i'am just getting started need help

[shaquiel]

hello every one thank you for looking at my post i'am just getting started i really dont know what to do i need to know what is a good camera and what i should be doing to better myself thanks

 

[Shoot4Fun]

I'm a total noob here. This sight has a lot of well explained information, but it is a lot of reading. It has helped me tremendously.

http://www.digital-slr-guide.com/

Good luck, maybe we can learn together.

 

[kundalini]

Welcome.

You can make use of the search function available. Use keywords for whatever you have an interest in finding more information on.

 

[DSLR noob]

We need to know your budget and an idea of what you'll be getting into. I'll assume you want digital.

-Standard point and shoot ($80 to 190) (normally all auto, pretty low creativity and bad quality but gets the job done, normally has no viewfinder)

-High end point and shoot ($150 to $300) (still has a small noisy image sensor and might not have a viewfinder but has manual settings and offers more creative control as well as a few useless features like face recognition and more megapixels or a longer recording movie mode etc.)

-Bridge camera ($275 to 500)(often called a"superzoom") Bridge meaning "bridging the gap" between the point and shoo and SLR cameras. Same as above with a great zoom range that would cost a small ofrtune on a DSLR camera and maybe a slightly larger clearer sensor than above.

or

-Digital SLR($500+ more realistically around $900+ THEN the cost of lenses that are typically $300+ a piece) a very high end level of camera with its own level of sub-categories (low end consumer, high end consumer, prosumer, professional) These are the cameras that most likely shot the pictures you see in magazines and they have interchangable lenses and add on flash accessories. this offers you unlimited possibilities for expansion but at a tradeoff of cost. You also have to cean the sensor every so often because o fdust build up when changing lenses. Also having a REAL shutter means you will have a shutter life, so the camera can "die" after it's expected shutter life (typically 50,000 shots for low end cameras up to 300,000 for professional cameras).

Pick one of those, then we can further narrow it down for you,

 

[jon_k]

You also have to cean the sensor every so often because o fdust build up when changing lenses.

Thing of the past with the new dustbusters built into modern SLR's.

 

[DSLR noob]

Thing of the past with the new dustbusters built into modern SLR's.

You mean those little sensor vibrators? I'm sorry if you fall for the "self cleaning" thing but those don't do a whole lot of anything.

 

[jon_k]

You mean those little sensor vibrators? I'm sorry if you fall for the "self cleaning" thing but those don't do a whole lot of anything.

Seems to work on my body pretty good. I've owned one around a year or two and doing dust tests / sky tests reveal no specs. I shoot in dusty north Texas outdoors frequently.

It's Olympus E-500 released in 2005, so it's gotta be older technology. No dust specs yet. (Considering it's age, I ougta have Oly service replace the sticky dust collector strips though.)

I cannot testify to the other brands, but I'd assume (or hope) they are just as effective.

 

[DSLR noob]

Well there was a guy on here who worked at a photography store saying and I quote "I cannot tell you how many sensors I've had to clean on cameras with a self cleaning sensor." Maybe these owners just take of the lens and then put the camera on the ground with the shutter open and beat out a rug above it but apparently the systems aren't doing as advertised in many many cases. Most reviews claim "works in some cases" I just don't think the price for them is justified by the 30 seconds or so it takes to use a blower every now-and-then.

 

[jon_k]

Well there was a guy on here who worked at a photography store saying and I quote "I cannot tell you how many sensors I've had to clean on cameras with a self cleaning sensor." Maybe these owners just take of the lens and then put the camera on the ground with the shutter open and beat out a rug above it but apparently the systems aren't doing as advertised in many many cases. Most reviews claim "works in some cases" I just don't think the price for them is justified by the 30 seconds or so it takes to use a blower every now-and-then.

I guess your millage may vary from brand to brand. Luckily I've never had dust on my sensor from periodic tests I've made. Perhaps Oly has the best patent on the technology or something, I don't know.

I do from time to time have problems with dust on my focus screen, but a rocket blower takes care of that. I'm just happy I've never had to clean my sensor. There's some pretty scary methods out on doing it.

 

[DSLR noob]

Fair enough, if it works for you then it works. I personally have a no self cleaning 20D so It really wasn't my place to say, like you said, you mileage may vary. I do hope that they make antidust focusing screens next though. That DOES bother me. On my XT, I tried to wipe it (not realizing a screen was sensitive giving it no thought) and I abraised the microprisms, making a beautiful gray smudge. My 20D has a MUCH better viewfinder due to taking better care of it. Okay after this long quote-reply thing, I'll say that if you want to trust a self cleaning sensor, by all means do, it may work for you, it may not.

 

[Muay_Thai_Dan]

DSLRnoob.....u mention shetter life expectancy...how many shots would u say the 40D could be good for?

 

[DSLR noob]

DSLRnoob.....u mention shetter life expectancy...how many shots would u say the 40D could be good for?

Canon rated at 100,000 shots. Some cameras go WAY before their rating or WAY after. Like an XT rated for 50,000 shots can last until 30,000 or less or up to 90,000 or more. Most die just above their rating mark by about 3,000 shots or so, and a shutter replacement is around $200 or $300 depending on the shutter so at least the whole camera doesn't become useless.

 

[Muay_Thai_Dan]

Canon rated at 100,000 shots. Some cameras go WAY before their rating or WAY after. Like an XT rated for 50,000 shots can last until 30,000 or less or up to 90,000 or more. Most die just above their rating mark by about 3,000 shots or so, and a shutter replacement is around $200 or $300 depending on the shutter so at least the whole camera doesn't become useless.

oh phheeewwwfff, if u can replace the shutter then its not that bad, lol, i was htinking the whole cameras goes to waste when the shutter goes, and u gotta spend like 1500 on a new camera....lol that would be pretty bad, cuz 50,000 shots, even 100,000 is not that much at all.....

 

[Milhouse]

I think the problem with self cleaning units is a false sense of security. People believe that it will remove 100% of the dust 100% of the time, and may be careless with their camera (with regards to dust). You should treat a camera with a lens cleaning system the same as one without. If you do then it should save you a couple of service calls for cleaning. I don't know how much it costs to clean a camera, but if its 50$, the lens cleaning system will definitely pay itself off during the lifetime of the camera.