beginner with a budget of <$1400, interested in Canon, What to buy?

[muffingirl]

Hi everyone,

I know there are many other posts like this one, and I have read many, but everyone's situation seems so different and unique and I am still very confused. I want a camera that I can take pictures of my dogs indoors and outdoors in our backyard. They run around a lot and I am always getting blurry pictures or they have green eye. I also want to document the work we do on our home (before and after type photos), and take photos while on vacation. Vacation photos can range from sunsets at the beach, to close-ups of flowers. I also like to take portrait type photos of my friends and family and I take photos at family events. I definitely need at least one versatile lens.

I have been thinking about getting this kit: Amazon.com: Canon EOS 60D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera w/ EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens & EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens Wide Angle/Telephoto 16GB DavisMAX Bundle: Camera & Photo

Any thoughts?

I am also VERY interested in the 50mm f/1.4 prime lens from Canon, but if I get this lens and the 60d I am out of money.
Should I get a cheaper body so I can spend more on lenses? If so what body and what would be a good lens to get in addition to the 50mm prime lens?

Thank you for any help, it is much appreciated!!

 

[shootermcgavin]

I would do the 60d with tamron 18-270 lens, don't get the kit lenses. That's a pretty good walking lens, I just posted a picture of a surfer I took with it. The 50mm prime is a great idea but dogs are too fast for you to get them in and out of frame with out some zoom action. Otherwise you could get a 50mm 1.8 and find something else for zoom... I'd get the 60d though, I love it. You are always going to want more lenses.

 

[MLeeK]

If you aren't wanting to go into professional work ASAP? Yes, I'd purchase a lesser body to get better lenses.
Those two kit lenses are pretty OK, but they are NOT spectacular. They will definitely work for everyday shots, but if you want to be able to shoot indoors with no flash or you want to produce superbly sharp photos neither one is the answer. They are the best in the price range for zooms.

You are going to have to learn how to control the image if you want to get away from the blurry problems you are having. Simply buying a DSLR won't do that for you.
The 50mm f/1.4 is a superb lens, but if it's pushing your budget the 50mm f/1. is pretty amazing for it's price.
The rest of the crap in that kit? NOT worth buying. The flash does not swivel or tilt. It does the same thing that the on board flash does, just sits a little higher. It's not worth it. The tripod is OK and will probably work. The memory cards that come in those bundles are cheap, no name cards that don't perform well and have a terrible failure rate. The "extra" lenses are total crap. They screw on to the front of the kit lens and the quality is just garbage.
The bag is definitely useable and will work for you for a while.

I'd probably opt for the T3i to keep your price down a little bit. With the 18-55 and 55-250 that lands you around $1000 ICAT3IKL1 Canon EOS Rebel T3i Digital SLR Camera, 18 Megapixels, Full HD Movie Mode, Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens & EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Image Stabilizer Telephoto Zoom Lens. Add in the 50mm f/1.4 at $369 and your under your budget.

 

[muffingirl]

Thanks for the advice about the kit. I wasn't sure about all that stuff. I think I might go with the f/1.8 50mm with the 60d body, play around with just that and then decide on what other lens I should spend some money on. I don't necessarily need spectacular lenses but I do want quality. I don't want to buy those two lenses in that kit just to replace them in a year or two. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Derrel]

I would shop for used equipment, not new. Digital SLR bodies can be had for $250 to $350. At the entry-level end, I do not see the lure of the Canon 60D. Just do NOT see the innovation or the value in that camera...it's like an overpriced Rebel...Canon really lost sight of the game when they came out with the 50D....which was just a warmed-over 40D, which was just a souped up 30D...

If it were me, I would buy a 40D, used...and look for some used lenses as well...$1,400 is NOT very much money in these inflationary times, and photo gear has gone up in price quite a lot over the past three years. I cannot for the life of me understand why a person would buy a Canon 60D when the Nikon offerings at that price range are so much better, unless that person happened to already have a LOT of Canon lenses and equipment.

 

[muffingirl]

Which Nikon would you recommend at that price range, and which Nikon would you recommend that is low cost?

 

[jaomul]

If I were going to buy new and Canon I would go with the 60D over the rebel series simply because the focus system is very good in this camera. I sometimes take shots of my dog with a 50d and mostly good results. I also have a rebel and while picture quality is great it doesn't follow action as quickly. If your happy to go second hand and can get a 40d or 50d they are both good options also.Derrel above mentioned Nikon so he might advise better to which model, though a cost effective option would be the D90 which I think is a great camera, but the one with all the bells and whistles of the moment is the D7000. If you do decide to go with the second hand Canon and the 50mm f1.8 you would have plenty left for an EF85mm f1.8, a great outdoor portrait lens and short telephone also for your dogs

 

[MLeeK]

Thanks for the advice about the kit. I wasn't sure about all that stuff. I think I might go with the f/1.8 50mm with the 60d body, play around with just that and then decide on what other lens I should spend some money on. I don't necessarily need spectacular lenses but I do want quality. I don't want to buy those two lenses in that kit just to replace them in a year or two. Thanks for the advice.

That's actually probably your best move. If you want quality lenses they are going to cost. You also don't know what kind of shooter you are at this point. You may be a prime kind of person and you may be a zoom kind of person. you may or may not need low light constantly, you may need flash... If you play around, learn about photography and what it takes to get the images you are wanting you'll discover what you NEED instead of what you THINK you want or need.

Don't mind Derrel. He's a major Canon hater. Buy what fits YOU.

In the Nikon brand look to the D7000 to be comparable to the 60D. Excellent camera and if I weren't a canon kind of girl I'd probably go with it.

 

[TheBiles]

50D with nifty fifty and a 17-40 f/4L or a 70-200 f/4L depending on what you shoot. I wouldn't buy a 60D, personally. Too expensive for what feels like just another Rebel.

 

[EchoingWhisper]

I'm not a Canon hater, but the technology in the Sony sensors used in D7000/D5100 is definitely 1 or 2 generation in front of Canon's.

 

[Dao]

I want a camera that I can take pictures of my dogs indoors and outdoors in our backyard. They run around a lot and I am always getting blurry pictures or they have green eye. I also want to document the work we do on our home (before and after type photos), and take photos while on vacation. Vacation photos can range from sunsets at the beach, to close-ups of flowers. I also like to take portrait type photos of my friends and family and I take photos at family events. I definitely need at least one versatile lens.

I want to comment on the dogs with green eyes. Most likely it was caused by on-camera flash pointing directly at the dogs. To avoid this, you may need to use a off camera flash or simply use a hotshoe flash that allow you to bounce the light off the wall or ceiling (for indoor shot). So you may need to add a hotshoe flash to your list.

Go check out some cameras at the store and see how you like them. If you just want the camera equipment for family can vacation stuff, weight maybe another factor you need to look into.

 

[Nikon_Josh]

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Don't mind Derrel. He's a major Canon hater. Buy what fits YOU.

I agree with most of what you write Mleek, but the comment about Derrel is not quite true! As he owns alot of Canon gear, he is just calling it how he sees it, I don't think he hates the Canon 5D he owns and uses.