next purchace for 450d

jamiedolittle

jamiedolittle

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james
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ive just purchased a 450d, ive got the two lenses that came with it 18-55 and 55-250...
went out and bought my self a bag to keep it all in yesterday lowepro 200 aw slingshot.

and now im wondering what should be my next buy??
i would like to try a bit of macro so maybe a cheap lens.?
or maybe a battery grip??
filters??

any advice??
 
If you want to do any landscape work or portrait work... I'd go for a tripod... and dont buy one too cheap or that can be a waste of cash as well... you want something steady!

Manfrotto 190 is a good buy!

Then again if your into landscapes a ND grad and a poloriser
 
Jamie, that's a good little setup and you can get some great shots with it. If you want to try out Macro, then the 55-250 with a Raynox DCR250 is a very cheap and simple way (I nearly used easy, but that would be just wrong) of getting going, producing good results, without the outlay for a proper macro lens, and will allow you to test the water and find out how you get on with it.

A spare battery from ebay, and a few SD cards were my first additional purchases.
 
A tripod (as Markelliott above) will also a help for Macro work. I would look at a specific Macro lens if you are interested in Macro work :thumbs:
 
You're in a rush to collect kit aren't you!?

You've got a set of lenses that cover a decent range so hold fire on buying any more lenses until you know why you want them.... ie, you want shallow DoF for portraits, you're needing to shoot in lower light, or need a faster AP for sports. Then buy a lens that suits.

The cheapest way to try macro is to find a set of extension tubes which sit between the body and lens to allow you to focus very close - you can get ones with electrical contacts to maintain AF and aperture control or the cheaper hollow tubes which are generally fine since you'll be using manual focus anyway.

Filters are good but again, think about what you need - a UV filter is often left on a lens to protect it, a circular-polariser is good for cutting through reflections and making the sky a little bluer, a gradiant filter is good for matching exposures on landscapes. Think about your photography and buy to solve a problem, not just to fill a kit bag.

Many people keep a battery grip on their camera all the time - for me it feels better in my hands and allows more comfortable portrait orientation. It does mean that the camera body is a much tighter fit into the AW200 bag though.

First port of call for any of this stuff would be the boards on here - none of the stuff you've mentioned is going to be any worse for buying second hand.
 
lol..... yeah i always seem to go full bore into anything i do! glad i posted on here as i was going to get one of those cheap tripods.. not now!
extension tubes and uv filter already on the way, ordered them last night.
i didnt think i was allowed to use the for sale boards on here as im a newbie?
 
If you're after a tripod, the redsnapper tripods are excellent value for money
 
jamiedolittle said:
lol..... yeah i always seem to go full bore into anything i do! glad i posted on here as i was going to get one of those cheap tripods.. not now!
extension tubes and uv filter already on the way, ordered them last night.
i didnt think i was allowed to use the for sale boards on here as im a newbie?
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You can buy, you're just not allowed to sell...
 
my first purchase after the fact was a flashgun (not counting cards ect), but it was about 6 months after so I would hold fire and put the cash aside to spend at a later date
 
david1701 said:
my first purchase after the fact was a flashgun (not counting cards ect), but it was about 6 months after so I would hold fire and put the cash aside to spend at a later date
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Good call.

Again, the OP needs to make sure that they know what they're looking at before they part with cash - there's a surprising difference between flashes and a cheaper, lower powered flash (a lower guide number) that has full manual mode and maybe an optical slave function might actually be more useful in the long run than a big expensive powerful (high guide number) flash.
 
Just on the filters dont buy cheap... all you get is flare? You cant go much wrong with Hoya Pro1's... but expensive! As for the grads... cokin do good filters... but I'm thinking of looking at more expensive range myself eventually...

In my opinion the UV filter is a waste of time... are you really going to be in situations where you will scratch your front element... I doubt it... and a lens hood is a far better option and cuts down on flare! It's a long debate on UV filters... I used to use them and since I have stopped I would say I get sharper results with less dust spots!

My main piece of advice to you are the moment is to stop buying like others have said untill you know what you want...

You have not said... what do you like to shoot???
 
Hi,

I would invest in a battery grip for your 450D, I bought one off someone on here which was a copy of the Canon part and so far it's been an excellent add-on for my 450D. You gain better portrait shooting possibilities,longer battery life, and a much more sturdier grip and weight for balance as the camera is quite light just with the body and the kit lens on it's own.

Mike.
 
well just ordered a battery grip and two batteries.

looking at the circular polariser filters at the min... they seem to range so much in price. can there be that much difference in a filter? (sorry for the ignorance)

as for the tripod- i think i might have a go at building one myself i think... im an engineer and have made some custom carbon things for my fishing gear so ill see how that goes.

flash gun next then...
 
You still have not said what you like to shoot?

I cant believe you are buying so much based on what people are simply telling you on here... get out and take some shots... get to know the equipment you have... otherwise you will become one of these guys with 'all the gear and no idea?'

Do you actually need a battery grip? Why?
 
Battery grip, remote control (I have one for sale) and a tripod will get you on your way. You'll love night photography, everyone is amazed at it when they first get a SLR.
 
And maybe i'm missing something but does a battery grip not just take double a's so why get two batteries as well if you have bought the grip?

