That's exactly what I did (minus the glowsticks). Pretty cool. I don't own SLRs :(. But if I did, I would get creative with it! :tup:

you know what... I know that... but it totally slipped my mind. God, I feel pretty stupid right now:shakes head: [hangs head in shame]

My favorite camera…..Nikon FM

Primary thought about quality shots: it's all about the composition.

NO way! :looks at the screen name: ;)

I was bored and did this with a Laser pointer one night lol.

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x...ewareLaser.jpg

ha, thats cool!

You might want to try a serious noise reduction program - LightRoom 3 is pretty good and very fast at NR, I also like Topaz DeNoise, but it is slower.

Nice Z_Best, I want to try out light painting some time

Between these two lenses, just based on general ability, which would you guys recommend:

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS - $380ish

or

EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS - $230ish

Both have the IS that I like. I prefer the price of the 2nd, naturally, but the 1st is supposedly much lighter and "superior".

the 28-135 is "USM" right? (ultrasonic motor) if it is and the 55-250 isn't (i can't remember) then i'd go with the 28-135 but that's just me. USM is faaarrrrr superior to non-USM lenses

right, the 28-135 is USM, the other isnt. If i get an outlet to try the lens, i will do that, but if i cant try it first, i feel comfortable buying it as it is at least going to be better than the stock lens!

For anyone wanting to learn how to use a camera, shortcourses.com is an excellent place to start. It really helped me out when I got started. I shoot a Pentax K110 with an 18-55 lens. A couple years ago I added a Tamron 70-300 Di lens. Next camera will probably be a Nikon, but Pentax is really making some nice cameras now.

yea pentax has come a long way in just a few short years in DSLR's and while it's cool to have alternatives, canon and nikon (and to some degree, sony) are the big players and have the best lenses with the best glass as a rule of thumb.

I've been a long time Nikon user. Both Canon and Nikon make quality products, but they have different benefits. I've always felt that Nikon makes better bodies, better AF systems, and the best button layout. Their lenses are top quality but don't fill all the focal length gaps well. Canon, on the other hand, makes quality bodies but I dislike their button configuration. Also, their AF is inferior to Nikon's. However, Canon has a lens for EVERYTHING. Their lens lineup is pretty spectacular.

I'm selling one of my lenses if anyone is interested. It's the new version of the Nikon 18-200 VR II. I received it less than a year ago as a gift and rarely touch it given the other lenses in my bag (17-55/2.8, 70-200/2.8). It's a pristine lens for anyone looking for an all-purpose walk around lens. Best price I can find is B&H at $760 for the US version. Mine is also the US version and I have the warranty papers so you can get the remaining four years of coverage. Asking $640 + shipping.

6spd:

I presume you prefer the price of the first? Oh, I see - you have the prices reversed.

They are hardly comparable lenses - they really solve different problems entirely.

The 28-135mm is a walk around lens for a full frame camera. On a APS-C camera, it is a normal to telephoto lens. It is a very old design that was introduced in 1998. You can often get it cheaper on eBay because it is bundled as the kit lens for a number of APS-C cameras (40D, 50D, 7D), which it isn't really suited for, IMNVHO.

The 55-250mm is a kit lens companion intended as the first purchase after the camera +18-55 kit lens is purchased. It runs from mild telephoto to long telephoto. As a kit lens, it is very light, it is very inexpensive for its range, and made (mostly) of plastic, but its optical quality is pretty good.

Due to its age, the IS on the 28-135 isn't as effective (nominally 3 stops) as it is on the 55-250 (nominally 4 stops). In addition, the 28-135 is at f/5.6 at 85mm, where the 55-250 is there at 154mm, so it is slightly brighter as a telephoto lens.

Really, though, it depends on your general purpose. I'd say a 18-55/55-250 is a great combination setup. If you want a walk around lens, I personally prefer the 15-85, or even a superzoom lens.