Select your camera in these 3 easy steps as this is the surest path to blissful photography heaven.
1, Don't ask for a camera this Christmas. Save your money for a year, 100-200 a month, and buy it next Christmas with family contributing. A year spent researching your camera purchase is better than having the wrong camera for several years.
If you must buy a camera right now, buy a used beginner camera and one used lense. Do this after step 2 though.
2, Take a photography class or 3 at your community college. The classes are cheap and you will actually know what/why you need one camera and features over another.
3, Now you buy the camera, but beware, you buy into a camera brand's system. The top 3 for small format camera's are Sony, Nikon and Canon. For example, I have 2 $500+ speedlites, a $1500 camera body, and $1500 invested in 2 lenses. Once you have a large collection of lenses and brand specific accessories, making the switch to another brand is VERY EXPENSIVE. Select wisely.
<<Disclaimer: Photographers with 20-30 years doing this are laughing saying, "What, ONLY $4,000 in camera equipment?">>
+1 I would add that you look at the lens and compatibility,,,like Canon lens fit all the Canon's bodies,, so when you upgrade your lens are not lost...
This is sort of true. Canon went to auto focus a long time ago. Cameras that were before the EOS (Auto Focus) system are incompatible with the new system. Trust me, you will be hard pressed to run into this problem.
There is the difference between EF and EF-S lenses though. EF lenses are for full frame cameras, EF-S are for cropped sensors. You can use EF on a cropped sensor but not a EF-S lens on a a full frame. Has to do with the longer reflex mirror on a full frame camera.
My 1st suggestion would have been to take a photo course at an adult school or junior college so you could make a more informed choice, but from what I have read that may not be an option.
The 2nd suggestion would be to get a simple manual film camera like a Pentax k1000, Nikon FM-2 or Nikon F2 with a 50mm. I am not saying get a film camera because film is better than digital. I am saying a simple mechanical film camera with nothing auto is a better way to learn the basics of photography.
It will force you to think and learn about the relationship between shutter speed f/stop and ISO. It will help teach you how to pre-visualize a photograph. To think about the lighting, the type of light. The good thing about film is that it allows you to fail. You can learn more from a mistake. That it is why I recommend these old cameras the responsibility for success is completely on your shoulders.
The reason I recommend learning with a 50mm is that it is the most boring white bread boring glass in the world of photography. Simply put if you can learn to get decent images with that useless glass you will do well with real lenses.
3rd both Canon and Nikon make excellent systems. I have shot both I do own Nikon. I would suggest looking at what your photographer friends shoot. Then look buying the system that most of them shoot so you can get support from them in knowledge and even maybe borrow their gear before buying so you get a feel for it.
although I'm a little concerned that when you lost a charger, you just threw the whole system in the x-file. A lack of care and ditching a Digital over a $10.00 part is not a good way to start. Everyone here will tell you, even cheap P&S can take great pictures.... it's the Photographer that is the key.
I love my little Canon A540 ($400.00 New) It's like new for 5 years old, and takes great pictures & neat Vid!...but I didn't just throw it away when I lost the memory card
DarcieK wrote: I just want to do it as a hobby, not as a profession.
Refurbish is a way to get a good camera with a warranty for a low price. You may not buy a camera soon but the Canon T2i with a kit lens is selling for $489.00 at Adorama.
although I'm a little concerned that when you lost a charger, you just threw the whole system in the x-file. A lack of care and ditching a Digital over a $10.00 part is not a good way to start. Everyone here will tell you, even cheap P&S can take great pictures.... it's the Photographer that is the key.
I love my little Canon A540 ($400.00 New) It's like new for 5 years old, and takes great pictures & neat Vid!...but I didn't just throw it away when I lost the memory card
I'm going to get a new charger for that camera when I get around to it. It's a great little point and shoot, but I want to get a better one for great photos not just stuff for the bar nights, etc.
Chances are that members will upgrade equipment with some degree of regularity and will be looking to sell the older gear, so there may be good buys available.
Also check Henry's and Vistek websites - they sometimes have good used deals (although not much there at the moment).
Virtual Studio wrote: I use micro 4/3 stuff a lot. It's a damn good system for not so much $$.
Read this article
Don't Buy A DSLR
Just getting into photography? Great! When you're looking for a camera, keep on walking past those DSLRs--as of now, their moment is over.
http://www.popsci.com/gadgets/article/2 … t-buy-dslr
I would get a clearance Canon or Nikon DSLR for under $500 (maybe much less) and then their 50mm 1.8 lens at about $125. Love the 50mm, an inexpensive great lens.
