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Hi everyone,
I'm thinking about purchasing a DSLR camera this winter and start studying about photography. I'm more interested in taking pictures of nature and scenery than human.
What lense do you recommend to start with? I'm thinking Nikon D60 camera, but I know lenses makes the difference. If you can recommend some of startup package, I'd very much appreciate it. Thank you
I'm so NOT even an accomplished amateur in this area, so if anything my post will at least keep this bumped up on the new thread listings...
we've got a nikon d40x... chose this in part because my wife wanted the extra pixels, even though I explained they don't do any good if you cannot frame and take the picture right... anyway, it was a compromise. The "problem" with this camera, to some, is that the autofocus mechanism is in the lens, not the camera, which means people who have lots of older glass would have to manually focus if they used this camera, and the lenses with AF built in are heavier and more expensive. Personally, I think something like the D60 is a great camera, from what I've read and people I've talked to... and you could likely get one discounted at a local photog store. Anyway, we compared the 60 to the 40x and here's a few links I had saved...
a review site I really like for the nikons is:
Nikon D60
I've got several of his pages saved and I like his approach... you might spend some time on his site...
also id saved...
Nikon D60 Digital SLR Compared to D40x and D40
back to lenses, we did buy the kit lens 18-55mm... but in less than a year we bought the 18-200mm AF lens with built in vibration reduction (VR), which rocks. Not so much an issue at close distances, but when you are really zoomed out there the stabilization lets you get some pics without a tripod. At this point, even through this lens is bigger bulkier than the 18-55mm, we leave it attached all the time.
and I know the first site I linked, the ken rockwell site, he has a page where he just gushed over this lens, stating it replaced all but his macro, fish eye, and maybe another lens. In retrospect, I wish we'd just have splurged for the bigger lens up front and not bought the kit lens. It gets no use.
I talked to three different pro photographers before buying and they said id be spoiled with this lens... but again... nothing like going into a good, locally owned store and talking to them about you specific needs...
here's his review of that lens.
Nikon 18-200mm
*edited in after posting* I don't think I've been able to get as close as he mentions with this lens for macro, but I'm an idiot and he knows what he's doing, so maybe that's the problem.
hoepfully other experienced, knowledgeable members will chime in here.
Camera companies like to try to convince people that if you spend the $$$ to buy a DSLR you can take "better pictures" but the truth is that most people will get better photos with a point-n-shoot camera than with a DSLR. A DSLR has fewer "dummy modes" and does a worse job of making decisions for you than the average point-n-shoot camera. Most novice photographers don't have the photography education necessary to take advantage of the features of the DSLR that are the compelling reason to spend all that extra coin.Quote:
Originally Posted by jiwonstr
So first, you have to question if you really need a DSLR at this point in your photography. DSLRs depreciate quickly and are worth less than 1/2 of what you pay for them in just 12 months as newer models are released.
The one investment that doesn't depreciate (as quickly) is the investment in good glass. For this reason it's a good idea to buy the top-of-the line lenses. 5 years from now your lenses will still be worth "about" what you paid for them - selling used for 70-80% of what you paid new.
So, if you still don't know what lenses to buy, we come back to the question of if you are ready to make the investment in this type of camera. You may want to scale back to a good point-n-shoot camera for a year, and learn all the photography basics with that camera before you buy the DSLR. To maximize your education with this starter camera, look for one that:
1) Is easy to set the aperture, shutter speed, put in manual mode, put in bulb mode.
2) Is easy to manually focus.
3) Has a real viewfinder (not just an LCD screen) - it won't be "thru the lens" but this is sufficient for landscape photography.
4) Lets you shoot in a RAW mode (not just JPEG).
In addition to learning all about the camera, you will need to learn about processing raw images, and about color profiling so that the image you see on your computer will print out with the same colors when you print it on your printer, or send it to a photo lab for enlargements.
When you have learned all of that with your point-n-shoot, you can take the money you were going to spend on this-year's-DSLR and put it towards the hot DSLR of 2009, and laugh at everyone who is still shooting in program mode with this year's DSLR that is now worth less than 1/2 of what they paid for it, and carrying around a heavy camera bag to boot.
Thanks for the comments (esp Jcdill). I think you're right on the money. I don't even own a P&S camera and quickly thought DSLR would give me take more pro shots. What P&S camera do you recommend? I've been wanting Canon PowerShot SD750. Under $200 with very good features. What do you think?
I would highly recommend getting a SLR somehow even if it's an older film camera. A SLR enables you to see exactly what you get where a point-n-shoot you constantly have to guess since you are not looking through the lens that takes the photo. That problem is called parallex. A SLR also enables you to change lenses when you start getting more feel of what a good photo requires.
The Canon PowerShot line is an excellent line of cameras - my sisters and my father all have one of the PowerShot models (different models as they were bought at different times over the past few years).Quote:
Originally Posted by jiwonstr
The SD750 can be used with a hacked (modified) firmware for additional features that give you more control over your photography. I suggest you start with the basic functions of the default firmware, and once you know everything about how this camera works and can comfortably use all the shooting modes and functions, look into using the hacked firmware before you move into the DSLR models. When you are ready for a DSLR the functions you learn to use with the hacked firmware will make the transition much easier as one of the key things about a DSLR is learning how to use the advanced features (which are much like using a hacked firmware on the point-n-shoot cameras) and being comfortable with these alternate features in your camera. Learn more about using the hacked firmware here:
FAQ - CHDK Wiki
Happy shooting!
I haven't found parallex to be a problem with any of the photographers I work with who have a point-n-shoot camera. Most P&S cameras have a built-in zoom lens. One would have to spend many thousands of dollars to buy quality lenses for a DSLR that give the same zoom range. Spending $1000 or more on a DSLR body and then buying cheap lenses (instead of the expensive lenses with good glass) is a foolish decision - one that most novice DSLR owners make and one that camera makers take great glee in because the camera owner will often later upgrade to "good glass" further enriching the camera company.Quote:
Originally Posted by dcooper
OTOH, the advantage of being able to see if your shot is properly exposed without having to wait to A) finish the roll, and B) have the film processed and printed is a HUGE advantage in learning photography, especially when working with experimental techniques. For instance, suppose you want to learn how to take a photo with motion blur. With a digital camera you can set the camera to use a slow shutter, take a photo, look at the photo, and know that shutter speed X gives you result Y. If you don't like Y, you can immediately change the shutter speed setting, and try again. With a film camera you have to make notes of the shutter speed for each frame (as this information is not recorded with the image), and you have a long delay between when you take a photo and when you can try again (after you see the results).
There is a LOT to be learned from shooting with film, and if you have access to a photography course that teaches the basics of B&W film photography, take it! But this is no reason to avoid getting a digital camera right now. If you do decide to get a film camera, you can pick up a used film 35mm camera for very little expense (often free) on freecycle, craigslist, or eBay.
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