Sonny had a couple questions for me:
1. Could you email me the names of the books you recommended? I found the Nick Kelsh books at the library, but I couldn't remember the other ones.
2. When the big tax return comes back, I will be investing in a new camera. I've researched a little bit, and am looking at the Canon Rebel xti and xt. Which would you suggest for a beginner, who will probably never be in the photography business? Or, do you have any other suggestions?
3. I was wondering about purchasing the xt model, and possible purchasing an additional lens. Which lens would you suggest? I was looking at the 17/85 (I think).
My response:
Book recommendations... definitely start with Nick Kelsch. The other books were "Understanding Exposure" by Peterson and "The Photographer's Guide to Light" by Nigel. The exposure book will just reiterate what is comprised of proper exposure. The light book may be more geared toward professionals.
If you asked 100 different photographers their recommendations on camera and/or lenses, you would probably get 100 different answers. This being said here's my disclaimer... this is my opinion based on your needs.
I currently own a Canon 20D and Canon 10D. Personally I have loved using a Canon and from what I've heard around the photographer's arena, Canon has a great digital product. I know many moms and photographers that use Canon Rebels and have been very happy with the camera. I don't think for your needs that you would need to purchase anything above that. I looked up some information on the difference between the XT and the XTI (since I'm not well-versed on the Rebel). You can check out the article from the Digital Camera Resource Page.
You do hear quite often that mega pixels means so much. This is true to a certain extent. My Canon 10D is a 6 mega pixel and my 20D is an 8 mega pixel. I have no problem using either camera for a photo shoot and enlarging the image into a very large print. Also keep in mind when you do upgrade to a larger mega pixel camera, you have to have the computer power to support the larger files sizes. This can sometime really bog down a slower computer - especially if you plan to do photo manipulation on your computer. Just something to consider.
Your other question related to a camera lens. A camera lens is where you want to put your money. Your lens will last you a possible lifetime unlike your camera which will be outdated before you even take it out of the packaging! A better lens will make a difference. However, this being said, I am talking from a professional standpoint. If you are taking pictures of your kids on a daily basis, you won't need to worry too much about perfect optics, clarity and crispness. When I take my camera out to take pictures of my kids, I will typically use one of my two cheaper lenses. In low light situations when I don't want to use a flash, I'll use my Canon 1.8 aperture 50mm fixed lens ($75 at B&H). The other lens I have is versatile for kid photography because it has a great zoom capability. This works great for sporting events or just trying to capture your children at a distance. It's a Tamron 5.6 aperture 28-200 ($299 at B&H). It's not the greatest in low light situations or creating shallow depth of field (blurred background). It's not the greatest as far as crispness but it serves my family just wonderfully. I really love the zoom. Another lens that I've heard great things about is a Tamron 2.8 aperture 28-75 ($379 at B&H). You lose some zoom capabilities but gain the better aperture for low-light or shallow depth of field.
I hope that answers all your questions and helps your decision! Happy buying!
