Help with first camera purchase

[nickmcc247]

Hi, so I am conflicted. I am a furniture builder and have just started a website. I need a camera to take and post photos of projects to site. The biggest piece of furniture I build is a pub table and the smallest is a cribbage board. I will shoot most pieces either outside or with plenty of natural light. I would also like to be able to take short videos too. I know little about photography and don't have the time now to delve into learning more right now. Ease of use is nice but so is perhaps being able to expand capability later. I can purchase either of these options right now for the same price essentially. This is around my budget as well. Depth of field is perhaps the most interesting aspect I'm concerned about, zoom not so important. Ease of use somewhere in the middle. What do you think? Thanks is in advance.

 

[rudimaes]

There are many cameras that take good pics in natural light. You speak of your budget, but what is the amount?
f.i. A mirrorless like the Sony A6300 or A6000 could do. You can also use a hight-end bridge camera, like the Panasonix FZ1000,
or the Sony RX10 II or III. or a DSLR, etc, etc.
Sony and Panasonic cameras have a good auto mode, so they are easy to use.
You can also use more advanced settings if you want.

 

[Solarflare]

For bang of the buck, entry level DSLRs from Nikon or Canon are still king. For ~$500 you get such a camera plus kitlens, which should suffice you perfectly if you know how to use it. And of course Nikon and Canon have the most lens choices of any system.

Though indeed since your subjects arent moving, a mirrorless camera would theoretically not be a disadvantage at all. I cant recomment Sony because their lens selection is pretty disappointing in both quality and quantity.

And Fuji lenses are awesome, unfortunately also pricey, though a X-T10 or X-E2(s) with the TC 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 OIS Kitlens would be not much more expensive than the aforementioned Nikon and Canon DSLRs, and very compareable in performance.

Third APS-C option would be Canon EOS M and that depends upon how good an offer you can get; also if you're happy with basically no upgrade option whatsoever.

Then theres also Micro Four Thirds from Panasonic and Olympus. Thats a smaller sensor than APS-C, thus it has more noise - but the overall quality of the system is still OK and for a mirrorless no other system has these many lens choices.

I think thats all of the important choices. Well, theres also Leica, but thats really, really, really pricey stuff.

In your shoes, I would consider the Nikon D5200 or D5300 with AF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 VR kitlens against the Fuji X-E2(s) or X-T10 with TC 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 OIS.

(VR means vibration reduction, OIS means optical image stabilization; they're both the same thing)




P.s.: I cant help but feel that rudimaes didnt really bother to read your posting too closely.

 

[Ido]

If this is a one-time thing or you'll only do it a few times a year, you'll probably get better value for money by hiring a good professional photographer. Taking good photos isn't just about getting a good camera.

 

[Designer]

Hi, so I am conflicted. I am a furniture builder and have just started a website. I need a camera to take and post photos of projects to site. The biggest piece of furniture I build is a pub table and the smallest is a cribbage board. I will shoot most pieces either outside or with plenty of natural light. I would also like to be able to take short videos too. I know little about photography and don't have the time now to delve into learning more right now. Ease of use is nice but so is perhaps being able to expand capability later. I can purchase either of these options right now for the same price essentially. This is around my budget as well. Depth of field is perhaps the most interesting aspect I'm concerned about, zoom not so important. Ease of use somewhere in the middle. What do you think? Thanks is in advance.

I highlighted that sentence because I will address that point in particular.

Nearly any camera in the hands of someone who understands light will produce good photographs. The problem with "plenty of light" is that you will get deep shadows that could render your products as something they're not. Good product photography is not easy, and usually requires manipulation of the light to enhance the product.

So get nearly any camera.

 

[nickmcc247]

Thanks for the reply, I failed to mention my budget. I am looking to spend around 4-500$ I think I have narrowed it down to the Sony DSCHX90V/B vs Nikon D3300 w/ AF FX NIKKOR 50 mm f/1.8D lens. I can get either for essentially the same price. I like that I can get other lenses for Nikon but I think ease of use from Sony will be nice.

