The right gear for a beginner

Treehugger81

Treehugger81

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Hi i'm new to the forum and am pleasantly surprised at the friendliness of the users on here, so i figured where best to ask this question.

Never owned a DSLR before, only ever used point and shoot compacts, and my mobile phone. I really enjoy taking macro shots of insects and animals and would really like peoples comments and opinions on makes, models of camera, lens and other gear that i probably dont even know exists.

If there are any posts similar to mine; which i'm sure there are, that would save people repeating themselves could someone point me in the right direction. Cheers!!
 
This is a regular question

But really it comes down to what your budget is :thumbs:

The main suggestion is go out to a shop and have a play se which one feels right in your hands

You have said you would like to do macro so maybe you would want to spec your gear towards that type of gear

You could probably get away with for example canon 550D, 50mm f/1.8, macro extension tube set and maybe a 3rd party flash and have all that £700ish new but as said it really all comes down to budget

Matt
MWHCVT
 
Whatever you get... put it on manual and mess. You'll learn way more by experimenting with every aperture, shutter speed, iso on a set scene, whether a landscape or an object.

Nikon/Canon with a good fast lens, the 50 1.8 is a massive tip that Matthew wrote. If it comes with a kit lens and you buy that then you'll be on the road. You might get a raynox 250 that fits that 50 and that'll give you a cheap macro start.
 
db247 said:
Nikon/Canon with a good fast lens, the 50 1.8 is a massive tip that Matthew wrote.
Click to expand...
Pentax & Sony also do Macro well. Not sure about Pentax but Sony also have a good, cheap 50/1.8 & a 35/1.8 for a more "normal" field of view.
 
As already suggested I would decide on a budget firstly then have a play at your local camera shop.

Might also be worth considering second hand, allows you money to go a little further.
 
It's allways difficult being a beginner at anything and going to a shop. You feel that you have an abligation to buy something.
You do not.

Post your suggested budget and we can suggest some possible solutions to play with.
 
I suggest Canon XXXD range new or used they are great entry DSLR camera bodies. Can't go wrong for the money. I had a 400D before the 7D I n ow have
 
Thanks for the comments guys. My intended budget is gonna be around £500
Ish. It's not set in stone, cheaper options are always welcome lol, but i wouldn't mind paying a little extra for some quality gear.
 
the nikon d3100 always pops up as a good starter...I have an a200 :) was only £160 so couldn't go wrong!
 
Hi Treehugger81 and welcome.

You should go to the shops and play with all the cameras you think you might like.
Then either new or secondhand:

Buy the one that feels most comfortable in your hands, after all you will be holding it.
It will be the camera you find has the most intuitive button layout and control menu.
The price will be suited to your budget.

Don't forget to include in your budget a memory card and a bag if not included in a package.

Remember all the cameras can take good picture's, it is you however that make them great.

Never buy on the basis of other people saying "this one is great". It may be for them but not always for you. Buying a camera is a very personal choice.
 
You have a reasonable budget to get started, so will have a wide (too wide :) ) choice as all the brands make decent cameras in that range.

As already mentioned, it's worth popping down to a local Jessops and getting a feel for a few of the models on offer (you may have to smile and nod at suitable moments to make the salesman think you are listening to him / her - some are good, but some are also very 'focused' on one brand or other).

This should give you an idea of what you like - both brand wise, and also size wise (does a large or small DSLR feel more comfortable in your hands).

Then report back, and get a heads up on the best options - including s/h from the classifieds here, which could give you the option to get a better bundle for your cash.
 
Well in my opinion canon has better range of glasses, which are more important than bodys. However after owning a Canon for a littel while, I liked the look of Nikons and to be hones even thought of swiching to Nikon. But its not worth it, as it wont improve your photography. What Im trying to say is, that which ever brand you go for, you will be satisfied withit. But also will find few bits that you like about the brand you dont own.
 
Things you might not have thought of....

Well if your primary interest, initially, is macro you could try getting some Kenko extension tubes that fit between the lens and the camera, or a Raynox DC-250 fro example. Both can make you non-macro lenses, well Macro.

Have a look in the Flickr groups for results with those combinations, even when used with a great value 50mm f1.8 lens. You would be up and running within budget and have a lens that doubled up as a portrait lens, and would give you the chance to play with depth of field.

As you get into things more, you can expand your selection (or if you don't like it, sell for not much loss second hand).

I only know Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax etc no doubt do equivalent, but for Canon if you wanted to go with them, you could go with:

Second hand Canon 20d or 400\450d (later xxx range smaller in hand than xx range) - £150-£180
Canon 50mm f1.8 £90

Raynox DC-250 eg http://www.amazon.co.uk/Raynox-RADCR-0250-DCR-250-Macro-Attachment/dp/B000A1SZ2Y/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1/277-7724642-6738432?ie=UTF8&qid=1307446963&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Should leave you with about £180. You could either upgrade the body, get a standard kit lens, invest in a Tripod, decent book (eg Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson), mem cards, an external drive to backup all those photos etc.

Good luck, it's a sea of information when you start out, but the mist will start to clear once you get started!

