Canon XSi....good enough to start out with?

<p>I am starting photgraphy soon...and I am looking at cameras I should start with (and I am not wanting to start with point-and-shoot) I am just wanting to know if the Canon Rebel XSi is adequate?</p>

<p>With the information you give us, the answer is "yes".</p>

<p>Alright, is there anything I should know before I get started in photgraphy?<br />Like on Lenses, what is the (for ex.) the "f/4.8" might I ask what that is?<br />(As you can tell I am definately just starting lol)</p>

<p>I think the XSI is more than adequate for anyone starting out. As you progress you may find that you outgrow it. I would however spend more money on quality lenses than worrying if the body was good enough. I started with a XT and added quality lenses. After a year I decided to upgrade the body to a 40D. Henry's in Toronto has refurbished XT's for $249 cdn - cheaper than many p&s. Remember that photography is so much more than the equipment you use. Have fun.</p>

<p>Well I am going to get a new lens later on, I heard the kit lenses werent that great<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Canon-18-200mm-3-5-5-6-Standard-Lens/dp/B001ET6QFY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1244573630&sr=1-1">http://www.amazon.com/Canon-18-200mm-3-5-5-6-Standard-Lens/dp/B001ET6QFY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1244573630&sr=1-1</a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007U0GYS/ref=asc_df_B0007U0GYS809975?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=dealt368304-20&linkCode=asn"></a><br />Is this okay?</p>

<p>It depends on what you want to shoot, that lens is more of a do it all travel lens. I would suggest starting with the very good kit lens 18-55 IS. Usually the more zoom range you have, the less quality you have. </p>

<p>18-55 review.<br>

http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/181-canon-ef-s-18-55mm-f35-56-is-test-report--review</p>

<p>For starting out, absolutely. The XSi with the image-stabilized kit lens are designed for people just like you!</p>

<p>I would very definitely <em>not</em> invest in more or in more expensive lenses as you start out. You really cannot know if you'll eventually want other lenses now, nor can you possibly know which lenses you might want at that point.</p>

<p>Dan</p>

<p>I agree with Tommy, start with the kit lens and only add lenses as your needs evolve. All purpose lenses like the 18-200 try to be a lens for all occasions but usually end up not be very good at any of them.</p>

<p>Oh okay, I am wanting to shoot everything from flowers to sunsets, pretty much everything :D<br>

Might I ask what the "f/x" on lenses mean? I have heard so many different things about it haha</p>

<p>I got an Xsi last year and think it's a really nice camera for a beginner- any limitation in my photography at this point are b/c of me, not the equipment. I did add the 50/1.8 lens, and that opened up more lower light possibilties, and made it easier to get pics with the nice bokeh/blurred background. At $85 it's a good value. I may be in the minority, but I actually like the 18-55IS kit lens, for daylight situations I have had really good results- I added the 55-250 zoom last month to take pics at tee ball games, and while not the fastest focusing, for the price, I am pretty happy.<br>

If you are looking to learn basics, Scott Kelby's books on digital photography were really helpful.</p>

<p>Oh okay :D Thanks guys! I mght have some more questions later on in my photography life, If you guys dont mind.</p>

<p>f/* refers to the speed of the lens. the lower the number i.e. as in f/1.8 from the post above the less light is lost or the lens can gather more light. the 18-55 kit lens is not the best low light lens but is still a good lens to start with. You may want to do as Jennifer has stated and get the 50/1.8 for low light capabilites. get the basic and start shooting - you will eventually discover what other lenses you may need.</p>

<p>F stands for the aperture of the lens. For example the 50mm f1.8 means this lens has a maximum aperture of 1.8 or 28mm (50/1.8=27.777mm). There are two way to control the amount of light entering the camera. One is the shutter. The other is the aperture. This photo.net <a href="what on earth does ef 50mm f/1.8 II mean">article</a> should be helpful. Also in the upper left corner of photo.net is a search function. There are a lot of articles and discussions about aperture, exposure, depth of field, etc. The search function is a very useful tool. And if you cannot find the answer post the question in the beginners forum. </p>

<p>The Xsi is a very good camera to start out with and in the hands of a skill photographer it is capable of generating very good images. I would agree with others and not recommend you buy a lot of lenses or buy expensive lenses for a while. Once you get the hang of it you will start to understand what kind of lens would best satisfy your needs. However there are a couple of low cost lenses that are an excellent choice for beginners. They are the 18-55IS (this typically comes with the Xsi), the 50mm F1.8, and the 55-250IS (sold with the Xsi and 18-55IS in a two lens kit). These lenses are quite good optically dispite the low price. </p>

<p>All that said, the most important thing you should do when you get your camer is to go out and take pictures. And feel free to experiment. Dispite the complexity just pushing buttons should not damage the camera.</p>

<p>Stephen -- post often in the beginner's forum and check out this:</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/learn/making-photographs/</p>

<p> </p>

The XSi is a great cam. <P>

 

I'm not a beginner but still chose it last year over more expensive canon options (for which I was gladly willing to pay) for

it's superior ergonomics and performance for the kind of photography <a href= "http://www.citysnaps.net/blog/">I like to

do</a>. <P>

 

I would stay away from the kit lens if you'd like to retain creative options and flexibility.

