oscargro

I'm fairly new to using my Canon 350 D for more than the auto setting. Should I stay with this camera or should I upgrade with something with more megapixels?

I mostly like shooting nature & landscaping.

18-55 & 300 lens.

Thanks

Tom B

marycar53 Loc: Tuscumbia Al

I would invest in some good lens.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

You can buy better lenses and upgrade the body after you learn how to use it all well. But that camera body is so old that it is not just the mega pixels of the sensor but all the rest of the tech like auto focus etc. that is out of date. The 8mp is good for up to about 16x20 prints if framed perfectly and a near perfect exposure with no cropping. For viewing on screen and posting it is probably good enough because only a few sites can show high image quality shots well at large sizes.
I would say get a few good books on digital photography and work on getting the best out of what you have while researching and deciding what body to upgrade to. Make a list of lenses you might like also. While learning save the money for the camera upgrade and lenses. If there is a camera club near you with members willing to tutor you, join.
Landscapes, just about any decent camera and lenses will do until you get good or want to make large prints. Landscapes just sit there to be photographed and you can take time to set up, refine focus etc.
Wildlife? Depends on what you mean by "wildlife". I do birds, small songbirds mostly so to get good IQ photos that can be printed at larger sizes 300mm is bottom line for me. With small song birds or larger birds like water birds over water where you can't get close there really is no such thing as a lens that is too long and often not one that is long enough. And a fast auto focus is needed also, both camera body and lens. I am currently using Canon 5DIV and 80D teamed with the 100-400L mk2 and a 1.4x III extender. When I can get close I use the 5DIV, for far away the 80D. I had a 7DII but traded it when I got the 5DIV, I miss all the pro level controls etc and will probably get a 7DIII when it comes out. I also often wish I had a longer lens.

A book I like and recommend is "Tony Northrup's DSLR Book: How to Create Stunning Digital Photography" it is about $10US as an e-book and about $22US in paper. The e-book has links to on line video tutorials totaling about 14 hours of examples and instructions. The videos are up dated everyso often and the e-version of the book can also be updated if you register it and get the update link.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

It depends on what you do with your images (business/personal), how much you may crop when printing, and how large you print.
My one Sony is 5Mp and my T1i is 15Mp. Now granted, the T1i has about double the pixel density as the 350D. But even my little Sony makes great 8x10s & 8x12s.
(Been tempted MANY times to go to a ≈24Mp myself, but my stuff is primarily personal, and probably will never print anything larger than 16x20. Hard for me to justify another camera.)

ppage Loc: Pittsburg, (San Francisco area)

I have several statements aboout this:

You need to use this entry level 8 MP camera to learn about the basics of photography and the exposure triangle. Shoot in shutter priority, aperture priority, and manual modes. Exhaust what it will do. In other words, this camera takes photos of a certain size resolution and can do most of the things newer cameras can do. You are asking us so maybe you have discovered a limitation of this camera but your not telling us why you are wondering about this. This camera is 13 years old. That is like 95 years old in camera years, but so what. It makes pictures.

If you are really serious about photography than you need to get going. Read the books, watch the youtube videos, practice, practice, practice. It's a commitment and a lot of work. If this camera is ok with you and you are satisfied with your own skills and don't want to go through all this trouble, by all means keep it. It is better than a cell phone.

It's not the camera that has to be changed here, It is you the photographer. In the hands of a committed professional or hobbyist, that camera can produce stunning images.

When you learn all your basics and have done your work you will look back on this question from out the other side and wonder what the hell you could have been thinking to ask this question. One day it will become quite clear for educated reasons that you could do a lot more with a better camera but it is still too early for you just yet. All you can possible get from more MP now is larger prints.

oscargro

Thanks everybody for the input. I have more to learn. I will keep this one.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Check out temp firmware mod for Canon Cameras. Expands your canon world
http://magiclantern.wikia.com/wiki/Magic_Lantern_Firmware_Wiki

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Absolutely! Many of us old-timers learned photography when there were no megapixels at all! Study - and practice - composition and exposure - learn when and how to use shutter-priority, aperture-priority, and manual mode. THEN when you reach the limits of what your camera will do, you will be ready to move on!

hawleyrw Loc: Dayton, OH

This may sound weird, but personally I’d buy something new, not just top-of-the-line. The r reason behind this might be just me. With a new "toy" I play with it more. Staying with the same brand helps with the learning curve. Do the the other said: concentrate on working the different modes, not just the full auto mode. For me, my best work and what pulls things off is great composition. Take a one time too "see" a shot before you have your camera in hand. The newer will be more up to date, a bit easier to use and have the higher resolution you're looking for. Good luck!

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

I would hire out some decent glass, independent or 'L' series and if you see an improvement you like keep the camera, and buy your own lenses. This has the disadvantage of locking you in to CANON. If you upgrade the CAMERA look at their 'prosumer' DSLR's, D80 is tops of their range at the moment (talk of a D90 coming soon) or look to see what other manufacturer's offer. Plenty of advice on here ref. SONY & NIKON, but I have CANON so won't make a comment that I can't qualify on another manufacturer.

waegwan Loc: Mae Won Li

Just another pitch for better lenses. I recommend staying with the body you have until you have explored the total extent of the manual settings available in it then shop for a camera that picks up where the current camera falls short in your creativity.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Knowledge first... the most important tool in all photography is a few inches behind the camera.

BebuLamar

Use your camera and lenses. Don't buy anything. Learn as much as you can about your current equipment. Research and study about new cameras features and capability. You will soon know if you need to upgrade and which camera to upgrade to. Nobody can really recommend an upgrade path for you.

Alafoto Loc: Montgomery, AL

Amen! Well said.

When you know more about photography, and learning how to use the camera you already have to best advantage will help that quest, you will have learned what you like to photograph and what equipment might be required to allow you to do those things that your old camera/lenses might not. If you are driven to acquire new equipment right away(happens to us all), then think about only EF lenses, which can be used on any Canon dslr and thus will still be usable should you decide that you eventually need to acquire a full frame camera. EFS mount lenses can only be used on crop sensor cameras like your present one. I would suggest your next lens be a 50mm, f/1.8 which can usually be acquired for less than $100, will be usable on any new Canon body you might acquire except the mirrorless versions and will provide some photo opportunities that your present lenses don't.

If it helps ease your anxiety about older gear any, I have kept a semi-retired 20d with a Canon USM 17-85mm lens in my car for several years now for happenstance opportunities and it has made some very nice photos. If it is stolen, not a huge loss, and I am never without a camera. Takes much better photos than my cell phone.

Just another opinion, not gospel.

AHK Loc: Lakewood Ranch, Fl.

Does Nature include birds inflight or animals in motion? If so you might wish to consider a camera with higher "frames per Second" (FPS),megapixels and focusing speed.

Am I correct that the 350D is the 2005 Rebel TI? Compare the specs between the latest Rebel and the 350D.


Good luck