Canon 550D (Rebel T2i, Kiss X4)

[handicap18]

Excellent job on the report. Even better job on learning on the go and from your own mistakes. AWESOME.

When I joined this forum some 5 years ago I had a film SLR with 2 lenses and a PnS digital camera.

I am now on my 2nd dSLR and have accumulated 9 or 10 lenses, 2 flashes and more accessories than I care to mention lol. That being said, I've had a BLAST over that time period taking 10's of thousands of pictures and I wouldn't change anything.

This is a great place to learn. Glad your learning too.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Princess, you make me laugh! I love your firework shots. Last year I brought my DSLR a couple of months before our holiday and did not have a clue, so I know exactly where you are coming from.

Love your anniversary present too.

Thanks Jade. I had no idea you hung out in this subforum as well. Some of those shots will seem familiar when I finally get round to the appropriate points in my TR.

I love my anniversary present too.

I really enjoyed your trip report! Thanks for sharing it with us.

Thanks. I enjoyed putting it together.

I love photography focused trip reports! Thanks for taking us along! I can tell you have a love of photography and a great sense of humor, so I hope you'll keep hanging out here!

I was where you were when I took my fall MNSSHP trip last year. I had purchased my sigma 30mm f/1.4 right before the trip and was learning as I went along.

I'm not surprised you had to keep moving back with the 50 mm f/1.8. That focal length has always seemed a little tight for me at Disney. Backing up a few feet is SO hard when there are so many people around. You will LOVE your new Canon 17-55 f/2.8. Mine stays on the camera most of the time now.

I did notice that a lot of your shots were done in auto. I did this last year too with the Simga. It's really hard at Disney to be fiddling with the settings as you go. But be sure to play with the new lens at home now so you can get the most out of it.

It seems you were most frustrated with focusing. It can be really hard in low light. Were you pre-selecting a focal point, or allowing the camera to do it automatically?

I'm a rank beginner and was allowing automagicness to set the focal point. I'm looking into doing a short course in January; and hope that I'll continue to learn - how to play manually!

I did try to play with shutter and ISO during the second coming of HalloWishes; but as you pointed out, it was hard to keep fiddlin'. Maybe if I didn't enjoy looking at the fireworks so much and if I'd brought the tripod, things might have been different......NEXT time.

Great idea for a thread, especially when you center it around a lens that's very affordable for someone just breaking into the hobby.

The lesson to be learned from the lego sea serpent is that a low light lens can't solve all your low light problems. You were shooting at 1/15 of a second so I suspect you managed to reduce camera shake in the second frame.

Without a tripod or an image stabilization lens, the general rule is to try and get a shutter equal to 1/the focal length of the lens...in this case 1/50th sec. Your example shows that it's certainly possible to get results at slower speeds but that you should always take several shots to increase your odds.

Thanks for sharing your experience!

THANKS! I knew that Lesson 4 learning would come to me......eventually. I'll definitely keep this rule in mind.

Excellent job on the report. Even better job on learning on the go and from your own mistakes. AWESOME.

When I joined this forum some 5 years ago I had a film SLR with 2 lenses and a PnS digital camera.

I am now on my 2nd dSLR and have accumulated 9 or 10 lenses, 2 flashes and more accessories than I care to mention lol. That being said, I've had a BLAST over that time period taking 10's of thousands of pictures and I wouldn't change anything.

This is a great place to learn. Glad your learning too.

Thanks. I'm having a lot of fun with the learning.

 

[Jade+3]

Thanks Jade. I had no idea you hung out in this subforum as well. Some of those shots will seem familiar when I finally get round to the appropriate points in my TR.

Ah yes, I am addicted to this expensive hobby. I have just brought a 24-105 for our trip next year. I have a 'mentor' who is helping me along the way.

 

[tlcmommyx4]

I just love your trip report!!!! I always enjoyed seeing you in the hunt this summer! I am going to the World in December and just got my new Tokina 11-16mm F2.8 and I just can't wait to try and see what I can do Hope you have a great day.

 

[Daisy14'sDH]

Loved your report! Thanks for sharing your insights!

 

[shushh]

Glad I came here...

I too bought my camera right before a holiday, but to Europe rather than WDW. What a steep learning curve it was. I also own a 50mm f/1.8

Thanks for sharing your experiences and photos!

 

[MinnieForMe]

Your experience has been very helpful to me! I had my heart set on a prime 50 mm and now I'm thinking it may not work for me. Being handicap, I don't always have the ability to move back. Perhaps, I need a zoom that has good low light ability.

Off to research more!

 

[PrincessInOz]

I just love your trip report!!!! I always enjoyed seeing you in the hunt this summer! I am going to the World in December and just got my new Tokina 11-16mm F2.8 and I just can't wait to try and see what I can do Hope you have a great day.

Thanks. I enjoyed your pics too. Can't wait to see your pictures on the new toy! It may be a toy I might get....someday.

Loved your report! Thanks for sharing your insights!

Thanks for reading it.

Glad I came here...

I too bought my camera right before a holiday, but to Europe rather than WDW. What a steep learning curve it was. I also own a 50mm f/1.8

Thanks for sharing your experiences and photos!

Hi Shushh! Thanks for stopping by.

Your experience has been very helpful to me! I had my heart set on a prime 50 mm and now I'm thinking it may not work for me. Being handicap, I don't always have the ability to move back. Perhaps, I need a zoom that has good low light ability.

Off to research more!

Minnie - Keep in mind that I took a few shots inside rides from a sitting position and you don't need to move back; you just need to work out what distance to shoot from. Likewise with the parade and fireworks shots. I pretty much stayed in the same spot for those and worked out the distance the subject needed to be before I starting shooting.

