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.

[John_SD]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

DPP from Canon is free and is almost LR.  Use it.  

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I've been using DPP from the beginning. For me, I have no reason at this point to try another product as I am quite happy with DPP's functionality. It has proven to be more robust than I would have imagined when I started with it. Of course, I am a firm believer in self-study, and so I downloaded the user guide and made use of Canon's tutorial links. Without them, a beginner like me woiuld have floundered. YMMV. 

[Waddizzle]

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@lurechunker wrote:
I have been offered a used Induro alloy model 6MA213 with everything needed. Was told it is too heavy for travel but okay for my yard. Thoughts.

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Induro has made some big and heavy tripods in recent years.  I cannot find that model number listed independently anywhere, and so I suspect that it was once part of a camera kit.  The biggest tripod I own is an Induro 100mm alloy, and stands nearly 7 feet tall.  It can support nearly 100 pounds of gear, which makes it an extremely stable platform, perfect for video.  

If you can do a hands on test of it, then you should obviously do so.  If it has twist locks, instead of flip locks, on the legs, check them for dirt and stripped fittings.  Induro has always made solid tripods, but their twist locks were not always the best because they were weather sealed in an unusual fashion.  The sealing may have been too good.  

In fact, models from several years ago had legs that literally "breathed" and wheezed when you extended or retracted them.  Air would pass in and out of the bottom ends of the legs, instead of the top under the spider, so it was a good idea to remove the feet when unpacking or storing the tripod.  I have no idea why they sealed up the legs that way.

The result of forcing the air in and out of the legs would force air to leak around the twist locks, causing them to attract dirt, which over time would strip the fittings.  

[lurechunker]

I trust the person who is offering it. I'll just ask a few questions. For me, the main thing is will it fall.

[ebiggs1]

"They have a 75x300 that does not have IS."       

 "Thoughts?"   Yes I do.  Surprise!        No, don't do it.  

IMHO, return the 18-200.  Don't even take it out of the box.  

[Waddizzle]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"They have a 75x300 that does not have IS."       

 "Thoughts?"   Yes I do.  Surprise!        No, don't do it.  

IMHO, return the 18-200.  Don't even take it out of the box.  

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The ratio of the longest focal length to the shortest focal length, 200:18, or roughly 10:1, is called the zoom ratio.  A prime lens is optimized to perform at a specific focal length.  A zoom lens uses the same optical elements over a range of focal lengths.  The wider that range of focal lengths, or the higher the zoom ratio, then the less the lens elements can be optimized for a specific focal length.

It used to be a rule that zoom lenses were always inferior to prime lenses.  Today's lens production technologies has dramatically improved the accuracy of zoom lenses compared to primes.  However, the laws of physics will always prevail.  In order to make a zoom lens, then the lens elements cannot be optimized for one focal length.  The design trade-offs will likely reduce image quality, like introducing chromatic distortions at the extreme zoom settings.

Once you exceed zoom ratios of 3:1, or 4:1, then the design compromises made to the internal lens elements begin to degrade the image quality to a point that can be noticeably less than a prime lens.  Again, the 18-200mm zoom is arguably a 10:1 zoom ratio.  If image quality is most important to you, then this may not be the lens for you. 

[ebiggs1]

"Starting out sometimes means compromises."

Exactly, that is why I suggested the 400mil adding the 70-200 later.  Personally I would rather get the 400 along with the 70-200 over ever getting the 18-55.  Just me I guess!

[John_SD]

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@jrhoffman75 wrote:

Starting out sometimes means compromises.  

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Your above should be made a "sticky" and displayed at the top of this site. It is the best advice I've read yet. 

As a beginner myself, your statement was my guiding philosophy. Hence, the entry level T6 kit was perfect for me in all respects. It is helping me to learn DSLR photography and to make the most of what I have. 

I hope your statement above becomes the OP's philosophy, too. Because at this rate, if he continues to agonize over what gear to purchase, he will never take a single shot. 

[ebiggs1]

"Starting out sometimes means compromises."

This is so true.  At least for most of us but the compromises need to be logical.  Making the wrong choices may well mean discouragement and abandon the whole idea of photography.

In this case birding seems to be a major point.  So why make a choice that will make that point impossible or at least disappointing?  At 60 feet a bird is going to be small in the frame with a 135mm lens.  Very small.  I would label that disappointing, don't you?  Trouble is most meed to learn this the hard or expensive way.

[jrhoffman75]

Waddizzle is right. A tripod is one item where you don't want to go "entry level". MeFoto and Induro make mike products. The carbon fiber MeFoto is lightweight; sturdy and stable with Rebel series kits. Its in the $400 dollar price range, if i recall correctly.

Besides not being durable, cheap tripods are flimsy and don't hold the camera steady. I think they are actually worse than no tripod, becasue if you are holding the camera you can steady it. If you put it on a trripod you are removed from the body and can't really tell that it is moving..

Forum rules limit what we can post, but Amazon, B&H, Adorama are all reputable stores that I have used.

[John_SD]

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@lurechunker wrote:
Refurbished by Cannon seems to be the best option. I like the idea of a good product at a reduced cost. In looking at the Canon ad for the T6 bundle, I did not see "EF" associated with the 18-55mm and 75-300mm lenses. Should I be concerned? Is there a contact number to call for verification? Should I buy a protective filter? Any filter? What tripod do you recommend? What memory card? Anything else? Thanks.

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Not quite sure what you were looking at, but the refurbished kit lenses that come with the T6 package are listed as:

"EOS Rebel T6 EF-S 18-55 with EF 75-300MM f/4-5.6 III Refurbished'

See https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/eos-rebel-t6-ef-s-18-55-with-ef-75-300mm-f-4-56-iii-refur...

I use a UV filter on my lens, due to the environments I shoot in, such as the California desert and various spots along the seashore. I will also be getting a polarizing filter shortly. I haven't experienced any of the flare issues that others report with the UV filter. I don't shoot into the sun.

I use a Sandisk 32GB SDXC card in my T6. Works great. As for a tripod, I have the Manfrotto 290 Light Tripod with Ball Head. I paid $79.99 for it a member store. It's plenty stable for my T6. 

Whether you go with the refurbished T6 or T6s, you'll be getting a great deal without overspending.