Entry level camera for trying photography?
 

My friend likes pictures and interested in learning about being behind the camera. What is a basic entry level camera for someone to experiment with and find out if they want to get into the know.

Canon T3i is doing well for me. It came as a kit with a 18-55mm lens and a 55-250mm lens. Here's some sample pics I've taken and I'm far from being a professional

and it does some amazing quality videos,

http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/...ps407f8b08.jpg

http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/...pseb7fb797.jpg

http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7210dd22.jpg

My old truck I traded for the BRZ

http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/...ps351b2940.jpg

An NEX is a good way to get into it. Look into some used DSLRs?

I love the Canon T3i/T5i. It will do 720p@60pfs and 1080p@30fps but I in retrospect I'm think I should have spent a few $$ more an got something like the Nikon D5300 which can do 1080p @ 60fps because let's face it... slow-mo in 1080p looks rad. :)

But for a sub $500 body and APSC sensor, the T3i can be really good.

Shots with my 50mm lens (aka: Plastic Fantastic or Nifty Fifty)
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/...ps111fa179.jpg
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/...ps348eec74.jpg
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5d9e7508.jpg


Shots from my 55m-250 lens

http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/...psddbbb1fb.jpg
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/...ps753f38b1.jpg

Any camera. Photography is far more about the photographer. Better hardware will turn out better pictures, for sure. But a great photographer can take great pictures with even a basic camera.

My wife picked up a Nikon D3200 package deal last year. We are complete noobs and not really even photographers but it's definitely great for us.

I use a canon 600D. I would consider it an entry level camera, as I will upgrade to a 5D sometime in the future. The 600D came with the 18-55mm and 55-250mm. But I say, a good photo comes from the lens. So I bought a 28mm f/1.8, and now I almost exclusively use that.
Here are some pictures with the 28mm.

Polaroid camera. You can use fancy photoshop to make you look better than you really are.

Lumia 920 or above (925, 930, 9281020, 1520), seriously.


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Just about any of the lower entry level models from Canon, Nikon, etc are insanely good (especially compared to a couple years ago). The still image quality of the apsc sensors on entry level cams are very good and almost on par (if not, just as good) with older full frame digital sensors in terms of noise, high iso low light, dynamic range, etc. Also, they all shoot spectacular video with high quality.

If you want something really small and lightweight, the NEX series are good too. Especially if you plan to do some suction cup mount video footage from the inside (like say, at the track or just driving around). Can't really suction cup a bigger hdslr, as theyre heavy and prone to move around and shake too much (although, I have done this with a 5d2 clamped onto a big 3 suction cupped dent puller lol...still shoock around too much).

Cheap DSLR with a decent lens will do. It's more about you than your equipment.

YEAH!! Chumpcar photos!!!

Entry level camera for trying photography?
 

T3i. Keep an eye on canons refurb site. I picked one up with cling plastic still on the LCD!

I remember seeing this thread on my phone and not wanting to type long messages because typing on my phone sucks.

Anyways here's my best advice for you OP.

Whether it be Canon or Nikon that you choose for a DSLR they are both tools. I have a bias with Canon since I own one but down the line it all comes down to the glass (lens) that you use.

For beginner's camera - and I can only speak for canon for this part - is to go with the rebel series (T's) and learn from them. If you want "mobility" T3i's are great with the flip. Or the 60D. HOWEVER. If you have the money and want to try the greatest thing ever (full frame) then I would recommend 6D (although many will not). The 6D has that plastic feeling but is substantially cheaper than the higher models the 1DX or the 5DMKII or MKIII.

But be ready to learn with your camera. There's lots of different fun techniques with the shutter and aperature setting as well as your ISO. Then the tough part is learning how to optimize the use of your glass.

You'll also need to figure out what kind of shooting you'd like to do. That way it prevents you from buying tons of expensive different accessories.

Hope that kinda helped. I'm an amateur photographer but I've learned a lot in the 3 years of self-taught learning with a DSLR.

I'm still shooting with an old Canon 5D classic (this is actually my 2nd one). I've had a Rebel XT and 40D as well (both APS-C sensors), but nothing produces pictures quite like the full frame bodies, IMO. I'm also a fan of Canon's L series lenses, having owned and/or used a 24-70mm f/2.8L original and II, 135mm f/2L, 70-200mm f/2.8L & f/4L both IS and non-IS, 100-400mm L, 50mm f/1.2L. All made great pictures, but they made them on whatever body I put them on.

If it were my money, I'd look at used bodies (doesn't really matter, as long as it's compatible with the lenses you want) on forums like fredmiranda, photography-on-the.net, etc. and then maybe a used pro level lens to pair with the body. You'll likely come out spending just about as much on great, used, prosumer level stuff as you would buying brand new consumer level stuff.

