Help / advice

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flyfish947

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Graham
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Hello all,

I am looking for some advice / help on my first dslr having never used one I was kinda hoping someone could point me in the right direction.

Given I live in some of the best scenery and within 1 hr walk from me there is some great views so I would be looking to take photos of scenery and sun rises and sun sets. I would also like to get some close ups of the moon too so any advice on kit would be really helpful. As this will be my first dslr I am not looking to spend a fortune as I know we all can on this hobby / passion

Many thanks
Graham
 
flyfish947 said:
Hello all,

I am looking for some advice / help on my first dslr having never used one I was kinda hoping someone could point me in the right direction.

Given I live in some of the best scenery and within 1 hr walk from me there is some great views so I would be looking to take photos of scenery and sun rises and sun sets. I would also like to get some close ups of the moon too so any advice on kit would be really helpful. As this will be my first dslr I am not looking to spend a fortune as I know we all can on this hobby / passion

Many thanks
Graham
Click to expand...

2 very different avenues you are wanting to go down there. For proper, detailed close ups of the moon your really going to need a supertele lens, which are mental amounts of money.

Landscapes on the other hand you can achieve with your kit lens (if you got one with your camera, details of your current kit would help answer your question), to start out with.

Sunset/rises, would recommend getting a ND Grad Filter. Cokin filters seem to be the ones recommended on here quite often.

Best advice I can give, learn your camera inside out first. Try as many different things as you can. See what you enjoy, then see if your limited by your current setup. If you do start to feel limited, then look at adding to your kit bag.;)
 
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Hi Dan

Thanks for getting back to this post but I think you may have issued what I was asking. I have not got a dslr at the minute but I am looking into buying one and wanted some advice on which brand to go for and the lenses that I would need. At the minute I use a bridge camera panasonic DMV fz8 and it gives great pictures but I want to try out a dslr and was looking for advice on what to get

Many thanks
Graham
 
flyfish947 said:
Hi Dan

Thanks for getting back to this post but I think you may have issued what I was asking. I have not got a dslr at the minute but I am looking into buying one and wanted some advice on which brand to go for and the lenses that I would need. At the minute I use a bridge camera panasonic DMV fz8 and it gives great pictures but I want to try out a dslr and was looking for advice on what to get

Many thanks
Graham
Click to expand...

Start with an entry level DSLR, save your money for lenses, then in future upgrade the body. The lenses you can keep and they'll last, the bodies go out of date much faster.

I think this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEpssQjhKOA

Is the video im thinking of (I don't have sound on my work PC), where the guy explains what i've just said. It'd be worth watching some of the "Digitalrev" video's too.
 
Graham, regarding which brand or model, best to visit a local camera shop and get a hands on feel for nikon / canon / sony, etc. As well as this, if you have mates that have a certain brand, e.g. Nikon, then go that route, then you can borrow their lens.

The lower end cameras, of all the brands, will give excellent quality images when used correctly. Even getting photographs of the moon, does not need to cost a fortune. As you move up the camera bodies / lens, for better optical performance, you also have to be prepared to open your wallet more :eek:


On the nikon side, look at the likes of D3100, D3200 with kit lens and then looks at lens like nikon 55-200, tamron 70-300, all reasonably priced. Also consider buying used, if you want to keep the budget lower, you can get some excellent bargains, especially on TP classifieds, as members tend to treat their equipment very well.

Good luck.
 
Hi John

Thank you for the detail in your post this was kinda what I was looking for to be honest I can't look in the classifieds just yet as it will not let me because I have not done enough posts which is fair enough I guess but feel that someone selling something is maybe loosing out just now. As for lens would I be best just buying a body for now then and then maybe getting a lens that would be ok for what I need it for ie moon shots or the landscape. See I do alot of fly fishing too so I am hopping to get a couple of shots of me playing the fish in too would be difficult but could always get a pal to do it for me I suppose

Many thanks
Graham
 
^^ It's a number of posts + 2 months on the site...... It does seem a little counter-intuitive, because new members joining are unlikely to want to wait 2 months to buy their first camera/etc. On the other hand I can see why it's been setup that way.
 
Yes I can see the point it's because people come on these forums and then rip someone off I am a member of a few forums and see this happen alot posts going up have you seen such and such so I do totally get it. But like you say someone like myself looking to start out is having to get info from you guys that could have stuff for sale but I can't buy because I have not been on here long enough. Guess I will put things on hold for now but please feel free to give advice on equipment that would be suited for me and what I want to use the camera for

Many thanks
Graham
 
I think another help would be mentioning what your budget is if you could and how much your prepared to spend, it'll help folks advise on what gear is possible within your budget.
 
