How to Save Money on a Camera Upgrade

Howdy!  I haven't been around for awhile.  It was easy to post during my college years, but teaching is super busy!  I'm home because our teacher inservice got cancelled due to ice, so I decided to take the opportunity to post.

In the year and couple months since my last post, I have upgraded my camera again.  This time, I have upgraded to a Canon EOS 70D, and I've been very pleased with it these past few months.  Mostly, I just appreciate the fact that I can can play with exposure much more with this camera.  My f-stop can go lower, my shutter speed can be faster, my ISO can go lower/higher, etc.  I really do feel that it has improved the quality of my shots.

Anyway, enough about the camera itself (that is perhaps for a different post). My main reason for writing is to let others know how I handle camera upgrades and the cost of a different camera.

Do I?....

1) Save up money in a special account until I have enough for that awesome camera? NO
2) Do I watch sales around stores in the area?  NO...though this isn't a bad idea, it's just not what I do.
3) Do I splurge randomly on a brand new camera that I really want? NO
4)  Do I ask for a camera for my birthday or Christmas so it's free for me and my family shoulders the cost? NO

To sum it up, there are three things I have done every single time I've upgraded a dSLR and will continue to do.

1. Research cameras like crazy before you decide which model you want.  

This time, I was trying to decide between a nicer crop sensor camera and a full frame camera.  I went through exhaustive internet searches, talked to an expert at a camera store, and did some soul-searching about what I really needed. I ultimately decided on a crop sensor (maybe more about why in a different post--though cost was definitely a factor).

THEN, once I had narrowed down to the camera type, I had to find the right model.  I am already deep into Canon and wasn't interested a brand switch (why bother?), so that brought me to the Canon EOS 80D.  Now, here's the real trick if money is a concern for you.

If you type in Canon EOS 80D into Google, you can get a sense of the price.  Depending on where you buy it and the accessories included, it can run you anywhere from $1,200 to $1,800.  The lowest I could find was $1,100 with body only and zero accessories. Now, my goal was to lower that cost.

At this point, I researched the differences between the 80D and the 70D, which was the model that was slightly older.  The only huge difference was in the video capabilities of the 80D.  I am not a videography person, so this particular feature was of zero importance to me.  With that, I settled on the older model of Canon 70D.  Type that camera into Google, and your average price is about $850 including a kit lens. Right off the top we've shaved $400 to $1000 (depending on store and bundle).

My personal advice to you is: ALWAYS check out older models.  They are always cheaper and they are always virtually identical to the new model.  You're paying hundreds of dollars more for minute changes and the fact that it has a different model name.  There might be some cases in which those small adjustments do matter to you (do your research), but most of the time you are not going to notice much.  I don't feel like one feature is worth $500.

2. Don't be so afraid to buy used or refurbished gear.

After deciding on a model and checking out prices for cameras, I always turn to my old standby...eBay.  I prefer eBay over Amazon simply because I can usually find a better price there.

I searched for a used/refurbished Canon 70D and perused the many options.  A lot of people are scared to buy anything off of eBay for fear of buying a lemon, but it's really just a matter of using the safety features that eBay has built in for you.

Always pay attention to:
1) Seller location: I like to buy cameras only from U.S. sellers.  I worry that I won't get what I think I'm getting from the sometimes-shady Chinese ebay accounts.
2) Seller ratings: Make sure the person has a high percentage of positive feedback and has (hopefully) made a lot of sales so that the percentage means more.
3) Quality of the seller description:  READ EVERYTHING CAREFULLY.  Look at pictures, read descriptions, etc. with a close eye before you decide it's a good-to-go used or refurbished item.

Using those precautions, I have NEVER had an issue with any kind of purchase on eBay, nevermind the cameras I have bought.  Ultimately, I found a refurbished Canon 70D for $700, which shaved another $150 off of the average price.

3. Sell your old camera to partially pay for your new camera.

The last step I've always taken to soften the blow of buying a fairly expensive item is to sell the old camera on eBay.  I always make sure that the new purchase is in good working condition for a few weeks, then post my own listing and sell my old camera.  You'll never get what you paid for it, but you can usually get a few hundred dollars on auction.  I sold mine for about $350, which cut off about half the price of my new camera.

