[Larne]

Hello...

Great forums, been a reader for a little while but since I'm trying to brush up my photography I have decided to become a poster as well and join the community.

I would consider myself an enthusiastic amateur photographer. I can't remember when I first got an SLR but it was a fully manual Practica (I still have it around somewhere). I eventually stumbled into my current long term addiction to Canon cameras with an EOS 650 which was eventually replaced with a 50E. That stayed as my main body with a series of second bodies, the most recent of which was a 300. I mainly shot transparency film using a dedicated Epson film scanner to transfer it onto the computer.

I first got into digital cameras in 2000 when I bought a Digital Ixus on a business trip. That was supplemented by a Minolta Dimage 7 a bit later on (I really wanted a D30 but couldn't afford one) and the print film cameras went into decline. I still own the 50E which is on fairly permanent loan to one of my brothers along with half my lenses, the other half of my lenses my Dad has along with one of my 300 bodies (the other is in a cupboad behind me in case I should ever need to shoot print film again - as if).

In 2006 I finally stumped up the cash and got myself a digital SLR in the form of a 400D. By this point all I had left from my previous collection was a 28-80mm kit lens from one of the 300s and a very old 50mm f/1.8 (which has recently proved to be broken) but I have thoroughly enjoyed myself taking pictures over the past eighteen months.

Due to a variety of family pressures my photography has drifted into 'happy snaps' mode for a number of years but lately I have decided to explore whether or not I might one day be able to make some money from shooting pictures. So I have laid out a bit of money on a second digital body and I am getting some new lenses and I hope to benefit from the experience of people here and in similar places.

That's about it really, the potted history. There seem to be plenty of knowledgeable people here already so I doubt I will add much in terms of valuable content but hopefully no-one will mind if I chip in with opinions. After all, we all have one!

Niall