DSLR Cameras, recommendations?

Senor Me G

I would like to get any advice from more serious photographers out there who own a digital dslr, I am an aspiring photographer and I'm unsure what to look for in cameras. I could do the typical person thing of going on some electrical store website and looking up the more expencive cameras but I know that there are older models from Canon etc that are used by professional photographers as their number 1 choice. My price range would be around £200 (330 USD).

I am not necessarily looking for any extra features such as HD video filming (as most of the newer models seem to have) etc.

Any additional advice would be very welcome.

Answer
the most popular makes are Canon and Nikon. I will assume your gonna pick one between these 2.
people in these days talk a lot about the pros and cons about these 2 makes but honestly speaking, you can adjust the style and colour depth of your pictures within the camera settings so I dont think there is big differences.
so i will talk about it in real life.
a camera body wont cost much but good camera lens costs a lot. when i purchased my first dslr 4 years ago, my friends around me used Canon so i bought a Canon 350d, so that we can share all the lens we have and save a lot.
2nd point to be considered is, short range lens for canon is cheaper than nikon and long range lens for Canon like 70-200 F2.8 IS USM is more expensive than Nikon.
hope this could help you.

Camera recommendations?

Li

What would you recommend that you have used and been satisfied with, based on the following requirements?

-Clear, crisp images and colors, even in movement
-Something with a larger view (that could also be reduced) to capture a landscape for example
-No delay
-Great zoom
-Something that is automatic enough to adjust to various types of lighting for example but that also allows you to adjust settings manually for desired effects
-Price under $1000 if possible
-For personal and possibly professional photography
-Decent size and weight

Thank you.

Answer
The first three are easy. Buy a DSLR .. you can bright a great zoom as well as other lenses. Complete control and some automatic features are also available on DSLR's. You can get started with as little as $470 buying a Nikon D40 with 18-55 mm lens on Amazon. While the D40 is a good personal camera, the lenses can later be used when you eventually buy the professional D3 body.

Decent size and weight .. now that is where you will have to explain what you mean by that. Shooting professional assignments, the heavier the better. A heavy camera like the Nikon D3 or Canon 1Ds Mark III helps when shooting handheld exposures, its size can make it easier to hold and control.

Here is a link to the latest Nikon professional DSLR

http://www.rangefindermag.com/magazine/Feb08/108.pdf

http://www.jdpower.com/electronics/ratings/digital-camera-ratings/dslr

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DSLR Cameras, recommendations?

Senor Me G

I would like to get any advice from more serious photographers out there who own a digital dslr, I am an aspiring photographer and I'm unsure what to look for in cameras. I could do the typical person thing of going on some electrical store website and looking up the more expencive cameras but I know that there are older models from Canon etc that are used by professional photographers as their number 1 choice. My price range would be around £200 (330 USD).

I am not necessarily looking for any extra features such as HD video filming (as most of the newer models seem to have) etc.

Any additional advice would be very welcome.

Answer
the most popular makes are Canon and Nikon. I will assume your gonna pick one between these 2.
people in these days talk a lot about the pros and cons about these 2 makes but honestly speaking, you can adjust the style and colour depth of your pictures within the camera settings so I dont think there is big differences.
so i will talk about it in real life.
a camera body wont cost much but good camera lens costs a lot. when i purchased my first dslr 4 years ago, my friends around me used Canon so i bought a Canon 350d, so that we can share all the lens we have and save a lot.
2nd point to be considered is, short range lens for canon is cheaper than nikon and long range lens for Canon like 70-200 F2.8 IS USM is more expensive than Nikon.
hope this could help you.

Camera recommendations?

Li

What would you recommend that you have used and been satisfied with, based on the following requirements?

-Clear, crisp images and colors, even in movement
-Something with a larger view (that could also be reduced) to capture a landscape for example
-No delay
-Great zoom
-Something that is automatic enough to adjust to various types of lighting for example but that also allows you to adjust settings manually for desired effects
-Price under $1000 if possible
-For personal and possibly professional photography
-Decent size and weight

Thank you.

Answer
The first three are easy. Buy a DSLR .. you can bright a great zoom as well as other lenses. Complete control and some automatic features are also available on DSLR's. You can get started with as little as $470 buying a Nikon D40 with 18-55 mm lens on Amazon. While the D40 is a good personal camera, the lenses can later be used when you eventually buy the professional D3 body.

