DSLR and book for novice

[mikeandangiem]

Hello

I know this is the sort of question that gets posted regularly and I have had a good trawl through some of the previous responses.

Would like to purchase a first DSLR and working on a budget £500-£600, from what I have seen I like the look of the Canon EOS 400D for about £400 on Amazon + Canon 75mm-300mm f/4.0-5.6 III USM lens for about another £150. Does this sound like a good combination to start with or should I be looking at a different lens? If so what is available in my price range. I just want to take some reasonably good bird pictures for myself, my previous SLR was a Pentax P30 which hasn't seen the light of day for a few years!

On a similar subject, am also looking for a good book for a beginner, once again on Amazon have seen the following two books:-

The Birdwatcher's Guide to Digital Photography (David Tipling)

RSPB Guide to Digital Wildlife Photography (also by David Tipling)

Can anybody recommend either of these books or suggest others?

Many thanks.

Mike

[gochasco]

The 400D was my first DSLR and is a great camera for starting into digital photography.
RSPB Guide to Digital Photography is a good book to have. Another one I like is "Photographing wild birds" by Chris Gomersall. On the technical side Andy Rouse is good. I've just bought his "Understanding Raw Photography" and if it's written in the same manner I would recommend his "Digital SLR Masterclass".
Just be prepared to enter a world which has no limits! (including spending);)

[Hanno]

I like Scott Kelby, though his sense of humor might not be to everyone's liking. Currently reading:

"The Adobe Photoshop CS 3 book for digital Photographers", Scott Kelby, ISBN-13: 978-0-321-50191-2

"Photoshop CS3 for Nature Photographers", Ellen Anon and Time Grey, ISBN: 978-0-470-11989-1

Above titles are, of course, assuming that you will use Photoshop.

One a more general level, also by Scott Kelby: "The Digital Photography Book". Pretty good, but I am afraid that I don't have the ISBN number at hand.

[Vectis Birder]

One a more general level, also by Scott Kelby: "The Digital Photography Book". Pretty good, but I am afraid that I don't have the ISBN number at hand.

I was looking at that one in PC World this lunchtime. It looked like a decent book and I may go back for a copy on Monday.

[Steve Babbs]

You are going to really struggle to take many bird pictures with a 300mm lens, trust me I have tried. It's hard enough with my present 200 - 500mm Tamron.

It's a good range for general natural history shots though. I don't know the Canon lens but the Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro DG, at about the same price, is very popular and has an excellent macro facility.

Hello

I know this is the sort of question that gets posted regularly and I have had a good trawl through some of the previous responses.

Would like to purchase a first DSLR and working on a budget £500-£600, from what I have seen I like the look of the Canon EOS 400D for about £400 on Amazon + Canon 75mm-300mm f/4.0-5.6 III USM lens for about another £150. Does this sound like a good combination to start with or should I be looking at a different lens? If so what is available in my price range. I just want to take some reasonably good bird pictures for myself, my previous SLR was a Pentax P30 which hasn't seen the light of day for a few years!

On a similar subject, am also looking for a good book for a beginner, once again on Amazon have seen the following two books:-

The Birdwatcher's Guide to Digital Photography (David Tipling)

RSPB Guide to Digital Wildlife Photography (also by David Tipling)

Can anybody recommend either of these books or suggest others?

Many thanks.

Mike

[greypoint]

There are a number of budget DSLRs which would fit the bill. I'd personally not go for the Nikon D40/40X simply because you can't take full advantage of all those old second hand Nikkor lenses [at least with AF]. Warehouse Express were doing the Canon 400D body for £350 - would'nt personally bother with the kit lens as it has a poor reputation. The Canon 75-300 is also not exactly the best. Sigma 70-300 would be a better bet but you could probably pick up a second hand 135-400 for £200ish on ebay if you want a good budget birding lens. For short range stuff you can't beat a 50mm prime for about £50 - unless you want a wider angle. Remember, even a 500mm won't fill the frame with a tiny bird unless you're reasonably close. 10mp allows for a fair bit of cropping.
If you're on a budget I'd take advantage of free software for editing.

[mikeandangiem]

Thank you for all the suggestions so far.

I think the Canon 400 is the piece of kit to go for, would appear that the main issue is over the choice of lens:-

Why is the Sigma 70-300 a better buy than the Canon 75-300, is it a similar price?

Bit concerned that a 300mm lens may not be long enough, at the moment am not looking for magazine quality just want to get some half decent shots for my own use, may look at spending more on a lens at some future date, do you think that the 300mm would be able to cope with this. Main use would be on garden feeders (so would be fairly close) but also from the hides up at Titchwell, Cley, Snettisham etc.... - usually a few things come up close (although at Cley this can often turn out to be a cows bottom, depending on which hide you use.)

I do use ebay but not sure that I am confident enough in my knowledge of lenses to go spending £200 on a secondhand, Can anybody offer some more advice on lenses:-

Whats good? What should I be looking for? What should I expect to pay?

Many thanks again.

