Beginning with a Point and Shoot: Super intemidating. C&C please :) (Picture heavy!)

Incognito · Jan 8, 2010

It depends - if youre going with Nikon I say skip the 3000 and 5000 and go right into the D90. Reason being you cant autofocus with most lenses on those cameras and glass will be expensive because you need AF-S lenses (lesson learned here). I have the D3000 and have already outgrown it. It does horrible in lowlight situations because the ISO gets grainy at 800.

If youre going with Canon you're better off - even their beginner DSLRs have the motor in the camera body so you can upgrade bodies and all lenses will work fine.

Each brands have their positives and negatives - its something you'll want to research before just going out to get a DSLR (like I did)... I planned to get the XSi and was talked into the D3000 - obviously by an idiot who knew nothing about cameras because his reasons of the D3000 being better were actual downfalls!

I don't know about your college but mine makes you start with film classes before you can take digital. Im taking my first photography class this semester and have to use film. Luckily my dad has an old Minolta so I dont have to buy one. I shouldnt say "have" like its a negative thing. I believe film is much much harder so if you can do film it will make digital easier.

Incognito · Jan 8, 2010

And thanks. Not my best work but not bad since it was a $90 camera. lol

Insanity · Jan 8, 2010

IrishGumbo said:
In going to have to start saving for a better camera then!
Thank you, bigTwinky, for recognizing that I have a decent eye, and for all of your critique! I really appreciate it.

This is sort of off topic, but, If i'm going to invest in a beginner DSLR, which should I choose? I know you guys probably get asked this one hundred million times a day, but i had to ask. I need a college-entrant level camera, though, because I do plan on going to college for photography. (Specifically wildlife photography.)

Insanity, they're called blue racers, i belive. Thank you for your tips

Not a problem, I'm not much more experienced so there may be more that you can do to it.

I've got a Canon Rebel XSi that work gave me for my job. Love it, and plan on getting the new 15 MP one that's coming out.

bigtwinky · Jan 8, 2010

I also have an XSI. Low light performance isn't the best, but its an entry level camera. The T1i, the replacement of the XSI is better for low light, but still not like a pro camera.

To save cash, I'd get the XSI over the T1i.

Craig G · Jan 8, 2010

bigtwinky said:
How dare they say centering is bad!

Centering is fine to do as long as it enhances the images. Too many times people think that they need to align the subjet with that little middle point in the camera. Centering creates dead space on both sides of an image, which leads to a more empty image than a full image.

In some cases, this is exactly what is needed, mostly when dealing with symetry, leading lines and so on. But in many cases, specially with people/animals/flowers, this is not the best way to frame an image.

Craig G, your tone seems to indicate that you disagree with this...

No not at all. Actually quite the opposite. I couldn't agree more with what you said. Which is why I said "some" will say centering is bad. I would never tell someone it's bad and as you said, there are many times where it's the only way to present a subject.

IrishGumbo · Jan 8, 2010

Someone told me something on the lines that the first lens that I have to buy for wildlife photography is going to cost me a good six grand.
Does anyone know if that information is valid?

iskoos · Jan 8, 2010

A point & shoot camera can do a tremedous job if you know how to use it and if it ain't a pocket model. There are two types of p&s cameras out there imo. The ones that are just not SLR's with small image sensors and fixed lenses and the ones designed to fit in your back pocket(generally a little bigger than a size of a credit card). It looks like yours falls in the second category. I still think your camera can do much better job though you just need to tweak with it. I have taken many great shots with my Canon p&s cameras (and I still do) but mine weren't the pocket size ones...