GCSE Photography

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Hi there, I know that this has been asked but the threads are a few years old.
My son is using a Cannon coolpix L810, however I think that he will need a better camera.
We are looking at a Nikon D3500.
Can anyone suggest any other cameras and lenses (we are completely new to Photography)
We are looking at maybe buying used with a budget of up to £400
Thanks for your help x
 
I was among the first people ever to gain a "photography" O-level back in the 1960s. My advice is to do nothing until you've spoken to the teacher and got their advice. Compared to the camera I used back then the Coolpix is an amazing tool so If he needs more you need to find out what it is that Coolpix can't do before spending out on something that may not be more appropriate.

Do be aware that asking a question like this may get everyone and his uncle spending your money for you without having the slightest idea what they're talking about. The teacher is the person who should know the curriculum and therefor be better able to advise you.
 
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the nikon d3500 would be a great starer DSLR for your son to enter into photography
he will also be able to change lens's with it not like on the canon
 
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I have taught GCSE photography, we have cameras in school for pupils to use but they aren’t great. Some do have their own, some don’t. Having a half decent camera will always give you an advantage but isn’t essential. Maximum IQ isn’t essential but always nice to have, it’s more about composition to be honest.

That would be a nice starter kit though.
 
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Contact the teacher see if they’ve got equipment. If they’re all Canon then it doesn’t make sense to go Nikon and vice verse
 
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Thank you so much for your advice, I will talk to school to see what they need from a camera and then go from there. If the Nikon D3500 is a good place to start and the teacher agrees that it will be good throughout the whole GCSE curriculum then I will get it ( or I will head back for your ideas) thank you xx
 
The brand of camera isn’t likely to matter to be honest. The teacher will be much more concerned about the images being produced and the portfolio of the pupil rather than what camera it is. We have an art teacher that teaches photography and as far as I know, they don’t have an interest in photography outside of school so probably wouldn’t be much help in offering advice on specific kit.
 
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SLC said:
Thank you so much for your advice, I will talk to school to see what they need from a camera and then go from there. If the Nikon D3500 is a good place to start and the teacher agrees that it will be good throughout the whole GCSE curriculum then I will get it ( or I will head back for your ideas) thank you xx
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I agree with talking to the teacher but I think I'd be looking at mirrorless as it's the future so might as well start with that rather than a conventional DSLR especially if we believe that stills and vid are or will converge. If starting with a DSLR your son will probably have to get to grips with mirrorless at some point anyway.
 
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If the primary focus of the curriculum is on composition and related topics, then the camera really doesn't mater. Even the Canon L810 should be adequate to learn composition. I support the suggestion of getting advice from the instructor about the curriculum and expectations (e.g. is full manual control a requirement).

The D3500 and 18-55mm lens should allow him to get great pictures, learning the whole curriculum. He could have get filters and learn about topics like long exposures (ND), polarizing filters, panning, etc. Once your son has learned the basics and developed a passion of photography, then is the time to look for getting more expensive and powerful equipment. And joining the debate over mirrorless :-)
 
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my daughter did the GCSE photography course a few years ago it was the art teacher at her school that did the course,
the camera was the least important bit the course was in my daughters case more to do with art and famous photographers emulating their work with photographs / images from google.
they did take photographs of their own but the quality was not important, most of the time they were photo shopped beyond recognition which for whatever reason was the preferred way the teacher wanted them

i found the whole course a little strange to be honest and had very little to do with photography in the sense of taking photographs

i bought my daughter a second hand canon 20d from here and stuck a 50mm lens on it so she could get used to how a camera works, composition, light etc i wouldn't say it was a waste of money but it wasn't really required for the GCSE course
 
I took GCSE photography many years ago using film. Having use of an ancient SLR gave me the opportunity to shoot more often and with a broader range of locations than the students who had to use the college cameras during the lessons. Having a camera was a distinct advantage.

They teach photography GCSE at my daughter's school and a large number of their images are shot with phones, they don't have enough cameras for all the students to use one at the same time.

If the teacher is not a photographer then there might be merit in looking at the same manufacturer as the school cameras as they are likely to be similar to handle and the menus etc. will be more familiar for the teacher to explain.
If the teacher is a photographer then I would expect them to be able to cope with the differences between Nikon/Canon/Sony/Olympus etc.

If your son is looking to continue photography after the course then it may make more sense to look at a variety of systems and see which he prefers.

You're wise to look at used if your son decides to upgrade or give up you'll lose a lot less money selling/trading in.
 
my son did his photography GCSE 3 years ago, he got A* at the end in his school they used Canon ( I upset his teacher by saying they should use Nikon ;) ) all the students was given cameras by the school good luck to your son
 
I'd honestly be looking at the mirrorless route too tbh as they are likely going to supersede DSLRs at some point. It's not so bad if you get a D3500 and kit lens second hand/cheap but if you/he starts to add more gear it could get more costly to change systems at a later date.

For what it's worth though, the D3500 is a great camera and hard to beat at that price point.
 
I wish I had studied photography at that age and level to be honest.

Some of the comments about the teachers being art teachers are correct, however that lends a distinct advantage IMO. Photography is NOT about settings and ticking off boxes such as, is it on a third? Are there no blown highlights? Are both eyes sharp?

Learning from an early age with an emphasis towards the artistic, learning about light, colours, moments, connections, intimacy, creativity amongst others would give a more solid foundation than getting any DLSR with several lenses and learning the exposure triangle and histograms and....YAWN!

This is a topic I have great interest in at the moment as myself and my girlfriend are looking to put a 8-10 week course together for beginners. :)
 
D3300/3400/3500 are good cameras. Sensor performance is about as good as any current apsc camera (that"ll upset the D500 owners). I'd get the 3400 second hand it has an extra programmable button and should be a bit cheaper than the D3500. The D3300 won't work with the latest AF-P lenses, which is a pity.

The 18-55 AF-P VR DX kit
lens is pretty good (except in the dark). So is the 35mm f/1.8 DX lens and it works better in the dark. The 70-300 AF-P VR is meant to be okay but I've not tried it.

The 3300/3400/3500 with a kit lens are light and easy to carry about, which should create more opportunities for practice. Buy a small holster type bag to give it more protection when he puts it in his school bag.
 
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