Noob questions...Cannon XSi and Aperture..

[HE15MAN]

I was planning on buying an XSI or T1I in the next month or so, and am a total noob to camera's and photo editing software. I am more than competent with technology and computers, i just do not have any real experience in the camera and editing fields.

First of all, which camera would be better? Would it be smarter to save money, buy the XSi, and use the difference on a better lense? I live in Florida and plan on doing a lot of nature/birds/scenery pictures, as well as sporting events (Gators and baseball).

Secondly, is Aperture similar/comparable to Photoshop? Which is better/more user friendly?


Thanks!

 

[miles01110]

I was planning on buying an XSI or T1I in the next month or so, and am a total noob to camera's and photo editing software. I am more than competent with technology and computers, i just do not have any real experience in the camera and editing fields.

First of all, which camera would be better? Would it be smarter to save money, buy the XSi, and use the difference on a better lense?

I'd just get the XSi. The T1i seems like a waste of money unless you really need the video capability. You won't need a new lens until you learn what you're doing as the 18-55mm IS kit lens is perfectly adequate.

Secondly, is Aperture similar/comparable to Photoshop? Which is better/more user friendly?

They're not really competing programs. Aperture is a photo manipulation program while Photoshop is more of a graphic design program.

 

[HE15MAN]

I'd just get the XSi. The T1i seems like a waste of money unless you really need the video capability. You won't need a new lens until you learn what you're doing as the 18-55mm IS kit lens is perfectly adequate.



They're not really competing programs. Aperture is a photo manipulation program while Photoshop is more of a graphic design program.

My mom also has a one year old XSi btw. She does not know much about it either though sadly. What would be a good longer distance lense to look into?

So your saying Photoshop is more for making things, while Aperture is more for making pictures look better?

 

[ChrisA]

Would it be smarter to save money, buy the XSi, and use the difference on a better lense? I live in Florida and plan on doing a lot of nature/birds/scenery pictures, as well as sporting events

Yes, the lens is what matters. But first shoot at least 1,000 images with the 18-55 "kit" lens ad then later buy a lens that will get the shots you had to pass up using the kit lens. But you will not know what those shots are.

Secondly, is Aperture similar/comparable to Photoshop? Which is better/more user friendly?

Photoshop is for making large edits to the imges, for changing the stuff inside. Aperture is for managing large collections of photos and for making simple adjustments to the image content..

Wht to use? Use iPhoto and then if you get into image editing get Photoshop Express. Later there are easy upgrade paths to the full PS and Aperture but for now use iPhoto and if you really want to try things like removing a utility pole from a landscape image "elements" will be all you need.

 

[scott182]

For another perspective, I'm also new to photography (well, DSLR anyway) and purchased the XSi over the T1i. I really had no need for video, so couldn't justify the added cost.

If you have no previous experience and don't understand aperture, shutter speed, light, etc. and how all these things interact, I might suggest forgoing the kit lens and use the difference to buy the Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens (read reviews on it; most will say it's a great lens for the price). It can be had for around $100. I'd suggest going this route for two reasons: (1) Since it's a fixed focal length, it should be easier to learn better photographic technique since you won't have to think about how zooming in and out affects everything, and (2) if you plan to shoot a lot of wildlife and sporting events, you'll probably quickly find that the kit lens isn't really gonna cut it (it's not very fast, and the top end zoom is really not very much). And no doubt you'll be taking pictures of people at some point or another, so it might be handy to have a decent portrait lens like the 50mm f/1.8.

I'd also recommend The Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi/450D Companion by Ben Long. It'll tell you a lot about the camera as well as general photography tips.

As far as software goes, if you plan on shooting in JPEG only, iPhoto should be all you need for a while. However, if you plan on shooting in Raw then you might want to consider something like Aperture or Lightroom.

 

[HE15MAN]

My g/f had bought a book teaching you to use the Cannon TiL already, are they similar enough to the XSi to not buy another book?

 

[jbg232]

I was in your situation almost 2 years ago and went with an XSi and telephoto lens for bird photography. The XSi body will not limit you in the least, the lens is going to be your limiting factor for image quality. If you want video, you have to get the T1i though (or wait for the T2i - even better!). However, I would use the extra money for glass. You can get a very cheap XSi now (and probably even cheaper used now that the T2i's are coming out).

Aperture is not the same as photoshop. Aperture is like an advanced version of iphoto, it is an image managment program that has basic editing functions to help with RAW files (exposure adjustments/white balance/curves/levels/etc), but filters/and advanced image editing are not the "goal" of the program (although it is changing with the new release). For now though if you want to do major digital image manipulation you will still need photoshop, but for most edits aperture is a good program.

 

[ChrisA]

I live in Florida and plan on doing a lot of nature/birds/scenery pictures, as well as sporting events (Gators and baseball).

You picked the most expensice genre of photography.

Don't even THINK about SLR bodies at this point. From a budget point of view, for this kind of work you will be buying a lens and almost as an after thought an SLR so you can record the image the lens makes. Bird photographer routinely spend 10 times as much on optics as a body.

What I would suggest is to figure out which company makes the kind of glass you want. What the market for used lenses of this type is like and then go with the company that makes the lenses you like, either Canon or Nikon. Lastly pick an SLR body that fits the llens and you budget.

By FAR the Lens and then the camera suport, tripod and ball head are you big ticket items. Shop for those first.

My suggestion is to figure out the above but don't buy it. Buy a low cost "kit" lens first and lear about photography. It is a book length subject that you can't learn in a forum like this. Go to the library, even those 50 year old books are fine. the basics have not changed in 50 years. Until you know the basics and can talk about (say) how ISO and a lens' maximum f-stop are related you can't make informed buying decisions.

In terms of equipment costs the #1 most expensive is bird photography, the second #2 spot has to be sports. General landscape photography is the least expensive.

Bottom line: Choose the camera brand based on the lenses you hope to buy over the next one to ten years. Every beginner makes this same mistake. they think in terms of SLR body first. I don't know why they do this? Perhaps the body looks more interesting or maybe they simply don't understand optics. But glass is what matters and glass is what makes the image.

 

[jbg232]

^^^^^^^^^^^

Well put and all very true and good advice.