You can certainly get it worked on, but you will be charged for it.

Steve

rob answers:

Yes you can. There will be a charge if the warranty is over but if you something that is second hand that has a valid warranty, the warranty should be honoured.

rob answers:

That is impossible to answer. It may be something trivial, for instance that something was just shook loose inside the camera by you dropping it, to something crucial, for instance that the lens was cracked or the inner workings smashed by you dropping it. Get a price quote from somewhere that repairs such cameras, and then decide whether it’ll be worth repairing or if you should start saving for a new one.

rob answers:

Hoy! There’s a Search utility at the top of this page. O, ayan – http://www.canon.com.ph/section/aboutus/offices.jsp . Next time, use it.

The service headquarters is in Muntinlupa, along the highway between Bicutan and Sucat, right side from Makati. Good luck with Canon. Consider it standard procedure if they charge you higher than the cost of the camera.

rob answers:

If it’s under warranty…you could owe possibly nothing. But they should be able to give you an estimate on the phone if you describe the problem. Generally companies have a flat fee for an inspection and then apply that toward the repair cost if you OK getting the camera fixed. But contacting the company will give you a better idea as to the cost.

Most companies also require you call for a Return Authorization Number, so it’s a good idea to call them anyway.

rob answers:

I am a t2i user, but being as unbiased as possible, after comparing my t2i and nikon d90, the Canon has far superior quality and manual functions than the Nikon. There is a wide variety of manual controls and you are not limited by any automatic functions.

As for focusing in DSLRs, most has to be done manually (it’s quite hard at first but you’ll like it a lot better than autofocus in the long run!) the D5100 offers autofocus in video mode but as seen on YouTube videos, it is still quite jerky and you’re better off using manual. Camcorders lack in quality, freedom and overall control. Focus is all automatic and I doubt there is manual focus (unless they are higher end camcorders)

But trust me DSLRs will do you much good in the future than camcorders, it is an investment!

rob answers:

You can’t go wrong no matter what you choose. You might as well try to choose between chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Chevy or Ford. Christina or Britney. Coke or Pepsi.

You can’t go wrong and which ever you choose you will love your camera.

Some of the general Canon / Nikon Snob arguments that don’t make a difference… …
Canon – Faster Autofocus
Nikon – More lens options
Canon – prefered for digital video recording
Nikon – better lenses

What do I use?
My first camera was an advance point and shoot from Canon.
My first dslr was a Canon 500D. I choose the canon over the nikon because i was more familiar with the menu system.

Personal opinion:
anyone trying to split hairs on this are not really taking or creating pictures.

rob answers:

There seems to be some confusion about the entry level Nikon cameras and the fact that they do not have a built-in auto-focus motor. This on its face may seem to mean something negative. Actually all the ultra-fast auto focus lenses made by Nikon, the AF-S lenses do NOT need a focusing motor in the cameras they are used on.

Since AF-S lenses are available in all the focal lengths that new users find affordable, this whole issue becomes a non-issue. What some Canon users don’t discover until they decide much later to buy a 5D or 1D full frame camera, is that ALL of their EF-S lenses they have been using their fine APS-C cropped sensor cameras have to be replaced since they cannot be used on those full frame camera. Those lenses stick too far into the cameras body and damage the mirror and the mirror can scratch the lenses rear element.

I would be more concered about how the cameras sensors compare. How well they perform in low light like shooting night or indoor sports

Here are how those sensors compare.

Http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Cameras/Compare-Camera-Sensors/Compare-cameras-side-by-side/(appareil1)/698%7C0/(brand)/Nikon/(appareil2)/692%7C0/(brand2)/Canon

So as you can see, there is NO free lunch when you are discussing entry level cameras. Once you spend over $1,000 for a Nikon dSLR, the need to use only AF-S lenses if you want to use auto-focus becomes moot.

rob answers:

Nikon D5100 is better. I suggest you read this review to get more details about it:

http://www.amazon.com/review/R3RXULR8A4H60T/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B004V4IWKG&nodeID=&linkCode=&tag=famavca-20

There are some great discounts for it on here:

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-D5100-Digital-18-55mm-3-5-5-6/dp/B004V4IWKG/ref=cm_rdp_product&tag=famavca-20

Hope this helps.

rob answers:

None of them have black and white feature for video. And that’s really silly..you can do it on your computer in a few seconds with lots of different programs.

