Upgrading Canon Camera (Page 2): I think it depends on your financial resources, how you feel about learning and how you feel about gadgets. You can of course master the exposure...

EdU239 Loc: The Northeast

oscargro wrote:

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

I think it depends on your financial resources, how you feel about learning and how you feel about gadgets. You can of course master the exposure triangle using what you have, but what will you find most enjoyable to use? If you feel attached to this camera and like your results, then probably a better lens would be where to start. Since you’re asking the question, my guess is that neither of those is true.

You will see a lot of comments and sad shakes of the head about people “wasting their money” buying an expensive camera and being disappointed with the results because they don’t know enough of the basics to take advantage of its capabilities. The other side of that is: (a) Besides the larger sensor, the new (or newer) camera gives you updated software and menues, plus things like a touch screen, improved video capability, etc. It’s not just a camera, it’s a computer, and there is not much point in sticking with technology dating from 2005. (b) You will probably feel excited and inspired to learn how to use a new (or new to you) camera. It’s just fun. (I have been observing this phenomenon since I gave my wife her first DSLR last Christmas). And remember, a used T5i or new “entry level” 2000D/T7 or 200D/SL2 would be a vast improvement in capability.

BebuLamar

Your camera is relatively old and it's a low end model so upgrading is quite logical but before buying anything else you should learn about your camera and lenses as much as possible so that you can make good decision on new equipment.

thrash50

I bought the 350D the first month they were available. I thought it was a great camera and the included lens was O.K. Newer cameras have a lot more options, but if your having trouble using the options on your 350D, any camera upgrade would multiply the problems. These are my suggestions, take a photo class, join a club, read up, shoot pictures all the time, rent or borrow lenses. In other words, learn both, photography techniques, and your camera. Chances are you will eventually want to upgrade, I did, by taking my time to learn a few things, I feel I made a better decision on that upgrade.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

oscargro wrote:

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

I agree. I had a 350D and upgraded, but I have been using a serious camera since the 70's. Understanding exposure, I was able to take photos properly exposed swithing to manual when I found myself at a marina with dead batteries (in a flm camera, of course - can't do that with digital).

Learn exposure (the triangle and sunny 16) , depth of field, stop action, camera "noise", and composition. Get to know when to use aperture priority, shutter speed priority, auto ISO (if the 350D has it) When the camera limits you, not your learning, then upgrade.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

robertjerl wrote:

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.

You can buy better lenses and upgrade the body aft... (show quote)

Selene03

To the op, I would recommend getting a newer camera, not just because they have more megapixels, but because it is easier to do a lot of things with them. You will enjoy your photography experience much more. I would recommend getting an sl2--refurbished from Canon, they are pretty inexpensive. It is very entry level, but has a lot of neat features, 24 mpx, is very small and light, will work with your lenses, and has guided instruction that will help you with the features until you feel comfortable enough to turn them off. I mostly shoot with full frame cameras, but this is the camera I use on the water and in kayaks because it is small and relatively inexpensive so I don't worry that much if I get it wet. It is actually a fun camera to use, and the image quality you can get from it is superb.

Jakebrake Loc: Broomfield, Colorado

BebuLamar wrote:

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.

Good advice. Get Brian Peterson's book 'Understanding Exposure'. That book helped me immensely.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

AHK wrote:

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

350D is the XT in US and was announced in Feb 2005

It has most of the basic controls for learning the basics of going beyond using Auto Mode. I would suggest starting with 'P' where it has a menu of settings for different types of photos but you can adjust aperture or shutter speed while the processor takes care of the rest. Then you can go to shutter priority, aperture priority etc with you doing more of the settings and the camera even less. Finally there is full Manual where you control all the settings. In the mean time decide how serious you want to get, pick a body and lenses you will want to move up to within the budget you have and start saving up if you need to.
Or you can just go straight to Manual like those of us who started with 35mm and other cameras in the 60s or earlier when that was the only mode, so we learned it. My daughter went from a full Auto Point and Shoot to Auto on a T2i straight to full Manual when she joined the photo club at UCLA her freshman and sophomore years 2012, 2013. When you are a young, good looking female in a club made up of male computer nerds, geeks, engineering and electronics majors (some of whom could design and build a camera if they really wanted to) it is amazing how much tutoring and free teaching you can get.
Her first winter/Christmas break she came home and I took her to my favorite place for water birds and let her use the Tamron 150-600 (G1 first model) I owned at the time while I used my 100-400L mk 1. She watched me a while and then "You mean you don't use Full Manual all the time????"
Oh well, I guess the wife and I did something right. She just started Medical School at the University of Virginia aiming at being an Orthopedic Surgeon. Now that is a Full Manual all the time profession.

