Which Camera Should I Buy?

[Apple fanboy]

Oh dear I seem to have derailed the thread!
Okay to put some context to my conversation at work and subsequent list.
This guy I work with started photography in March. He is using a Pentax film camera from the 60's. It's never been serviced and looks like it needs one.
He has a lot to learn about composition, lighting, the exposure triangle etc.
he was talking about getting a digital camera and I was recommending a D300 which they are selling off at work real cheap. He said he needs a full frame camera as it's not worth buying anything else so was looking at a D3.
The conversation was that a non FF camera will only produce crap shots. I was trying to explain that a camera body is not the most important thing in a good photo, but
1. the photographer - who will chose a good subject in the right lighting and put a good compesition together. If one of these elements is missing he will manipulate the shot (lighting or pp) to make it right or pass up that shot.
2.Luck. This is about being in the right place at the right time. When the sunrise or sunset is beautiful (landscape) or in nature the animal or animals do something amazing.
3. Glass. No point trying to shoot low light with a cheap lens or wildlife with a 35 mm prime. Got to have the right tool for the job.
2. Body. If you have 1-3 right, it doesn't matter if you are shooting a Cannon or Nikon, D50 or D4s. You will still get a good shot. In other words he was wrong in saying the body was the most important thing.

Now can we all kiss and make up?

 

[Meister]

I was recommending a D300 which they are selling off at work real cheap. He said he needs a full frame camera as it's not worth buying anything else so was looking at a D3.

Unless you earn your living with taking pictures, buying a D3 is just loony.
A used D300 is a good recommendation

 

[Apple fanboy]

Unless you earn your living with taking pictures, buying a D3 is just loony.
A used D300 is a good recommendation

Exactly what I said! A D3 is not the sort of camera to learn with and carry around all day.

 

[960design]

Did I read trashing each others gear?

Let me throw mine out there:
Pentax K-5 II S

It literally cannot take a bad picture, even in ridiculous lighting situations. I agree completely with the earlier posts about lighting makes the shot, not the camera. With amazing lighting you could get crazy good pictures with a kids camera.

 

[Meister]

Did I read trashing each others gear?
Let me throw mine out there:
Pentax K-5 II S
It literally cannot take a bad picture, even in ridiculous lighting situations. I agree completely with the earlier posts about lighting makes the shot, not the camera. With amazing lighting you could get crazy good pictures with a kids camera.

Rockwell wrote that the d3300 cannot take a bad picture.
It is correct though that todays dslrs all take good pictures, provided the photographer does, too.

 

[compuwar]

Light, composition and subject are the responsibilty of the photographer.
I think thats what applefanboy meant.

Under that scenario, what isn't the responsibility of the photographer other than random things like luck and weather?

I'm not saying that to be argumentative- there are people here saying things like a good camera makes up for bad lighting- I don't think that's true to the extent that most seem to. While you can make a usable image out of something in post, it doesn't rescue a mediocre shot. Trust me, I've spent more on camera bodies than cars over the last 10+ years. Equipment helps in corner cases, but it's not going to capture a great image in crappy lighting conditions.

The real change in digital photography is going to come in the next evolution of software where compositional help comes to the devices- just like the "nobody blinked" stuff is helping group shots, the iteration that rates the image based on where you're pointing the device, or directs you to point the device is going to change artistic photography by a large margin.

That's when the wonky artists will shine- when everyone can paint a Constable, the Picasos will stand out.

Paul

 

[lakaiordie]

my suggestion for a camera is that if you have a friend or someone you know who is selling one, take a look and see if you like it. i'd rather buy a used camera from a friend who i know took care of it instead of spending a lot of money on a brand new camera and then find out you'd rather have something else. I have a canon t4i and a few lenses. i didn't spend too much on it since i'm still learning but its a great camera and i have no complaints. practice practice and more practice.

 

[Meister]

Under that scenario, what isn't the responsibility of the photographer other than random things like luck and weather?

Everything the camera+lens does. IQ, noise, resolution, ...
I am not arguing either. i agree with everything you wrote about light and the photographer.
Just throwing in some thoughts.

