(Part 2) Top products from r/canon

Well it really depends on the kind of shooter you are and whether you require the best of quality from your pictures. For example let’s compare the lens you listed with it’s cheaper cousin, the 85mm f1.8 USM
https://www.amazon.de/gp/aw/d/B00005NPOB/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85Z%C3%95%C3%91&qid=1511176610&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=canon+85mm+f1.8&dpPl=1&dpID=51pXS0xW5WL&ref=plSrch

The price difference is about €1.500 and most people would say that the improvement you get from paying that huge price tag is only marginally better (i.e. not worth it).

Unless your career really depends on pixel perfect pictures and like you’re going to print them out and blow them up then you more than likely won’t need that top of the line lens. But i may be wrong, you may like to pixel peep that often and would like the absolute best then by all means go ahead, it is your money anyway.

What i’m trying to say is, with the money saved by not buying the absolute best, you would have more money left over for other options. If you added up the money saved from not getting the 6D Mk II and the 85mm f1.2 L II, you could get the 100mm f2.8 Macro (also well known for it’s portraiture capabilities) or even the 135mm f2 L, all very widely used and very good portrait lenses. And since you said you’re a beginner, i think a wider variety of lenses would serve you better in developing your portraiture skills compared to ONE good lens, and as well as let you develop your style

If you don't mind a slight lag, you can save some money and use an app if you're on Android. I use one of 2 apps that display the live view on my phone and has remote control features.

DSLR Controller is a more basic app that does this. but I prefer qDSLRDashboard as it offers many more features -- just not free and I can't recall the price.

I got a hotshoe mount for my phone like this one, but not this one and a USB OTG adapter like this and connect the phone to my DSLR via USB.

Benefits are the phone (or tablet) then displays my camera's live view, the touch screen becomes the camera's touch screen for things like touch to focus, the apps can control the camera and use their own overlays (I like qDSLRDashboard's focus peaking feature).

Bonus: Both support live view over WiFi and you can install custom firmware on a TP-Link TL-MR3040 portable router, then plug the router into your camera and have wireless control via either app to your camera.

There's a slight delay between the camera and what's displayed on phone, more so over wifi. So if you need precision, this isn't your answer. But if you want something kinda fun and cheaper than a monitor, give this a shot.

That one will work, but there are many less expensive options that are the exact same product, just branded differently.

I have this version, (as you can see, it's the same product) - only $18 - which works beautifully for any kind of intervalometry (time lapses) and also, the main button will trip the shutter remotely. If you have the camera in bulb mode, it's great for fireworks, since you can hold the shutter open as long as you like.

If you don't need any kind of intervalometry or programmability, but need to be able to hold the shutter open manually, this one is even cheaper yet. It's the one I use for fireworks.

I've heard good things about Yongnuo's clone of the ST-E3-RT Amazon link here being compatible with the new Canon -RT flash lineup while costing much less. It also looks pretty much identical to the real deal.

I have their clone of the 600EX-RT and it works well, but I've never tried the wireless capabilities. That being said, Amazon is pretty good about returns so I would try it and return it if it doesn't work.

Yongnuo's probably the way to go. They make really nice 3rd party flashes.

If you do buy one, make sure:

1: It's made for Canon

2: It has TTL (basically means it has auto mode), probably listed as ETTL or something.

https://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-YN-568EX-YN568EX-powerful-speedlite/dp/B00DA8459G

This is the one I have, works fine on my 80D.

https://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-YN600EX-RT-Speedlite-YN-E3-RT-600EX-RT/dp/B01GMFQULE

This is the slightly higher end model with radio triggering for wireless off-camera flash.

Hope this helps! What camera are you using?

EDIT: Oh hey, I just noticed my suggestions are identical to another guy in this sub.

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Shutter-Release-Remote-Control/dp/B003Q9RERY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1538492951&sr=8-3&keywords=neewer+intervalometer+canon This is the one I have for my SL2 (200d) and it's great! Cheap enough that I don't have to worry about throwing it around, easy enough to use, and pretty darn handy!

