# Need suggestion for DSLR



## mastervk (Dec 24, 2011)

Hi ..I am planning to buy my first DSLR.I have some questions and need suggestions from experience members..

i have 2 options :
1: buy canon 1100d with kit lens,macro and zoom lens
2: buy canon 550d with kit lens only and buy macro and zooms lens later once i have learned slr techniques and really need them.

which one is better option?what are the limitations with canon 1100d ?
2 :can i take pictures of flowers and other small object with kit lens without needing macro?

3: is it better to buy offline or online?i have found online rates to be better?how is below rate ?

CANON EOS 550D DSLR CAMERA18-55 IS LENS 4-GB EOS CARRYING CASE 0% EMI @Rs10834/- | eBay

can someone suggest better offline store to buy in Chennai or Delhi?


any other camera better than above though but in same price range(like from nikon) ?


----------



## sujoyp (Dec 24, 2011)

Hi bro ...welcome to the forum 

Your 2nd choice is definitely better...once u start using and get to know the techniques u will know for sure which type of lens is good for you  

Yes u can take good pics of flowers without macro lens... but small object how much small??

No issue in online or offline ...if the product is sealed pack with all warranty and accessories
The link u provided is fine...he is power seller so no problem

In Nikon u can consider Nikon D5100+kit for now....it have better sensor and ISO then 550D


----------



## mastervk (Dec 24, 2011)

Thanks sujoyp...

small object like ants,butterfly other insects..

what are the other accessories i should buy (like tripod,filters etc)


How important filters are for a beginner?


There is  around 4K difference between 550D and D5100.Is there any significant advantage in buying Nikon.As a brand a prefer canon but if Nikon camera,lens and service is better than canon i might try Nikon d5100...


----------



## agyaat (Dec 25, 2011)

mastervk said:


> Thanks sujoyp...
> 
> small object like ants,butterfly other insects..
> 
> ...



Tripod is a must. Most people end up using rocks, parapet walls, stacks of books, bent friends and what not before they have the extra ordinary epiphany that a tripod solves their problem and they could have been wiser before. Buy a good enough one which stays stable and keeps the camera set safe while on it. You will be glad even if you upgrade to a better one and this lies with you. 

Have any junk ass clear filter for the sake of protecting the front element of the lens. This means that for every lens you buy, include a budget for a clear filter. 

As far as Canon Vs Nikon goes, both are neck and neck. Either one will be okay.


----------



## sujoyp (Dec 25, 2011)

Actually there is slight better image quality and ISO support in D5100 but I will go for 550D 

for insects u have to buy macro lens....there r other solutions for macro but need some practice...like manual 50mm+extension tube or using raynox adapters

Other accesories...u can get a basic tripod now and save for a better later or buy at least a 5-6k benro tripod and relax in peace untill u have a heavy gear 

filters r not much useful to starters...once u go deeper in landscape photography filters make huge differences...but quality of filter matters...cheap filter decreses picture quality


----------



## nac (Dec 25, 2011)

That's one helluva discount on 550D...


----------



## binarycodes (Dec 25, 2011)

nac said:


> That's one helluva discount on 550D...



Ha Ha, I thought so too, but see the actual price on the ebay site! No idea what is meant by the 10K figure though :O


----------



## nac (Dec 25, 2011)

binarycodes said:


> Ha Ha, I thought so too, but see the actual price on the ebay site! No idea what is meant by the 10K figure though :O



It's EMI amount. 10834 (rounded)*3= Rs. 32500/-


----------



## binarycodes (Dec 25, 2011)

Ah, I see! 

But then 32.5 K isnt much of a discount, my local shop asked 34 for it and I was just casually asking the price 

PS: Waiting for a price cut on the D7K


----------



## sujoyp (Dec 25, 2011)

@binarycodes when did u ask for the price of 550D ....I think prices have increased everywhere and so this 32k price is very good

err u should wait for the D7000 price to be normal first ...before it was 52k for body now its nearly 58-59 for body


----------



## mastervk (Dec 25, 2011)

Thanks everyone for your valuable suggestions..

i have ordered 550D..

i will ask more questions once i get it


----------



## binarycodes (Dec 25, 2011)

The 550D was 34K with kit lens on the first week of this month!

Anyhow, 32.5 is still a good price no doubt.


----------



## mastervk (Dec 29, 2011)

I got my 550D today. Please suggest necessary accessories ..
1:good quality tripod
2:lens filter or scratch guard

i have got 4GB sd card.I am thinking about getting 16GB card.please suggest a good and fast SD card.


----------



## sujoyp (Dec 29, 2011)

To get a good quality tripod u have to keep a minimum budget of around 5k
Benro A-200EX + BH-00 is the cheapest among that . Link -> Gaffarbhai and Sons » A-200EX + BH-00

otherwise u can get any other low end tripod according to your need...Please check the tripod thread someone started for more information.

Good quality lens filter like ND, GND, UV, CPL are all costly . If u use cheap ones on the lens it will decrease the picture quality. soo if u r planing to get Rs.200-300 lens filters then better use it to protect front glass of lens and remove it when taking pics

16GB is too big to keep..I would say get 2 x 8GB  is better idea...get sandisk ultra or sandisk extreme as per your budget


----------



## Tarun (Dec 29, 2011)

go with a 55oD with 135mm len and a 55mm prime len u might need a hood and CP filter (some people dont like it) u can go with a Sandisk Extreme 8 GB is enough for a spare u can take a another later


----------



## mastervk (Dec 29, 2011)

Tnx sujoyp for your fast response 

I will buy 8GB sandisk extreme..will buy another  8GB sandisk extreme later if required..

