New member needs help

[lurechunker]

I am new to the forum and asking for help. Our granddaughter plays basketball and I would like to photograph her. I kayak and would like to photograph birds. Is the EOS 760D the camera for me? Other? What lens or lenses? How can I protect my equipment form damage from saltwater? Thank you.

[Waddizzle · Accepted solution]

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@lurechunker wrote:
My 80D with 18-55 from Canon store will arrive tomorrow. I think I made a mistake by not getting the 28-135. Should I leave the 18-55 in the box and send it back? I'd like to start with an "all-round" lens and one long enough for back yard birds.

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Do you mean 18-135, instead of 28-135?  The 18-135 lenses are pretty good.  BUT, they will likely cast a shadow when you try to use the flash.  I know that older 18-135mm lenses cast a major shadow on a T5, so I would expect a shadow on an 80D.  The 18-55mm lens has a 35mm equivalent of 29-88mm, which is pretty close to 24-70mm that is very popular for use with full frame camera bodies.

The  STM version of the 18-55mm is a really good lens.  I would hang on to it.  I can guarantee you that whatever plans you have for using the camera, you will find new scenarios to use it.  I would keep the 18-55mm, and pass on buying a 18-135, so that you can budget more money towards your birding lens.  If you can afford to do all of the above, then by all means, buy all of the lenses you want.

[TCampbell]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"That's the best solution for an experienced user, but not for someone new to DSLRs."

Why is it that all new to photography folks are not capable of learning the hobby.  It is utter nonsense to think that a 7D Mk II would inhibit a person's ability to learn how to use a DSLR.  It is as automatic or as manual as anyone wants it to be.  Maybe it is just me, because of my DSLR 101 classes, that I believe anyone can learn photography if they want to.

A 7D Mk II, a couple of lenses and a couple zip lock bags and the OP is ready to shoot.  Ocean or birds!  Sounds pretty simple to me.

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The key to the above is the last part of your sentence... "if they want to."  I recall the days when products came with instructions manuals that people actually read.  Today, many products don't come with instruction manuals at all... they assume the consumer will just figure it out as they go.  

While cameras still come with instruction manuals, those manuals explain how to operate the camera, but not how to do better photography (e.g. the manual doesn't explain why you should choose one mode over another given the type of shots you plan to do.)  But there are books and courses that teach that.  Even though I've been shooting for years, I picked up a few of these books to decide if I should be recommending them to new users and generally the answer is 'yes'.

However... did you happen to see the announcment of the new Canon T7i and 77D that was released last night?

But I bring this up because these two new cameras now have a mode that helps new photographers learn.  You can enable an option (it's on by default on the T7i but it's off by default on the 77D) that uses a cartoon diagram to help the photographer understand how a change to the exposure triangle will alter the image.   For example, if you adjust aperture, they show how the background may change from more blurry to more focused as you alter the f-stop and they show how the depth of field is being changed.  It's a visual diagram much like you've probably seen in books, but the diagram is live in that as you change your camera settings, the diagram changes to show the effect.  

I'll be very interested to try this out on the camera to see how it works for myself (all I can see now are very short clips that talk about all the features of the new cameras and only flash this feature for a few seconds.)  It seems like it may be very helpful to those trying to learn to shoot in modes other than just full automatic.

[ebiggs1]

"...many products don't come with instruction manuals at all..."

Tim,

I can only assume if a person invests the money to buy a 7D Mk II and a couple of decent lenses, they would be willing to learn how to use it.  I know some people buy for the bling factor but I suspect most of us will put forth the required effort.

Some may be pleased with a certain level and stop there. Some will go on to greatness.  But to assume a new to photography person can't buy a 7D Mk II because they are doomed to failure is nuts.

The camera that is most likely to survive salt spray or water is the 7D Mk II.  It is a camera that can be as little or a fantastic as the OP or anybody wants.  The 7D Mk II and the ef 400mm f5.6L lens is going to be a tough combo to beat for birds or BIF, also.  Win, win and win.  You guys all need to give people cut the OP some slack, here.  She just might be smarter than you apparently think!

[Waddizzle]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

  But to assume a new to photography person can't buy a 7D Mk II because they are doomed to failure is nuts.

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No one said that.  That's you making false assumptions again.  Assuming that anyone can pick up a professional camera and can get the most out of it is no different than assuming anyone can walk into a professional kitchen and be a gourmet chef.

[EDIT].