Al
 
i went for a second hand 400d i found one with kit lens and a sigma 70-300m that has slight 'macro' function with bad n cards paid £300 from egay about 4 months ago. Havnt even thought about upgrading the body because i dont need to. Just get the basics cheapest camera you can get (aslong as its decent, i went for canon so if i decide to upgrade in the future i dont have to change all my kit), i would definatly reccomend a tripod especially if you want macro (dont buy cheap ones, redsnapper have good review and good prices).

Then dedicate as much time as possible for larking around with your camera just having fun thats when ive discover my most creative techniques tbh
 
Great info, thank you all. Looks like I'm gonna enjoy figuring all this out.

PsiFox said:
H

Buy the one that feels most comfortable in your hands, after all you will be holding it.
It will be the camera you find has the most intuitive button layout and control menu.
The price will be suited to your budget.

Don't forget to include in your budget a memory card and a bag if not included in a package.

Remember all the cameras can take good picture's, it is you however that make them great.

Never buy on the basis of other people saying "this one is great". It may be for them but not always for you. Buying a camera is a very personal choice.
Click to expand...

Really good advice, much appreciated PsiFox. :thumbs:
 
Don't forget some third party macro lenses are exceptional, like the Tamron 90mm which I have owned, and they can be bought in different lens mounts, Canon, Nikon, etc, so don't feel you have to buy a certain brand of camera. Might an articulated screen be of use with this kind of photography? and don't forget you will need a tripod for this kind of work also.

I should also point out that although some zoom lenses say they are Macro, they are not true 1:1 macro lenses.
 
Treehugger81 said:
Hi i'm new to the forum and am pleasantly surprised at the friendliness of the users on here, so i figured where best to ask this question.

Never owned a DSLR before, only ever used point and shoot compacts, and my mobile phone. I really enjoy taking macro shots of insects and animals and would really like peoples comments and opinions on makes, models of camera, lens and other gear that i probably dont even know exists.

If there are any posts similar to mine; which i'm sure there are, that would save people repeating themselves could someone point me in the right direction. Cheers!!
Click to expand...


I was in the same boat as yourself a month or two ago. I went into Jessops to have a play around to see what felt best..I came out with the Nikon d3100 i picked Nikon over Canon as the build quality and feel was miles ahead.

I have not had much time to really get going with my camera but i bought a few books as well and intend to really get going in the coming month's.

Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson(sp) and The Dummies Guide to Nikon D3100.
 
If you like macro go for a Canon body as you will then have access to the MP-E65mm if you get addicted, and it'll save a load of pain and expense swapping systems in the future.

To get the best from any macro lens / body you'll also need a hotshoe flash.
 
Well, I took a trip to jessops and had a talk with one of the guys in there. He told me a lot of stuff I can't remember lol and some stuff that was probably just irrelevant, but he was extremely helpful. I got my hands on a couple of cameras and although I have always looked upon nikon as a market leader, I think I am siding more towards canon. I held the eos 1100 I think and it felt much better in my hands, the nikon I held felt a little too small. The canon also looked a lot simpler, less confusing and the buttons were all in easy reach of my fingers. Plus I was told the range of lens is much greater for canon than with other makes. So now I have an idea of what I'm looking for the fun begins. :-)
 
Hi

my 2p worth... :)

(From your posts) You liked the canon... so have a look at the prices of the macro 1:1 ratio lenses.

From nikon there is the 105mm micro, tamron 90mm, from sigma, the 105 or 150 are main stream. 180mm is a bit big, but does mean you don't need to be close to the target...uh subject ;)
However I think most of these lenses are around the 300ukp+ mark

So whichever you felt the best in camera bodies, check the prices of lenses for them. You might be able to use a 50mm if it has a 1:1 ratio (lifesize on the sensor).


The raynox 250 (around 40ukp) seems to work better on the longer mm lenses (such as the 70-300). I have no experience - so take with a pinch of salt!

There are also tubes that go between the camera and lens. These are brill! although the cheapest (10ukp) is fully manual so your lens would also need to be able to do this.



If you can stretch - look at the 20d/30d... meant to be very nice - although your forray into macro might be a little delayed.


Oh and one other thing, dunno if jessops is still doing it, but for new cameras they may still have the interest free credit for a year (depending on amounts spent). Only needs 25ukp pay off plus balance on the 11 month. Means you get new kit to play with now tho.


Good luck on your choice - and post up once you've got your camera!
 
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After a lot of sifting through reviews and and info on all sorts of stuff,I think ;) I've settled on The Canon 500D with kit. I think ill get the best deal from what i have seen on e-bay.

As for a good lens for macro i am siding towards a prime lens. Although looking at the prices i think my budget may be blown out of the water. Not sure if i want to compromise a non-macro lens coupled with extension tubes and/or close up attachments. Decisions, decisions. lol

Any help on this subject would be great, as you can probably tell I need it.

Thanks for all of your previous comment they have helped enormously
 
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Ok I took the plunge and have bought a canon 450d with 15-55mm is kit lens, and also a canon 60mm f2.8 usm lens, all for £500.

Thanks for all of the info and advice.
 
Although it's a little late right now for future kit I would reccommend youtube as an excellent place for reviews. There's also a lot of tutorial videos to help you get started.

Other than that enjoy your new toy and good luck :)
 
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