I don't have a lot of advice for how to sell your camera other than to provide lots of pictures of the item and a thorough description.  Also...don't get greedy and overprice. Remember, your camera is an old model now, too.

Final thoughts...

If I sound like a cheapskate throughout this post...it's because I am.  I prefer to call myself "thrifty" or "frugal", though....   I am not in a shaky financial situation, especially now that I am out of college and have been working full-time consistently for over a year.  I could buy a full-frame camera brand new from the store, but I am not a professional photographer and I don't make money from my photography.

If you are not worried about cost, this post will not apply to you.  To fellow frugal hobbyists, however, I hope that you found something useful that can help you upgrade in a way that doesn't break the bank. 

Experiments with Wide Angle Lenses

So, it's been quite a long time since my last post, though I have an excuse.  I started a new job and it occupies quite a bit of my time.  However, though my blogging has slowed considerably, I still find the time for my photography hobby and have had a few new developments since my last post.

I'm not a frequent "upgrader," but recently I bought a Canon EF-S 10-18 mm f/4.6-5.6 STM lens to provide me the opportunity for more wide angle shots--whether they're landscapes or close-ups.  The lens was around $300 on Amazon, which is more than I usually like to spend, but it's actually a steal in the world of wide angle lenses.  I've wanted a wide angle lens forever, but was never willing to settle for an edge-darkening, piece-of-junk $20 lens attachment OR to shell out the ridiculous $2000 for a "real" one.  I was browsing Amazon--probably to placate myself after a long day of teaching--and I stumbled across this reasonably priced lens.  My first paycheck was days away, so I thought "what the heck?" and bought it.

So far, I've been pretty pleased, though there's a bit of a learning curve for figuring out which situations are best for this lens.  So far, most of what I've done have been landscape shots, though I would like to use it more for macro shots to get more background in the photo.  I'm getting a little better about figuring out when/how to use it, though I probably won't have time to hone my craft until a major break in the school year.

Below are a few of the test shots I've taken in the month that I've had the lens.  As I said before, I'm still not great with it, but I'm still happy I made the purchase.

New Bokeh Kit

In past posts, I have mentioned the "poor man's bokeh kit,"  which involves creating your own bokeh shapes from simple construction paper and scissors/hole punches.  While this DIY trick works, I am not particularly patient about making my own bokeh shapes, so I had essentially abandoned this trick out of laziness.  However, I received a cheap bokeh kit from Photojojo for Christmas (it is only about $25: http://photojojo.com/store/awesomeness/bokeh-kit/) and have been messing around with it for the past couple weeks.

So far, I've been pretty impressed with the results, though I'm still working out a couple technique issues.  I've actually had more luck using this kit with my telephoto lens than my regular kit lens, which seems odd, but the shapes themselves are very crisp and clear compared to my shoddy homemade ones.  Some of the shapes are a little strange, but they're fun and whimsical nonetheless.

My next goal is to move past blurry Christmas or street lights to having subtle bokeh shapes in the background with a perfectly in-focus subject in the forefront.  Hopefully, I can find a lighting situation that will allow for experimentation in that area.

Here are a few of my initial attempts:

Experiments: Macro/Wide Angle Lens Attachments

When I bought my camera, a variety of accessories arrived with it.  I haven't had time to figure out how many of them work, but I had some extra time to mess around with them today.

The first experiment involved a macro lens and wide angle lens attachment combo as shown below.

This seemed like an odd combination, so I initially took off the wide angle portion to test the macro portion alone.  First, I took a picture with my 18-55 mm lens (not zoomed in at all), and then I took the same picture with the macro attachment.  These were the results:

Without macro attachment

With macro attachment

Clearly, the second picture allows for a much closer view in the same picture.  I tried to go as far in as I could, which resulted in many very blurry/grainy shots.  This was the best one I managed:

As close as possible

The macro attachment definitely allows for a "zoom-in" effect, but the extreme close-up was less than desirable.  I don't want to judge it too quickly because my poor technique or the wrong setting may have caused the extreme blurriness.  I'll have to try this on a flower or some other outdoor subject to see if I can improve my results.

As for the macro/wide angle combo, here's an example.  I'm not wildly impressed, but as stated before, I might just be using this wrong.  The top photo is with my kit lens alone, and the bottom photo is with the attachments.  I'm still not 100% sure if these attachments are supposed to be used together always.  Until I can figure out a way to attach the wide angle attachment directly to my lens, they'll have to be a combo set.  