Laura UnBound wrote: Go to Best Buy or get together with photographer friends and just try holding the different models (sony, cannon, nikon, olympus, fuji, whatever else)
On a very basic level, you can make them all do what you want once you learn them. Knowing very little about "oooh but cannons can do 1/10th of a better thingamajig than the others, its so superior!" nonsense, go with something that feels right in your hands. I was given Nikons and Sonys. I strongly prefer the nikon body to the sony body, and over any other cannon body as well. I think the button positioning on Nikons are far more intuitive to how *I* want to do things, I spent very little time learning where shit was and fumbling around looking for the right menu. I could certainly make myself learn a sony or a cannon, but they dont feel right to me. Nikon makes it just one step easier for me.
Also, a lot of my friends shoot nikon, so I can borrow things (lenses, battery chargers, etc) and see if I like them before I run out and buy them for myself. If I have technical "how the fuck do I find that setting?" questions, I have people to ask. So, what the majority of people youre close with shoot can also be helpful.
Drew Smith Photography wrote: My advice is (opinions will vary):
1. Buy 2nd hand so that you can save money and not feel guilty should you decide photography is not for you. Plus you can get some really nice deals 2nd hand for much higher specification cameras than buying new.
Hope this helps.
I disagree with this. Here's why: When I bought my first DSLR, someone else I know bought one, too. I bought mine new and from a store. I knew there were price savings to be had buying used but I had no idea what to look for in a used camera to decide if it was a good deal or not.
The other person opted to buy used off eBay. Their logic was "if I don't like it, I can resell it and not lose that much". It makes sense on some levels but makes no sense on others. This is why I say that:
I made up my mind that I wanted to be a photographer and I was going to stick with it whether I liked it or not because it was/is too expensive to be wishy washy. Make up your mind and go with it ... whatever it is.
This person who bought used saved a few hundred dollars by buying a used camera. Problem 1: it didn't come with a lens (had to buy that separate). Problem 2: since it was a pro model, it didn't come with a built in flash unit (had to buy that separate or shoot all pictures outdoors in the daylight hours). Problem 3: the camera came with 4 batteries but was old technology. In the winter, with all 4 batteries fully charged, the camera was good for 39 shots and all 4 batteries were stone dead. New batteries were/are super hard to find and really expensive (their words).
Problem 4: the sensor was dirty ... really dirty ... necessitating an immediate cleaning that they'd either have to learn how to do or pay someone else to do it (more money or time invested). Problem 5: the camera was old and heavy (really heavy). The pictures it shot were barely better than those taken with a new android phone.
The list goes on and on. That said, his camera still had advantages over mine. It had a far better build quality and would lock focus long before mine would (and it was much more accurate). After 6 or 8 months of torture with that tank, they sold it on eBay and bought a newer camera (that had other issues ... like the speed light used with the old camera wouldn't work with the new one so they sold the speed light with the old camera but had to buy a new one).
In other words ... save yourself a lot of head and heart aches and just buy a new(er) camera.
Howick Image Studio wrote: OP is in Canada - buying / importing from a U.S. source will add a considerable amount to the price for taxes, duty, and brokerage.
Darcie - check for local photographer groups / clubs. Here is one:
Chances are that members will upgrade equipment with some degree of regularity and will be looking to sell the older gear, so there may be good buys available.
Also check Henry's and Vistek websites - they sometimes have good used deals (although not much there at the moment).
Actually B&H only ad local (ie the canadian state) taxes and a nominal (like $20) customs clearance fee. They're usually much cheaper to buy from than a local bricks and mortar store = or even Henry's - who I find horribly overpriced by comparison. I used them all the time when I was in Toronto.
I disagree with this. Here's why: When I bought my first DSLR, someone else I know bought one, too. I bought mine new and from a store. I knew there were price savings to be had buying used but I had no idea what to look for in a used camera to decide if it was a good deal or not.
The other person opted to buy used off eBay. Their logic was "if I don't like it, I can resell it and not lose that much". It makes sense on some levels but makes no sense on others. This is why I say that:
I made up my mind that I wanted to be a photographer and I was going to stick with it whether I liked it or not because it was/is too expensive to be wishy washy. Make up your mind and go with it ... whatever it is.
