Need help buying a camera for class.

[Mike_E]

Do you want to take really good pictures or to become a photographer?

Sit down and think about it for a minute because your answer is important- if to nothing else than your bank account.

If what you want is to take great pictures (a fine thing to want to do) then digital is the way to go. You will get there much faster owing to the instant feed back you will get. Any camera will do as long as it's one that you enjoy owning and shooting.

On the other hand, if you want to be a good photographer then you need an old, slow (read that manual ) film camera and a notebook to start with.

A manual film camera will force you to go slow and think about what you are going to do. Being limited to 24 or 36 exposures will make you choosy about what you shoot and cause you to think about what you want your exposure to have in it and what you don't want to be in there as well. (hint: what you don't want can be as important as what you do want)

The notebook is to record your settings and meter readings to help you to remember what you did that made that particular shot turn out that way. You should also note what you were trying to accomplish and any directions for printing if you do your own.

No matter what you get make sure to get a lens hood!

You might want to read through these sites as well..

Tutorial Links

Digital Photography Tutorials

Ron Bigelow Articles

Ultimate Exposure Computer

Good luck and Good Shooting!!

 

[Plato]

... What you do care about is that the "ASA" term was used with film and "ISO" is used with digital.

In North America.

Many parts of the world have used "ISO" to refer to film speed for a long time.

Yes, but the OP is in Miami, Florida.

 

[dhilberg]

If I buy a Nikon D40 or D60 and end up buying a film one later on for class (N90s most likely), would they be able to use the same lens? I don't know if all Nikons, including the old ones, have a standardized lens connector or something.

Yes and no. All of Nikon's lenses going back to the pre-AI days of the late 60s will fit on your D40/D60, BUT depending on the type of lens may will not auto-focus (On those bodies only the newer lenses designated "AF-S" will auto-focus on those bodies) and others will not meter correctly meaning that you will have to "guesstimate" an aperture, make an exposure and see what it looks like. I would actually recommend a used D70s, or D80 over the D40/60.

AF-I lenses will also autofocus on the D40/D60 D3000/D5000 bodies.

 

[Felix0890]

Guys, thanks for the added info but I've already bought a digital camera. I will purchase a 35mm sometime between now and when the class starts in early Jan. Mike, thanks for the thoughtful post. Hopefully I will be able to do both.