New Photographer

sondrapage · Jul 24, 2016

Hi everyone! I am here to learn about photography so I can improve and enjoy taking photos even more. I have had a Sony Nex-3N and Nex 5 for about 3 years now, along with two new lenses that I purchased earlier this year. I have the F 28mm F2 and the F 4.5-6.3 OSS lenses. I want to do indoor photography, as well as weddings and some landscape/nature photos. I took a photography course in college, along with a course online recently.

I recently photographed a family members wedding but was not impressed with the lighting in the photos. I did shoot in auto because that is what I am familiar with, as I am still learning manual. I think my biggest struggle with manual is my camera is a point and shoot rather than a DSLR. I do not have the money currently to get a new camera, but would be interested in the future when it is affordable. Would this improve the speed of adjusting in manual mode? Or is there a specific E mount lense available that would allow more light in a low light setting? I feel as if my camera does very good in well lit areas, along with outside.

I will have plenty of questions to follow. I am here to improve and learn, not to be criticized. Please be patient and give all the advice you may have. Thanks!

Designer · Jul 24, 2016

sondrapage said:
Would this improve the speed of adjusting in manual mode? Or is there a specific E mount lense available that would allow more light in a low light setting?

Welcome!

Yes, the short answer is that different cameras can/will focus faster than others. It could be that your camera needs more light, and it could also be that it is simply slower to focus. Even with a wider aperture, the camera could still "hunt" for focus, so buying a faster lens may or may not be the optimum fix. Does your camera have a focus-assist light beam, and is it turned on?

snowbear · Jul 24, 2016

Welcome aboard.

dennybeall · Jul 25, 2016

Welcome! If you watch sale sites you can find some good deals for entry level DSLR outfits. For example, I saw an almost brand new Nikon D3200 with two lenses and a case for asking price $300 this morning on Craigslist. That would be a good starter setup.

sondrapage · Jul 25, 2016

dennybeall said:
Welcome! If you watch sale sites you can find some good deals for entry level DSLR outfits. For example, I saw an almost brand new Nikon D3200 with two lenses and a case for asking price $300 this morning on Craigslist. That would be a good starter setup.

Thanks for that tip! A DSLR seems so bulky but I do want to get one because of all the buttons that are quickly accessible, versus browsing through the menu on a point and shoot like mine. Is that your best recommendation for a DSLR camera? I think my cameras biggest downfall is how poorly it does inside, unless the lighting is great.

robbins.photo · Jul 25, 2016

sondrapage said:
dennybeall said:

Welcome! If you watch sale sites you can find some good deals for entry level DSLR outfits. For example, I saw an almost brand new Nikon D3200 with two lenses and a case for asking price $300 this morning on Craigslist. That would be a good starter setup.

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Thanks for that tip! A DSLR seems so bulky but I do want to get one because of all the buttons that are quickly accessible, versus browsing through the menu on a point and shoot like mine. Is that your best recommendation for a DSLR camera? I think my cameras biggest downfall is how poorly it does inside, unless the lighting is great.

If your wanting to shoot indoors without a flash I'd recommend Nikon. Their entry level models are usually much better than the competitors at high iso, low noise.

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sondrapage · Jul 25, 2016

That is good to know. Thanks so much! I will continue searching for different camera models, for whenever I can save up for it, and ask any further questions I may have.

robbins.photo · Jul 26, 2016

sondrapage said:
That is good to know. Thanks so much! I will continue searching for different camera models, for whenever I can save up for it, and ask any further questions I may have.

No worries, always happy to help. You can find some really good deals on used DSLR bodies if you don't mind buying used. I've bought most of my stuff used from Ebay, never had a problem. Just look for folks with 100+ feedback, all positive - and if something isn't mentioned ask and get it in writing before you bid.

There are other sources for used equipment as well, one of my favorites is KEH camera. Their prices are usually going to be a bit higher than Ebay, but you'll have a bit more piece of mind dealing with an established company.