I am not sure about necessity of tripod.. if required i will guy a good quality ..
Benro A-200EX  looks good.


----------



## agyaat (Dec 29, 2011)

mastervk said:


> I am not sure about necessity of tripod.. if required i will


----------



## sujoyp (Dec 29, 2011)

@mastervk u will need a tripod someday  but you can always save money for good one


----------



## binarycodes (Dec 29, 2011)

if you'll be travelling, get an extra battery too.


----------



## mastervk (Dec 30, 2011)

After full recharge how long default battery will last ?

Please suggest good and affordable macro lens for 550D..


----------



## mastervk (Dec 30, 2011)

to answer my own question  i found this a dpreview

_The EOS 550D's supplied battery is rated at 550 shots without flash, and 430 shots assuming 50% flash use._


----------



## Tarun (Dec 30, 2011)

It's a basic guide to dSLR lenses, and describes the main features of a lens (focal length, maximum aperture, prime vs. zoom, stabilization and other goodies) in practical shooting terms. This way, you should be able to get a decent picture of what all the numbers stand for.

The second thing is, you are now going to have two camera bodies: the 350D and the 550D. You can put an 18-something on one, and a telephoto on the other, and have the best of both worlds.

If you're shooting outside in sunshine most of the time, you can probably get by with an f/4 70-200. The f/2.8s differ from the f/4s not only in max. aperture and price, but also in size and weight. The 70-200 is a white L. It's all-metal. It's bigger and heavier than any of the lenses you've got. The image quality is terrific, but you're going to want to get your hands on one to see if it's for you, first. It's an entirely different kind of lens than the ones you're used to. You may want to consider renting before you buy to see if it's for you.

Also, there are five different models. You have a choice of f/4 or f/2.8, with IS or without, and the 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM comes in Mark I and Mark II (the Mark II now brings the wide-open sharpness up to a par with the 70-200 f/4L IS USM's). Keep this in mind when you read older reviews before the f/2.8 IS II was introduced.

In specific Canon terminology, a lens is described as

EF, EF-S (and there are also two exotic designations, TS-E and MP-E)
EF = Electronic Focus (i.e., the Canon EOS mount)
EF-S = Electronic Focus - Small (i.e., the digital Canon EOS mount--the smaller sensor in the 1.6x crop bodies allows a lens with a smaller image circle. These lenses can only be used on 1.6x crop bodies, and not on the 1-series or 5D or film EOS cameras).
TS-E = Tilt Shift Electronic (manual focus tilt-shift lenses)
MP-E = Macro Photo - Electronic (the super 5x macro lens)

The focal length.

The maximum aperture.

L = "Luxury" / "Low dispersion" glass. The lens has special flourite or UD (ultralow dispersion) glass elements in it to help control chromatic aberration and increase light transmission. You tend to get better color, contrast, and chromatic aberration control with L lenses, as well as more usability features than non-L lenses. Also, it's rare for one to cost less than four figures.

USM = Ultra-Sonic Motor. A special focus motor that's silent and faster than non-USM motors. There are two types: ring-type and micromotor. Ring-type is the more desirable as it allows for full-time manual focus (i.e., you don't have to flip the MF/AF switch to move the manual focus ring). USM is particularly useful in fast-action photography at getting the lens to lock focus faster.

IS = Image Stabilization. The lens can move elements inside it to compensate for camera shake. IS is typically rated in stops. The older the design of the lens, the less the IS will compensate. IS is good for using slower shutter speeds and eliminating camera shake blur (particularly with longer lenses). But it does nothing for eliminating subject motion blur, because you still have to use that slower shutter speed. And a monopod can pretty much do everything IS does, stabilization-wise.

[roman numerals] the version of the lens. Most lenses don't have this, but a few do, and each version usually marks some form of improvement over the previous generation. The big exception to this would be the EF 50mm f/1.8 II, where the improvement was to make it a lot cheaper.

Then come the exotic designations: DO (diffractive optics) & Macro. DO is only found on two telephoto lenses, and it was a way of designing the optics to make a more compact lens. It's expensive and meant for folks trekking gear over African veldt or Arctic tundra. Macro means the lens has close-focus capability.

For macro, the two mid-range Canon choices are the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM Macro, and the EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro (the non-IS, non-L version). The 100mm is the more "general purpose" lens--it gives you more working distance so you won't scare off bugs or lizards, etc. The 60mm is crop-body only, a little sharper than the 100mm, but you have to work closer to your subject, so there's more work avoiding your own shadow, and it's really only good for tabletop objects or flowers--stuff that won't run when it sees you looming over it. It is, however, about half the size and weight of the 100 Macro.

Two places to go to get some opinions of lenses would be the-digital-picture.com (which is sort of the ultimate Canon geek's reviews of Canon gear), and the Fred Miranda lens reviews, where people dogpile on and you can get a lot of various views of the lens from different shooters.
Source 
Hope that helped


----------

