Getting myself a D-SLR

In the next few weeks, as preparation for our Christmas and New Year trip to the US, I’m going to acquire a Canon EOS 400D digital SLR. I’m spending a few cycles each evening trying to find a good price on the web for the body + twin lens kit that Dick Smith Electronics had for AUD1468 last week. I didn’t buy it last week because I haven’t been paid yet and if I get it within 30 days of departing for our trip then I can get the GST back via the Tourist Refund Scheme, which will be a nice bonus.

The first camera I ever owned is the Nikon Coolpix 5400 which was the best I (we, really) could afford when we got it nearly 3 years ago. When we got the Coolpix I really really really wanted to be able to afford a DSLR, but there was no way that I could .. image:: /images/smilies/icon_sad.gif

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:-(

So I’ve really been hanging out for the prices to drop, and for the tech to improve enough that not getting a DSLR would be self-evidently silly. And I really figure that I’ve gotten to the point where the Coolpix is really limiting me in what I can do with it.

I really hate having limits placed on my creative outlets.

MadMad (my friend the professional photo-journalist) advised me to practice, then practice some more, and then keep on practicing once I’ve got the camera. I think that’s excellent advice and I’m definitely going to do that. J will probably go nuts at me for taking so many photos …. but with digital, I can take as many duds as I need in order to get the techniques and skills embedded in my cranium.

Anyway, while browsing the Canon site, I noticed that they are runnning a photo competition to coincide with the launch of the 400D. I quite like these past winners

Unfortunately you can only upload one photo per week, and I’ve got a few that I think would be up there. I just need to sort through them first.

/me draws in breath sharply…..

Oh, and back them up onto removable long-life media…… I guess I’d better get that happening while I wait for the day I can make the purchase!

Technorati tags: topic:{Technorati}[Digital Photography], topic:{Technorati}[D-SLR], topic:{Technorati}[Canon], topic:{Technorati}[EOS 400D], topic:{Technorati}[Competition], topic:{Technorati}[Tourist Refund Scheme], topic:{Technorati}[Nikon], topic:{Technorati}[Coolpix 5400]