Looking to purchase my first dslr but need help.

pcolaheadbussa · Feb 18, 2011

I dont really understand what the additional focus points do for the camera. Does anyone know of a good place they can direct me to start learning some of these technical terms? I have a few photography books i just picked up from the library but they focus more on how to take a good picture with composition, lighting, etc. I need to learn more about how the camera operates to be able to make a better camera purchase.

djacobox372 · Feb 18, 2011

pcolaheadbussa said:
Now what exactly will a faster lense do for me? I can tell prices get way higher the lower the number is. I'll use an example. I have been looking at the 50mm 1.8 and the 50mm 1.4 but there is a huge price difference. What does the .4 difference allow you to do?

Faster lenses allow more light in... f1.4 allows twice the light as f2; which allows you to shoot at twice the shutter speed or half the iso. Smaller f-stops also decrease the depth of field (create that blurry background look). Some people find it confusing that "larger apertures" = smaller numbers, but this is because it's actually a fraction 1/1.4 is larger then 1/1.8. F-number - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There is a huge difference in "speed" between the f1.4 and f1.8--only 1/2 stop , but typically the smaller f-stop lenses are higher-quality in general and that is why the prices are so much higher--like anything, as you approach the very best performance you start paying a ton for very little gain. For a beginner I would just opt for the 1.8, as it's so much cheaper.

As for the d90 vs. the d3100--they both are about equal when it comes to photo quality, but the d90 has a more professional layout, and an autofocus motor--you can't even get a 50mm f1.8 that will autofocus on a D3100.

You might want to consider a 35mm f1.8 instead of the 50... it's a slightly sharper lens, and has a more "normal/everyday" focal length--the 50mm can feel a bit too zoomed in on a crop-sensor camera. The 35mm f1.8 cost around $220 and has an af-s motor which will allow it to autofocus on a d3100.

As for buying used/refurbished vs. new, I wouldn't shy away from refurbished--if something is going to go wrong it will most likely go wrong in the first few months when the refurb is still under warranty. I can understand why someone wouldn't want to buy a used body, although I've bought many of them without a problem.

I would try to buy your lenses used--there's very little to go wrong with them, and as long as you buy from someplace that allows returns and protects you as a buyer (ebay), then it's a good way to save some $$.

djacobox372 · Feb 18, 2011

Additional autofocus points increase the accuracy and tracking ability of the autofocus system in a camera--if you're shooting sports that's important, if not I wouldn't let that be a deciding factor.

dpreview.com is an excellent source of detailed camera information and reviews. But keep in mind that the reviews are usually written at the time of the camera's release, so the praise any review may bestow on a camera is relative to then.

I'll probably be flamed for mentioning www.kenrockwell.com, but it's a great source of information for the newbie--as it's all written in layman's terms and entertaining to read. Just take it all with a grain of salt--a lot of what ken says is for effect and overstated.

flatflip · Feb 18, 2011

pcolaheadbussa said:
I dont really understand what the additional focus points do for the camera. Does anyone know of a good place they can direct me to start learning some of these technical terms? I have a few photography books i just picked up from the library but they focus more on how to take a good picture with composition, lighting, etc. I need to learn more about how the camera operates to be able to make a better camera purchase.

I don't really know where to direct you to for technical info but I can tell you a little bit about the 39 focus points. Your point and shoot camera probably has one FP. If you want your subject in the left third of the frame, you center the subject first, then press button halfway to focus, then re-compose and shot. So basicly it focuses in the center of the frame. My older D40 had 3 FP. It would pick the nearest part of the subject usually and usually make a good picture. Sometimes I would click the proper button and select a center FP or an off-center FP and compose a shot to my desire. With the D7000 and 39 FP it does a good job of focusing on quite a bit of stuff in the frame and that usually makes a real good picture. If I need to emphasize a certain FP in the frame I will click the proper button and select any one of the 39 FP. I think there is a lot more control than I know about yet but I'm impressed so far.

flatflip · Feb 18, 2011

djacobox372 said:
Additional autofocus points increase the accuracy and tracking ability of the autofocus system in a camera--if you're shooting sports that's important, if not I wouldn't let that be a deciding factor.

dpreview.com is an excellent source of detailed camera information and reviews. But keep in mind that the reviews are usually written at the time of the camera's release, so the praise any review may bestow on a camera is relative to then.

