# Soooo confused



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

OK so I've read and read and Googled, youtubed, I thought I was learning but after just joining this forum yesterday, I feel I know soo little. So my first of many questions, I have a t6i, I was under the impression it is a full frame but had just read it is not. I have a 55-250mm lens, is that even a right lens for my (not full frame camera) ?? 

Sent from my SM-T350 using ThePhotoForum.com mobile app


----------



## JonA_CT (Dec 11, 2016)

I wouldn't get caught up in the full-frame/crop differences, honestly. There are many people on this forum who take great pictures on all types of cameras, even point and shoots and phone cameras.

As far as focal length, it depends on what you want to use your camera for. For example, 55mm on a T6i might be tight indoors, but would make a fine portrait outdoors. I'm guessing you probably also have the 18-55mm lens that goes with it too. That combo is really popular to start with. I wouldn't stress so much and go start taking pictures. You'll learn much more that way.


----------



## SuzukiGS750EZ (Dec 11, 2016)

Yes, don't get too caught up in crop sensor disappointment. I enjoy shooting nature the most. With that you normally want more reach. Crop sensors provide just that being "crop". The nice thing about canon is you can use both the ef (full frame) or ef-s (crop) lenses. Full frame camera can only use ef. So on full frame which is 35mm equivalent, 50mm is 50mm. On a crop sensor canon, you multiply the length by the crop factor of the cameras sensor which is 1.6x. You come out with 50x1.6=80. So you get an extra 30mm of that lens! That can be a blessing or a curse. Indoors with cramped spaces that 50mm may be a hindrance, so you'd want to go with an 18-55 or a 24mm. The 18-55 becomes 29mm-88mm. The 24mm would be 38mm. Now the full frame guys are jealous because your camera reaches further with the same lens.


----------



## SuzukiGS750EZ (Dec 11, 2016)

Oh, and you may want to go post in the canon section of the forum if you want more tailored advice to your camera.


----------



## photo1x1.com (Dec 11, 2016)

Welcome to the forums. I´m totally with the two posters before. Full frame has its pros, but also its cons. And especially as a beginner you won´t feel the difference any time soon. There were times when the choice for great wideangle lenses was limited for crop sensor cameras, but these are long gone. 
The advantages of full frame usually are:

Better low light capabilities due to bigger pixel size. The bigger the pixel, the more light it can natively absorb. BUT: many of us shoot with cameras that are 3-6 years old and even older. Since then, advances in technolgy have made sensor better and better. Hence newer crop sensor are better than these older full frame sensors. Nevertheless we still shoot with these cameras and are happy with it.
More shallow depth of field due to physics (blurry background). This advantage too melts more and more. Nowadays you can get lenses with apertures of f0.95 for reasonable prices (of course always depending on your budget) - so you can get very, very close to full frame look with your crop sensor camera.
Before you start thinking about upgrading camera or lens, take the best out of your crop sensor. You really need to know why you want to upgrade before you can really take advantage of that upgrade.


----------



## SCraig (Dec 11, 2016)

T6i is a crop-sensor body.

The 55-250 lens is the right lens if it does what you want it to do, the wrong lens otherwise.

There is no right or wrong bodies or lenses as long as they are compatible.  Decide FOR YOURSELF if what you have does what you want or not.  If it works enjoy it, if not determine what is not working to your needs and replace it.


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

Thankyou all for your great knowledge.  I am happy with my t6i, and glad to hear my 55-250 lens is right. Yes I do still have the kit lens, I also have 50mm 1.4, which I don't really care for. I mostly like to shoot landscapes and  beach sunsets/rises. I will post some, as soon as I figure how, haha. Please feel free to let me know what I can do better. thanks

Sent from my SM-T350 using ThePhotoForum.com mobile app


----------



## photo1x1.com (Dec 11, 2016)

lj4bes said:


> Thankyou all for your great knowledge.  I am happy with my t6i, and glad to hear my 55-250 lens is right. Yes I do still have the kit lens, I also have 50mm 1.4, which I don't really care for. I mostly like to shoot landscapes and  beach sunsets/rises. I will post some, as soon as I figure how, haha. Please feel free to let me know what I can do better. thanks
> 
> Sent from my SM-T350 using ThePhotoForum.com mobile app



I can´t tell you how to do it in the app - I really need to install that soon . But on the computer, there is a button "upoad a file" at the bottom right corner. Looking forward to your images!