This person who bought used saved a few hundred dollars by buying a used camera. Problem 1: it didn't come with a lens (had to buy that separate). Problem 2: since it was a pro model, it didn't come with a built in flash unit (had to buy that separate or shoot all pictures outdoors in the daylight hours). Problem 3: the camera came with 4 batteries but was old technology. In the winter, with all 4 batteries fully charged, the camera was good for 39 shots and all 4 batteries were stone dead. New batteries were/are super hard to find and really expensive (their words).
Problem 4: the sensor was dirty ... really dirty ... necessitating an immediate cleaning that they'd either have to learn how to do or pay someone else to do it (more money or time invested). Problem 5: the camera was old and heavy (really heavy). The pictures it shot were barely better than those taken with a new android phone.
The list goes on and on. That said, his camera still had advantages over mine. It had a far better build quality and would lock focus long before mine would (and it was much more accurate). After 6 or 8 months of torture with that tank, they sold it on eBay and bought a newer camera (that had other issues ... like the speed light used with the old camera wouldn't work with the new one so they sold the speed light with the old camera but had to buy a new one).
In other words ... save yourself a lot of head and heart aches and just buy a new(er) camera.
um, the cons of buying used that you list have nothing to do with buying used and everything to do with your friend not knowing what the hell they're doing. i bought my latest dslr used and didn't have a single one of the problems you listed.
DarcieK wrote: And I am going to put a new camera on my Christmas list. Not just a little digital camera like I already have and haven't used in forever because I lost the charger for it
But, a good starter camera for photography?
What are some good things to know about getting your first "professional" type camera?
Why would you want to do such a strange thing? Anyhow photography is still not all that cheap. Sure we don't have film costs and darkroom equipment but it was just replaced by more expensive bodies and software. All that has gotten cheaper is bad photography, mistakes don't cost as much and people can "spray and pray" for good shots. In the end however its still just as expensive to be good as it ever was...
Why would you want to do such a strange thing? Anyhow photography is still not all that cheap. Sure we don't have film costs and darkroom equipment but it was just replaced by more expensive bodies and software. All that has gotten cheaper is bad photography, mistakes don't cost as much and people can "spray and pray" for good shots. In the end however its still just as expensive to be good as it ever was...
New Body - $500
Photography clases - $1,500
Boundless cynicism - worthless
Laura UnBound
Posts: 24,724
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Lovely Day Media wrote:
I disagree with this. Here's why: When I bought my first DSLR, someone else I know bought one, too. I bought mine new and from a store. I knew there were price savings to be had buying used but I had no idea what to look for in a used camera to decide if it was a good deal or not.
The other person opted to buy used off eBay. Their logic was "if I don't like it, I can resell it and not lose that much". It makes sense on some levels but makes no sense on others. This is why I say that:
I made up my mind that I wanted to be a photographer and I was going to stick with it whether I liked it or not because it was/is too expensive to be wishy washy. Make up your mind and go with it ... whatever it is.
This person who bought used saved a few hundred dollars by buying a used camera. Problem 1: it didn't come with a lens (had to buy that separate). Problem 2: since it was a pro model, it didn't come with a built in flash unit (had to buy that separate or shoot all pictures outdoors in the daylight hours). Problem 3: the camera came with 4 batteries but was old technology. In the winter, with all 4 batteries fully charged, the camera was good for 39 shots and all 4 batteries were stone dead. New batteries were/are super hard to find and really expensive (their words).
Problem 4: the sensor was dirty ... really dirty ... necessitating an immediate cleaning that they'd either have to learn how to do or pay someone else to do it (more money or time invested). Problem 5: the camera was old and heavy (really heavy). The pictures it shot were barely better than those taken with a new android phone.
The list goes on and on. That said, his camera still had advantages over mine. It had a far better build quality and would lock focus long before mine would (and it was much more accurate). After 6 or 8 months of torture with that tank, they sold it on eBay and bought a newer camera (that had other issues ... like the speed light used with the old camera wouldn't work with the new one so they sold the speed light with the old camera but had to buy a new one).
In other words ... save yourself a lot of head and heart aches and just buy a new(er) camera.
2: no. It's entirely possible to take all sorts of pictures indoors in different lighting including in the dark if you know what you're doing, it's not a matter of "bright sunny day or I need a flash". I've never once used the flash on my camera. I actually prefer dimly lit indoor shoots, my pictures come out just fine.
