Come to the dark side...

[DaddyB]

Christmas came in early in the DaddyB household.... well, it may not COME early, but it was purchased early... well probably purchased a little late, but... aw heck...

A new Canon Rebel XT (black body) digital SLR is on it's way to my home!

I got the 18-55 zoom lens as well. I decided I really wanted the higher ISO's and the Rebel XT has simply the best low light / high ISO capability of any of the other digital SLRs. Combine that the 8MP sensor of the XT, and the recent price cuts on the camera and I couldn't justify purchasing any other digital SLR.

I'm NOT giving up my Olympus 8080, I'm just adding the XT to my camera bag. I can't afford the lens for the Canon that would give me the same shots that my Olympus gives me!

OKAY YOU CURRENT REBEL USERS: What accesories have you found you can't live without? I already have a 2gb card and polarizing filters for it. How is it on batteries? Do I need to buy another? Is the on board flash good enough?

NOW to find the perfect LCD monitor for photo editing!
Apple 23" Cinema Display, anyone?

[ttztotdca50]

Oh! I saw that 23" screen at the Apple Store in The Grove. A demonstrator was there, explaining all of the features that was available for that bad boy! Man, I was practically drooling when it was my turn to try it out. They had this super-awesome $500 movie editing software that would make Steven Spielberg drool! Plus, the pictures, when they were enlarged onto the humungous screen, was crystal-clear and didn't look as if it had been zoomed at all!

We look forward to even better (if that's even possible) pictures on your weekly updates, daddyb! :)

[xfkirsten]

Congrats!!! It's an amazing camera - very powerful! That 1600 ISO does wonders! Canon makes an f/1.8 50mm lens that sells on B&H for about $70. It's VERY worth it at that price - between that and the 1600 ISO, I've been able to get some shots in places like HM and Pirates. Also, I have the Sigma 70-300mm telephoto zoom (about $220 from B&H) which is a pretty great lens for hte price! I have the APO version, because I've heard that the other version isn't as good. That's the one that I use for all my Fantasmic photos! Works great for parade closeups, as well.

As for the batteries, they tend to hold really well! I have yet to run mine all the way to empty. I've gotten the low battery indicator a few times, but generally it comes on during the finale of Fantasmic - at the end of the night! As I said, they've never run out on me, so I'm not sure how long the batteries will run once that indicator comes on. I've read that it can shoot up to 600 photos, depending on how much you use flash and such.

[RU42]

Nice camera. I was really torn between that one and the Nikon D70 that I ended up getting. The only thing that swayed me was that the Rebel was too small for my hands; I never felt like I had a good grip on the camera.

My accessories:
Filters; which you have

I have 3-1GB memory cards

2 Batteries - usually at DLR I can pop in a new battery and shoot the entire day and not run out. But I always like to take my batteries through full charge/discharge cycles - so the extra battery allows me to do this without worry.

I tested the onbaord flash for both the Rebel and D70. Both are good for close proxity shots; but not good if you need any distance. The SB800 I got for the Nikon is incredible. I can light up the Castle from the Hub (which is really nice if I am shooting day light shots and need some filler light.) When I went the other week, I shot the Parade from the risers along the Small World corridor. I was in manual mode; full intensity. I was able to run with a shutter speed of 300 and captured things wonderfully. I guess that is my very long winded answer to say - get a great flash; you will never be sorry you did.

Thanks Kirsten for reminding me about the 1.8 lens. That is something I have been meaning to purchase. I will have to look one up at B&H.

RU

[DaddyB]

Thanks friends! RU for some reason I was thinking you had the Rebel too. I looked at the nikon d50 (and drooled over the upcoming d200) but the rebel XT was reviewed by dpreview for having the best high ISO shooting, and most every digital SLR they review now ends in a comparison of how it holds up to the rebel XT... and none have surpassed it yet.

I don't mean to put down your camera (Lord knows your shots are every bit as incredible as Kirstens), it's just the main reason (almost the only reason)I'm adding a digital SLR is for those low light shots, and no matter how much I wanted to buy the Nikon, the Rebel in that one respect, was rated better.


I was SO unhappy with the onboard flash of my Olympus, and wasn't all that thrilled with the no-name flash I bought off ebay... and then I bought the high end Olympus flash and WOW! It really lights up the night pretty well... again, that Oly just isn't a night camera though, and even that flash just wasn't able to let me shoot parades and stuff at night at a reasonable ISO noise level and shutter speed. So I don't doubt a Canon Flash is somewhere in my future, although I'm hoping to take more pictures without the flash than with it inside those dark rides.

[RU42]

You will love them camera. I am seeing the night shots that Kirsten is popping out and I am impressed. Look at the new Gallery...

Disneyland Photography - - New Orleans Square - - Haunted Mansion Holiday

She has some incredible low light pictures in there!

Side note - I know you are busy with lots of stuff but I'd like you to consider uploading to the Photographers Gallery. Since it will eventually be tied into the main site I think your pictures would be a great enhancement. Just something for you to think about.

RU

[RU42]

I was playing around (and drooling) on the B&H Site. I found a nice 1.4f 50mm lens for $270. There is a 1.8f 50mm lens for $105.

And then in the I have a dream category there was 1.8f 105mm for $650 and a 1.4f 80mm for $750

For the extra money I might get that whole extra stop. Even at the 1600 ISO I can step up the shutter speed one notch.

Kirsten - I assume in the PotC/HM you are shooting at the 1.8 with 1600 ISO. What shutter speed are you able to use with those setting and still stop motion?

RU

[xfkirsten]

Yup, 1600 ISO and f/1.8 Looking back at exif data, it looks like I got it down to 1/80 second in some areas, like this one - there's an "exif" link under each pic for details.

[RU42]

That is an incredible picture. And if I got that 1.4f then I could conceivably shoot at a shutter speed of 100.

I looked through your album and those Fantasmic shots are great too.

RU

[xfkirsten]

Thank you!

[ATSF&DLRR]

I got a question on the night shots what are your f/stop and speed and ISO.
I am thinking of getting the Nikon D70 cause of the night landscape mode which is on the nikon 3200 coolpix that I use to have.
I do have an Canon A2e that I use with kodachrome slide film.
Any help will be helpful.

[RU42]

Well, depending on the lens, the f-stop is as open as it can get. The shutter speed is selected to match the lighting. I usually shoot in 200 or 400 ISO unless I am in an extremely dark ride (PotC, HM, etc) and then I crank it up to 1600.

RU

[xfkirsten]

I tend to use the same general idea as RU42. I try to reserve the 1600 ISO for the really dark areas, because of the added grain. When I shoot Fantasmic, I'm constantly playing with the shutter speed. For that show, I use 1600 ISO, the widest aperture possible, and the shortest shutter speed possible. The biggest problem with shooting that show is the fact that it's constantly in motion, so blur is a big issue. I leave the other settings the same, and fiddle with the shutter speed as needed throughout the show.

[brerbear8]

I am jealous of all of you and your high-tech cameras! I just have a Cannon PowerShot A520 (old body style). It does its job for now, but I would like to get an SLR at some point. Congrats, Daddyb on your new purchase! Get us some great low-light shots for updates to come!

[Disneyland_Wolf]

I have a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-P52 Digital Still Camera and it can record videos. It can record up to 160 minutes and it can hold up to 320 shots in my trust digital camera. I love my new camera.