Whenever I make an appearance at family functions or sports events with my camera bag, whip out my 5D and telephoto lens and start shooting I inevitably get questions from people who use point-and-shoot (P&S) digital cameras about getting into DSLRs. Photography can be a rather confusing and expensive hobby, but it doesn't need to be if you're just starting out. The problem is that it's difficult to know what to buy and how to use it. So I wrote this little guide so I can point people to it. It distills the experiences I had when I first started going from film to digital, and hopefully is useful enough to help you avoid the same mistakes (some of them expensive) that I made. I will try to keep this as simple and non-technical as possible, with links to more detailed information when appropriate. When going through the list of equipment below, please keep in mind that my links to Amazon.com are there merely out of convenience, not endorsement. Once you're actually ready to buy, make sure you also read this. Why would I want a DSLR? My P&S works just fine!A DLSR can do things that a P&S simply cannot. My canonical example is rapid-fire photography. Let's say that your kid is doing something funny. You pull out your Olympus P&S, turn it on, wait for the LCD to boot, focus, actuate the shutter and maybe (just maybe) you got the right shot at the right time. More often than not though, at least in my experience, that's not the case. With a DSLR, there is virtually no wait time, and I can take 20 full-size images in about 45 seconds (assuming no flash), improving my chances of getting the right shot by a large margin. There are other uses for rapid-fire shooting, but I use this one because it appeals to the reason most people in my demographic circle tend to buy cameras - their kids. A friend of mine once remarked that if he could capture the moments (that sounds like a Kodak commercial) for $1,500 more, he would spend the money, no questions asked.  Then again, some people are just happy with their P&S rigs. If you are happy with what your camera does for you, then there's little reason to go to a DSLR. P&S cameras have advantages over DSLRs, one of them being the bulk. On the other hand for example, DSLRs have amazingly good battery life. Everything is a trade-off I guess. However, if you don't mind a bit of a learning curve and you want to take better images, then read on. The systemThere are four major DSLR "systems" currently on the market. The term "system" refers mostly to the lens mount (the locking mechanism and electronic link between the lens and the body) that cameras support. They are Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Pentax. Not surprisingly these are also the brands that produced most of the film SLRs in the past. A relative newcomer is Sony, with the "Alpha" system. I prefer Canon, because in my opinion they have surpassed Nikon in the digital arena, and the other two are not big enough (in terms of the commercial ecosystem around them) to justify the investment. If for some reason you choose something else, then the general recommendations here would still apply, but of course I'm going to recommend specific equipment that works with Canon only, so that's not going to be as useful. There are also companies that produce lenses for the different systems, but don't necessarily make cameras themselves.The camera bodyThere are currently two types of DSLR bodies. The entry-level APS-C sensor, and the full frame sensor. The basic difference between the two is the amount of image information that the electronic sensor captures when you take a picture. The full frame sensor captures an area equivalent to a standard 35mm film frame, while the APS-C sensor captures a smaller area. This distinction is important mainly if you print a lot of your pictures, or you find yourself constantly looking through the viewfinder and wishing you had more coverage. Unfortunately going from an APS-C to a full-frame digital camera body is rather expensive, no matter what brand you use, and if you're just starting out it makes no sense to go to that much trouble. So here I'm going to recommend going with an entry-level or "prosumer" Canon body. Canon has two APS-C lines. One is the Rebel, which is the entry level. The current model for this line is the Rebel XSi. The other is the 'D' series, of which the current model is the 40D. They call these "prosumer". The Rebel cameras are also known as 400/450D in some markets. I own an original Digital Rebel XT, and it's a perfectly fine camera. All of Canon's lenses fit it just fine, and it's an excellent choice for the jump from P&S. This camera body goes for about $600 retail, with the usual variations depending on rebates or whatever. If you want to keep your expenditure to a minimum, then go with this body. The 40D (and its predecessors the 20D and 30D) are basically the same camera as the Rebel XT, with additional bells and whistles, like larger LCDs, more functions, slightly more sturdy construction, etc. These bodies go for about $1,000. If you can spend the additional money, go with the 40D instead of the Rebel. But understand that you won't be missing out on a whole lot if you don't. Alternatively, and like most electronic equipment, you can go for the last model instead. The 30D can be had for about $800, while the XTi is currently going for $400 or so. The bodies don't change that much between revisions, and again, for purposes of starting out, the previous version will do just fine. To kit or not to kitDLSRs (and SLRs before them) are commonly sold in "kits". A kit can be as simple as