----------



## SuzukiGS750EZ (Dec 11, 2016)

lj4bes said:


> Thankyou all for your great knowledge.  I am happy with my t6i, and glad to hear my 55-250 lens is right. Yes I do still have the kit lens, I also have 50mm 1.4, which I don't really care for. I mostly like to shoot landscapes and  beach sunsets/rises. I will post some, as soon as I figure how, haha. Please feel free to let me know what I can do better. thanks
> 
> Sent from my SM-T350 using ThePhotoForum.com mobile app


If they're on your phone, tap where it says quick reply in the app. Hit the up arrow. Click the icon of an image and go to town.


----------



## Peeb (Dec 11, 2016)

When I joined this forum last year I was debating going from crop to full frame.  I decided against it and stayed crop body for a few months, then couldn't resist and went full frame.  

There are times when I really love the FF advantages, but other times when I miss the crop.  In the end, I'll probably have at least one of each.  Photography has a way of absorbing loose cash...


----------



## Gary A. (Dec 11, 2016)

With modern sensors the differences in images between a crop sensor and a FF, for most photographers, are nearly insignificant. A FF helps you going wide and a crop helps you going long.  There is a FF mystique/lure that is attractive to many who haven't shot FF.  But for me, for what I shoot and how I shoot, that lure is more of the grass is greener, type of lure. Nikon has propagated that lure my making their more expensive FF equipment better than their cropped equipment. (With the introduction of the D500, Nikon is upping their game in the crop sensor world.)  

I started out in 2005 with a crop sensor, 20D.  Moved to shoot mixed sensors, 20D and 5D. Then moved to purely FF with 1Ds and 5D.  Now I am back purely shooting crop sensors, (Fuji). 

There is no magic in a FF, only the imagination and vision of those who use them.


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

I hear that, I'm always wanting to get some other lens or even camera that I don't have.. Even though I am happy with what I have. But still I would like to find the one lens that I could use for almost everything.. Someday I will figure it out, hopefully?!


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)




----------



## Gary A. (Dec 11, 2016)

If you only shoot a selected genre or subject ... then you can get by with minimal hardware.  But if you shoot a wide spectrum of subjects, you're stuck with multiple lenses. 

To be honest, you can shoot most anything with any lens and capture the exceptional image. Multiple lanes of different focal lengths does make it easier to capture the exceptional image and can introduce "optical drama" into the image.

If you are getting serious about your photography, try shooting with only one prime lens.  I suggest something like a 35mm (on a crop, 50mm on a FF). But you can do so with the 50mm.  Shooting with only one lens increases the difficulty level of getting the exceptional image and forces you to focus on angles and light and DOF.  Starting out in photography with zoom and multiple lenses extends the learning curve and dilutes the time understanding the strengths and weaknesses of a single lens. Remember to fill the frame.


----------



## Gary A. (Dec 11, 2016)

Nice colors, good eye ... did you intentionally include the foreground shadows in your shot?


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

Thankyou Gary,  I will focus on one lens for awhile,  although I like to shoot landscapes mostly and I don't think my 50 mm will be good. So my question should I invest in a new lens,  or stay with and learn more with my 55-250?? Yes in that photo I did mean to get shadows. I also took one without shadow. Do you think the shadow ruins it.?


----------



## Designer (Dec 11, 2016)

lj4bes said:


> Do you think the shadow ruins it.?


I would like to see the one without the shadows.  They are distracting.


----------



## SuzukiGS750EZ (Dec 11, 2016)

That's a nice photo. Keep in mind that with photography, you're portraying your own angle of vision. Maybe in that photo you could have left out the fence and instead included more sky. Do you know about the "rule if thirds"?


