Photography - DSLR..... advice on cameras & everything DSLR for a newbie please!

Forums › Digital Imaging › Photography - DSLR..... advice on cameras & everything DSLR for a newbie please!

pinkbellbird

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#119407 30-May-2013 22:16

Hey all

I am planning to enrol in a DSLR course & want advice on a few things.

I dont have a DSLR camera - yet.

I know that Nikon & Canon are the 2 go-to brands....

Ive never done any photography with a DSLR camera, so i will learning as I go. Im wanting to make a rock solid investment on something quality. I DONT want an entry level camera, Im hoping to get something that's more advanced than what i need - so it will last me a long time & i can grow & learn with the camera.

If anyone can recommend certain brands / models etc & basically ANY info that would be helpful for a newbie.

Ive always loved photography & been quite good with getting creative shots with my Fuji Finepix 14mp camera & the camera on my phone (8mp), but I want to go big.... as in get right into photography. The idea of doing something like this as a career would be pretty amazing to me, hence I want a good camera that i can grow into & will last me well.

Im looking at the idea of a kit that has camera & a couple lenses etc. & yes I know the costs involved in this kinda thing. That excluded - please impart your wisdom on me!

thanks in advance!

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#828517 30-May-2013 22:28

When you say you don't want basic then your budget is probably $1500 to $15000, so what sort of budget are we talking.

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Snowflake

#828537 31-May-2013 01:08

get an entry level camera! because if you're like anyone i know then you'll probably end up just wanting to ditch whatever you buy now (any sub $5000 camera) and upgrade to a $5000 body and $2000 lenses.....

throwing away (or selling on trademe) a $900 twin lens canon or nikon is probably going to be less costly that doing the same with a $2500 setup.

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jarledb

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#828539 31-May-2013 01:15

You can get really great cameras for cheap if you are willing to go with the second latest (or older) camera house.

What you will discover as you learn more about photography is that its not the camera house that is the most important bit, its good lenses. (well, in honesty - its about knowing how to use your equipment and knowing how to frame the photos, but thought we would keep it at the gear now)

The lenses don't depreciate a lot, but the camera houses do - and you can get really good value if you choose to not buy the newest camera house.

Since this is not for work, I would suggest looking at the semi-pro cameras. I know Canon best and there you have Canon 7D (Not full frame, which means you can get cheaper lenses for it, but that you wont't easily get wide angle lenses, because the camera crops the pictures).

For a simular good valued full frame camera, look at the Canon 6D, Canon 5D or Canon 5D mark II.

A good resource to read about good lenses and cameras are http://www.dpreview.com/

I would use more money on light sensitive and good quality lenses than on the camera house, with what I know now. If you don't want any "restrictions", go with 6D or one of the 5D cameras.

You can read about the 6D here: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canon-eos-6d

Start out with a telezoom, something like this one: http://www.dpreview.com/products/canon/lenses/canon_24-70_2p8 - for a fixed lens, look at the 50mm lenses which are usually the most cost effective and you can get a really good quality lense for not that much. Like this one: http://www.dpreview.com/products/canon/lenses/canon_50_1p4

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timmmay

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#828550 31-May-2013 06:46

I used Canon for years, professionally, then switched to Nikon because of two major reasons:
- Canon focus system was awful back then (it's better now, on the pro bodies, not sure about the lower end bodies) - but I am very fussy about how my cameras work
- Canon cameras needed repairing all the time (my Nikons don't).

Canon are easier to learn and use, but Nikon are fine once you get used to them.

Given what you've said, get a Nikon D600, or a used D700, still an awesome camera but lower megapixels and no video - I still use D700s professionally. For lenses a Nikon 24-70 F2.8 is awesome - but from memory between $2000 and $3000. Alternately get the 50 F1.8G or F1.4G instead of the zoom, if you want to spend less that way. There are also crop body cameras that are cheaper, I think they're D7000 and D5000, good cameras but a smaller sensor. You can add more lenses later, 24-70 type range is fine for most things, but I use a 16-35 a lot professionally and for travel, and the 70-200. Each of those lenses is $2-$3K other than the 50 F1.8 which is a few hundred and works quite well.

