Camera talk.

_AlexTM · Postby **_AlexTM** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:14

Looking to get a good yet low budget DSLR camera, anyone have any suggestions?

I`m Batman · Postby **I`m Batman** » Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:14

How much are you planning to spend? The money is really at the lens depending on what you want to do with it.

Learjet45 · Postby **Learjet45** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 9:14

Depends entirely on how low "low budget" is.
New I'd say you're looking at $450-$500 or so for an entry level body with an 18-55mm lens or similar. Used won't be as much clearly, but not much less. Quick search on craigslist didn't show much of any results under $300 for the same sort of entry level body with an 18-55mm lens. There was one Sony DSLR that had both an 18-55 lens and a 70-300mm lens, but that deal seems a bit too good to be true to me. As with any purchase of used goods, you need to be wary and also make sure you have someone with you who knows plenty about the item(s) before purchasing them.

Isn't Andrew a big camera person? I know he sold one an old DSLR of his to one of my friends a while back.

_AlexTM · Postby **_AlexTM** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 9:14

I'd probably be buying used, and like $300 ish. Possibly more. Was looking at Canon Rebel xsi, or a T2i would be even better but more expensive. I want to get into car photography more, as well as shooting other stuff for fun. Care to explain the different lenses more?

Postby **RX-7 Chris** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 9:14

Basically stick with either a Canon or Nikon. They are the best quality. Beyond that it basically comes down to which interface you like better. Most people one here will swear by just one of the two. And with lenses, I stick with the same brand as the camera.

Costco is a good place to look at cameras.

I`m Batman · Postby **I`m Batman** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 9:14

Obviously, Rebel series are the affordable DSLR line for Canon, you can get any one of those for whatever you're willing to spend now then buy the lens you want, which you can be reused on your next DSLR when you want to upgrade. The 'stock' lens is junk. So, it's up to you if you want to get it with it or not. The first affordable lens that recommend is the 'nifty fifty'. It's a fixed 50mm lens, no zoom... So you/the shooter are the zoom.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/12142-USA/Canon_2514A002_Normal_EF_50mm_f_1_8.html

It's cheap and takes amazing pictures for the price. It's a f1.8 so it's fast and good in low light. You can step up to f1.4 but it'll cost you 3-4 times as much. Since it's a fixed/no zoom lens, it's not a good all around lens. It's good for portraits or things that you have time to adjust/move around to get the pictures you want.

I would recommend taking all your pictures in RAW so you can 'develop' them the way you want afterwards without loosing quality/resolution.

I have 18-200mm for my 'all around'. Not the fastest lens but it does the job. (Used at Formula 1 races) http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/582444-USA/Canon_2752B002_EF_S_18_200mm_f_3_5_5_6_IS.html

Then I would switch to my 50mm if I have time and want really good pictures, or indoors/night time. I also use the 50mm to take pictures of my kids.

Website · Postby **Shadowden** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 9:14

Alex, this would be a good time for a decent camera for you considering you will be on tour and will want to capture as much as possible. Might be able to pay your camera tat way too depending on if people would be interested in purchasing pictures of your crew, and they would be okay wit you selling them.

_AlexTM · Postby **_AlexTM** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 9:14

Shadowden wrote:Alex, this would be a good time for a decent camera for you considering you will be on tour and will want to capture as much as possible. Might be able to pay your camera tat way too depending on if people would be interested in purchasing pictures of your crew, and they would be okay wit you selling them.

Thats what im thinking. If im gonna be traveling thats so much more opportunity to photograph stuff. And itd be sweet if i was able to do shoots and have people pay and then that supports me on tour. We'll see. Ive always been super interested in it just havent had a camera minus my iPhone ha.

G-Man · Postby **G-Man** » Tue Dec 18, 2012 9:14

Check out http://www.kenrockwell.com. He's pro-Nikon but fair to Canon. (I'm an ex-pro shooter and use Nikon.)

Especially these days, all the money is in the lenses. The camera bodies are like computers or phones and become obsolete even if perfectly functional.

DSLR setups are bulky, heavy, and fragile. If you're traveling or deployed, maybe a more compact all-in-one camera?

It's difficult to do quality photography of moving or racing cars without a whole lot of practice, a great vantage point, and some heavy-duty lenses. It's difficult to do car portraits without being able to control the lighting (studio or assistants or both) and having some neat wide-angle or shift lenses.

Check out http://www.rebilasphoto.com/ for some great work. Look through the galleries to see the range of stuff he's done well.

Most of all, have a ton of fun shooting!

Mortose · Postby **Mortose** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:14

well, as a fellow noob shooter, i LOVE my nikon. cost me 400 on CL for it. its a D80, and came with 2 lenses, a 4gb card. it had the standard 18-55 and another one that is kinda broken. (just been to lazy to get it repaired) and then i picked up a Nikor 55-200 lens at best buy on sale for $100.

chromal · Postby **chromal** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:14

I will suggest another brand whose dSLRs are well-built: Pentax. Their K-series are fine for basic photography, and there are plenty of quality lenses available. Canon and Nikon are fine choices too.

_AlexTM · Postby **_AlexTM** » Sun Jan 06, 2013 9:14

Thanks for the input guys!

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