1st camera

[bmxissofun]

I'm a total beginner. what would be a good camera to start out with? I know NOTHING about cameras.

 

[Nytmair]

that's pretty broad...

how about:

what are you plannin on taking pics of?
do you want digital or film?
cheap or expensive?

....in other words, there are TONS of choices...
maybe post up some more specifics and we could toss out suggestions?

 

[bmxissofun]

ok I'd like to get a cheap film camera. I'd mostly use it for taking pictures of my friends snowboarding and bikeing.

 

[Jeff Canes]

Biking and snowboarding usually require better equipment!

Do you what carry the camera with you when biking or boarding.

I have taken a lot of baseball and a few wakeboarding photos. Lighting and timing is very difficult with wakeboarding, snow is the same. This will take a lot of practice and film. Digital is not a good option because you need a shutter to help stop or slow the motion, and that a high-end camera.

The type camera, that depends on the quality photos you want and amount of work you are willing to do. At minimum you need a SLR with 3 fps or an add power drive, a 50mm 1.8f lens, and a good flash. To be honest this is not cheap, even if you buy used equipment it’s at less $400

 

[Jeff Canes]

Is there a photo club at your school or in your town? It so maybe ones of the members could help you out and you help them with opportunely to practice and improve their skills.

 

[bmxissofun]

I'm home schooled so there is no club there lol. But maybe i could a club..

 

[Hertz van Rental]

Photography is a bit like learning to swim.
You start out in the training pool with water-wings.
Then you graduate to the main pool.
Then you start learning the fancy stuff like butterfly.
When you get REALLY good you can sometimes walk on it.

Start with a basic point and shoot.
If you get frustrated with it 'cause you can't get the stuff you want, tell us and we'll start spending your money for you

 

[Patrick]

Please Please If there's a God in heaven Don't let this turn into ANOUTHER Nikon vs. Canon thing! :thumbsup:

 

[ksmattfish]

ok I'd like to get a cheap film camera. I'd mostly use it for taking pictures of my friends snowboarding and bikeing.

You can get old, mechanical, 35mm SLRs for dirt cheap (under $50), but you are going to have to learn how to use them, because they have no bells and whistles and no auto-anything, and you may have to invest in a hand held light meter. On the other hand they are capable of taking fantastic photos, and are about as bomb-proof/weather proof as you're going to find.

Here's some that I know about, there are many others...

Pentax Spotmatics
Ricoh KR models

 

[railman44]

You said you like film. I would suggest going on eBay and looking at an older SLR (single lens reflex) Nikon or Nikkormat (I'm a Nikon guy). For about $250 you can get a dependable nice older Nikon with a "normal" lens. Read some books and get a general understanding of the nomenclature used and the basics of photography. Then go out and have fun. Maybe we all didn't start with Nikons, but you get the general idea...

 

[Jeff Canes]

ok I'd like to get a cheap film camera. I'd mostly use it for taking pictures of my friends snowboarding and bikeing.

You can get old, mechanical, 35mm SLRs for dirt cheap (under $50), but you are going to have to learn how to use them, because they have no bells and whistles and no auto-anything, and you may have to invest in a hand held light meter. On the other hand they are capable of taking fantastic photos, and are about as bomb-proof/weather proof as you're going to find.

Here's some that I know about, there are many others...

Pentax Spotmatics
Ricoh KR models

Just check Ebay there are a few Spotmatc for under $50. That is about only the cheap option. If it needs clear what’s that going cost?

 

[bmxissofun]

my dad used to have a pentax k1000
Would that be somthing to start with?

 

[Shutterbug]

I got my first Nikon F (With the photomic light meter) for 78 dollars. I still use it to this day. If you look on Ebay you could probably find the same deal, or, if you want to use Canon ( :evil: ) you could probably get an older SLR for the same price, minus the built in lightmeter.

When you get REALLY good you can sometimes walk on it.

Or if you're Jesus :roll:

 

[Hertz van Rental]

my dad used to have a pentax k1000
Would that be somthing to start with?

The K1000 is a little gem. Well made, nicely mannered and robust. Used to always try to get a stable of these at whatever college I was teaching at.
Simple and easy to use. Students rarely had a problem with them.
But like I've said elsewhere: cameras are basically all the same. Just a box with a hole in. You need to find a camera that feels right to you - just try as many as you can. You will pick one up and it will feel like it belongs. That's the one. Then look at the make ;-)

 

[Jeff Canes]

k1000 should be ok to start with