Assuming by "wildlife" you mean animals/birds at a distance...

Bob Atkins' website has a section listing the best EOS lenses under $400, which includes the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS. He personally recommends the Tamron 70-300/4-5.6 Di VC, and there's used examples of the latter on Amazon for $280.

You can also find used examples of the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS for $300, the (discontinued) Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 for about $200, and the (discontinued) Canon EF 100-300mm f/4.5-5.6 for $100.

Of all those, I'd recommend the Tamron 70-300 myself, although if money is really tight and you can do without image stabilization, the Canon 100-300 seems to be a bit of a bargain (both Bryan Carnathan and Ken Rockwell give it a decent review).

Note: I'm only using Amazon for price-consistency. Check Craigslist, your local classifieds, and other outlets at your leisure.

I'm surprised I haven't seen more recommendations for macro extension tubes.

https://www.amazon.com/Kenko-Auto-Extension-Canon-Mount/dp/B000U8Y88M

I eventually purchased the Canon 100mm macro and the Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5x, but before that, the extension tubes let me really play with Macro photography and get some good shots. There are a lot of limitations (aka, shallow depth of field) to Macro photography that it will behoove you to get some practice with. Especially once you go with higher magnification.

Nope. You can buy Sigma, Tamaron or other 3rd party lens. They can be as good or better than the Canon (non-L series).

Just make sure those have canon body mounts. http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-70-200mm-2-8-Telephoto-Canon/dp/B003HC8V9A/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1372011382&sr=1-1&keywords=sigma+70-200+canon

http://www.amazon.com/Tamron-AF-18-200mm-Aspherical-Canon/dp/B0007WK8MQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1372011405&sr=1-1&keywords=tamaron+canon

The wifi feature actually comes in really handy; it's great for quick uploads as others have mentioned. However, one of its most useful features is the remote shooting function. It really expands your options for creative shots. You can use it to control the 6d, but it works great as an external wireless display.

To get the most out of it, buy a smartphone hot-shoe mount. Allows you to mount the phone to the 6d for shooting at odd angles. Or put your camera on tripod, flip the phone around, and now you can actually see what you're shooting (stills only though, no video). Setting the 6d to liveview with AF face detection works really well.

This is what I use ($15): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C3QF4GY

Im fine waiting longer and saving some more money, maybe $400-500. What would be a good C/F one that is durable? I dont really care about how much the unit weighs itself, or how about how small it collapses to. Im mainly going car camping, so i need something that stays stable for 3-4 hours. Attached below is the camera and lens im planning on using, so it gives you a bit more information, weight wise, and size wise on the camera equipment.

Camera

Lens

I'm pretty good at tech stuff and boy is that connection method difficult! The setup instructions walk you through the way they want you to connect through a home router which are designed to allow you to connect to things on the network easily, for example a printer. A public wifi should be preventing you from doing what you need to do, which is to see other things on that network.

Without having the camera in front of me I can't tell you if it will work but follow the instructions on page 91 for connecting to a smartphone. On step 5 instead of connecting a phone, look for the network information from step 4 on the laptop wifi and try to connect to it. Then try to run the canon software on the laptop and see if it can find the camera. It's a long shot but it might work.

Other than that, it looks like you can use a usb cable on the camera. When looking at the rear of the camera (the screen) open the door on the right side of the camera (it swings to the front). At the top there is a usb port (it uses mini B). You need a cable like this. It looks similar to the micro usb cables that phones use but it is slightly larger. Any place that sells cameras or laptops should have one.

I would go for a refurbished/used Canon 55-250mm STM IS; superior image quality, ($139 on Amazon). (I agree with other commenters - one of its big advantages is it's light weight; I have the Canon 70-200 IS II, and I use the 55-250mm much more often simply because of the weight.)