<p>Again, for a complete beginner do <em>NOT</em> stay away from the kit lens. The true beginner does not yet know which directions his/her photographic might interests might take. Worry about the "creative options and flexibility" later - if you decide that the very inexpensive and quite decent kit lens is not sufficient for <em>you</em> in this regard, when you decide what your specialized interests might be, and after you have acquired enough experience to make smart choices about more expensive equipment.</p>

<p>The new image-stabilized version of the EFS 18-55mm kit lens is actually quite decent and is an amazing deal if you get it as part of a body/lens kit.</p>

<p>Dan</p>

<p>In UK we get different lenses bundled with the camera depending on the store - it can be the 18-55 IS or the 17-85 IS. Both are very decent lenses and will be good enough for printing up to A4. The camera and the lens will serve you well for quite a while.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>I heard the kit lenses werent that great</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The quality of kit lenses compared to even a few years ago are greatly improved. The problems with reviews (cameras, lenses, also hifi) is that the bar is continually being raised and the reivewers have to identify increasingly small detail on which to criticise a product to give them something to write about. And reviews are often comparisons, not the product in isolation - the chances are if you looked at a print by itself you would not notice anything wrong. But put it next to a picture taken with a superior lens you will see differences.</p>

<p>Don't fret. In a nutshell, for the first year or so the limit will be your technique, <strong>not</strong> the gear.</p>

<p>Stephen,<br>

I moved from a point and shoot to an XSi. It is a very good camera to begin with. In addition to the EF-S 18-55 IS you may want to consider the EF-S 55-250 IS. I use the later for large flowers and candids from an unobtrusive distance. By using both of these "kit" lenses, you will be able to explore the majority of the focal range before making future purchases.<br>

I would advise using the Learn section of photo.net. I read just about everything in that section before buying anything. There are articles there that will give you a good foundational understanding of basic photography. I started applying what I learned there to my point and shoot. My XSi was pretty much intuitive when I got it. So, read what you can here - it is free!<br>

I have found all the folks here in the forum to be very helpful with my questions, so know you can ask away and plenty of folks are ready, willing and able to giv eyou sound answers.<br>

DS Meador</p>

<p>Any of the entry-level dSLRs these days have resolution and features that the early digital SLR adopters would have "killed" their mother to get. They are not built to the same standards as the more advanced amateur and professional cameras, but they will have no problem in dealing with anything less than "shoot every-minute for 8 hours at a time" kind of use.<br /> When I needed a backup for a being-fixed xxD camera, I bought a xxxD body. I have kept it and use it all the time. These cameras are terrific value even by contemporary, much less historical, standards.</p>

>>> Again, for a complete beginner do NOT stay away from the kit lens. The true beginner does not yet know which

directions his/her photographic might interests might take.

 

I strongly disagree. Without the opportunity you never get a chance to explore the potential - and am not in the camp that

enthusiastic beginners need to somehow be protected - especially one that does not want to go the point-n-shoot route. I

tried the new kit lens and was disappointed. That's the beauty of starting with a body that's inexpensive; you have more

money to consider lenses that will make a difference.

<p>By all means do get yourself an EF 50mm f/1.8 lens, which costs very little but which will give you a basis for comparison. That way you can see for yourself to what extent other lenses besides kit lenses (and other EF-S lenses) might be better able to take advantage of the sensor in the XSi.</p>

<p>I had the XTi, which was the predecessor of the XSi. My main digital camera has been the Canon 1Ds Mark II for all of 2008 and 2009 (along with the 5D), but I was quite impressed with the Digital Rebel cameras. They are actually quite sophisticated and capable of doing some really good work--with the right lenses. They are particularly useful with telephoto lenses. I would not hesitate to recommend "L" series lenses for use with the Digital Rebel series cameras. They are pricey, but, if you find that you are in over your head, they can be resold with little or no loss. I have several "L" lenses that would bring more used than what I paid for them new.</p>

<p>I think that you do well to see to it that the lenses that you get take full advantage of the potential of the camera. It is ultimately the glass that makes the image, not the camera, and I think that we do beginners no favors by steering them away from good glass.</p>

