Question by a beginner

ducckz · Jun 20, 2012

Hey all , recently i fell in love with photography but i just used the camera of my dad , now i want an camera of my own but ofcourse iam not the richest.
So my question is with what kind of camera can i get the quality and those bright colors of the picture below?
thanks for helping !

manaheim · Jun 20, 2012

They don't seem all *that* bright to be honest.

Anyway... any camera is going to give you bright colors. Certainly a camera with a larger sensor will get you richer, deeper, colors... but I'd call that a bit of a red herring in this case. You don't need a large sensor to replicate what you have above.

What you really want to determine/ask yourself is....

1. What kind of pictures will you be shooting?
2. What is your budget?
3. Are there any critical physical limitations on size for your camera? (like you ABSOLUTELY need to be able to shove it into a purse or glovebox)
4. Do you want to be able to change lenses?
5. Are you planning to try to do any professional work?
6. Do you have any significant low-light needs for what you plan to shoot?

That would be a good starting point.

ducckz · Jun 20, 2012

1. Just anything that seems intresting haha i dont know how to explain this , iam also a big fan of tumblr so pictures like that would be awesome
2. around 300-400 euro's ( prefer the lowest possible with decent quality )
3. any size is fine
4. Uhm if it makes those pictures like above and the new one i will post then i dont need to
5. No just pure for fun
6. I have no idea what that is sorry

this is another picture that maybe shows alittle better what i like about pictures

manaheim · Jun 20, 2012

I'm getting a "not super serious, just playing around and starting to learn" vibe. Nothing wrong with that, mind you, but it makes me lean more towards a very nice point and shoot camera with a fixed lens than it does a DSLR. Not that a DSLR wouldn't serve you well... it would... but at your budget point it's going to MAYBE get you a baseline DSLR and a kit lens, and that's about it, and it may be more complicated than you need or want.

Unfortunately I can't give you any advice on p/s cameras. If you DID go DSLR, look in the Nikon D5000 space.... maybe a used D80 or D90. Get an 18-55 kit lens or thereabouts. (This is speaking only in terms of Nikon... I don't know the Canon line)

photo_joe · Jun 20, 2012

manaheim said:
I'm getting a "not super serious, just playing around and starting to learn" vibe. Nothing wrong with that, mind you, but it makes me lean more towards a very nice point and shoot camera with a fixed lens than it does a DSLR. Not that a DSLR wouldn't serve you well... it would... but at your budget point it's going to MAYBE get you a baseline DSLR and a kit lens, and that's about it, and it may be more complicated than you need or want.

Unfortunately I can't give you any advice on p/s cameras. If you DID go DSLR, look in the Nikon D5000 space.... maybe a used D80 or D90. Get an 18-55 kit lens or thereabouts. (This is speaking only in terms of Nikon... I don't know the Canon line)

+1

Find a used DSLR on the cheap to play around with to see if it is what you are looking for and then step up from there if you find a true passion for photography.

rick93 · Jun 20, 2012

ducckz said:
1. Just anything that seems intresting haha i dont know how to explain this , iam also a big fan of tumblr so pictures like that would be awesome
2. around 300-400 euro's ( prefer the lowest possible with decent quality )
3. any size is fine
4. Uhm if it makes those pictures like above and the new one i will post then i dont need to
5. No just pure for fun
6. I have no idea what that is sorry

this is another picture that maybe shows alittle better what i like about pictures
View attachment 11822

Welcome Ducckz!
Is your dads camera a DSLR?
Are you sure that you want a DSLR? To get something nice is gonna cost money.... If you want to get a DSLR, great, but I would surely get a used one. I got a Canon 450D with kitlens, sigma 50-120 (something like that, sold it a long time ago) and a extra battery for 325 Euros. (you are going to want something more than just a kit-lens. With a short 18-55mm lens you wont hardly have any 'zoom') You should be able to get a decent used camera with a couple lenses for 400 Euros. You will have to search for it though. I bought mine on a Marktplaats (Dutch 'Ebay' site)

Point and Shoot is going to be easier, cheaper, and handier.

ducckz · Jun 20, 2012

and with a Point and Shoot camera , do i get the bright colors like that or will it be more like a phone camera? any suggestion for a decent Point and Shoot ? if i like it alot i can always save for a DSLR camera

Designer · Jun 20, 2012

ducckz said:
and with a Point and Shoot camera , do i get the bright colors like that or will it be more like a phone camera? any suggestion for a decent Point and Shoot ? if i like it alot i can always save for a DSLR camera

Bright, vivid colors often depend upon the subject, rather than the camera. So yes, Point and shoot cameras will capture vivid colors if your subject has them in the first place.

A "phone camera" has a very tiny sensor, and typically a cheap lens. Those two factors alone practically guarantee poor image quality.

Also, in a DSLR, the colors can be "modified" to be more vivid as the camera produces the JPEG and sends it to the memory card, but that is more a function of the firware installed on the camera in question.

If you think you may be performing some image modification in your computer after taking pictures, then you probably should try to find a point and shoot that will capture RAW data, which will be more satisfying in that process. Might cost a little more, but you can grow in your skills while learning on a less expensive camera.

dawn · Jun 22, 2012

These are some photos I took with a $200 (US) point and shoot.

I prefer the ease of use of the superzoom (point and shoot with a long optical zoom) to a DSLR.

Terenas1986 · Jun 22, 2012

Hi Ducckz!

Manaheim helped you out with the Nikons, I can answer with the Canon line.
Personally I bought a 350D and Kit lens 18-55mm for 200. So You still have money for another lens (maybe a 35mm prime). Prime = no zoom, but sharp images and great blurry backgrounds.

Plus to that.. you still have money for a nice flash.. mine is a Speedlite 420EX.. it's quite enough for me. But if you DO buy these stuff, you need to learn how to use them. It's not enough to have them... its not magic!

Getting back to cameras: the 300D is pretty old, and it has an older line of sensors, but the 350D is quite nice. Also the 400D or 450D. These are ~5-6 year old, entry-level DSLRs. If you wish something a bit more tough (for more money), take the 20D, or 30D. The 60D is more expensive sadly. These will of course all be sencond-hand cameras, they are not in production anymore. But you can get them for half the money than new ones, saving for additional glass and other stuff.

When buyingDSLRs, ask for the exposure count! If it's above or around 25.000... don't buy it... it's probably due to a complete shutter-curtain change, which is not for free. It would be nice to find someone who never really bothered using the DSLR, but just bought it years ago... therefore would have a count of around 3000.

))

If you are serious about learning photography I do advise you to buy a DSLR, nothing else. No compact, no superzoom (or hybrid) ...! Point-and-shoots are fun but in no way they are capable of producing the image quality in all situations that DSLRs can do. This is moslty due to sensor size. They cannot capture both dark and light parts of the scene. DSLRs can do way better in this.

If you have any questions, please ask them!