Without any attachments

With macro/wide angle lens attachment combo

I'll be doing plenty of my own internet research on these accessories, but let me know if you have any opinions/advice on how to use these (or if they're even worth it).  

Yet Another Camera Upgrade

Early this summer, I made the decision to upgrade my camera.  I had been rocking the Canon Rebel XSi for three years, and while it still worked just fine, I wanted to sell it while it still had some value.  After a lot of Googling, I decided to buy a refurbished Canon Rebel T4i, a newer model of my old camera.  My goal was to save money (which generally excludes the newest model from consideration), but also to have a model new enough that it wouldn't seem insanely outdated after a year or two.

I got the camera right before my trip to Spain and Italy...but I took the old camera.  I was too worried about something happening to my brand new camera in a foreign country, so I decided I'd rather risk the old standby instead.  I only really started experimenting with my new camera after I got back in mid-June.

So far, I'm very pleased with the results I've been getting.  One of my major complaints with my old camera was that I never felt like the colors I saw in person translated to pictures.  This new camera, on the other hand, produces vibrant photos right from the start.  Probably the strangest thing to get used to is not having to do as much processing with my photos.  I was so used to having to punch up the color for every single picture, that I over-processed the first couple pictures I took and ended up using the unedited original.

One other major difference between my current camera and my old camera is the ability to take video.  I haven't had an opportunity to experiment with the video setting just yet, but I'm excited to try it out to see what I can do.  My GoPro (see previous post) is wonderful for quick videos, but if I ever want to try something a little more artistic, I need to know how to film on this camera.  As a disclaimer, I will say that videography is well outside of my wheelhouse.  I dabble, but I don't really know what I'm doing...

Anyway, here are a few sample pictures I've taken since getting the new camera.  I'm pleased so far, and I should be able to have more material for blog posts as I sift through all of the accessories that came with it!

Fun with GoPros

This past Christmas, I was lucky enough to get a GoPro Hero3 from my boyfriend.  I've had a few months to mess around with it, so I decided to do a quick pros/cons list to sum up some of the features that I appreciate and ones I'm not as wild about.

Pros:

1) It's fairly indestructible.  I can't say I've really put it to the test yet, but the container is air tight and water tight (if you use the correct back plate).

2)  It's tiny.  This makes it less of a hassle to carry around in a purse or camera bag.  It's so small that you could probably get away with stuffing it in your pocket.

3) The GoPro app allows you to see what the camera "sees" if you set up the wifi to connect your GoPro and phone.  Additionally, you can watch any video currently on the camera through the app and control recording remotely.

4)  The wide angle lens is pretty sweet.  It's definitely a different perspective compared to any other camera I have.  It makes for realistic, intriguing footage no matter what you're filming.

5)  It allows for extended filming and has a long battery life.  I believe it allows for approximately 2-3 hours of footage before the memory is full.  The battery, in my experience, usually has enough juice to film beyond that.  

Cons:

1)  You have to buy most of the accessories and attachments.  Precious little comes with the GoPro itself, so in order to have clamps, belts, or any additional accessories, expect to spend a little money.  I was fortunate enough to be given a few attachments, but there are more that I would like to have.

2)  It's easy to lose the plastic piece that covers the USB port.  There's a small, square plastic piece that protects the area where a USB cord can be attached.  Unfortunately, unlike most cameras, this little flap is NOT attached to the camera.  I have almost lost that piece every time I use the camera because it's easy to forget that it's there.  

3) The GoPro cover can be a pain in the neck.  I'm too paranoid to use the camera without some kind of cover, but that also means I have to constantly take the cover off and on.  It's not always the easiest to open, and it's just one more part (other than the little plastic cover) to keep track of while using the camera.

Overview:  I was being a tad picky with the cons just to present less one-sidedness in my post, so my response to the GoPro is overwhelmingly positive.  To sum it up in the simplest way possible, it's just really COOL.  

I do not live a particularly extreme lifestyle, but here are a couple videos I have taken with the GoPro thus far. 