You really need to define your budget before you can get useful help.

alasta

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#829054 31-May-2013 21:43

Your questions are very general, so you're likely to get a whole spectrum of opinions here.

I'd suggest spending a bit of time on www.dpreview.com and using the information there to decide what appeals to you. These days the mainstream Japanese manufacturers aren't really making any 'bad' cameras, but there are bound to be products that appeal to you more than others.

da5id

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#829844 2-Jun-2013 23:36

My newbie perspective...

I bought an entry-level DSLR camera last Christmas - actually, probably the cheapest you can get, a Canon 1100D (or T3 as they are known overseas). I can't give a comparison between that and higher priced full body cameras (the 1100D is a 'crop sensor'), but what I will say is that the picture and the enjoyment that you get from moving to a DSLR is great. For years I only had the compact-camera style of camera and while I took the odd snap here and there I just wasn't interested in photography as a whole.

Buying a DSLR (and yes, even my entry-level camera) greatly changed that. It brings a whole 'nother level of enjoyment and appreciation.

I think (and I've heard others say) that a lot of it comes down to the lenses. If it is a choice between buying an expensive camera body, or between buying a cheaper body and better lenses (or 'glass' as they say), then it's probably better to buy a cheaper body and spend the money on better lenses.

Again, this is only a beginners point of view, so do take it as such :)
Timmmmay and others have been at this for years.

Zippity

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#829845 2-Jun-2013 23:48

Keep your eyes open for a "Fire Sale" at HN in Porirua. http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/porirua/8747460/Big-Porirua-retailer-ravaged-by-fire

You might get a good deal from them, but then again, their prices do tend to be on the high end of the scale at the best of times.

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#829886 3-Jun-2013 01:39

Do u want to spend $2500 get a body with apc-s sensor (smaller, less detail, can't blow up photo to fit a wall) with a decent lens

Or

$5000 apc-s body with one pro lens (super sharp picture for one kind of setting either zoom or wide or middle of range)

Or

$10,000 for full frame body with two pro lens

Or

$30,000 for pro bpdy and 2 pro lens?

marmel

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#829914 3-Jun-2013 07:58

I'm in the market for a DSLR as well.

I am probably leaning towards a Sony NEX-6. Not a SLR as such but still has the same sized sensor, 10fps shooting, decent low light capability and the benefit of fitting in a coat pocket with the 16-50mm kit lens.

Sony has made huge leaps in the last two years and have introduced some innovative tech into the camera market such as the SLT series of cameras, they have also been reviewed very well by dpreview.com.

Even Kurt Munger who could be classed as a "canikon" type of guy has admitted he likes the Sony A99 full frame SLT camera although this may be out of your price range.

If I were you I would look around and read as many reviews as you can, most "photographers" will only talk about Canon and Nikon but there is a whole lot more to the camera market these days and plenty of choice.

A Sony SLT-57 can be had for a very good price these days and is going to provide image quality at least as good as more expensive "canikon" alternatives. You also have the benefit of in body stabilization and the huge Minolta range of lens to use.

I have owned Canon and Sony DSLR's and both had their benefits. Head down to your local mall and try some out, sometimes how it fits in the hand may help you decide.

Lastly, as has been mentioned above, the camera bodies tend to come and go but the glass (lens) tend to be the long term investment. You can pick up a very good camera body for under $1000 whilst a decent fast zoom can cost several times that so without wanting to overload you with info checking out the price of lenses is a must as well.

macuser

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#829941 3-Jun-2013 09:20

If I was buying my first aps-c camera, I would probably go for a NEX-7, which I own now...I use it more and more over my Canon DSLR - even for client work because the sensor is so much better - the amount of dynamic range the camera has is super nice - and the camera is TINY. The biggest positive of owning a Canon is that everyone else owns a Canon camera so plenty of gear to borrow from other people.

A beginner will also find the OLED viewfinder super helpful as it shows live view in the camera viewfinder...so you see the entire time what the photo will look like if you hit the shutter button - I love it for shooting B&W since I get a great feel for everything. You can see the NEX-7 used in this B&W album http://jamesstringer.co.nz/dowling-street/ these are all straight off the camera JPEG, something I wouldn't dream of doing on my Canon.

