Beginners DSLR Camera

[Yorkshire Flame]

Originally Posted by SebC

The one thing you might want to start with is a UV filter. Not so much for a kit lens though, they're not worth all that expensive to replace if you do damage it somehow and you might prefer shooting without it. I could be delusional but I swear my auto-focus works better with the filter off, which is particularly important if I'm tracking something moving like a car.

Some really high-end lenses have a coating that UV can damage, but I don't think you'd be looking at any of these. (Yet. )

My best-value accessories for Nikon:
- Nikon wireless remote (if you're gonna shoot tripod, and it unlocks start-stop exposure mode)
- reflector (for outdoor portraits and such - you can even make you own with tinfoil if you're really cheap)
- pop-up flash diffuser (Gary Fong Puffer or generic version)

I work on the weekends at one of the Camera retailers in town, and they'd LOVE for you to buy a UV filter because of the massive markup. Realistically, most decent quality lenses are 10x more scratch resistant than the filters because of the better coatings on the lenses (I've seen Reps run their keys across higher end lenses); however, your best form of scratch protection comes from your lens hood. Most of the time the UV filters are of a much poorer quality than the glass of the lens, and your images will only be as good as your weakest link, your filter.

SebC, you're probably quite right in thinking that your auto-focus works a little quicker with the filter off. Filters don't pass 100% of the light through and the auto-focus, especially on a slightly slower lens, can be affected (not drastically though, unless your filter looks like you covered your lens in Vaseline).

I'd definitely go with the suggestion of getting the ML-L3 wireless remote if you go with the Nikon, as they are cheap like chips ($25), and reflectors are an awesome way of taking better portraits. If I ever use the pop-up flash though, I tape tissue paper to it instead of buying anything made by Gary Fong.

[Titan]

I bought the Nikon D5000 and am very happy with it. I did upgrade the kit lens to the 18-105 and am happy I did. When you look at the lens you can see it is about 4 times the diameter of the kit lens. More light = better pictures right? If only I could shoot like Reg75!

[Yorkshire Flame]

Originally Posted by Titan

When you look at the lens you can see it is about 4 times the diameter of the kit lens. More light = better pictures right?

Well technically, in this case the amount of light getting to the sensor is the same, because the two lenses have the same aperture range. Having said that, the increased surface area does help the resolving power of the lens which == better pictures.

[dissentowner]

Oh, and make sure you get this too.

[ah123]

And they give you a free gym membership with the lens so you can hand-hold this 15kg behemoth (for the $25K that the lens cost, they should include a sherpa IMHO)

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Oh, and make sure you get this too.

[J Diddy]

At Xmas I bought a Canon 60D and I am happy with it but I wish I went with one of those mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. A guy in my photography class had one. It was extremely small and the pictures were as good as any of the SLR pictures we looked at during class.

[OBCT]

You'd probably get a better deal on a used T2i than a T3i, and it's supposed to be an excellent beginner's DSLR.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Yorkshire Flame

If I ever use the pop-up flash though, I tape tissue paper to it instead of buying anything made by Gary Fong.

Haha, fair enough. It is a bit different than just putting a tissue paper on your flash - it's got a little mount that holds the diffuse a few cm away from the flash. Insignificant at long distance, but helps with close-ups and gets rid of shadow from big lenses. Like I said though, there are non-Gary Fong versions that are cheaper and give you daylight and incandescent-coloured diffusers as well.

Originally Posted by J Diddy

At Xmas I bought a Canon 60D and I am happy with it but I wish I went with one of those mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. A guy in my photography class had one. It was extremely small and the pictures were as good as any of the SLR pictures we looked at during class.

A DSLR handles way better though. You're more likely to actually get the shot with one.

As far as I'm concerned, those micro 4/3 cameras are for girls. Can't fit 'em in your pocket, so if you're a guy you're already going to need a dedicated camera bag so you might as well carry a DSLR instead.

[Yorkshire Flame]

Originally Posted by SebC

Haha, fair enough. It is a bit different than just putting a tissue paper on your flash - it's got a little mount that holds the diffuse a few cm away from the flash. Insignificant at long distance, but helps with close-ups and gets rid of shadow from big lenses. Like I said though, there are non-Gary Fong versions that are cheaper and give you daylight and incandescent-coloured diffusers as well.

Yeah, we sell them at my store. I'm just a tight fisted Yorkshireman and I don't want to give Gary my hard earned money to buy another 10 houses/yachts/small countries.

Originally Posted by SebC

A DSLR handles way better though. You're more likely to actually get the shot with one.

As far as I'm concerned, those micro 4/3 cameras are for girls. Can't fit 'em in your pocket, so if you're a guy you're already going to need a dedicated camera bag so you might as well carry a DSLR instead.

You're also not able to create as shallow a depth of field using a Micro 4/3 camera because the physical size of the sensor is smaller, the same way you can't with a point and shoot (just not quite to the same extent). Generally, the dynamic range of the sensor is a bit smaller too, so you don't get as wide of range between the highlights and the shadows.

