Question about camera. (novice)

[waloshin]

I'm going to try and persude you away from the Canon in this forum.

I would say check out these used.

Nikon d40
Nikon d40x
Nikon d50
Nikon d80

 

[jdavtz]

A used f/2.8 zoom by Sigma or Tamron (zoom range 17/18mm to 50/55mm) would be better for learning and general photography than the "kit" 18-55 lens, as the kit lens's slow (f/3.5-5.6) aperture limits your ability to blur out backgrounds, and you'll need to crank up the ISO (sensor sensitivity) when you're in poor light - possibly even more than on a compact camera with a f/2-2.8 zoom (granted, only the top-end compacts have this) (and the DSLR image quality at e.g. ISO 800 will probably be better than the a compact camera at ISO 200). One of these f/2.8 lenses might cost a bit more, but second-hand hopefully will be affordable.

Even better for learning, but definitely more restrictive, would be a prime lens such as the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 or the Canon 28mm f/1.8 - or something similar. That way you can play with wider apertures -- at the expense of having no zoom capability. Image quality will be better.

I wouldn't spend money on a mediocre telephoto (55-200 etc.) lens at this stage. Get used to the gear and see if it's what you want. You might decide 17-50 is all the range your photography needs. You might decide you actually want much wider-angle shots. You might decide you really want to do some macro shots.

 

[funkboy]

Regardless of the SLR camera platform you choose, you definitely want to pick up the vendor's 50mm f/1.8 lens. They cost about €100, are small & light, and give you maximum control over depth of field. If you choose a system that has a 35mm f/1.8 option (<apology in advance>HELLO CANON PLEASE WAKE UP</apology>) then that may be a better option as a first lens (though a bit more expensive).

The slow kit lens that comes with most entry-level DSLRs is usually of poor quality (the stabilized Canon model is probably the best one in terms of optics), but will be useful until you have a better idea of the kind of photography you're interested in.

BTW, by "slow" I mean "doesn't let in very much light"; such a lens requires slower shutter speeds as a result. There are a series of tutorials over at the Luminous Landscape that explain how all this stuff works.

 

[OreoCookie]

After reading all these threads, I'm being swayed to get a DSLR. I found a Canon 20D for $200 -- body only. Is that a good price?

Oh yes, it is. It is a very solid body that is very capable. If you are looking for used Nikons, I recommend you have a look at the D70(s): it has very, very good metering.

I'm now concerned about lenses, they seem to be pretty expensive.

Regarding lenses, I think it's ok if you start with a kit lens and add a 50 mm lens. Both should be less than or around $100. If you want to spend just a bit more, get a Tamron 17-50 mm f/2.8: it's optically very good and mechanically still better than entry-level lenses.

You claim lenses are expensive: just think about the lens budget in a P&S -- even a decent one! They use lenses the size of cent pieces while it's not unusual that lenses for dslrs are the size of smaller saucers (think espresso cups)

 

[Jas123]

Hey everyone, thanks for the advice thus far. I went ahead and bought me a used canon 20D.

I do have a few more questions that I hoped could get answered:
1. Where do you buy your camera lenses?

2. member "HBOC" mentioned that I could pick up a used Canon EF 28- 105mm MKII for around $150. However, when I searched Amazon, I am seeing much more expensive prices. So I guess this ties in with my first question, is HBOC mistaken? or do I just not know where/how to look for lenses.

3. Could you recommend me a good/decent inexpensive lens for landscape photography.

Thanks again guys; I found this thread to be very helpful in my decision.

 

[JoshBoy]

First of all, forget about Photoshop, it won't help you take better pictures. Good pictures need to be taken with your camera, they can't be made on a computer. (Even if you want to edit your photos on the computer, I would recommend you having a look at Aperture or Lightroom which will be a lot more useful to you than Photoshop.)

Regarding cameras, if you really want to learn the ropes of photography, forego any point and shoot. Get an old slr/dslr with a simple 50 mm/35 mm lens or kit lens. Only use the modes A, S, M (Nikon) or Tv, Av, M (Canon), i. e. avoid all automatic modes and picture modes. Experiment (= take a lot of photos). Even very old dslrs/slrs will do the job.

Once you know the mechanics of the camera, my advice is to `focus on the essentials,' i. e. think about what made you pull the trigger for that particular photo.

"DITTO" - 98% camera 2% photoshop, of that shot 90% is all about light the rest is composition