Canon t3i 18-55, 55-250... then decide what u need more.

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Just wanted to tell you I came here only and just ONLY to tag you so you could help him out but you already did. :cheers:

Like everyone has said, its more about the photographer than the camera, theres been some articles out there where people have proven this with camera phone pics.


I'm also proof of this concept, fancy full frame camera, few very good lenses, my pictures aren't worth a shit.

Annie Leibowitz said that the iPhone camera is pretty good...

http://www.slashgear.com/iphone-came...witz-16195971/

The best camera is the one with you.

An outstanding camera for a beginner wishing to learn the basics of photography is this one: Canon G15

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...al_Camera.html

See the accompanying video on the B&H site.

This will produce outstanding images that will look very nice indeed on a monitor or as prints.

Many pros carry one of the Canon G-series cameras as an everyday camera that they always keep with them. I own the G10, and if I were to replace it, I'd gladly get the latest iteration in the G15. I cannot fit all of my pro gear into one giant bag; this little, but capable, camera is often all I need. In some locations, I prefer not to be seen walking around with $13,000 of pro body and lens hanging from my neck. Whatever photographic path you ultimately follow, this Canon G15 will be one you'll probably want to hang onto. It makes a perfect starter camera while meeting the needs of serious photographers for a carry everywhere camera.

It has an excellent zoom lens, it's fast at ƒ/1.8 -ƒ/2.8, offers a number of automated modes for the beginner, and most important, it offers a full range of professional modes: Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and full Manual Mode, as well as a manual exposure compensation dial on top. It also has an optical viewfinder, which is very nice and quite useful. I've taken many motor racing photos with mine. This is a flexible camera permitting full control over one's camera settings, and so is an excellent camera for a beginner to learn with.

This camera will not restrict you to novice mode; you will be able to learn the basics of photography without limitations.

Should one subsequently decide to expand one's photographic horizons and move on to an interchangeable lens, digital, single-lens-reflex camera (DSLR), you will still find this capable, compact camera to be a useful companion for those occasions where the sheer weight and bulk of a DSLR with a bag full of lenses is too much to carry around.

This is a small investment capable of excellent results. Many people will find that this is quite enough for them. I recommend a camera like this for a beginner who is only just dabbling in photography. Later, after gaining experience, one will have a better idea of what to pursue and what to buy.

It is currently on sale at B&H for $369. I purchased mine a number of years ago at Best Buy, which I believe will do price matching with the New York mail order photo stores.

I buy my professional DSLR gear at B&H and Adorama where one can shop with confidence. I've been buying from B&H for well over 40 years.

Note: Beware that getting into serious pro gear can be quite expensive. One need not take it to that level, but it is easy to find oneself lusting after lenses that cost many thousands of dollars each. There are, of course, less expensive alternatives. But, just for reference, a great many amateurs would like to own "The Holy Trinity," which runs $6500 right now, but has occasional rebates and sales. I'll leave it to you to discover what this is. ;)

I purchased a Canon 6D for my wife this past Christmas. It's a wonderful camera capable of almost everything my 5d Mark III can do, while offering a noticeably more compact and lighter weight body. Some things it can do even better. Canon shooters thinking of this body would do well to look at it. I love it, and recommend it as well. And one will save a good $1000+ vs. the 5D Mark III.

I'm so envious of those who picked up a 5D. They're such classics with lots of fun. Also was one of my favorites that I couldn't afford for awhile. lol Picked up a T1i just to practice and never was able to save up enough to upgrade camera bodies. Do have some decent lens though. :D

I absolutely agree with checking out Fredmiranda or photography on the net for some used stuff.

If you don't mind small-minor-non-image-quality damages to your lens or camera body.. some of the prices on there become a steal.

Hah~ Thank you though. I wouldn't say I'm good with photography but I'd love to help when I can. Although there are some pretty damn good photographers on here. I made a photography thread awhile back. I'll look once I'm done doing this damn spread sheet.

Yea it is! The 6D is awesome. Although my friends who own 5DMKII or IIIs all say no to it. The wifi function I found to be convenient. I don't like the plasticy feeling (after holding the 5DMKIII). The feeling is so much more different from a 1.6x to a Full frame.

Saving my coins for a MK3 though and prob a 6D as a back up.

If I understand you correctly, you don't currently own either the 5D III or the 6D.

