DSLR recommendations for experienced photographer with zero tech knowlege, literally none!

nellipope

nellipope

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Penny
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The sales are on and I am need of a DSLR but my techie knowledge isn’t great and when I say it isn't great, it's non-existent!

I remember Canons used to be great, I loved an Olympus I once had, but this was YEARS ago, when I studied photography, and how times have changed. I'm really not at all knowledgeable about what's out there, I've been browsing various reviews and my brain's curdled
I know I have asked this question before, but I now have a better idea of the kit requirements I need.

I have been using a SONY DSC RX100 (compact bridge). I really don’t necessarily need to change lenses so this camera with it’s high MP (20.2) has been brilliant. But the focussing can be a little temperamental and I would like something that also has the ability to apply an external flash.

I generally shoot set up shots, I’m not a street photographer or wildlife, and I manipulate my images. Here is my website, this may give you an idea of the find of stuff I do.

www.strangelightphotography.com

I am looking for the following.

1. A fairly high MP (18 up) - I like to print fairly big.
2. Noise reduction, because I manipulate my images I like to have the cleanest, sharpest images I can get, and then I might distress it, but I like the flexibility and options.
3. Must be able to shoot in RAW.
4. A step up from what I’m using now.
5. IMPORTANT - although probably really obvious, I need full manual control. I use a variety of settings on my Sony (which is a compact bridge camera) so presets and manual overrides are really important to me and how I work so I need the flexibility of both.

I am also thinking of investing in a small studio kit, so needs to be able to be used with an external flash system.

Lens wise? a good standard lens. I don’t really need telephoto (I don’t wildlife or sports) but obviously optical zoom would be nice?

Budget: 200 - 500GBP so would consider, refurbish or second hand. But if someone says you really need this model and lens and it’s £700 then I will consider it.

Recommendations are what I’m after.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas.

Penny Halsall
 
What about a used Nikon D700 and a 50mm f1.8 to start with.Decent in low light, clean images and one of the Nikon classics cameras which has a cult following.Should get them both for around £600-£700 and you have the start of a great system. Doesn't have the high mp but can still be good at giving largish images.
 
As a Canon man I cannot comment on Nikon cameras but a Canon 60D or if you are lucky a 70D with something like a 24-70 would meet your needs perfectly. It might stretch your budget a little though.
 
All modern cameras these days will produce good enough images for what you need. If as you say you have no technical knowledge of the camera market them stay that way! Go to a camera shop and buy the camera you like. The one that feels right in your hand and you feel a connection to. Otherwise you will become a pixel peeping gear obsessed person like 99% of us on here and that's just a downwards spiralling path...hehe
 
can't go wrong with a 5DMK II and a 50mm.

MKII are getting quite cheap now.
 
wblati said:
can't go wrong with a 5DMK II and a 50mm.

MKII are getting quite cheap now.
Click to expand...
Agree, I'd look out for a used 5Dmk2 with what was usually included as kit lens the 28-105 I think.
No fuss solid old kit which will last decades.
 
Many many thanks to all of you. I'm going to have a trawl through the various online traders (inc second hand). I really appreciate all your recommendations. My hubby bought me my Sony to help me get back into photography, the last time I had to choose/select a make and model was back in the early 90's which is why I just don't have a clue.

Looking forward to a new purchase now.

Thanks again and Happy New Year.

Penny (aka Nellipope)
 
Penny
don't know if you are sorted yet but I have just got a Canon 750D with 18-55 STM lens for £443 delivered. Canon also has a double cashback offer on at the moment which means I get £100 back as well, making my purchase £343 which is a cracking deal for such a camera. You could team the 750D up with maybe a 50mm 1.4 and sell the 18-55 on which should fetch you around £60 back. This is well within your budget.
 
Hi Penny.

Firstly, your work is awesome, and just shows what can be done with talent and even modest equipment.

Secondly though, your ask us a little skewed. High megapixel counts in crop bodies don't offer the best image quality, and a lower megapixel older FF body might be a better bet.

Whatever you choose, IMHO your money is best spent on a second hand body and standard prime lens.
 
Given that you like to heavily process your images (which are great by the way) and autofocus is important I would suggest the Nikon D700 over the Canon 5D Mk2.

The D700 has much better AF than the Canon and the sensor, despite being lower resolution, is also better in that there is less 'amp noise' which means you can boost the blacks a lot cleaner than with the Canon which suffers what people call banding in extreme processing.

Alternatively (and I know Canon people will shout), any crop body with a recent Sony sensor (so that's Nikon, Pentax or Sony) would be a better bet than a Canon for pretty much the same reason as above.

Something else to consider is the Olympus OMD range of cameras. They are mirrorless so not a DSLR but some of their features might be really really useful for creative photography, especially the live bulb and live composite features - might be worth having a look on Youtube for examples of this.

Edit, to placate the Canonites somewhat :D ANY modern DSLR will give performance way above what you are used to so I doubt you'll be disappointed with anything, that being the case the common advice is to try and handle the cameras as the user interface and feel of the thing is as important as anything else really.
 
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I think that one of the biggest decisions today is to go for either a conventional DSLR or to go mirrorless.
 
Some good advice above. I had a sony rx100 for a while. Great camera but missed the slr set up so eventually replaced it with a d750.

The d700 solution sounds good, as does the 5d2.

In honesty though, your work is fab, so I think that whatever you choose, I'll look forward to seeing the results.

S
 
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