a real amateur's take on photography: CC please!

[ahijada]

I've always been into photography. I just never got around buying a DSLR camera because I thought they cost an arm and a leg (some do lol). And p&s digital cameras were never enough for me. So I didn't touch the field.

Until...

I managed to borrow an old DSLR (Sony A-100) from my older brother a couple months back, just so I can take pictures of my dog. Turns out, I love taking shots with a camera of this caliber!

Here are a couple of my favorite shots:

Sony A-100, 18-70mm lens:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_op7i04yOorg/TDyTQRvCGmI/AAAAAAAABlE/eg24YXws5F4/s800/DSC04160.JPG

2nd:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_op7i04yOorg/TDyTQupd7mI/AAAAAAAABlE/eZYQmVxgtqI/s800/DSC04192.JPG

^^ Those were my very first shots with the Sony A-100. Now I've been using (borrowing really) my other brother's Nikon D40 for a couple weeks now, and I'm shooting more and more.

These are some of my first shots from the Nikon D40. My initial mistake here was the fact that I didn't shoot these with an image quality higher than regular jpeg or even RAW format .

Nikon D40 with kit lens:


1st:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_op7i04yOorg/TBnMmxIR5nI/AAAAAAAAAqw/_LBCm52oPJc/s800/992.JPG

2nd:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_op7i04yOorg/TBnMmxIR5nI/AAAAAAAAAqw/_LBCm52oPJc/s800/992.JPG

I usually don't edit my photos besides a crop here and there, but the 2 shots from the D40, I wanted to have a little fun with.

What do you all think? I'm planning on getting a Nikon D5000 to enhance my skills further more, but I am practicing with the D40 I have here available. It's just that I don't have 100% access to it since I only borrow . Soon enough, I'll shoot more and more with my own DSLR!

 

[white]

I'm planning on getting a Nikon D5000 to enhance my skills further, but I am practicing with the D40 I have available.

Huh? Since when does more gear = increased skill?

 

[ahijada]

I'm planning on getting a Nikon D5000 to enhance my skills further, but I am practicing with the D40 I have available.

Huh? Since when does more gear = increased skill?

Like I stated above. I don't have a camera of my own. The D40 is borrowed, and I don't have access to it 24/7. I've been searching for a camera of my own, and I jotted it down to the D5000.

Not necessarily wanting "more" gear = skills. I want A camera so I can further my skills. If I had an oportunity to own the D40 my brother has, I would take it in a heart beat, but no.

 

[shmne]

"First step, buy a camera." That is what most people think, when in actuality the first step is to pick up many cameras and see which makes the most sense for your hands.

Photography is a very tactile craft / art. Your tool is constantly in use by you, so make sure you really want to go with the Nikon before you buy it. At least pick up a Canon once and see if you like the shape better. Take the lens off, replace it, see if it all just feels right. You obviously have some experience shooting the Nikon brand, but don't just assume because you don't know where things are that a different brand couldn't work better for you.

Really love how the camera feels? Think it is up to snuff for you? As long as it is a dslr that can change lenses and offer full manual you won't be needing to worry about much else!

 

[rusty9]

"First step, buy a camera." That is what most people think, when in actuality the first step is to pick up many cameras and see which makes the most sense for your hands.

i hate when people say that: "the camera that feels good in your hands is the best one to get"

humans can adapt very easily. look at the tech specs of the camera, and figure out the ones in your budget and such.

 

[shmne]

"First step, buy a camera." That is what most people think, when in actuality the first step is to pick up many cameras and see which makes the most sense for your hands.

i hate when people say that: "the camera that feels good in your hands is the best one to get"

humans can adapt very easily. look at the tech specs of the camera, and figure out the ones in your budget and such.

That's your school of thought. Please don't negate mine just because you think yours is correct.

There is a very large difference in the make of cameras, Nikon positioning is different from Canon is different from every other brand out there. I know how to shoot Nikons without a second's hesitation however I hate how they work, hate how their weight is distributed. Canon is much more logical based on how I operate a camera, I don't care how much better Nikon gets I won't be using one as my main camera simply because they are not comfortable in my hand.

Tech is important, but so is comfort. Generally speaking, just starting out, it is completely irrelevant how technologically advanced a camera is. Going for more MP is a waste, having a motor drive that can out shoot any camera is useless, shooting HD video without the know how is irrelevant as long as you don't have the experience. Starting with something that is comfortable and easy to use will get an amateur into photography quicker than a more complex machine. This is why entry level Dslrs are capable of so much, yet offered at such an affordable rate. They offer the simplified versions of what their big bros have to offer.

Obviously you will stay within your budget, if you are planning to buy an entry level Dslr you aren't going to randomly decide to purchase a Pro level one instead.

 

[KmH]

"First step, buy a camera." That is what most people think, when in actuality the first step is to pick up many cameras and see which makes the most sense for your hands.

i hate when people say that: "the camera that feels good in your hands is the best one to get"

humans can adapt very easily. look at the tech specs of the camera, and figure out the ones in your budget and such.

