What Pro camera should I buy?

Diriculous

I want to take up photography as a hobby and need some advise on a good professional first time camera to buy. ( not too expensive but good enough to get the job done).

Fajitas!

Hasselblad H3D with full complementry of primes would be your best bet.

But if you're interested in seeing if you like it as a hobby before blowing your wallet on a digital medium format, I'd be looking at either a 400D or 40D with a few lenses, or a D80 or D300 with a few lenses... I wouldn't be going much further than that if you're only taking it up.

In fact, a 40D or D300 is even going a bit far if you've never handled a camera before.

Eirebear

Cant recomend the 400D enough as a first time DSLR to be honest its a wee cracker of a body.
All depends on your budget though really.

As for the hasselbad...well i mean is it really worth it when your taking shots like some of the people on here without one

Thirdfox

I suppose if someone needs to ask if they need a hasselblad then they don't need one

A vote for the Nikon D40

Depends on how professional you mean by "professional".

Masada

id reccomend the Nikon D80, is a little pricey but better than spending on a cheaper camera and then finding you want to upgrade.,

Eirebear

Nah id say go for soething slightly cheaper at entry level such as the 400d or nikon equivalent and spend your extra cash on lenses TBH, that way you can try different types/styles of photography and hone your skills a little better rather than being stuck with a kit lens and getting frustrated as you cant do what you want with it.

Paulw

I'd have to agree. The Canon 400D is a great intro dSLR camera. Well worth checking out.

rymus

Is it just me or is the term "professional beginner camera" an oxymoron? I'm sure what you meant to say was "dslr suitable for a beginner".

Eirebear

rymus wrote: »

Is it just me or is the term "professional beginner camera" an oxymoron? I'm sure what you meant to say was "dslr suitable for a beginner".

is the correct term not "prosumer" according to the advertising types?

Thirdfox

Apparently the D40/400D doesn't even fall into the prosumer category (D80/40D)

It's more like the amateur dSLR.

Calina

I thought a prosumer was more like a bridge camera actually. But I could be wrong.

Get a 400D. If you don't know what you want, then you want an entry level camera end of story.

Eirebear

well thats settled then...the OP needs a D40/400D

Next!

Thirdfox

Calina wrote: »

I thought a prosumer was more like a bridge camera actually. But I could be wrong.

Get a 400D. If you don't know what you want, then you want an entry level camera end of story.

Marketing words change all the time :rolleyes:

but I think there are different categories of dSLRs - amateur, prosumer and professional.

And then there are different categories of cameras in general - P&S, prosumer/bridge and professional.

So what the OP stated he wanted was a professional professional - but we really think he means an amateur professional, but maybe he'd like a prosumer professional? Definitely not a prosumer prosumer though...

Don't you love marketing words? :D:D

rymus

ffs people.. will ye ever think outside the box.. synergise and strategise. I'm gonna go make my most dynamic cup of tea of the day.

Eirebear

rymus wrote: »

ffs people.. will ye ever think outside the box.. synergise and strategise. I'm gonna go make my most dynamic cup of tea of the day.

Thats some serious blue sky thinking there rymus

Thirdfox

I'll just go shift my paradigm over there then...

K_user

rymus wrote: »

ffs people.. will ye ever think outside the box.. synergise and strategise. I'm gonna go make my most dynamic cup of tea of the day.

Calina

Oh dearie me the place is INFECTED.

______________________________

OP, uhem, on reflection, the guidelines you've given us are rather vague. "I want to take up photography" ain't enough cos there are people out there with consumer cameras doing very nice things. Why does it have to be a "pro" camera? Do you know what you mean by that?

Buy a 400D. Or whatever the Nikon equiv is. if you reallywant an SLR. If you are not sure...well do you know what you want to photograph? I had a good thing going with sunsets in Howth for ages but now I do sunsets in Skerries.

Psychobiker

Another vote from the 400D here. When handled correctly, in manual!! mode, fantastic

L

K_user

I think the best advice for Diriculous is to go look and hold the cameras within budget. For me the decision on buying a camera for the first time should include "feel" and comfort. Thats one thing that online stores can't supply.

Cabaal

Another vote for the Canon EOS 400D, fantastic camera, couldn't be happier with it.

I'd recommend you choose your len's wisely though

templeathea

Just decide how much you want to spend and buy the camera thats nearest to that. They are all good imo. Your limitations will be far more relevant than those of the camera

challengemaster

Cabaal wrote: »

Another vote for the Canon EOS 400D, fantastic camera, couldn't be happier with it.

I'd recommend you choose your len's wisely though

+1, have it, love it

Roen

I wonder why the OP hasn't returned.........
What's your budget Diriculous? And whatever you spend on a camera....the lenses are where it's really going to hit you!

Psychobiker

Second that Roen. About to spend half the amount of the cam on a flash!

