New Canon 300D - which extras?

[print-digital]

I have just upgraded from Kodak DX4530 to the Canon EOS 300D - first SLR so I have a lot to learn and play around with

Are there any extras that I should get now, that people would say are essential to get the most out of this camera?

Only extra thing that I got with it was a 1GB card (got it half price with the camera), going to be looking online for a camera bag, the prices in the shop were crazy!

Hope to post some pictures in the forums tomorrow night

Cheers,
Craig

[JTL]

I have just upgraded from Kodak DX4530 to the Canon EOS 300D - first SLR so I have a lot to learn and play around with

Are there any extras that I should get now, that people would say are essential to get the most out of this camera?

Only extra thing that I got with it was a 1GB card (got it half price with the camera), going to be looking online for a camera bag, the prices in the shop were crazy!

Hope to post some pictures in the forums tomorrow night

Cheers,
Craig

The best extra I've seen is the Wasia firmware hack...

[jamison55]

To really get the most out of your new camera, you should invest in at least one nice piece of glass. If you are like me, and don't have much left over after the kit, I'd suggest you try the Canon 50 f1.8. It is a great lens at an even better price.

[cheese]

The best extra I've seen is the Wasia firmware hack...

What is the wasia firmware hack?

[JTL]

What is the wasia firmware hack?

The 300D is an example of when good companies do bad things. In this case, Canon purposely crippled the 300D in firmware so that it wouldn't compete with it's more expensive offerings. The Wasia hack "unlocks" these features that Canon disabled...the biggest one of which is ISO 3200!!! The following is a list of what the hack enables...

-Enter Flash Exposure Compensation using SET button
-SET button function when shooting
-Shutter release w/o CF card
-Flash sync speed in Av mode
-RAW+JPEG rec. Set the quality of embedded JPEG
-Mirror Lock up
-Select the autofocus mode: AIfocusAF, ONEShot
-ISO 3200

It gives the 300D features that even the Nikon D70 doesn't have (which gives me amusement to no end...).

[JTL]

Good one! We D70 owners are amused as well. Seriously, we love reading your stuff. You crack me up!

I'm reminded of a line from a movie with Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise...

[Donald]

I purchased the 300D a few months back and recently puchased the Sigma 70-300 super Macro APO. I have been very pleased with the results. I got it through Ritz for 219 dollars. If you order it online you don't pay sales tax or shipping. I also puchased a 3X phenox teleconverter for an older digital camera and got an adapter to thread it onto the Sigma lense, I can fill the frame with a shot of a full moon. Also the Sigma lense uses the same 58mm filters as the kit lense that came with the 300D.
A polorizer filter is also a good investment if you want better color, especially on the beach in full sun. I haven't tried the hack yet...still under warrantee. I have it downloaded for when the warrantee is up. Anything over 400 ISO gives too grainy of pictures for my personal taste. (but grainy is better than blurry)....Just my opinion.
Don

[Balrog]

Could you post some pics with/without the 3X converter? how much light and sharpness do you lose?

[Donald]

The converter works OK at night, photographing the moon but not good for ordinary photography. There is significant light loss and the subject turns out hazy. I have taken some good time lapse photographs of the Orion Nebula with it. It is much better with the kit lense at 55mm than with the 300mm. It has good definition in the center but loses detail at the edges. I'll send you some with/without photos when I get the chance.(don't have them on this computer)

[Balrog]

Cool, thanks.
Just wondering, though .. what's the point of using on the kit lens? I mean 3*55=165, which is kinda useless considering you already have a 300mm lens...