Best Camera

stfugine · Apr 14, 2007

Hey, I'm totally new to photography, but I've always wanted to learn to do it professionally (for about 2 years now)... So now, I decided to step up and get it going.

Now, I have a digital camera, but I'd like to invest in a better one ,to buy for my Christmas this year... So, I have to start saving up now, and I'll get a job this summer (I'm only a teenager ^___^).

I expect to spend $500US most right, and right now I'm leaning to the Sony-DSC-H7/H9... But really... I'm a complete newbie to this digital camera buying, so I was wondering. Do you recommend any specifically? Released or unreleased (well, unreleased until Christmas ^^)... I want to start saving up now ^___^.

Thank you.

Sw1tchFX · Apr 14, 2007

If you want to get serious, don't even consider any more point-n'-shooters. Buy a 35mm or Digital SLR.

Torus34 · Apr 14, 2007

Assuming your upper limit is really $US500, be aware of the following:

If you're going digital you'll need a tripod, a data card, a spare battery and a polarizing filter. You might also want a separate flash unit. Price those out, subtract from $US500, and you know how much you have left for the camera.

If you're going film, you have to decide on film size: 35mm or 120. Again, you'll need a tripod, filter, lensshade and money for film and processing. Again, subtract from $US500 and what remains will be the maximum cost of the camera.

stfugine · Apr 14, 2007

Oh wow.

Perhaps the more appropriate question would have been, how do I step into the world of photography? What exactly do I need to have and know, to start photography?

Don Simon · Apr 14, 2007

What do you need to start photography? Well you need a camera with a lens... and you have that

you have already started photography. If you want to get more involved... take more photos. If you want to understand photography better, read some books and articles, learn some of the basics of exposure and composition... and take more photos. If you're asking how to get into professional photography, I will leave that for others to handle.

blackdoglab · Apr 14, 2007

my best advice is to go with a good used 35mm body and lens. You'll save money over a new dslr kit and lear photography from a different perspective.

StreetShark · Apr 14, 2007

Start Here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composition_%28visual_arts%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposure_(photography)

Then buy a photography book (or get one at your local library). After that the best thing to do is shoot, shoot some more, and keep shooting. Use your current camera and shoot as much as possible. Then maybe purchase a used 35mm SLR and some lenses. Once you feel your improving then do some research on Digital SLR's. Go play with a few D-SLR's at stores and see what you like. Most importantly stay here and post. You will learn tons!

jimiismydaddy · Apr 14, 2007

My advice, before you plunge into a camera, read this forum and any other websites you can find for at least a week. You'll start to learn the ropes and see what interests you and doesnt, what you might start leaning towards to buy, etc.

Just my opinion, $500 is not a lot for a digital if you want to be a serious hobbyist or professional. My suggestion is save up at least a thousand, then you can start getting into prosumer level cameras.

Kingpatzer · Apr 14, 2007

For $500 you can get a very very very good camera on ebay . . .

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mamiya-RB67-med...54QQihZ016QQcategoryZ3352QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

scsomike · Apr 14, 2007

you should probably do what was mentioed and start off with a 35mm slr. i've got my "starter" camera, a late 70's/early 80's Pentax ME which still works great and get's like a 9.5 out of 10 rating. You can buy one of these off of Ebay for around $100US in good shape.

otherwise, do like i do and all the other's say, read, read and read.

scsomike · Apr 14, 2007

Kingpatzer said:
For $500 you can get a very very very good camera on ebay . . .

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mamiya-RB67-med...54QQihZ016QQcategoryZ3352QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

man, i haven't seen one of those in years. my dad used to have one about 20 years or so ago. that was an awesome picture taking camera.

Torus34 · Apr 15, 2007

I recently decided to add a digital camera to my 'arsenal'. The $ limit I set was [surprise!] $US500. Following the advice above on considering the additional needed items, I ended up with a new camera, spare battery, memory card and extended warranty for my $500. As I've been taking pictures for a while, I already had a tripod, filters and flash. The basic camera package still provides so much in the way of features that many interesting shots are possible using the camera's own flash and hand-holding or resting the camera on a convenient support. [I did 'bust the budget' by adding a circular polarizer filter later.]

Please note that a part of my decision was to accept 11 x 14 as the maximum size for prints. This meant that the camera's sensor didn't have to be more than 5MP. I also accepted the fact that I would not be able to change lenses.

As someone once said about music, 'There's lots of masterpieces still to be written in C Major.' And there's lots of excellent pictures to be taken with a camera such as the one I chose.

The camera was a Panasonic FZ20, by the way.