New to photography need recommendations.

[xxarmando]

Hello everyone my name is Armando me and my wife have always loved taking pictures, but we have only done so with our phones or point and shoot cameras. I want to purchase and learn how to use the camera and take pictures, mostly of wild life like parrots/ animals and just for fun. Photography has always caught my attention and I want to purchase a good camera that I can learn and that it can last me for a while. If anyone has any recommendations I would greatly appreciate it.

My price budget is 950$.
I want to capture wild life (mostly birds/parrots/exotic life), and to take and have fun with, along with learning and understanding how to operate it.( this part has me very excited I love learning)


Thank you!

P.S I heard the D5200 was a good one as Nikon does a great job at visualizing the learning experience. But I heard the d5200 doesn't support all lenses?
Again I am completely new to all of this.

 

[brunerww]

Hi Armando - welcome to the forum and to the world of photography! The D5200 is a great camera and supports all Nikon mount lenses. Other camera brands support their own lenses, so choosing a brand generally means choosing that brand's lenses. If you buy a Nikon, the last thing you need to worry about is lens selection

If you are interested in taking pictures of birds, you want the longest telephoto lens you can get for the money - with the best control of camera shake to reduce the possibility of image blur.

If you plan on looking at your photos on a phone, tablet, computer screen or a TV, an interchangeable lens camera with a relatively large sensor (such as the $797 [with kit lens] D5200) may be overkill. You may want to look at one of the new "Superzoom" cameras, such as the $354 60x zoom Panasonic FZ70.

At its maximum telephoto range, the FZ70 will bring birds as close as a $17,897 800mm lens would on the D5200.

Here is an example of what it can do (photo of an American Bald Eagle from Squirrel Girl cbk via flickr) :




If you plan to print and enlarge your photos - or if you really want an interchangeable lens beginner's DSLR, a $547 Nikon D3200 with the 18-55mm kit lens plus a $397 Nikon 55-300mm VR (Vibration Reduction) lens will be a great starter kit for birds and wildlife, and will fit inside your $950 budget.

This photo of am African Brown Snake Eagle was taken by Marc Crowther via flickr with the D3200 and a Nikon 55-300 lens:





I would also invest in a book or two on photography. Getting real time advice from a photography forum is great, but there's nothing like reading a book for learning the basics. I recommend Better Photo Basics for $15 and/or Understanding Exposure for $17.60.

Hope this is helpful!

Bill

 

[goodguy]

Hi Armando, welcome to to this wonderful forum.
First let me explain the rumour you heard about Nikon lenses.
In the past Nikon Auto Focus lenses didnt have an internal motor to focus to make the lens focus, the motor was inside the camera.
Today almost all of Nikon new lenses have this internal motor in its lenses so that is not a problem unless you are interested in buying these older lenses second hand and then they will work on the D5200 and D3200 but you will need to manualy focus them.

When buying a DSLR you also need to buy lenses to go with it, you will need for atleast 2 lenses according to you OP.
One for normal everyday use and second telezoom for wildlife.
When adding the body with these 2 lenses I dont know if you will be abble to afford the D5200.
The D5200 is indeed a fantastic camera and I would say well worth getting it but if you will not be able to afford it the Nikon D3200 is a very good and capable camera too and not far from the D5200 in its performance.

As for lenses, for everyday use you have 2 lenses the 18-55mm VR and 18-105mm VR
I always recommend to go with the 18-105mm VR as its zoom range is very good for most needs.
The 18-55mm VR is also a good starters lens but is a bit lacking in its zoom capabilities.

For wildlife telezoom you really have 2 lenses to choose from in your price range, the 55-300mm and 70-300mm VR
These lenses are close in price and I highly recommend you to go with the 70-300mm VR
I own this lens and its an amazing lens for its price, very sharp with a great reach for wild life.
This might confuse you but while optically it is 70-300mm it actually acts on the D3200 and D5200 like 100-450mm because this lens is designed to work on bigger sensor cameras we call full frame sensors so on the smaller sensor (crop sensor) cameras the D3200 and D5200 it will as if you have a lens with 100-450mm, this means much more zoom (reach) when shooting distant animal.
The 55-300mm lens is designed to work with the crop sensor camera and thus you get less reach.

As for super zoom cameras.
Well these are good cameras and cheaper and will give you even more zoom then the lenses I recomended you but they do have their draw back.
These "long" lenses doesnt work so well in low light situation and the sensor in these cameras is smaller then the one in the crop sensor DSLR.
So my advise is it you are serious about enjoying photography and you want to improve yourself, be creative then DSLR is the only way to go.

