Just how good are these?

[cyracles]

Stumbled on this website by accident and in few hours, i have learned more about my little camera than i have for a whole year carrying it.
Here is the crux of my post though. I am a student (and for me, it means extremely low budget). I use a 10mp canon 1000d with its kit lens(18-55) which does not autofocus(the ring only moves once and thats it, it freezes so i focus manually).
Recently, someone gave me a Nissin 622 flash and a Sigma 70-300 lens. Happiest day of my life in recent times. My question now is that will these gear serve me well because i am hugely interested in photography. In school, i want to try make a few bucks on the side. I will mostly be shooting portraits and indoor events. Will my present possession allow me do those to optimum. Which lens will suit which scenario.(the lack of autofocus on the 18-55 lens is hell because i cant take pictures quickly like some events will require. the telephoto on the other hand may not be the best for indoors either).

How can i make the best of these?


(and if there are awfully-cheap preferrably used lenses, how can they be acquired.....?)
Thank you all, i anticipate your replies.

[Andrew76]

A Canon 50mm 1.8 @ about $100USD brand new will be the best investment you make in a long time if you're interested in portraiture, and indoor shooting.

Plus, the prime lens is a great way to learn composition!! You're 70-300 lens is decent for portraiture as well, so long as you have enough room to use it - 70mm on a crop sensor camera is going to put you back at least 10-15 feet to get a head/shoulders shot, but they do take nice pictures. It will do absolutely nothing for you in low-light, indoor environment though.

Hope that helps you out!

[Dave Humphries]

Hi cyracles (is that your name?)

My question now is that will these gear serve me well because i am hugely interested in photography. In school, i want to try make a few bucks on the side. I will mostly be shooting portraits and indoor events. Will my present possession allow me do those to optimum.

If you can face going 'back to school', have a read of this set;
School of Portraiture - Links to Lessons 1 through 8

It should enlighten you on how to get the most of what you have and also show that "optimum" requires a fair bit of investment

Welcome to the CiC forums from ...

[Manfred M]

In photography, like anything else in life, you do get what you pay for. Having been a poor student at one point of my life, I can understand what you are going through.

First of all, I find it amazing that we got sharp images prior to this millennium, as autofocus lenses did not exist in the 20th century. Focusing and recomposing were just things that we did, and with film cameras mistakes were much more costly than they are today. You can save yourself a lot of money by getting used manual focus lenses and learning how to use them. There is one caveat however, modern digital camera focusing screens, especially the ones on amateur cameras, are no where near as as good for focusing as the old film SLRs were. Your camera has a pentamirror, rather than a pentaprism, so it will be a bit darker, making manual focus a bit harder still.

Normal range for indoor portraiture is around 80mm - 135mm or perhaps a bit beyond is normal for a full frame camera. With your Canon crop frame that would be in the 50mm - 85mm range, so your lenses are not ideal for that work. For outdoor portraiture, the Sigma is definitely in the range.

I don't know the Nissin line at all, but if it can be used as a slave triggered by your in-camera flash, you may have the makings of a rudimentary portraiture setup (add a stand, clamp and umbrella for your key light and a white reflector as a fill light).

[cyracles]

I definitely know I am on the right forum from the rate at which I am getting responses. Thanks a lot guys. I will go through the lessons provided and I do appreciate the pieces of advice.
@Andrew, for a hundred dollars? Wow, our sharks over here will sell triple the amount. I am a Nigerian and do reside in Nigeria. With a gentleman's arrangement, is it possible to send the mooney when I am able to raise it and have you send the lens?

Should I decide(when able) to get another camera, what will be your recommendations?

Once again guys, I really appreciate your help.

[Fstop Manalo]

Yo, Cyracles. Welcome to CiC. You can make the best with the two through shuffling lenses. use the 70 300 for quick shots of indoor. while the 18 55 for portraits. Its somewhat better for you to use manual whenever you taking pictures of portraits. And what Andrew said about the $100 50mm lens investment is a good thing to do. It WILL help you in the long run. A prime lens is always the BEST substitute to the 2 lens you have. this means that instead of changing lenses now and then and risking dust in your camera, you can just use the 50mm. it has great aperture for portraits, good focal length and awesome beginner lens.