Bought my first DSLR: Canon 30D


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kiasu101

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:) Hi guys,
After all the shooting with compact Canon G2, IXUS 400, then IXUS 40, I finally took the plunge to go into DSLR which are now more affordable. Was tempted to get the 400D at first but finally decided to go for Canon 30D. This is what I've bought (at Harvey Norman) today:

1. Canon 30D kit (with EFS 18-55mm)
2. Canon EF 55 - 200mm f/4.5 - 5.6 II USM

Bundle with Sandisk 1 GB ULtra II CF, Kingston 2 GB CF, Dry box, tripod, LCD protector, UV Filter, Lens Workbook from Canon.

Purchased extra 4 year warranty for $350 (total 5 years). Total damage near to $3K.
Price OK?
Any site to share how to use this beauty to its fullest?
Thanks.
Raymond:)
 

:) Hi guys,
After all the shooting with compact Canon G2, IXUS 400, then IXUS 40, I finally took the plunge to go into DSLR which are now more affordable. Was tempted to get the 400D at first but finally decided to go for Canon 30D. This is what I've bought (at Harvey Norman) today:

1. Canon 30D kit (with EFS 18-55mm)
2. Canon EF 55 - 200mm f/4.5 - 5.6 II USM

Bundle with Sandisk 1 GB ULtra II CF, Kingston 2 GB CF, Dry box, tripod, LCD protector, UV Filter, Lens Workbook from Canon.

Purchased extra 4 year warranty for $350 (total 5 years). Total damage near to $3K.
Price OK?
Any site to share how to use this beauty to its fullest?
Thanks.
Raymond:)

Since you've already purchased, why ask if it's ok? Just be happy with what you've bought and go out and use it.

Back to your question. $3K for what you got is OK. though you should have negotiated with the sales person to give you the extended warranty for free.

How to use your camera? RTFM.
 

Hi Kiasu,

I'm no Canon expert, but I found the 30D really easy to use.

What will get you down is if you are not familiar with the controls and settings of the camera. It is vastly wider and more complex than a PNS.

Besides your owner manual, what I did (and suggest to any new DSLR owner) is to read the manual from start to finish, and have the camera beside you. Explore all the placement of controls, and learn what controls what. After reading each section or topic, play around with your cam and do test shots to get a feel of what the camera does. The learning experience is re-inforced when you read and apply simultaneously.

Sometimes, reading in depth reviews like those from dpreview helps some to understand the camera a little better than the manual, as the review also covers performance at different settings and talks about the strong and weak points of the camera in actual use - effectively giving you a fast forward in your learning curve. I'm one of those who can read and read and read and never learn anything, so I learn from experience. LOL!

Sometimes, independent guide books make experiencing a new camera more enjoyable. I'm not sure if any exist for the 30D.

Basically, no short-cut if you want to get to know this baby really well.

All the best and have fun with your new toy!
 

:) Hi guys,
After all the shooting with compact Canon G2, IXUS 400, then IXUS 40, I finally took the plunge to go into DSLR which are now more affordable. Was tempted to get the 400D at first but finally decided to go for Canon 30D. This is what I've bought (at Harvey Norman) today:

1. Canon 30D kit (with EFS 18-55mm)
2. Canon EF 55 - 200mm f/4.5 - 5.6 II USM

Bundle with Sandisk 1 GB ULtra II CF, Kingston 2 GB CF, Dry box, tripod, LCD protector, UV Filter, Lens Workbook from Canon.

Purchased extra 4 year warranty for $350 (total 5 years). Total damage near to $3K.
Price OK?
Any site to share how to use this beauty to its fullest?
Thanks.
Raymond:)

:eek: why did not get the shorter 70-200 instead?? its a better lens for a semi pro body...
 

Welcome to the Canon family. ;)
 

Congratulations on your DSLR pusrchase! Now, beware of the BBB virus... L lens are very tempting nowadays due to droppping prices...

For me when I got mine, I got straight into shooting then whenever I encounter problems I refer to manual. Not a very conventional method but it worked for me. But having said that I am still learning how to use the more advanced functions.
 

More importantly, use those abundant shutter counts and improve your skills!

I believe the 30D is rated for 100,000, and a few of the owners actually sell them away with less than 10,000. So sad....
 

Hi all,

Sorry was busy the whole day and did not check the forum till now.;p

:) Many many thanks to all those who've bothered to pen down so many good advice. Really touched by you guys. Will definitely follow most of your advice and try to make full use of this quite expensive toy. Why go straignt into 30D, I am not sure myself but I guess and 2.2 month extra bonus does play a pivotal role (I am a lecturer in the Poly) and I am not young.
Photography is still my favourite past time hobby and I never failed to admire the very nice shots by you forumers, in particular, Megaweb to mention just one.

Good to have you guys around to support my decision as after buying my wife kept saying why so expensive? Do you really know how to use it or not? Another white elephant....:confused:

I bought the 55 to 200mm lens because it came with it as bundle price of $330. Don't know much about lenses till now. Sorry very naive.:dunno:

Sorry, but what is BBB virus?

