Transformer Rebel in Disguise

When my wife surprised me with my Canon Rebel XT DSLR she thought she was buying me a camera. What she didn't realize was that it wasn't just a camera but a Camera System. It has taken me several years and I am far from complete but my little Canon is starting to grow into its own.



One of the first things I wanted to do was get a quality lens to complement my Kit Lens. The Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro fitted my budget and my need for quality.



Next on my list was something other than my on camera flash. The Canon 430EX Flash fit the bill nicely.



The Canon 100mm lens front element is very close the the surface, I have been worried about the lens getting damaged every since I got it. I finally broke down and bought the overpriced $36 lens hood.



I take a lot of vertical shots and knew that the Canon Battery Grip would help with that greatly. When the price finally dropped within budget I snapped one up. As a bonus it came with two batteries.



My last purchase is more about vanity than protection. My Rebel was the silver model, not black. As I've progressed in my photography I've become somewhat self conscious of my less than pro-looking camera. I know it really shouldn't matter but it does. To my surprise there is a company that makes body armor for my camera and it comes in black.



Just a quick critique:

Canon Rebel XT 350D for an entry level camera you can't beat the price or the quality. My only big complaint is the small LCD screen

Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro Lens - AWESOME (Lens Hood WAY OVERPRICED)

Canon 430EX flash - No camera should be without one.

Canon Battery Grip - Ditto

Camera Armor - Better than I expected, but I was disappointed that I could not easily open the memory card compartment after installation. The good news is it goes on and comes off fairly easy. It also came with a rubberized lens hood that I did not use.