A think a budget is not really the issue and people go on about budgets on the other forums I am on which irritates me because if someone has something to sell then sell it if it's over the persons budget that is between them surely not something that needs put out on a forum oh he only has a budget of so much that's not going to go far. If you see my point as I am not having a go just making my point
 
So, my recommendation, for a good starter setup - Nikon 3100, with 18-55 kit lens and then buy a nikon 55-200 vr lens (great value).

Once you "into it" a bit more then you can step up in terms of quality (and cost). If you look after your gear, you'll find you'll not lose too much money selling, especially the lens.
 
flyfish947 said:
A think a budget is not really the issue and people go on about budgets on the other forums I am on which irritates me because if someone has something to sell then sell it if it's over the persons budget that is between them surely not something that needs put out on a forum oh he only has a budget of so much that's not going to go far. If you see my point as I am not having a go just making my point
Click to expand...

Hmmm, sorry but I'm not really seeing your point... The reason people ask what your budget is, is to help you, not to judge you... Stating a budget, or at least a rough budget saves people advising on things which you can not afford. Without an idea of your budget, people could suggest all sorts of kit, but if you only had a budget of say £500, then most of those people are going to have wasted their time...

Remember, you asked for advice on what to buy, not if anyone has something to sell, this wouldn't be the place for that...
 
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I never mentioned budget in the first place as I came on here for advice given I have no knowledge of dslr cameras. As was stated on an earlier post about the buying of kit was what started this off I think you will find and my budget is my business but it seams to be mentioned on every forum that I seem to go on. So as for advice budget has nothing really to do with it given I am looking into it just now and finding out what prices are what. People advice on kit and then I can look at what prices are then I can work out a budget.

Many thanks john for your advice

Many thanks
Graham
 
Its hard to make suggestions without some ball park idea of budget.

Pretty much all of the aps c sensor cameras are capable of decent images. I started with Olympus 4/3 dslr equipment, more than happy with the results despite the smaller sensor, but I wouldn't recommend it now.

Despite not wishing to follow the herd I would have to recommend canon or nikon as a starting point, mainly due to the huge amount of choice available for kit new and second hand.

At the moment I would be aiming for a Nikon and would pay the extra and go for one of the newer sensors. At the budget end that would be a D3200 with kit lens. I would then add a fast prime lens and a longer telephoto zoom as funds allowed.

If you decided it wasn't for you it should hold its value quite well.
 
For the moon shots get a T ring for the DSLR you choose and then purchase a little 90mm maksutov telescope, the skywatcher 90mm mak is ideal, you can then fit your camera to the rear of the telescope and use the focus control on the telescope to focus.
Using your camera in aperture priority or manual mode will allow you to get some decent shots of the moon.
 
I didn't know you could by a telescope and connect it to the camera thats really cool idea i thought you had to go and buy one of these lens that are about £2000. Thank you guys for giving me some ideas.

Frank i purchased one but its to big to hold all my coins in but great find pal.

Budget: well there lies the problem i am working to a small budget given this is my first camera so i am thinking around the £150 - £200 mark but that is not including a telephoto lens that would be for a dslr body and a general lens to get started with and see how things go from there.

Hope this now helps more on the advice.

Many thanks
Graham
 
Graham, you'll struggle to get a dslr, on that budget. You may be able to get a used D3000, body only and then pick up a used 18-55, for about £230.
 
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Guess I will have to hold off just now then. Only I have seen canon eos 350 going for this price hence why I thought I would come on here and ask for advice as I know these are old systems but they must still take great shots and surely better than my Panasonic Linux dmc- fz8

See this is another reason I didn't want to get into budget I wanted advice / help I am aware you can spend a fortune on lenses.

Maybe I went about it the wrong way and should have entitled it cheap budget system to get started ?

Many thanks
Graham
 
Thanks Steve

I will have a look just now and if anything catches my eye I will post about it

Many thanks
Graham
 
johnnypanic said:
Graham, you'll struggle to get a dslr, on that budget. You may be able to get a used D3000, body only and then pick up a used 18-55, for about £230.
Click to expand...

That's about accurate and oddly enough, that's about the figure i'll be selling my D40x at (now that I can get into the classifieds section), with it's kit lens and a whole shed load of kit I no longer need.