BebuLamar

Jakebrake wrote:

Good advice. Get Brian Peterson's book 'Understanding Exposure'. That book helped me immensely.

I am sorry but I can not honestly recommend the book "Understanding Exposure".

Jakebrake Loc: Broomfield, Colorado

BebuLamar wrote:

I am sorry but I can not honestly recommend the book "Understanding Exposure".

And why is that?

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Jakebrake wrote:

Good advice. Get Brian Peterson's book 'Understanding Exposure'. That book helped me immensely.

To that book I would add these that I own:
Peterson "Understanding Flash Photography" of course you need a decent flash and his "Exposure Solutions" covers some difficult for newbies situations like sports action. Peterson has a shelf full of books out and almost all are good.
Bruce Barnbaum - "The Art of Photography"
J Chris Hansen - "Secrets of Backyard Bird Photography" has been helpful for my birds

But as I suggested before "Tony Northrup's DSLR Book: How to Create Stunning Digital Photography" is pretty much my favorite. I am using it to teach my wife and our special needs son basic photography. I have both the paper and the e-book (Nook in my case.) versions. The links to the tutorial videos in the e-book are great. I have steered a few people to the e-book lately.
Here is Tony's home page for the book http://northrup.photo/product/stunning-digital-photography/
It is available from Amazon Kindle or Barnes and Nobel Nook or as a PDF. Reader apps for Kindle and Nook are free.

BebuLamar

Jakebrake wrote:

And why is that?

About 3/4 of the book deal with the so called "Exposure Triangle" which has been changed to "The Photographic Triangle" in the 4th edition. What it is is how to select the shutter speed, aperture and ISO among those that satisfy the same exposure. The book spent no more than a couple of pages dealing with the problem of actually determining the exposure for a given scene or metering techniques. One would learn more about exposure reading a couple of paragraphs from some of Gene_51 posts here on the UHH than reading the whole book.

royb_36-cox.net Loc: Phoenix

oscargro wrote:

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

I've gotten ribbons in my photo club competition using my Olympus 3 Mp P&S camera with an 8X zoom and PP to an 8x10 print. Of course we are reminded over and over in this great forum that many things are more important then the camera.

I did upgrade to my first DSLR, a Canon T5 with the 18-55 and 70-300 mm Canon kit lenses a few years ago. This is all the camera I will ever want or need. I'll be 82 this year and I started in the 60's with Canon and other SLRs and have developed my 35mm BW film and made my own prints. I began earlier than that with a Argus C3 and a Dad who was into all those photography activities years earlier.

Tex-s

oscargro wrote:

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

The following is probably more an indictment on Canon than you but here goes. For $125 or less from reputable people you can get a a T2i from Canon, several generations newer than yours. The T2i had most of the capabilities of far newer T5i, minus an articulating screen, a slightly faster processor and buffer rate, and a slightly better ISO performance. The T2i and T5i had the same resolution, essentially the same frame rate, and essentially all of the same custome functions, shutter delay, mirror lock-up, etc.
What I'm saying is, for 125 you can upgrade the capabilities of your camera to 18MP and better ISO than what you have, but to improve notably from there you have to go to the T6i, the T6s or even newer cameras. Those cameras installed a higher MP sensor, far improved video, and wi-fi. Since you are learning, I'd say what many others have said. Learn the tech-y stuff and get some solid glass, but consider the options for a 'better' camera for a small investment. You also have the opportunity with the T2i to make 20x30 inch prints with little worries. I can say that with confidence, as I have a small number of those 20x30 prints shot with my old T2i, which I sold to a school student of mine for the 125 i mentioned.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

If your still using Auto on your current camera, why would you want to upgrade to something better? I would first learn how to use the different settings on your camera, like "triangle of exposure", when you learn that, you will have a better idea what camera you will upgrade to.