[Nick77]

Well I just bought a new to me camera, my budget was only $300 clams. I bought a "kit camera" and now wondering if its just a toy?? or i am over my head.  I only want to do recreational pics so not looking for professional results but still hoping I wont be disappointed.

I must admit I didnt do much research, I have an affinity toward Cannon and just kinda went up the line where I could afford a used camera.

So without any further ado I picked up a Canon Rebel T5i with 18-55mm lens. I also snagged  55-250mm Telephoto lens to do some outside work.

Will this baby keep a budding photographer busy for 5 yrs ??

Thanks for any input, arrives in a few days.   

[Early B.]

It's everything you need.

[Stu Pitt]

Sure it’s only a toy... if you’re the guy who shoots covers for National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, et al.

Buying a top of the line Fender Stratocaster won’t make me Jimi Hendrix; buying top of the line paints, brushes and canvas won’t make me Picasso; and buying the most expensive and advanced camera won’t make me Ansel Adams.

Most people’s DSLRs are better than the person actually pressing the shutter. Quite a few people blame the camera for poor picture quality when it was actually the camera doing what the photographer told it to do. I was that guy for a period too. Then I saw pics posted online by people using the same exact camera and lens I was using and realized I was the idiot.

Photography is a lot of fun. Just don’t get caught up in the whole constant gear upgrading thing. Learn how to actually frame/take a great picture. Then learn how to use the camera outside of auto mode. Then learn how to edit.

That should keep you busy for a while Then look into something newer and flashier. Or just blame the camera and buy a $5k setup and think yours must be defective because everyone else’s pics are so much better

I got a Canon 40D when my first child was born. 8 years later I was at a point where the camera and lens was actually at fault for some stuff - mainly low light noise. So I bought a 6D in January. Everything definitely looks better and I love what the camera does, but it didn’t make me a better photographer in and of itself.

If you don’t know much about using it outside of auto mode, I learned the most from Scott Kelby web articles and books. It all gets overwhelming, but try little things one at a time. The best and most comprehensive book I had was The Complete Idiot’s Guide To DSLR photography. There were several of them, and the one I got combined them. I bought it used on Amazon a good 6 years ago and the cameras were a bit outdated, but the principles weren’t and still aren’t. I just got rid of it a few months ago; if I still had it I’d mail it to you. Look around on Amazon and see what you can find.

[Nick77]

Wow that is so helpful. Thank you for taking the time to share such great pointers. I really do want to get outside of auto setting and a dummy book sounds perfect. I'll look for it on eBay or Amazon.
Thank you so much. Keep you posted.

Edit: The book is on its way, thank you!

[geowak]

I agree with Stu completely. Most people who get the kind of camera you bought do not get the best pictures the camera could give them, because of lack of understanding of fundamental basics. Things like, shutter speed and aperture and how to set that relationship, low light and correct exposure, movement and how that affects the picture, etc, etc. Another big misconception is that if one is trying to get the great bird shoot at 150 meters out, you need an exceptionally long lens that lets in a lot of light, those are expensive. Think Canon pro lens.... usually. Also, great night shots are also made with lenses with very wide aperatures. They too, are expensive..if you want top notch pics. I think you have a good camera, just learn as much you can about digital photography and how that camera can get good shots. Have fun! Later you might find, most pros capture pics in RAW and edit in programs like Photoshop CC.

[Stu Pitt]

Glad I can be of help. I learned what I know by reading some books, asking people I saw using cameras, and mostly trial and error. I'm no expert, but I think I'm better than a lot of other casual shooters. I just want to get the best pics of my kids as I can.

My best first advice is shoot in RAW rather than jpeg. It's so much easier to edit and adjust in RAW. Even if you have no clue how to edit anything now, you'll be able to go back to your stuff down the road when you get better at editing. RAW vs jpeg is like high-res vs mp3 in a way; it's a more manipulable and uncompressed. I don't think auto mode will allow RAW, but you never know. It took me a while before I started shooting in RAW, and honestly I wish I started out using it. I can't adjust my old pics the way I want to. I can adjust them, but not as easily nor as effectively.

If you haven't done so already, go to Canon's website and look for any firmware updates to the camera, download the manual, and download their DPP photo editing and processing software. They're all free. Canon's DPP is great; a bit of a learning curve, but everything has one.