That's your school of thought. Please don't negate mine just because you think yours is correct.

There is a very large difference in the make of cameras, Nikon positioning is different from Canon is different from every other brand out there. I know how to shoot Nikons without a second's hesitation however I hate how they work, hate how their weight is distributed. Canon is much more logical based on how I operate a camera, I don't care how much better Nikon gets I won't be using one as my main camera simply because they are not comfortable in my hand.

Tech is important, but so is comfort. Generally speaking, just starting out, it is completely irrelevant how technologically advanced a camera is. Going for more MP is a waste, having a motor drive that can out shoot any camera is useless, shooting HD video without the know how is irrelevant as long as you don't have the experience. Starting with something that is comfortable and easy to use will get an amateur into photography quicker than a more complex machine. This is why entry level Dslrs are capable of so much, yet offered at such an affordable rate. They offer the simplified versions of what their big bros have to offer.

Obviously you will stay within your budget, if you are planning to buy an entry level Dslr you aren't going to randomly decide to purchase a Pro level one instead.

This "pick up many cameras and see which makes the most sense for your hands." is extremely limiting.


I agree with rusty9 that features and capabilites of the camera are WAY more important than how it feels in your hand, which would be about #47 on my list of attributes to consider.

There are big differences even in a single camera makers lineup.

How do you explain people almost effortlessly making the transition, from entry level to prosumer cameras, to pro cameras?

Why is it top pros use top-of-the-line cameras? How it feels in their hand? NFW, it's because of the camera's features an capabilities.

How is it that petite, small handed, pro women shooters can make such sweet images with full-on pro camera bodies having heavy, fast, pro lenses attached?

 

[ahijada]

Thank you for all the replies.


Though I know importance of having the camera "feels" and such, I'm not the type to jump into something without weighing and trying out my options. I've tried and used Canons and other newer Sonys.

The Canon Rebel T1i, I found to be easy to use. Though it would take me some getting used to with features and functions, like how I got used to the Sony A-100 and Nikon D40's functions, I just feel as if I have gotten accustomed to the Nikon D40's style.

As for Sony... I cannot seem to find a reason why I should pick a Sony over Nikon or Canon. Though I loved the Sony A-100, I just don't find myself buying a Sony.

In the end, and I've always compared and compared... the Nikon D5000 to the Canon T1i. Both seem to be great cameras but the fact that I came from a Nikon has the D5000 a step ahead in my pick....

great...

... Now I'm beginning to consider the Canon T1i ... any thoughts?

 

[AlexL]

good starting photos, but the 2nd is underexposed.

I'm in a phase that I prefer the T2i more so than D90, but prefer D700 over 5Dmk2 ....... Since I have the T2i, it is a really nice first camera

I'll get the D5000 though if compared to the T1i

 

[ahijada]

good starting photos, but the 2nd is underexposed.

I'm in a phase that I prefer the T2i more so than D90, but prefer D700 over 5Dmk2 ....... Since I have the T2i, it is a really nice first camera

I'll get the D5000 though if compared to the T1i

Thank you!

I was looking into the T2i as well as the D90 (cousin has this), but they're both out of my budget atm lol.

Thanks for recommending the D5000! How does it do in low light situations? I take a lot of pictures in events that we have in church, restaurants, and indoors... does the D5000 perform well?

 

[Digitalize]

I'm in the "If it feels good buy it" school of though, but of course, if another brand blows the Canon away, i'll accept it and try and change my ways.

T2i is the 550D? While its still 'Consumer' class, it might be more than you need, and a 500D or even 450D would suit you perfectly fine, allowing you to upgrade to to the 'Prosumer' xxD cameras in a few years when you have reached the limit of an xxxD.

Being honest, i don't really like your shot, it just doesn't work for me, but then, you understand composition somewhat, so just keep doing it i guess, keep learning. Just always be playing with the camera, get familiar with it, know what you can and can't make it do, work around any limits you find, either in the body or the lens, before you consider an upgrade (Unless its something like length or video etc)

 

[iAstonish]

good starting photos, but the 2nd is underexposed.

I'm in a phase that I prefer the T2i more so than D90, but prefer D700 over 5Dmk2 ....... Since I have the T2i, it is a really nice first camera

I'll get the D5000 though if compared to the T1i

Thank you!

I was looking into the T2i as well as the D90 (cousin has this), but they're both out of my budget atm lol.

Thanks for recommending the D5000! How does it do in low light situations? I take a lot of pictures in events that we have in church, restaurants, and indoors... does the D5000 perform well?

The d5000 has a very similar sensor to the d90 (might actually be the same,) so the image quality will be on par. The d5000 is a great under low light conditions, especially for the price. You can crank the ISO pretty high without too getting too much noise.

The main difference between the two is the build/layout, but I think you will be perfectly content with the d5000, as the menu is similar to that of a d40. I've had both cameras and can tell you that the d5000 is a great upgrade from the d40. You will feel very at home with it, because scrolling the menu's and the layout on the camera are pretty similar.