Hi, I know nothing.

Strife

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Hi everyone,
I have always loved to take pictures but have never really gotten into it. After a little bit of thinking I said to myself maybe I should get a decent camera, then i realized i don't know anything about photography.I have a 5.1 Mega pixel digital camera i picked up for 80 bucks, I'm sure you can only imagine the quality. I would assume the first step would be to get a decent camera. I have money so that in the long run i could buy another if I get into it but right now I don't want to spend to much. I don't really care weather it's film or digital.

Here what I am looking for, something of decent quality- Doesn't have to be outstanding but will last till i know where I want to go with this.

Versatility- I am a very big fan of the outdoors and love taking pictures of stuff in the wood, but i also would like something that will work everywhere.

Durable- As I said I love the outdoors so something that is not very delicate is important.

Cost- As I said I don't want to spend to much, I'm gonna say up to $150 when all is said and done, don't know how reasonable that is.


Also can any of you guide me to some introduction to photography and methods, styles, and whatnot.

Thanks guys, sorry if i sound like an idiot, I really don't know anythign about this.
 
Its not about how good your camera is its about what "YOU" see out of the camera!
 
Its not about how good your camera is its about what "YOU" see out of the camera!

Well that can be said about any hobby, but without decent, reliable equipment, how can you be sure the camera is really seeing what you are seeing.
 
Thats what photography is all about. You may see something in your photos that someone else doesn't. There are many "AMAZING" photos that were taken with nothing but a 1 or 2 mg camera. Does that mean its a bad photo? NO, its how you captured the moment.
 
If you wanted to start with a non-DSLR, you could look at the Canon S3-IS or equivalent, which runs around $300 ($150 may be a bit tough - but others might know of a camera in that range). Or you could look at an entry-level DSLR, like the Nikon D-40 or Canon Rebel XT - those would be closer to $600, I think.

Regardless of what you choose, you should look for a camera that features manual controls for aperture, shutter speed, and preferably white balance (or just look for a camera that features as much manual control as possible). You should also make sure to try the camera out in a store to see how it feels.

The other option is a film SLR. I think it's easier to learn with digital (because you get feedback, rather than over-exposing a whole roll of film and figuring it out a week later). But it's been a long time since I used film, and opinions vary on that. A film SLR, especially used, can be had fairly cheaply - maybe even for $100-150.
 
I agree with Old Navy. It is not how much the equipment costs but in how you use it. Most digital cameras in your price range will do some great work with a little effort. You need to learn all you can about your camera, experiment with it and I'm sure you will come up with some fine photos. Good luck.
 
Good basic camera equipment that is rugged, under $150, provides sufficient capabilities to permit one to learn the basics of photography and capable of producing a 'good' picture.

At present, I'd have to opt for a number of the older 35mm slr's now available through eBay, etc. The present digital revolution has dropped the cost of these cameras dramatically. A starting point might be the Pentax K1000, Konica T3, Mamiya 500TL or 1000TL, or the equivalent in the Minolta, Canon or Nikon lines. Some may be had at prices which will permit accessorizing without budget-busting.
 
Hi everyone,
I have always ...
... anything about photography. I have a 5.1 Mega pixel digital camera i picked up for 80 bucks, I'm sure you can only imagine the quality. I would assume the first step would be to get a decent camera. ...

First thing is, you already have a camera.

The rest is;

Don't let what you paid for the camera determine what the quality is.

Take some pictures with it.

Look at them.

Use Google to look up the rule of thirds for composition- Do this AFTER you've already taken some pictures.

Easy stuff.

--
To summarize;

TAKE SOME PICTURES.

LOOK AT THEM.

SHOW THEM.
--

I started with an Epson digital in 1995. 640x480 was the best it could do. I had a lot of fun with it. Even built a business that has been supporting me & mine for the last 12 years.

Just do it. Everything else is just an excuse.

Come back with some photos, we'll help you out.
 
pic153do4.jpg





pic1382wo3.jpg



pic161nz5.jpg



Here are some pictures I have taken with my camera. I like the picture but the quality of the first 2 leave much to be desired. I guess the condition were just right at the end on the day when i took the one that looks halfway decent. Let me know what you think.
 
