For school/work I wanted to get a nice DSLR camera. What did I want in a camera?
- Something that took great detail/close up shots. I knew that I would need a macro lens and ring flash, as these are what is most commonly used in my field.
- Something that would be under $1000 since I am a poor grad student.
- A versatile camera that could be used to take snapshots.
- Easy to learn.
After talking to some instructors and some fellow students I narrowed it down to a few different options.
What I ended up getting was the Canon EOS Rebel T1i in a kit from Costco. Here is what my kit included:
Features and Benefits:
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Effective Pixels: 15.1 -megapixel CMOS sensor with DIGIC 4 Image Processor
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LCD Monitor: 3.0″ TFT color LCD; 920,000 dot color monitor
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Top Shooting Rate: Up to 3.4 frames per second
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Live View: Enhanced Live View shooting includes face detection mode
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HD Video: Full HD video capture at 1920×1080 resolution with HDMI output
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Focus Area/Sensors: 9 AF points (Cross-type)
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ISO Sensitivity: ISO 100 to 3200 in 1 step increments
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Focusing Modes: Auto, One-Shot AF, Predictive Al Servo AF, AI Focus AF, Manual Focusing (MF)
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Metering Modes: 35-zone TTL full-aperture
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Power Source: Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery
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Images Per Battery Charge: Up to 500
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Dimensions: 5.1” x 3.8” x 2.4” (W x H x D)
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Weight: Approx. 1.1 lbs.
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Storage Media: SD/SDHC
What’s Included:
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Canon Rebel T1i Digital SLR Camera Body
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Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS Lens
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Canon EF-S 55-250mm IS Lens
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Canon Rebel Gadget Bag
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4GB SD Card
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Mini HDMI Cable
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Rechargeable Battery Pack
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Battery Charger
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AV Cable
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USB Interface Cable
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Wide Strap
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EOS Digital Solution Disk
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EOS Rebel T1i Guide with Rick Sammon DVD
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“Great Photography is Easy” Booklet
To me this seemed like a pretty good deal and I knew from previous experience if I had any problems Costco customer service would help me out. I also ended up purchasing a Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Digital SLR Lens for EOS Digital SLR Cameras and a Sigma EM-140 DG Macro Ring Flash for Canon SLR Cameras.
What I have learned since getting all this equipment is that photography is not easy! Even when you have the fancy equipment. So I recently joined a photography group in my town and went to my first meeting; I learned about the exposure triangle and then I came home and practiced some shots. The guys in the group were great and did not make fun of all my newbie questions. At this point I want to become proficient in using the different modes on my camera and capturing what my eye sees. After that I can start focusing on the “pretty” shots.
Taken in aperture priority mode, no flash, EFS60mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Shutter 1/25
Aperture f/8.0
ISO 400