My mission: get a DSLR by 14 Sep

Originally Posted by Dork Knight

Here are a few of the first photos we took with the new camera. To say there's a learning curve is an understatement, but I was really pleased with how much the camera covered for my shortfalls. We intend to learn more along the way and get better with composition, framing and other disciplines vs just pointing and shooting. The photo where our dog has the ball in her mouth isn't all that great in terms of composition and the like, but I was really amazed that I could see the sunset in the slobber on the ball. Something about that was just cool to me. As for the flower photo, this shows how far I have to go in terms of macro shots. (not my forte by any stretch)

Couple other comments - when shooting animals or children, try to shoot at eye level. Your 2nd shot (eye level) is much, much better than your 1st shot (looking down at the dog). Same goes with little kids.

I know you are on a budget, so I highly recommend a cheap fast prime lens. Nikon has a $200 35 f/1.8, not sure if Canon has a cheap equivalent. They have a cheap ($100?) 50mm f/1.8, but that's a tough focal length to use indoors, so if you're gonna shoot kids indoors much, go with 35mm.

Sigma makes terrific prime lenses, like the 30mm f/1.4 ($400) or 50mm f/1.4 ($500), but dunno if that's in your price range.

A fast prime will teach you a ton about photography, and will get you great shots of kids and animals - since we had the baby, the 35mm never leaves my camera, except when I switch to the 50mm Sigma outdoors.

Originally Posted by Kamdog

I have a T2i that I took with me to Alaska, it was great. It took me a couple of months to get back up to speed, since my last SLR was film, but it was worth it.

Here is a link with recent photos. https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resi...PXVaDRLVCCU9dA

The very-rectangle shot is a photo taken off of a video, shot by the T2i. There are a couple of pictures in there taken with other cameras, and I think you can see which are which, on the side of the screen.

There's some cool shots in there, looks like a great trip.

I'm amazed at the video quality of these new cameras (got a D7000 recently). It's hard to go back to P&S or camcorder quality after seeing video from my D7000 - although it's a pain to use.

Originally Posted by Chris90

There's some cool shots in there, looks like a great trip.

I'm amazed at the video quality of these new cameras (got a D7000 recently). It's hard to go back to P&S or camcorder quality after seeing video from my D7000 - although it's a pain to use.

I used the camera to do a video. The quality was high, but the shooting was awkward, and it sucked up megs like nothing. The original 2 minutes took over a half a gig, and I couldn't share it with anyone. I down sized it to about 300 MB and put it on my skydrive. http://sdrv.ms/PhZ8yM

It is a good memory, but when you make the file smaller and smaller, it loses a lot, the full length version is smoother.

Originally Posted by Kamdog

I used the camera to do a video. The quality was high, but the shooting was awkward, and it sucked up megs like nothing. The original 2 minutes took over a half a gig, and I couldn't share it with anyone. I down sized it to about 300 MB and put it on my skydrive. http://sdrv.ms/PhZ8yM

It is a good memory, but when you make the file smaller and smaller, it loses a lot, the full length version is smoother.

Yeah, even compressed way down you can tell it's a DSLR. You just don't get that kind of detail from a P&S or camcorder video with the tiny sensors.

I usually upload to vimeo, quality is not great but it's easy to share.

Originally Posted by Chris90

No one talked about timing except you. What's your advice here, buy a $2500 camera and $4000 lens so you can take boring sports photos at 1/1000?

This thread's not about you, Dave.

Thanks. you are so generous. I made the mistake of talking about blur vs timing. It was definitely a mistake. To which I apologize. My bad, ten lashes for sure. I will remember you are the primadona in photography. A lot of photographers are like that, full of arrogance. It their way and only way. Any questions I may have I will send them your way.

One thing I ask. Please pray for me that I win the auction in eBay for a 400mm f2.8 VR lens. You know what it goes for new, so I won't bore you. The 300mm is a little short some of the time, but then, what do you know, you shoot with less than 200mm lens.

Hey Chris, this one is for you. It was a timing shot too because it took a while to get the girls together. But, it was worth it. It wasn't taken with thousand of dollars camera and lens, but with a cheapo AF-S 18-70mm f3.5-4.5 on a D90 that is worth about $500

Originally Posted by Dave 330i

Thanks. you are so generous. I made the mistake of talking about blur vs timing. It was definitely a mistake. To which I apologize. My bad, ten lashes for sure. I will remember you are the primadona in photography. A lot of photographers are like that, full of arrogance. It their way and only way. Any questions I may have I will send them your way.

One thing I ask. Please pray for me that I win the auction in eBay for a 400mm f2.8 VR lens. You know what it goes for new, so I won't bore you. The 300mm is a little short some of the time, but then, what do you know, you shoot with less than 200mm lens.

Your every post is the same. Bragging about your expensive equipment, posting one of your amateurish sports photos that has nothing to do with the OP's question.

Unlike you, i buy equipment that's a good fit for my abilities. You're one of those amateurs that has all the best equipment, but not talent or eye.

I'm not one to criticize a photographer's photos, unless they're arrogant braggards.

Originally Posted by Dave 330i

Hey Chris, this one is for you. It was a timing shot too because it took a while to get the girls together. But, it was worth it. It wasn't taken with thousand of dollars camera and lens, but with a cheapo AF-S 18-70mm f3.5-4.5 on a D90 that is worth about $500

no one cares what equipment you're using, just post some good photos if you want to impress people.

Wow way to make him have to spend more money on primes! I love a good prime. I shot next to people using pro zooms that ask my pictures on my screen and ask how I'm getting those photo's with that little lens.


Untitled by Auston Tkaczuk, on Flickr