Beginners DSLR Camera

[ah123]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Might as well add to the BUMP

Just a question, a friend has a Nikon D80 DSLR and was wondering if anyone has a recommendation on a class in Calgary at either SAIT, UofC, MRC, CameraStore, etc that might be good for someone starting out in the Fstop world.

When I started, I took a couple of classes at SAIT - that really helped me, since I got some critique on some of my pictures. I also took some seminars at Vistek & the CameraStore, but did not find it as useful, just because it is a couple of hours and you don't really have someone to ask when things don't go as you expect.

There are also online courses which have good reviews (google PPSOP or Kelby Training), I know with PPSOP, there is a way to get critique of your work and to ask questions to the instructor(s).

Hope that helps...

[SebC]

Shameless plug: if you're a noob (or even if you're not), the Start-to-Photography group on Meetup is a pretty good way to learn from other photographers. Calgary Flickrmeets is another option.

[DownInFlames]

If you're an absolute beginner, and want to get away from "green box" mode and learn the relationships between shutter speed, apeture and ISO this SLR simulator makes for good practice: http://camerasim.com/camera-simulator.html

[MaDMaN_26]

I am a total noob and may look into those groups etc... posted above...

I just bought a NEX 5 from Sony for $499.00 - reviews say its good starter.

[MaDMaN_26]

So as my last post states I bought myself a Sony NEX-5a from Dell a couple months ago and while I like the camera I am kind of a noob when it comes to photography. It came with a 16mm lens that does not zoom, I think its a wide angle lens but I'm not sure. (I think the lack of zoom is inherent in the name as well but it beats me)

Anyway I'd like to pick up a decent zoom lens on Boxing Day or thereabouts if its a good price. I know Sony uses a "E-mount" system but I'm not sure if that means it is only compatible with its own e mount branded lenses.

I think this is a decent lens that fits my needs *Click Here* - Anyone see this lens going on sale boxing day? Any other ideas for a good zoom lens that's going on sale?

I think Blacks is doing $100 bucks off all lenses but I'm guessing Amazons regular price of $299.00 will be about the same as the typically over priced Blacks... maybe I'm wrong though. I don't see that lens on their website either way...

[Arsenal14]

Originally Posted by ah123

If she still has lenses from her film days, I would look to see if you can get a body which can use those lenses

Is there an easy way to tell what cameras are compatible with what lenses? My dad has some old Pentax lenses from his film camera but I'm not sure if there is any real value in trying to find a DSLR that works with them. The camera itself wasn't any of the major manufacturers that exist today (not Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, etc.) but I don't remember who it was.

[ah123]

Originally Posted by Arsenal14

Is there an easy way to tell what cameras are compatible with what lenses? My dad has some old Pentax lenses from his film camera but I'm not sure if there is any real value in trying to find a DSLR that works with them. The camera itself wasn't any of the major manufacturers that exist today (not Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, etc.) but I don't remember who it was.

Some of the Pentax DSLRs can handle (some of the) old Pentax lenses. You might want to do a google search on that - here's an article to help you get started

All Pentax digital SLR bodies are compatible with older Pentax film lenses (FA, F and A mounts) as well as newer lenses (DA and DA* mounts).

http://photo.net/equipment/pentax/

If you still have the film camera, you might want to lookup the manufacturer of the camera, some of those old film cameras are still worth some decent money. Vintage visuals is probably a good place to start to with that (http://www.vintagevisuals.com/other.htm)

[Arsenal14]

Thanks for that. Looking at the Vintage Visuals website I remembered that the camera make was Chinon which Wikipedia tells me used the Pentax K mount. It looks like adapters are available for the Canon EOS series but I'll have to do some digging to see if I can figure out exactly what model of camera and lenses he has.

[MoneyGuy]

I worked as a journalist for many years and did my own photos (I've also done weddings) so I'm very experienced, but it's mostly with film photography. I have a basic digital camera that I went to replace for a trip to Europe this year.

