Well, actually I have 3, one for each of the three dslr’s that I just can’t get rid of.
Bag #3 This vintage love I got for $10 about 5 years ago from the big camera store in downtown Austin, Precision Camera.
I just couldn’t pass it up. All boxy and brown, it holds my “vintage” rebel. I use this camera on auto (gasp) with the flash popping up for snapshots around my house. I try to keep it handy, but it often doesn’t even have a flash card in it. My husband also says this is his camera and he likes to take pictures of fans and other random things.
The “kit lens” stays attached to it at all times. I didn’t know any better back then. I didn’t have someone like me to tell me not to buy the kit lens. More on that later.
Bag #2 This Lowepro bag looks like a camera bag, right?
I got a lot of miles off of this one. I think I got it in 2003 for my Minolta film slr. I actually really like it and was torn when I parted with it for the Jill-e bag. Very functional, highly recommended. It currently houses my Canon 20D body with accompanying 50mm 1.4 lens. The lens I traded in for the 1.8 just because it seemed like I was supposed to.
I often take this bag and camera as my backup on shoots, but sometimes I forget. Lately, my main camera is “struggling” so the 20D comes along–just in case. With each of my camera bodies, I replaced them shortly after they began “struggling.”
With my rebel, one day I was taking pics of my friends kids when all of a sudden, the weirdest thing, I got images like this:
What in the world? Sick feeling in my stomach….I was glad it didn’t happen at the wedding I was shooting a few weeks before since that was my only camera at the time. Not good. Always have a backup for paid clients.
I jokingly said her kids broke my camera, but that wasn’t very nice of me. Luckily, she has forgiven me and allowed me to take unlimited pictures of her gorgeous girls whenever I see them (which unfortunately isn’t as often as I’d like since we now live a thousand miles apart). I sent it to Canon expecting to pay, and they fixed it for me. Works great today!
Then, about two years ago, my 20D started flashing ERROR 99 every so often. I didn’t know what that meant, but I do know that the word “error” is never good when it comes to something electronic. I had read on a photography forum that the dreaded ERROR 99 was a common one, and it only meant one thing—a pre cursor to death. It still works, but I only use it occasionally and try not to over exert this old soul so he can stay around with me for a while longer. This all happened just before I was flying to San Diego to photograph a wedding, and I knew I needed to invest in a new main camera.
Now what you really want to know~My main gear.
Then came my Canon 5D which currently occupies bag #1—housed by a snazzy brown suade Jill-e bag (isn’t she pretty?).
It holds a lot, and most people don’t know it is a camera bag. I love that. Mainly, I wanted something less obtrusive when I travel that doesn’t scream “very expensive equipment inside—please steal me!” I love the beauty of the jill-e bag, but I’ve had 2 and the straps have broken. I do carry a lot of heave equipment in it though.
This July will be 2 years since I got my 5D and guess what? In the past two weeks, I’ve seen some odd warnings flash randomly across my screen and I’ve got that pit in my stomach that says I need to upgrade again. Darn electronics! Are you all feeling it? That un-easiness that says….”NO! Say it isn’t so!” You hoped you would buy that one camera and it would last you forever (like my husband thinks a car should). Sad but true, all electronics die—eventually. My equipment will have a shorter life span because I take a LOT of pictures. But two years seems to be my track record. I’d say if you are just “shooting” family/friends, you’ve got at least double or triple that.
Now, enough of all that—what you really want to hear are the lenses.
I have a tie for my two favorite lenses:
Canon 70-200 4.0L IS and Canon 85mm 1.4
When I pull out the 70-200, I get respect. It’s a big dawg and at $1k, it better be pretty good. I actually first purchased the 2.8 version which is a whopping $1600 price tag. I plopped it on and it was HEAVY and quite large. After a week, it just felt too bulky and though it produced amazing images, I thought I would be perfectly happy with the 4.0 and returned it. Since the majority of my images are outside, the 2.8 isn’t altogether necessary.
I love this lens for the zoom, though I wouldn’t mind zooming a little more. It is a well known lens in the photography world and I had read many positive reviews. It offers great bokeh, or BLUR (as many of you asked about). Besides a low f-stop, having a good zoom lens will give great “blur” or show a nice depth of field. I do use it a lot for portraits…individuals and families. I love it at my boys’ soccer games, too. As I said, Big Dawg=respect. So I usually start with this lens at my sessions, and use it for most family shots, as I need to be above 4.0 anyway and with a group you don’t notice that slight difference in crispness.