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 is STM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras (Renewed) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010FAU86K/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_J0D2CbJ14KW3T


With small extension tube:
https://imgur.com/wG0ycnK.jpg

Cropped:
https://imgur.com/LUuBzjQ.jpg

Cropped:
https://imgur.com/NVDB6Nr.jpg



(Photos taken with mine, refurbished by Canon, via Amazon)

Nothing wrong with getting a 30D and the Nifty Fifty to get started. Also get yourself Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure" and you'll be off to a great started with your new hobby.

55-250 IS STM I've got one, and I love it. Light, sharp, and cheap, especially if you shop sales/used/refurbished. The extra 50 mm from 250 to 300 isn't a big difference, and the 55-250 IS STM is sharper than most other lenses under a grand

I've used some generic rain gear but there are some that have holes for both your hands to go through that are a godsend! Something like this instead of just the plastic bag is what I like to use. They can tend to get expensive but totally worth it if you're planning to go out in rain or harsher conditions! Also if it is cold and wet your Lenses tend to fog up. Do not remove your lens immediately it can screw up your camera. Instead let it get to room temperature and the fog disappears before removing the lenses.

Altura Photo Professional Rain Cover for Large Canon Nikon DSLR Cameras https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004AH10K8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_6iv.Bb824BTB0

So you're going to need an A/C adapter.

The one I use

Canon official

You need a mini HDMI cable. I purchased this adapter so my screen isn't completely covered and I can use any HDMI cable I have laying around.

That plugs into an Elgato Cam Link but any capture card should work.

Make sure the camera is set to video mode. I'm not at the camera now so I can't get you my exact settings but disable any auto shutoff and HDMI interface. There is no way to disable the side screen from shutting off after 30 minutes max.

Bonus: I've got it clamped to the back of my monitor with this mount.

For connecting it to a PC?

Use a standard USB A to Mini USB B cable, something a bit like this

If it's to connect it to a TV, then you want a mini-HDMI to HDMI cable, like this one

If it's the connector for remote shutter control, then this is what you might need

Hope this helps

Do you know what lenses she currently has? In the price range it may be a little difficult to find a really nice one. You could always go with a Canon kit lens like the 18-55mm. It's going for $200 new on Amazon but you can very easily find it for less with a little research. I'll link it for you below. At 18mm it will be fairly wide.

https://www.amazon.com/Canon-EF-S-18-55mm-3-5-5-6-Lens/dp/B000V5K3FG

This lens is the kit lens for canon APS-C cameras. It has a good zoom range (~28-88 equivilant) which makes it a good lens for both landscape and portrait work.

Macro is one of the most technical sides of photography, a good starter lens is the 100mm macro from canon http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00004XOM3?pc_redir=1410422622&robot_redir=1

If you want more magnification after that you can add extension tubes to the lens, but then is getting hard to manage the focus of the lens and the working distance can be awkward http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000U8Y88M?pc_redir=1410295973&robot_redir=1

Finally if what you are really after is a microscope like magnification the 65mm macro from canon will do the trick, This is a highly specialised lens and I will not recommend it to a beginner. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00009XVD5/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1410489652&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40

I bought this one off of Amazon. Has worked well for me: Camera Screen Protector for Canon EOS 5D Mark III MK IV 5DS 5DSR 5DIII 5DIV, AFUNTA 2 Pack Anti-scratch Tempered Glass for DSLR Camera https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L17BYZA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ERs4ybKYJTSH7

