Advice Required

[ZoddyZod]

isn't that tehnically a telescope???

 

[kaivalagi]

isn't that tehnically a telescope???

I thought I'd change to a thumbnail as it was too big but hay ho

I'll have to see if I can get a photo of mars I don't know why but when walking around with that thing on a monopod people stare

My first outing with it (bear in mind I am still learning, some pics weren't great focus wise): http/s781.photobuc...lhouse%20Broad/
Favourite from that batch for sharpness:


Sorry, big_eyes, gone slightly off topic...got Nikon or Canon and you'll be well satisfied!

 

[ZoddyZod]

impressive, I quiote like the 'surfing' coot

 

[kaivalagi]

That's amazing!!!

My friend has a Canon EOS 450D which works pretty well

Seems like a good beginner DSLR

x x x x

Thanks, like I said I was lucky, best advice is to takes looooooads of pics and discard when at the PC

All the canons from 350 through to 550 are great for beginners, but the 450 was the first to get live view on the body and image stabilisation as standard on the kit lenses...so I would suggest 450 up.

The 500 and 550 have HD video capture too which I'd love to play with to see how taking video with a proper lens would work out!

impressive, I quiote like the 'surfing' coot

Nah, not those aren't impressive, wait until I get my bike license sorted, then I'll be out and about taking lots of pics of wildlife around Norfolk

I only like 2 of those pics really, the grebes and heron are well out of focus which I was annoyed with when I got home.

I put it down to it being the first time with the lens and getting used to a monopod

 

[chrisbassist]

I have to say some of my fave shots are from my D100. It's no better than my D40, it's slower, smaller buffer, because it's old it's noisy, both visually and audibly, but for some reason I just prefer it. I think because it's a larger body so it feels good in my hands. It also came with a battery grip, 4 batteries and stuff second hand £150. Can't argue really.

Cameras like the D100 are either great or awful for beginners. It has no program or scene modes, no auto, so you always have to do something manually. Which will help some but others will feel uncomfortable with it.

 

[gaz gun man]

Though I have to say, for someone new to photography, they should concentrate on using the standard kit lens for a while, and see what sort of photography they like, then buy a specialist lens to suit their needs.

That's a beaut!

Totally with you on the lens purchase, I used my kit lenses for more than 6 months before buying more. I wanted a macro for close up work, both fish and the little things that look so interesting close up and I got the super zoom because the 250mm just wouldn't reach a lot of things I've tried taking pics of in the past, cropping back left me with a very poor quality photo.

I just had to take a pic (crappy mobile) with the super zoom attached (my camera body is quite a bit smaller than yours I think

)

What lens is it? Bigma 50-500 maybe??

My camera probably isnt much bigger than yours, Since I use pro-spec lenses, I find having the battery grip on the bottom pulls the point of balance back which I prefer.

 

[kaivalagi]

What lens is it? Bigma 50-500 maybe??

My camera probably isnt much bigger than yours, Since I use pro-spec lenses, I find having the battery grip on the bottom pulls the point of balance back which I prefer.

It's the newer, sort of replacement bigma, with image stabilisation, it's missing the 50-150 range though. I wanted a Canon L ideally but couldn't justify the price for the white 100-400 L

It was almost double the price and at these price ranges that's a BIG difference, and I don't like the zoom action on them anyway (in-out rather than twist). I still find the reach isn't enough for long range wildlife shots, I find I still need to get closer than desirable, maybe I need a 2x extension

A battery grip is on my list, probably a non-genuine from HK to be honest, with more grabby bits and nice buttons for going side on easily (lovely tech terms there). The non-genuine ones even have programmable timers built-in for shutter open duration and repeat shots at interval etc, although I have a remote timer that does this anyway.

Back on topic, anyone want to recommend any brand other than Canon and Nikon? I heard the Sony Alpha DSLRs are good and have the image stabilisation built into the body, meaning the lenses are less complicated and cheaper as a result. Although I suspect IS is less effective based in the camera body?

 

[razer121]

I've had alot of people on anouther forum recommended me the sony alpha as a good starter camera, this was a photography forum so they cannot be that bad if pros recommend them!