Most of us have limited discretionary funds, and must apportion those funds carefully. In our case, we're old and already have most of what we need and want (within reason) and don't have much to spend money on that interests us. I'd like a Porsche, but how much more pleasure will I gain vs. driving my beautiful S2000? An extra $40,000 for marginally better handling and shaving a couple tenths at most off sprints to 60 mph? Ehh... And I don't care much about "status"; it's about the driving experience for me. I would appreciate the WOT wail of that flat-six, though. ;)

For you, young as you are and just beginning, my thought is that you might be better off with a 6D. If you can do it, pay no attention to your camera buddies and what they buy. Listen to them, sure, but don't make YOUR choices based upon THEIR needs and desires. Go your own way.

First rule of cameras: Invest in glass. Good glass trumps cool bodies. Canon L-glass on a 6D will yield better images than pro-sumer glass on a 5D. (Unless there's some particular feature of the 5D that's unavailable on the 6D that you MUST have. I question what that would be for most beginners.) Good glass will last nearly forever, will retain its value (unlike bodies), and with either Canon or Nikon will presumably work on new bodies for decades to come. With a bit of luck, both companies will still be around many decades hence.

The LENS is the heart of the camera, not the body.

Bodies are computers with a feature permitting one to attach a lens. The value of computers plummets fast. My Canon 1D Mark IV is probably not worth much more than 1/2 what it cost new. But, it's a great tool for action photography, serving photojournalists, sports and wildlife shooters. It can do things the 5D III is not so good at.

But, for YOU, what will the 5D III do for you that the 6D cannot? I recommend that you seriously study that issue. What EXACTLY will you be able to do, or do better, with the 5D III vs. the 6D? Neither one is a weather-sealed pro body suitable for shooting in the rain, and I would think the durability of these two bodies to be essentially the same for your needs.

The 6D offers interchangeable focusing screens, whereas the 5D does not. I could definitely use that now that I've ventured into the "land of Zeiss" manual focus only lenses. ;)

But, of course, I do not know your needs. Only you can evaluate this and make the decision. I would not see the 6D as being any meaningful sacrifice vs. the 5D for MOST photographers. That doesn't mean the 5D III would not be better for YOU. I don't know.

If you are the typical young photographer, and money is very much an issue, my thought is that you would be better served with a 6D ... PLUS, say, a Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ/4L IS lens. You'd probably still have $200 left over to buy a pro polarizer such as a B+W in a large size to fit your biggest lens, plus some step-up rings to match other lenses. When purchased on sale at Canon rebate time, this would cost about $2700.

Add a wide-angle zoom to this, and you'd have a solid basic kit that would cover most of your general photography needs. (If you like macro shooting, consider the EF 100mm ƒ/2.8L IS Macro lens. It is an outstanding value, especially when on sale.)

Or... you could have one Canon 5D Mark III body for that price, on sale and at Canon rebate time. Figure around $2700 on sale with rebate.

BTW, this assumes you'll be buying everything from an authorized dealer, which I recommend doing to ensure that you have the manufacturer's warranty.

By going with the 6D, you'll have about $1200 extra to put towards good glass. (I bought the 6D for $1499 and the EF 70-200mm ƒ/4L IS for $999 at B&H Photo this past Christmas when there were sales and rebates going on. I also got 4% "Reward" money to spend on further stuff.)

The Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ/2.8L IS II is a fantastic lens. Buy a 6D vs a 5D and save $1200 ready to apply to that $2500 ƒ/2.8 lens. (It's MUCH bigger and heavier than the ƒ/4 lens above, though. I'm not keen on carrying mine around for hours.)

If you've got more money than you know what to do with, well... get the 5D and everything you lust for. :)

These are issues to ponder as you contemplate how to put together the best kit possible for YOUR needs when, like most of us, you have limited funds to devote to your hobby.

Cool bodies are nice, but the best lenses are nicer still. Spend more on pro glass when you can. Twenty years from now, you'll probably still be shooting with the pro glass you buy today, while the bodies will probably have been replaced a few times over. And the lenses keep climbing in price, much more so than bodies. I kick myself today for not buying the Canon EF 500mm ƒ/4L back when I first decided to get back into photography. It cost around $5300 3-4 years ago, but I could not bring myself to spend that much. Today, the latest iteration of this lens costs $10,499, and while it's a tiny bit better than its predecessor, I'd snap up a new copy of the "old" one at the old price in a jiffy. This is only over a 3-4 year period. *sigh*

I hope this has been helpful, Giccin. Enjoy your photography. :)

1) Go to eBay
2) Buy any 1-2 year old cheap micro four thirds camera (Pana GX1, Olympus PEN series..) with a zoom kit lens for $250-300. Do not buy a DSLR (digital reflex, aka those bulky cameras with a flapping mirror inside)
3) Go out and start taking pictures

I wasn't sure if you were directing it towards me. Lol

Of course I have glass. I spent most of my money on glass. Haha. 50mm 1.4, 24-70L, 85L, and I've been saving for the 16-35L II but always end up using it for other things. I've wanted a 10-22 for the longest time but figured it wouldn't work with a FF so I opted for the 16-35.