[Early B.]

My best first advice is shoot in RAW rather than jpeg.

To take it a step further, if you really want to learn how to use your camera, discipline yourself to shoot only in manual mode. This will force you to learn. The basic principles of photography are simple, but it takes a lot of practice to get consistently good shots. Now, if you just want better images than your cell phone can produce and just plan on shooting the grandkids on the weekends, then put that sucker on auto and be done with it. Just depends on how you plan to use your camera. Either way, the only other piece of equipment I'd recommend is a speed light. You can get a good, brand new one (not Canon brand) for $60.

[Stu Pitt]

To take it a step further, if you really want to learn how to use your camera, discipline yourself to shoot only in manual mode. This will force you to learn. The basic principles of photography are simple, but it takes a lot of practice to get consistently good shots. Now, if you just want better images than your cell phone can produce and just plan on shooting the grandkids on the weekends, then put that sucker on auto and be done with it. Just depends on how you plan to use your camera. Either way, the only other piece of equipment I'd recommend is a speed light. You can get a good, brand new one (not Canon brand) for $60.

I wouldn’t say full manual mode. I’d go the semi-manual modes first (if that’s what they’re called) - aperture priority, time priority. Get a sense of what they’re doing individually without worrying about the exposure too much.

The only time I’m in full manual mode is inside my house. And I’ve saved those settings to the camera, so I don’t even remember what they are. I’ll shoot either Av or Tv depending on my situation. And I’ll adjust the ISO. Actually, with my 6D, I keep it on auto ISO because I set my maximum limit on it. Very good outdoor lighting, I set it at 100.

On my 40D I almost always shot in Tv because my lenses were too slow and the ISO wasn’t good enough, so my shutter speed was typically too slow. Faster lenses, better IS (depending on the lens), and far better ISO performance on the 6D has me rarely going Tv. Only during my daughter’s basketball games nowadays. I’m pretty much always at Av with my 6D.

But to the OP - all that above comes with knowing the camera and what each setting will and won’t do. Every camera’s different. Shoot as much as you can and figure out why certain things are happening. Focus issues, blur, color issues, etc. They’re typically all caused by a wrong setting and/or the limitations of the equipment. Most often a setting needs to be tweaked.

[Bob2]

With the 6D you can save it both ways. RAW and jpeg.
I find this handy.

[Stu Pitt]

With the 6D you can save it both ways. RAW and jpeg.
I find this handy.

What is the point in that? Im not questioning you, I’m just trying to learn.

You can do that with a lot of them. My 40D does it too. I used to, but then I couldn’t really understand what benefit I was getting, so I stopped the jpeg part. And it really slowed down my buffering when I did bursts. Converting to jpeg from RAW is a button click on software.

[Early B.]

What is the point in that? Im not questioning you, I’m just trying to learn.

It helps, for example, if you want to upload jpegs immediately on social media, but you still have the RAW version in case you want to edit them later. 

[Wind Chaser]

Well I just bought a new to me camera, my budget was only $300 clams. I bought a "kit camera" and now wondering if its just a toy?? or i am over my head.  I only want to do recreational pics so not looking for professional results but still hoping I wont be disappointed.

My advice will run contrary to a lot of what’s already been stated here. It’s easy to get in over your head trying to learn - never mind master all the ins and outs of shooting with an advanced camera. For some people it comes easier than others, but it doesn’t happen over night and furthermore none of that has much to do with producing satisfying results, so first things first.

Good compelling images don’t happen by accident. They don’t depend on the camera, whether it was shot in auto mode or manual, whether it was a processed raw file or an unedited jpeg etc etc etc... IMO this is not where beginners begin if they want to pursue photography.

In short there is no substitute for the one thing above all that makes the difference between shooting a plethora of uninspired bland images nobody wants to look at vs. images that capture the eye, that are good enough to share with others or hang on a wall.