I'm looking at the Canon T3i which, coincidentally, is the same camera my niece got for Christmas and she has been asking me some questions. I have these questions. First, for my niece: She has small kids and wants to photograph dance recitals from the audience. I'm not sure the flash that comes with it will be enough to properly light the children (it's the basic flash). Will it be enough to light from row 12?

My questions for now:
-Does the T3i have 1080 movie capcability? What does this mean and does it produce really good quality?
-I'm concerned about weight as I haven't really handled this gear yet. If I'm carrying a body, three lenses, a flash, accessories and a bag, will that weight be too much for lots of walking?
-I see an ad for a "kit." What does kit mean? Is that the flash, maybe some filters and a bag, or what is in the kit?
-The camera is 18 megapixels. Is that suitable for enlarging to, say, 16x20 (minimal cropping) or is that too much?

Thanks. I'll probably have other technical questions later.

Oh, for my niece: She's a total noob. I think this is too much camera for her??? She wants to take a course but I think she'll need to be very familiar with the gear first otherwise she'll be totally overwhelmed in the course as they likely won't teach her about that model, but more about photography skills. Is this so?

[MaDMaN_26]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I worked as a journalist for many years and did my own photos (I've also done weddings) so I'm very experienced, but it's mostly with film photography. I have a basic digital camera that I went to replace for a trip to Europe this year.

I'm looking at the Canon T3i which, coincidentally, is the same camera my niece got for Christmas and she has been asking me some questions. I have these questions. First, for my niece: She has small kids and wants to photograph dance recitals from the audience. I'm not sure the flash that comes with it will be enough to properly light the children (it's the basic flash). Will it be enough to light from row 12?

My questions for now:
-Does the T3i have 1080 movie capcability? What does this mean and does it produce really good quality?
-I'm concerned about weight as I haven't really handled this gear yet. If I'm carrying a body, three lenses, a flash, accessories and a bag, will that weight be too much for lots of walking?
-I see an ad for a "kit." What does kit mean? Is that the flash, maybe some filters and a bag, or what is in the kit?
-The camera is 18 megapixels. Is that suitable for enlarging to, say, 16x20 (minimal cropping) or is that too much?

Thanks. I'll probably have other technical questions later.

Oh, for my niece: She's a total noob. I think this is too much camera for her??? She wants to take a course but I think she'll need to be very familiar with the gear first otherwise she'll be totally overwhelmed in the course as they likely won't teach her about that model, but more about photography skills. Is this so?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_600D

Says the T3i is the USA branded name for thsi camera. Says full 1080p at 24-30fps and 720p at 50-60 frames

Other than that I'm pretty noob myself, but maybe that wiki will help you some...

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by MaDMaN_26

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_600D

Says the T3i is the USA branded name for thsi camera. Says full 1080p at 24-30fps and 720p at 50-60 frames

Other than that I'm pretty noob myself, but maybe that wiki will help you some...

Thanks and I'll look, but related to the bolded part, is that good movie capability?

[To Be Quite Honest]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Thanks and I'll look, but related to the bolded part, is that good movie capability?

Your regular HD TV broadcast is 720p so it's not a big deal. The nice thing about 60 fps is the slow motion shots look better then the 30fps. Our eyes don't really see past 30 fps so unless you need a faster fps for effects the 30 fps at 1080 is great and will suit your needs, however, make sure you have the option for an external mic as that will come in handy when shooting your children at concert time.

[OBCT]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I worked as a journalist for many years and did my own photos (I've also done weddings) so I'm very experienced, but it's mostly with film photography. I have a basic digital camera that I went to replace for a trip to Europe this year.

I'm looking at the Canon T3i which, coincidentally, is the same camera my niece got for Christmas and she has been asking me some questions. I have these questions. First, for my niece: She has small kids and wants to photograph dance recitals from the audience. I'm not sure the flash that comes with it will be enough to properly light the children (it's the basic flash). Will it be enough to light from row 12?

No; if that's the case, the stock flash may be inadequate for her needs.

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

My questions for now:
-Does the T3i have 1080 movie capcability? What does this mean and does it produce really good quality?

As far as cameras (not camcorders) are concerned, yes. I expect you'll be quite satisfied, if not blown away.