3: I bought a new battery and a charger for said battery at best buy for 50 bucks. Said charger will work for my battery and every other battery Nikon has ever used, so it will work across two different camera bodies I have.
DarcieK wrote: And I am going to put a new camera on my Christmas list. Not just a little digital camera like I already have and haven't used in forever because I lost the charger for it
But, a good starter camera for photography?
What are some good things to know about getting your first "professional" type camera?
My suggestion! Learn photography, and then you will make a better judgement on what camera to buy (study the business of photography)
Michael Broughton wrote: um, the cons of buying used that you list have nothing to do with buying used and everything to do with your friend not knowing what the hell they're doing. i bought my latest dslr used and didn't have a single one of the problems you listed.
I agree with you here. I didn't say I think it's a terrible idea to buy a used camera. I said I think it's not a good idea to buy your *FIRST* DSLR used, otherwise one may run into the situation this person did.
Those who know what they're doing can avoid these situations because they know what they're looking for. Those who have never owned a DSLR probably don't.
Laura UnBound wrote: 2: no. It's entirely possible to take all sorts of pictures indoors in different lighting including in the dark if you know what you're doing, it's not a matter of "bright sunny day or I need a flash". I've never once used the flash on my camera. I actually prefer dimly lit indoor shoots, my pictures come out just fine.
3: I bought a new battery and a charger for said battery at best buy for 50 bucks. Said charger will work for my battery and every other battery Nikon has ever used, so it will work across two different camera bodies I have.
I agree that it's possible to take pictures indoors with no flash depending on what you're doing or looking for ... but this requires some knowledge this person didn't have as it was their *FIRST* DSLR.
As for the battery/charger ... the camera came with 4 batteries and a charger. If it matters, the camera is/was a D1X. The charger worked as did all the batteries. According to them, all 4 batteries (fully charged) were good for 39 pictures outside in the winter. It wasn't about how much batteries cost or where to find them as much as it was old technology batteries (NiMh vs LiOH) and how inefficiently the camera used the battery power.
For instance, 39 pictures for him vs me at my first real wedding job ... 750 pictures (using the built in flash for most of them) and about 20 minutes of HD video on a single battery charge. It's not that my camera is *so* much better ... but in terms of efficiency, it's far superior. Most newer cameras are.
I agree with you here. I didn't say I think it's a terrible idea to buy a used camera. I said I think it's not a good idea to buy your *FIRST* DSLR used, otherwise one may run into the situation this person did.
Those who know what they're doing can avoid these situations because they know what they're looking for. Those who have never owned a DSLR probably don't.
i also bought my *FIRST* dslr used. your friend could have just as easily run into a bunch of problems buying new, because he didn't bother to educate himself before buying a camera. new vs used had nothing to do with it.
Laura UnBound
Posts: 24,724
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Lovely Day Media wrote:
I agree that it's possible to take pictures indoors with no flash depending on what you're doing or looking for ... but this requires some knowledge this person didn't have as it was their *FIRST* DSLR.
As for the battery/charger ... the camera came with 4 batteries and a charger. If it matters, the camera is/was a D1X. The charger worked as did all the batteries. According to them, all 4 batteries (fully charged) were good for 39 pictures outside in the winter. It wasn't about how much batteries cost or where to find them as much as it was old technology batteries (NiMh vs LiOH) and how inefficiently the camera used the battery power.
For instance, 39 pictures for him vs me at my first real wedding job ... 750 pictures (using the built in flash for most of them) and about 20 minutes of HD video on a single battery charge. It's not that my camera is *so* much better ... but in terms of efficiency, it's far superior. Most newer cameras are.
Not having any knowledge of how to work a camera or photography basics is not fixed by simply buying a new camera with a flash built into it. That just makes it easier to take a bad picture.
Lovely Day Media wrote: I agree with you here. I didn't say I think it's a terrible idea to buy a used camera. I said I think it's not a good idea to buy your *FIRST* DSLR used, otherwise one may run into the situation this person did.
Those who know what they're doing can avoid these situations because they know what they're looking for. Those who have never owned a DSLR probably don't.
Michael Broughton wrote: i also bought my *FIRST* dslr used. your friend could have just as easily run into a bunch of problems buying new, because he didn't bother to educate himself before buying a camera. new vs used had nothing to do with it.
