New to Photography

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Havinabubble

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Hi everyone,

I work in the printing business and often see images that blow me away or intrigue me as to how they were captured or more often than not thinking I could do better than that.

Having been interested in photography for many years I have finally decided to get off my backside and do something about it. I'm about to sign up for an AS level course starting this month and found this forum whilst researching the subject.

I'm interested in following the portraiture/portfolio routes and possibly weddings, but nothing is set in stone yet and I was looking to the obvious wealth of experience here and asking for some camera advice.

As I'm just starting up I'm not looking to spend a fortune yet - that obviously comes with the territory later on, but with so many conflicting pieces of information around and thousands of reviews I'm still none the wiser.

Is it worth getting an older "lesser" name brand camera/lens ebay bundle deal, or just buying a new entry level Nikon/ Canon/Sony and getting to grips with the features that the older models don't have? For example a cheap Konica with lenses that could be used on a Sony upgrade? Currently on ebay there is a Canon EOS Rebel XS 1000D with 3 lenses manufactured refurb deal for £299?

I'm looking to spend around £500 max for a second hand camera and lens. I would stretch a bit further for an older full frame model - is it worth going that route?

Anyway sorry it's all a bit long winded, and I'm sure everyone will have a different opinion, but hey we live in a democracy - or so I'm told.
 
Ive just started photography a few months ago & took the plunge buying a Nikon D3100 after advice if the kind members of this very forum.

Have a look at new first as you'll find some really good deals around ATM plus the secondhand Market tends to hold it's prices very well.

Good luck & happy hunting!!!

Rob
 
Newer cameras don't tend to offer THAT much in new features, what generally changes is the amount of megapixels and high ISO performance.

Generally, each manufacturer has an entry model, a consumer model, an enthusiasts model, and a pro model and then go up to full frame. Within the whole range it wouldn't be uncommon for them all to share the same sensor so in theory they should all have pretty much the same image quality, what does change is the number of buttons you have on the camera which enables you to quickly change the settings more easily. That's not necessarily to say that the cheaper cameras don't have those functions, just that you have to go into a menu system to change them, by which time you may have lost the shot.

So, what changes with the newer cameras is the sensor and a newer cheaper camera will have a better sensor than an older higher range camera but what doesn't change so much is the number of buttons.

Not sure if that helps much but the Canon you've found is bottom of the range and a generation old so BUT if the lenses it comes with are any good it's a cracking deal and will give you an insight into the world of photography and you can update at a later time (whilst maybe keeping the lens) if you feel you need more control.
 
like ukranger, I bought the D3100 a few months back following advice from members over on AVForums. Its a great starter camera which takes excellent pictures and does a reasonable job with high ISO pics. For a starter, i'm really glad I went for it. Menu navigation is nice and easy too which I personally think is a must when you're new to the game.
 
steelerdean said:
like ukranger, I bought the D3100 a few months back following advice from members over on AVForums. Its a great starter camera which takes excellent pictures and does a reasonable job with high ISO pics. For a starter, i'm really glad I went for it. Menu navigation is nice and easy too which I personally think is a must when you're new to the game.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with this, you get a lot of value for the amount you pay for a D3100 and the high ISO performance is quite good.
 
brokenlynx said:
I'd agree with this, you get a lot of value for the amount you pay for a D3100 and the high ISO performance is quite good.
Click to expand...

What I really like about this camera is how quickly i've been able to move away from auto mode with it - as the menus make it so easy to get into the manual settings. Aperture priority mode now tends to be my 'normal' shooting mode and I love it.
 
You will also need to decide on what type of lens you want. For example, only Nikon lenses with a built-in motor will auto-focus on the D3100, as it doesn't have a AF motor in the body of the camera.

An older Nikon such as the D90 (bought second-hand) may be a better option in this case. You should be able to find one within your budget.
 
Once you buy a DSLR remember you are buying into the brand and its accessories. Buy the best you can buy now.
 
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