Author Topic: Basic beginers camera? (Read 11057 times)

Dennis Holmes · « **on:** June 11, 2009, 05:54 »

Can I get advice on what the best (for stock pics) beginers camera would be?
Like the best click for your buck?

leaf · « **Reply #1 on:** June 11, 2009, 06:29 »

After you choose your brand, Canon or Nikon. Both are good, I use Canon and the rest of my post refers to Canon cameras.

I would go with a 100 series body like the 400D, 500D etc. The functions are a little less accessible than on a 10 series body like the 30D, 40D, 50D but they work very well and are quite cheep. They would be a good camera to start with. If you are going to spend more $$, spend it on the lenses, but to get started try the 50mm 1.8.

MichaelJay · « **Reply #2 on:** June 11, 2009, 06:30 »

Quote from: Dennis Holmes on June 11, 2009, 05:54

Can I get advice on what the best (for stock pics) beginers camera would be?
Like the best click for your buck?

With a generic question like this? Probably not, no.

What do you want to do primarily? Model shoots with studio light? Landscape images? Night shots? Macros?

Basically any DSLR will do if you learn how to use it. Probably Canon and Nikon have the largest variety of cameras and accessories, Sony is likely to be called #3 in the market. You can't do anything wrong with any of their DSLR cameras.

But some bridge cameras (non-interchangable but still high quality lense like the Canon G10) will be sufficient as well. Preferrably one that can shoot in RAW mode. Depending on how much you want to shoot and upload, it might be a better choice for beginners.

The key still will be how fast you learn what you can do with the camera of your choice.

gostwyck · « **Reply #3 on:** June 11, 2009, 06:34 »

Any DSLR. Don't even think about P&S __ you will just make life much harder for yourself. Lots of hardly used cheap kit oneBay to be had.

michealo · « **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2009, 07:22 »

I second Leaf's thoughts, 50 mm on either a cheap Canon or Nikon.

Karimala · « **Reply #5 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:37 »

Be aware that the "best click for your buck" for stock is going to cost you in the neighborhood of at least $1,000. Inexpensive cameras where you just click a button and take a picture don't cut it anymore. You'll have to spend a lot of money for those clicks to produce anything close to being sellable.

astrocady · « **Reply #6 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:38 »

if you're looking for bang for the buck, don't rule out Pentax. They recently dropped the price on the k20d so you can now get a 14.5 meg camera with decent lens for $800 or less. The reviews are good, and there are a couple on this group using them with good results. I've been looking really hard at this one -- just need a few hundred more 25 cent sales!

gbcimages · « **Reply #7 on:** June 11, 2009, 08:43 »

How much $ do you have? read upon it and get the best you can afford.

willie · « **Reply #8 on:** June 11, 2009, 09:06 »

I would look for the non top 3, with the established digital technology names: 1) -Samsung , which is actually Pentax.
-Panasonic Lumix , which is actually Leica.
-Sony, which is actually Minolta.

I stay away from Canon, Nikon, as you are paying for the name. Pentax k20d blows the competition away. If you ask any camera salesman, even those who sells Nik and Can will tell you that. Except those who won't, because we do get paid the commission to push the big 2.

Which do I actually sell as a salesman, under my breath? Lumix.

etienjones · « **Reply #9 on:** June 11, 2009, 10:41 »

If Nikon, start with the D80 which should be relatively cheap these days. Do yourself a favor and get the camera without the Kit Lens . . . the fact is, the quality of these lenses are way below the quality of the camera. Like mentioned before get the very cheap 50 mm 1:1.8D lens . . . great quality, low price.

michealo · « **Reply #10 on:** June 11, 2009, 10:48 »

Quote from: Perseus on June 11, 2009, 09:06

I would look for the non top 3, with the established digital technology names: 1) -Samsung , which is actually Pentax.
-Panasonic Lumix , which is actually Leica.
-Sony, which is actually Minolta.

I stay away from Canon, Nikon, as you are paying for the name. Pentax k20d blows the competition away. If you ask any camera salesman, even those who sells Nik and Can will tell you that. Except those who won't, because we do get paid the commission to push the big 2.

Which do I actually sell as a salesman, under my breath? Lumix.

The value to going with Canon and less so with Nikon is that you will find lots of people whose lens, speedlights, etc you can use

Though Pentax Sony etc may be more reasonably priced right now it is because they have to be to gain market share.

etienjones · « **Reply #11 on:** June 11, 2009, 10:53 »

What! just saw the D80 for $350 on the internet . . boy, the prices for these camera sure fall fast!

willie · « **Reply #12 on:** June 11, 2009, 11:16 »

Quote from: michealo on June 11, 2009, 10:48

The value to going with Canon and less so with Nikon is that you will find lots of people whose lens, speedlights, etc you can use

Though Pentax Sony etc may be more reasonably priced right now it is because they have to be to gain market share.

both statements true. To the latter, all the more reason to get the Pentax Sony etc before they become overpriced. Canon and Nikon do more advertising, and you pay the premium.
I am hard pressed to believe that Leica lenses or Pentax lenses are inferior to Nikon or Canon.

more, for that lesser body of Lumix or Pentax, I end up using the money I save for better quality prime lenses. Even studio equipment. The savings is substantial if you consider the whole battlion of equipment you pay for the Canon or Nikon name.

astrocady · « **Reply #13 on:** June 11, 2009, 11:21 »

the k20 will accept ANY lens ever make by pentax -- so there is lots of good glass out there for this camera and very reasonable prices. Some may not have auto focus, but with pentax, the image stabilization is build into the body, so you always have that no matter what lens you use.

michealo · « **Reply #14 on:** June 11, 2009, 11:24 »

Quote from: Perseus on June 11, 2009, 11:16

Quote from: michealo on June 11, 2009, 10:48

The value to going with Canon and less so with Nikon is that you will find lots of people whose lens, speedlights, etc you can use

Though Pentax Sony etc may be more reasonably priced right now it is because they have to be to gain market share.

both statements true. To the latter, all the more reason to get the Pentax Sony etc before they become overpriced. Canon and Nikon do more advertising, and you pay the premium.
I am hard pressed to believe that Leica lenses or Pentax lenses are inferior to Nikon or Canon.

more, for that lesser body of Lumix or Pentax, I end up using the money I save for better quality prime lenses. Even studio equipment. The savings is substantial if you consider the whole battlion of equipment you pay for the Canon or Nikon name.