D5100 has a bit better AF in video, but real videos in DSLRs are focused manually. 600D has better sound recording options, Magic Lantern firmware possibility and 60fps in HD video if you will ever do slow motion. Quality is the same, great videos will depend on you in the end.

Here’s a DSLR Buying Guide – http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2009/11/which-dslr-to-buy/

rob answers:

You can do better than $950.

Here are some deals I just found:

(1st link below: B&H Photo)
*Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR Kit w/ EF-S/18-55 IS – $ 849.95 (plus free USA shipping)

(2nd link below: Adorama)
*Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR Kit w/ EF-S/18-55 IS – $ 849.95 (plus free USA shipping)

(3rd link below: Buydig.com)
*Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR Kit w/ EF-S/18-55 IS – $ 849.95

(4th link below: KEH Camera)
*Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR Kit w/ EF-S/18-55 IS – $ 849.95

(5th link below: Calumet Photo)
*Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR Kit w/ EF-S/18-55 IS – $ 849.95

Hope this helps.

Mark

rob answers:

Try here

rob answers:

We bought ours from Best Buy and its currently only $800 there plus tax and shipping. However, its fine to buy it from Amazon as well to save on shipping costs. Just keep in mind they sell 2 different ones. 1) body only and 2) body plus a cheap lens to get you started. If you have no lenses it will be best to get the one with the lens for now (its not the best lens but it works for us right now)!

rob answers:

Camp out? No.
Get there early? Most definitely.
There simply isn’t the demand for new cameras in the same manner as the latest film of that teenaged vampire series.

rob answers:

Best Buy has about the best prices on dSLR’s

B&H Photo is a reputable on-line store too.

Don’t fall for the scams that offer those cameras for far below the MSRP and include a whole lot of extra goodies in the bargain.

Just pay what you have to pay at Best Buy and be done with it. In the end, it will save you a lot of grief

rob answers:

You will really have to wait until the camera has been in use for six months or so.

Always choose the least expensive camera body. Spend the left over money on a second and third lens.

rob answers:

Yes, the T1i and T2i have the exact same lens compatibility

the T2i has a better sensor and better video capability and is overall a better camera than the T1i

is it worth it? Yes. For $640? Absolutely yes… But do look if it is a body only, or if it comes with an 18-55mm lens

rob answers:

The T2i has significant improvements made over the T1i. Some says that it is a mini-7D. The list of improvements is too long to post here but read the review below. The review is very long but you just need to read page 1-Introduction and Pg 29 -Conclusion. You will find comparison between the 2 cameras in these sections.

rob answers:

I have had my T2i since early March (2010). I was one of the lucky ones to find it when it just came out and was hard to find in stock. As someone who was considering the T1i before this one came out, I empathize with those of you trying to decide between the two cameras.

Right before I purchased the T2i I rented a T1i for the weekend to see if I was ready to jump into the DSLR world. I wasn’t sure if the camera would intimidate me or if the picture quality would be worth the price tag. At the time there were not T2i’s to rent. Having had a Canon advance point and shoot, it was easy to adjust to the T1i. I was hooked and needed one. So the question became: “T1i or T2i?”

The T2i and the T1i look and feel a lot a like. I decided to get the T2i for a few reasons:

1. The specs are like a 7D, but I’m paying less than $1000. I particularly like the 63 metering zones and true ISO 6400.
2. Button layouts are better on the T2i. With a cursory look, you need to do a double take to see the differences, but they’re there and they are time savers. The Quick Control button let’s you adjust settings, well, quickly.
3. Full HD. Although I do not shoot movies with the camera yet. I figure, if i decide a year or two from now to do it, I don’t want to feel tempted to go out and buy a newer camera.
4. It’s the Latest and Greatest. Again, I don’t plan on buying another camera for a while. If the two are not that different, I rather have the new version.

What I like about the camera:

Great pictures no matter the lighting. I have a Canon S3 IS, and I loved the pictures I took with it outdoors, especially on a sunny day. But when it was time to come indoors and in places with not too much light, I was not as impressed. The T2i shines indoors and outdoors. With my EF 50mm 1.8 II and the right ISO, I have taken pictures that I never could with my S3 IS. Since I have not travelled with it yet, I mostly do portraits of my family. I also love the way it isolated the subject and the color accuracy.