What is your budget? That will play a huge role in what flash you can get. If it is really low, you are looking at a manual only flash. If you have a bit more, you can get into a flash that works with Canon's TTL system, High-Speed Sync, etc. I have the Canon 600EX-RT Speedlite (http://www.amazon.com/Canon-600EX-RT-Speedlite-Flash-Black/dp/B007FH1KX2) and it is a beast, probably way overkill for your first flash, depending on what you shoot. However, I also own the Yongnuo YN600EX-RT (http://www.amazon.com/YONGNUO-YN600EX-RT-YN600-EX-RT-Speedlite-600EX-RT/dp/B00OUU7W8O) which is essentially a copy cat of the way more expensive Canon flash. However, in my using them in the field I have not been able to tell a difference. $120 vs $470 and nearly identical besides some minor build differences, up to you. I would buy another Yongnuo in a hearbeat. In fact, I am looking at picking up another along with their YN-E3-RT (http://www.amazon.com/YN-E3-RT-Speedlite-Wireless-Transmitter-600EX-RT/dp/B00V62FTB6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1450215512&sr=8-2&keywords=ST-E3-RT) so I can get all my flashes off camera and still control every aspect of them.

Oh, one more thing, the Yongnuo and Canon radio systems are compatible, so they talk to each other which is beyond cool.

I bought this one and it works really well. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L17BYZA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ERs4ybKYJTSH7

I have the Yongnuo 568EX II and have taken a few hundred shots with it with no missed shots. Construction is very solid, and all the features work as expected including highspeed sync and E-TTL. The color is a little cooler than my Canon flashes so I always have to warm it up a bit in post process.

For long-term reliability? Well, you kind of get what you pay for; there are people reporting that these "cheaper" flashes do not last as long as the brand name. I've only had the Yongnuo for a couple of months so I can't tell how long they will last, but I've had the Canon 580EX for 10 years now and it hasn't missed a shot.

As /u/4esahp said, don't trust ebay battery capacity figures. I actually have about 10 Wasabi Power LP-E6 replacements that work very well in the three years I had them. These are the ones I use:

https://www.amazon.com/Wasabi-Power-Battery-Canon-LP-E6N/dp/B0041MY32Y

Seconded, stick with the Canon brand.

Do not click on this link

Oh! I keep forgetting about this. Everyone is telling you about single lenses, but Canon does offer a 2 lens set with the 10-18mm zoom and the 50mm f/1.8 prime for about $350. If you looked at used lenses for the 24mm, you could pick up all 3 for right about $500.

Amazon/google canon travel/blog kit cost

For those less initiated link

Here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/Canon-EOS-REBEL-EF-S-18-55/dp/B06VT2NQD8

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You can get more Discount deals at r/DSLRdeals

To address your exposure issue, completely black or grainy, read Understanding Exposure. It isn't too long and I found it so interesting and a great introduction to understanding the exposure triangle.

Basically you have a triangle to balance:

• Shutter Speed (1/100, 1/200 etc)
  
• Aperture (f/4, f/5.6, f/8 etc)
  
• ISO (100, 200, 400 etc)
  
  You need to balance the three to get a correctly exposed picture. You can than use one to get the creative effect you want, Shutter Speed allows you to smooth or freeze movement, Aperture allows you to control depth of field and ISO allows you to compensate for the other two at the cost of Noise in the image.
  
  But if you change one, you need to change a different setting equally and oppositely to compensate. It is referred to as 'stops'. So if you go up one stop in one setting you need to go down one stop in another. A stop of Shutter Speed is doubling it (1/400 -> 1/200 -> 1/100 etc.); A stop of Aperture is decreasing it by sqrt(2) about 1.4 (5.6 -> 4 -> 2.8 -> 2 -> 1.4 etc); A stop of ISO is doubling it (100 -> 200 -> 400 etc.).

Here's a sneak peek of /r/DSLRdeals using the top posts of all time!

#1: Kirk L-Bracket for Nikon D750 DSLR Camera - ($135) - [ONLY 6 LEFT] | 0 comments
#2: Nikon - D3500 24MP DSLR Camera with AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens - Bundle with Camera Case, 16GB SDHC Card, Card Reader - ($443) | 0 comments
#3: Canon EOS REBEL T7i EF-S 18-55 IS STM Kit & ONLY 6 LEFT - ($699) - [22% OFF] | 0 comments

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