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While my lovely dog can overcome the flash it is very much noticeable that the camera obliterates anything behind the subject creating an unrealistic looking photo - which none of us want. And had I posted a photo of my wife under such conditions it would likely have resulted in a stern talking to later so we shall avoid that for now until it becomes absolutely necessary.
As you progress through the camera's modes and detach the umbilical cord from the automatic set of settings and move into the manual modes your pictures will begin to take a turn for the better it just takes a little more effort before and after the shot.
The top photo was taken in regular automatic mode and as you can clearly see the photo suffers for it whereas when I shifted down to Av or Aperture priority mode and dictated the depth of field to the 550D it resulted in a much brighter more natural looking photo.
As with any DSLR it will take photos that are comparable to your standard point and shoot camera - if you allow it to do so. To get the full value of your DSLR and you very easily can you need to put in some effort with the manual and more importantly play with the settings and fire shots to the point of annoyance to those around you because that is precisely how you get better shots - much better than a sorry old basic of Easter eggs.
For an entry level DSLR you cannot go wrong with the Canon 550D or the Nikon D3100 and please do not assume that I am a Canon supporter, although I do use their gear that decision was merely predicated on my own personal preferences. Both cameras are outstanding and will serve most of your needs as a DSLR camera.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Canon EOS 550D/Rebel T2i Review
To kick things off on this shiny new photography blog I figured it would be best to review the camera that started me off on this little photography journey I now find myself on. When I first when in search of my very first DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) Camera I can admittedly say I did very little research but understood the basics that I required from a DSLR and knowing that you can't go wrong with a Canon or a Nikon the process seemed quite easy, and it was.
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| Canon EOS 550D |
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| Nikon D3100 |
At the time the two best entry level DSLR's were the Canon 550D and the Nikon D3100 (this was more than a year ago now mind you) and considering that both were considered fantastic cameras by nearly every source imaginable the decision came down to aesthetics really, and since the Canon 550D was on sale at the time I thought she was quite good looking enough for me.
Like most beginners I began shooting most of my photos in the automatic mode or in Creative Auto (A mode which allows for a slight increase in artistic creativity without getting into the nitty gritty of photography). And despite the less than adequate flash that comes built in to the camera I hardly had any complaints about image quality - of course I was a beginner and as a beginner I didnt realize all of the mistakes I was making but I was having fun making them...too much fun. Before we press on with image quality let's discuss some basics about the camera.
Build Quality
If you are a beginner photographer and have never held a DSLR in your life you will love the comfortable and lightweight feel of the Canon 550D. It is a plastic body and while that may be a problem for some if they have felt the sturdier more expensive bodies of the 7D and 5D Mark II it might feel a bit cheap. But don't let that discourage you compared to most point and shoot cameras and many other entry level DSLR's the Canon 550D is well constructed and unless you plan on dropping your camera like a klutz then the build quality should be more than adequate for any entry level photographer. Personally I have now upgraded to the 7D but still shoot with the 550D and while it is noticeably lighter and more "plasticky" I still appreciate its light weight and portability over the 7D.
Image Quality
Like I said before I began taking photos in automatic mode which predetermines your shutter speed, aperture and ISO quickly for you and often utilizes the camera's built in flash (sometimes too often) and as result creates photos that often seemed washed out or unreal and all together undesirable.
While my lovely dog can overcome the flash it is very much noticeable that the camera obliterates anything behind the subject creating an unrealistic looking photo - which none of us want. And had I posted a photo of my wife under such conditions it would likely have resulted in a stern talking to later so we shall avoid that for now until it becomes absolutely necessary.
As you progress through the camera's modes and detach the umbilical cord from the automatic set of settings and move into the manual modes your pictures will begin to take a turn for the better it just takes a little more effort before and after the shot.
As with any DSLR it will take photos that are comparable to your standard point and shoot camera - if you allow it to do so. To get the full value of your DSLR and you very easily can you need to put in some effort with the manual and more importantly play with the settings and fire shots to the point of annoyance to those around you because that is precisely how you get better shots - much better than a sorry old basic of Easter eggs.
For an entry level DSLR you cannot go wrong with the Canon 550D or the Nikon D3100 and please do not assume that I am a Canon supporter, although I do use their gear that decision was merely predicated on my own personal preferences. Both cameras are outstanding and will serve most of your needs as a DSLR camera.
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