First DSLR

[badger]

I want to learn more, but don't want a huge investment as A) I don't have a ton of time to play around B) Life situations are such that I don't want a spendy camera around the house.

So I bought a Canon EOS rebel T3. Am I going to totally regret buying such a low end camera? I'm willing to move up to something better in a few years; for now I just want to see if I like (and have time) for such a hobby.

I did take photography in high school, so I have some of the fundamentals, but hope to take a class sometime as well. I have no aspirations to do more than take family pics and some occasional  landscape type shots.

Any input?

[Yogi]

No - you are not going to regret the Canon Rebel at all. It's a great camera. I think a lot of people regret spending money on the top of the line model and then end up only using two feature or shooting on auto and wondering why they spent all that money before they figured out if they really wanted to make use of it!

Classes are extremely helpful - most basic intro courses will go through the whole menu and all the options you have which is awesome. I would also recommend really reading your manual - it will explain what all the buttons do and why you'd want to use them, as well as some of the photography basics like ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and what all those things mean.

For family portraits and other fun stuff I think that camera is great

[badger]

Thanks for your input! I actually bought the 'for dummies' instruction manual for the specific camera because I heard the included manual wasn't that great.

It will be here Thursday and I can't wait to start playing with it!

[LilyLily]

I got one for Christmas last year along with an intro course.  The course was a GREAT use of time and I'd highly recommend taking one.

[Eco Ellen]

If you are dipping your toe in I think it is a great use of time and money.

[badger]

Thanks, all. The day after I bought it I discovered there was a promo for $150 off a lens with purchase, but you had to buy them from Amazon at the same time. So I bought another camera + lens and will return one if the cameras!

I bought this:

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS II Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras


http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0011NVMO8/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?ref_=pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_SC_dp_1

Anyway, I'm very excited and annoyed at the holiday getting in the way of shipping!

[Mrtambourineman]

Great news!  I don't think you'll regret it.  I bought an old used DSLR to get my feet wet and three years later the camera is still challenging me.  Although my crazy neighbour just bought a 5D3 to replace his 6 mo old D60.   

[Eco Ellen]

Great news!  I don't think you'll regret it.  I bought an old used DSLR to get my feet wet and three years later the camera is still challenging me.  Although my crazy neighbour just bought a 5D3 to replace his 6 mo old D60.   

The 5D3 replaces a NIkon D60???  How long have I been asleep?

[Mrtambourineman]

The 5D3 replaces a NIkon D60???  How long have I been asleep?

Whoops, sorry I meant his 6 month old Canon 60D.  Geeze, I'll never get these model numbers straight. 

[Eco Ellen]

Whoops, sorry I meant his 6 month old Canon 60D.  Geeze, I'll never get these model numbers straight. 

Still....

[Mrtambourineman]

Still....

 

[Eco Ellen]

Meaning, the Nikon D60 to jump to that vs the Canon 60D to jump to that, in such a short time frame...my reaction is pretty much the same.

[Mrtambourineman]

Meaning, the Nikon D60 to jump to that vs the Canon 60D to jump to that, in such a short time frame...my reaction is pretty much the same.

Ah, I see.  I wasn't getting that from your post hence why I was confused.  I'm blown away that he felt he needed something better - he's a real gear head though.  He's slowly (i.e. over 6 mo) been building up a stock of L-lenses to go with the 60D and now he did this.  I have no idea how much he's invested in his gear, but its got to be over 10K.  He's also thinking of keeping the 60D body. 

[Eco Ellen]

Six months is slow? He hasn't met me.

I live gear too.

[moroccangirl]

He went from a gremlin to a Porsche!

[Mrtambourineman]

He went from a gremlin to a Porsche!

  Ha!  If his 60D was a Gremlin I don't want to think what my Rebel XT is.  A Yugo?   

Ha!

Six months is slow? He hasn't met me.

I live gear too.

I was being facetious.    

[Mrtambourineman]

Hey, I just got to play with my friend's new T3i this weekend and I now totally have new bodyitis.  The way the super high ISO's and digic 4 processor are performing now make my old Rebel XT feel like its from the stoneage.  The hand held interior low light photo's I was taking with the T3i would require my big ass flash or a tripod and instructions for the models to stand still dammit!

I totally get why my neighbour upgraded to a full frame now.  I still think it was overkill, but WOW!  The technology is really changing photography.     

[Eco Ellen]

 

[Mrtambourineman]