Photography

[J1mmy]

I'm looking to get into photography and know very little right now so need some advice on cameras and that sort of thing.

What sort of features should I be looking at when looking for a camera? Should I also consider HD camcorders? (I know that they aren't used for photography, but I miss the video feature in them )

[KarmaKiller]

Hi Jimmy.
We just got done shopping for a new camera. And I made a thread asking for suggestions. I'm not sure if you saw it, but here's a link.
Suggestions on new camera??

We ended up going for the Panasonic FZ-18. And we love it. It's got about 150 different settings, for different pictures.(sunset, candle light, scenery, portraits, sports, pets, etc.) and the pictures turn out wonderful!
I can't tell you what to look for though, my gf is the photographer, not me.
And for the video, it will take as much video as the SD card you have installed will hold.

[ShuckyD]

what type of camera are you looking for? A point & shoot one or a high quality SLR (either digital or film)?

I would recommend checking out www.dpreview.com to learn about the different camera styles, brands, offerings, etc. Once I know what your looking for I will definitely be able to give you better guidance and opinions based on experience.

[J1mmy]

I would like an SLR camera with about 10+ MP and I am looking to spend about £300-400. The only thing I know to look at is the MP, thats all. What other feature do I need to conider.

KK, is that a proper SLR? I've been told SLR can't do videos? Also, do these SLRs do night-vision? Is there anything else they cant do that would benefit me as compared to a normal camera?

[ShuckyD]

Canon Rebel XTi would be a bit higher (i think) than your price range, but it is one of the best true Digital SLR's in that price range.

Hmmm... night vision, no.... i think your looking for a Sony Handycam for that

[KarmaKiller]

Originally Posted by J1mmy

I would like an SLR camera with about 10+ MP and I am looking to spend about £300-400. The only thing I know to look at is the MP, thats all. What other feature do I need to conider.

KK, is that a proper SLR? I've been told SLR can't do videos? Also, do these SLRs do night-vision? Is there anything else they cant do that would benefit me as compared to a normal camera?

No, that's not a SLI. It's about the best point and shoot you can get though. Although, no SLI..
My GF suggested the Nikon D80. I've read really good reviews about it. My gf said that's the one she would get also.

[J1mmy]

These SLR's are really simple as far as functionality goes aren't they? No night-vision?! I think I need to do some more research into these camera's

Apart from MP what other reasons could there be to explain why some cameras are more expensive than others?

[ShuckyD]

interchangable lenses, features, brand.... the list can go on

I would really peruse that DPreview site i mentioned above because you will most likely find some very good information in their "Learn" section.

[MadMan2k]

Originally Posted by J1mmy

No night-vision?!

I think the Nikon D3 with its ISO 25,600 mode, with a 50mm 1.2 lens mounted, would take exception to that.

Little out of your price range though.

If you really want night vision, there might be some manufacturer that makes an IR emitter you could attach to an SLR, and you could remove the IR filter from the sensor to pick up the light from it... what exactly is it you're trying to accomplish?

If you just want to try your hand at photography, the best tool is one that makes it easy to adjust the important stuff. Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, focus mode.

Some point and shoots let you do this, but the real value of a P&S is the size and simplicity, and the big, complex ones almost defeat the purpose. There's nothing inherently wrong with having a fixed lens, and in the film days there were plenty of great point and shoot cameras that were used by professionals because they matched what an SLR would do at that focal length and aperture, without the size and weight.

Digital sort of changed the rules, though - until great sensors become cheap, they're going to stick the good P&S sensors in complex P&S cameras, and at that point an SLR isn't much of a leap size and price wise.

I shoot Canon because I shoot mainly sports, but I would actually recommend the Pentax K10D because it's so much camera for the money. If you don't need the extensive accesory lineup of Canon or Nikon or the ability to rent lenses that'll work with your body at most rental shops, Pentax is a good choice. They have some good lenses in the wide to medium tele range, and they're just solid tools for general purpose photography.

For the average investment someone starting out in photography would make, you really won't see any clear advantage from any of the brands. It isn't until you start looking at professional bodies and lenses that you notice only the big two actually have any to speak of.

Oh, and most importantly, buy (or check out, but make sure you read it) This Book once you get a camera. Photography is all you. You can't build a hot rod by getting the parts and tools and putting them in your garage, and you can't create art by getting a camera and pressing the shutter button. Excuse my terrible analogy, words aren't my thing anyway

[J1mmy]

Thanks for the tips...

So what sort of features should I be looking when buying a camera? For eg, when buying a laptop, there's there harddrive, CPU, RAM, GPU etc, are there any such features to be used in SLR's for comparisons?

As a beginner, I don't really know what I'll be shooting, I'm sure for the first few months I'll just be taking picture of everything and anything to be honest.

Also, are there any digital camera's that produce the same quality as an SLR?

Do you think it's wise to also take some time out to learn how to use Photoshop properly as a photographer?