 | Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
Buy used from: $559.00 Sold my Canon XTi to get this new body, more robust, I like the bigger viewfinder and highlight tone priority.
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 | Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC IF Macro Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
Buy used from: $308.00 My all-use lens.
Pros: sharp, low cost, small/light, focus speed, nice range, good build, brighter than the 15-85 and 17-85, comes with hood
Cons: no IS, no USM (the new version has both!)
Other options:
- Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4 OS HSM (new!!!)
- EF-S 15-85 f/3.5-5.6 IS (new, awesome range)
- EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM
- Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 VC (now with IS)
- Sigma 18-50 f/2.8
- EF-S 17-85 IS f/4-5.6
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 | Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras
Buy new: $544.27 / Used from: $480.00 My tele.
Pros: sharp, IS works amazing, great range up to 300mm, USM fast focus, not so big/heavy
Cons: slow 5.6 at 300mm, but faster lenses costs double, weights double and are bigger, like the many 70-200L
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 | Precision Design ET-65B Lens Hood Canon for EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM Lens
Buy new: $13.99 Much cheaper replica than the overpriced original from Canon, after all it's just plastic
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 | Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
Buy new: $519.00 / Used from: $410.00 Great 1:1 Macro lens, awesome for portraits also.
I love the engineering on this lens, with IF (Internal Focus) tube doesn't extend for focusing and FTM (Full Time Manual) that let you manual focus without changing the AF/MF switch to MF.
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 | Canon 500D 58mm Close up Lens for Canon S2 IS, S3 IS, Pro 1 and Pro 90 Digital Cameras
Originally bought for closeup macro on the 70-300... now I use it with the EF 100 Macro for 30% more magnification without light loss.
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 | Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
Buy new: $107.00 / Used from: $94.99 Nice portrait and low light prime from the oldies, a lot of people buy because is so cheap. Great for learning.
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 | Canon 430EX Speedlite Flash for Canon EOS SLR Cameras - Older Version
Buy new: $249.95 / Used from: $200.00 Great flash, makes a lot more pictures a keeper. My 2700mAh batteries seem to last forever on it. Learn to flash!
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 | Sto-Fen OMEW Omni-Bounce Diffuser
Buy new: $10.24 For the 430EX. Acts like a bare bulb, spreading light indoor, but it won't soften light much when outdoors, without walls.
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 | Canon MR-14EX Macro Ring Lite for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
Buy new: $494.00 / Used from: $438.99 It's important to have a good flash for macro, to use very small apertures (more DOF) and get short flash duration to freeze movement blur. The closest, less power you need, meaning shorter duration. Exposure is determined by flash duration, not shutter speed.
Can command the 430EX via wireless TTL so I can light backgrounds.
Notice it's too small and weak to work as a portrait ringflash.
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 | Canon Macrolite Adapter 58C for Canon G2, G3, G5, G6 & Pro1 Digital Cameras
Buy new: $13.14 / Used from: $9.98 To use the MR14-EX on the 100mm macro when I attach the 500d closeup lens.
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 | Sunpak Super 383 Flash
Cheap, works fine, great as a 2nd light to use off camera with manual settings.
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 | PocketWizard PWP-TR 801-125 PLUS II Transceiver (Black)
Buy new: $168.28 / Used from: $153.00 Actually I do not own this one...
I have a transmiter and 3 receivers from Cactus, bought on www.gadgetinfinity.com, Amazon doesn't have it.
If you're really serious about flash photography and own multiple flashes, you will want a Pocket Wizard.
For a cheaper solution, the Cactus works really good.
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 | Sony BCG-34HRMF4 Battery Charger with LCD Display and 4 AA Ni-MH Rechargeable Batteries
Buy new: $24.95 Batteries for the flash, 2700mAh.
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 | Hoya HMC - Filter - circular polarizer - 72 mm
Buy new: $130.35 / Used from: $104.95 Multi-coated polarizer for the Sigma 17-70, a must have.
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 | Hoya SUPER HMC Haze UV(0) - Filter - UV - 58 mm
Buy new: $41.85 / Used from: $33.99 Multi-coated protective filter for the EF70-300 and EF100. I don't use it frequently anymore, only when necessary on dusty environments.
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 | Cokin Filter Holder P with 72mm Adpater Ring & 28 Page Instruction Book for Cokin P system
Filter holder can attach to any lens with the appropriate adapter. 72mm is for my Sigma 17-70.
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 | Cokin H250A P-Series ND Grad Kit
Buy new: $57.75 Plastic graduated square filters, cause flare sometimes, but they're cheap and adjustable
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 | Sunpak 620-020 2001UT Travel Tripod with Extra Quick-Release Mounting Plate
Buy new: $19.99 I avoid carrying a tripod at all costs... this one is not so big, but still a pain to carry everywhere.