Or because Sony don't make any money from selling dslrs they could exit the business leaving you with a lot of equipment with no upgrade plan....

willie · « **Reply #15 on:** June 11, 2009, 11:32 »

Quote from: astrocady on June 11, 2009, 11:21

the k20 will accept ANY lens ever make by pentax -- so there is lots of good glass out there for this camera and very reasonable prices. Some may not have auto focus, but with pentax, the image stabilization is build into the body, so you always have that no matter what lens you use.

Astrocady wins a heart ! ,,,which also makes the lenses you buy less expensive.
Also, K20D has the extended dynamics which saves you the bracketing for getting those ED shots by using a combo ISO of say, 200-400.

But don't forget Lumix is quite formidable too. Leica lenses are hard to beat. Anyone who has been in photography will know that Leica never advertises for the consumer market because they "don't have to". Also, being with Panasonic means your Lumix camera has HD compatibility with Panasonic HD visual equipment.

holgs · « **Reply #16 on:** June 11, 2009, 11:54 »

Why is it that there are so many people who only seem to think there are 2 companies making DSLRs? Life doesn't begin and end with Canon and Nikon, and depending on what you do with your camera they're often not the best choices.

melastmohican · « **Reply #17 on:** June 11, 2009, 13:51 »

If you are asking you are probably beginner. Get cheapest DSLR in store (can be used) and start learning. After a while you would know what you need.

WarrenPrice · « **Reply #18 on:** June 11, 2009, 14:11 »

I have a Panasonic Lumix (prosumer) and the Nikon D80. Each is a fine camera but my biggest regret in converting to digital is NOT buying a full frame (FX) sensor from the get go. The larger the sensor the better the quality.

Both Canon and Nikon have "affordable" FX cameras.

And, as other have already said, buy the best lenses. They will appreciate as your camera depreciates.

OM · « **Reply #19 on:** June 11, 2009, 19:10 »

Get a lightly-used Canon 5D and 50mm f1.8 lens + adapter for old Olympus OM/or Leica R lenses. Those lenses now cost buttons on feebay (stay away from the real exotica) and as long as you don't mind manual, stop-down operation, you're init2winit for optical quality.IMHO.

Dennis Holmes · « **Reply #20 on:** June 12, 2009, 02:59 »

Quote from: melastmohican on June 11, 2009, 13:51

If you are asking you are probably beginner. Get cheapest DSLR in store (can be used) and start learning. After a while you would know what you need.

Yes sorry complete novice I know you point the big circle bit to the front and the square thing you look through to the back.....
I snuck up from the illustrators section. I'm a cartoonist and will be setting up my own site to sell me clipart. I'm planning on going on a trip around Australia (6 - 8 months time) I thought I may be able to throw a few pic's on the site as well as some sketches.

What I plan to photograph would be landscape, Flora, fauna.

I know nothing about cameras. (sorry how basic the question first was, I blame it on my medication

)

litifeta · « **Reply #21 on:** June 12, 2009, 03:14 »

ditto to what Leaf said. I had a Canon 300D for years, then a 30D and now a 5D.

Dennis Holmes · « **Reply #22 on:** June 12, 2009, 03:50 »

Quote from: MichaelJay on June 11, 2009, 06:30

Quote from: Dennis Holmes on June 11, 2009, 05:54
Can I get advice on what the best (for stock pics) beginers camera would be?
Like the best click for your buck?

With a generic question like this? Probably not, no.

What do you want to do primarily? Model shoots with studio light? Landscape images? Night shots? Macros?

Basically any DSLR will do if you learn how to use it. Probably Canon and Nikon have the largest variety of cameras and accessories, Sony is likely to be called #3 in the market. You can't do anything wrong with any of their DSLR cameras.

But some bridge cameras (non-interchangable but still high quality lense like the Canon G10) will be sufficient as well. Preferrably one that can shoot in RAW mode. Depending on how much you want to shoot and upload, it might be a better choice for beginners.

The key still will be how fast you learn what you can do with the camera of your choice.

Yeah sorry it was very vague. A bridge camera is an all in one?
I'm confused by all of this. I'll start Googling what you kind people have said and creep back down to the illustrators section.

dbajurin · « **Reply #23 on:** June 12, 2009, 04:05 »

I think for your purpose the best camera is Olympus 400 seris with basic lens in a kit. It is lightweight camera for traveling and on auto mode (P) you can make a lot of good pictures. I started with one of these cameras and I have been illustrator also. Now I switch to Canon 5DMkII but Olympus has payed most of this Canon.
http://www.olympus-europa.com/consumer/dslr_digital_slr_e-450_21270.htm

TimAck · « **Reply #24 on:** June 12, 2009, 04:07 »

If you can afford it get a camera you can grow into, I unwisely got the Nikon D60 and while it is a good camera it is a bit lacking in some areas, no AEB, only AF-S lens Auto Focus, noise at higher ISO etc.