eric_glass

I have the older Drebel, and I can honestly say that the kit lens is pretty bad. Throw a Sigma 30mm 1.4 on it and it will shine! It is a modest investment that will make your jaw drop. However, I should not have to convince you of this, if you like the Oly... get another Oly! Borrow some lenses, (better quality ones!) and then make a decision. Buying a 40d with the same lens will only further your frustration. You really do need to spend some cash on a few lenses. Get a prime, and go from there.

Trade those two-bit zooms in for a nice prime lens. Sigma 30mm F1.4 will toally rock your 40D. Get a zoom after you have taken some pics and find out what you want and don't want from a lens.

Raw is not at all hard to learn. It's just having the right program to convert it with is the question. I can honestley say I will no longer use JPEG to capture images with. I am RAW all the time. It is not hard to learn, it makes me feel better to use RAW because, of the flexibility it has.

 

RAW completley rocks! no more disscussion.

 

Eric

The easy way to explain RAW: Instead of your little camera to process your photos... you use the big computer.

 

Dude, when you go overseas, shoot in JPEG and RAW. Because, down the road when you learn RAW, you will

be kicking [yourself] that you didn't use it when you were there. Believe me, I know... too many trips shot in

JPEG (before I learned RAW)... wish it would have been in RAW now.

 

Eric

I own a Sigma 30mm f 1.4 for my Canon DSLR. I love that lens, and everybody who looks at the photos are usually impressed. I love primes and have been running from zooms for a long time.

 

With the available cash on hand; I decieded to go with Canon. For the most part, I really just wanted that frickin' red ring at the end of my camera. (and the warranty too) Also, I had a problem with my camera years back, and they covered it under warranty and were very quick about it. I did not want to take that chance [with Sigma]; when my lens collection is just now starting to grow and with shoots coming up quickly. Yeah... even though I love Sigma, I could not bring myself to purchase a zoom from them... yet.

 

I kinda' feel a little yellow belly'd about it. I went safe. Canon L: it was that frickin' red ring!!!

 

Eric

Wow... a nice topic! Dude, keep both. Film is a super sweet format however, it is slowly becoming phased out. I Use a Canon DSLR and I have two Medium format cameras. The MF comes in handy with certain situations and the digi is an all-around performer.

 

Do not disguard digital. Use all of your cameras and figure out if one has a niche over the other and exploit it.

 

-E-

Dear Miss Valerie,

I love doing portraits myself and, I can understand your wanting to upgrade to

another camera. I myself have been dragging my feet to upgrade to a newer

camera... (I still use my old Digi Rebel). I like the idea of expanding your lenses.

You will always be purchasing cameras for a long time, the lens is an investment,

and can bring new avenues to your particular style. What I am saying is; if you

want to spend that amount of cash, find the best piece of glass for your work.

Do you shoot in RAW? When I switched to that format, my Digi Rebel didn't

suck so much anymore. In fact, I will never shoot in JPEG again, I hate it. The

creative freedom of RAW surpasses my personal dislike of my old Digi Rebel. ( I

will be upgrading this summer to the 40D).

Zooms are a very touchy subject for some people. I just purchased my first one

this month (70-200mm f4 L). I bought it because, I ALWAYS use prime lenses.

And i needed some length for a shoot coming up; other than that, I would have

never purchased it. Unless you are shooting handheld in a poorly lit place, I

personally feel you do not need the 70-200mm 2.8 VR. (Although, it is a pretty

sweet lens.. and that's coming from a diehard Canon lover!)

I fell in love with my Sigma 30mm f 1.4. That is my workhorse as of right now

and; it sucked to compromise the extra F stops for length. I know I will rock that

lens (70-200mm f4) with my Digi Rebel and it will be even sweeter when I upgrade

next month.

I am looking at the B&H catalog right now and I see that you have the

awesome option of getting one of the Zeiss lenses (manual focus) for your

camera? If they work, get one of those! I also own a Hasselblad and absoultly

LOVE the Zeiss glass on that sucker. Just a thought...

Hope I helped a little bit! Happy shopping!!

-E-

Keep the Hasselblad. I Have a Canon dslr and a Hasselblad. I luckly have two shops in town who can develop film...and same day! I use the Canon 85% of the time and the Hassie (and Holga) the rest. And I must say I love having the option to switch back and forth between the three. Some pics come out awesome in digi, and some blow me away in MF. Besides...digi SLRs keep getting upgraded so much you'll be trying to catch up forever! We will never win! 6 mega pixels...8 megapixels...16.7 megapixels!! 1.8 inch screen...2.0 inch screen...2.5 inch screen?!!! When is the maddness gonna' end?! (Sorry for the dramtic outro...just tryin' to make you feel better!)

Keith,

 

I feel you on how nice it would be to have a box that can use every piece of gear you own. I would love to slap my hassie lens on my rebel. Or instal the A12 back on the rebel, vice versa, ah the dreams.

 

I can say that; I love film and digital equally as much. In fact, one of my most favorite cameras to play with is my Holga. Why? Because it sucks so bad it's awesome. Plastic lens, leaks light like a sieve, it's ugly as sin...yet, it rocks. I don't ever have to worry about ISO, white balance, F-stops ect., ect. Load that bad boy and shoot...and then double expose because you forgot to advance, and since it costs $30 bucks; who cares if you break or drop kick it; just because you can. And thats cool.

 

And what to say about the older EF lens that change when you snap them on a less than full frame digital? So what! The lens works right? Ok then; use it. It's not the lens that matters; it what and how you shoot. A crappy shot is still a crappy shot; FF or not.

 

And thats MY rant on digital and stuff.

 

Peace out ya'll,

Eric

I say use the war with Sony and Canon to your advantage. You can pick up the now older XT pretty cheap as a body only or go for the XTi body and use your lens. Then use the leftover cash to buy a used medium format. That is what I did and it makes me happy. I got a freakin' Hasselblad for a cheap.

 

I have to say I dragged my feet about digital for awhile too. Now that I have both (medium format and digi SLR) I have tons of creative freedom. I use my Canon until my fingers bleed and get all the crazy shots I can; then I whip out the Hassie and snap 12 to top the shoot off.

 

Just have fun.