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

-I'm concerned about weight as I haven't really handled this gear yet. If I'm carrying a body, three lenses, a flash, accessories and a bag, will that weight be too much for lots of walking?

Depends on the person. It isn't light.

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

-I see an ad for a "kit." What does kit mean? Is that the flash, maybe some filters and a bag, or what is in the kit?

Likely just a bag, a lens and a filter. Depends on the kit, however.

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

-The camera is 18 megapixels. Is that suitable for enlarging to, say, 16x20 (minimal cropping) or is that too much?

Yes; in most cases 18 MP will be amply large. It equates to 5196 x 3464 resolution. Here's a decent discussion on it: http://preview.tinyurl.com/c9v4kj9.

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Thanks. I'll probably have other technical questions later.

Oh, for my niece: She's a total noob. I think this is too much camera for her???

Almost certainly, yes. Although it's a wonderful camera, the T3i is much closer to a professional model than a beginner's model. She may be better off starting out with the S95, G12, XSi, or similar Canon (or other brand) model with some advanced features but a much more gradual learning curve.

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

She wants to take a course but I think she'll need to be very familiar with the gear first otherwise she'll be totally overwhelmed in the course as they likely won't teach her about that model, but more about photography skills. Is this so?

Yeah, that is usually the case.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by OBCT

No; if that's the case, the stock flash may be inadequate for her needs.

As far as cameras (not camcorders) are concerned, yes. I expect you'll be quite satisfied, if not blown away.

Depends on the person. It isn't light.

Likely just a bag, a lens and a filter. Depends on the kit, however.

Yes; in most cases 18 MP will be amply large. It equates to 5196 x 3464 resolution. Here's a decent discussion on it: http://preview.tinyurl.com/c9v4kj9.

Almost certainly, yes. Although it's a wonderful camera, the T3i is much closer to a professional model than a beginner's model. She may be better off starting out with the S95, G12, XSi, or similar Canon (or other brand) model with some advanced features but a much more gradual learning curve.

Yeah, that is usually the case.

Thanks for the detailed reply; very helpful. My niece got her camera from her husband who has lots of money and he wants her to keep it. I think she needed a compact car but was sold a high-performance sports car.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I worked as a journalist for many years and did my own photos (I've also done weddings) so I'm very experienced, but it's mostly with film photography. I have a basic digital camera that I went to replace for a trip to Europe this year.

I'm looking at the Canon T3i which, coincidentally, is the same camera my niece got for Christmas and she has been asking me some questions. I have these questions. First, for my niece: She has small kids and wants to photograph dance recitals from the audience. I'm not sure the flash that comes with it will be enough to properly light the children (it's the basic flash). Will it be enough to light from row 12?

My questions for now:
-Does the T3i have 1080 movie capcability? What does this mean and does it produce really good quality?
-I'm concerned about weight as I haven't really handled this gear yet. If I'm carrying a body, three lenses, a flash, accessories and a bag, will that weight be too much for lots of walking?
-I see an ad for a "kit." What does kit mean? Is that the flash, maybe some filters and a bag, or what is in the kit?
-The camera is 18 megapixels. Is that suitable for enlarging to, say, 16x20 (minimal cropping) or is that too much?

Thanks. I'll probably have other technical questions later.

Oh, for my niece: She's a total noob. I think this is too much camera for her??? She wants to take a course but I think she'll need to be very familiar with the gear first otherwise she'll be totally overwhelmed in the course as they likely won't teach her about that model, but more about photography skills. Is this so?

IMHO:

The internal flashes actually has a pretty good range, and you can bump up the ISO. However, it's still directly flash and thus generally awful, and also not likely appreciated or even permitted during your niece's kids' recitals. A good lens would be much more useful than a big flash for that situation.

It's also not "too much camera", unless of course she can't carry it. It still has the familiar auto + live view, as well as "create auto" and "auto +" that are noob-oriented. Of course, it's best to learn the more advanced features as well.

For video, two things are the banes of DSLR users. Rolling shutter (movement/panning makes vertical lines no longer vertical) and slow autofocus.

