New DSLR Help

[Planner]

Hi

I going to upgrade from a PS camera to a DSLR. Going for streets and travel photography.

Been eyeing the Canon EOS350D.
Any advise from you experts on what to look out for when buying one? (eg faults..scratches.. etc?). Or what must i test on the camera to make sure i don't get a faulty one.

First time buy DSLR lah...a bit blur leh.

thanks

[billpepsi]

Originally Posted by Planner Hi I going to upgrade from a PS camera to a DSLR. Going for streets and travel photography. Been eyeing the Canon EOS350D. Any advise from you experts on what to look out for when buying one? (eg faults..scratches.. etc?). Or what must i test on the camera to make sure i don't get a faulty one. First time buy DSLR lah...a bit blur leh. thanks

If you are referring to new DSLR from the shops, they usually come with exchange policy, so should not be a problem. Things to take note are:

1. Warranty: local or grey set
2. Are the accessories in the package box complete.

but before getting any camera, always try it out yourself. 350D is a good camera but you may want to check whether the hand grip is suitable for you. There are lots of comments on this topic at CS here.

[tunster]

Test for dead pixel, bright dots, sensor dust. Use manual focus to do the following

To test dead pixel, use M mode shoot at 2 second widest aperture (F3.5 for the kit lens) towards a white paper. See any black dots.

To test for bright dots, cover up the lens with the lens cap, use M mode shoot at 1 second at any aperture. Check for white dots.

To test sensor dust, use M mode shoot at a white paper at 1/60 F22. Look for dark colour blurred area (it might be lens dust...check the lens first).

[n0d3]

Oh and remember to get a few lenses recommended in the " Canon EOS SLR system NEWBIE guide" sticky to supplement your kit lens.

[TMC]

try out the camera first.

[Reflection]

Originally Posted by Planner Hi I going to upgrade from a PS camera to a DSLR. Going for streets and travel photography. Been eyeing the Canon EOS350D. Any advise from you experts on what to look out for when buying one? (eg faults..scratches.. etc?). Or what must i test on the camera to make sure i don't get a faulty one. First time buy DSLR lah...a bit blur leh. thanks

Coming from a P&S camera, the biggest differences would be:

a) How much $$ you're going to spend. Lenses will take up most of your dreams at night.

b) How much weight you're going to carry around. Average outing will use 2-3 lenses and your camera body. Lens weights vary from few hundred grams to beyond 1kg, depending on what you buy.

[Planner]

Hi Tunster
Thanks for the tips. I think i will have a bit of trouble with this as i'm new to the aperture thing...ps camera dun allow manual control over aperture.


Hi n0d3
dun think i will get additional lens so soon. will make do with what i had from the package (i think EOS350 comes with a lens). i think most importantly for me is to get used to the camera and see what i wanna shoot before hunting for additional lens. But thanks for the advise as well.

Hi Reflection
Lets say i got 2K to spare. enough or not? get EOS350D (hopefully got good deals or anyone got good deals please let me know). So far the best price is around $1750 with the 1gb memory card. Waiting for great singapore sale and PC show next week to see if price will drop.
I think EOS350D is good for me to start up.

Hi jeffhiew
Whats local or grey set? used set huh? pls enlightened me.

And thanks all bros for your advices.

[denniskee]

Originally Posted by tunster Test for dead pixel, bright dots, sensor dust. Use manual focus to do the following To test dead pixel, use M mode shoot at 2 second widest aperture (F3.5 for the kit lens) towards a white paper. See any black dots. To test for bright dots, cover up the lens with the lens cap, use M mode shoot at 1 second at any aperture. Check for white dots. To test sensor dust, use M mode shoot at a white paper at 1/60 F22. Look for dark colour blurred area (it might be lens dust...check the lens first).

Wah, this is very good guideline , thanks for sharing.

[Snow_One]

Originally Posted by Planner Hi Tunster Lets say i got 2K to spare. enough or not? get EOS350D (hopefully got good deals or anyone got good deals please let me know). So far the best price is around $1750 with the 1gb memory card. Waiting for great singapore sale and PC show next week to see if price will drop. I think EOS350D is good for me to start up.

$2k is just the start. Many brothers here had spend more than 10K on their system. (from my reading....)