In the hands of a good photographer, even a pinhole camera could be used to take awesome photographs, but from a technical standpoint the images aren't as good as those from an APS-C or full-frame sized DSLR. I'm completely against measurbating over specs etc, but to say that the photos are as good is probably a bit flawed.

[Sr. Mints]

Originally Posted by Yorkshire Flame

I'd definitely go with the suggestion of getting the ML-L3 wireless remote if you go with the Nikon, as they are cheap like chips ($25), and reflectors are an awesome way of taking better portraits. If I ever use the pop-up flash though, I tape tissue paper to it instead of buying anything made by Gary Fong.

Drat, doesn't work with my camera, I see. Got a recommendation for an el-cheapo wireless remote for the D300?

[Yorkshire Flame]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

Drat, doesn't work with my camera, I see. Got a recommendation for an el-cheapo wireless remote for the D300?

Yeah, unfortunately the D300 doesn't have the IR receiver in it, so you have to go with the ML-3 remote from Nikon. If you want the budget alternative then go for the Hama NI-1 remote, which you'll have to order online somewhere.

http://www.hama.co.uk/portal/article...78/action*2563

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Yorkshire Flame

In the hands of a good photographer, even a pinhole camera could be used to take awesome photographs, but from a technical standpoint the images aren't as good as those from an APS-C or full-frame sized DSLR. I'm completely against measurbating over specs etc, but to say that the photos are as good is probably a bit flawed.

True. The thing is any camera is very, very good in quality light (or with a sufficiently long exposure), which is when you're typically when you're going to get your best photos anyways.

Where the difference shows up is in tough conditions. Your bad photos won't be as bad, but they still won't be your best.

That's why I say that any camera (that doesn't ruin your shots with auto settings) will allow you to take good photos, but a DSLR makes it easier.

You do get bokeh more easily with a DSLR - that's a good point.

[ma-skis.com]

got a canon T1i when the T2i's were coming out and I have no regrets with that, it shoots 1080 video and does everything i need for a beginner dslr camera.

really at the time my biggest thing that made me go canon over the equivalent nikon model at that time was the 1080 video, pretty sure you won't be disappointed if you grab last years version of nikon / camera to save yourself a couple bucks particularly as a beginner to dslr.

[Titan]

Just a note on the video on my D5000. I shot some water skiing this weekend and played it on the big screen and it looked just amazing. The downside is it is not autofocus while shooting. The new version (d3000?) has autofocus while shooting. I wish I had waited for that one. Also, the sound pickup was pretty poor. I also shot some with my HD sony camcorder and the images were pretty close but the sound was way better on the cam.

I like the idea of video on the cam because when with the kids you never know what is going to happen and to have the option of going to video is really nice. You just have to remember to autofocus before you start.

[To Be Quite Honest]

I got my Nikon D5100 today! I am so excited to take this baby out for a spin!

Thanks for this thread as it really helped me out!

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by To Be Quite Honest

I got my Nikon D5100 today! I am so excited to take this baby out for a spin!

Thanks for this thread as it really helped me out!

Congrats! Be sure you post in the Never Ending Photo thread when you feel comfortable enough to do so with your photos!

[To Be Quite Honest]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Congrats! Be sure you post in the Never Ending Photo thread when you feel comfortable enough to do so with your photos!

A lot of great photographers in there! I'm great with video so I hope the transition will be smooth. Thanks for the invite MMF!

[THE SCUD]

*Bump*


My Wife wnats a DSLR for her birthday - She took photography in high school and has a manual film DSLR she used to use and develop her own photos (though she hasn't done so in recent years)

She'd like to get back into it with the coming of our first child, so I'd like to get a decent camera for a first time digital SLR user - but one that would grow a bit with her, given her photography background (ie we both understand iso and fstops, etc)

Any thoughts? I was thinking maybe a Nikon D3100, but I know she also likes Canons. Probably has to be one of the two brands, I'd say.

[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.

[ah123]

Originally Posted by THE SCUD

*Bump*


My Wife wnats a DSLR for her birthday - She took photography in high school and has a manual film DSLR she used to use and develop her own photos (though she hasn't done so in recent years)

She'd like to get back into it with the coming of our first child, so I'd like to get a decent camera for a first time digital SLR user - but one that would grow a bit with her, given her photography background (ie we both understand iso and fstops, etc)

Any thoughts? I was thinking maybe a Nikon D3100, but I know she also likes Canons. Probably has to be one of the two brands, I'd say.

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

I don't know much about the Canon world, so I will stick to Nikon. If she is familiar with film SLR, I would go a higher than the D3100 (which is more aimed at p&s converts). Depending on your budget, you might want to look at a D90 or D5100 (or even a D7000 if your budget stretches that much), as they have more advanced features.

Hope that helps.