Things can get heavy. You'll learn to leave some of your stuff at home depending on where you're going. But it's not as heavy as if you go full frame, at least.

Kit can mean anything, though it often means you get a lens. Read the description.

Lastly, read this:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Canoneos600d/

It will tell you everything.

[Scotian Lotion]

Originally Posted by SebC

It's also not "too much camera", unless of course she can't carry it.

Agreed.
Basic DSLR photography isn't that hard to grasp, even if you've never picked up anything more than an iPhone to take pictures.

If the niece wants to learn it badly enough, then she will. It's not like we're living in the stone age where we'd need to drag our asses to the library to get a book or enroll in courses to have someone else, who can read, summarize the pages of a photography book for us.

If you can read and use the internet, you can learn photography, with respect to how everything works and how to achieve specific effects. The only limitation after that is 'your eye'. Experience will fine tune that over time.


Though to OBCT, I don't think the T3i (600D) is closer to being a Professional camera.
Maybe if we compare it to a Point & Shoot, but in the realm of DSLR's, the T3i is nicely seated in the Entry Level Spectrum. The 60D would be the Canon offering to step across the mid-line towards something a little more 'Pro', but I wouldn't throw that word on anything, with respect to the hardware, until you get into the 7D.
For DSLR's, IMO (of course), 'Pro' means, tons of external controls/buttons, 100% view finder, pentaprism view finder, fast continuous shooting, dozens of focus points, super high and super low ISO capability, weather sealed construction, etc etc.

That said, with a good selection of lenses, the T3i isn't going to hold anyone back from taking amazing photos if they set out to do so. It's just a tool.

[basementbusker]

<removed self-promoting post that violated the board rules>

[Hans Landa]

I don't know how such a business can even exist these days.

Unless you're really trying to level up your photography to something in the top .01% of photographers and learn complex studio lighting techniques, you can learn everything, quite easily from Beginner Braindead to Advanced Ace on YouTube. It's all Free, sponsored by big US camera retailers and is explained by celebrity photographers.

I tried to go out hands on with someone once and explain DSLR photography to them and at the end of it, I said "just go on YouTube, it's the same crap I'm telling you, only you can rewind it as much as you like"

http://www.youtube.com/user/adoramaTV/videos?view=1

[cDnStealth]

There are some really good photographers on here. I am routinely blown away with a lot of the photos posted here on CP. I picked up a T1i last summer when I went to Europe. Took thousands of photos and for the most part they turned out fairly well with the stock lens. Granted most of that was simply shot using the camera's pre-sets with me messing around with the odd setting. Now I've read some really good things about the EF 50mm f1.8 II lens. I like to mostly shoot landscapes and indoors (without flash). Any thoughts on this thing? How versatile is this lens? Does it make the stock lens completely obsolete? Would I be better off getting a telephoto lens instead?

[SebC]

Originally Posted by cDnStealth

There are some really good photographers on here. I am routinely blown away with a lot of the photos posted here on CP. I picked up a T1i last summer when I went to Europe. Took thousands of photos and for the most part they turned out fairly well with the stock lens. Granted most of that was simply shot using the camera's pre-sets with me messing around with the odd setting. Now I've read some really good things about the EF 50mm f1.8 II lens. I like to mostly shoot landscapes and indoors (without flash). Any thoughts on this thing? How versatile is this lens? Does it make the stock lens completely obsolete? Would I be better off getting a telephoto lens instead?

It would be good lens for indoors without flash if you meet one of the following conditions:
- You have lots of space (i.e. you're the only photographer, or can at least tell other people to get out of your way).
- You don't need to get full length portraits or big groups.

It's not a versatile lens, it has a fixed zoom. It will not replace your 18-55, as you will often want wider the 50 for landscape. (Imagine shooting with current lens but only zoomed in all the way... that's what shooting at 50 is.

For indoors without flash and landscape you'd likely be better with the 50 than a telephoto, but I'd also consider getting a flash that you can bounce for indoor... bounce flash looks very different than direct flash.