newbie to photography here

[ment0s]

greetings to all lao jiao.. newbie here

gonna go buy a canon 500d this weekend after much research on DSLR.. know completely nuts about dslr.. but love photgraphy, so gonna try with a starter set.... it comes with 18-55mm lenses. will slowly upgrade once i get the kick

any bros here using 500d here can give review or advise for me? thanks

i'm also a newbie with a 500D, i'd say quite user friendly once u get familiar with the buttons. i find the "old school" manual very helpful, the user guide book a little nonsense IMO...remember to ask for freebies like bag, filter, tripod, etc etc. have fun with your new toy and post some shots!

[ment0s]

any good cam shop to recommend? I read good reviews bout a shop in amk hub, will go try the 500d at vivo canon before heading down to purchase. anyway what's the diff between kit 1 and 2? the price diff so much...

[ecoquest]

Go check out www.clubsnap.com.

I'm a Nikon fan, although I've owned a Canon for a few years due to the lower price then.

I'm using the D300 now. For fish photography, I'd advise you get a standard 50mm f/1.8 at least to allow you to take good flash-less photos of your fish.

In photography, the lower the f stop number, the larger the aperture. The larger the aperture, more light enters the lens and this means you can have a higher shutter speed which means that you can take photos without the need for artificial lighting (flash).

[ment0s]

Originally Posted by ecoquest

Go check out www.clubsnap.com.

I'm a Nikon fan, although I've owned a Canon for a few years due to the lower price then.

I'm using the D300 now. For fish photography, I'd advise you get a standard 50mm f/1.8 at least to allow you to take good flash-less photos of your fish.

In photography, the lower the f stop number, the larger the aperture. The larger the aperture, more light enters the lens and this means you can have a higher shutter speed which means that you can take photos without the need for artificial lighting (flash).

care to advise whats the 50mm all about? as the 500d kit 1 comes with 18-55mm... and i presume f1.8 is the flash setting?

Originally Posted by ecoquest

I'd advise you get a standard 50mm f/1.8

i agree, i still can't understand how come so sharp

btw TS, kit 2 comes with a 18-200mm lens if i'm not mistaken

Originally Posted by ment0s

care to advise whats the 50mm all about?

50mm f/1.8 is a prime lens that cannot zoom. on the 500D its a little bit like a wide angle lens. known for its huge apperture and superb sharpness and so cheap

[ment0s]

meaning i must purchase another such lenses? may i know how much is the lenses..

bro care to advise what comes with the 500d kit 1?
flash and zoom etc got? heard got video function too

[ecoquest]

Originally Posted by ment0s

care to advise whats the 50mm all about? as the 500d kit 1 comes with 18-55mm... and i presume f1.8 is the flash setting?

No, f/1.8 refers to the aperture setting. In my earlier post, I've explained it controls the amount of light that enters your lens/frame, allowing you to use a faster shutter speed (reducing shake) to capture your objects.

The 50mm f/1.8 lens for Canon should be retailing at about $180-220 or so. It's not too expensive. At Clubsnap (also read my earlier post), you should be able to get a good condition used one for between $90-150.

bro ecoquest, its 125 only brand new, just got it last week or so

kit 1 comes with the 18-55mm lens, the body, 8gb SD card, bag, strap, UV filter (must cham siong a bit), magazine style guide book

there's a full HD video function, my skill at video is rather disappointing