What it all comes down to is having “an eye” that can see how the light interacts with the subject and framing it (often confused with composition) in an interesting manner. To that point one of the most compelling images I’ve ever seen was in a coffee shop I use to frequent before it burned to the ground. There wasn’t anything unusual or extraordinary about the subject matter itself and yet that photo commanded my attention in so much that I stared at it and marveled every time I saw it. It wasn’t until after several viewings that I noticed that it was was shot with a cheap point and shoot camera, enlarged to the point where pixelation was obvious if you stood within a few feet, but goddamn! I wish I had bought it before it went up in flames. The guy who “took that picture” didn’t have much of a camera or technical understanding, but he sure knew how to make the ordinary look extraordinary as evidenced in some of his other photos. That’s where all the satisfaction and pleasure comes from.

Personally I have amassed well over 30,000 images shot with a variety of advanced cameras and expensive lenses, and not one of them speaks to me half as much as that pixelated photo that hung in that coffee shop. For all my years of experience and technical understanding, I have yet produce a result nearly as satisfying.

[Early B.]

I only want to do recreational pics so not looking for professional results but still hoping I wont be disappointed.

The above statement says to me, "I want to shoot quality images, but I'm not trying to go pro."

Like anything else in life, you will need to practice. There's no short cut for that if you want good images. This means you gotta shoot many thousands of shots before you begin to take consistently decent images.  Sure, cameras are pretty smart these days and can perform most of the work for you, but those shots will probably be mediocre. It's the difference between putting your car on autopilot or taking the wheel. The autopilot feature will never floor it for fun, or rev the engine at a stop light, or honk at a curvaceous woman crossing the street.   

[Stu Pitt]

The above statement says to me, "I want to shoot quality images, but I'm not trying to go pro."

Like anything else in life, you will need to practice. There's no short cut for that if you want good images. This means you gotta shoot many thousands of shots before you begin to take consistently decent images.  Sure, cameras are pretty smart these days and can perform most of the work for you, but those shots will probably be mediocre. It's the difference between putting your car on autopilot or taking the wheel. The autopilot feature will never floor it for fun, or rev the engine at a stop light, or honk at a curvaceous woman crossing the street.   

I really like this post. It’s exactly what I was saying in my original post - learn how to take a great picture first, then learn how to use the camera.

The book I recommended has a ton of photography tips in it that don’t have anything to do with equipment nor settings. Then there’s that stuff afterwards in the same book. It was a basically comprehensive book - every “for Dummies” on DSLRs up to that point in one book.

Edit: here’s the book I was talking about:
Digital SLR Photography All-in-One For Dummies https://www.amazon.com/dp/0470768789/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.9G2CbF40X6GE

Quite expensive new. I bought it used on Amazon for about $10 or so. Quite possibly the best $10 I spent. I learned more from that than anything else. Everything’s covered - composition, exposure, lighting, flash, and so on. It’s old and stuff like specs and how to choose a camera are outdated. They were a bit outdated when I bought the book 8 years ago. But stuff like composition, lighting, exposure, etc. doesn’t change.

Learn the rules of photography and get good at them, then learn how to fine tune things with settings. Same thing as earlier - a Stratocaster ain’t gonna make me Hendrix. Air Jordans aren’t going to get me into the NBA. A 5D4 and 85 1.2 L aren’t going to get my work on the cover of Esquire. The best better gear will give you is better image quality. If you don’t know where to point it and when to push the shutter release, it doesn’t matter what you’re using. And if you don’t know how to use the camera, better gear won’t give you better image quality.

My father has a 5D2 and 16-35 2.8L (all bought when they were current and nearly top of the line). And his pictures suck. Bad composition and average image quality on a good day. I’d use his camera during family get togethers and holidays, and people didn’t believe it was the same camera. And trust me, I’m no expert by any means.

[Bob2]

What is the point in that? Im not questioning you, I’m just trying to learn.

As Early B stated, "It helps, for example, if you want to upload jpegs immediately on social media, but you still have the RAW version in case you want to edit them later".

I use the jpeg to determine which photo may need editing... I use Light room for editing. If you are editing a photo always use a copy of the RAW file and keep the original unmolested.

The 6D has many options but don't rush the learning process. Get out there and take pictures. Take notes and Experiment! Take some classes if you can and there are a bunch of online resources.

Catalog your photos to make finding them easier. I usually save files by month and year. Sub folders to break them into events or particular importance in a particular time frame.. Use a method that makes sense to you.
I keep a 4 TB hard drive for this purpose. Storage is cheap.


Study how images look and try to determine what the photog was trying to capture..



Turning this photo to black and white in light room brought a new meaning to this photo for me of a very special young man.