Decent size and weight .. now that is where you will have to explain what you mean by that. Shooting professional assignments, the heavier the better. A heavy camera like the Nikon D3 or Canon 1Ds Mark III helps when shooting handheld exposures, its size can make it easier to hold and control.

Here is a link to the latest Nikon professional DSLR

http://www.rangefindermag.com/magazine/Feb08/108.pdf

http://www.jdpower.com/electronics/ratings/digital-camera-ratings/dslr

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What is the best zoom lens for canon EOS 50D?

dslr camera lens recommendations image

Raquel

I don't have enough knowledge about camera lens. I just bought a new canon camera EOS 50D. I am also planning to buy zoom lens but I have no idea what is the best lens for EOS 50D. Your recommendation is highly appreciated. Thank you.

Answer
For the 50D you will need a 'good' lens if you want excellent image quality. A cheap telephoto lens is not a good idea for a camera like this, so don't even think about getting a budget one that only costs a couple of hundred dollars or so, because it won't deliver on image quality and will not be good enough for lower lighting. One with a wider (faster) aperture of f/2.8 is an excellent choice.

From the Canon lens/camera review site below (of the 50D)...
"Because the quality of the lens makes a big difference in the image quality delivered by a DSLR - especially one with the resolution of the 50D, I recommend buying (now or later), one of the better Canon general purpose lenses available. At this review date, the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens is my most-recommended 1.6x lens with the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens and the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens being excellent alternatives."

Another excellent lens with a longer starting focal length is the EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L, with or without IS or the f/4 version with or without IS.

Check out the links below for reviews of all the lenses above (and the 50D) and other lenses...

What would be a good DSLR for my requirements?

Oneinthisw

I really want a DSLR camera to take with me while I travel. My price limit is up to $400 dollars and I really do not want to stray beyond that. I would mainly be taking pictures of scenery and people. Just some thing that is of good quality and will take some decent pictures that I can reflect back on. I really love when you see pictures and there is like one object in focus and the background is blurred.. Does that make sense? So some sort of camera that can do a couple simple things like that. I have looked at hundreds of different models and brands etc. I just need some guidance in what I should be looking for and any personal recommendations.
Or if there are no DSLR's new for $400 I am sure you can find a used one.. is there any camera that would be a good entry level regardless.

Answer
Hondo was correct. However, yes you can afford a used DSLR or SLR. Any would be suitable for a beginner. Don't be fooled by the Nikon v Canon brand fan brigade. Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus - any will be fine.

What makes good photo though is not just the camera. It's the photographer. Their skill, experience, and imagination. Next it's the lens. The camera body comes last in importance.

For example - that effect you described. That's a shallow depth of field. No camera can create it. It's the combination of a fast lens and photographer know how. Buy any camera, but to achieve that DoF, look for fast lens - the best affordable fast lens are often 50mm primes with an aperture that'll open over F2 (F1.4 - F2).

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Best Nikon DSLR camera for shooting scenery and animal shots?

dslr camera lens recommendations image

Hi Folks,

After using compact cameras for decades, I decide to update to DSLR camera.

If budget isn't an issue, which DSLR camera is suitable for scenery and animal shots?
I'm a outdoor lover so I frequently take outdoor scenery shots which my compact camera's quality is not up to standard.

What about low end budget DSLR camera but with good lens/software support which I might be upgrade in near future?

Appreciate your kind response before I hit the shop =D

Thank you.

Answer
It is not so much the camera as it is the lens.

Entry level DSLRs almost universally come with a consumer-grade 18-55mm lens. This is just a starter lens, and is not meant to be the only lens you have; otherwise the lens would not be made removable.

There are two types of DSLRs, consumer-grade (which includes entry level and advanced amateur) and professional. Professional DSLRs have full frame sensors, and consumer-grade DSLRs have cropped sensors; at least for purposes of this explanation.

The type of DSLR you chose will also dictate a bit which lenses you need. And since you are asking this question, I am assuming you are in the market for a non-professional (cropped APS sensor) DSLR, so my answer is according to this assumption.

Landscape lenses: look for a "superwide" angle lens. Something in the 10 to 24mm range. This lens is good for scenery and indoor shots. However, for indoor shots, you will want a fast lens. My recommendation is a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 Dx2. It is available in Nikon, Canon, and Sony mounts.

