Canon Rebel XT Q's

Palex134

Palex134

New member
I am looking at the Canon Rebel XT, I think 8 MPs. I am looking at it on Amazon, and it is decently cheap. I am looking to get a nice lens, good for macro shots, I need clear focus on small geckos. I think I am looking at this,

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=250314001&pf_rd_i=B0007QKMSC

Do you all think that this is enough lens/camera for the quality I want? Im used to a 4 MP camera, and I take decent pictures, but I want better.

Also, for those Canon Rebel users, can you describe your canon set up?

Thanks
 
Haroldo

Haroldo

New member
While I haven't owned a Rebel [yet], I have been "playing" with analog SLR's for about a decade doing landscape photos. Here's a few things:

1. The price for the camera indicates to me that it is not sold my an authorized Canon retailer. As such, it is my understanding that you will not have a valid warranty with Canon.
2. The lens included is not a macro one, it is a zoom lens. You won't get far with it trying to shoot small animals in all likelihood.

If you don't care about #1, then go for it.
If you do care about #2, find a package without a lens and buy a good macro lens separately (this will set you back from $400 to well over 2k)

Good luck. If I ever stop buying animals, I could treat myself to a whole outfit...
 
Palex134

Palex134

New member
Thanks Haroldo,
I have just started to get into Photography, especially after a few Photo classes I took last semester. I am interested in digital SLR cameras now more then ever. I will look into the body, which I did see for 400 or so. I will also look around for Canon dealers for the warranty. I might consider buying both a zoom and a macro lens, depending on how much I want to spent. Thanks
 
S

strikedistance

New member
I have both the digital rebel and the rebel xti. I skipted a generation i know but it was well worth it. Amazing camera. Ill show you some pics if you want me too.
 
J

Jon McMahon

New member
Yes this is very good camera for sure. It will do more than you will likely ever really need. A good lens would be the tamron macro 90mm. You may also be abel to pick on up cheap on ebay. I found mine for 350 cdn. Although the lens it comes with will be very nice for a lot of shots. Especially after you play with it for a while and get some experience.

Also I can show some pics if needed :D

Let us know what you decide to go with and good luck.
 
Y

yuri

New member
Haroldo said:
1. The price for the camera indicates to me that it is not sold my an authorized Canon retailer. As such, it is my understanding that you will not have a valid warranty with Canon.
Click to expand...

Sorry to jump in here Haroldo. The XT is still being sold, albeit at a greatly reduced price to what was its intro price. The first couple of places that have below $599 prices are not widely thought of as well respected photo retailers (like BH PHotoVideo, Adorama, WB Hunts, KEH to name a few of the bigger ones), so 'buyer beware'. But the $599 price is legit. You can find used ones (KEH) for much less than this.
 
Y

yuri

New member
Palex134 said:
Do you all think that this is enough lens/camera for the quality I want? Im used to a 4 MP camera, and I take decent pictures, but I want better.

Also, for those Canon Rebel users, can you describe your canon set up?

Thanks
Click to expand...

You can get very good quality with fewer megapixels. Don't get caught up in that 'race'. It is not about megapixels, it is about understanding light, composition and your existing equipment.

For close ups of geckos (such as these photos http://www.geckoweb.org/profile/sphaerodactylus-notatus-notatus like these little Sphaerodactylus, you would ideally get a dedicated macro lens. Don't confuse a dedicated macro lens with a lens that says 'macro' somewhere on the lens barrel. A dedicated macro will typically give you 1:2 magnification ( 1/2 lifesize ) or greater. With geckos I have found that a 100mm macro is nice. There are times that a 50mm (or 60mm) would be nicer based on the working distance and cage/terrarium constraints (lets you get equivalent magnification, but you can be physically closer to your subject) or a wider field of view. There are also times when 180mm (or 200mm) would be better - when you need greater working distance and a narrower field of view.

When most zoom lenses (with precious few exceptions) say 'macro', they are using this term loosely. At best most zooms will give you 1:4 magnification ( 1/4 lifesize ), which is nice for the larger species of geckos to get full body photos and some close up details. But will leave you wanting if you want to fill your viewfinder with the body of your newly hatched Sphaerodactylus/Gonatodes/Lepidodactylus. Also, many zooms often give you the 'macro' feature at the wider focal lengths, so your field of view is very generous, and the photos don't have the same feel of an equivalent magnification but with a narrower (longer focal length) field of view.

True macros cost considerable money though.

How much do you want to spend on your lens?

I use the following:

Canon EOS 10D body

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro (will focus to infinity and all the way down to lifesize magnification, 1:1)

Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 (only does macro, does not even focus to infinity, but it will focus down to 5:1!! That is five times lifesize.)
 