I'll probably be flamed for mentioning www.kenrockwell.com, but it's a great source of information for the newbie--as it's all written in layman's terms and entertaining to read. Just take it all with a grain of salt--a lot of what ken says is for effect and overstated.

I wanted to recommend kenrockwell too but I didn't want flames either. HaHa

pcolaheadbussa · Feb 19, 2011

@dkacobox, ok that makes sense letting in more light but allowing a slower shutter speed and lower iso? I mean i know what the shutter is but i just cant really grasp how it all works. I guess i just need to get a camera and lense and start shooting. I learn much better with hands on experience. On the subject of the 50mm vs. 35mm. I was thinking about that yesterday. I know whichever camera i get will be a crop sensor there for making a 50mm lense more like a 70mm lense. So if i wanted to capture pictures that looked like 50mm on a full frame camera i would be better off with a 35mm? The lower the number the wider the picture right? I wanted a wide angle lense until i seen how much they cost! What confuses me though is when i compare pictures using the 35mm and 50mm on flickr, i dont see a difference in the width of th pictures. The only thing i could think of is maybe its because the pictures where croped?

I will check out kenrockwell, he was actually mentioned in one of the books i am looking through with a similar warning you give. haha, that he is loved or hated and doesnt really care either way, and has strong opinions but funny.

Not sure if the additional focus points of the d7000 are really needed for me since i dont really plan to shot any sports or anything. I plan to do outdoor landscapes, candid pics around town, and some odd angle artistic shots.

pcolaheadbussa · Feb 19, 2011

Ok so after some more research tonight i have a few more questions. I am thinking about going with the d90 over the d7000 due to the price and since this will be my first dslr the d90 will be more than enough camera for me to learn on and i think the d7000 would be overkill (unless i just had all the money i wanted)..I do however know i will eventually want a wide angle lense. I am reading that the Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 is a great wide angle lense and is affordable. But does anyone know if this lense will auto focus with the d90?

I also have a question on refurbished cameras.What exactly qualifies a camera as refurbished? Was it a camera with a manufacturer error that was fixed? A used camera rebuilt to look like new? I found a refurbished d9 on adorama.com for 650 which is catching my eye.

flatflip · Feb 19, 2011

The 35 has a wider view than the 50. The 50 can take the same photo as the 35 if the photographer steps backwards until he has that view. Like zooming out.

subscuck · Feb 19, 2011

pcolaheadbussa said:
@dkacobox, ok that makes sense letting in more light but allowing a slower shutter speed and lower iso? I mean i know what the shutter is but i just cant really grasp how it all works.

Letting in more light will allow a faster shutter speed. I'd recommend "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. It's an often recommended book for beginners, and while maybe lacking in some areas, it'll teach you the "exposure triangle" (or you could just google that) and you'll understand how aperture, shutter speed and ISO all work together to give you correct exposure.

pcolaheadbussa · Feb 19, 2011

thanks subscuck i will try to find that book at my library or look up some of it online.

Can i get some of your guys opinions on buying refurbished? I found a d90 refurbished for $650. But what exactly does refurbished mean? Is it a used camera or just one that was a factory mistake and was fixed.

flatflip · Feb 19, 2011

refurb will be a returned camera. Maybe for buyers remorse or a defect. It may be cleaned and repacked or repaired and repacked. It will be factory refurbished. My Macbook is refurbished. It is now 3 years old and still looks and runs like new. I had a refurbished Nikon D5000 that was perfect except for a scratch that most people would not notice. It ate my lunch and I won't buy another one. That and the 90 day warranty sux. Mine had 550 shutter actuations which was acceptable. You have a 30 day return policy with adorama with no questions asked. You just lose shipping both ways.