I am just an Artist...not a professional photographer. I take photos as reference for my drawings, and this is the equipment that works best for my needs and style of photography.
I believe that I have, except for perhaps a good macro lens, settled into the equipment that I need for the type of photography that I do . Most of my photos, if not all, are taken as reference material for my drawings. Because I try to do all of my photography in natural light, no flash, the lenses that I have chosen are suitable for that purpose.
My camera is the Canon Rebel XTi. I traded up from the Rebel XT...an upgrade which some photographers would say didn't offer enough for the $$. For me it was a no-brainer. The rebel XT was always blowing highlights unless I remembered to adjust the exposure compensation...but my biggest complaint about the XT was that I could not see the LCD screen to make these adjustments when I was outside. The Rebel XTi exposes a little more to the left, saving the highlights, and the LCD screen is bigger and brighter...I have never had difficulty seeing it, in any type of lighting. The extra 2 MP on the XTi have proven helpful also, as I do a lot of extreme cropping and zooming in on the computer screen, to see the small details.
This camera was rather controversial when introduced by Canon...with some people experiencing alot of "exposure" issues. In my opinion, the way it washed out was, that most of the issues were experienced when the "kit lens" was used. I believe Canon did finally admit or offer to correct this issue if you sent your camera in. This is certainly a short explanation of the problem. If you are interested the the XTi and want to know more about the "exposure issues" that I touched on here, I would suggest doing a search on
DPREVIEW. This is a wonderful photography forum for professionals and amateurs alike...the members are helpful and informative.
The-Digital-Picture is another good place to find reviews on cameras and lenses. I have used these sites often.
The lens that I have on my camera most of the time is Canon's new EFS 17-55mm 2.8 IS...for me this is the perfect general purpose lens. It has great low light ability with the F2.8 and IS. The range is where I shoot most.
I also have the Canon 50mm 1.4 and the 85mm 1.8. These are my portrait lenses, and again, good in low light. I find the range of these two lenses work well in most situations, there are times however, when the 50mm is a little to long, especially in a small room. I have, in these situations, been able to use the 17-55mm...but a 35mm would have been my first choice.
My latest purchase is the 70-300mm 4.5-5.6 DO...This is my "Street Photography" lens. It's small size and black color and IS makes it the perfect lens for this type of discrete photography, and I love its reach. I am excited to get out and really use it this summer. The photos taken with the DO require a little more post processing, but never underestimate the fine detail and color this lens is capable of capturing. The 70-300 DO is a lot of lens in a small package.
I am not a photographer...just an artist who takes photos, and this is the equipment that works best for me. Over time I have learned many things that have improved my "picture taking experience". Today's digital cameras are wonderful, sometimes exasperating, yet exciting tools for documenting our life experiences in a way never before possible. Check back often, for new hints and techniques.
PS...make a "Point"...leave a comment.
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