Do you need a flash... the 450d has an adequate on the camera flash for basic portraits at your experiance level... do you need a more powerful flash... I'm getting the feeling you don't know and are just buying because you think it will benefit you... It wont if you dont know the first thing about flashes... go away and find about guide no's etc...

And can I ask... have you even read the manual of your camera fully... if not go and do that... It will improve your photography much more than more equipment can... then buy a book... read that... then go take pics and when you know you need more equipment buy it... otherwise you are wasting cash...

unless you are lucky enough to have enough to waste!
 
the battery grip takes two cam batteries or aa's. as the cam is fairly small i feel that it will help with grip balance etc.

as for what i like to shoot- i suppose a bit of everything but mainly portrait and landscape.
then i also love the look of some of the macro shots on here so i would like to give that a go too.
i have been out and about taking pics and have a book on the way.

i dont think anything i have purchased so far are lavish and unjustified.. just the basics arnt they?
 
The grip is a must. Once you get a heavy zoom lens and you're holding it all day, you'll find the small 450D body start to slip through your hands. The grip makes it a lot easier to hold and the battery lasts for weeks at a time!
 
jamiedolittle said:
the battery grip takes two cam batteries or aa's. as the cam is fairly small i feel that it will help with grip balance etc.

as for what i like to shoot- i suppose a bit of everything but mainly portrait and landscape.
then i also love the look of some of the macro shots on here so i would like to give that a go too.
i have been out and about taking pics and have a book on the way.

i dont think anything i have purchased so far are lavish and unjustified.. just the basics arnt they?
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I guess not... possibly I was too harsh... I've just never known people to jump in so quick...

horse on... i'd do allot of research for a flash though... there is allot more to flash photography than meets the eye... and it's one area I know little off!

I want to get into macro too... but a good bit research to do... and a lens to but... and prob a flash...

Mark
 
lol...i know mark im like it with everything, but if you are going to do it then its worth doing properly.
been looking at that filter, amazon seem to be the cheapest at the min, just under £38 saving 60%
 
jamiedolittle said:
lol...i know mark im like it with everything, but if you are going to do it then its worth doing properly.
been looking at that filter, amazon seem to be the cheapest at the min, just under £38 saving 60%
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Going out on a limb here and not meaning to insult you, just playing devil's advocate so please read this as coming from a friendly banter angle rather than having a go...

Why do you want the circular polariser filter? And do you know what you want to do with it?

Because you've tried taking photos that you think would be improved by one or because a bunch of people of here have suggested one?

My general feeling is that it's good to push the boundaries of what you've got and then research what you need before buying... a lot of people on here are actually intentionally limiting their lens choice in order to improve their photography techniques. The previous comment about reading the manual is a good one... you'll discover all sorts of things that will improve your shots more than some new kit!
 
ive had my 400d for about 10months now and have slowly gathered kit.. nifty fifty was my first purchace, then more cf cards (fill em up whenever you go out!) 24-70sigma macro lens, tripod and remote trigger, and just last week a cheap flashgun.

get used to using it first is my personal opinion, then gradually add stuff into your arsenal.

but if your wanting new stuff now, i recommend a tripod first.
 
incapete said:
Going out on a limb here and not meaning to insult you, just playing devil's advocate so please read this as coming from a friendly banter angle rather than having a go...

Why do you want the circular polariser filter? And do you know what you want to do with it?

Because you've tried taking photos that you think would be improved by one or because a bunch of people of here have suggested one?

My general feeling is that it's good to push the boundaries of what you've got and then research what you need before buying... a lot of people on here are actually intentionally limiting their lens choice in order to improve their photography techniques. The previous comment about reading the manual is a good one... you'll discover all sorts of things that will improve your shots more than some new kit!
Click to expand...

i want the filter because i like what they do, i want to have anything i need/want to try on hand.

as for building up gradualy- nah thats just not for me. if i want to do something then i want to do it to the best i can and as soon as i can
 
jamiedolittle said:
i want the filter because i like what they do, i want to have anything i need/want to try on hand.

as for building up gradualy- nah thats just not for me. if i want to do something then i want to do it to the best i can and as soon as i can
Click to expand...

In that case go for it! I know how you feel - I'm very similar myself and ended up with a bunch of stuff that I've gradually sold off to fund the kit I should have bought the first time around if I'd know better. :bonk:
 
Got my 450D about 2 months ago now, but have been buying bits nearly every week since, after about a week I got a Sigma 70/300 APO DG Macro lens, week after it was a bag, then went looking for a flash, then the thing I needed most in my opinion was a tripod for the new lens, we have 5 camera shops in town, so I took advise of comments on TP and tried as many as possible, from expensive to budget, without looking at the price first, I chose the one that I felt best with, it cost me just £45.
I tend to only buy things I need at the time as a quick decision, sometimes can be a wrong one,
I also looked at remote controls, but as I didn't need one I held back, glad I did as I've just looked at a test on the Hahnel HW433 pro remote, its double the price of the canon ones at £50, but it looks good......any one got one yet, I think they have just come out ?
 
Has to be a Nifty Fifty.

got a 450D myself, and bought a Nifty Fifty as my first purchase after all the essentials (Bag, Filter, card etc)
 
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