Beginner needing some advice

Keith242 · Sep 28, 2016

Im interested in getting into photography I have been doing my research for a few month now but when ever it comes to deciding about the camera I want to buy I always get stuck. I want to get into portrait and wedding photography i also needs something that's is great at photos and video, I was looking at the canon 80d, 6d, 7d and the 5 d can anyone offer some good advice as what to get for a beginner?

chuasam · Sep 28, 2016

Promise me you won't actually charge to shoot a wedding until you're much better at it.
But if the Bride and Groom want it for free, promise me you'll take it...shoot it...make all your mistakes there.

vintagesnaps · Sep 29, 2016

First get a camera, maybe used, to learn with. Eventually you'd be likely at some point to need to upgrade if you find you like photography enough to practice, practice, practice til someday you're good enough at it to develop it into a business.

Learn skills and techniques as a photographer. Maybe take workshops/classes. Learn what would be involved in running a small business. Learn about contracts and licensing usage, etc. Figure out a business plan.

And don't do work for free... does anyone else do that?? does the plumber show up and not charge you? does a restaurant let you eat for free? Find ways to learn and practice until you're at a point to go into business.

So once you decide on a camera I hope you find that you like photography, and then see if it will be a hobby or if it develops into paid work as a photographer.

Keith242 · Sep 29, 2016

chuasam said:
Promise me you won't actually charge to shoot a wedding until you're much better at it.
But if the Bride and Groom want it for free, promise me you'll take it...shoot it...make all your mistakes there.

I won't take any wedding gigs until I feel I'm ready for it but I will do a few free gigs just to get a feel for it.

Keith242 · Sep 29, 2016

vintagesnaps said:
First get a camera, maybe used, to learn with. Eventually you'd be likely at some point to need to upgrade if you find you like photography enough to practice, practice, practice til someday you're good enough at it to develop it into a business.

Learn skills and techniques as a photographer. Maybe take workshops/classes. Learn what would be involved in running a small business. Learn about contracts and licensing usage, etc. Figure out a business plan.

And don't do work for free... does anyone else do that?? does the plumber show up and not charge you? does a restaurant let you eat for free? Find ways to learn and practice until you're at a point to go into business.

So once you decide on a camera I hope you find that you like photography, and then see if it will be a hobby or if it develops into paid work as a photographer.

Well the reason I was considering the 80d is because my wife does a lot of video and she needs a nice camera for that so I was thinking of a two in one deal and do you know any good online photography schools that's is really good

Designer · Sep 29, 2016

You can search the forums on this site for plenty of reading material on the topic.

Keith242 · Sep 29, 2016

Designer said:
You can search the forums on this site for plenty of reading material on the topic.

Ok thank you

dennybeall · Sep 29, 2016

Not familiar with Canon but they make good cameras. I would have recommended a used Nikon D5300 which will do all you want. Video with a DSLR comes with a lot of caveats. It's an additional feature that takes great video BUT it's not a video camera so is hard to use well for video. For example, A video camera has an easy to use power zoom that you use a lot. On the DSLR you have to reach around the camera and turn the lens - making the video jump and wiggle. Video of a speaker or a fixed event with the camera on a tripod is great or short bits of the dog in the yard are OK but it's just not physically designed for ease of use as a video camera.

Gary A. · Sep 29, 2016

As a novice, start out cheap and simple. Shoot and shoot until you wear out the camera. One of the differences between an inexpensive camera and an expensive camera is Image Quality (IQ), the sharpness, noise (grain) and tonal range of the image. Modern digital cameras are so good that up to an 11x14 you won't be able to tell the difference between an inexpensive camera and the flagship model (under normal/daylight lighting conditions). So get an entry level camera with a kit lens and shoot the hell out of it ... until the wheels fall off ... Don't upgrade until you feel the camera is holding you back ... significantly holding you back. At that point you should know what you need and want in order to advance and with only an entry level camera as your investment, you're not really locked into any particular system or manufacturer.

Photography is a lot of things, one of which is 'craft'. Like most crafts the more you do the better your skills. Don't ever think that good equipment can compensate for lack of experience and skill. (i.e. Just because you have a pro set of golf clubs doesn't make you a pro golfer.). Look at a long commitment before attaining a pro level of shooting. Remember that one of the big differences between a pro and non-pro is consistency. Capturing the exception image every now and then doesn't make you a pro ... A pro needs to be able to consistency capture the exceptional image day-in and day-out ... on demand.

Good Luck and Good Shooting,
Gary

Keith242 · Sep 29, 2016

dennybeall said:
Not familiar with Canon but they make good cameras. I would have recommended a used Nikon D5300 which will do all you want. Video with a DSLR comes with a lot of caveats. It's an additional feature that takes great video BUT it's not a video camera so is hard to use well for video. For example, A video camera has an easy to use power zoom that you use a lot. On the DSLR you have to reach around the camera and turn the lens - making the video jump and wiggle. Video of a speaker or a fixed event with the camera on a tripod is great or short bits of the dog in the yard are OK but it's just not physically designed for ease of use as a video camera.

Thanks you

Keith242 · Sep 29, 2016

Gary A. said:
As a novice, start out cheap and simple. Shoot and shoot until you wear out the camera. One of the differences between an inexpensive camera and an expensive camera is Image Quality (IQ), the sharpness, noise (grain) and tonal range of the image. Modern digital cameras are so good that up to an 11x14 you won't be able to tell the difference between an inexpensive camera and the flagship model (under normal/daylight lighting conditions). So get an entry level camera with a kit lens and shoot the hell out of it ... until the wheels fall off ... Don't upgrade until you feel the camera is holding you back ... significantly holding you back. At that point you should know what you need and want in order to advance and with only an entry level camera as your investment, you're not really locked into any particular system or manufacturer.

Photography is a lot of things, one of which is 'craft'. Like most crafts the more you do the better your skills. Don't ever think that good equipment can compensate for lack of experience and skill. (i.e. Just because you have a pro set of golf clubs doesn't make you a pro golfer.). Look at a long commitment before attaining a pro level of shooting. Remember that one of the big differences between a pro and non-pro is consistency. Capturing the exception image every now and then doesn't make you a pro ... A pro needs to be able to consistency capture the exceptional image day-in and day-out ... on demand.

Good Luck and Good Shooting,
Gary

Thank you

goodguy · Sep 29, 2016

I will make it short and sweet.

You want to do weddings ?

1. Get a Canon 5D IV (if you short on cash the 5D III or even 6D will be fine too)
2. 24-70mm 2.8 lens or 24-105mm f4
3. 70-200mm 2.8 lens
4. 35mm 1.8 lens
5. Flash

From my experience this is a minimal setup I would recommend for somebody who wants to do Vid+Pic events

Learn a lot preferably get a mentor that will teach you

beagle100 · Sep 29, 2016

goodguy said:
I will make it short and sweet.

You want to do weddings ?

1. Get a Canon 5D IV (if you short on cash the 5D III or even 6D will be fine too)
2. 24-70mm 2.8 lens or 24-105mm f4
3. 70-200mm 2.8 lens
4. 35mm 1.8 lens
5. Flash

From my experience this is a minimal setup I would recommend for somebody who wants to do Vid+Pic events

Learn a lot preferably get a mentor that will teach you