For the second party, I probably should have placed myself back in the middle of Main Street, nearer the emporium.

If your budget allows, the zoom may give you more options; but don't discount this lens simply because I was moving back. The Canon 50 mm f/1.8 prime is relatively inexpensive and, in my opinion, a pretty good lens to have. It is also a lot lighter than the zoom lens.

 

[LimoFam5]

So Ive decided......I think???????
I have decided to go with the Canon Rebel T2i double lens BOTH with IS package.
18-55mm with IS
70-300mm with IS


Did I make a good choise? It's my first DSLR so I am nervous......

 

[ukcatfan]

So Ive decided......I think???????
I have decided to go with the Canon Rebel T2i double lens BOTH with IS package.
18-55mm with IS
70-300mm with IS


Did I make a good choise? It's my first DSLR so I am nervous......

Are you sure about the 70-300mm having IS? I use Pentax so am no expert on Canon, but I was thinking that the 70-300mm with IS was around $500 alone and would not be part of a package. From what understand, the normal 70-300mm that typically is included in packages is known as one of the worst Canon lenses ever made.

It sounds like you are set on Canon, but if not have you considered the Pentax K-r with 18-55mm and 55-300mm?

 

[bob100]

So Ive decided......I think???????
I have decided to go with the Canon Rebel T2i double lens BOTH with IS package.
18-55mm with IS
70-300mm with IS


Did I make a good choise? It's my first DSLR so I am nervous......

Are you sure about the 70-300mm having IS? I use Pentax so am no expert on Canon, but I was thinking that the 70-300mm with IS was around $500 alone and would not be part of a package. From what understand, the normal 70-300mm that typically is included in packages is known as one of the worst Canon lenses ever made.

ukcatfan is partially right, make sure that package does not include the 75-300 lens! It may seem similar but one digit off and you end up with the worst package. The best package sold with the Canon T2i (550D) includes the 18-55IS and 55-250IS lens. (The worst package (ebay) includes the poor performing 75-300, however, if you are correct, the 70-300IS a good lens but is much more expensive.

 

[LimoFam5]

The 70-300mm with IS is along around $600.00 and that is why this package is $1400. I am positive that this package comes with both lenses and they BOTH has IS. I am also POSITIVE that the second lens is the 70-300 NO 75 and it has IS.

Great package and the more people I tell about the 70-300 being IS the more I feel confident that this is a GREAT BUY!!!

 

[LimoFam5]

The package is being sold at COSTCO.
Canon Rebel T2i w/ two IS lenses. 18-55mm and the 70-300mm. All for a tad bit more then $1350

 

[bob100]

The 70-300mm with IS is along around $600.00 and that is why this package is $1400. I am positive that this package comes with both lenses and they BOTH has IS. I am also POSITIVE that the second lens is the 70-300 NO 75 and it has IS.

Great package and the more people I tell about the 70-300 being IS the more I feel confident that this is a GREAT BUY!!!

OK, so you got the deluxe package. Usually they bundle the Rebel models with the 55-250IS telephoto which is pretty good, you're starting out with one better. - nice!

 

[ukcatfan]

This is just my opinion, but if I was going to spend that much on a telephoto lens, I would spend the couple hundred more and get a fast one (i.e. f/2.8).

 

[Pea-n-Me]

This is just my opinion, but if I was going to spend that much on a telephoto lens, I would spend the couple hundred more and get a fast one (i.e. f/2.8[/B]).

This was the point I was trying to get at on the other thread. Kit zoom lenses generally work best in good light. In low light or with sports, etc, you'll probably wish it had a larger aperture. But it's one of those things that you learn as you go. (And why we keep buying lenses!)

http://www.jeffwignall.com/tutorials/lensapertureprimeriv.html

 

[photo_chick]

With a $500 price difference when you add the 70-300 IS this isn't that sweet of a deal. The lens is right around $500 new so you're not really saving anything. If you want the lens it's a fine deal, but don't think it's a steal when the numbers show it's not.

I'd be more inclined to get the body w/ the 18-55 IS and then spend an additional $600 to get the 70-200 f/4L myself if I wanted a tele zoom and had that kind of money to put toward it.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

With a $500 price difference when you add the 70-300 IS this isn't that sweet of a deal. The lens is right around $500 new so you're not really saving anything. If you want the lens it's a fine deal, but don't think it's a steal when the numbers show it's not.

I'd be more inclined to get the body w/ the 18-55 IS and then spend an additional $600 to get the 70-200 f/4L myself if I wanted a tele zoom and had that kind of money to put toward it.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

 

[LimoFam5]

I have done some pricing and the rebel EOS t2i with 18-55mm is $899 and the 70-300mm with IS I have priced at $569 so I think the price from Costco for this package that comes with canon travel bag and memory card is a deal!

 

[ukcatfan]

I have done some pricing and the rebel EOS t2i with 18-55mm is $899 and the 70-300mm with IS I have priced at $569 so I think the price from Costco for this package that comes with canon travel bag and memory card is a deal!

Don't let the little extras sway you too much. That card is worth about $5 and the "gadget bag" will be taking space in your closet within a month.

I think the point we are trying to make is that while the price for that lens is not bad, it is not that great of a lens. Being variable aperture, it is not going to be a low light performer even with the IS. If that is important to you, this lens is not going to make you all that happy. Why not either save and go with the other cheaper tele lens or go ahead and upgrade to a fast tele lens. That is the best I can describe it. I would go with a different brand anyway