My 85mm I wasn’t sure if I’d care or need it as much because I have the 50mm that I already loved. Before I purchased it, I remember hearing another photographer say she took it with her on an outing to the zoo and she had to “stand in the parking lot” to get a picture of her child with the animal. That mental image has stuck with me because it emphasizes the point that you have to really be a decent distance away from the subject at 85mm. I have grown to LOVE this lens, and almost prefer it to my 70-200 because it produces much more CRISP images. Sharp as a tack. With a prime/fixed lens, you get that. With a zoom, it just isn’t there as much. But I don’t think you need to start with this. Though I believe it is about $350, I still recommend starting with the 50mm and get used to that before heading to the 85mm. I use this for most of my up close individual shots for sure because I can get the 1.4 fstop from it.
The third lens I use in a photo shoot is a generic lens. The Tamron 28-75mm 2.8. I like to call this my “all purpose” lens. When I was shopping around and eventually bought this, I knew I wanted something that could go wide angle, but I didn’t need to spend $1k on the Canon glass. I rarely use this in a shoot, mostly to capture the scene of a building or sky in perspective of the individuals I am capturing. I’ve found I do use it every session, but only for a fraction of the shots. Because it is used for the scene and not close ups, I thought generic was just fine. Once again, highly recommended by photographers, I snatched it up for about $350 (I think). I also use this often when I am in my home or using my backdrop because I need that extra space it provides.
I also have a Canon 580ex flash and lightsphere that I use occasionally. At home, I don’t bother pulling it out. Natural light, my old Rebel with pop up flash, or my orange pocket camera does the trick. I actually don’t use this flash a ton, but when I do, I love the lightsphere to diffuse the harsh light.
That’s about it. I don’t use light meters or pocket wizards or reflectors (though I want to sometimes). I have 4 rechargeable batteries and lots of 4gb CF cards because I get nervous having too many images on one card. One family session can fit about 300 RAW images on my 4 gb cards and that is perfect for me. I carry business cards in the pocket of my bag and if people see me out and ask for one, I’ll give them one.
Ok, so my advice to those of you looking to buy a dslr: Don’t buy the kit lens! It will be very tempting because it comes as a discount with a package, but the kits lens isn’t great. I suggest finding the body you like and buy just that. Then buy the 50mm 1.8 at $100 and if you want one more to start out with, go for the Tamron wide angle that I mentioned for $300. Those of you that already bought a kit lens—it’s ok. You probably didn’t know any better. I did, too. But once you get a better lens, you will see the difference.
Lets end with something pretty I shot last weekend. A landscape shot of the Texas countryside in the spring.
To see more, head to my blog.
Did I cover all you ever wanted to know about my camera and lenses?
P.S. How is last week’s challenge coming? You may not see results overnight, but keep at it!
P.S.S. Next week—editing and photoshop.
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I am currently lens shopping so this post is DEAD ON for me – thanks so much!! I have the 50mm and wanted to know what my next lens should be – I had narrowed it down to that Tamron and the 85mm, and those were 2 of your 3! I have that flash and the lightsphere is on my to-get list. Thanks SO MUCH for all this info! Mandy, http://www.craftedition.blogspot.com
We just bought our first SLR a month or two ago & I did just that ~ bought the 50mm instead of getting the kit lens. I'm so happy to hear you recommend doing the same thing!
I love the lens, but my husband doesn't appreciate the bokeh (he's upset if someone in the background is not also in focus, but I like it!) & misses zoom & wishes we had bought the kit lens instead. He's not the artist of the family, though, or the one taking all of the photos!
I took you challenge and took my camera off auto. It has been 10 years since I last took manual shot. Thanks for telling me to suck it up and figure it out. I really love the what I am getting. (Not all of it good – but learning) Thanks. Love your posts.
I am LOVING this series of posts. Thank you so much!!! What a great service you are doing to give your expertise to us beginners and/or "long time listener, first time commenter" ")
Perfect timing for this post as I'm trying to narrow down my camera selection and just thought it was normal to buy the kit lens, now I know better! Thank you!
Charity, way to "come out" and comment for the first time! Thanks and your welcome everyone, so glad it is helpful.
Brookie, glad you took the challenge and that you are seeing a difference. It will take time and practice. Be patient.
pmthreads, thats funny your hubby doesn't like the bokeh. You must have done enough research to get the 50mm, good job.
Mandy, I'd go for the Tamron next since you have a fixed already.
Love~Bre, it probably is normal to buy the kit lens, most do, they don't know any better and they make it sound like a great deal.