Palex134

Palex134

New member
yuri said:
Palex134 said:
Do you all think that this is enough lens/camera for the quality I want? Im used to a 4 MP camera, and I take decent pictures, but I want better.

Also, for those Canon Rebel users, can you describe your canon set up?

Thanks
Click to expand...

You can get very good quality with fewer megapixels. Don't get caught up in that 'race'. It is not about megapixels, it is about understanding light, composition and your existing equipment.

For close ups of geckos (such as these photos http://www.geckoweb.org/profile/sphaerodactylus-notatus-notatus like these little Sphaerodactylus, you would ideally get a dedicated macro lens. Don't confuse a dedicated macro lens with a lens that says 'macro' somewhere on the lens barrel. A dedicated macro will typically give you 1:2 magnification ( 1/2 lifesize ) or greater. With geckos I have found that a 100mm macro is nice. There are times that a 50mm (or 60mm) would be nicer based on the working distance and cage/terrarium constraints (lets you get equivalent magnification, but you can be physically closer to your subject) or a wider field of view. There are also times when 180mm (or 200mm) would be better - when you need greater working distance and a narrower field of view.

When most zoom lenses (with precious few exceptions) say 'macro', they are using this term loosely. At best most zooms will give you 1:4 magnification ( 1/4 lifesize ), which is nice for the larger species of geckos to get full body photos and some close up details. But will leave you wanting if you want to fill your viewfinder with the body of your newly hatched Sphaerodactylus/Gonatodes/Lepidodactylus. Also, many zooms often give you the 'macro' feature at the wider focal lengths, so your field of view is very generous, and the photos don't have the same feel of an equivalent magnification but with a narrower (longer focal length) field of view.

True macros cost considerable money though.

How much do you want to spend on your lens?

I use the following:

Canon EOS 10D body

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro (will focus to infinity and all the way down to lifesize magnification, 1:1)

Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 (only does macro, does not even focus to infinity, but it will focus down to 5:1!! That is five times lifesize.)
Click to expand...

No, When I mean close up, I mean CLOSE UPs! I take those pictures like that with my sony, on hatchling L. lugubris, only a few cms long. I want to be able to take pics like Andrew @ LAC posts in the Uroplatus section, where you can see the cells on the tongue.
I want a "real" macro lens, the money doesn't matter. I completely understand that I dont need any more mega pixels, I just want more to get some shows like other have. I take good pictures, and I get comments on them everywhere, asking if they can be used on someones sites, or even published once, but I want to take the best possible.
 
S

SsarahH

New member
We have the rebel XT and the rebel XTI, both have proven to be awesome cameras for us. We usually end up using the XTI with the Canon EFS 60mm macro lens when shooting photos of the geckos. (the main differences are that the XTI is a 10 megapixel vs. XT at 8 megapixel. Also the XTI has a larger LCD screen which is pretty nice.)

The Canon EFS 60mm lens is pretty expensive, but as someone mentioned before the Tamron 90 mm macro works really well too, the quality is very comparible from what we have noticed between the 90mm tamron and the 60mm Canon. We bought the Tamron 90 mm from someone locally for $260 in comparison to the $400 Canon macro. We usually end up using the Tamron lens when we go out herping so we don't have to risk getting the other macro lens dirty/damaged while we are out hiking and such.

Along with the camera and lens the rest of our set-up consists of two AB800 flash units which if you are willing to spend a little more money have definitly been worth the investment!
 
Palex134

Palex134

New member
Thanks Sarah, you and Andrew take the most incredible pictures. Your post with Satanic pictures is incredible. I will look into the lenses and the flash. Thanks
 
Y

yuri

New member
I think you did not understand my post or look through all the photos on that particular profile. I challenge you to take a close up of three Sphaerodactylus toes (no cropping) with your sony.

If you want a
Palex134 said:
"real" macro lens, the money doesn't matter
Click to expand...
, then shell out $850 for the Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 I had mentioned. That lens does nothing but macro, from 1:1 all the way to 5:1 on a full frame 35mm SLR.

I'm glad you take good pictures.

Palex134 said:
No, When I mean close up, I mean CLOSE UPs! I take those pictures like that with my sony, on hatchling L. lugubris, only a few cms long. I want to be able to take pics like Andrew @ LAC posts in the Uroplatus section, where you can see the cells on the tongue.
I want a "real" macro lens, the money doesn't matter. I completely understand that I dont need any more mega pixels, I just want more to get some shows like other have. I take good pictures, and I get comments on them everywhere, asking if they can be used on someones sites, or even published once, but I want to take the best possible.
Click to expand...
 
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