Ok, you're making some progress from your first post.

What kind of camera do you have and do you have the manual?- That's the hard part.

The usual/best place to start may be to look through the menu on the camera. Things you may want to know are, image quality, sharpness, white balance, ev, iso, metering and some more of the blah, blah, blah stuff. In case someone asks, you'll know what to tell them.

As I mentioned before, you'll probably want to look into some of the basics on composition. What software do you use to edit/look at the photos so far?

I like the 3rd one the best also.

The best place to post, although reaction can be slow sometimes, is in the General or Landscape galleries.
 
My camera(Polaroid PDC 5080) is set to:
Size: 2592-1944
Quality: High(est)
Exposure: Auto
White Balance: Auto
Iso: Auto

I have been using a trial version of Corel Photo Album 6 to view. Now that i think about it i could probably get my hands on photoshop if I go through the right channels.
 
My camera(Polaroid PDC 5080) is set to:
Size: 2592-1944
Quality: High(est)
Exposure: Auto
White Balance: Auto
Iso: Auto

I have been using a trial version of Corel Photo Album 6 to view. Now that i think about it i could probably get my hands on photoshop if I go through the right channels.

That should take nice snapshots and your pictures look fine. The only thing I'd say, is if you are looking for more control, get something that has Optical zoom (the Polaroid is digital zoom 4x)

5mp is more than enough for making good pictures. You don't need more. You got a good deal on that camera.

Get something that has some manual controls and adjustments if you want to get into that and learn more.

I have a Canon A400 (probably discontinued) for my pocket camera. It has color balance, iso adjustment, exposure compensation, the usual modes and effects, flash control... 3.2mp and it takes dandy photos for 4x5, but can be controlled.

I don't know what price range you are looking for by one of the most impressive recent cameras I've seen is the Olympus sp550uz which has a 28mm lens, 18x optical zoom. (that's about 500mm WOW!) 7.1 megapixel, raw support, shoots in bursts, has excellent battery life using rechargeable.

Only part I don't like is the xD memory cards, but buy one 1gb card and you'll be fine.


I'm sure someone can come up with some less expensive answers, but I didn't want to neglect the Olympus.

You might look at some of the Canon Powershot series, like the 5mp S2 with Image Stabilization, which are often on sale if you watch the ads. Standard batteries, standard SD memory, all kinds of manual adjustments.

If you get a camera that offers digital zoom, find the setting to turn it off and never use it. It's the same as cropping the image later, so you are accomplishing nothing in the final picture but making bigger pixels and fuzzier images.
 
So while you're looking for another camera there are certain things you can take control of on the one you have.

I like landscape photography. On my cameras I set the following two settings;

1: ISO = 100 (or the lowest setting). This gives me less noise and longer shutter speeds, so I use a tripod. I think a good sturdy tripod is an important next step once you have a camera. Also, get one you can mount the camera on and look through it comfortably. It's horrible to have to stoop to compose every shot. A good tripod works the same for a cheap camera as it does for an expensive one.

2. White balance= cloudy. Although it is rarely cloudy where I live, I like what this does to my shots. I find I can make adjustments easier than if the camera does its own thing.

Of course this is all subjective and not rules or whatever. These are the things I have found I prefer.

Likewise with the following edit. I'm fairly certain others will tell me I've done it wrong, but I worked on the 3rd photo with photoshop cs2 and brought out what I liked according to my tastes. For what it's worth;

pic161nz5-2.jpg


Take your time, find a camera you like for what you can afford, but, don't let not having a 'quality' camera hold you back or keep you from learning. Have some fun.
 
abraxas, you moniter might be off because both your avitar and this edit seem to be overly warm. The photo edit looked fine before but now seems oversaturated..

As for Strife, CS3 is one of the best, (arguable, photoshop lacks in some areas) but definately pro stuff. As for a sub $150 camera. I suggest a Canon Powershot A550 oir something. Kodak also makes a really nice DSLR-like superzoom. It isn't compact, but my girlfriend shoots with it and it takes some amazing photos. I don't know what it is called but she payed $220 for it 3 years ago. I think they still make it. 6 megapixels and 10x optical zoom.
 

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