Photography... camera help!

[abigalerose]

Photographers! I'm wanting to get into photography and I could use some suggestions for a "starter" camera... as in, I'd like to take better pictures than what I'm getting with my basic walmart camera, but I'm also not quite ready to spend $4,000 lol

 

[Flock Master64]

i use my iphone camera






o

 

[abigalerose]

Thanks for the reply, but not exactly what I'm looking for lol. Cute chickens though!!

 

[RowanTheRed]

I was once a professional photographer. So I'm going to ask you a few questions to see if I can help you out. These are the same questions I ask all my family and friends when they ask me about what camera to buy.

1) Do you want a point and shoot camera or a dsl (digital single lens reflex) where you can change the lenses?

2) if you want one that you change the lenses, will you be setting it to AUTO mode or will you be manually adjusting the settings?

3) how will you process the pictures you take? Will you take them straight to a print source like Wal-Mart, or an online printer like shutter fly. Or do you plan to download to a computer and doctor them up there first?

4) This is the most important one, are you going to read all of the directions that come with cameras if you are wanting a dslr or will you just wing it?

 

[theoldchick]

There are so many kinds of cameras out there that can suit your needs. You'll just have to get out there and do your research on what you want. Nikon has a few good starter cameras and so does Olympus and Canon. What I look for in a camera is how long does the battery last, the weight of the camera, and how many lenses can the camera take. A point-and-shoot camera is similar to you camera phone in that all you have to do is point and press the button. All the work is done by instrument. Many of your DSLR are now user friendly in that they have an automode which will do all the work for you. Some have preset modes for certain types of photography situations such as sunset, inside, portrait, pet,action, snow scenes and so forth. Many of these cameras also have a full manual mode that allows the photographer to do all the work. Check out some of the on-line photography courses (Alison Learning has a good informative newbie course), join a photography club, or go to a library and get a book on photography.

 

[abigalerose]

I was once a professional photographer. So I'm going to ask you a few questions to see if I can help you out. These are the same questions I ask all my family and friends when they ask me about what camera to buy.

1) Do you want a point and shoot camera or a dsl (digital single lens reflex) where you can change the lenses?

2) if you want one that you change the lenses, will you be setting it to AUTO mode or will you be manually adjusting the settings?

3) how will you process the pictures you take? Will you take them straight to a print source like Wal-Mart, or an online printer like shutter fly. Or do you plan to download to a computer and doctor them up there first?

4) This is the most important one, are you going to read all of the directions that come with cameras if you are wanting a dslr or will you just wing it?

Well I'm not sure, I've never used a DSL before, but if it takes better pictures that's what I want. I'm okay with changing lenses if I need to. I want to take outdoor pictures, animal pictures, and maybe some potraits. I'll most likely download them to a computer, but might take some to Walmart to be printed. And I'll read the directions

 

[RowanTheRed]

Well I'm not sure, I've never used a DSL before, but if it takes better pictures that's what I want. I'm okay with changing lenses if I need to. I want to take outdoor pictures, animal pictures, and maybe some potraits. I'll most likely download them to a computer, but might take some to Walmart to be printed. And I'll read the directions

If you've ever used an old film camera with interchangeable lenses, a dslr is essentially the same.

Now that I know what you want, I have to be honest. If you think the big cameras are expensive, the cost of a good lense is going to blow you away. And yes, there is a difference in lenses. It's like comparing cheap dime store reader glasses to super nice transition glasses. The quality of the glass makes a world of difference in the outcome of your photographs.

With that being said, you CAN take fantastic photos with cheaper glass as long as you know what you are doing. For example, here are a couple of photos I took with my cell phone

Knowing proper lighting and what your camera is capable of doing goes a very long way.

I would suggest trying out a dslr and a few lenses before you spend a lot of money on one. There are several reputable online camera rental companies that you can rent different kinds of cameras and any sort of lense you want. The one I used was borrowlenses.com. also when you decide on which one you want, look for a dealer model for sale. You can get it so much cheaper that way. That's how I bought my last professional camera. I got mine from Adorama.com.

And @theoldchick was right, you should invest in lessons of some sort. Even basic ones will have you starting out in the right direction.

I hope that was helpful. If you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I really like a lot of the entry level DSLRs such as the Canon Rebel. We got my mom one for Christmas and its a nice little camera. I have the next step up and I have to say the entry level is comparable in quality, but about half the price or less depending on the lenses.

Lenses are definitely going to be the big expense, but I would try to get a kit with a lens that has a pretty wide range of "zoom" to begin with. That way you ill have a nice walk around lens that you can use for lots of purposes. This will be a great for learning. Then you can add on other specialty lenses later on.

Most DSLR cameras have expanded guides that you can buy on amazon. They are special for the model camera you have and they are great. I do think that classes are great as well, especially for inspiration and learning some of the more technical aspects like shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.

 

[Kyanite]

I'm not a professional photographer, but I've made a serious hobby of it. I did a ton of research before buying my first camera and I was on a budget. I wanted DSLR, but Cannon and Nikon are expensive. I bought Sony. When Minolta went out of business, Sony bought their tech. I would not buy a Sony mirrorless camera, but the Sony SLT cameras are quite good a much cheaper price than Cannon or Nikon. I've been able to pick up used older Minolta lenses that are still excellent quality for a fraction of the cost of new that are compatible with my camera. I've upgraded my camera body once, and couldn't be happier. I thought when I got my new camera body that I'd give the old one to my daughter to learn with, but instead I ended up keeping a different lens on it and now I wander around with two cameras. Great! LOL

 

[abigalerose]

Thanks for all the advice! So if I decide on a camera, where would I buy it? Are there places on line or are there stores I can go into and buy from? I hate buying stuff online.
Like where would I find the canon rebel for instance?