I shoot mostly with the kit lens and the 50mm 1.8. I and everybody I show my pictures to love them. That is to say, the kit lens is just fine for me. I haven’t trained my eyes yet, so maybe I’ll look back and shake my head at some of the shots. Until I do, I’ll save money on lenses. I plan to pick up a zoom lens and/ or a telephoto lens (for the range, not as a Kit lens replacement).

Shooting in RAW. There are those that say amateurs should not shoot in RAW and larger + fine JPEGs are good enough. I don’t disagree with that, but for me, I like having all the data to edit with. With JPEGs one can only edit and save so many times before you’re pictures started to get really grainy. I was always gun shy about edits, and avoided making too many corrections. With RAW, I have so much room to correct, and I am becoming more confident about post processing.

Advice from one newbie amateur to others looking to enter the DSLR world:
Set a budget and stick to it. There’s a lot of gear out there, and there are the low end and high end prices. Without a budget, you can easily get tempted to go high. If you have the money to go high, great. If you don’t have high end money, don’t let snooty reviewers or sales people guilt you into blowing your budget. Beware of folks who compare consumer level gear with professional gear. If something is in your price range and you like the results, then go for it, even if it is not as good as Gear X that is 4 times the price.

Good luck and happy shopping. Pick a camera and get out there and shoot already!

rob answers:

Hey,

Skip Olympus..Canon and Nikon have been here in DSLR area the longest.

The T2i has less noise, better video, better LCD and better shaped body than the T1i. That’s it. If you really want the T1i cause T2i is too expensive, then rather get the Nikon D3100

Here’s a post called ‘Buying a DSLR, what’s important, megapixels, features, brand, price and which one to buy – http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2009/03/which-dslr-to-buy.html

Here’s a review of he T2i: http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2010/06/canon-eos-550dt2i-dslr-review.html

Good luck! The site has many more tutorials, tips, reviews and guides!

rob answers:

There’s no major difference between these two cameras. But, as I own the 450D (XSi), I naturally lean towards it over the XS (which is known as a ‘crippled’ XSi).

The main differences are…

The XSi has 2 extra megapixels (only a slight gain), but it DOES have a little better high ISO performance over the XS.
A spot meter (the XS lacks this)
a proximity sensor (this is very cool, the XS doesn’t have this)
wireless (IR) shooting capability (the XS does not allow this)
3″ LCD v 2.5″ LCD
3.5fps v 3.0 (less, when shooting RAW + Jpeg)
slightly better viewfinder

So, if you really do prefer the ‘look’ of the XSi, then by all means, if you can afford it…then it’s the one I recommend. But, the XS is still be perfectly fine if you are not prepared to pay the extra dollars for a few extras. Just beware of some of these kit deals. If they are very cheap, it’s usually because they include ultra cheap, budget zoom lenses. One budget zoom lens to avoid is the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III because it’s a fairly poor lens, overall (build and image quality). A better choice is the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM.

So, when deciding on which lens to buy, remember, you usually get what you pay for. You can never go wrong with a prime (one focal length) lens, though. These are super fast, and great for low light & portrait photography. Some ‘prime’ examples are…
EF 50mm f/1.8 (ultra cheap at less than US $90, but very sharp image quality)
EF 50mm f/1.4 (faster, better overall)
EF85mm f/1.8 (a very good lens). I own this and am happy with it’s performance. Bokeh is very nice.
EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro (great for close up work and also excellent for portraits, a top lens). Etc. Etc.

Good luck…

rob answers:

I think you mean D5000 or D3000. Nikon at this point, to my knowledge, doesn’t make a D500 and the D300 is about $1500 new. For what you’re doing, I’d say Nikon. If you were shooting sports or a lot of low light stuff, I think Canon is a better choice. I prefer Nikon’s color representation for Nature stuff and its clarity for portraiture. They both make excellent equipment. I don’t think one is super dominant over the other across the board. I just think for your applications, you’ll get the performance you want out of the Nikon.

rob answers:

Here is a link to almost everything you may want to know

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/nikon-d3-d300.shtml

Both are great cameras and the only reason to pick one over the other is how well they fit into your shooting style and subjects.