----------



## Gary A. (Dec 11, 2016)

I really appreciate that the shadows were on purpose. The shadows sorta make the image 'imperfect' ... but as it was intentional ... that adds a lot of meaning and storyline.  I also like that your horizons are nicely squared off and not tilted.

I first learned photography back in the film-only days, when most of us we're materialistically poor and couldn't afford the luxury of starting out with a lot of hardware.  Back then you started out with a 50mm and shot the hell out it until you completely harmonize with the lens. The camera/lens combo became an extension of your hands and eyes. At some point of your harmonization, after learning the strengths and weaknesses of a particular lens, you realize what your next lens should be, where the deficiency of your kit lays. Then you start the process all over again. This methodology takes time and not as much fun as buying a ton of hardware.  Hardware is fun.  Once you have harmonized with your lenses, you'll previsualized the exceptional image and know exactly what focal length to grab in order to capture that previsualized image.


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

OK and wow,  the parts of the pic I liked and made sure they were there, shouldn't have been..  but I get it,  and yes I get the rule of thirds. Thanks for your feedback. Another question,  I bought a wide angle lens but returned it for the reason everything was so far away I like to zoom in for some reason, for instance that picture. Would a wide angle lens be a good choice for that? Uggh..


----------



## thereyougo! (Dec 11, 2016)

Don't get too hung up on other people's opinions.  Bear them in mind, but you need to learn your own style in your own way.  Since you deliberately included the shadows, there must have been a reason for doing so.  Explore why that was.  What story were you trying to tell?  You can tell a story in many ways with many lenses.  Don't tell my wife this, but you can get perfectly good shots with inexpensive glass especially when stopped down as many of us landscapers do.  The so called rules are merely guidelines.  If you can tell a story without having to describe it to people, then you have hit a good point.  

You will make mistakes - many of them.  Don't fear them, embrace them.  Many people try and side step them by copying others.  The mistakes are important - they are a very important learning tool.  Good luck and most of all the person that should enjoy your photography most of all is you.


----------



## SuzukiGS750EZ (Dec 11, 2016)

Yes, don't at all think that I was telling you it was wrong, you did a great job. That was an example of how you could change the perspective for your audience. I was guilty of centering photos all the time and putting too much in a photo, trying to show what was in front of me and not what my vision was. I was too close minded. I keep more photos than I delete now, finally. Don't be afraid to boost colors in your photos either, think of them like paintings. Your trying to get your camera to make your vision. Do you shoot in raw?


----------



## SuzukiGS750EZ (Dec 11, 2016)

Oh, and... I personally love my 50mm 1.8, play around with that 1.4 indoors for photographing people or things close to you. The f1.4 will make an amazing background. Also, if you're unaware, you can flip your lenses around so the front element is now touching the camera mount and use it as a macro lens. Try it out!


----------



## vintagesnaps (Dec 11, 2016)

Shadows can work but you need to think about where to put them in the frame, in your composition. I've had a shadow be the subject. This to me is a little too wide, with too much space on both sides. I think this could go a number of ways - the fence and the shadow, the shadow and the orange tree that stands out to the left, etc. 

Something to me looks a little off. I know it was late day but the color almost looks too saturated or... Or maybe it was the focus/depth of field. Probably losing light late day I'd try to use a smaller aperture to get shots of the entire scene - the fence, shadow, tree line - all in focus. Then as the light's going and I need to use a larger aperture (to get more light into the camera) I'd probably go with just the tree and the shadow, or part of the fence and the shadow. I find that time of day I have to work quick before the light's gone. 

Try walking/roaming around a little and looking thru the viewfinder and think about where things are in the frame til you get something that looks like it will make for a good picture. Think about your vantage point and perspective. 

And listen to Gary, he knows his stuff. 

Now I have to say I'm not sure if I exactly pre-visualize, although that's a valid way of composing images. For me it's more like I see a shot and know that's it, that's the shot. Or not. lol That's when I don't take the shot and keep looking til I see what I know is the photo I want.


