First Camera

[liesje]

Hi

I love photography, and I'd like to get my own camera. Can anyone suggest one that's decent but not to expensive?

 

[pgp_protector]

What type of Photography & What's the budget ?
Example is $100 too expensive or is $1000 too expensive ?

 

[pgp_protector]

Though I did find this on Photo.net, you may want to take a look at this.

http://photo.net/equipment/what-camera

 

[Cotmweasel]

the first question is "what do you want it to do?"
second is "How much do you want to spend?"

 

[liesje]

The purpose is just a hobby, so it doesn't have to be anything too fancy.

I don't have a job yet, so I can't get anything too expensive. Probably $500-$600 is the max I'd go at the moment.

 

[Cotmweasel]

Well at $600 if you want an slr you are pretty much limited to either the Nikon D60 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/542463-REG/Nikon_25438_D60_SLR_Digital_Camera.html or the Canon XS http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/571144-REG/Canon_2762B003_EOS_Rebel_XS_a_k_a_.html

now if you just want a really nice point and shoot check out the Canon G10 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/583955-REG/Canon_2663B001_PowerShot_G10_Digital_Camera.html

If you have more questions let me know

 

[Tonks]

Well at $600 if you want an slr you are pretty much limited to either the Nikon D60 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/542463-REG/Nikon_25438_D60_SLR_Digital_Camera.html

If you're buying Nikon glass the D60 will only autofocus with AF-S lenses and also won't meter through manual lenses...don't know the degree to which that matters to the OP, however.

 

[Cotmweasel]

If you're buying Nikon glass the D60 will only autofocus with AF-S lenses and also won't meter through manual lenses...don't know the degree to which that matters to the OP, however.

Thats a good point.

 

[sfs]

If you're buying Nikon glass the D60 will only autofocus with AF-S lenses and also won't meter through manual lenses...don't know the degree to which that matters to the OP, however.

On the other hand, Canon manual focus lenses won't even mount on an EOS body without an adaptor (and not always then). The simplest thing is for beginners to steer clear of old lenses until they know more about what they're doing and what they're interested in. (Assuming they don't already have old lenses lying about, but that doesn't sound like the case here.)

If the OP is interested in DSLRs, as Cotmweasel said, the two obvious choices are the entry level models from Nikon and Canon. There are other good brands (e.g. Olympus), but no one else offers the kind of full system that the big two do, if you're thinking about long-term development in photography. Canon and Nikon each have different strengths, but you'll have to advance pretty far before the differences will matter. (Canon had been gaining market share from Nikon for many years, but of late the trend has reversed, with the two now nearly tied in DSLR sales.)

These days, even the lowest-priced DSLRs are powerful photographic tools, and you can do a lot with them.

If you're not interested in a DSLR, Canon is a better choice than Nikon. There may be other good brands of point and shoots out there too -- e.g. I think I've heard good things about some Panasonic Lumix models -- but I don't keep up with that end of the market.

 

[cyberlizard]

i use a Nikon d40, okay the pixel count is not enormous but the image quality is super and the camera can be had for next to nothing....

things against, no dust removal built in.


Steve

 

[Cotmweasel]

On the other hand, Canon manual focus lenses won't even mount on an EOS body without an adaptor (and not always then). The simplest thing is for beginners to steer clear of old lenses until they know more about what they're doing and what they're interested in. (Assuming they don't already have old lenses lying about, but that doesn't sound like the case here.)

Something funny about that, I've heard that converting MF lenses is easiest for canon... except for old Canon MF lenses XD

If the OP is interested in DSLRs, as Cotmweasel said, the two obvious choices are the entry level models from Nikon and Canon. There are other good brands (e.g. Olympus), but no one else offers the kind of full system that the big two do, if you're thinking about long-term development in photography. Canon and Nikon each have different strengths, but you'll have to advance pretty far before the differences will matter. (Canon had been gaining market share from Nikon for many years, but of late the trend has reversed, with the two now nearly tied in DSLR sales.)If the OP is interested in DSLRs, as Cotmweasel said, the two obvious choices are the entry level models from Nikon and Canon. There are other good brands (e.g. Olympus), but no one else offers the kind of full system that the big two do, if you're thinking about long-term development in photography. Canon and Nikon each have different strengths, but you'll have to advance pretty far before the differences will matter. (Canon had been gaining market share from Nikon for many years, but of late the trend has reversed, with the two now nearly tied in DSLR sales.)

These days, even the lowest-priced DSLRs are powerful photographic tools, and you can do a lot with them.

Agreed, at a beginner level its not gonna really make a ton of difference. There aren't really a lot of major differences between the systems. what I've heard lately is the Nikons have slightly easier to use bodies. and canon has slightly cheaper glass. but nothing really major.

If you're not interested in a DSLR, Canon is a better choice than Nikon. There may be other good brands of point and shoots out there too -- e.g. I think I've heard good things about some Panasonic Lumix models -- but I don't keep up with that end of the market.

Also look at sony (if you go with P&S), because a lot of their cameras have Carl Zeiss lenses, and they are quite nice. really well made glass, and its a german company, so its good stuff.

