New to photography

It is a good idea to go to a photographic shop, if only to feel the camera in your hands. Get the info you need from the experts? in the shop. then, when you have made up your mind, you can get the camera from wherever you like. On line or the shops. Just make sure you get a guarantee with it. And, make sure that it feels comfortable in your hands. You will most likely be carrying it all day long, also for a lot of years hopefully.

Good luck.

Thank you Peter, I think that is what I will do. The weather is getting better now, and a trip to the big city is doable. I know when I looked for binoculars I tried out Leica, Swarovski, and Zeiss and really had to weigh them up even though they were all top of the line binoculars.

I can't wait to get them now, I'm getting excited. 

Hi Sue.

I have just submitted another picture of a gull in flight. I think you will like this one. It was taken with a 300mm lens. You will need something of that size for wildlife work.

I would strongly advise that before purchase anything, you get hold of the equipment just to see how it feels in your grip. Check to see how the controls fit to your grasp. You might find that the gear that we have mentioned is not too your liking, unlikely, but you are the one that is going to use it. Only you can say if you are happy with its weight and how it feels etc.

One other thought, if you can visit a good, dedicated photographic store, you might find that there is some reasonable second hand gear on sale. Photographers, when upgrading sometimes put their old equipment in as part exchange. In the past I have picked up decent equipment in this way.

If you do decide to buy a telephoto lens, you will find that there are a lot of different makes available for your new camera, apart that is from original equipment. Whatever the make of the lens you choose, as long as it states 'canon fit' it will work with any SLR canon camera.

Anyone you talk to will have their favourite make of lens and again that is a personal choice and I will not try and influence you in that way. Just see what is available, but get the feel of it and try it out before you buy it.

Regards Roy.

Sue.  I called into my local camera shop to day only to find that, since last Friday, the 400D had been reduced in price by £55, i don't know the exact exchange rate but i think that is about $100.  If the same price applies over there it should go some way towards paying for a spare battery etc.  

Regards Roy J. 

That's a decent drop.

I called the photographers that I had planned to visit in the city, but they don't have the Cannon I want, and to be honest, they sounded pretty bored with my questions. I think I may just go with buying it off Amazon.com ($590.00 at the moment) as time is running out and a trip to the city (a five hour car trip there and back) is not in the planning.

 Again, your information is much appreciated.

I have just ordered my camera along with a spare battery and a camera back pack. I did play with the idea of ordering the battery grip, but will get that maybe when I am more familiar with the camera and what my needs are.

Thank you for all of your advice. Keep it coming as I want to now learn how to use it.

Oh, I was thinking they would be the same as the ones I use in my little Nikon 7600. I didn't even think that they might be bigger memory cards. Well we do have a Wal~Mart here, so I bet I can pick them up there. Thanks for cluing me in, Peter.

I think you, Peter and Sue G-R are night birds. It must be past midnight over there. Well at least until tomorrow night (Saturday night) when you guys change your clocks forward. We did ours weeks ago.