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

SuzukiGS750EZ said:


> Yes, don't at all think that I was telling you it was wrong, you did a great job. That was an example of how you could change the perspective for your audience. I was guilty of centering photos all the time and putting too much in a photo, trying to show what was in front of me and not what my vision was. I was too close minded. I keep more photos than I delete now, finally. Don't be afraid to boost colors in your photos either, think of them like paintings. Your trying to get your camera to make your vision. Do you shoot in raw?


Oh no not at all,  I appreciate the feedback that's what I need. And I will mess around wily my 50mm


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

vintagesnaps said:


> Shadows can work but you need to think about where to put them in the frame, in your composition. I've had a shadow be the subject. This to me is a little too wide, with too much space on both sides. I think this could go a number of ways - the fence and the shadow, the shadow and the orange tree that stands out to the left, etc.
> 
> Something to me looks a little off. I know it was late day but the color almost looks too saturated or... Or maybe it was the focus/depth of field. Probably losing light late day I'd try to use a smaller aperture to get shots of the entire scene - the fence, shadow, tree line - all in focus. Then as the light's going and I need to use a larger aperture (to get more light into the camera) I'd probably go with just the tree and the shadow, or part of the fence and the shadow. I find that time of day I have to work quick before the light's gone.
> 
> ...


OK that all sounds good. Thanks for all the info.. And I'm sure Gary knows his stuff, I like hearing all everybody has to say..


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

Designer said:


> lj4bes said:
> 
> 
> > Do you think the shadow ruins it.?
> ...


This one's from a different angle,  let me know what you think


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

thereyougo! said:


> Don't get too hung up on other people's opinions.  Bear them in mind, but you need to learn your own style in your own way.  Since you deliberately included the shadows, there must have been a reason for doing so.  Explore why that was.  What story were you trying to tell?  You can tell a story in many ways with many lenses.  Don't tell my wife this, but you can get perfectly good shots with inexpensive glass especially when stopped down as many of us landscapers do.  The so called rules are merely guidelines.  If you can tell a story without having to describe it to people, then you have hit a good point.
> 
> You will make mistakes - many of them.  Don't fear them, embrace them.  Many people try and side step them by copying others.  The mistakes are important - they are a very important learning tool.  Good luck and most of all the person that should enjoy your photography most of all is you.


Thankyou for all that, sounds like very good advice


----------



## vintagesnaps (Dec 11, 2016)

You seem to be seeing interesting subjects. The dark fence creates a somewhat odd line going across the photo, so next time walk around and think where you want that to be in the picture. 

The three trees the light's hitting are to me the focal point. There's too much sky which seems to throw off the balance of the composition. I'd probably crop it down some, as well as on each side, because on the right side there's some odd bush/tree thingy sticking into the lower right corner and not doing a whole lot for your photograph. I can see why you might have found the clouds interesting, but sometimes it's a matter of figuring out what a photo is about - the sky? the three trees? I'd try to bring the viewer's attention in to what's interesting in the photo.


----------



## Frank F. (Dec 11, 2016)

lj4bes said:


> OK so I've read and read and Googled, youtubed, I thought I was learning but after just joining this forum yesterday, I feel I know soo little. So my first of many questions, I have a t6i, I was under the impression it is a full frame but had just read it is not. I have a 55-250mm lens, is that even a right lens for my (not full frame camera) ??
> 
> Sent from my SM-T350 using ThePhotoForum.com mobile app




It is the piano player making the music.

Equipment is overrated.

There are world famous photographers with one camera and one lens and others who have all the equipment in the world but their photos are irrelevant.

When I teach about photography I ask: "where does the light come from?" standing without cameras in the nearest art museum looking at paintings.

Try to take relevant shots. Equipment does not take photos.


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

Well said., I certainly will try..


----------



## jcdeboever (Dec 11, 2016)

lj4bes said:


> OK and wow,  the parts of the pic I liked and made sure they were there, shouldn't have been..  but I get it,  and yes I get the rule of thirds. Thanks for your feedback. Another question,  I bought a wide angle lens but returned it for the reason everything was so far away I like to zoom in for some reason, for instance that picture. Would a wide angle lens be a good choice for that? Uggh..