Nancyjj

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#833208 9-Jun-2013 20:11

Hi, I agree with the others that suggest good glass will last .Expensive, buy once and you have the best. I have a Canon 550D, with the 18-55 mm and 55-250mm, and a macro by redemption.I chose this after holding several bodies, and as I have small hands this fitted the best, When you are ready to buy, hold many, up to your eye, with a longer lens fitted, see how they feel? Will you go to a photography school? Very expensive. or SIT distance learning Diploma in Digital Photography, course fees only. all done online.
Hope you can decide soon, with all the help here. Cheers, Nancyjj

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#833221 9-Jun-2013 20:58

Sony NEX-5R/6 are pretty good mirroless to start with, NEX-7 be high-end mirrorless.

I went with SLT-A55V about 2.5 years ago and it's is great. I would get NEX-5R (or even 6) to compliment my SLT-A55V, the bonus is the batteries (W) are same across. And just recently I got Sony Action Cam HDR-AS15 for our action videos.

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Jonski

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#836320 13-Jun-2013 13:51

I agree with a lot of what has been said above. To add a couple of observations, make sure your camera can shoot RAW. This will allow you to do much, much more with the final image.

Secondly, consider your post-processing options. Most people will use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. I bought LR and PS Elements and find that 99% of what I want to do in post is achieved easily in LR, but I still need PS for the occasional edit.

You will find that for an hour's photoshoot, you'll spend twice that or more in post, getting your image just-so.

Lenses are the single most important component of your purchase. Get good ones (do your research) and just get a few to start- for example a couple of zooms that cover (say) 28 - 200mm all up. Then get a 50mm prime. Then consider a macro lens, a wide-angle, a long tele at later stages as you find out what kind of photos you like to take. The lower f-stop they provide the better. Consider sharpness, chromatic aberration, vignetting, image stabilisation and price all as factors in your decision.

You can get a crop-sensor body as your initial purchase, but consider that you will later want to upgrade it and will probably buy a full-sensor replacement. Therefore make sure your lenses all handle the full sensor size, with the possible exception of the super-wide-angle lens.

You also need to consider accessories in your budget. You'll need an external flash, preferably one that can be used off-camera, cable release, polarising filters, a bag or two (with room to grow), a tripod is nice-to-have, and you need a few memory cards of sufficient speed, quality and capacity.

Did I say a couple of observations? Sorry, my mistake! Anyway, hope this helps.

PS: Don't do a DSLR course just yet. Get the camera and then go online. There are many websites, FB pages, blogs and journals that will give you the basics and more (eg digital-photography-school.com), and there is so much to learn (you never really stop) that you should spend the first few months just getting familiar with the buttons and menus to start with.

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timmmay

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#836323 13-Jun-2013 13:56

Not everyone needs full frame - I know one excellent wedding photographer who has 5D3's and D4's but shoots crop body 40D at weddings. If you buy crop body lenses they can usually be sold without losing much money. So no need to buy full frame lenses unless you really think you're going full frame later IMHO.

Jonski

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#836332 13-Jun-2013 14:11

I forgot to say- when choosing a camera body, don't just consider the pixel count. Smaller sensors with higher pixel densities tend to be noisier. In other words, an 18MP APS-C will be of lower quality than an 18MP full-frame sensor for a given generation of sensors.

Also, you may not need high burst frame rates. If you're not photographing fast action (sports, kids, birds) then it may be of lesser importance.

Carefully look at like-for-like camera reviews where they take the same shot at a range of ISOs on different camera bodies. Look at the 100% scale images and see what noise limits you find acceptable.

As Timmmay says, you don't need to go full-frame to get a very good photography experience. But glass will last 20 years or more if treated nicely, and knowing what you'll be doing with your photography in even five years is very hard to guess.

Another point to consider is whether you want a fold-out screen. For example, I have a Canon 60D, and although most of my shots I look through the lens, there are times when flicking out the screen is invaluable. Taking shots from ground level, over your head in a crowd, or astrophotography (looking straight up while on a tripod) are all times that a fold-out screen is a real advantage.

[Edit: Timmmmmmay's name!)

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