 

[kaivalagi]

Well if they are suggesting it then it can't be that bad. When I was looking at my purchase I was considering the Alpha 350 and the Canon 450d, I think I went for the Canon as they has a £50 cashback thingy going at the time which made it more on par for price to the Sony.

I did hear it can take all the old minolta lens too which I am sure you could pick up second hand very cheap...and as the camera body has image stabilisation...

 

[squiggley]

Really got to get myself sorted with a decent camera again. Only had a Fuji s8000FD which is a bridge camera but it got dropped although the lens is ok but the buttons don't work. Bought a casio exilim compact camera as a quick replacement and it useless. Got to to claim on the house insurance for the fuji

 

[chrisbassist]

I've been thinking hard about what a beginner photographer needs out of a camera, which bits take longest to learn etc.

I've come to the conclusion that learning about iso, aperture, shutter speed, focal lengths and focusing are the easy bits. A bit of experimentation and a read through s book will tell you all you need to know about those (at least up to a point)

The important thing to practice, is composition and being able to SEE the photo before you take it. Learning what makes a good photo, and what you enjoy taking pics of. For that, any camera will do. You can pick up a half decent compact for around £30-£60 which will do it nicely.

Another thing, whatever you go for, you'll do well to have something small like a compact to take out anyway. An slr is just too bulky for taking down the pub with you or wherever you go. Sure you can take it most places, but sometimes you'll end up not taking a camera just to save lugging around an slr body, a couple of lenses etc. But if you have a compact you always have something just in case.

I actually keep looking at stuff like the Olympus PEN for this reason. But what I want is a D3s and getting something else will only delay that, so I guess I won't be getting one.

The point is, once you know how to compose a photo, and know what you'll be taking pictures of your choice of camera will be more informed. Same goes for choice of lens if you stick with the stock lens for a while, and pay attention to things like the f numbers. Only now do I realise I want lenses which go as wide as 1.4 or at least 1.8. Never really knew what it meant (I mean ACTUALLY meant for my photos) with my first lens purchase which although is still my gave lens, if I could have gotten the same range slightly wider, it'd be perfect.

 

[gaz gun man]

What lens is it? Bigma 50-500 maybe??

My camera probably isnt much bigger than yours, Since I use pro-spec lenses, I find having the battery grip on the bottom pulls the point of balance back which I prefer.

It's the newer, sort of replacement bigma, with image stabilisation, it's missing the 50-150 range though. I wanted a Canon L ideally but couldn't justify the price for the white 100-400 L

It was almost double the price and at these price ranges that's a BIG difference, and I don't like the zoom action on them anyway (in-out rather than twist). I still find the reach isn't enough for long range wildlife shots, I find I still need to get closer than desirable, maybe I need a 2x extension

A battery grip is on my list, probably a non-genuine from HK to be honest, with more grabby bits and nice buttons for going side on easily (lovely tech terms there). The non-genuine ones even have programmable timers built-in for shutter open duration and repeat shots at interval etc, although I have a remote timer that does this anyway.

Back on topic, anyone want to recommend any brand other than Canon and Nikon? I heard the Sony Alpha DSLRs are good and have the image stabilisation built into the body, meaning the lenses are less complicated and cheaper as a result. Although I suspect IS is less effective based in the camera body?

I'm with you on the 100-400L, I saw one (or one with the same push-pull action) at an airshow a few years ago and thought it looked horrible to use, and personally, I dont like the off-white lenses Canon produce, IMO the pro Nikons look much smarter.

 

[chrisbassist]

I like the off White canon lenses, because they're good lenses, nevermind what they look like!

 

[kaivalagi]

I like the off White canon lenses, because they're good lenses, nevermind what they look like!

Or how the zoom function works? That was my key dislike for them, I tried a mates and just couldn't get used to it as any other lens I ever used was a twisty...

I'm not knocking the quality of the lens itself, it's a fantastic lens with a well earned reputation, I just don't like the zoom action, it just doesn't feel right in my experience

 

[chrisbassist]

I guess it's something to get used to. As camera people we've been conditioned to expect a twisty zoom. So something different will take longer to adjust to.

I've not used them but I would put up with minor bits like that for the quality they produce.

They wouldn't fit my camera anyway.