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:

"Way beyond."  

Why is it so impossible to think anybody is not capabe of this.  You were there at one time!  I was there at one time.  We all were. No time like the present to LEARN.

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You're right, there IS no time like the present to learn. But I have no patience for the mentally lazy. Thus, I shall bow out from this thread henceforth. 

[lurechunker]

Would a so called bridge camera like the SX60HS work for birding? I heard the head of Audubon uses one? The long focal length could be an advantage but it offers about 16 megapixels. Opinions?

[Waddizzle]

What is wrong with 16 MP?

The original image was 16 MP.  It has about a 50% crop.  The cropped image was resized to 6000 x 4000.

[lurechunker]

What about a Canon bridge camera for birding?

[RobertTheFat]

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@lurechunker wrote:
What about a Canon bridge camera for birding?

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The question you're asking is, "Am I willing to forego the flexibility of interchangeable lenses?" And the obvious answer is, "How should we know?"

[ebiggs1]

"What is wrong with 16 MP?"

Plenty..............and maybe nothing.

Again folks don't understand mega pixels.  MP is only one part of the equation.  16MP on a crop sensor vs 16MP on a FF is hardly comparable let alone on a PowerShot SX60 HS.

[lurechunker]

I like to take shots of clouds over the ocean just before sunrise. Would a 35mm prime be a good pick?

[RobertTheFat]

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@lurechunker wrote:

I like to take shots of clouds over the ocean just before sunrise. Would a 35mm prime be a good pick?

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IMO, a 35mm prime is a waste of money unless it's f/2 or better. And you don't need f/2 for early morning seascapes.

[ebiggs1]

"I like to take shots of clouds over the ocean just before sunrise. Would a 35mm prime be a good pick?"

Any lens will, "take shots of clouds over the ocean just before sunrise".  It depepnds where you are shooting from and what AOV you want.  A 35mm f2 lens could be a very nice choice if it does what you want. The EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens is a pretty good lens you will be happy with one.

[Waddizzle]

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@lurechunker wrote:

I like to take shots of clouds over the ocean just before sunrise. Would a 35mm prime be a good pick?

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It s a good lens.  If you do not get the AOV that you want, then create a panoramic shot.  But, you do not need to spend the money on that lens to create a panoramic shot.  

I used my EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM to create the above panoramic shot.  I rolled the camera to portrait mode, and wound taking a total of five shots for this view.  The focal length was 100mm, shot using a 6D.  Successive shots overlapped by roughly 1/3.

Instead of investing in a lens [I understand the curiosity, I do] I suggest that you invest that same amount in a quality tripod and head.