I'm thinking of taking up photography for fun and am searching for a camera, can you give me some tips for what type of camera to use or where to find professional advice on shopping for one? And what other things do you need to take good pictures?

i was going to say... film! but that's not true anymore so...


batteries!

A Nikon DSLR

A Tamron 28-300mm lens

get those and you're set!

(I used to sell Tamron lenses, they're awesome!)

just get a good one the first time.

one that can receive alternate lenses.

ask ZombieKitten

A Nikon

Mach said:

yep!

did u just want to start taking pics 4 fun and just standard size pic u could get a digital camera which is the camera i had b4 my love of photography began or if ur a beginner and want a SLR a nikon D80 is good. no point getting a D60 cause its much like the D40 but D80 is like D200 and D60 together, parts from both if you check it out.



a site 2 check out dpreview.com, awesome site on camera comparison!!!!!


love M

A Canon 400D

get a cheap one first. I could buy a D80 and my photos wouldn't be worth shit.
I truly don't see a difference in quality between what ZK does or what Sammij
does. True, you can go way further with the D80 or another quality cam, but if
you ain't got the basic skills, your pics won't evoke emotion and that's what it
is all about. Practice A LOT with a small handy camera, take lessons and then
you can evolve to a pricey, feature-full cam afterwards.

It's not the camera, it's the photographer

Why get a D80? There are lower end models that do much the same job - look at Fauxie's photos - he uses a D40X.
A D80 isn't that great anyway - I wish I'd bought a Canon

I would like a Nikon D3X thanks but first I have to win the lottery!!!

BlueZebra said:

That said, if Sammi got a DSLR, the sky is the limit! - just look at Nick's Olympus shots vs his Nikon shots - the different lenses is where it's at.

horatio said:

as you improve you will find the camera holds you back. If you are serious and have a flair for it, it might be worth what seems like overextending on your first camera - borrow a friend's DSLR and see what you think? I have gear envy, so I'm never satisfied with what I currently have

if you are fairly new to the technical side of shooting, here's some good advice:

learn the basics of exposure first. Don't put that stupid fancy camera on auto and shoot away, you won't learn a thing. Buy a low end Canon, Nikon or Sony body, and spend your money on your OPTICS. You're probably not ready to tackle the full capabilities of the higher end bodies right now anyway.

There is no replacement for quality optics, not the body, not the software, nothing.

as someone said it would be good if u had the basic skills first and as someone also said it is the photographer not the camera.

take a look at the seascapes, sunsets thread, the pics i posted i used a digital camera- less than 200 dollars. i think it would be good if u get experience first with visualizing/framing pics etc and taking pics.


love M

JerseyKRS said:

right, if ure gonna do that u might as well get any digital one. good advice JerseyKRS
[Edited 12/9/08 12:14pm]

ZombieKitten said:

A DSLR (is that a Nikon?) will accept alternate lenses?
What is DSLR though, is that a model type?
And this type will allow me to grow as I progress?

RenHoek said:

Sounds to me like this is what it's coming down to, after reading all the advice here.

missmad said:

I agree, and think I'm going to look into taking a class.
Thanks for bringing this up.
What good will the camera be if I don't know how to use it?

Good optics, Zeiss or Leica

JerseyKRS said:

The basics, and I know what you mean about just putting it in auto.
I'm interested in photos that can have some depth and perception into it that auto wouldn't be able to bring out otherwise.
(that's what little I remember about when I took a photography class in HS, depths, etc.,)

All the advice was very helpful
Thank you all so very much.

ImAKawak said:

classes r good. ur welcome, exactly!!!!! its like someone saying " im gonna be a writer" and never writes but goes out and gets all the things , pad paper, pens, notebooks , books etc" and that declares them a writer.

ImAKawak said:

A DSLR is a Digital Single Lense Reflex camera, basically like the old SLR (body plus lense) but digital formal

HowComeYouDontCallme said:

I've been using a 300D for the last few years and was reasonably happy with that..

That was up until I bought a 50D last week and FUCK ME it's a good camera! I'm still tinkering about and getting used to it but the pics I have taken so far have been amazing..

(even if I do say so myself)

JerseyKRS said:

Listen to Jers

he rocks

xenon said:

I have always been a Canon man too.....this is what i want for christmas...

mdiver said:

I see, since now cameras are coming out mostly digital.

I was thinking of taking the class using my sister's old camera (35mm) first to just learn the basics,
I hope the principles of adjusting the speed (or whatever else) will still apply the same from that camera to the digital.

I hope, don't know if I said that right?

mdiver said:

I would kill for one of those but it's way out of my price range, that's why I settled for the 50D

But one day.....

Mach said:

Oh, I missed that point about Optics,
JerseyKRS, what do you mean by optics?
Is that the lenses that you mean to invest more into rather than into the body?

mdiver said:

My first SLR was the Canon AE1-Program back in about 1984/5 and I've stuck with Canon ever since