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 | Joby GP3 Gorillapod SLR-Zoom Flexible Tripod for Digital SLR Cameras
Buy new: See price in cart / Used from: $29.99 Great flexible tripod, easy to carry and really useful on many situations a regular tripod wouldn't work! This is big and sturdy enough to support my 40d with any lens I own.
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 | Giottos MH1304-110C Professional Mini Ball Head
Buy new: $19.99 Great with the gorillapod, this ballhead is very small and can support up to 3.5kg (7 lbs), great quality and not expensive as others
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 | Lenspen LENSK1 Sensorclear Dslr Ccd Cleaner
Buy new: $7.33 The only thing that can really clean my lens!
Use a blower, then cleaning solution with soft cloth to remove larger particles and grease... but the final polishing touch is with this pens.
The head is triangular and smaller on this one, much better than the Nikon pen.
I wouldn't clear my sensor with it though, just lens.
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 | 1.6X Sensor Cleaning Kit w/SensorWand® & Rocket Blower
I've taken really good care to avoid dust on my sensor, like changing lenses as few times as possible, indoor, poiting the camera down...
But dust did get in very fast.
This is the kit that saved me.
You can also get one with SensorSwabs instead of SensorWand, supposed to be better, but more expensive.
WARNING, read this before any cleaning attempt:
www.cleaningdigitalcameras.com
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 | Kingston Elite Pro 8 GB 133x CompactFlash Memory Card CF/8GB-S2
Buy new: $27.99 / Used from: $25.99 I shoot RAW all the time, that takes a lot of space, but it's worth every byte.
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 | SanDisk Extreme III 4 GB CompactFlash Memory Card SDCFX3-004G-A31
Buy new: $37.24 / Used from: $23.00 I shoot RAW all the time, that takes a lot of space, but it's worth every byte.
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 | Sony 17-in-1 USB 2.0 Flash Memory Card Reader MRW62E/S1/181
Buy new: See price in cart / Used from: $22.00 Reading CF cards with this USB 2.0 is much faster than connecting the camera USB.
No software installation required, just plug it and insert about any card.
I wanted this one so I can also read Sony Memory Sticks off-camera too.
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 | ProMaster Contour Pro Black Neck Strap
Stretches, very confortable, I've tried several neckstraps is this one is the best by far.
Detachable plastic clips may not look so reliable to carry a heavy camera + heavy lens, but I've been using it form more than a year and it's still very firm.
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 | Digital Photographer's Handbook: Third Edition by Tom Ang
Buy new: $21.37 / Used from: $0.30 Nice book to read before buying your first dSLR, explains a wide range of all the equipment, accessories, shooting techniques and post processing.
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 | Understanding Exposure: How to Shoot Great Photographs with a Film or Digital Camera (Updated Edition) by Bryan Peterson
Buy new: $17.13 / Used from: $7.98 Great book, show you the essentials and techniques.
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 | The Photographer's Eye: Composition and Design for Better Digital Photos by Michael Freeman
Buy new: $19.77 / Used from: $15.77 Now that I know all about adjusting equipment, camera settings, exposure, etc, I need to jump to the next step which is much harder: improving photographic vision. This book is a great start.
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 | Creative Nature and Outdoor Photography by Brenda Tharp
Buy used from: $5.99 Another attempt to be more creative.
This book won't explain how to use a camera, it will try to open your vision.
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 | Camera Creative: Professional Photography Techniques for Innovative Images by Chris Gatcum
Buy new: $16.49 / Used from: $19.31 Ideas and techniques, explains many DIY (do it yourself) projects in details, great pictures explained inside.
The picture in the cover was taken by me :)
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 | Adorama Budget Studio Monolight Softbox Kit #21, with 1 100 watt Second Budget Flash, Light Stand, One 18" x 18" Softbox.
Buy new: $89.95 Lightstand: Great.
Softbox: Horrible assembling. I prefer umbrellas that are larger (softer light), easier to fold and carry.
Monolight: My only complaint it's too strong, even in the lower power setting. Has an optical slave, a modelling light and comes with a spare bulb.
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 | 45" Optical White Satin Umbrella with removable black cover
Buy new: $24.95 Huge umbrella, I should have got one of those that double-fold, easier to carry. I use it with 430EX or Sunpak 383.
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 | Westcott 750 Photo Basics 7.0-Foot Light Stand
Buy new: $23.99 It's ok, the one that came with the Adorama kit is better.
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 | Eva-dry Renewable EDV-300/E-333 Wireless Mini Dehumidifer
Buy new: $16.99 The most amazing on this is that it works!
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