Canon 600D?

[ramjet]

I've been searching around on the forums trying to get some sort of opinions on DSLR's. Also looking on the web. WAAAY to much info these days to paw through.

 

I used to play around with a film SLR, but I am not even sure if you can still get film processed nowadays here.

I want to get one that will take video and I am thinking about getting it tomorrow to take to the airshow Saturday. It looks like a few people on here have the 600D. I found an Aussie online price from Canon for that of $1200 but then I found an instore price from Harvey Norman (big retailer over here) for way less than that (which surprised me)

http://www.harveynor...0mm-lenses.html

The 60D is more expensive by $400 for the body with the same lenses. I think I found why this is more expensive than the 60D. Frame rate when shooting video?

The 600D has the twisty screen yes? Do people on here find that a huge plus?
 

Also found this but not sure if it is a duty free price. Extra 50mm lens and a bag.
 

http://www.camerahou...owepro-bag.aspx

Don't worry about commenting on the prices. I'm in Australia. I expect it is more expensive than O/S.

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

[DanR]

I reckon most of todays DSLR's have become too big and heavy to lug around for the day. Throw in a few extra lenses and there's a lot of weight to be lugged about.

My son uses a Sony mirrorless camera which still has interchangeable lenses. A mate has a Panasonic gf1 micro 4/3 and a Nikon d600. The Panasonic is what he prefers to carry around for the day.

I have an older Olympus e610 which is as big as I want to carry for the day.

As for the photo quality, at this level it all comes down to the skill of the users and how well they understand and operate their cameras.

This site isn't too bad for research:

http://www.dpreview.com/

Edited February 28, 2013 by DanR

[ramjet]

Well I now own a 600D. I also had a real good look at the Nikon D3200, but the Canon won. Trying to learn enough to use it at the airshow tomorrow and not look like a numpty doing it.

 

Also going to try and do some nice pics of the S4 around the place and hopefully once we move into winter up in the mountains. Should be fun.

[Bibs]

[ramjet]

There is actually a 14 day guarantee on the whole deal that if I decide in that time that I want to upgrade to something bigger and better etc, I can. Doubt it though. I can't see myself running out of camera before I run out of experience.

 

Part of the win for the Canon was the twisty screen as someone said in the other topic about not having to lay about on the ground trying to set up those low angle shots. Not sure who it was.

[Malcolm Feth]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Canon-EOS-600D-Digital-SLR-Camera-EF-S-ISII-18-55mm-Lens-Refurbished-/281070998410?clk_rvr_id=455252607118

 

Good price with basic lens

[Bibs]

That's half what I paid 12 months ago!

[ramjet]

I got the camera in the camerahouse link in my first post. So have three lenses. Used it at the airshow I spoke about in my other topic.

Didn't get time the night before to learn everything so didn't find how to set it up to continuous shoot. Didn't take the 50mm lens, but got by fine with the other two lenses.

Not sure about the AF function when taking a movie. Sometimes the AF worked for the entire movie. Other times it just sat there and didn't work. Will ring them in the shop and ask as the guys in there are pretty good.

 

They had a sale on these. I reckon I saw at least another 2 dozen of the same camera walking around at the show.

[Malcolm Feth]

ramjet, if you are talking shots of objects in move, I strongly suggest to switch focus option to not be automatic selection but single point focus. Probably when you shoot planes it does not a huge issue, but I it does not help in shooting moving cars.

 

Also you need to switch your AF seetings to "AI SERVO". That means it will continuously adjust and try to focus on objects.

If you have "one shot" it will just focus once and since airplanes are moving, really fast, after second it will be already out and photo will be blurry. Having IS lens helps a lot, focuses much faster than normal ones.

[ramjet]

Probably when you shoot planes it does not a huge issue, but I it does not help in shooting moving cars.

 

Not sure what you are trying to say here Malcolm?

[Bibs]

Don't use one-shot focus for anything that moves.

[ramjet]

I'll check and see what it was set on and let you know. Like I said, didn't have time to learn as much as I wanted to by the next day. Had fun though.

The only AF modes I can find are called Live Mode, Face Recognition Live Mode and Quick Mode.

 

Am I not looking in the right place?

[Malcolm Feth]

You should have like

one shoot

AI Focus

AI servo

[DanR]

Lot more tutorials about your camera which may be useful to you.

[ramjet]

Ah. Found what you are talking about Malcolm. That only comes up in the manual, shutter or aperture priority modes etc. In the other modes the AF is already determined by the program. In movie mode, which is what I was trying to use a bit at the airshow, the modes are as I described above. Some reading of the manual tonight said the following (or words to the like)

Aim camera at subject to be filmed, half-press shutter button to prompt AF, then start recording movie. Maybe rushing sometimes, I didn't do the shutter button bit. I'll test it out a bit over the next couple of days.

 

I suppose also, if I want to shoot video, buy a video camera.

[Malcolm Feth]

"I suppose also, if I want to shoot video, buy a video camera." - I think the last episode of MD House was filmed in HD with Canon 5D Mark II. They are "good enough" , if they've done something like this... in these days DSLRs are good enough to be used as camera (ps.. I've never done that! )

[ramjet]

I admit I was changing the zoom as planes flew past to get them in frame, so they were changing distance to the camera plus the speed it was happening plus me changing the zoom. I was hoping the AF intelligence could keep up.

I'm yet to load the movies and pics onto my computer to see how they came out.

 

In the meantime, I will have to start reading all your tutorial posts. Coming into Autumn now and then we've got winter. I want to try and get some great pictures of my S4.

 

Thanks for the link Dan. I'll go through those as well.