I Finally Got It!

What is it? It is the Canon Rebel T1i, or 500D for those in the UK (though I don’t have any readers across the pond). It’s my birthday present, and something I’ve been waiting on for some time. I’m so excited to have the camera and look forward to using it to take many different pictures. I also got the Canon EF-S 55-200 mm IS telephoto zoom lens to go with it. I additionally got a great camera bag to go with it. Both the lens and the bag came from my parents. It’s so exciting to me to have the camera and be able to take some great pictures. I’m a nerd, as those who read this site are fully aware, and that extends to things beyond just computers. I really do enjoy photography, as some might have noticed, and I am so grateful to have something that can grow with me and help to take even more fantastic photos. It’s amazing. I’ll share some examples here, but first let me give you a quick review of the camera.

Note: All photos of the body and buttons are from DPReview. It’s the BEST camera review site. However, all sample photos were taken by me!

Handling

The camera is a large camera, as most are aware. The dSLR systems are typically larger, and feature large screens on the back and weight significantly more than any point and shoot that you can purchase. That’s why the gadget bag was so important for me.

However, handling is about how it feels in the hands, and how the  buttons are laid out. The camera has a fantastic screen on the back which is where you primarily find the details of the settings and the potential to review your photos after being taken. The buttons are satisfying, and within reach. Also, my hands aren’t huge and  therefore it fits nicely in my hands.

Features

Getting top billing on this camera is the inclusion of a HD video mode. It includes 720p video capture at 30fps, or frames per second, (which is about half of what the human eye sees, but what a smooth video typically will run at) and 1080p video at 24fps. It makes the 1080p video mode a little less attractive, as some choppiness is evident. Also, the autofocus in the video mode is slow. Therefore, it’s not quite as amazing as it sounds. However, it looks FANTASTIC when shooting video. You you just have to focus before you start taking the video, pan slowly, and not have something moving back and forth toward the camera. Otherwise it’s great.

Additionally, it features 3.5 frames per second shooting with unlimited frames shooting in jpg mode, great color reproduction, 15.1 megapixels, RAW capable, DIGIC 4 processor, and support for high capacity SD cards. It’s really a wonderful feature set, and more than worth the entry cost.

Picture Quality

After all, it’s all about the pictures in the end. The picture quality is seriously amazing. Stepping up from a point-and-shoot camera, the detail and color reproduction is outstanding. Being able to focus close in, blur backgrounds, open my shutter speed and do all kinds of other amazing things that simply can’t be done with other cameras blows my mind. If you don’t believe me, check out the photos:

There are plenty more photos coming later, but that’s just a smattering of some of my favorites. Check out my Facebook page or a new page that I’ll be making on Flickr. I’ll update that later.

Conclusion: An AMAZING camera for an entry level photographer. It’s expensive, but ever so worth it. If you love photography and want to step up, it’s a great value proposition and won’t let you down.

What do you guys think? Know of any good photography spots around San Jose? And hey, I’m willing to take pictures for anyone that would like some pictures!

A Wonderful Birthday and my Presents

So, this last Friday was my birthday. It was a great day. I'd like to thank, first of all, my future wife. She's  amazing. Wanna know how well she knows me? She got me a Garmin Nuvi 250. It's awesome. It's already been super useful, seeing as I had to go somewhere yesterday that I had never been to, in an area I was unfamiliar with. I plugged in the address, and said "Go!" And there was no problem getting there. Fast drawing, accurate maps, and spoken directions are fantastic. I really do recommend it.

My parents decided that I deserved a new iPod after all. My first generation iPod nano was finally starting to die. The battery didn't last long enough, and it was only a 2 gig. I had almost 10 gigs worth of stuff, and so it just wasn't enough space anymore. So, I bought a 16 gig iPod Touch (first generation) and software upgraded it to 2.1. That means lots of app store fun for me, and it's been incredible. I have to say, the capabilities of the iPod Touch is great. It's like a mini computer. I can check my email when I wake up in the morning by turning over and looking at my iPod. I check the weather, sports, and anything else that I want. It's a great invention. The touchscreen is as nice as anything I've seen in my life, and it has a great resolution. I HIGHLY recommend it.

I also got some great itunes gift cards from my future in laws, and my sister. And I've used the money to load up my iPod just a touch more. :)

Also, my (future) wife made a great cheesecake for dinner, and also did a great belgian waffle bar with apple juice, orange juice, real maple syrup, fruit, eggs and bacon. My sister and brother-in-law joined us for dinner and the white chocolate cheesecake. It was a wonderful meal. Afterwards, we watched Son of Rambow (which I really should review). As a precursor, it was a pretty entertaining movie. I do suggest that you add it to your netflix account.

 

Overall, it was a wonderful day, and I'm super grateful to everyone that had a part in it. As a side note, I turned 25. Yes, I feel old.

I've included some of the engagement pictures of me and my future wife. I truly love her. 

     

All photos are copyright Jon Tehero Photography (www.jontehero.com)