 

[liesje]

Well at $600 if you want an slr you are pretty much limited to either the Nikon D60 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/542463-REG/Nikon_25438_D60_SLR_Digital_Camera.html or the Canon XS http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/571144-REG/Canon_2762B003_EOS_Rebel_XS_a_k_a_.html

now if you just want a really nice point and shoot check out the Canon G10 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/583955-REG/Canon_2663B001_PowerShot_G10_Digital_Camera.html

If you have more questions let me know

Thanks for that, those look pretty good. I'm fairly new to this other than fiddling round with the settings on our digital, and doing a term of photography with my dad's really old SLR.

If you're buying Nikon glass the D60 will only autofocus with AF-S lenses and also won't meter through manual lenses...don't know the degree to which that matters to the OP, however.

Forgive me, but I have absolutely no idea what this means

 

[sfs]

Something funny about that, I've heard that converting MF lenses is easiest for canon... except for old Canon MF lenses XD

Converting anyone else's lenses to Canon's current (EF) mount is usually easy; Nikon F mount, Olympus OM mount and M42 (universal screw) mount all work with a simple adaptor. The big exception is Canon's own older FD lenses (pre-87), which can be mounted with a simple adaptor but won't focus at infinity, or which can be mounted with an optical adaptor.

Nikon continues to use its original F mount, at least in its essentials, so most older Nikon lenses will mount on current Nikon cameras. The lower end DSLRs are crippled so that they will not meter with manual focus lenses, however.

Also look at sony (if you go with P&S), because a lot of their cameras have Carl Zeiss lenses, and they are quite nice. really well made glass, and its a german company, so its good stuff.

Yeah, Sony seems to be pushing hard, even in the DSLR category.

 

[sfs]

i use a Nikon d40, okay the pixel count is not enormous but the image quality is super and the camera can be had for next to nothing....

things against, no dust removal built in.

A slightly older model is not a bad idea. I gather that the D60 is not all that different from the D40, except for the higher pixel count (10 vs 6 Mp), but I've gotten very nice results from my 6 Mp D70.

If you're thinking about a Nikon or Canon DSLR, it's worth going to a store and picking them up and seeing how they feel, and how the button layouts and menus appeal. There's not going to be a lot of performance difference, probably.

 

[sfs]

Forgive me, but I have absolutely no idea what this means

Nikon lenses can be divided into three categories (there are some weird exceptions, but ignore those): manual focus lenses, autofocus AF lenses and autofocus AF-S lenses. Manual focus lenses are almost all old lenses, now out of production, that require you to focus by hand and eye, turning a ring on the lens until the scene looks in focus. Lower priced Nikon cameras will also not meter with manual focus lenses, i.e. you have to figure out the appropriate aperture and shutter speed yourself, by guesswork and trial and error. More expensive cameras will meter with manual focus lenses. (Some of the old lenses are very good, and plenty of people still use them.) Either way, they're still manual focus.

Both AF and AF-S lenses are autofocus, meaning the camera will focus the lens for you. They use different technology, however: AF lenses are focused by the camera using a motor in the camera body, which connects to the lens and drives the focus mechanism. (This is sometimes called screwdriver focusing.). AF-S lenses have a motor within the lens itself, and the camera just sends an electronic signal to the lens telling it how to focus itself.

The Nikon D40, D40x and D60 will only autofocus with AF-S lenses, for the simple reason that they don't have a motor in the camera body to drive AF lenses -- thus saving both weight and money. New lenses from Nikon are almost all AF-S, and any new starter zoom lens you get will be fine. There are still AF lenses in production (or at least for sale new), however, so the AF-S only requirement can be a bit of a limitation. For example, I have a current generation Nikon lens, the 85 mm f/1.4. It's a superb portrait lens and I love it, but it won't focus on a D60.

 

[Freelansir]

I just picked up a 40d cannon - but i've been told this was a mistake and i should have bought nikon 300! opinions?

 

[Cotmweasel]

I just picked up a 40d cannon - but i've been told this was a mistake and i should have bought nikon 300! opinions?

I disagree, both are fine camera bodies. now, what you need is good glass. thats the important part

 

[Chewbacca]

40D is fine, but 99.9% of reviews agree that the D300 > 40D.
They both came out in 2007. Popular Photography chose the D300 as the camera of the year.

 

[utdbear]

the 300D might be a better body, but stick L glass on a Canon and the Nikon will never touch it.

Personally I would recommend going out and finding a good used 30D. You can probably get one easily in that price range.

 

[Pro_Photog1970]

I would ask: How far would you want to go with the talent God gave you? I'm currently working with a Nikon D50, but plan to upgrade soon to a Nikon D300.

Also, the other problem is that lenses cost a lot of money. And another problem is the problem of greed "wanting good stuff soon!"

If you are wanting to pursue photography as a hobby and are seriously interested in all aspects of it, splurge a little more and go after a used D80 (with low shutter actuations) or buy a new D90 which will allow you to use the AF lenses as well as the AF-S lenses in autofocus mode.

God bless and happy shooting.

Hugo, Photographer by the grace of God, Nikonian by choice. (excuse me, please stand clear so God can blast me with lightning for blasphemy).