How well they fit in your hands is one important feature and another is which cameras menu is the easiest for you to navigate when making changes in ISO, white balance, resolution and EV adjustments

And finally, perhaps the most important how the resulting image files look on your computers much larger monitor. To do this, take a SD card with you into a camera store and test both brands entry level cameras

rob answers:

That’s not the only difference. The XSi has more colour depth 42-bit vs. 36-bit, an extra metering mode (spot), a higher burst rate, more autofocus points, and live-view. However, if none of those things mean anything to you then you’d probably be happy with the XS.

rob answers:

It looks like you’ve done your homework.

I would go with the XS even though it’s a bit more and here’s why.

With every generation there are improvements made. The pics are a little cleaner at high ISO, auto focus is better, and there’s a huge jump in quality when it comes to the LCD screen. The XT has a tiny, low quality one.

It’s nice to have the bigger, higher quality screen to review your pics more accurately in the field.

I remember when I got my first dSLR, the first thing I wanted to do was upgrade, so I learned my lesson. I now apply that to my lens purchases. Get the best and newest body you can afford. So if you can swing the XS, get it.

While the XT is a fine camera, it’s old in the digital world, heck the XTi is old-ish.

As you stated, the 50mm f1.8 will be a great starter piece of glass while you save up and research your next purchase. One other thing to make note of. Let’s say you have this camera for 6 month or a year and want to move up, you can move it.

Try to move an XT a year from now, you’ll have to give it away as they go for nothing now (body only).

Anyway, my two cents. Good luck.

rob answers:

Hi Michael. I’ve been a pro at this business in both television and stills for over 30-years and I truly admire anyone with the gusto to try to start a business or at least want to take quality photos even as a hobby.

Let me ask has your wife had any formal training in photography, say from a school or a pro who has lots of experience? If not you may want to consider that. Just get in touch with a friend who has that kind of experience. If you have none I’ll be glad to email some tips if you’re interested.

The only reason I bring this up is because if you’re going to make a substantial investment in gear perhaps it would be a good thing if she knows something about photography up front.

Sorry if I sound too cautious… I’m only trying to get you think about the investment before you make it. I live by the 5 P’s. Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.

If you want to discuss further you can reach me through my profile.

Good Luck – Jim

rob answers:

If you invested in multiple lenses and/or speed lights for your D3000 then you’ll probably want to stick with a Nikon. The D90 is definitely a good choice. Plus, since you already have the lenses, you can buy just a body and save a hundred bucks or so.

If you’ve only been using the 18-55mm lens kit lens, then I’d go with the T2i. It’s a monster of a machine for the price ($800 for the camera and 18-55mm lens kit? Sheesh.).

A good idea, though, when you’re getting started is to get a camera that you like and stick with their camera lines so you’re not stuck buying new lenses, lights, etc. Whenever you upgrade.

rob answers:

The XSi (450D) actually has better RAW performance than the T1i (500D). So, if you expect the very best in RAW shooting , the XSi is the better camera.

But, if you’re just shooting in Jpeg, you won’t notice any real difference at all.

rob answers:

XSi:
-Cheaper
-Very similar pictures to other two models

T1i:
-Middle ground
-Video capability
-Video on full automatic settings only

-T2i:
-Most expensive
-30FPS @ 1080P video capable
-Video on manual settings allowed.
-Better metering system

So, do you need manual settings in video mode, 30FPS 1080P video, or a better metering system? If not, look at the T1i or XSi. From there, do you need video at all? If not, get the XSi. If you do need video, choose the T2i if you need 30FPS @ 1080P video or video on manual settings, or the T1i if you don’t care about those things.

Personally, since I don’t use video, my vote is for the XSi. Image-wise, it takes very close if not the same pictures as the other two cameras. As a beginner, you’re better off going with a cheap body and high quality lenses than the other way around.

As with lenses, try the EF-S 18-135mm IS lens, or the 28-135mm IS USM lens. Better reach than the 18-55mm lens, slightly better optical quality, and the 28-135mm has an ultrasonic AF motor, which is both faster and quieter than the standard AF motor.

If you’re planning low-light, you should also look at fast lenses. The 50mm f/1.8 is a cheap yet fast lens, and with its large max aperture, is very well suited for portraits (narrow DoF) and low-light situations.