It's true that a person can have a bunch of problems with a new camera. The difference is that a new camera almost always has a warranty that a manufacturer will honor. Also, I did say that I don't think buying a used first DSLR is a good idea. I didn't say one will *always* fall into a snare.
Laura UnBound wrote: Not having any knowledge of how to work a camera or photography basics is not fixed by simply buying a new camera with a flash built into it. That just makes it easier to take a bad picture.
I don't know how you came to that conclusion ... that buying a new camera with a built in flash makes it easier to take a bad picture ... but if that's what you believe, go for it.
Looknsee Photography wrote: My thoughts: (Note: I am often considered a contrary thinker).
... There are two ways to look at the quality of a photograph: the technical and the aesthetic. Of these two, the aesthetic is more important (because I'd rather look at an interesting photo with average technical controls than a technically perfect but boring photograph). As you learn photography, you need to make strides in both these dimensions -- in short, your technical abilities needs to keep pace with your vision.
... No camera will be of use to you if you leave it behind. Choose a camera that you will carry with you often, because you never know when an opportunity will strike. Your camera simply has to be versatile enough to allow you to experiment.
... Lots of photographers here love their cameras & like to boast about having the latest & greatest technology. But cameras only record light; photographers make great photographs.
... Because there are so many photographers who have to have the latest & greatest, there are a lot of very fine used cameras available at great prices. Even the big camera stores have used equipment for sale, and the advantage there is that the camera stores have warranties. If you get a used camera, make sure it comes with all the stuff that came in the box, especially the software.
... Depending on your style, it might be a good idea to go modest on the camera and save some budget for flashes, lights, alternative lenses, photo editing software, what-have-you.
... I would advocate that you stick with the big name camera companies, because they have excellent products, and they offer better support, including good information & downloads from their web sites.
... As a newbie photographer, I'd suggest that you make lots & lots of exposures, that you experiment a lot. Don't be afraid of failure, because your mistakes are more educational than your successes.
... Get thee thy own web site, and post pictures there often. It's great to get your images seen, and posting pictures from a set of images is a good way of finishing one set before starting the next one. Also, selecting just a few images from a set is a good excuse for you to look, really look, at your images & think about what you are going to do differently/better next time.
Good luck. Break a leg.
+10
On another note I would no go used...
Often misused cameras and faulty lenses you won't be able to tell right off the bat and technology changing so fast that you will get something decent brand new most of times.
A photographer shooting high end cameras will have them go through their life expectency in a quite short period of time.
Good learning of software, reading and practice will bring into the next generation in a year or so.
Laura UnBound
Posts: 24,724
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Lovely Day Media wrote: I don't know how you came to that conclusion ... that buying a new camera with a built in flash makes it easier to take a bad picture ... but if that's what you believe, go for it.
Please dont ignore my first sentence you quoted. Thats the really important one of the two.
When youre working with the mentality of "I need a flash or I cant take a picture" rather than "I dont have a flash so I should learn how to take the picture without one"...yes youre just enabling yourself to take bad pictures by buying gadgets you dont understand or necessarily need and probably utilizing them improperly.
It would have done him better to buy a manual for his camera and read it, than it would have to buy a flash or a new camera.
Laura UnBound wrote: Please dont ignore my first sentence you quoted. Thats the really important one of the two.
When youre working with the mentality of "I need a flash or I cant take a picture" rather than "I dont have a flash so I should learn how to take the picture without one"...yes youre just enabling yourself to take bad pictures by buying gadgets you dont understand or necessarily need and probably utilizing them improperly.
It would have done him better to buy a manual for his camera and read it, than it would have to buy a flash or a new camera.
Let me rephrase, then. I'm of the opinion that one doesn't really know how to take pictures until they use an SLR (D, in this case). If one has never owned an SLR before, one has to start somewhere. There is a learning curve, too. I don't know anyone who bought/acquired their first SLR and immediately started taking award winning photos. Even if they did, they probably couldn't duplicate it if their life depended on it.
Most people know that conditions that are too dark "requires" a flash unit ... at least until they find out that it can be done with a fast lens, tripod (or some other support system) and subjects that aren't moving very fast (if at all). For those not that advanced (ie new DSLR owners) and those who don't have thousands of dollars to drop on fast lenses ... and even those who are that advanced and have enough money to buy the "required" equipment, a flash unit is still a cheaper way to get it done.
I realize that not all venues will allow a flash unit to be used but that's not the point here.
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