As for body. I'm using the T1i to make myself learn to use most of the functions before I pick up an FF. As for camera body I've borrowed the 6D for a few hours and was a back up photographer for a friend's engagement shoot.

I've looked at both 6D vs the 5DMKIII and of long time debate... I've come to enjoy the fact that the 6D's wifi ability is quite my favorite but the feel of the 5DMKIII just suits better for some odd reasons. Although there are a few things I dislike about it.

I think the other thing that's hitting my budget currently is deciding on lighting... I've been borrowing lighting from time to time and I feel like I need to look for some alternative ways to save money.

I guess I'll just have to wait a bit longer once I land a better job. Working as a personal assistant for my boss right now and its kinda on 'n off. Get paid per day on assigned days.

But that's another story.

I do appreciate your advice and I do wholesomely agree that glass is the key.
And filters. Oh gosh the filters... nothing scares me more than scratches that may affect my image quality...

I started on a canon T3i with a Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II. don't bother about the kit lens just buy the body and get the 50mm f/1.8 you'll learn more on that than the kit lens.

Nominally towards you, yes. But, it's such a general issue that I thought it would be useful to anyone still relatively new to photography and looking to upgrade. My post gives them food for thought.

LOL!

An 85L on a T1i...

'Atta girl!

I see that I've been preaching to the choir! :)


I have the 16-35L II. It's an excellent lens. You might wish to hold off a bit longer before buying a wide-angle zoom. Canon is rumored to have a new UWA zoom coming to rival the very good Nikon 14-24mm. It'll probably cost about what the 85L does, but should be quite a lens. If nothing else, it might cause the price to drop on the 16-35L.

YEA. IMAGINE THE ZOOM ON THAT BABY. 85L. lol God. It was an impulsive buy. Got it for cheap 700$

I honestly had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up the T1i. My initial thought was I wanted more control because my Point and shoot camera wasn't doing it for me. So eventually I ended up doing a lot of my own research and trial-and-error'd my way into picking up new glass. Now I'm still with my cute little 500D. haha

Also are we talking about the 16-35L I or II to drop? Because I"m already tempted enough to buy it. I saw a 16-35L II on POTN that was going at 1k. And he was local too! I'm sure I could've gotten it for $900ish if I met up with him. lol

LOL. People will hardly see the T1i hiding behind that enormous 85L. I'd really like one of those, but cannot justify the cost right now. Actually, I've been eyeing(sp?) the new Zeiss 135mm for around the same price.

$700 is a deal for yours!

But, you can do things with it unlike virtually anything else. It would be even more amazing on a full frame body with that shallow DOF.


The II, the latest version, which is actually getting a bit old now. The original was long discontinued, wasn't it? I'm talking new prices here, of course.

At Christmas, IIRC, the 16-35L II was going new for around $1300. When Canon introduces the 14-24L, my guess is that sales will plummet on the 16-35L II and prices may drop. Maybe around $1100, who knows?

And a flood of used 16-35L's may come out, too, as people flock to the 14-24L. I might sell ours, too.

My 16-35mm ƒ/2.8L II is one of my favorite lenses, though, and I imagine you'd be happy with one if you're disinclined to wait.

The 10-22mm will actually take you to 16mm wide angle, though. It makes a big difference. You might prefer to do that for the time being to gain that true ultra wide angle versatility until you buy a FF body. You are correct, though, that the 10-22mm will NOT work on a FF body.

We need more discretionary dollars, don't we? ;)

Didn't know which ole thread to resurrect..

Got tired of taking photos with my phone, so have invested in a new digital camera, Fujifilm x-e5 and 2 lenses. The last digital camera was a Panasonic Lumix, nearly 20years ago, its still kicking around..

Hopefully get some better improved shots of things! Another trip to Canada (Calgary) early October, family wedding so hopefully opportunity to take some "great" shots..

I took a photo with my phone I really liked. It looked great until I transferred it to my PC when the quality just fell apart.

I think now days there are very few bad cameras, it just comes down to what features one wants.
The Fujifilm x-e5 main advantage in my view is its compactness. I have often fantasized about a Fujifim camera (I love their analogue controls) but their only lens that appeals to me is a bit of a dog.

Sorry to hijack your thread but its been a while since I've posted.
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The rangefinder style looks great, I've gone for black/silver body. Got 23mm f2.8 and 35mm f1.4 lenses, expecting lots of experimenting with the 2 lenses.