advice wanted

friedpiggy

friedpiggy

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Ok so I am thinking of getting more into photography. Last holiday I was in charge of the camera for the first time and enjoyed trying to get a decent shot, even if it was just with a point and shoot baby camera.

So my question(s) is/are

How important would megapixels be in the grand scheme of things.
Where can i go to learn all this terminology, currently things like apperture and ap points baffle the snot out of me
what would be a decent entry level DSLR to start with? I saw a pretty good deal on a Cannon EOS 1100D the other day. budget of about 4-5k

thanks in advance
 
friedpiggy said:
How important would megapixels be in the grand scheme of things.
Where can i go to learn all this terminology, currently things like apperture and ap points baffle the snot out of me
what would be a decent entry level DSLR to start with? I saw a pretty good deal on a Cannon EOS 1100D the other day. budget of about 4-5k

thanks in advance
Click to expand...

MP's - depends what you shoot, though as you get more advanced you'll probably be after better equipment.
Terminology - Youtube works best imo.
Entry level - 1100D is a bit light if you think you want to get more serious with photography. However, it isn't bad a s astarting point.
 
This so depends on what you want to do with the photos and how far you want to go. A camera is largely only as good as the finger clicking the button. My advice, get a decent point-and-shoot (p&s) - that will allow you to take photos reasonably close and relatively far, without having to change lenses. Something with at least 20 - 30x optical zoom. Nikon, Canon, etc. all make good p&s with a lot of really good features that allow you to experiment with close to full manual controls. Then - once you have spent a year or more finding out about aperture, f-stops, etc. you can decide whether to start going full-DSLR.

Quite frankly - the most important thing about taking good pics is to "see" what it is that you want to photograph and to practice taking the pics. A good camera is not going to make a bad composition good.
 
I made that mistake of buying a really good point and shoot with 30x optical zoom... Quickly out grew it... and there's always those specific features you miss.. which im so happy with now with my dslr.

So I would agree that it depends on what you do.. but I would probably buy the best dslr you could afford at the moment.... Wouldn't want to be stuck with a fixed feature set with no upgrade or add-on possibility.

Indigogirl said:
This so depends on what you want to do with the photos and how far you want to go. A camera is largely only as good as the finger clicking the button. My advice, get a decent point-and-shoot (p&s) - that will allow you to take photos reasonably close and relatively far, without having to change lenses. Something with at least 20 - 30x optical zoom. Nikon, Canon, etc. all make good p&s with a lot of really good features that allow you to experiment with close to full manual controls. Then - once you have spent a year or more finding out about aperture, f-stops, etc. you can decide whether to start going full-DSLR.

Quite frankly - the most important thing about taking good pics is to "see" what it is that you want to photograph and to practice taking the pics. A good camera is not going to make a bad composition good.
Click to expand...
 
krono9 said:
I made that mistake of buying a really good point and shoot with 30x optical zoom... Quickly out grew it... and there's always those specific features you miss.. which im so happy with now with my dslr.

So I would agree that it depends on what you do.. but I would probably buy the best dslr you could afford at the moment.... Wouldn't want to be stuck with a fixed feature set with no upgrade or add-on possibility.
Click to expand...
Point made and point taken :)

I still only have a point and shoot - and that is all I have used for the last twelve years. That is why I say that it depends on what one is wanting the camera for. A good cell-phone camera might be good enough for many.
 
Yeah, that last canon competition... the good looking dslr pics didnt make it.. but my Iphone 5 pic one the prize.. lol.. :D

Indigogirl said:
Point made and point taken :)

I still only have a point and shoot - and that is all I have used for the last twelve years. That is why I say that it depends on what one is wanting the camera for. A good cell-phone camera might be good enough for many.
Click to expand...
 
My 2 cents....

The best camera is one that you will actually take with you. I have spent some serious money on camera's before only to leave them at home as it was always a pain to carry the body and a lens or two with me. I however always had my old trusted Coolpix point and shoot with me as its about the size of a packet of cigarettes so easily slips into a jean pocket and you forget about it, yet it is always on hand when needed.

There are some amazing P&S camera's available today for example the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-RX100II camera which gives you the equivalent of a 100mm zoom and offers close to 20 true mpixels so you get great quality. Best is that it can slip into your pocket so you always have it on hand and ready.

As said, just my opinion, but the larger bulky camera's have their place and might be ideal IF you are the type that do not mind carrying it with you all the time. For me, I'm to active and on the go so a P&S that offers great quality and fits into my pocket is the best.

Also, as others have stated, its what you do with it. I have seen some amazing photos taken with 4 odd mp camera's. A better camera will not make you a better photographer just like a faster car will not make you a better driver.


Just my 2 cents....

PS: You can go have a look here. All these were taken with my old Coolpix which I think is only around 8 or 9 true mp. Only an amateur but quality is good enough for me. https://secure.flickr.com/photos/rustynomad/with/9891981154/
 
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Indigogirl said:
Seriously nice photos there!!
Click to expand...

Thanks, and this is the camera as mentioned Coolpix S8000, as old as the mountains but an easy fit in the pocket. Will be upgrading to the Cybershot as posted end of this month. Would love one of the larger DSLR's but had it and as said, never had it with me when it mattered.
 
So what are the things to watch out for if going for a second hand dslr? Thinking it might not be a bad idea to get a decent second hand dslr and see if it fits my needs or if its overkill.
 
friedpiggy said:
So what are the things to watch out for if going for a second hand dslr? Thinking it might not be a bad idea to get a decent second hand dslr and see if it fits my needs or if its overkill.
Click to expand...

Buying a second-hand DSLR body should be relatively straightforward, but I would strongly advise that you either:
a) purchase a second-hand body from a reputable store (someone like RadioLens in Pretoria, or perhaps Orms online), or
b) purchase from an acquaintance who is knowledgeable enough to know if his/her own hardware is still 100%.

There are a few hidden flaws that may lurk in a second-hand body, but most serious defects are fairly obvious. The subtle things I can think of:
a) Very high shutter count (number of photos taken) --- this can be checked by analysing a recent JPEG image straight out of the camera (google it). This is not likely to be a problem with a mid-range DSLR body, since the previous owner would probably not have taken 50000+ photos. You *can* replace the shutter, but that is expensive, and best avoided.
b) Autofocus issues, i.e., severe front/back focus issues on some/all the autofocus points. This can be repaired, but it requires at least a little know-how to check a DSLR for such issues.
c) Dirty sensor --- not really a defect as such, but a nuisance maintenance issue. This can be cleaned by the manufacturer's service sensor (usually free or cheap).

hmmm... those are the potential issues that come to mind. Buying second-hand lenses is perhaps more tricky.
 
I bought my Nikon D3100 new, and I had some regrets about buying new because Gumtree is full of people buying entry level DSLRs who lose interest after 2 or 3 months.

I wouldn't really buy a second hand body from someone who has made proper use of it, unless it is from a reputable dealer like Orms.

I have 4 lenses for my DSLR and am ready to upgrade the body. The D5100 would have been a better option for me when I started.
 
If you take lots of photos with people and you have a DSLR, get a 35mm 1.8 prime. Amazing lens for low light and great depth of field.
 
For single person portraits in studio, yes. But for general shots of 1 to 4 people its awesome. Remember that you have a APS-C sensor, so its effectively a 50mm lens.
 
SpoonTech said:
For single person portraits in studio, yes. But for general shots of 1 to 4 people its awesome. Remember that you have a APS-C sensor, so its effectively a 50mm lens.
Click to expand...

I realise that, I still think it's on the short end for single person portraiture.
 
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