[postcardcv]

I'd agree that the 400D is a good camera to start out with, however I would not discount the kit lens. It only adds ~£40 to the cost and as such makes a good, cheap wide angle/portrait lens. As for lenses, I'd agree that 300mm will be too short most of the time, even at sites like Titchwell and Cley. A secondhand Sigma 135-400 or 170-500 would be the ideal solution. As mentioned expect to pay ~£200 for a used 135-400 or ~£325 for a 170-500. If you are anywhere near then the camera shop in East Dereham would be worth a try - very helpful staff and a great range of gear, including secondhand stuff.

[mikeandangiem]

Thanks for the advice.

Am only a mile from Dereham, have used them in the past and would agree that they are very helpful, also a customer of Cley Spy for bins and scope so know where to go for advice.

Many thanks.

Mike

[postcardcv]

Thanks for the advice.

Am only a mile from Dereham, have used them in the past and would agree that they are very helpful, also a customer of Cley Spy for bins and scope so know where to go for advice.

Many thanks.

Mike

well if you're ever in Cley Spy on a Saturday then say hi...

[grey_beard]

Hi Mike

I bought a 400D just a few weeks ago and am very pleased with it. I have an old Minolta film SLR and a couple of lenses that haven't been used for over ten years but buying this has really rejuvenated my enthusiasm for photography. I was also wondering which lens to buy and was considering the 75-300 Canon as you are when I discovered that my dad had the mkII version of this lens for his Canon film SLR. He hasn't used his film camera for years either and I never thought of checking what lenses he had. Anyway I have borrowed it for the time being and am pleased with the results. I might want to buy something better in a few years but I think I'd rather use this and improve my technique first before spending several hundred pounds on a better lens. I'll have a better idea by then what I want. Obviously this meant that I didn't have to make the decision.

The same comments apply to the kit lens. It'll give you something to start with while you decide which lens you really want.

If you subscribe to BirdGuides then Mike Atkinson has done an excellent series of articles on getting stated in bird photography at

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=1006

If I can figure out how best to post one of my photos on here I will.

Regards

Gary

[mikeandangiem]

well if you're ever in Cley Spy on a Saturday then say hi...

I did visit on a Saturday............I did say Hi.......and I ended up buying a scope!!!................oh and some bins.............and some more bins for my wife!!!!..........not to mention the tripod!!!!!..............or the digiscoping attachment, which I have some success with but can be a bit fiddly when you're trying to use the scope at the same time, thats why I want a proper camera.

One small confession, I did manage to buy a nearly new mule-pack on ebay for a bargain price, was quite amused by the Cley Spy tag on it after it arrived from Scotland! Certainly makes carrying the scope about much easier, no more knocking people over on the main path at Titchwell now.

By the way I thought the photo of the Stone Curlews with the rabbit was really good too, well deserved................don't think I'm much of a threat to you just yet.;)

[mikeandangiem]

Hi Mike

I bought a 400D just a few weeks ago and am very pleased with it. I have an old Minolta film SLR and a couple of lenses that haven't been used for over ten years but buying this has really rejuvenated my enthusiasm for photography. I was also wondering which lens to buy and was considering the 75-300 Canon as you are when I discovered that my dad had the mkII version of this lens for his Canon film SLR. He hasn't used his film camera for years either and I never thought of checking what lenses he had. Anyway I have borrowed it for the time being and am pleased with the results. I might want to buy something better in a few years but I think I'd rather use this and improve my technique first before spending several hundred pounds on a better lens. I'll have a better idea by then what I want. Obviously this meant that I didn't have to make the decision.

The same comments apply to the kit lens. It'll give you something to start with while you decide which lens you really want.

If you subscribe to BirdGuides then Mike Atkinson has done an excellent series of articles on getting stated in bird photography at

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=1006

If I can figure out how best to post one of my photos on here I will.

Regards

Gary

Thanks for the suggestions.

I do subscribe to birdguides and I will have a look throught the articles.

[postcardcv]

I did visit on a Saturday............I did say Hi.......and I ended up buying a scope!!!................oh and some bins.............and some more bins for my wife!!!!..........not to mention the tripod!!!!!..............or the digiscoping attachment, which I have some success with but can be a bit fiddly when you're trying to use the scope at the same time, thats why I want a proper camera.

I think I probably know who you are then... well say hello again next time!

I'm not too far from you so if you want to meet up and try any of my camera gear (I do currently have a 400D though I am selling it) just drop me a PM.

[mikeandangiem]

I think I probably know who you are then... well say hello again next time!

I'm not too far from you so if you want to meet up and try any of my camera gear (I do currently have a 400D though I am selling it) just drop me a PM.

I have had a look on Canon website and been in to Dereham to see the guys in the camera shop (very helpful as usual). I now see that Canon are replacing the 400 with a 450 in a couple of months!! A bit of a twin edged sword really, on one hand I expect the price for the upgrade will make a big dent in my budget, but on the other hand as I will be quite happy with a slightly lower spec 400 I expect there will be several of them coming along secondhand as people upgrade.

Having now given this a bit more thought I think I will probably look at a secondhand body and lens (Sigma 135 - 400) which I think will be well within budget, may even be able to stretch to a new Sigma lens if I go for secondhand body, although this will take me a bit over. I have left some details with the camera shop and they will let me know what comes along.

Time to start saving, and better start selling some stuff on ebay to finance this, not got very high expectations for my old Pentax kit....but as they say, every little helps.;)