/sigh ... really noob with cameras...

ridgelinelife · Feb 4, 2011

I'm looking to buy my first not-point-and-shoot camera. I'm a (uber) beginner to photography, but would like a camera i can grow into, but not necessarily get professional with. I intend to use this camera for normal everyday photos (of the wife, truck, random stuff, etc...) but I also would really like to start doing aircraft photography at airports. I understand this will probably require me to have two separate lenses that I'll swap between depending on what I'm shooting at the time, but other than that I am lost.

So far I've been looking at the Cannon Eos Rebel T1i EF-S that comes with the 18-55mm lens, and the Nikon D3100 that comes with the same lens. I'd like to stay in that price range ($900 or cheaper for body and both lenses I'll need).

If anyone has ANY advice on this, it would be greatly appreciated as I don't have cash to just fling at a camera, and would like to get a camera that will be multipurpose and take great pictures with the money that I have saved up.

Thanks for any advice at all!

-Aaron

(Btw...this is my first topic and first post ever on this forum so..... HI! I'm Aaron, from Jacksonville, FL. I'm in the Navy and that takes most of my time, but I'm hoping photography can start to take up some of the time I have to myself

)

KmH · Feb 4, 2011

It is my opinion the Nikon D3100 offers a little better value than the Canon T1i does, because the D3100 has better low-light performance.

Neither of your choices would be wrong.

Stradawhovious · Feb 4, 2011

Thanks for your service!

Enjoy your new camera. Personally I think the brand and model of the DSLR you get isn't nearly as important as learning how to use it.

YMMV.

smag4life · Feb 4, 2011

Hey Shipmate,
Just wanted to say hey to a fellow sailor. I'm on a sub in Pearl Harbor right now. If you're not planning on buying for a week or so I'll let you know how my D3100 performs when it gets here next week. I handled it in the store and it feels really nice in my hands. Can't say anything personally about the image quality, but from what I hear and the sample images I've seen, it's excellent for an entry level camera. Best of luck.

-AJ

memento · Feb 4, 2011

there's ton's of deals on Craig's List..

FransD · Feb 4, 2011

buy a nikon d3100. all i need to say!

ridgelinelife · Feb 4, 2011

Stradawhovious said:
Personally I think the brand and model of the DSLR you get isn't nearly as important as learning how to use it.

That's the jist of what I've gotten from reading some other topics in the forums. Thanks for your input!

Smag, I sent you a PM.

Thanks for the input everybody. I'm gonna take a few looks at craigslist again, but right now I'm thinking about one of the kit deals from Best Buy. They have the T1i I mentioned with a 75mm - 300mm lens for under what I wanted to spend. Gonna look to see if I can find a comparable for the Nikon. If not, Canon it is!

Thanks again everyone.

ridgelinelife · Feb 4, 2011

Anybody have any word on durability of either of these cameras? I wanna take mine overseas without breaking it.

bobbyknight · Feb 5, 2011

ridgelinelife said:
Anybody have any word on durability of either of these cameras? I wanna take mine overseas without breaking it.

If you want durability, get Canon 50D, 7D or Nikon D7000

dyyylan · Feb 5, 2011

Pretty much any current model is a good value. The t1i is a generation old, and the t2i is a *great* camera. Much better video mode and I believe the sensor is better as well, but not 100% on that.

Most of the performance is going to be on the lens though, if you are using a $150 lens, you're going to be able to tell. The exception here is with primes. I'd suggest picking up a 35 or 50mm f1.8, they're both between $100-200 and are going to be sharper than any of the sub-$500 zooms you can get.

Other than that, the best advice is to just shoot a LOT. The more pictures you shoot, the better they will be. Shoot it in full manual, get used to what every setting does, especially the main 3 (shutter speed, aperture size (fstop), iso), be creative and try different settings. Just take a lot of pictures.

Good luck

DerekSalem · Feb 5, 2011

Wow my reply was deleted without so much as a message about it...We're not allowed to correct people anymore? I still filled the post with quite a bit of helpful information.

adversus · Feb 5, 2011

If I was buying an entry level body now I'd jump on the D3100. Or, if you wanted to go balls-out, the D7000 is pretty slick.

Graci67 · Feb 5, 2011

what about the Nikon D5000? its a great camera and the video quality is awesome! just my two cents

adversus · Feb 5, 2011

I own a D5000 and it's a great little camera, but in reality the D3100 is superior (in my opinion at least).

I personally love the D5000's articulating screen, while some people say it's a gimmick I've taken shots/video that I normally wouldn't have due to viewing angles.

Other than FPS, the D3100 beats the D5000 in every other spec, for only a marginal increase in cost.

OGDaniel · Feb 5, 2011

Either camera will be perfectly fine, friend. If you can and if it's convenient, I recommend going down to best buy or somewhere else and try to get your hands on both of them. Hold them, just check out the layout and all, which ever feels better to you get that one. Good luck and welcome