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amoshaun
Bookworm
Posts: 852
Registered: Mar 2007 |
 Posted August 28th, 2008 03:21 PM IP   
Hey...I have some questions for you lady photographers. I am in the business of looking for/buying a new camera. I am not sure what I want, or rather, I hardly know what my options are. So far I have only had a point and shoot camera (Canon powershot). I think that I would like to get an SLR camera. I am interested in getting into photography on a small scale but I do not have tons of time to invest in doing lots of photo shoots right now (hopefully someday that will change). I would like something of good quality but yet fairly basic. What would you recommend? What brand do you have and what do you like/dislike about it? What are the features that I really should make sure a camera has and which ones don't really matter? Would you even recommend an SLR camera for a person with such little experience? Would I be better off buying an "upper end" point and shoot rather than a "lower end" SRL?? My interest lies in taking pictures of people, not flowers and bugs and such like.
I am scared to make this kind of investment and then either not like the camera or barely use it. So what do you think would meet my needs/wishes  the best?
Shaunda
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jolene
Bookworm
Posts: 1302
Registered: Jul 2008 |
Posted August 28th, 2008 07:41 PM IP
I am very interested in this as well and can nearly echo what you are saying, Shaunda--Except for the fact that I am not quite ready to buy one yet. But I would like to save up for one!
Jolene
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smilesbymiles
Librarian
Posts: 820
Registered: Sep 2007 |
Posted August 29th, 2008 08:23 AM IP
Quote:
amoshaun wrote:
I would like something of good quality but yet fairly basic. What would you recommend? What brand do you have and what do you like/dislike about it? What are the features that I really should make sure a camera has and which ones don't really matter? Would you even recommend an SLR camera for a person with such little experience? Would I be better off buying an "upper end" point and shoot rather than a "lower end" SRL?? My interest lies in taking pictures of people, not flowers and bugs and such like.
I am scared to make this kind of investment and then either not like the camera or barely use it. So what do you think would meet my needs/wishes the best?
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You have a lot of good questions and I'm not sure I'm qualified to answer them; but I'll at least give some input. A good SLR is a big purchase. If you're going to go that route, I recommend doing some research and sticking w/ a popular brand so that some years down the road you won't be stuck w/ equipment you can't update. Canon and Nikon being the two most popular brands. My husband has a Minolta film SLR (anyone want to buy it now??? It's a steal, trust me) and I've wished so many times I could have just bought a new digital body. He's out of the photography thing and I wanted digital so I had to start over. Ok, so I could have bought a Konica body to fit his lenses (he has some nice glass); but I was afraid I'd end up with the same problem several years down the road.
To answer your questions: Do you want / need an SLR? I don't know that without knowing more what you do. I sometimes find it interesting that people think they need an SLR camera yet they never do more then shoot on auto with the kit lens. Am I missing something you other photographers? I had the canon powershot S1 and after I started learning more about photography, I had fun playing with the aperture and time value on it and was surprised at the results I could get. My mom and SIL have the S3 which has much better pixel resolution and they both get great shots. I hear the model is now up to the S5. If you are hoping to get into photography seriously and or want it for a hobby but want the option to control settings more and / or want to be able to change lenses, then maybe you should look into an SLR. Does that help at all?
Having said that, I will say that I absolutely LOVE my camera. I have the canon 40D and bought one nice lens. I'd love to get the 70-200 L as soon as I can save up the money to do it. It took me a little while to get used to carrying so much weight around for simple snapshots and for awhile I just didn't take as many or grabbed my point and shoot. But after I wasn't carrying around 30 lbs of pregnancy and cringing in back pain every second of every day, I discovered I liked it after all.
Michelle, mommy to Adam & Liam
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HappyMusser
Visitor
Posts:
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Posted August 29th, 2008 01:16 PM IP
Great Answer, Michelle! I like what you said about people thinking they need an SLR then only using the auto settings w/ kit lenses, it's kinda a waste, when you could be doing the same thing with a good point and shoot.
It's almost hard for me to give any input here because I've kinda gotten used to shelling out the big bucks for gear, since we do this for a business, and it's hard for me to even know what a person would need for just a hobby camera.
As far as SLR equiptment, you kinda get what you pay for--name brand stuff is worth it! We are huge CANON freaks, and all our gear is Canon. There are just as many die-hard Nikon users out there, and I think you would not go wrong w/ either. A good start-up consumer model is the Rebel XTI. A good body is a start, but then you want to put a few extra $$$'s into some decent lenses as the ones that actually come w/ the camera are stock and not that great.
We actually ended up, with all the expensive gear we own, purchasing a better point and shoot camera, for snapshots. How sad is that? It gets to be alot to lug around a camera bag w/ needed lenses, and after awhile a little pocket size point and shoot looks quite irresistable. The point and shoot we got was the powershoot G9 and it is great. It's awesome that now you can get small cameras w/ some of the manual features and settings of an SLR. This particuler model even has a flash shoe for a larger flash. So that's a recommendation I give as well.
Good luck w/ your search and let us know what you decide.
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twofus
Author
Posts: 1794
Registered: Mar 2007 |
Posted August 30th, 2008 05:29 PM IP
I can see two sides, here.
For one thing, you don't need to be afraid of an SLR because, like you just read, you can turn it to auto and point and shoot just like you have been doing. But, the pictures really aren't going to be superior. The beauty of the SLR is learning to understand light and adjust your camera settings to capture things in a whole new way. If you've saved up money for it, you enjoy a learning challenge, and you feel like you are going to get some money in return, an SLR may be a good investment. Otherwise, it's a very expensive hobby.
I would probably also say, to get great snaps of your kids, and even an ocassional portarit shoot for friends, you really don't have to have an SLR. Point and shoots are not created equal, but if you get a decent one, you can blow up pictures to larger sizes as well.
I am also looking at this from the aspect that I don't tend to invest in something unless I can really justify it. For example, the edittig program I'd really like to have costs $700. I can do okay with an $80 program, so that's what I'm using until my income justifies the change. I know someone else who is doing a fraction of the sessions I am doing and she upgraded to the $700 version of what I use. I did the same thing with a camera--didn't upgrade until I was actually sure it was going to bring enough income to justify the purchase. So some of this will probably have to do with how you make financial decisions or how much money you have to sink into it. Because, no dobut, I'm sure you'd love the SLR!
Oh, and if you go with an SLR, you'll hear Canons and Nikons debated a lot. They both have strengths and weaknesses, but they are about equal. I'm a Canon fan, too, and I'd second Thelma's recommendation.
Another thing, photography is much more about the photographer's knowledge, skill, and eye then it is about equipment. Sure it makes a difference, but you can do much more with much less than a lot of people realize. ("The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it." - Ansel Adams) You could enhance your skills even by reading your camera manual. Learn about using your AV and TV settings. I think it's a little harder to shoot full manual with a point and shoot, but those two, will give you a good start.
PS Just found this blog (http://www.pcpvision.blogspot.com/) and found his work amazing. He shoots everything with a small, Fuji point and shoot. He has an incredible sense of composition and captures stories with his pictures. They're not as impressive on his blog because he posts them so small, but click on a few and you see the enlargement. "Big Wheel" is one of my favorites.
(Edited by twofus)
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millerseven
Bookworm
Posts: 674
Registered: Jul 2007 |
Posted September 10th, 2008 04:34 PM IP
Shaunda, I read you got your camera for your birthday. Do you want to tell us on here what you ended up with.
Cathy
Wife of Gerald
Mom of Brendan (13) Kara (11) Tyler (8) Andre and Alex (5)
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