I have seen a lot of fine landscapes with zoom lenses. My old mentor (retired pro), used 70-200 for his landscapes and told me you could use whatever you want with landscape. He preferred to zoom for that compressed look.


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

vintagesnaps said:


> You seem to be seeing interesting subjects. The dark fence creates a somewhat odd line going across the photo, so next time walk around and think where you want that to be in the picture.
> 
> The three trees the light's hitting are to me the focal point. There's too much sky which seems to throw off the balance of the composition. I'd probably crop it down some, as well as on each side, because on the right side there's some odd bush/tree thingy sticking into the lower right corner and not doing a whole lot for your photograph. I can see why you might have found the clouds interesting, but sometimes it's a matter of figuring out what a photo is about - the sky? the three trees? I'd try to bring the viewer's attention in to what's interesting in the photo.


Very good advice.. thanks


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

jcdeboever said:


> lj4bes said:
> 
> 
> > OK and wow,  the parts of the pic I liked and made sure they were there, shouldn't have been..  but I get it,  and yes I get the rule of thirds. Thanks for your feedback. Another question,  I bought a wide angle lens but returned it for the reason everything was so far away I like to zoom in for some reason, for instance that picture. Would a wide angle lens be a good choice for that? Uggh..
> ...


I like to hear that! thanks !


----------



## Frank F. (Dec 11, 2016)

The point is that with landscapes distance to subject is given. That is why you can use the sweet spot of your equipment.

All cats are grey at night all lenses allright at f=eight.

But if you have subject distance even f=1.4 gives you all depth of field you might ever need.


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

Frank F. said:


> The point is that with landscapes distance to subject is given. That is why you can use the sweet spot of your equipment.
> 
> All cats are grey at night all lenses allright at f=eight.
> 
> But if you have subject distance even f=1.4 gives you all depth of field you might ever need.


That's a keeper..


----------



## Gary A. (Dec 11, 2016)

What I learned early on ... That when all else fails, use the rule of thirds. That applies to all the rules.  Every photo is different and every photog's eye is unique.  Using the rules will deliver a nice, pleasing photo nearly every time. But intentionally discarding the rules will deliver a lot of failures ... but the successes you capture will be beyond pleasing and into exceptional.


----------



## Designer (Dec 11, 2016)

lj4bes said:


> This one's from a different angle,  let me know what you think


Oh, thanks for that shot.  Unfortunately it doesn't have what I saw in the first shot; and that is the horizontal lines being mimicked and echoed.  

Sometimes an outstanding shot is simply capturing something unusual.  Something nobody else happens to be seeing at the time.  

Sometimes you have to work at it, like the high-paid landscape professionals do.  You should see what they go through to get money shots.  

Anyway, your first shot has qualities that I envy, but then there are those shadows that kind of spoil it.


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

Designer said:


> lj4bes said:
> 
> 
> > This one's from a different angle,  let me know what you think
> ...


OK,  thanks again for your feedback


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 11, 2016)

Gary A. said:


> What I learned early on ... That when all else fails, use the rule of thirds. That applies to all the rules.  Every photo is different and every photog's eye is unique.  Using the rules will deliver a nice, pleasing photo nearly every time. But intentionally discarding the rules will deliver a lot of failures ... but the successes you capture will be beyond pleasing and into exceptional.


All right,  I will stick to the rules.. thanks again


----------



## thereyougo! (Dec 12, 2016)

lj4bes said:


> Gary A. said:
> 
> 
> > What I learned early on ... That when all else fails, use the rule of thirds. That applies to all the rules.  Every photo is different and every photog's eye is unique.  Using the rules will deliver a nice, pleasing photo nearly every time. But intentionally discarding the rules will deliver a lot of failures ... but the successes you capture will be beyond pleasing and into exceptional.
> ...



Why?  I think you are missing Gary A's main point.  You can get many decent images by following the rules.  That's all well and good.  Many exceptional photos break or partially break some of the rules and are exceptional because they give a view that those following the rules wouldn't ever get.  