So that's entry level DSLR, 2nd hand.

But i'd say sub £200 for a DSLR is pushing it a bit. Sub £200 for a new DSLR just ain't gonna happen.
 
£200 is plenty to get a DSLR which will give you very nice images. When people say that it isn't I can only assume they are discounting older cameras that are still very good.

A Canon 20D is around £100 and if you just want a kit lens to start with they are around £40. So for £140 you will have a camera that can take great shots of scenery, sunsets, general shots of anything etc,.

The only weakpoint with older cameras is noise at high ISO but you haven't said anything about needing high ISO.
 
Well I was thinking a eos 400 and maybe a lens with that for that price as I just missed ou on a Nikon 3000

Many thanks
Graham
 
flyfish947 said:
Well I was thinking a eos 400 and maybe a lens with that for that price as I just missed ou on a Nikon 3000

Many thanks
Graham
Click to expand...

It depends on your priorities, but I'd rather have a 20d than a 400d. Much nicer using the better bodies IMO.
 
Phil

Priorities can you explain a little more please as new to this and don't want to buy something that I could have got better for the same money if you see what I mean ?

Many thanks
Graham
 
Ergonomics:
The 20d, etc have a rear control wheel, a top panel LCD for camera control and more buttons assigned to a single function, better AF and more customisation and a better 'feel'
That means less scrolling through menus, but I believe the 400d offers a better sensor.

So it's a personal choice, some go for usability, some for image quality. More money means you make fewer compromises.
 
Well I don't know if this is any good but I have just bought a Nikon d60 with a 18-55 be lens so I am looking forward to playing

Many thanks
Graham
 
Tripod for both sorts of shooting is pretty essential
 
flyfish947 said:
Well I don't know if this is any good but I have just bought a Nikon d60 with a 18-55 be lens so I am looking forward to playing

Many thanks
Graham
Click to expand...

That will be fine and it will do all you need it to do except your requirement for shots of the moon.
If you want to see the moon close up just Google for images of it, yours would be any different than the million that are already out there :)
 
I reckon you will be amazed at the quality it can achieved v's camera phone/typical compact etc.

have fun.
 
flyfish947 said:
I would also like to get some close ups of the moon too
Click to expand...


What you need for this is not long lenses as others have suggested, but in fact a telescope that can accept an SLR.

A lens long enough to get closeups of the moon would be thousands of pounds, or at best hundreds going down the used route.. but probably still thousands.

The telescope I used to create this costs £289 new.

click for big


No camera lens will beat that.

That's at prime focus just using the telescope's mirrors. Add a barlow lens to the scope and you'll get even closer.
 
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Pookeyhead said:
What you need for this is not long lenses as others have suggested, but in fact a telescope that can accept an SLR.

A lens long enough to get closeups of the moon would be thousands of pounds, or at best hundreds going down the used route.. but probably still thousands.

The telescope I used to create this costs £289 new.

click for big


No camera lens will beat that.

That's at prime focus just using the telescope's mirrors. Add a barlow lens to the scope and you'll get even closer.
Click to expand...

Nice
 
http://www.firstlightoptics.com/reflectors/skywatcher-explorer-150p-eq3-2.html


£289

..and you've also got a great telescope for just looking at stuff in the night sky.

you'll need one of these to mount the camera...

http://www.firstlightoptics.com/adaptors/t-rings.html

I recommend this scope because it's one of the few that has enough back focus to allow sharp focus with a camera mounted. Many do not.

No camera lens will get close to this in terms of quality.

Add a motor drive to the mount and you can grab stuff like this

33kL9dfl.jpg

TvF7A30l.jpg

BFSwdzu.jpg

qbFCRoel.jpg


These are really crap compared to what some on here have managed, but you need much more sophisticated equipment if you get into this seriously. For shooting the moon though.... you simply can not beat a scope. No lens will get you the same results without spending SERIOUS money.

There is a learning curve involved though with regard to actually using the scope, whereas with a lens, you just point it at the subject, and shoot.

Loads of help available on forums such as http://stargazerslounge.com/ however.
 
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Wow

This is very helpful land some great shots there albeit you say they are not the best I have taken shots of the moon with my Panasonic Linux dmc-fz8 and I was really impressed with them. I was kinda hoping for better results now I have a dslr.

I can't wait to get a lens that will give me some great shots. Looks like I will have to start saving to get a tri pod first and then lens then scope I guess but many thanks for giving me the help to get started on my moon shots

Many thanks
Graham
 
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