Good luck

 

[Designer]

P.S I heard the D5200 was a good one as Nikon does a great job at visualizing the learning experience. But I heard the d5200 doesn't support all lenses?

I think the D5200 is a good choice for you. Typically, any of the newer lenses will work.

 

[marlenne63]

I totally agree, the D5200 should do. Plus, Nikons are generally user-friendly so if you're a beginner, it'll be perfect.

 

[xxarmando]

Hello thanks everyone for the warm welcome! I have been to many forums and yet to see actual welcomes! As I'am researching I came across these bundles.
Amazon.com: Nikon D3200 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR and 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX NIKKOR Zoom Lenses + EN-EL14 Battery + 32GB Deluxe Accessory Kit: Camera & Photo

and

Amazon.com: Nikon D5200 24.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera (Black) with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Lens and Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 SLD DG Macro Lens with built in motor + 10pc Bundle 32GB Deluxe Accessory Kit: Camera & Photo

Any suggestions and differences?

 

[Designer]

I almost never recommend a bundle such as this, but in this case I will relent and say that either of these will get you started off on the right foot.

Personally, I vote for the D5200 due to the swivel back (kinda cool) but I know nothing about the Sigma lens.

Have fun!

 

[Braineack]

this was my 3100 and Sigma 17-70mm:

I'd go for the d5200 today; it's great camera.

 

[goodguy]

Hello thanks everyone for the warm welcome! I have been to many forums and yet to see actual welcomes! As I'am researching I came across these bundles.
Amazon.com: Nikon D3200 24.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR and 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S DX NIKKOR Zoom Lenses + EN-EL14 Battery + 32GB Deluxe Accessory Kit: Camera & Photo

and

Amazon.com: Nikon D5200 24.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera (Black) with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Lens and Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 SLD DG Macro Lens with built in motor + 10pc Bundle 32GB Deluxe Accessory Kit: Camera & Photo

Any suggestions and differences?

As I said the D3200 is an excellent camera but if you can get the D5200 dont think twice and get it, its an awesome tool.

Option two ALL THE WAY!!!

 

[Braineack]

for the difference of $100 between those two packages there's no doubt I'd go with the d5200.

 

[cgipson1]

The D5200 has no built-in focus motor... which I probably what you meant about not supporting all Nikon lenses. It will mount all Nikon lenses in the current mount, but older lenses will need to be manually focused. Only lenses with a built in focus motor will autofocus.

The D5200 is much better than the D3XXX series... just as the D7XXX series is a step above the D5XXX series ( and the D7000 / D7100 both have built-in focus motors, if that is important to you).

For birds, You will need a long lens... preferably with a large aperture for low light shooting, and the gets expensive.

I would look at the Nikon VR 70-300 4.5/5.6 AF-S (used) as a good starter lens Amazon.com: Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras: NIKON: Camera & Photo. I would also consider the D7000 (used) over the D5200). Buying used, you could probably squeeze both those into your budget.

These were shot with the D7000... although a different lens.

 

[brunerww]

I agree with the majority view here. It would be hard to beat that US warrantied $957 D5200 package. If you bought a $796.95 D5200 and a $144 Sigma separately, it would cost almost that much. The SD card, case and extra battery more than make up the difference. Don't know how long it will last, so you may want to jump on it.

Good luck!

Bill

 

[cgipson1]

OP, About these all inclusive kits... they look like a good deal, but you get what you pay for. Most of it is very low end (CHEAP) equipment, that you will want to upgrade after using it. The tripods for instance... are going to be very marginal! And the battery will most likely not be a Nikon... just a cheap knock-off. Spend your money on Body and Lens... forget the junk, and buy the same gear as you develop a need for it (after you LEARN what you need!)

 

[xxarmando]

Yeah the only problem is the motor thing, even though I don't know what that means yet! Would it hurt me in the long run the 5200? And the bundle seems cheap but it's gear Id have to order anyways as of now (at least the case, memory, some sort of tripod too haha)

 

[goodguy]

Yeah the only problem is the motor thing, even though I don't know what that means yet! Would it hurt me in the long run the 5200? And the bundle seems cheap but it's gear Id have to order anyways as of now (at least the case, memory, some sort of tripod too haha)

Let me say this again.

Do you see yourself buying old Nikon lenses in the future ?
If not then why worry about it ?

Almost ALL of Nikon new lenses have their own internal focus motor in them.
Stop worrying about it, its not an issue!!!
The internal camera focusing motor which I have in my D7100 is a nice bonus to those (like me) who want to buy Nikons old lenses of ebay or kijiji.
Almost in all cases these lenses are inferior to Nikon new lenses but they are much cheaper.
So for saving money the internal motor is good but if you dont plan on buying old lenses then stop fussing about this matter.