This first video is of my boyfriend's dog playing in the snow.  The "attaching the camera to the dog" idea is still one I want to pursue, but attaching it to her collar didn't work so well.  I'm still trying to find a GoPro dog attachment that actually has good reviews.  If you've ever attached your GoPro to your pet, let me know what kind of contraption you used if you had success.

My next experiment was attaching it to my dashboard.  I thought this could be a really cool way to record scenery in a more interesting part of the country.  I think the video is still cool, but the trip from Omaha to Lincoln in the winter isn't the most breathtaking sight.

Here are two more transportation-based examples from my recent trip to Europe.  I feel that the GoPro definitely lends itself well to motion.  The first video was taken during an international flight, and the second was taken from a high speed train crossing Spain.

Finally, it can also be used for more personal applications such as recording a day in the life of your ridiculous dogs.  These last two examples also illustrate the difference between a GoPro Hero3 and a GoPro Hero3+.  The Prairie video was able to be uploaded in HD, while the Luna video was not.  However, I'm still not 100% sure if this was a computer problem or a camera difference.  My computer is older, so maybe my iMovie doesn't allow HD videos for some unknown reason. I'm sorry these aren't embedded.  The YouTube embedder was having issues finding these videos when I tried to search for them.

Luna:  www.youtube.com/embed/EV1J6eLAcPU

Prairie: www.youtube.com/embed/j1lnEuCLJlo

Light Scoop Deluxe Review

I haven't posted anything for awhile due to busyness and a lack of anything terribly interesting to share.  However, over Christmas I received a couple new photography and videography gadgets that I felt warranted posts.  Plus, I have some time to kill. :)

One of the new gadgets I received is called the Light Scoop Deluxe. It's basically mirror that you attach to the hot shoe on your DSLR to bounce flash off of walls/ceilings and onto your subject.  A picture is attached below for a visual reference.

 

I asked for this specific model for Christmas, but I know there are multiple products that do essentially the same thing.  For your camera, I would check compatibility (I believe the Light Scoop does not attach to Sony cameras) and reviews to see if the version you are interested in buying is worthwhile.

In my opinion, the greatest advantage to a flash bounce mirror is that it's FAR cheaper than buying an external flash unit and diffuser.  Any flash unit/diffuser worth buying is going to be much more expensive than the $30-$35 spent on this little mirror.  This is far more compact, easy to store in a smaller camera bag, and extremely simple to use.  Plus, I actually like the results almost better than the photos I've seen taken with an expensive diffuser. 

I took a few photos of the same object to compare no flash, pop-up flash, and bounce flash in the same dark lighting situation. All photos were taken in my bedroom with only a dim lamp providing light.  (I realize it's bad practice to place the only light source behind the subject, but I was trying to illustrate a point.)

This first picture was taken with no flash whatsoever.  I intended for this photo to look terrible, but I actually ended up kind of liking the ethereal-looking stuffed animal...  However, without flash, you can tell that photo clarity starts to suffer.  Shadows on the face is never a flattering look for portraits either.

A person in this position might try to correct the shadows and sharpness by using the pop-up flash on the camera.  The photo below shows the result of that strategy.  The subject is clear, but the color is completely washed out.  If this were a living dog or a human being, red-eye or shiny faces could also appear when direct flash is used.

Finally, here's the same subject shot with the Light Scoop mirror pointed to reflect straight upwards.  This is essentially a happy medium between the first two photos.  The shadows on the dog's face disappear, but the tone is warmer and the colors remain fairly vibrant.

If you still aren't happy with the result, the mirror will rotate side to side.  The pictures below show what happens when the mirror is tilted the the right (Picture 1) and to the left (Picture 2).  The mirror allows some control over the angle of the reflected light, which can be helpful if you find one side of an object or person's face to still looks too dark.

Overall, I'm extremely impressed that such a small and cheap little gadget could provide results like these.  As someone who hates the look of flash photography (and doesn't want to spend the money to buy expensive external flash equipment), this is a fantastic solution to my indoor photography woes.  I would highly recommend this product to anyone who is on a tight budget and who wants improved indoor photography.

Side Note: Online reviews by others have said that flash bounce mirrors do not work well on dark ceilings or walls.  I have not personally tried to use this product in a dark-walled room, but I wouldn't be surprised if that were true.  Despite that issue, I still think this product is worth every penny unless every room in your home is very dark-walled.