And don't get from PC show lah.... go CP/MS Color/John 3:16 so that next time get more lenses can say you bought from them before.

[wind30]

Originally Posted by tunster Test for dead pixel, bright dots, sensor dust. Use manual focus to do the following To test dead pixel, use M mode shoot at 2 second widest aperture (F3.5 for the kit lens) towards a white paper. See any black dots. To test for bright dots, cover up the lens with the lens cap, use M mode shoot at 1 second at any aperture. Check for white dots. To test sensor dust, use M mode shoot at a white paper at 1/60 F22. Look for dark colour blurred area (it might be lens dust...check the lens first).

for bright dot,
test at 1/2 second is better as some DSLR uses maps out the hot pixels at 1sec and above exposure. Set your ISO to 800, shutter at 1/2 sec, lens cap on, manual focus (else camera will not shoot as you cannot focus). You should see a couple of bright dots at these settings and I really doubt you can get a perfect black image. Just make sure the bright dots is not VERY obvious...

[n0d3]

Originally Posted by Planner Hi Tunster Hi n0d3 dun think i will get additional lens so soon. will make do with what i had from the package (i think EOS350 comes with a lens). i think most importantly for me is to get used to the camera and see what i wanna shoot before hunting for additional lens. But thanks for the advise as well.

Sure thing! The kit lens is a great walkabout lens and gives you relatively good image quality. And the other differences that you'll see with the dSLR when compared with your old PnS is that you won't have live LCD preview, you'll have to compose using the optical viewfinder and that you don't have a movie mode. I read a post about a guy who bought a dSLR and complained about it not having live LCD preview. And like Snow_One said, the $2k is just going to be the beginning, haha.

The prices of cameras etc. at the PC Show are usually still sold at the RRP (Recommended Retail Price) at around $1999 or something like that, same with Harvey Norman, BEST, etc. Only shops like MSColor, Cathay, Alan Photo will sell it BRP at around $1600-1700+. The PC Show will usually throw in additonal freebies but I think Canon already has a promotion going on?

Happy Shooting!

[shojibake]

I found the 350D kit lens to suck a bit on the contrast. I think the d70 kit lens is better but i haven't used that extensively. The handgrip is a big problem, but the plus side is the size and weight is very good for just walking around.

[aspire]

Originally Posted by jeffhiew If you are referring to new DSLR from the shops, they usually come with exchange policy, so should not be a problem. Things to take note are: 1. Warranty: local or grey set 2. Are the accessories in the package box complete. but before getting any camera, always try it out yourself. 350D is a good camera but you may want to check whether the hand grip is suitable for you. There are lots of comments on this topic at CS here.

hi, thanks for this thread because i am also intending to upgrade to a DSLR after a year in P&S.

i have some questions for the above quote point 1.
1) wats a difference between a local and a grey set?
2) Grey set are cheapet right?
3) Singapore sell grey set for 350D?

[Planner]

hmmm..keeping seeing people say hand grip is a problem. Maybe these people are just too pro liao and want perfection.

I think for me skinny shorty guy should be okie. Plus point is the weight and size of the camera. Carrying it around for shoot can bit quite tiring after a while. Also just nice entry buy for a DSLR newbie, i hope......

Hi Aspire
we are in the same boat man. Any good lobang from your side? which model u looking at?

[aspire]

i have been with my A95 for almost a year and i found that its performace is limited so i decide to switch to a DSLR soon. June/July perhaps.

Currently i have no lobang. from the Buy&Sell section, seems like not much people selling 350D at this moment.

I had handle 10D and 350D before and let me tell u about the difference in terms of their physical (grip). 10D is very comfortable and all ur (my) fingers could reach the controls easiely (fingers are well placed) while 350D is abit smaller. i find that while holding 350D my fingers are all cramped together (its not un-comfortable just that my fingers can't mingle around). that my personal opinion as a newbie, please dun flame me. lol

talking so much crap, my preference is towards 350D (due to $). quite good spec for an entry-dslr. if i have the $ i would go for 20D.

[aspire]

Originally Posted by aspire hi, thanks for this thread because i am also intending to upgrade to a DSLR after a year in P&S. i have some questions for the above quote point 1. 1) wats a difference between a local and a grey set? 2) Grey set are cheapet right? 3) Singapore sell grey set for 350D?