You have me hooked on your "series" of posts and I love the fact that you are so willing to help the "less fortunate" (speaking for myself). Would you be willing to share just how to do a basic/simple color pop in photoshop (i have pse 6). Thanks SO MUCH for your help and advice.
Wow! You have the coolest stuff, so jealous!!!
Check out my new
GIVEAWAY!!!
~Morgan
Meet Virginia!
Meet Virginia!
Meet Virginia!
Kristen THANK YOU so much for all of the information! I have really gained so much knowledge from your posts (and there's only been 2) so that means you are doing A FANTASTIC JOB. I have taken several photography classes, read books, etc., but haven't learned nearly as much as I have with you in two weeks. You speak the photography language that we can understand….and that's magical! I am writing notes and hungry for more! I wish I could give you a big hug!
Doesn't the fact that you keep having issues with these cameras pop up, kind of make you think – maybe Canon isn't the way to go? I've had my dSLR for probably a good 4+ yrs now, and granted I don't use it as much as I should but I've never had a single issue with it (it's a Minolta, ftr). I had a Canon p&s a while back, too, and despised it, replaced it with a Sony that I've had for probably around 4 yrs also, and it, too, has no problems at all and takes wonderful photos. You shouldn't really need to upgrade something after only 2 yrs, ya know?
Sorry, first time commenting, probably making a bad impression, lol, but I swear I'm not trying to come off as rude or anything! haha. It just seems to me like the Canons aren't doing you any favors is all.
Again Kristen, thanks so much for all the great tips!! I know what I am putting on my birthday wish-list this year!
I know you said you don't use your detachable flash a ton. So, what are your tips for getting good shots inside in poor light conidtions? For me, these sorts of shots are when my kids are being silly and cute and I can't stop them, move them to a better lighting situation, etc. becuase then the moment is gone. I usually just use the built-in flash so I can at least capture the moment, but I'd love to be able to improve the quality of these shots so they don't have that "oh, so you used the flash" look, if you know what I mean. Or, if the kids are being uncharacteristically still and I can get away with not using the flash, then everything is so yellow from the indoor light. Any tips for these 2 situations?
Thanks!!
Thanks so much! I love all the great info you are putting out there for all to learn. Keep it coming. This year one of my goals as a photographer is to try new things, have fun, take more picturs of my own kids and put the art back into my work.
I took you challenge and took my camera off auto this week and have had a great time. Thanks again. Christal
Carla G.~ I can FEEL your hug through the internet! Thank you for your enthusiastic kind words:) It brings me such happiness.
Mel~ It's not rude, I am now curious about other cameras, but I really don't think it is the brand. Most professional photographers I have talked to have experienced this. I think Canon and Nikon are on the same level, professionally, but I have heard that Sony doesn't offer as many lens options, but I could be wrong. Let me know what you find out!
Joan~honestly when I am home with my kids and I don't want to miss a moment, I put my slr on auto and use the flash. I'd rather have the moment captured than have it un-captured. Today was dark and dreary outside and I don't like bumping my ISO super high, so it was on camera flash inside today. I actually use actions in photoshop to help that situation out on the backend.
Christal~glad you are taking the challenge, I have to remind myself to take my kids out and get nice shots vs. home snapshots, too.
I just went out and took pictures of blue bonnets in the sunset using my auto setting and was trying to be quick. I got home and half are way blurry. Wish I would have read this post FIRST! haha Oh well…
I am looking at getting the 50 mm 1.4 lens. You recommended the 50 mm 1.8. Am I getting better quality with the 50 mm 1.4? Is it worth the $$?
I meant to share this comparison on the 1.4 vs 1.8 and I forgot.
http://photo.net/equipment/canon/ef50/
It has been a while since I used my 50 at all, but I say the 1.8 is great, then upgrade to 85mm 1.8.
I've been referring your series of posts to a lot of my photog wannabe friends. :) Thank you for putting all this info together in one place… and sharing the REAL things that beginners need to know to get started. I wish I'd been able to read your series 3 years ago when I got my 1st DSLR. It would've saved me about a year of trial & error. lol.
Blessings!
-Sarah
I know this is a very old post, and I’m not sure if Kristen still responds to comments on here, but I was wondering what camera and lenses you use now? I have a Canon 50 mm f 1.8 and it worked great…until it fell out of my camera bag last year. (I know, it’s tragic camera abuse!) Anyway, it still works, but it’s definitely getting worse with time. I am learning more and improving my skills all the time, and think I’m ready to upgrade to another lens that is similar, but the next step up. What do you recommend?