the body + an entry-level lens, or it can include more things, like a bag, more than one lens, a flash, other accessories, etc. For purposes of this article we'll consider "kit" to be just the body + lens. The problem with kits is that the lens is usually crappy, even for Canon. On the other hand, having a lens is a better "out of the box" experience for some people. I generally recomment not buying a kit at all, but if you're shopping around and you find a kit that does not add a lot to the price of the standalone body, then go for it. At least you'll have something to play with when the camera arrives, and you can shelve the lens later once you have a better rig. Keep in mind that a Rebel XSi + entry-level lens is not going to produce particularly better images than your P&S, but I suppose it's a start. Take for example this kit sold through Amazon. The lens adds about $100 to the final price. Buying the body only and spending $300 for a superior lens is probably a better idea. Still, a lens is a lens, and it takes pictures. You can use it to get comfortable with the camera before you buy anything else. A note about lens nomenclatureLens names are often confusing (and intimidating) to people. Let's disassemble the name of the Canon lens I mention first below, the EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM:
Other acronyms you'll come across are more esoteric, usually by lens manufacturers other than Canon. Sigma for example has APO (apochromatic), EX (construction quality), DG, DC, IF, etc. Your "anchor" lensIn a photographer's bag there's always a main lens, also called a "walkaround" or "anchor" lens. It's usually a zoom lens with a good focal range, and quality glass that takes above-average pictures. It's the lens that spends the largest amount of time attached to the camera. Now that you've picked your DSLR body, we'll start with this piece of equipment. My recommendation here is the Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens, which retails for about $400. I owned this glass and used it extensively with the Rebel XT. It's the perfect balance between price, speed, focal range and image quality. It also incorporates Canon's Image Stabilization (IS) technology, which is very helpful in low-light situations at lower shutter speeds. Alternatively, you can go for the Sigma AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS, which also has a good focal range and is slightly cheaper. I owned a similar lens to this one as well and I have no doubt it has the same quality. Sigma makes excellent Canon lenses. If you only buy one lens initially, it should be one of these two. I'd go for the Canon. Your telephoto lens My recommendation here is the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM. This is another lens I've used extensively and I highly recommend. It retails for about $450. Alternatively, another excellent telephoto I've used is the Sigma APO 50-150mm f/2.8 II EX DC HSM, which generates slightly better images at the expense of some focal length. This last one is also a good option for a "walkaround" lens. Your wide-angle lens Your macro lensA "macro" lens can usually mean one of two things. A fixed-focal lens (also sometimes called a "prime lens") that has no zoom, or a lens of that type which also has macro capabilities - that is, the lens can take a 1:1 ratio image of an object, like this one. Lately the term "macro" has come to mean "my lens can do a 1:4 approximation", so keep that in mind as well. Fixed focal lenses are good portrait and static work lenses as well. This is because they typically have higher optical quality (zoom mechanisms tend to affect optical characteristics) and they're difficult to use for anything else (because you need a static subject). I've owned two macro lenses. One is a 180mm Canon L glass, which is too expensive and is probably the only lens I ever regret buying. Not because it's not a good lens, but because I realistically have no use whatsoever for it. The other is the Tamron AF 90mm f/2.8 Di SP, which is essentially identical to the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM (see here). I did use the Tamron a bit more for some lightbox and portrait stuff, and I would definitely recommend it. They both retail for $400 or so. What lenses not to buyBy now you've noticed that I recommend Sigma lenses in addition to entry-level Canon ones. There are two additional "major" brands of Canon-mount lenses, Tamron and Tokina. In my personal experience, Tamron lenses are of lower optical and mechanical quality than Sigma, so as a general rule I'd recommend staying away from them. The exception to this is my 90mm Tamron macro, which is an excellent lens. All the others I've tried have not been that hot. As for Tokina, I've never used them so I cannot in good faith recommend them, but I hear good things about their AT-X series.The other type of lens you should probably stay away from are the EF-S mount types from Canon themselves. EF-S lenses are "optimized" for APS-C sensor frames, meaning they fit only the Rebel and 20/30/40D-type bodies. EF-S lenses cannot be used with camera bodies like the 5D/Mk II - in fact trying to attach one of these lenses to a full-frame body will probably damage it (in that the 'bump' of the lower optical assembly will come in contact with the mirror inside the body). EF-S lenses were developed by Canon as mid-range alternatives to their cheaper EF glass, probably to take advantage of the huge number of APS-C sensor cameras they've sold. A photographer friend of mine who does this stuff for a living once told me: "You buy lenses for the