Why did you buy the camera you have?

[mostly sunny]

I was reading a post, on about some guy who didn't know how to use his camera.

I will be honest with you all. I went to the store and asked what the best camera was? I was told the Canon 7D- So I bought it. I realize NOW I didn't need to buy this camera. I just wanted to take a decent picture from time to time, so print and hang on my wall of my kids.. and some to make an online scrap book.

That being said. At this point, I WANT to learn how to use it. But first I must remember-- NOT TO CUTE LEGS, ARMS, and HEADS out of my pictures..

Next.... what drove you to get the camera you use?

 

[AfroKen]

I bought a Nikon D50 a few years ago. I bought it to replace a Nikon N70 (film camera). I got it because I was satisfied with Nikon and wanted to use my old lens, although ironically, I ended up replacing the lens a year after I purchased the D50 anyway. But the other thing is that the Nikon D50 was relatively cheap for a D-SLR, and I don't have that much money. We buy what we can afford, y'know?

I'm interested in upgrading to a Nikon that is better for low-light photography, but I'm waiting a little longer since I'm still doing okay with the Nikon for now.

I also own a Leica DLux 4 point-and-shoot (compact). I bought this over the summer for these reasons:
1. I was going to Brazil and was a little concerned about the crime in Salvador in particular, since I kept repeatedly getting warned about it. Turns out that those warnings were right on the mark. I had someone try to snatch my camera bag in broad daylight once, and another time someone tried to go through my camera bag at night in a crowded outdoor area. So this little Leica came in really handy because I could hold on to it or put it in my zipped pants pocket and go instead of bringing the D50.
2. I like to go to music clubs, and it's great to carry a little compact camera in my pocket instead of toting the D50.
3. The D50 is not very good in low-light situations, and the Leica performs much better in these conditions.

 

[timfrommass]

I wanted a good DSLR, I didn't want something I'd grow out of, but I knew I wasn't going to be a pro. I probably could have gotten away with a D40/60, but I had access to several older lenses and in order to use them fully (or buy used) I knew I'd need the D90. All the glowing recommendations here pushed me over the edge

-tim

 

[Sachphotography]

I wanted to move up from the D40. So I got the D80.... Not as big a jump as I had wished. I am moving up to the d300 next as it is the top dslr before jumping to a full frame. Most will argue that the d300s is better but truthfully if you do not want video theyare otherwise the same. And now the d300 is going used for 1000 or so.

 

[Josh66]

Never ask the salesman what the best camera is...

I just grabbed the first one that looked cool, lol. No research, no planning, I'm not sure if I even planned on buying a camera that day...

If I knew then what I know now, I probably would have gotten the same camera - unless I had a much larger budget. I would have passed on the kit lens though.

That was a 350D, that I got pretty much right after it came out, however long ago that was... 5 years or something?

I've had other SLRs in the past (35mm), but I never had any good lenses for any of them, so that wasn't really a consideration.

 

[mostly sunny]

PS- I think I know I wanted a Canon in because my Dad has a Canon and I could use his flash and lenses..???

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I wanted a full frame sensor.

 

[Divatologist]

I have always loved taking pics. I had a really nice point and shoot camera by kodak. It took nice pics. It was a point and shoot with some of the dslr features. I didn't really mess with many of the settings though.

Well, my SIL happens to be a photographer. She took some pics of me for my favorite artist's CD jacket. Eric Roberson is one of my favorite singers and he loves his fans. He asked all his fans to send in a pic of them listening to music or dancing, anything to do with music. I was so amazed with all the things she could do with her camera. She has the D300. The pics came out sooooo nice. I sent in about 10 pics. There are 2 of those pics featured on his CD. She also took one of her sister who is a fan of his as well. So, she has 3 pics featured on that CD. Every since I saw her camera I had to have one. When I found out how much it cost, I was like uhm ok yeah lol. Then a guy on another message board that I post on that has nothing to do with photography posted that he just bought the D90. He posted a few of the pics he took. I looked up the D90 and figured that was a little more in my price range. I waited and waited and finally the D90 went on sale and I scooped it up on a special reward zone shopping event. I had enough points to get a little off that sale price too. I earned enough points that night to get a nice zoom lens later.

I have heard of Nikons taking nice pics and after seeing my SIL's pics and seeing the pics the guy took with the D90, I was on a mission. I bought my camera in May as a bday gift to myself. It's my 1st dslr and I have been having a ball learning how to use it. Coming to TPF has helped me a great deal. I'm in love with my B&W feature at the moment. I'm reading through my manual whenever I get a chance. So, I'm still learning how to work my camera. This camera has so many features. I love it! I'm not looking to become a photographer. It's more of a hobby for me. I just wanted to take better quality pics.

 

[fokker]

350d was my first 'real' camera. Still got it too, it's a lot smaller and lighter than my 40d which is handy sometimes. I bought it second hand because it was cheap. I kinda want to switch to nikon I think, but I just have so many canon lenses and accesories now that it seems like too much hassle really.

 

[Sherman Banks]

I wanted a full frame sensor.

So that 5d mkII in the latest shots is yours? Nice! Same reason here, I wanted full frame for better ISO performance and no more calculating the stupid crop factor for focal lengths.

 

[y0aimee]

I first started with a Canon SD630 point & shoot to capture family parties and hanging out with friends. After a while, I began to take more than family & friends pics, I began to see things in a whole new perspective. I was taking pics of things that some people wouldn't ordinarily take notice of.

When my friend noticed I had "the eye" of a photographer, he persuaded me to look into purchasing a dslr. I had used my p&s to the fullest potential and I felt so limited. Luckily, I came a cross a good deal on Craigslist for a Nikon D60 full kit with less than 1k actuations. I purchased my very first dslr in April 2009. That's the reason why I bought my camera =)

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

@ Sherman Banks...Yeah, I freaking love it so far. The high ISO performance is amazing. I've just been playing around indoors so far. I wanted the resolution for larger print quality.

 

[boogschd]

its what we could afford (feb 09)
i really wanted the d300 though
or the d90 .. but it was still out of budget
...
meh i guess im okay with my camera atm ...

still learning

 

[Caity]

For me, it was the fact that my HS used Canon Rebels (though older ones) in a digital imaging class... I didn't even TAKE the class, but most of my close friends did, and though their work was never stunning that I could remember, I knew that in the right hands it would be a capable camera... Of course I bought mine in bits and starts, for example, I bought the body refurbished, and used the Sigma lenses some of my 35mm Canon SLRs came with from an auction house. I knew from the start I didn't want to do film work, which is why I didn't use the 35mm very often. Then eventually I bought the kit lens (kind of backwards, haha!). And when I got mine I knew basically nothing!

Even knowing what I know now, I would have still gone for the same camera... Maybe the XSi instead, but really for what I do with it, the XTi is perfectly suitable. Now that I am learning, I put less focus on the camera and what IT can "do"... and more on what I can do WITH it. If that makes sense.

 

[Live_free]

Because is was in my price range and had everything I wanted. Also it is something that I can use on full auto and slowly learn everything, then in a few years move on up lol