What Camera is best for me?

[lauryn1]

I have just started the basic city and guilds photography course and am so confused about what camera to buy as i am doing it from home, i need one that has manual aperture and shutter speeds. I want one that is going to be good for a while i just dont know which one, what are the key points for a proffesional camera, think it would have to be film as i later want to do the black and white course which involves developing your own. Would appreciate all advice as im so confused about everything. thanks Lauren

 

[usayit]

What type of budget?
Is Autofocus necessary?

I would avoid making 'professional camera" a requirement in your search. Just find something that fits your needs and feels comfortable... not the needs of the perceived "professional". IMO, next to your creativity, the next important piece of equipment is the glass you attach to that camera.

With that said... really any 35mm body will do. Most will have a mode that allows for full manual operation of aperature and shutter. I personally like the used Pentax K1000's as a durable student camera. The Takumara lenses available for for the Pentax K-mount are well known for quality and are very inexpensive to obtain ( search ebay ). For something more advanced but still manual, Canon AE-1 are also nice and inexpensive. For autofocus choices, the Canon rebels and the nikon N80 or N75 are great choices. The advantage of going with used manual focus bodies is the overall cost of glass will be less than their autofocus counterparts.

 

[Rob]

Buy a used Pentax Spotmatic or K1000 or LX or a Nikon FM2n with a standard 50mm f1.8 lens from eBay and load it with Ilford FP4 for B&W or Fuji Reala 100 for colour. Up and running with great kit for under £50 if you look hard enough!

nuff said

Rob.

 

[Force of Nature]

I did a similar course and my Canon 300v fits the bill very very well, some great shots from it and the lens i got bundled is really good. there are plenty of modes, with aperture priority or shutter speed priority but you can go fully manual if you so desire. and it feels so good to hold, and wont break the bank.

 

[lauryn1]

Am i better off just buying a second hand camera then a brand new one? What about the nikon n50 what is that like, Do you think cable release option will be good for me as i am mainly interested in portrait photography although i have to get through my course first.

 

[lauryn1]

what is the n55 nikon like would that be good as i have just seen one reasonable cheap

 

[lauryn1]

sorry 1 more question can i use any brand lense on any brand camera and is it the different lenses you buy that carry the aperture value?

 

[clarinetJWD]

Sigma and Tamron make lenses for all the major companies, but if you can, I'd recommend staying with your brand name. (ie canon body, canon lenses, Nikon body, Nikkor lenses)

Nikon really has some killer film bodies, and as a Nikon user myself, I'd certainly reccomend their lenses (though be careful, because some are better than others...)