Basic setup for a beginner

[tubui]

Well, from looking at these amazing photos from the users here, I've gain a little interest in photography as a hobby. It looks like a hobby you can enjoy alot from. I have no real professional experience or anything nor do I know what camera to start out with.. So my questions to those who are pros at what you do and those who does this as a hobby to enjoy it:

- What camera should I start out with as a beginner?
- What questions should I be asking myself to set myself up with lens, and other accessories.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated and maybe I can work and spend a little extra cash this summer

Also, any resources for websites to get familar with photography and stuff would be awesome. There are only a few threads here that are stickied and I am reading them atm.

 

[WiLLiSTER]

As for what camera, I'm biased toward Canon and Nikon. But I'm sure a lot of people would agree that these two companies make phenomenal cameras.

A question to ask yourself should probably be what kind of stuff do you think you'll be shooting? Will you be doing action shots, macros, long exposure, day time, night time, panoramics? There's all kinds of equipment to improve shots from different areas.

Suggestions.. I would recommend getting one of those Extreme CompactFlash cards (Not entirely sure what nikon uses, I use a Canon XTi which uses a CF) They give you a really quick write speed so you can take shots quicker. Also, read up on the different settings and what they mean (iso, white balance, etc) and then play around with the manual settings on the camera you choose. I would also suggest shooting in raw, despite the file sizes.

 

[BMWlover]

I don't know how much running around the internet you have done, so you may have seen this site, but I found it helpful.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/
-Lots of good information and techniques, while some on the internets dislike him, I enjoy his reviews.

This website was in the sticky, posted by RagingSamster, and it is great, clearly shows you shutter settings, aperture, etc:

http://web.canon.jp/imaging/enjoydslr/index.html

I also bought a "Photography for Dummies" book which lays out techniques and even basic photoshop how to's nicely.

Some cameras also have published guides for that camera, such as the "Field Guide to the D40/D40x" which are helpful for using your camera's specific features.

I was comparing the Nikon D40, which Ken has a good PDF guide to on his site, the Olympus models, such as the new E-520 and E-420, as well as the Canon XT/XTi. The price/performance can't be beat for the Nikon, especially as the package deals lately with a zoom lens save you around a hundred bucks. I would definitely go with a DSLR over a point and shoot though, granted there are some really nice P&S's out such as the Canon G9 and Canon SD series, these limit you severely compared to a DSLR, a friend of mine has a Nikon D50, which is discontinued, since '05 and it has been great for him.

What I would recommend is to go to to a best buy or such which has a number of DSLRs on display, and see which ones you like. You really can't go wrong with any of the basic DSRs from Canon, or Nikon, Olympus, or even Sony. I prefer the Nikons because they feel more solid than the comparable Canon and have a nice texture to them.

Hope this helped a little, as I am far from pro, but good luck, and enjoy.

 

[compslckr]

how about a:
Rebel Xt with the 18-55 kit lens

or

Canon S3 IS?


The rebel xt with lens can be had from $350-400, which is an amazing value considering the capabilities of that particular camera.

The s3 is a great camera that can get you used to using manual controls, but if you really want to get into photography just pick up a real DSLR like the rebel xt / xti / xsi.


make sure you check out http://www.bhphotovideo.com for a reputable online reseller!

 

[fugu]

What's your budget, and what do you want to take pictures of? Landscapes, sports, friends at parties?

 

[gregnash]

^^ with Fugu... We need a bit more information on what you plan on doing as well as what you plan on spending before we can recommend. As BMWlover said, most all companies will make good SLRs for you to start with, it is the accessories and availability of lens range that should make the decision (aside from comfort). While BMWlover liked the feel of the Nikons, I felt they were to small for my hand (other than the HIGH HIGH end ones) but the Canons XXD series felt perfect in my hand. So after that I decided to get a used Canon 20D (which I bought off the F/S forums at photography-on-the.net)..... So really your best bet is to go man-handled a few to see which feels best to you then go from there.

 

[northrop]

- What camera should I start out with as a beginner?

+1 on WiLLiSTER's comment. either Canon or Nikon. i think i'm also biased, but at this moment, i don't see other brands as viable options. it's not that other manufacturers make inferior equipment, but it's the lens line up or lack thereof. (ex. if you like tele, stay away from Pentax. they only have 2-3 tele lenses) sure, you can pick up third party lenses but why limit your choices?

between Canon or Nikon, i'd go with Nikon... but i'm also a Nikonian, so i'm biased, but you can't go wrong with Canon. one thing to keep in mind is that Nikon's speedlight system is cheaper and subjectively better overall. if you do go with Nikon, stay away from D40's/D60. avoid those cameras like a plague. D80 is where i would start.

- What questions should I be asking myself to set myself up with lens, and other accessories.

how serious are you about photography? how much money are you willing to spend? what is it that you're planning on shooting?

and like others have pointed out, go to the store, and HOLD the cameras in your hand. after that... pick up some stuff from B&HPhoto, and you'll be good

 

[BMWlover]

if you do go with Nikon, stay away from D40's/D60. avoid those cameras like a plague. D80 is where i would start.

The D80 is sure a nice camera, but what is your reasoning behind the advice to stay away from the D40/D60. I could see advising against the D60, but the D40 is in IMO a good value for the money.

 

[fugu]

The D80 is sure a nice camera, but what is your reasoning behind the advice to stay away from the D40/D60. I could see advising against the D60, but the D40 is in IMO a good value for the money.

Prob 'cause they don't have the autofocus motor, so you can't get a lot of the faster prime lenses

 

[Joves]

Prob 'cause they don't have the autofocus motor, so you can't get a lot of the faster prime lenses

You can get them but, they will not autofocus. You will have to focus manually. We still really need to know how serious you want to get with photography, to truly advise you.
If you plan on just casual shooting of pics, then a Point&Shoot will work for you just fine. Which if you are starting out maybe your best solution to see if you want to go further with it. I can advise you much on any of the P&S cameras though as, I strictly use Dslrs anymore.

 

[northrop]

Prob 'cause they don't have the autofocus motor, so you can't get a lot of the faster prime lenses

you got it. sure, a few years down the line Nikon will probably replace all their lenses with AF-S, but they will cost an arm and a leg. just look at at the 14-24, 24-70, 70-200 or even the 60mm macro. they aren't cheap. and the rumored AF-S 85mm prime will probably be in the same ballpark with the above, should it ever get released.

sure, the D40 is about half the price of the D80, but IMO it's worth the cost in the long run. you can pick up some nice used equipment on craigslist or various photo forums for cheap, and with D80 you'll be able to use the lenses to their full potential. just try shooting the running toddlers with manual focus, and you'll know what i mean