# Starting Out In Photography - What Do I Need?



## Callum (Nov 1, 2011)

A huge novice in this field but I have decided to get into a bit of photography! Finish uni next year and would like to go travelling for a while and a good camera is a necessity to really capture my experiences so I have taken the plunge.

Being so inexperienced I have decided to pick up a Canon 1100D with the 18-55mm IS II lens, reading reviews it seems an affordable place to begin. Also picked up a UV filter, a tripod, a carry bag and a 16GB 20mb/s SD card.

My question really is, what am I missing that will improve my photographic abilities? I parcitularly want to photograph landscapes and my watches and car, so I think I need to get my hands on a wide angle lens and a macro lens, but I can't find them any cheaper than Â£500 which is a bit much. Will the 18-55mm suffice to begin with for both landscapes and finer detailed objects until I can afford to upgrade?

Any tips or opinions on the camera choice would be greatly appreciated! Would like to hear from anybody who has a similar set up.


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## amh82 (Dec 5, 2011)

My advice would be to go second hand where you can, especially the body.

I'm not sure what an 1100D costs, but I'd feel better about spending Â£200-250 on something like a good condition, used 20D or 30D. Rugged body, good weight, decent frame rate. Although if you're set on the 1100D, I'm sure you will be more than happy, just the xxxD bodies felt a little cheap & light to me, so not sure what xxxxD bodies would be like.

The 18-55mm IS will suffice to begin with, I have the 55-250mm IS, and it's great lens considering the price. Neither are the fastest len's around, but won't be a problem for landscape when using a tripod and smaller aperture. A 50mm f/1.8 is a good budget lens to have, cheap build, but takes nice pictures, fast (although the actual AF isn't fastest) and gives nice shallow DoF.

As for Macro, a proper macro lens is the way forward, but some people use extension tubes with std lens' such as the 50mm f/1.8. I've not tried it myself though.

For landscapes I'd consider a decent weight tripod for stability, or at least add a weight, also considering a CPL to bring out the sky and cut through reflections, also ND filters can help if you want to get dreamy looking water, etc.

I'm no expert by any means, best advice is to get out there and have a go!!


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## fi20100 (Aug 27, 2011)

I would second the suggestion to look for a used Canon 40D. If possible a used EF-S 18-135mm IS lens would be perfect as your normal walk-around lens to start with. Also the cheap 50mm f/1.8 is a good second lens. For close-up and macros have a look at a Kenko Extension Tube set that works with Canon EF-S lenses. And as Amh82 said, a tripod is always good to have 

I used two 350D cameras for a long time, but I'm now using a 5D and 40D combo. All but the first 350D I've bought second hand, and it's never been a problem.


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## shadowninja (Apr 14, 2009)

I'm going to say the opposite. If you're starting out and travelling, I would go cheap and portable, and just get something that allows you to adjust things manually. You don't need 1000000 megapixels. A built-in macro function and optical zoom is useful, though.

When you start to push the limits of the camera's functionality, you'll know what you need and can focus (boom! boom!) your money on something decent rather than getting something half decent, developing a particular taste in a style and realising your camera's actually half poop.

Learn about composition, light and other techniques. That's what makes the difference. I know someone who can take pictures with a crap compact digital that makes my photographs using half-decent kit look rubbish.

Oh, and one more thing, please don't take "creative" pictures of sports cars. They look cheesy. If a car is beautiful, by taking it at some zany angle, you're going to ruin the lines and proportions. I hate modern photography you see in magazines and online where the car looks misproportioned and you can't appreciate its beauty.

Edit: I know you've already got the camera so my reply is somewhat out of sync but that's my general opinion of someone learning. Best thing you can do now is get on a course or buy a book or two.


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## fi20100 (Aug 27, 2011)

shadowninja said:


> I'm going to say the opposite. If you're starting out and travelling, I would go cheap and portable, and just get something that allows you to adjust things manually. You don't need 1000000 megapixels. A built-in macro function and optical zoom is useful, though.
> 
> When you start to push the limits of the camera's functionality, you'll know what you need and can focus (boom! boom!) your money on something decent rather than getting something half decent, developing a particular taste in a style and realising your camera's actually half poop.
> 
> ...


Ok, so if you already have the 1100D that's great... to my defense, I would think that a used 40D would be less expensive than a new 1100D  Getting a few books is a great idea though! And if I may I would recommend "Photography" by John Freeman. It was one of two books I bought and read before I got my first dSLR camera.


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