My planned setup

[Rahl]

I just recently found this board and have really liked some of the work. I've decided to join the community and I need an upgrade from my Canon SD400. I have an idea of what is recommended for the beginning candid artist but appreciate direct feedback. I'm also going to begin working on portraits. My budget is $2,000.........so far

Tentative setup:

• Canon Digital Rebel XT 350D (investing the 30D difference *$730* into other areas) $680
  SanDisk Ultra II 4GB CF Card $185
  Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens (80mm equivalent) $ 73
  Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens (136mm) $346
  Canon 580EX Flash (portraiture) $387
  Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce for the Canon 580EX Flash (portraiture) $16
  

$313 remaining, spend it for me (beer money is a separate fund)

Beyond this -

• what focal length you use most often?
  how much card memory do you avid shooters require on a busy weekend?

thanks

[Thunder Pixx]

with that kind of budget i think you are on the right track. get the XT and spend the rest on glass. i love my 70-300 mm IS canon lens. not an L, but that is big bucks. the 50 mm 1.8 is a must for the money.

good luck and i hope to see your pics here soon!!

[Telephoto Ink]

That will be a really good start with what you're planning on getting. Like Thunder Pixx said the 50/1.8 is a must and from what I've heard and seen the 85/1.8 is a great lens. I myself have the 50/1.8 and the 135/2L with the 30D. I mainly use the 135mm. It's a great lens. As far as memory cards I have two one gig cards but I've only filled them both up one time and that was 700 pictures. Welcome to cO and I'll be looking forward to seeing your work.

[toBot]

Can't comment on the Cannon gear except that since your upgrading U might as well go for the high end model instead, esp. if your doing portrait work for bucks. U can add expensive glass later.

I'd never use a 4 GB card, that's too much memory to trust to something that can fail or be lost (both happened to me). See Nee_Loks OH NO post in this section!


A couple of 1 GB cards would be plenty, U can always get more if needed. A pro friend of mine only uses 512k cards because he immediately dumps each one onto a inexpensive 650 MB CD for storage and backup when he returns from a shoot. If U don't backup all your stuff it's as good as gone when your hard drive poops out.

Most of my shooting is 200 mm and below.
Hope to see your stuff.

[Vitahappy]

no slr for me but i'll get one in the future. i only have a 512 memory card on my and it's plenty. all the gear you're getting is pretty good and will get you good shots.

this is just my note but maybe you dont need a 4gig memory card. this doesnt matter unless you're shooting raw files which takes up a lot of space.

[Rogue Trooper]

I don't have SLR either, so I can't give you any lens advice. But with my cam I use the whole area where my zoom goes, must say it's mainly on tele end which would be 300+mm.

That one memory card would worry me too. Do you really mean that you would shoot the weekend without emptying your card to computer? If that's the case, I'd invest to 2 extra batteries as well. At least I wouldn't be able to fill that 4GB card with only one battery.

[DaLf]

I agree everything you have except the 4GB card...I mean..unless you plan to leave huge RAW files on it and not empty it on the PC or CD/R then sure......but I would get the 1GB for 100$ and spend that extra 85$ towards something else......but very nice set-up

[Thunder Pixx]

i think a couple of smaller cards and a wolverine storage hard frive would be the way to go. unlimited shooting that way.

[Rahl]

Thanks for the advice. I'd go 30D, but cannot justify it at the same MP range. It was ws a 10MP like the Nikon D200, I'd be all over it, even at a higher price. 4GB is overkill then, got ya I travel a lot, to cities where I won't have computer access to backup my cards, so a high capacity card seemed ideal. Now I'm looking at Wolverine and Epson backup drives. Those Epsons are nice!



Revised:

• Canon Digital Rebel XT 350D (investing the 30D difference *$730* into other areas) $680
  2X SanDisk Ultra II 1GB CF Cards $106
  Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens (80mm equivalent) $ 73
  Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens (136mm) $346
  Canon 580EX Flash (portraiture) $387
  Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce for the Canon 580EX Flash (portraiture) $16
  Epson P-2000 Multimedia Storage Drive, Viewer, and Audio/Video Player $456

$2,064 - I'm out

Hopefully I'll have something to offer soon

[CANTGETENUF]

Originally Posted by Telephoto Ink

...I mainly use the 135mm...

Ditto. I'm absolutely addicted to my 135mm. The reach/clarity combination is awesome. Also, responding to some of the other comments...

4 gig cards are now going for under $100...

On big weekends I don't leave home with under 8 gigs... (shoot only at highest res)

I've taken over 1000 "flash" shots on one battey. I bought a spare battery the day I bought my XT. Although I always pack it, I've never had to switch it out.

At high res, you'll easilly fill a 4 GIG card on one battery.