Hope that helps!

rob answers:

Go into your local camera store and hold both cameras in your hands and see how they feel to you.

My guess is that the T1i at 1600 ISO will out perform the XS, maybe even at 3200 ISO. To test that, take a memory card with you and shoot both cameras in the store at those ISO’s and then when you get home, look at the results on your computers screen.

If you are going to be shooting concerts, routinely and charging a fee, you may want to save your pennies and buy one of the better performing Canon 5D, Mark II.

Here is the XS to T1i comparison.

Http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/eng/Image-Quality-Database/Compare-cameras/(appareil1)/268%7C0/(appareil2)/319%7C0/(onglet)/0/(brand)/Canon/(brand2)/Canon

As you can see, there is very little difference between the two.

There are those who look at the numbers and reviews written by fellow users, but not written by professional reviewers or professional photographers. Most of the poor ratings have more to do with the users expectations vs. Photographic skills, so even a camera like the amazing Nikon D3x can perform like junk in the hands of someone who thinks that the camera make the shot.

The only way to know what camera is best for you and the conditions you shoot under, is for YOU to do the tests and you make the decisions.

Do the ISO test and then you will know

rob answers:

I highly recommended. It’s great picture quality super fast load time almost instant .the hd video is great .

rob answers:

Your pictures could be way under exposed. Turn the dial to the green box or P and take a picture. You could have been in one of the manual modes and have either a really fast shutter speed or really small aperture and not letting in enough light for proper exposure.

Also… Try removing the lens cap. Ok, I’m just kidding, but you wouldn’t believe how many people I’ve seen trying to take a picture with the lens cap still on.

rob answers:

Http://shortcamerareviews.com/canon-digital-rebel-xsi-digital-camera-review/

This should help

rob answers:

I have the Rebel XT and I love it, it takes great pictures, and you can buy it in a bundel with multiple lenses.
Here is a picture I have taken with it to let you see the quality.

It is a great camera and i love the quality, the only problem is going between lenses.
The 18-55mm is a good one, yet small.
The 75-300mm is also good
As well as the 55-200mm is great
I have worked with these three and love them!

Good luck with your choice, maybe try going to a store and holding both and taking pictures with both, a camera should be a personal choice. Black or silver no real difference, I have the silver but the black is quite nice.
Here is a link to buy cheap Rebel XT’s its only 289, new!
Http://www.1wayphoto.com/products.asp?dept_id=10264&product_id=12991

rob answers:

Best Buy has a great selection of SLR cameras. Check out the website too…they have a lot of sales that are offered on the websites and not in stores. It’s always good to compare them both.

I would also recommend trying www.craigslist.com it’s a great way to search for cameras that people are trying to sell in your area, a lot of the time they are barley used and you can get great deals. You also have to meet with the people who are selling the items, that way you can probably test it out before you buy it.

I’ve used a version of this camera that is a few years old and I loved it. It takes great quality photos and the lens it comes with is amazing. Depending on what your going to use the camera for, it would be good to buy additional lenses for it as well.

rob answers:

That completely depends on what you will be photographing. Landscapes? Family and friends? Flowers?

I find it strange that you spend over $2,000 on a camera body but have no idea what type of lens to use…

rob answers:

The most secure place to order it online is

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G5ZTMM?ie=UTF8&tag=mailproduct-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001G5ZTMM

You can get new one from $3000 (approx) and used ones from $1600

rob answers:

Here is the fisheye designed for your camera, in fact it is the only fisheye lens made by Canon. There are NO EF-S fisheye lenses available for the smaller EOS DSLR’s like the Rebel and xxD series cameras.

Http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/12069-USA/Canon_2535A003_Fisheye_EF_15mm_f_2_8.html

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=151&modelid=7321

rob answers:

NO … Don’t try it. NO EF-S lens can be used on any of the 5D or 1D EOS cameras. It can damage the cameras mirror.

The way Canon puts it, “EF-S lens mount — exclusively for EOS 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D and Digital Rebel bodies”

There you have it

rob answers:

The 5D2 is an exceptional stills camera, one of the best sensors out there, great resolution and good pixel density, all meaning low noise detailed images.

