SLR virgin

melekalikimaka

wanna start taking quality pics, 21st comin up...thinkin slr, asdvice please, dont have a clue what to look for, close action shots is what i'd be taking...budget...bout 600 i thinks, preference to digi, but can be swayed with a good agruement for film

Zombrex

melekalikimaka wrote:

wanna start taking quality pics, 21st comin up...thinkin slr, asdvice please, dont have a clue what to look for, close action shots is what i'd be taking...budget...bout 600 i thinks, preference to digi, but can be swayed with a good agruement for film

Look out for a second hand Canon EOS 300D in good condition, you should be able to get one for under €600 since they are about €750 new ... would be a good starting point for a digial SLR. Make sure you get one with a lense (not the Body only kit). It would probably come with the standard Canon zoom lense

Apart from that have a read of a good introduction to the terminology of cameras, such as shutter speed, focal length, appature, film speed etc etc. The hardest part of learning proper photography is learn what all the settings do and how to use them together in different situations. Having a digital would help as you can instantly see your photo and then delete it if it is crap

The "good" argument for film is that you could probably pick up a second hand film SLR like the Canon EOS 300 and a good quality telephoto zoom lense for the same price as the Canon EOS 300D with a standard lense.

melekalikimaka

I understand terminology grand, I got fairly into regular cameras but i need to move into slr. I was looking at the nikon D50...seems quite good and not overly pricet, lens is my serious weak spot...don't have a clue bout them. So film is good for the fact its cheap second hand? my quibble with them, quality aside is being unable to see the pics once taken and cost for film and developing etc

Zombrex

melekalikimaka wrote:

my quibble with them, quality aside is being unable to see the pics once taken and cost for film and developing etc

Digital is the way to go then ... u can pick up what the different lenses do quite easily. The main thing to know is that you have to buy lenses for your camera, lenses aren't universal. So if you buy a Canon EOS 300 or 300D you have to by the Canon range of Electronic (Auto) Focus lenses (or the newer EF-S lenses specifically for digital SLRS) ... same with Nikon, Nikon lense for a Nikon camera etc

(Saying that some third party lens makers, such as Sigma, make lenses for all types of cameras, but didn't want to confuse matters)

But if you buy a SLR (digital or not) it normally comes with a decent enough lense. After that it is just a question of having a look at a catalog for lenses for your camera.

melekalikimaka

got a olympus is-10, found it in my attic of junk, seems decent enough, checked it out online, appears to be a decent enough sorta camera, its not quite an slr but nearly, will play around with it, any good site for starters in photography, like walkthroughs for settings and the like?

Zombrex

http://www.photo.net/learn/

el capitaine

close action shots, screw the budget, see if you can get any SLR body(Canon preferably digital secondhand) and a professional 70- 200mm is L usm(canon). this means a professional lens, at an aperture of F2.8, very bright for a zoom, and means you can get a fast shutter speed for action shots. if you're going to do it, do it well otherwise you're wasting time and whats more valuable?
some people swear by sigma but from everything i've heard they are not as good and again this relates to the value of your time. if you get good shots, you could sell them and this will offset the value of the equipment.

halenger

A 600 euro camera for a 21st seems like overkill. I assume this is a 21st you're attending, not being asked to come and take photos at?

dalk

Buy a second hand cheapo manual 35mm SLR like a Pentax K1000 or something, which you would probably get for €50 these days with a lens.

You will then have to learn the basics of photography, because the camera does nothing for you... This is all useful to know.

If you like photography buy something more expensive. As mentioned the Canon 300D is a great camera for the money.

BUT remember a camera is only as good as the person using it.

Lots of great photographs taken with crap cameras... Dont get sidetracked by gear-aquisition-syndrome

davkav

also lookin for camera in the same spec region as "melekalikimaka" anyone any thoughts on the Nikon Coolpix 8700 theres one on buyandsell for €400