<p>Just be aware that lenses are a potential money pit and will cost a lot more than the camera. I would personally not put a lot of money into EF-S lenses, since they cannot be used on full-frame cameras such as the 5D, 5D Mark II, or the 1D series cameras--and you might move up sooner rather than later.</p>

<p>Instead, go with EF lenses from the beginning--with perhaps one or two (no more) EF-S walk-around all-purpose lenses--one kit lens and one wide zoom. Even on the latter you might do well to look at some of the EF (not EF-S) series lenses, but proceed cautiously until you find out whether this is going to be a life-long passion or a passing fad.</p>

<p>--Lannie</p>

<p>The EF-S 18-200mm F3.5-5.6 IS lens that you mention is not that bad a lens. Beyond that I would go with all EF lenses. That is my personal preference, since I like shooting both cropped sensor and full-frame sensor cameras, and <strong>I like lenses that can be used on both</strong> . (The EF-S lenses cannot be used on full-frame cameras.) Only the EF lenses can be used on both. Even so, you are going to need at least one EF-S lens, and the 18-200 is at least a cut above the typical kit lens.</p>

<p>So, for starters I would recommend the zoom mentioned above along with the EF 50mm f/1.8. Beyond that it depends on what subjects you like to shoot--and you might not know that yet.</p>

<p>Good luck, and happy shooting!</p>

<p>--Lannie</p>

<p>As an alternative to the 18-200 that you mentioned, you might also consider the Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM as your basic walk-around lens rather than a kit lens. (I have never bought a kit lens in my life but I have seen the results--and I am not impressed.)</p>

<p>If you are going to be shooting in the 100-200 mm range, or longer, I would definitely consider going straight to EF lenses from the beginning.</p>

<p>By the way, expect the files coming out of the XTi or XSi to be a bit soft without a bit of unsharp mask applied. Otherwise you might think that the softness is coming from the lenses. Canon is quite conservative on in-camera sharpening, and it is usually necessary to apply at least some unsharp mask in post processing (on all their cameras) to sharpen them up. A bit of contrast adjustment helps as well, but do not overdo it.</p>

<p>If you have no software for post processing, consider Photoshop Elements, which will probably suffice for all that you need to do at this point. (Always keep your original files in case you do over do it the first time around.)</p>

<p>You will also need, alas,a tripod, if you are going to get the most out of any camera that you shoot. This is not an inexpensive undertaking that you are getting yourself into, but that does not mean that you have to spend a fortune, either.</p>

<p>Let us know what you get and how you like it.</p>

<p>--Lannie</p>

<p>Even though there are other good choices, the XSi is an exceptional camera for any beginer or intermediate photog. I own it and I'm amazed at the quality of picture you can capture with it. Also, I've been pleasantly surprised by the picture quality generated with the new 18-55 IS. Very sharp for a cheap kit lens. Apparently the reviewer at photozone thinks so too. Check out his review: <a href="http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/404-canon_1855_3556is_50d">http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/404-canon_1855_3556is_50d</a>.<br>

It is true that a better lens will help you take better pictures, and the above recommended 50mm f/1.8 is a very good cheap (<$100) prime lens. So you should consider getting this and compare it's image quality to the kit zoom lens set at 50mm. You can decide for yourself without having to spend $$$ on a really good lens like the 70-200f/4 L IS or the 17-55 f/2.8 IS.</p>

<p>Spend a few months learning what every control on your camera is for. Experiment at different settings. Take lots and lots of photos, then analize them on your computer and see what you like about them. Don't just put the camera in the fully automatic mode. Try other modes. For example, try taking pictures in "A" (aperture priority) and see how changing the lens aperture chages the depth of field in the final image. Look at other peoples photos and ask what you like about them. Try to duplicate their result.</p>

<p>Here is a very good book that will teach you how to use your camera:<br>

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Rebel-Digital-Field-Guide/dp/047038087X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244600297&sr=8-1">http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Rebel-Digital-Field-Guide/dp/047038087X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244600297&sr=8-1</a><br>

It will be $13 well spent if you are serious about learning photography.<br>

ANother good book is by Scott Kelby on Digital Photography (#1). He shows you the secret of taking sharp pictures among other tips.<br>

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Photography-Book-Scott-Kelby/dp/032147404X/ref=pd_sim_b_1">http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Photography-Book-Scott-Kelby/dp/032147404X/ref=pd_sim_b_1</a></p>

<p>You may also want to consider getting a postprocessing program to enhance your photos. Photoshop Elements is a great program for less than $100. Good luck and have fun.</p>

 

<p>I started out with a rebel XTi and played with the controls for two years. I just recently updated to a 40D and I've found out that everything I learned from my Rebel has made a huge impact on how I use my 40D. I think starting out with a Rebel is a great choice!</p>