Merry Xmas to everyone.:)
 

This is what I've bought (at Harvey Norman) today:

1. Canon 30D kit (with EFS 18-55mm)
2. Canon EF 55 - 200mm f/4.5 - 5.6 II USM

Bundle with Sandisk 1 GB ULtra II CF, Kingston 2 GB CF, Dry box, tripod, LCD protector, UV Filter, Lens Workbook from Canon.

Purchased extra 4 year warranty for $350 (total 5 years). Total damage near to $3K.
Price OK?

Raymond:)

NO
cos u have been ripped by harvey norman
- 30d with kit lens can be bought for less than $1800 second hand
- 1gb ultra II cost at most $50.
- kingston cf card is very slow and laggy, not worth getting in the first place
- tripod and dry box can wait until u decide to invest long term in dslrs
- uv filter - not needed since it is a kit lens anyway.
- lcd protector - not essential item!
- lenswork book - not essential item!

conclusion: you could have saved $1k
 

forgot the 55-200mm lens: not worth paying for it. you wil grow out of it very soon.
 

NO
cos u have been ripped by harvey norman
- 30d with kit lens can be bought for less than $1800 second hand
- 1gb ultra II cost at most $50.
- kingston cf card is very slow and laggy, not worth getting in the first place
- tripod and dry box can wait until u decide to invest long term in dslrs
- uv filter - not needed since it is a kit lens anyway.
- lcd protector - not essential item!
- lenswork book - not essential item!

conclusion: you could have saved $1k

At HN, he could have used the credit card 0% 36mth installment. So, to some people want NEW but do not want to pay all upfront, it still may be a "good" idea. But I agree that the Kingston CF card is a dude.
 

NO
cos u have been ripped by harvey norman
- 30d with kit lens can be bought for less than $1800 second hand
- 1gb ultra II cost at most $50.
- kingston cf card is very slow and laggy, not worth getting in the first place
- tripod and dry box can wait until u decide to invest long term in dslrs
- uv filter - not needed since it is a kit lens anyway.
- lcd protector - not essential item!
- lenswork book - not essential item!

conclusion: you could have saved $1k

Hi
May be you are right, I was too hasty. Should have looked around for better deal. But what I like about HN is that I could purchase extra 4 years of warranty which AP or CP or MS color could not provide. So the higher price is justifiable to me in that sense.

The 30D with kit lens costs me $2299 so comparing with $1800 second hand, I would prefer the former as you never know the history till you get it. Most likely the warranty is over.

Any way, thanks for your feedback.
 

At HN, he could have used the credit card 0% 36mth installment. So, to some people want NEW but do not want to pay all upfront, it' may be a "good" idea. But I agree that the Kingston CF card is a dude.
Hi,
You were right. The 0% interest rate does influence my decision. Though I could have paid in cash, I took the 24 month installment instead.
 

apologies. for the somewhat harsh comment

i have never had a credit card before in my entire life, so everytime i buy stuff i always pay by cash or nets in full amount. so it never occurred to me about paying for things in installments (except maybe for a car or house - which i have also never bought before anyway)

nevertheless $2299 vs $1800 is a difference of effectively $500 - which is actually quite a big amount for a married man with kids :cool: .

but since you already bought the cam, pls use and enjoy it to the fullest. technical queries can always come here we will give u good advise. have a nice christmas :thumbsup:
 

apologies. for the somewhat harsh comment

i have never had a credit card before in my entire life, so everytime i buy stuff i always pay by cash or nets in full amount. so it never occurred to me about paying for things in installments (except maybe for a car or house - which i have also never bought before anyway)

nevertheless $2299 vs $1800 is a difference of effectively $500 - which is actually quite a big amount for a married man with kids :cool: .

but since you already bought the cam, pls use and enjoy it to the fullest. technical queries can always come here we will give u good advise. have a nice christmas :thumbsup:

Hi,
No need to apologise. You just sounded your thoughts, that's all.

Rgds!
 

Hi,
No need to apologise. You just sounded your thoughts, that's all.

Rgds!

Yah, since u already bought it then don't think so much about whether getting a gd deal a not. Just spend more time on shooting. ;)
 

Welcome ... you are on your way to becoming a professional photographer with this semi-pro body. BTW learn next time never buy from Happy Noman because they sell at the recommended retail price which is always higher than buying from your friendly neighborhood Cathay photo or MS color Stores, even with the so-called freebies they throw in for you.

:) Hi guys,
After all the shooting with compact Canon G2, IXUS 400, then IXUS 40, I finally took the plunge to go into DSLR which are now more affordable. Was tempted to get the 400D at first but finally decided to go for Canon 30D. This is what I've bought (at Harvey Norman) today:

1. Canon 30D kit (with EFS 18-55mm)
2. Canon EF 55 - 200mm f/4.5 - 5.6 II USM

Bundle with Sandisk 1 GB ULtra II CF, Kingston 2 GB CF, Dry box, tripod, LCD protector, UV Filter, Lens Workbook from Canon.

Purchased extra 4 year warranty for $350 (total 5 years). Total damage near to $3K.
Price OK?
Any site to share how to use this beauty to its fullest?
Thanks.
Raymond:)
 

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