I guess best solution depends upon one's definition of "best".  Sometimes, I believe it to mean "best fit", not "best gear". 

[lurechunker]

How about a T6 with a 75-300 for backyard birding?

[RobertTheFat]

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lurechunker wrote:
How about a T6 with a 75-300 for backyard birding?

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If by "backyard birding" you mean that you set up a feeder and then hang out until the birds get used to you sitting there in a lawn chair and taking their pictures, that rig would probably be sufficient. But for anything beyond that, I think you'd be seriously under-equipped.

[Waddizzle]

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

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@lurechunker wrote:
How about a T6 with a 75-300 for backyard birding?

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If by "backyard birding" you mean that you set up a feeder and then hang out until the birds get used to you sitting there in a lawn chair and taking their pictures, that rig would probably be sufficient. But for anything beyond that, I think you'd be seriously under-equipped.

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Setting up a feeder is actually a good way to attract birds for photos.  Hummingbirds are one good example, who seem to like sugar water, I think.  But, you will need a blind of some kind to hide yourself.  Some folks set up the feeder near a window, so that they can set up a camera mounted tripod to take pictures.

I would recommend that you stay away from the budget priced 75-300mm lenses.  The 55-250mm budget lenses are much better.  The T6 is the bottom rung DSLR, designed for new users.  It has a menu system that describes what many settings do.  But, the camera itself has been purposely crippled, in order to cut the selling price.  I would advise a Rebel T5i, T6i, or T6s.  This advice does not supersede my prior advice regarding the 80D, which I think is the best buy in the Canon lineup.

[RobertTheFat]

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@Waddizzle wrote:

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

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@lurechunker wrote:
How about a T6 with a 75-300 for backyard birding?

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If by "backyard birding" you mean that you set up a feeder and then hang out until the birds get used to you sitting there in a lawn chair and taking their pictures, that rig would probably be sufficient. But for anything beyond that, I think you'd be seriously under-equipped.

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Setting up a feeder is actually a good way to attract birds for photos.  Hummingbirds are one good example, who seem to like sugar water, I think.  But, you will need a blind of some kind to hide yourself.  Some folks set up the feeder near a window, so that they can set up a camera mounted tripod to take pictures.

I would recommend that you stay away from the budget priced 75-300mm lenses.  The 55-250mm budget lenses are much better.  The T6 is the bottom rung DSLR, designed for new users.  It has a menu system that describes what many settings do.  But, the camera itself has been purposely crippled, in order to cut the selling price.  I would advise a Rebel T5i, T6i, or T6s.  This advice does not supersede my prior advice regarding the 80D, which I think is the best buy in the Canon lineup.

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People tend to think of hummingbirds as very shy. (I've seen one up close in the wild only twice in my fairly long life.) But they can be surprisingly easy to befriend if, as Waddizzle suggests, you bribe them with a sugar-water dispenser. On one of the Usenet newsgroups a few years ago, there was a photographer who more or less specialized in photographing hummingbirds. Once he'd been at it for a while, they swarmed around his feeder in such numbers that he almost had to swat them out of the way in order to walk across his yard. He posted great shots routinely.

[Waddizzle]

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@lurechunker wrote:
How about a T6 with a 75-300 for backyard birding?

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Canon sells a couple of different EF 75-300mm lenses.  They differ primarily in when they were released.  None of the budget priced lenses produce very good images.  You should consider one of the EF-S 55-250mm lenses, especially ones with model numbers that end with "STM".  In fact, I would recommend any of the Canon lenses that end with "STM".

[John_SD]

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@lurechunker wrote:
How about a T6 with a 75-300 for backyard birding?

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If you have a hummingbird feeder in your backyard, start with that. 

If you are talking about the T6 with the kit lenses (the 75-300mm being one of them), you'll be very pleased. That is the kit that I have. It produces excellent images, given the cost and my level of expectations. I paid a mere $389.99 for that refurbished kit right here on the Canon site. Keep in mind, though, that the 75-300 doesn't have image stablization, so you will probably need a tripod for it. 

You mentioned that you wanted to keep the cost down until you find out if this is the hobby for you. The T6 kit is a great choice and I am very pleased with mine. You'll learn a ton about DSLR photography without having to overspend. If you're like me, you'll learn something new everytime you shoot. Go for it.

[lurechunker]

My thanks to all who have posted. You can tell that I am very new to modern photography. The T6 with two lenses, tripod, card, filters, case, etc. is being offered for $550. I am leaning in that direction.