New Photographer [Questions and Concerns]

NotYourHero

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Hey,

I am new to photography. I have a few questions to ask before I make purchases and whatnot.

Which camera should I get?
[Nikon D80 or Canon Rebel XTi] I am really between these 2 only because I have a good deal on both.

What does "Body Only" mean?
Does it mean just without any upgrades? [Lense, flash, etc.]

When I get some more money, what kind of lense should I get for sports photography?
Mainly paintball, snowboarding and skateboarding. Here are some sample websites.
www.miguelcruz.com
www.transworldskateboarding.com

All help is greatly appreciated. I am only 15 years old, but photography is one of my favorite hobbies.

Thanks,
Ian
 
For which camera you get, go to a camera store and hold them both. Whichever one feels better in your hand, the controls are easier to use, etc., is the right camera for you. They are both high quality cameras.

Body only means there is no lens on the camera at all.

For which lenses to buy - if you're shooting outdoors you don't have to get the most expensive glass. But what focal lengths you get will be determined by how close you can get to your subjects. For some of them I'm assuming you'd want a telephoto lens of at least 200mm.
 
The second link you have posted demonstrates a body only camera setup.
 
Alright, thanks.
 
Yes.

These SLR cameras have interchangeable lenses...which is one of their biggest advantages.

Usually, they come with a 'kit' lens, which is a good focal range, but usually isn't of the highest quality. Still, I think it's a good place to start.

So whatever camera you get, I'd suggest getting it with the standard lens (18-55mm for example). Use that for a while and then you will have a better idea of what other lens or lenses you might like to purchase.

For sports, you will probably want a 'fast' lens. That means a lens that has a large maximum aperture (which helps give you a faster shutter speed, to freeze the action). The kit lenses, are unfortunately, fairly slow.
The maximum aperture is listed in the name of the lens, and a lower F number means a larger aperture. So I would suggest something like a 50mm F1.8. 1.8 is a fairly large aperture, which would be good for action shots. The kit lens, on the other hand, is F3.5-5.6...which is much smaller.
 
As long as it feels ok in your own two hands, I'd get the Canon XTi. Reason? Most of Canon's consumer level lenses focus a lot faster than Nikon's, which is important for sports type photography. Canon also has a much better selection of pro and non-pro telephoto lenses than Nikon does, and Canon bodies "tend to" look cleaner and maintain more detail at higher ISO settings than Nikons, which is important if you need to maintain a fast shutter speed for sports and don't have the best light, or an ultra-fast lens.
 
Alright, and does the XTi have a fast shutter speed? And what exactly is the shutter speed, and what does it do?
I know I am a noob, but theres only one way to learn. Thanks for bearing with me, it means alot.
 
Alright, and does the XTi have a fast shutter speed? And what exactly is the shutter speed, and what does it do?
I know I am a noob, but theres only one way to learn. Thanks for bearing with me, it means alot.
All cameras have a shutter speed...it's the length of time the camera records the photo. It usually pretty fast 1/200 of a second, for example...but it will vary, depending on the light...and when it gets longer, motion will show up as blur.

I suggest doing some reading about basic exposure. You will want to know about shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and how they affect the exposure.
These are the basics of photography and they are the same for film or digital. You could probably find some good books in your local library. I recommend 'Understanding Exposure' by Brian Peterson.
 
Speaking of books, I was just looking on ebay. You can get the whole series of Time Life books on photography, from the 1980's, for about $30. I am old enough that I have this set that I bought new.
 
Speaking of books, I was just looking on ebay. You can get the whole series of Time Life books on photography, from the 1980's, for about $30. I am old enough that I have this set that I bought new.

My dad has an orginal set of those, I would sit for hours looking through them. I think his set is much older though, like late sixties.
 

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