Make the photos meaningful to you. That is what matters.

Digital photography is a valuable resource for learning. Photograph in a way that pleases you and learn.

Additional lenses are nice but not necessary to learn to take great pictures. They are a tool to use when needed.

Don't feel that you need the latest and greatest glass and gear. The nut behind the shutter button makes the difference more than anything.

As an example I took 325 photos of a sunset from a spot on Oahu. Bracketing so I could cover all situations. What I learned from that was manifold.
It is worth the time and effort.

For me the most important aspect is to have fun and learn. Your world will become much bigger.

Enjoy photography and best of luck!

[Stu Pitt]

As Early B stated, "It helps, for example, if you want to upload jpegs immediately on social media, but you still have the RAW version in case you want to edit them later".

I use the jpeg to determine which photo may need editing... I use Light room for editing. If you are editing a photo always use a copy of the RAW file and keep the original unmolested.

The 6D has many options but don't rush the learning process. Get out there and take pictures. Take notes and Experiment! Take some classes if you can and there are a bunch of online resources.

Catalog your photos to make finding them easier. I usually save files by month and year. Sub folders to break them into events or particular importance in a particular time frame.. Use a method that makes sense to you.
I keep a 4 TB hard drive for this purpose. Storage is cheap.


Study how images look and try to determine what the photog was trying to capture..



Turning this photo to black and white in light room brought a new meaning to this photo for me of a very special young man.

Make the photos meaningful to you. That is what matters.

Digital photography is a valuable resource for learning. Photograph in a way that pleases you and learn.

Additional lenses are nice but not necessary to learn to take great pictures. They are a tool to use when needed.

Don't feel that you need the latest and greatest glass and gear. The nut behind the shutter button makes the difference more than anything.

As an example I took 325 photos of a sunset from a spot on Oahu. Bracketing so I could cover all situations. What I learned from that was manifold.
It is worth the time and effort.

For me the most important aspect is to have fun and learn. Your world will become much bigger.

Enjoy photography and best of luck!

I just import them all to Lightroom rather than have both a RAW and jpeg. I consider them all negatives in a sense. The ones I like, I edit. The ones I don’t, I leave alone. Sometimes I come back to a few that look more interesting after some time.

My current area of interest is sports photography. My 8 year old daughter started playing basketball in the fall, and it’s been a lot of fun figuring out how to shoot that better. I got a great lens at a great price - Canon 70-200 f/4 (non IS). A little slow for basketball gyms, but it works. Shooting with has me rethinking my whole lens lineup. The color, contrast, and sharpness have me wanting to get rid of everything else and buy a normal range L zoom. I’ve borrowed a 24-105 L for a few weeks now, and while it’s very good, it isn’t as good.

I’ve got a 28-135 (came with my 40D), 50 1.4, 85 1.8, and 70-200. I’m thinking get rid of the primes and 28-135 and get a 50 1.2 or 24-70 f/4. I love the 85 1.8, but it’s not easy to use indoors and is unfortunately my least used lens. I force myself to use in some situations because I like it so much. A 50L would be perfect for my use.

Now I just need to double my salary

If you know how to use it, the gear will give you better IQ. But it won’t take a better picture; it’ll only show what you did.

[Nick77]

Well I was impressed with this early shot I took this morning just playing around on auto.     

[stlrman]

it looks a bit blurry. Did you take more than one image? Make sure you always take a few shots, maybe 5-10 images. Not paying for film. Maybe the 3rd or 8th picture is tak sharp or sharper than this one.
What was your ISO and your shutter speed?
notice how sharp this image is:

[Nick77]

Yes very sharp image. I was on full auto, I will try to break the cord.

[stlrman]

Make sure you set your focus to single center weighted.
I shoot auto all the time. Just set your focus to the center!! Get your center X or box to lock on, or light up,hold shutter button down half way , if you need to recompose then do so with button held half way down , if not fire away, making sure you see the center box lighting up and locking on.
If your shutter speed is fast , hold it down for two or three shots.
read your manual twice.

maybe see if there is a meet up group of photographers, doing a city shoot, or hike in the woods. join them . ask questions if you have them.

use the zoom in feature on the back of the camera to look at the image on the back your camera to see if the eye of the cat is in focus.for instance.