 

[Ish]

The real change in digital photography is going to come in the next evolution of software where compositional help comes to the devices- just like the "nobody blinked" stuff is helping group shots, the iteration that rates the image based on where you're pointing the device, or directs you to point the device is going to change artistic photography by a large margin.
Paul

"For those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like."

 

[mtbdudex]

Guys - the OP has not responded at all to the advice given here....

You all realize that, so why preach to each other??

All I will add is that via facebook I added strobist to my like and really like picking up techniques via what others post there...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/4996673110/

 

[soulreaver99]

If you are just getting into digital photography and want to dabble in inter-changeable lenses, having more manual control, but want something easy to use, and not spend a lot of money, I would recommend the Sony a5000 which is on sale at Best Buy for $449. You can also pick up a Canon S110 for cheap as well. Can't go wrong either way if you want to move up from camera phone photography

 

[ChrisA]

If you are just getting into digital photography and want to dabble in inter-changeable lenses, having more manual control, but want something easy to use, and not spend a lot of money,...

I've seen used Nikon D50 sell for $95 in good condition. There is not a lot of reason to buy a new DSLR unless you want to shot video with it. The previous generation of SLRs can still do professional quality work and the price is "anything you want" Starting at just about $100

 

[notrack]

Food pictures is a rather not-so-easy field. Joining a food photography workshop wouldn't be a waste of time.

Mirrorless vs. Mirror makes basically no difference regarding the image. It's just an approach to remove the mirror as a moving part inside the camera. The digital viewfinder displays the image captured by the sensor and replaces the optical viewfinder which uses the mirror to look through the lens.

For a DSLR, I'd recommend to also take a look at the Pentax K-3 and it's reviews. It has the best bang for your buck, imo. Pentax lenses are among the best glass you can get but you can also use Sigma or Tamron lenses for a lower price tag.

For relatively small sized images on the web, the iPhone camera would actually be sufficient. However, the photographer is limited to the fixed wide angle lens and tap to focus. With a dslr he will have more options like zoom, dof, flash. But that only makes sense if he utilizes it. Additionally, a larger sensor captures more light which helps to get more details in the image.

Commercial photos depend on details to show every bit of the product, e.g. jewlery etc.. Others like street photograpers or journalists don't care about every tiny hair, it's more about the story.

It all depends on what kind of results you need/want.

 

[paolo-]

For the past few weeks I've been on a quest to find the right camera. I wanted a DSLR but after searching and reading reviews I have found there's a new species of cameras that are gaining a lot of popularity "Mirrorless Cameras". It is true that DSLR are big and are not as portable, however how good are mirror less cameras? I was planning on having a DSLR for pro-good quality pictures and my iPhone as my portable camera. Others tell me they don't even use DSLR because the iPhone is more than enough.

I want a camera because I'm starting to work as a Social Media Manager and I take a lot of pictures to put content on the net. My clients are veterinaries and restaurants (dog, cat and food pictures).

So what do you suggest? Should I just stay with my iphone (4s switching to 6 when it comes out), buy a DSLR (Nikon D3200) or buy a Mirrorless Camera (NEX 6 or NX300)?

If you're taking pictures for social media under a controlled environment, any recent camera will take plenty good pictures.

As others have mentioned, having good light is much more important than the camera. It can be as simple as a big window with a sheer white curtain and a piece of white cardboard to bounce light back in. You can obviously start adding lights and modifiers as you get more comfortable.

I would personally go with a mirrorless camera. The latest models hold their own when compared to DSLR. The electronic viewfinders are great, I've found to prefer them to the optical ones lately. Most systems have enough lenses available to cover your bases. The sensors are just as good. And on top of it, most have built-in wifi and can fit easily in most bags!

I'd suggest the Sony A6000. It has a large sensor and can easily get that sought after shallow depth of field look, tons of good features and is one of the cheaper top mirrorless. Paired with the Sony 35mm f/1.8 it should be a great camera at a reasonable price.

 

[jarruemota]

My choice is almost clear!

