My New Toy

Isn't it beautiful? I ordered this last night from B&H (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/), from their used department. It is a Canon EOS 2000 Rebel. It is a 35 mm film camera, comes with the lens you see here, lens cap, camera strap, and all for the low price of $119. I am a little wary generally of buying used equipment like this over the net, but B&H is a very reputable store, and they stand behind their sales. This is the same store that we got the Canon digital camera from, and I have heard nothing but good stuff about them from others that shop there as well. I also bought some batteries for it, and a cable release. A cable release is a cord that attaches to your camera and allows you to release the shutter without touching the actual camera. VERY important for long exposure shooting like astrophotography, because even the slightest touch to the camera with your finger can cause vibrations which will blur the picture. Anyhow, the camera and its accessories should be here next Wednesday (YAY!)

A special thanks to my photographer friend, Lauren, for helping me make my final decision. I knew what I was looking for, in general terms, but needed some help deciphering the techinical specs listed on the camera to make sure this would meet my needs.

I am currently poring over the book I linked yesterday to figure out the best film to use for the shots I want to start off with. I cannot say enough good about this book. Not only is it full of information, but the author includes hundreds of pictures as well, and under each picture, lists not only the f-stop and exposure time, but the type of camera and film that he was using for the shot. VERY helpful for the beginner, let me tell you.

Another thing I am excited about, another factor that helped me finalize my decision on the Rebel is that it is a Canon, and that is the same brand as my digital. My digital camera has the ability to change out lenses, and this means that any lenses I buy for the 35mm will also fit on the digital, a huge factor for me.

As you may have noticed, I am VERY excited about this. I believe this is a hobby that I can get into, I think this is something that I could be good at. I believe this is something I will enjoy, and I cannot wait to get started!

A very very special thank you to my wonderful husband for understanding my need to find a hobby that I enjoy, and for putting up with my rambling on and on about exposure times and film types. I love you, Mike!