To address some other replies, I am not a pro, so not nearly any camera will do, and no I'm not hiring a pro to come and take pics ever week.

 

[chuasam]

Well, since you already know it all, I wish you the best of luck.
And when you're ready, I'm sure you can sell that camera off on the sales forum.

 

[nickmcc247]

Well, since you already know it all, I wish you the best of luck.
And when you're ready, I'm sure you can sell that camera off on the sales forum.

Huh? How am I coming across that way? By the asking of help? By giving thanks? Which camera is 'that' camera?

 

[Ido]

no I'm not hiring a pro to come and take pics ever week.

That is why I started my reply with:

If this is a one-time thing or you'll only do it a few times a year,

 

[Designer]

Thanks for the reply, I failed to mention my budget. I am looking to spend around 4-500$ I think I have narrowed it down to the Sony DSCHX90V/B vs Nikon D3300 w/ AF FX NIKKOR 50 mm f/1.8D lens. I can get either for essentially the same price. I like that I can get other lenses for Nikon but I think ease of use from Sony will be nice.

To address some other replies, I am not a pro, so not nearly any camera will do, and no I'm not hiring a pro to come and take pics ever week.

No need to shout.

The Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D lens will not auto focus on the D3300.

I only meant that you should understand light. This may require some study and experience, but you don't have to be a "pro".

FYI; the Nikon D3300 can be just as easy to use at the Sony DSCHX90V/B. Just operate it in "auto".

 

[chuasam]

Well, since you already know it all, I wish you the best of luck.
And when you're ready, I'm sure you can sell that camera off on the sales forum.

Huh? How am I coming across that way? By the asking of help? By giving thanks? Which camera is 'that' camera?

The non auto focusing D3300 50/1.8D combo.

 

[nickmcc247]

Thanks for the reply, I failed to mention my budget. I am looking to spend around 4-500$ I think I have narrowed it down to the Sony DSCHX90V/B vs Nikon D3300 w/ AF FX NIKKOR 50 mm f/1.8D lens. I can get either for essentially the same price. I like that I can get other lenses for Nikon but I think ease of use from Sony will be nice.

To address some other replies, I am not a pro, so not nearly any camera will do, and no I'm not hiring a pro to come and take pics ever week.

No need to shout.

The Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D lens will not auto focus on the D3300.

I only meant that you should understand light. This may require some study and experience, but you don't have to be a "pro".

FYI; the Nikon D3300 can be just as easy to use at the Sony DSCHX90V/B. Just operate it in "auto".

Lol sorry I copied and pasted and couldn't resize font on ipad. wait you say it doesn't autofocus but can run in auto? What settings does auto mode control?

 

[Solarflare]

Exposure.

The AF lenses from Nikon do not have a builtin motor; they expect it in the camera.

The cheapo entry level DSLRs from Nikon (D3x00 and D5x00) do not have such a builtin motor and can thus not autofocus with an AF lens.

 

[Designer]

The Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D lens will not auto focus on the D3300.
FYI; the Nikon D3300 can be just as easy to use at the Sony DSCHX90V/B. Just operate it in "auto".

..wait you say it doesn't autofocus but can run in auto? What settings does auto mode control?[/QUOTE]If you purchase a new Nikon D3300 "kit", it will come with a lens, the 18-55mm AFS. The body does not contain a focusing motor, but the AF-S lenses (of which there are several) have the focusing motor in the lens.

Auto will give you a decent photograph with the camera setting the shutter speed, the aperture, and ISO, (if it needs to change). So using the AF-S lens, it will focus (consult the user's manual for exactly where it will focus).

So in that mode, it will function just as a "point and shoot", only you will have the option of changing lenses if you wish to get additional lenses.

The AF-D lenses do not have the focusing motor in the lens, so will require a camera body that has the focusing motor built into the body. If you do get the AF-D lens, you will have to focus manually.

 

[PropilotBW]

I think you should consider a camera with built-in wifi. It sounds like you might just take a picture and upload it to a site? That might make your life really easy.
I am happy with the Olympus OM-D E-M5ii, perhaps you might find that camera suitable? There is a also a budget friendly OM-D E-M10ii.