L

Biker.ie

Buy a canon if you like focus problems and mediocre pics, even their top spec €4,000 1D Mk III has been declared as 'total rubbish' by the pros and is currently being recalled.

Get a Nikon if you want the best.

Thirdfox

^^ Above poster does not represent the average temperament of a Nikon owner - I think by now the OP has enough suggestions - he should go and handle the cameras and make a choice there.

Strange that he hasn't come back and responded yet...

Biker.ie

The original poster had asked about a 'pro' camera and lets not beat around the bush here, the obvious choices are limited to both Nikon & canon.

Canon's eos 1d mk3 'pro' equivalent is effectively an oversized paperweight at this stage, despite numerous firmware updates to counteract problems with it not being able to focus correctly, and their quick fix remedies and suggestions it ultimately had to be withdraw from the market.

I would be very disappointed if I came onto a photography forum seeking advice before dropping 4large on a pro camera, and nobody cared to even mention this.

In any case you cannot buy them anymore so he could always get the older model, or wait for canon to launch a pro camera that actually works this time, or indeed the more logical solution of waiting a few more weeks for the Superior Nikon D3, which will no doubt take great pics and be fit for the purpose intended.

Obviously this is entirely based on the assumption that 'pro' means reasonably priced 'pro' like alluded to the initial post, and not a medium format 39mp Hasselblad costing upwards of 30grand.

If its only for snapping flowers and inanimate household objects, then canons are fine

Calina

The OP talked about a first time pro camera so in my view we are way out of 1D territory and way into 40D territory at the moment at the absolute best. He also demonstrated a complete lack of knowledge about photography in so asking so got advice to get a 400D or the Nikon equivalent.

Nobody even came close to advising him to get a 1D of any description because it was patently obvious that it was far beyond his or her needs - if a 1D was a suitable choice he wouldn't need the advice at all anyway. But if you are so knowledgeable....you'd have understood that.

What is this chip that some Nikon owners seem to have weighing down their shoulders? FFS get over it. It's not the camera, it's what you do with it and there are plenty of extremely talented photographers actually producing phenomenal stuff with Canon cameras. And with Nikon cameras. I don't go around dissing Nikons to the same extent and I don't see why you have to diss the Canons.

Thirdfox

...the obvious choices are limited to both Nikon & canon....Canon's eos 1d mk3 'pro' equivalent is effectively an oversized paperweight at this stage, despite numerous firmware updates to counteract problems with it not being able to focus correctly, and their quick fix remedies and suggestions it ultimately had to be withdraw from the market.

There's the Olympus E3 and Fuji s5 pro too. I'm sure they would be considered pro (especially for those who shoot weddings on the s5).

I don't use Canon but even I know that their 1d III's AF issues is apparently limited to a set number (the newer ones being fine) - Canon has owned up to the problem (in the end) and offered to fix the affected cameras free of charge. You are misleading others in saying that it has been withdrawn from the market when no such thing is happening.

I agree though that the D3 looks to be an amazing camera - now let's hope that Nikon gets the AF right

Biker.ie

The OP talked about a first time pro camera so in my view we are way out of 1D territory and way into 40D territory at the moment at the absolute best. He also demonstrated a complete lack of knowledge about photography in so asking so got advice to get a 400D or the Nikon equivalent.

A first time pro camera is still a pro camera, I know plenty of people who can afford and have bought such equipment despite a 'complete lack of knowledge', this should not mean you must settle for bottom end crap or anything but the best, on that basis the likes of Ferrari and a million others would be out of business.

Nobody even came close to advising him to get a 1D of any description because it was patently obvious that it was far beyond his or her needs - if a 1D was a suitable choice he wouldn't need the advice at all anyway. But if you are so knowledgeable....you'd have understood that.

Why would he not need advice, this is exactly what he has come here for, advice on a pro camera ? Read the initial post, and neither the 40D or entry level 400d are pro cameras. But you are able to determine that these are the most suitable cameras, how exactly ?

You are misleading others in saying that it has been withdrawn from the market when no such thing is happening.

The UK situation is that "Canon have decided to stop the shipment of all EOS-1D Mark III, we would therefore like to collect all unsold EOS-1D Mark III units from your stock", United states and Canada outlets could have a differing policy which may have mislead you.


It's taken 6months for them to admit that, which is a long time to expect pros to put up with a malfunctioning camera and the one's with sense are now jumping ship to the dark side, try telling them "it's not the camera, it's what you do with it" that counts..

ps. The Fuji S5 is basically a Nikon D200 with fuji electronics and imaging for a higher dynamic range, but only 6MP ie. not suitable for everything, the Olympus would not have anything like the range or quality of lenses on offer from Nikon, but yes would probably be a better option over canons chunky paperweight.

Thirdfox

I was not aware of this new development and if it's true then that does seem somewhat worrying for Canon 1d MkIII users. I apologise for accusing you of trying to mislead - however the facts are still not clear (it would seem unlikely that Canon would pull such a large development).