The 5D2 doesn’t have canons best AF or best frame rate, but all perfectly adequate for most users.

If you want faster you may be better looking at the 7D, if you want the same IQ but a faster body then you need to look at the 1Dsmk3.

The 5D2 is not an inexpensive camera but you really do get an awful lot for your money. Think of the video as an add-on rather than the other way around.

rob answers:

Whenever I have a question/problem such as yours, I read the user’s guide (aka “the manual”).
It is amazing just how much I always learn from that.

If that doesn’t help (or if I’m interested in a product I don’t own), I check the manufacturer’s website.
They have descriptions and specs for their gadgets, often have user forums, and the decent manufacturers all let you download the manuals in electronic form (so losing the book is no longer a problem).

99% of the time that does the trick.

Having said that, “Live View” on a DSLR is not the same as the screen on a P&S.
You can hold a P&S at arm’s length in the typical snapshooter’s position (and that is such a bad technique), but thankfully you can’t do that for very long with a heavy DSLR & lens combo.
Live view has its uses occasionally , for instance for macro shots, but it isn’t instant like the display on a P&S, it sort of lags, and just doesn’t feel right.
Live View is not meant to replace the view finder, a serious photographer uses the view finder because it is vastly superior, full stop.
I was excited about my first DSLR with live view, but very quickly gave up on it again – the view finder is so much better.

rob answers:

Canon lenses are among the best of the best in lenses. They make higher quality versions (which are also better) of the same lenses, such as the 17-55mm f2.5(?) as compared to the kit 18-55mm lens

if you want higher quality, you will have to spend the big bucks.

It also matters what you want to do. Do you want a standard lens? Canon makes an f/1.2 50mm lens that is just plain awesome

rob answers:

The ppi (pixels per inch) or dpi dots per inch really means nothing. What? It only means something when you print or view on a monitor. There is no such thing as a dSLR with 300 ppi or 72dpi etc.

For example… Let’s say you have a 12 megapixel camera. On the long side, the pixel count is about 4200. That means that a print, 10 inches on the long side will have about 420 pixels per inch. Make sense?

That’s all it is. Until you print it or view it.. It all means nothing.

Where it does limit you is to a particular print size. For example, let’s say you have a requirement by a photography class or client, and they want no less than 300ppi, that means you can only go up in print size until you reach that. That happens around a 11×14 size with a 12 MP camera.

rob answers:

Here’s the Rebel product line:
Digital Rebel (300D) –> Digital Rebel XT (350D) –> Digital Rebel XTi (400D) –> Digital Rebel XSi (450D)
After the XSi was released, a new, lower-end/priced line was introduced:
Digital Rebel XS (1000D)

Differences of the XS include:
two more megapixels
larger screen
live view
longer burst length

You can read reviews on all the Canon dslrs here:
http://the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-Digital-SLR-Camera-Reviews.aspx

rob answers:

They are both excellent entry level cameras. The bodies are on par and which you buy has more to do with the camera system you decide to build .. Changing between DSLR camera makers is far too expensive to be a viable plan, so choose wisely.

Currently both Nikon and Canon supply all the cameras and lenses used by the photographers who shoot for “deadline” clients (news, sports, etc).

When it comes to the most bang for the buck, Nikon seems to have the system for entry level photographers.

The best thing to do, is to just go into a camera store and hold both cameras in your hands … If you really want to test them, take an SD memory card with you and shoot using both cameras, using their respective 18-55 mm lenses at the lowest and highest ISO settings. Take the card home and look at the results.

rob answers:

Wow, I’ve been working for camera companies for the last 10 years and I’ve never heard of a designation of ‘pc body only’. I’d be very leary of this. I searched to try and find the ad you referenced and found a place with that designation and then looked them up at http://www.resellerratings.com. I won’t use the company name here, but let’s just say if it’s the same, a lifetime rating of .61/10 (yes, that is a decimal point at the beginning) is not a good thing. Run away!

rob answers:

I bought mine from beachcamera.com. It had good reviews from past customers. Shop for the best deal for your particular canon model, but make sure the website has great reviews. Some online stores are really bad and they tend to get bad reviews.

rob answers:

1. Http://www.dpreview.com/

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/

2. Http://www.dcresource.com/forums/

rob answers:

Take a photography course – (generally they use a film camera though) – the skills that you learn will be usable with your 5d. Think of it this way – the more you put in to learn how to use it, the more you’d get out of it.

rob answers:

Have you tried contacting Canon support either in Europe , UK or the US to confirm the warranty coverage – start there

rob answers:

One lens we use (on a T3i in fact) and can highly recommend is the Tamron Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD, its at $459 on B & H.

