Budget vs. Needs

[Jeff Rambo]

I recently decided to get into photography as a hobby and have decided to start a photo blog site as a medium to share the results of my hobby with others. I purchased the HP Photosmart 945 and I would like to accessorize it with a budget of roughly $400-$600. A few of the items I would like to purchase:

- 512MB SD Card (1GB if the 945 accepts it, does anyone know?)

- A Tiffen Wide Angle Lens (Are there any other lenses I should look at?)

- A camera bag that can fit my 945 and my 812 as well as my Kodak DX3600 along with all of the accessories I have.

- A photo printer that prints 4x6 - 8x10's at a quality/acceptable photo lab comparable level. I plan to print many of the photographs I take and frame them to use as art around my office and house. These are three shots that I took that demonstrates somewhat the type of stuff I will generally be taking and printing:
http://www.phototerrorism.com/phototerrorism/images/1122005/
http://www.phototerrorism.com/phototerrorism/images/test_shot_1.jpg

(please ignore my photography skills ;) )

- Any other items that would be suggested?

Can anyone make any suggestions based on my budget? $400 would of course be ideal but I'll go as high as $600.

Also can someone suggest where to buy the SD card and Tiffen stuff from? I live in Los Angeles, CA but am willing to buy online if there are no reputable retailers. The SD cards I can find just about anywhere but it is moreso the Tiffen stuff that I cannot readily seem to find locally.

[speaklightly]

Jeff-

Yes, the HP 945 will use a 1gb SD Chip. SD chips are inexpensive today on www.ecost.com. Look at the "Bargain Countdown" department. I did not see a chip reader on your list. You also might check out printers at www.tigerdirect.com, they were having an Epson printer sale.

That covers a few items on your list.

Sarah Joyce

[Jeff Rambo]

Sarah:

First off, thanks for your response. I appreciate it.

With regards to the card reader, I actually just purchased two new systems yesterday solely dedicated toward my photography (and audio recording needs, another hobby of mine for a online radio show I plan to broadcast). An HP a820n (Desktop - Intel Pentium 4 3.2Ghz, 512MB RAM, 200GB HD) and a Gateway 4540GZ (Notebook - Intel Centrino 1.5Ghz, 512MB RAM, 80GB HD). Both have memory card readers built in.

Checking out those links now. Thanks.

Any idea on where to find those Tiffen lenses? The dealer locator on their site isn't working right now.

Also, Sarah... would you suggest Epson over HP and Canon? I have a Epson Stylus C84 that I use for my everyday document printing and have been quite satisfied with it and my NEC Superscript 4400 for intensive/business printing, but I have heard that when it comes to photos that HP and Canon have a market-share but I seem to pick up a lot of mixed opinions.

[speaklightly]

Jeff-

For a wide angle or telephone accessory lens for the Hp 945 check www.tiffen.com/digital. Unless you enjoy paying huge prices for HP cartridges (totally unnecessary!) do look at both Canon and Epson printers.

Sarah Joyce

[Jeff Rambo]

Thanks Sarah:

I am looking at Canon and Epson right now and reading reviews at Steve's Digicams. Do you suggest any particular models? I'm looking at the iP4000 and iP5000 right now. Would you suggest either? And would either be acceptable for printing out prints that could later be framed and possibly sold?

[speaklightly]

Jeff-

I have had a Canon i960 that I have used for a year or so with very good results. A lot of what I do is sent to DVD/CD's in multimedia productions. My printer usage is about only 40% of what it used to be. The new Pixma series has also had good comments.

Sarah Joyce

[D70FAN]

Jeff-

I have had a Canon i960 that I have used for a year or so with very good results. A lot of what I do is sent to DVD/CD's in multimedia productions. My printer usage is about only 40% of what it used to be. The new Pixma series has also had good comments.

Sarah Joyce

Aren't the Pixmas 4 color printers?

[Jeff Rambo]

I ended up buying the Canon IP6000D. I intended to buy the IP5000 but after getting to Staples they had it for $199 with no rebate. So I went to Best Buy where they had only the 6000 and 4000. The 6000 was $179 with a $50 VISA Gift Card, so in essence it was only $129 which I felt was too hard to pass by. I'm at my sister and brother-in-laws place where I am printing out a photo of mine on their Photosmart 1100 and Photosmart 7960 and then I'll compare the same photo on the Canon once I get home and finish setting up my home office.

Does anyone have any comments on the IP6000D?

[UberVamp44]

Dont have much advice but on the printing and such you should look into Deviant Art and then getting a print acount with them you can there showcase your work and sell and order your own prints at cost from them and then sell threw them at eny price you like whith them getting 50% profit or order your own prints and sell them your self Deviant Art (http://www.deviantart.com) is the site and they are like the largest art community and its great there my acount there if you like to check it out is My Acount (http://www.ubervamp44.deviantart.com)

[speaklightly]

Uber-

It looks like they are just getting started. Thanks for the lead. I will keep track of them.

Sarah Joyce

[UberVamp44]

Actully DA has bin around sense 2000 and has sense turned into the biggest online ART community and there print service makes alot of money and is great for what you are looking for well almost cuz you get highest qaulity prints at cost for yourself if you purchase the print acount and then you can aswell sell threw them. Is there something I am missing or not.