There are lot of good photographers.  Exceptional ones are rarer.  Depends what you want to achieve.  It's good to follow the rules and then try and bend them a little.  Personally I think that too many photographers think too much and feel too little.  All art is subjective and therefore there has to be emotion there too.  Images that speak to people generally have emotion.


----------



## Frank F. (Dec 12, 2016)

I think it is a good idea to learn the artisian first. That part is always useful. Later one can decide if the artistic part is for her/him or not. I have very little talent for visual arts this is why I chose photography to train this underdeveloped part of mine. Sometimes I achieve wonderful results due to hard work. Sometimes I get lucky.


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 13, 2016)

SuzukiGS750EZ said:


> Oh, and... I personally love my 50mm 1.8, play around with that 1.4 indoors for photographing people or things close to you. The f1.4 will make an amazing background. Also, if you're unaware, you can flip your lenses around so the front element is now touching the camera mount and use it as a macro lens. Try it out!


I did not you could flip the lens, something I'm definitely I'm going to try. I Googled it and will be ordering the piece to try it out.. thanks for the info


----------



## SuzukiGS750EZ (Dec 13, 2016)

lj4bes said:


> SuzukiGS750EZ said:
> 
> 
> > Oh, and... I personally love my 50mm 1.8, play around with that 1.4 indoors for photographing people or things close to you. The f1.4 will make an amazing background. Also, if you're unaware, you can flip your lenses around so the front element is now touching the camera mount and use it as a macro lens. Try it out!
> ...


You can do it without the reverse lens mount. That's how I've done it


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 13, 2016)

SuzukiGS750EZ said:


> lj4bes said:
> 
> 
> > SuzukiGS750EZ said:
> ...


Really?? I've tried again unless there is something I'm not getting,  but when I turn the lens around it will not connect in any way
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 what am I not getting??


----------



## SuzukiGS750EZ (Dec 13, 2016)

lj4bes said:


> SuzukiGS750EZ said:
> 
> 
> > lj4bes said:
> ...


It doesn't need to connect. Just hold the front element to the lens mount with your hand and get the shot in focus through the view finder. You'll need to move the camera back and forth until you find clear focus.


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 13, 2016)

Ahhhh, of course.. I'll try it. I like to shoot close-ups so definitely worth a shot.. who knows if it works out I'll buy the piece to connect it.  Ty


----------



## beagle100 (Dec 15, 2016)

lj4bes said:


> Ahhhh, of course.. I'll try it. I like to shoot close-ups so definitely worth a shot.. who knows if it works out I'll buy the piece to connect it.  Ty



a reverse mount adapter is only around $3  - good for close-in shots on the "cheap" but if you shoot a lot of macros  insects, flowers, etc. you will want a real 1:1 macro lens


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 15, 2016)

beagle100 said:


> lj4bes said:
> 
> 
> > Ahhhh, of course.. I'll try it. I like to shoot close-ups so definitely worth a shot.. who knows if it works out I'll buy the piece to connect it.  Ty
> ...


Thanks for the info


----------



## photo1x1.com (Dec 16, 2016)

beagle100 said:


> lj4bes said:
> 
> 
> > Ahhhh, of course.. I'll try it. I like to shoot close-ups so definitely worth a shot.. who knows if it works out I'll buy the piece to connect it.  Ty
> ...



A reverse mount can get you bigger magnification though. Be sure to us a wide angle lens, if you want maximum magnification (yes, it´s exactly the opposite compared to regular mount) and make sure the lens is clean otherwise you might end up with dust on your sensor. I´ve already written text and storyboard for a tutorial video about inverse mount macro photography. I´m just waiting for an order from Amazon (I want to make a cheap DIY lighting sollution that is hopefully much better than a ringlight)


----------



## lj4bes (Dec 16, 2016)

photo1x1.com said:


> beagle100 said:
> 
> 
> > lj4bes said:
> ...


I will do.. thanks and good luck..


----------