This is a versatile lens that gives you some focus range and can also do some really nice macros. You can search Flickr for photos of this one too.

rob answers:

You don’t actually believe those guys do you? One guy says this another guy says that and still another says something else.

Why would you even consider basing a camera purchase on what all these guys like and don’t like.
The real question is, what do you like? What do you want?

Buy based on what you want and need not what a bunch of guys beating the bushes tell you.

rob answers:

I don’t believe that’s true. Canon has an excellent selection of lenses for the t3i.

If you’re shooting time exposure any lens that you know how to operate will do just fine. If you’re trying to shoot night without light no lens will work, regardless of what you know.

Shooting time exposure really isn’t a lens issue if you know what you’re doing with the camera.
So I’d recommend an all around lens. I shoot the Canon 28-200 among others because it’s fast,
sharp and accurate. And, it works well in all the situations I’ve encountered… Like this.
Http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimsphotostuff/5559969685/sizes/l/in/photostream/

rob answers:

The nikon D5100 is the king of low light in that range! I don’t know why you haven’t considered it.

rob answers:

These lens you’ve mentioned has good reviews although some says 17-55mm is too overpriced and Sigma one has some focusing issues but both are sharp lens,i have a Tokina 11-16mm and i am very satisfied with it,i heard good reviews as well for Sigma 17-50mm and Tamron 17-50mm non-VC,check these out,they are good lenses for their price…

rob answers:

Don’t worry. Your lenses will be fully compatible. They are probably Canon EF-S or EF lenses (or third party lenses with a Canon mount).

The only thing with EF-S lenses…they are not compatible with Canon’s full frame cameras (e.g. 5D Mark II).

rob answers:

Yes. Your T2i will accept any lens from either the EF or EF-S lens mount.

rob answers:

Cheapest is canon 50mm 1.8 which is good in low light and for prtraits plus you can use a macro converter ring on it to do pretty good macros.

rob answers:

Hey,

Do you want a zoom or do you want a prime lens? What’s your budget?

Here’s a post called ‘Buying a Lens for Canon (7 subgroups) – http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2009/11/buying-lens.html

Good luck! The site has many more tutorials, tips, reviews and guides!

rob answers:

What camera did the lens fit before. If it was a Canon EOS it will fit the T2i, and if it was a Pentax K it will fit the KX. If it was neither, it will fit neither.

rob answers:

There is only ONE manual mode on the T1i or any dSLR actually. The other modes depend upon some kind of automation, Program (basically the same as a P&S camera), shutter speed priority (called time value on your camera) or aperture priority (called aperture value).

In the manual mode you have to look through the viewfinder and select the proper aperture and shutter speed based upon what the meter is telling you.

In bright sun this should equate to 1/ISO of the sensor @ f/16. As you open the lens aperture, that shutter speed will need to be increased. Do you know how to to that?

If you don’t. You can either 1) re-read your user manual, 2) call Canon for help or 3) take a class in photography to avoid these frustrations.

rob answers:

Yes.
In fact it says in the manual….
“Autofocusing during Movie shooting is not recommended since it might momentarily throw the focus way off or change the exposure.”

Page 127
http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/6/0300002246/01/eosrti-eos500d-imh-en.pdf

rob answers:

It’s not hard at all. Flip the switch on the lens to MF, and use the ring on the lens to change the focus, and snap a picture. Manual focus was the first manual feature I used on my first DSLR, it’s extremely simple. Sure, you’ll make a few focusing errors at first, but you’ll get it after trying a bit.

rob answers:

They all do.
If you have further questions, you might consider looking on the Canon website – it is FULL of information about all their cameras.

rob answers:

Try the Tamron 90mm F2.8 on the 1.6 crop sensor you have its about the same as a 150mm.
You can find Tamron lens on ebay.

The ef100mm will be equiv 160mm on the 1.6 crop sensor. You might find a used one on ebay inside your budget.