Hi everyone! Thank you for all of your recommendations! I'm still in the search of the camera, yesterday went to BestBuy and really liked the feel of the Canon SL1. It does not have all of the features new mirrorless cameras have (such as Sony a6000) but it is a great small easy to use DSLR. Price is also a factor, I'm looking for something in the US$ 400 - 700. I loved the Sony a6000 but they don't have it in store and I don't really know where to test it.

 

[shinji]

Hi everyone! Thank you for all of your recommendations! I'm still in the search of the camera, yesterday went to BestBuy and really liked the feel of the Canon SL1. It does not have all of the features new mirrorless cameras have (such as Sony a6000) but it is a great small easy to use DSLR. Price is also a factor, I'm looking for something in the US$ 400 - 700. I loved the Sony a6000 but they don't have it in store and I don't really know where to test it.

If you like the SL1, have a look at Canon's pancake lens to go with it http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/870179-REG/Canon_40mm_f_2_8_EF_Pancake.html

 

[ggibson913]

I also looked at many cameras. In the end I went with the Sony NEX 6. It is really inexpensive on Amazon ($518) and was one of the top cameras in 2013.

My thoughts were this, I can use this and not spend too much money to get my feet wet. I won't invest in lenses too much so if I get serious about my photography, I can buy a better camera later on. This one should get me through for the next couple if years.

I also considered the a6000 but in comparison it is "a little better" which for won't make much difference. I would rather put that $200 difference to a decent prime lens.

 

[VI™]

The wife and I shot SLRs and DSLRs for years. We just sold both sets of equipment off. We have gone Micro Four Thirds. M43 is a set of standards that describes the interface between a camera body and lens. The two main vendors of camera bodies and lenses for M43 are Panasonic and Olympus.

You can get a top of the line Oly E-M1 body or a Panasonic GH4 (that shoots 4K video) for $1700 or less. Compare those prices, not to mention camera body weights and sizes) to Canon 5D3 or Nikon D800. Some folks will say a M43 is a crop sensor. It is not. This is not a smaller sensor behind a regular 35mm lens. The M43 lenses are narrower in accordance with the sensor size. With a M43 body, you can use any M43 lens. You can also use Four Thirds lenses (an older standard) with an adaptor ring.

All of M43 is designed for mirror less digital photography from the start. Check it out if you want to know the best bang for your buck.

Hi everyone! Thank you for all of your recommendations! I'm still in the search of the camera, yesterday went to BestBuy and really liked the feel of the Canon SL1. It does not have all of the features new mirrorless cameras have (such as Sony a6000) but it is a great small easy to use DSLR. Price is also a factor, I'm looking for something in the US$ 400 - 700. I loved the Sony a6000 but they don't have it in store and I don't really know where to test it.

A crop sensor is one that is considered to be smaller than a 35mm sized sensor. There are lenses that work sepcifically with aps-c sized sensors, it doesn't mean that one moment it's count as a crop sensor and the next it's not. The M43 sensors are approximately 2 times the size of a full frame sensor and will change the field of view accordingly. A 35mm lens on a M43 camera will still give you the same FOV as a full frame sensor with a 70mm lens. It's definitely an important designation if you shoot with more than one size of sensor; you can't stick the same focal length lens on both cameras and expect to get the same result. The same goes for depth of field. A large sensor will get you less DOF at a given field of view than a smaller sensor. This can be a double edges sword though as if you're shooting video, you often have to use a smaller aperture so that your DOF isn't too small and that of course requires more light. Also, you have less of a rolling shutter issue with smaller sensors because of the sensor size.

I had an OM-D EM-5 that I loved for what it did and had to sell if because of finances, but it would never be a replacement for my 5D MKII. The controls were harder to use because of having to change certain settings in software menus and the size. Moving the focus button to the rear so that the focus and shutter weren't on the same control meant that there was a tiny little button that had a really mediocre feel to it to be able to focus correctly. When it was my only camera I had with me, it was perfect. When I knew I was going to do a paid shoot or a specific shoot where I needed more control, the 5D MKII came with me along with the 30lb bag full of camera and lenses.

I do like the idea of the new mirrorless FF Sony and may end up purchasing one if lens choices become better for it.