Lessons Learned from Buying Our First dSLR Camera

Our digital camera buying decision was simply done by trimming our choices into one category - that which fits our budget limits, plus the consideration that we are newbies in this moments-capturing hobby.

According to the photography mentor of a friend, the ideal dSLR camera for photography beginners are either Nikon D60 and Canon EOS 450D. Some say that if you want durability, go for Nikon; if you want quality shots, go for Canon. With this, we decided to buy Nikon D60, not just because it would save us a few thousand pesos, but also because of the attested durability. This trait is very important for us photography beginners because we would be experimentally tinkering the new digital camera. At least it can hopefully withstand our experimental errors.

But when we were actually in the camera shop already, the shop owner, sensing that we are photography newbies, sweet-talked us to buy the Canon EOS 1000D instead, a model which we did not know about until then. He emphasized the Canon EOS 1000D's Live View feature and offered us freebies and a not-so-attractive camera bag but we took his deal anyway. This is where the importance of really knowing what you want, knowing your camera preferences, and studying the different digital camera models in advance (by reading many reviews by expert photographers) before making the purchase. It would also be helpful if you can windowshop and check the actual dSLR cameras first before buying. But in our case, it was our first time to visit that camera shop. It is not located in accessible malls. We really set aside time to go there because the price difference between mall shops and the shops there is really substancial. (In my next post I will narrate our experience in going there.)

When we left the camera shop, we were in a quandary as to the judiciousness of our camera purchase. First, we were overwhelmed by our first ever dSLR, being used to the camera phone and compact digital camera. I found it monstrously huge and heavy, hehe, really showing my greenhorn exposure to this hobby. We were doubting if such a camera was what we really needed. This is where the importance of knowing your purpose and needs for buying a digital camera comes in. We were really not so clear as to what level of photography we want to expose ourselves.
As I have said in one of my previous posts, "know thyself, then know thy camera."

Then we were also bugged by the idea that we were just sweet-talked. But Mr. Owner looked sincere. Anyhow, after resolving our photography goal issues, and reading favorable reviews, we have become quiet satisfied with our digital camera acquisition. Afterall, we have no set standards to benchmark the new dSLR with. The good thing is that we became even more resolved to begin dSLR photography seriously. This blog helps me note down things I learned along the photography highway, including this digital camera buying experience.

My learning and notes-taking continue with my succeeding posts. And I hope you also continue learning and following my virtual notes in photography...

A Close Up Shot at Another Photography Beginner's DSLR Camera: Canon EOS 1000D

Another alternative for a photography beginner: Canon EOS 1000D

Yesterday, I featured LetsGoDigital's review on one of the choices a photography beginner can choose for a digital dSLR camera, the Nikon D60. This post, as promised, will cover a review still by LetsGoDigital on another dSLR for photography beginners, the Canon EOS 1000D.

Canon EOS 1000D SLR camera review
The EOS 1000D is Canon's convincing answer to the competition, and it again places them in the highly competitive segment of the entry-level D-SLR camera. It are only minor details that make the difference between the EOS 450D and the Canon 1000D, however, the price will have to make the real difference. The market for the entry-level digital SLR is extremely crowded and although there never used to be a question about scoring a market share in the past, it might be difficult for the upcoming years.

Canon EOS 1000D entry-level DSLR
The Canon EOS 1000D does undoubtedly succeed when it comes to its quality. It is clearly a product that has arisen from long years of EOS experience. The camera is simply well constructed and although not completely free of remarks, the Canon EOS 1000D truly is an extremely beautiful entry-level DSLR. The image quality is convincing, the operation logical and friendly, and its size that makes it pleasant to always carry the camera with you.

Pictures taken in practice with the Canon 1000D
The pictures taken in practice already made it clear and when we compare the technical DIWA Lab tests with the test pictures, we see that the quality of the EOS 1000D is almost similar to that of the EOS 450D. If you make a choice entirely based on quality, will find the best price/quality ratio with the Canon EOS 1000D. If speed at RAW format is a must, you will have to rethink your choice. With a speed of 1.5 fps and a maximum of 5 pictures in a series, taking action pictures might be a problem in this format. You need the Canon 450D (3.5 fps in RAW) for this.

Live View function on the Canon 1000D
Live View can be a convenient function, yet it needs refining to make it perfect. The speed of the contrast detection is average and only suitable for working with a tripod. Canon could gain something here. Besides that, you can improve the image quality by purchasing a better lens. It's not that the kit lens performs poorly, however, as for chromatic aberration and vignetting, there are (more expensive) lenses that perform just that little bit better.

Canon EOS 1000D test conclusion
Other than that, we can't be anything but positive about the Canon EOS 1000D. You can get by perfectly with all ISO settings at which noise is no longer an issue. An excellent performance. Also when it comes to dynamic range and colour reproduction, the Canon 1000D scores excellently and is well-matched with its more expensive EOS brothers. In addition, the beginning photographer will certainly be able to lift his photographic skills to a higher level. The Canon EOS 1000D is also an excellent step towards the semi-pro job, for those who want this kind of level. We can only come to one conclusion; the Canon EOS 1000D really stands up for itself, and the EOS success will without doubt be continued by the 1000D.

To learn more about the storage capacity and RAW format performance of Canon EOS 1000D, please click here...