Animal shots: For animals close to you, your kit 18-55mm lens will do. However, if you want to upgrade to one that will work in low light/indoors, look at a Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8, or your camera manufacturer's lens (for example; Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 or Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8). These lenses are very similar to your kit lens except that they will let more light in and are better in low-light situations.

Animal shots for distant animals, you will need a telephoto lens. A good choice is a 70-300mm telephoto for most wildlife, or for birding, something like a Sigma (nicknamed "Bigma") 50-500mm.

For sports, you want a faster telephoto lens (one that lets in more light/can be used at faster shutter speeds). The king of sports telephotos is the 70-200mm f/2.8. And good thing you said budget is not an issue, as these lenses cost up to $2,500.

Thing is, lenses are vastly more important than the camera. All too often, first-time buyers will buy the most expensive DSLR they can afford, then buy a lens almost as an afterthought.

But the opposite is true; buy the best lens you can afford (which will be the most expensive) and buy the camera almost as an afterthought.

A good set of lenses will be 80% of your DSLR investment, with the camera being around 20%. So if you buy a $1,000 camera, you should be expecting to spend $4,000 minimum on lenses to get the most performance out of your camera.

And also realize there is consumer-grade lenses and professional-grade. My recommendation is to buy professional-grade whenever you can, even if you have a consumer-grade camera. Professional grade means lenses with apertures of f/2.8 or wider.

Here are my recommendations for a good starter set of lenses:

For APS (cropped consumer-grade cameras):

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 for your brand camera.
Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 for your brand camera (or your camera's brand 17-55mm f/2.8)
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 for your brand camera (or your camera's brand 70-200mm f/2.8)

And you may want to supplement these lenses with a longer telephoto; 70-300mm or 400~500mm if and when you can afford it. This lens can be slower than f/2.8 though, as you will usually be using a tripod anyway. You can get a 70-300mm f/4.5~5.6 for around $600, or a 500mm lens in the $1,200 range (for example, the Sigma 150-500mm f/5.6~6.3 for birding).

But if you need a f/2.8 and money is no object - you can buy a Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 if you want for $32,000. Most of us don't need one, and do not want to carry around a bazooka (literally):

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/04/009475l_01.jpg

Really... that lens exists.

Also, for superior low-light, a 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4 can be purchased for $200 to $400, so it is not a huge investment for a great lens.

Thing is, due to the high cost of good lenses, you can spend a fortune on them, and if you buy the wrong lens for your needs, you can waste a fortune on them. Before plunking $5,000 down on lenses and a camera, you might want to find someone in your area that is knowledgeable and have them teach you a bit.

Most photographers will be happy to do so, but they might inject their own bias as to brands as this is a very brand-oriented and brand-loyal hobby and profession.

What would be a good DSLR camera for nature photography?

Skillet007

I have been using compact cameras for a couple years and I want to step it up a notch. What would be a good DSLR camera to look into for nature photography? I need something that snaps fast. Someone mentioned something along the canon rebel line but I don't know. Also, should I consider a camera with Full Frame capabilities or is that just a little overboard? Thanks!

Answer
You really want a crop sensor for wildlife. The crop brings the animal in closer, effectively increasing focal length.

I shoot Nikon, so my recommendations would be the D90 or D300s. It depends on budget, the D90 is around 750.00, and the D300s around 1500.00. They both have same sensor, the D300s has a higher frame rate and more metal in the body.

The lenses are the part where you need to spend the extra money. You need a 300mm lens at a minimum for wildlife, and an 11 or 12mm (cropped frame) at the wide end for scenic shots. Tokina lenses are really good glass, and a lot cheaper. Look for the 12-24 or the 11-16 for wide angle. For telephoto the 100-300 F4 is really good. They also make a really good 28-80mm 2.8 to look at.

The best approach would be to buy a D90, and have extra money for good glass.

Both of these shots were with the D300, the D90 has a slightly better sensor.

Here's a shot with the 100-300:

http://cgipix.com/Portfolio_Wildlife_Pronghorn_Antelopes_Nature_Photography.htm

Here's one with the Tokina 28-80mm 2.8:

http://cgipix.com/Portfolio_Utah_Vacation_Travel_Arches_Canyonlands.htm

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