What a difference. I can't currently work on my models so I decided to take up a new hobby. I sold my paintball gun and bought a camera with the money.

Just the kit but it is very sharp, plus I kind of lucked out on the deal.

Here's the camera:


And some pictures in my ikea light tent of some stuff plus my old camera.
The "Live View" feature is useless for non-tripod stuff but it allows for razor sharp focus with macro and stationary photos like these.














Here are some of my main photos, macro is really on the side. All have been taken this weekend in my backyard because I can't move around too much. Great range this kit lens has (18-55mm IS).



















And my lovely, idiotic kitty.


I really need to work on my light tent white balance. I'm lazy so I use presets but the custom white balance feature would allow me to take a picture of the paper and say to the camera that it was pure white and everything would be adjusted from that.

Oooh, very nice! The 450 is the model I'm looking to buy as well.

The 500 has just been released, but I don't fancy paying $600+ (AUD) more just for a few extra pixels, the HD movie functionality (would rather just buy a camcorder), and a higher ISO (which I won't even use).

Have you tried out the remote type software yet?

Rudi

Haven't tried the remote focus/aperture/shutter stuff yet, but I do have a laptop so it will be easy to set up.

The D5000 just came out as well, but this whole movie thing seems kind of silly. I've read opinions on photography forums and on dpreview about the movie feature and it does NOT seem popular with any of the pros. It seems that the technology suited to a single picture has a hard time properly metering 24 per second, to my surprise.

I got my XSi for a killer deal too. I found a guy on craigslist selling it new for $650, already an amazing deal when you think about the lack of tax and condition.

I then go to his house to pick it up and it turns out that he's a set photographer for a show here in Canada called "The Hour". Canon just sent him the camera for free but he already uses an XSi so he doesn't need another. So I get a new, straight-from-Canon camera for a great price.

Sounds like a Gloat to me and damn nice one at that.

Congrats on the New Camera

Gloating about the deal or the camera? I think I'm guilty as charged for the camera, don't like to gloat about deals though.

And thanks! I am in love!

Gloat all you like! You've scored on both accounts! You must be beaming ear-to-ear like a Chesire cat! I'm so jealous!

Thanks! I guess I have. It's almost like the shock hasn't set in yet.

I keep seeing this camera and I'm sure it can't be mine.

Kieran, are you sure you'er not a professional photographer???? That shot you took either thru an opening or between buildings , the one with the window on the left, is absolutely awesome . Looks like something a pro would do. Your other shots are just as comendable! GREAT WORK!!!!!!

Frank

That was the walkway between my house and my neighbors. It was a beautiful day and I looked up and just saw the most wonderful sky. It's my favorite too. Thanks for the praise.

You're getting some very fine photos. The white balance is a tough thing to get comfortable with. It is also one of the factors that can make a great deal of difference in the quality of what you shoot. You're on a good track, as shown by your early tries here. Stay on it, and congratulations on "the deal."

Matt

One of the good things about DSLRs is you can use a program like Helicon Focus to produce some amzing images.

Here is a link to a post on Missing Lynx which shows what can be accomplished... http://www.network54.com/Forum/235270/message/1215609230/results+improving...

If you are interested in the program it can be found here... http://www.heliconsoft.com/heliconfocus.html

That looks very interesting. I hate thin DOF's for modeling shots as it makes the model appear to be the scale it is.

I've had a 450D for about a year now and its the best thing I have ever owned. Your shots at the start of the post are really fantastic.

Cheers, Michael.

Most of the education in photography comes from learning how to look through a hole. You have a very incisive sense of that. Very nice bit of work. I particularly like the study of the wood grain, and your 'idiotic kitty.' Very good eye.

Matt

I have an XSi as well as an XT that I shoot with. Great camera and canons lense selection is outstanding!

I got a 450D for Christmas and love it. Did a little playing with it as well, much like the pics you posted. These are a few of my favorite pics I've taken with it thus far. They were taken in Italy while bumming around for 2 weeks seeing the country. Looking to expand on this camera with some additional lenses and filters. The one of the leaves was taken around 2am while waiting for a train. I really, really enjoy this camera. "Q"

Great photos, everyone.

I got my EOS 450 about June last year. So all the review photos I've taken since then have been with it. Still getting used to it, but here are a sample (literally sample, as I took over 2000 photos but was not about to upload them all ) of a trip to Tasmania with the family last October...

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2039430&id=1401107397&l=aff34cb7ec

I hope you can see it, I try to keep my FB access pretty tight...

Rudi

Nice pics Rudi. I just got back from Italy and shot over 1000 pics over the two weeks I was there......on a single battery without re-charging it. To say I'm impressed with this camera is an understatement. I bought a nice 90mm Macro lens for it today and am playing with it to see just what I can do with it and it is a hoot to say the least. The downside is, now I can easily see the mistakes on some builds as this thing gets in tight....really tight....like lets look at your pores tight. Thanks again for the trip through Tasmania. "Q"

Wow, Kieran, I really like your photography! Those images are great! I'm really loving the one with the cat at the door - it looks a lot like mine (the cat, not the photography skills! ) Great work!

SCOTT