Advice on getting a new camera and equipment

[Odyssey]

I've decided that to get good quality images I need to buy myself a better camera and accessories, but found myself a little overwhelmed by the range of choices out there!

I want to be able to take quite a range of pictures, including shots of fast-moving animals, but my budget is limited at about £500. Also, I am not very experienced, so whatever I get should be simple enough for an amateur to use.

I was thinking maybe this: Buy Canon EOS 1000D 10MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm Lens. at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for ., but does anyone have any better suggestions, or advice on what other equipment I should buy?

Thanks in advance.
Odyssey.

[AcadieLibre]

Well it all depends on what you plan on shooting.

[Mad Aussie]

I think AcadieLibre is referring to the lens with that camera when he mentions what you want to shoot.

You mention fast moving animals. With an 18-55mm lens those animals are going to need to be dog sized or bigger and close to you to get good shots.
It's a great lens for landscapes though and even reasonable for portraits.
For better animal shots, especially birds, you are going to need at least 200mm capabilities though. A 70 - 200mm option might be available with that camera?
70mm can be too long for many landscapes of anything where you are crowded in but it might be enough to get you going until you can get something wider later on.

If you are only getting a single lens then yo ureally need to be ready to accept limitations in what you are going to shoot.
Landscapes, buildings etc ... 18-55mm
Animals, sports etc ... 70 - 200mm (or even longer)
Flowers, portraits etc ... either will do.

The Canon 1000D is a nice choice for the money and a good introduction into the real DSLR world. Nikon probably has a similar choice around the dollars as well. Don't ignore the Pentax's and other main brands either ... might be better money for value in some of those.

[Odyssey]

Thanks for your advice so far. The animals are most likely to be cats and horses, as I am around them on a regular basis.

After realizing just how expensive lenses were, and following your advice on which lenses are good for which subjects, I checked out cameras supplied with two lenses, and the cheapest option available to me seemed to be the canon 1000D with 18-55 and 75-300 lenses supplied.

[Mad Aussie]

and the cheapest option available to me seemed to be the canon 1000D with 18-55 and 75-300 lenses supplied.

If that's the one that fits your budget then go for it. I've seen great pics from this camera in skilled hands so there's no reason after some learning you won't be taking stunning shots with it.

[Marko]

Just in case you are interested, did a podcast on buying your first DSLR
75 – How to buy your first DSLR | Photography podcast - photography blog - Photography.ca


Her's another thread u may want to look at Buying your first DSLR - what else do you need?

Hope it helps - Marko

[Odyssey]

Thank you, those were very helpful.

Just a suggestion - if this is a frequently asked question maybe you could create a sticky thread with links to previous advice (such as the podcast, and maybe a rough idea of which lenses are best for which types of shots) to avoid repeating yourself so much. I know if I had seen a thread like that I would have read the advice there before posting my own question.

[Mad Aussie]

It IS a frequently asked question but people's budgets vary, as does their intended photography interests/subjects ... and as time passes ... new models come out and prices change. Therefore it tends to be a subject that needs to be address at the time of asking quite often.

There are some questions that have answers that remain fairly static though and could be put into a sticky.