next camera you're going to buy". I think this is true. It makes no sense to buy a camera lens that won't fit your next body, and it's very likely that the next big advance in prosumer photography is going to be full-frame sensors at the current APS-C price level. Camera bodies are not a good investment, because they tend to get more abuse and the shutter mechanism has a specific maximum lifespan. But lenses are, when taken care of properly, an excellent investment. I know people who have 5D or 1DS bodies and they use them with 25-year old Canon lenses they used to mount on their professional film SLRs. High-end lenses also have great resale value, just in case you ever decide to get out of photography and put your entire rig on eBay. So don't buy EF-S lenses if you can help it. The models are simply not attractive enough to justify them over Canon's normal midrange glass, and you'll only be buying something that will be tied to a single camera type. Not worth it, in my opinion. Wrapping up the lensesIf you only get one lens initially, make sure that it's the "walkaround" one. If you get two, you have to think about what kind of pictures you're primarily going to be taking. If you plan on shooting sports events or wildlife, then go for the telephoto. If you're going to shoot birthday parties and portraits, go for the wide angle or the macro. If you get three lenses, forgo the macro unless you're going to do a lot of portrait work and get the wide angle instead.Final word about lenses: Filters and HoodsIn the equipment guide I mention that I buy filters for all my lenses, mostly as a form of protection. I recommend you do the same. For budget purposes I recommend standard UV/Protection Tiffen filters, which you can buy most everywhere lenses are also sold. Later you can move up to B&W filters if needed. Again, the type of filters you want to buy are general-purpose UV/glare ones, not specialized filters such as those used for polarization, warming, contrast enhancement, color conversion, etc. What you want is just a piece of inexpensive glass screwed to the top of your expensive lens that won't have any detrimental effect on image quality, help a bit with sun and flash glare, and most importantly, protect your investment.When buying filters, make sure you get the correct sizes for your lens diameters! For example, the Canon EF 28-135mm lens has a 72mm cowl diameter, so that's the filter diameter you want to get for it as well. Amazon typically recommends the correct size filter when you're buying a lens. Now on to hoods. Hoods are attached to lenses to help reduce flare from the sun, flash and other light sources. One of the things I absolutely hate Canon for is the fact that they sell the hoods for their mid-range lenses separately for $25 or so, which is rather expensive for a piece of plastic. Sigma and Tamron on the other hand normally include a hood with all of their lenses. I used to buy hoods for my Canon lenses because I'm a sucker, but unless you have a very specific need for them (such as close-in lightbox work), don't buy the Canon hoods. It's just not worth it. AccesorizingOnce you've picked your body and lenses (and the filters for them), you need to figure out what additional accessories to get. The cost of accessories can get away from you fast, substantially pushing up the final cost of an entire rig if you're not careful. So I'm going to try and list the bare minimum set of accessories that you should have to get started. The equipment guide has a more complete set, if you're interested in going further. Also in the equipment guide you can find specific information about brands and so on for things mentioned here.
The numbersSo at this point we can start running the numbers on how much you'd have to spend depening on whether you want to go for the full kit or start slow:
Obviously I'm using some padding here to account for shipping costs and/or taxes, which will vary depending on how you go about this. I am also collapsing the telephoto and wide angle lenses into a single choice. For the basic rig of the body, main lens and required accessories, figure spending about $1,300 or so. I added the additional lenses and accessories as per my buy recommendations, so you can see if you decide to get the telephoto lens and the tripod you'll be up to just under $2,000. Going full tilt and adding the macro lens and flash will set you back about $2,500. Expensive? I think photo equipment is worth its weight in silver, but it's up to you to decide if you're going to use the camera enough to justify spending even a dime on it. Also keep in mind that I'm using straight retail prices here - it's more plausible that you'll find better deals for most of the equipment shown here, so your costs should be lower, perhaps substantially so. Things like free shipping (like Amazon likes to do) should drive things even lower. The big variable here should be the body. If you find a previous model or a better deal on the Rebel then you should pay less, but if you decide to go for the 30/40D then that will likely go up. To put this expense into context, consider that even if you get all four lenses to add an additional $400 to the $2,500 grand total, that's still slightly less money than I paid just for my 5D body! The last four years have seen a substantial reduction in the price of this type of equipment, especially bodies. On Amazon, the 5D I paid $3,000 retail (plus NY tax) for now goes for about a thousand dollars less, no doubt because of the introduction of the Mark II model. It's a good time to be into digital photography, no doubt about it. |
