I want to take up photography as a hobby. What would be a good starter camera?

Question

I'm not looking for something with all the bells and whistles, just something that will take great pictures! My budget is $200 and under, and I have no problems going used. But what am I looking for? Can you also recommend a good website or article on the basics of photography? I took a course in college, but need a refresher on F Stops, and such.

Thank you so much!

Answer 1

hi there :)

for starters you want to go with the EOS rebel cameras

a really good one is the EOS rebel XS

takes reallyyy good pictures! new is 600 bucks but used you can get it A LOT cheaper

remember, it's a starter camera so you don't wanna go all out

but if you end up getting more passionate about photography, you definitely want to upgrade to a newer model such as 5D mark II or 5D mark III, that's the model most of the professionals use

for websites, you might want to go to http://digital-photography-school.com/ for tutorials and such

however if you want to look at other peoples pictures, i would definitely recommend Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/

a lot of reallyy good photographers on there, you just make and account and start uploading pictures! you can look at other people's pictures

the really good pictures always make it to the "explore" front page

http://www.flickr.com/explore/

so i always check there from time to time



if you want to get reviews on any camera i always go to http://www.dpreview.com/



on F stops

this is what a picture looks like at f/1.4

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmueller/2568220692/ see how the back part of the image is all blurred out and only the flower is in focus

the lower the F stop the blurrier the background gets

here also he has a low F stop, and only the man's face is in focus

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmueller/2674066001/



then you go really high like f/22 and the entire picture is in focus

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmueller/1464428187/

we generally use higher f stops for landscapes because we want a nice crisp shot of the scenery

like this

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmueller/4399473238/

now this last one, was shot at f/22 AND they did a long exposure on it

long exposure is when you keep your shutter open longer than the normal 1/250th of a second

long exposure can last anywhere from a minute to 2 hours! when you do long exposure on ocean waves, your result will be the water looking like some sort of fog, which is kind of cool :)



also, for ISO

if it's a bright sunny day, mostly likely ISO 100 or 200

nightime, ISO can get pretty high, up to ISO 2000 or even 4000! depending on how dim your lighting is

the higher the ISO the more noise your image has, which basically means, the higher the ISO the more grainier it gets, you ever see images that look grainy? its because of that

BUT

there are really good cameras that are able to get rid of that graininess yet allow you to shoot at a high ISO, which is really good :)



lenses

anything under 50mm is considered wide angle (lowest it goes is about 14mm)

that allows you to get a wider view, let's say if you want to shoot some type of grand landscape or even a humongous group picture, you would use that type of lens

you can also use a wide angle for distorting images

like this guy, who used a 14 mm on a young kid

http://www.flickr.com/photos/isayx3/4475964995/



anything beyond 50mm is considered a telephoto lens

it allows you to zoom from really far away

http://www.flickr.com/photos/superjuanvi/4206853984/

like this guy was really far away from the skyline, and he wanted to zoom in on it, so he used a focal length of 200mm

Answer 2

Most serious artistic and portrait photogs will recommend a SLR camera and I am no different. But, if your budget is limited and you are new, I say start w/ a simple camera. Look for things like 3" screen and 3 + mega-pixels. They go up to 12 and beyond, but unless you are looking to do poster sized pix, you just don't need to use that much memory. It is also hard to email a series of large files like that. You should be able to find a new or used Nikon in that price range w/ no problem. Also, go for a unit w/ a rechargeable battery as you will blow thru the AAs too fast. I have had best luck w/ Nikon and Sony in this area.



God Luck!

Answer 3

Since you are looking primarily for image quality then you should look for a SLR. You did not specify digital or film. I assume digital but thee is a lot of fantastic film SLRs out there going for very low prices. The problem is the film and processing costs. Digital also gives you immediate feedback.



I had been seriously into photography for many years and gave it up after a while but planning to get back to it. When I did it was when the Canon digital Rebel was available. It was the first affordable digital SLR at about $1000. I finally decided to go for it. It is only 6MP but if you are not going bigger than 8x10 inch prints then this will be more than adequate. I only replaced mine after it got stolen and not because it could not give me the image quality I needed. This camera is bigger than the current Rebel cameras. That is a good thing. It is easier to hold than the smaller cameras. It is the same size as the semi-pro cameras but is still pretty light weight.



The kit lens available for it was the 18-55mm. It was a cheap lens but still able to produce some good images. There are better lenses but this is a good starting point and you can do a lot with it. The digital Rebel is available in your price range.



If you go for the digital Rebel then the battery will likely be toast. Make sure you get the charger though. Batteries can be ordered off ebay for about $7 delivered. This is a hell of a lot better compared to the over $100 that Canon wants for the same thing. And they are good. I look for the higher mA rating. At least 1600mA but I just bought one rated for 2200mA. This is the first time I have seen that high a rating for this battery size. I hope it works well. Normally I see up to 1800mA ratings.



Of course you want something that has not been used that much and is pretty clean. The sensor may need to be cleaned. There are kits that allow you to do it yourself. This is not inexpensive. It is not something that you do often though. I have only done it once in over five years of shooting. Mainly people that have a number of lenses where they change them often. Something to be aware of but don't worry about it too much.



The reason for the higher image quality of SLRs compared to point and shoot style cameras is because of the larger sensor. The best point and shoot available still will not be better than the old digital Rebel.



http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos300d/ An old but good review with good samples http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/reviewsamples/albums/canon-eos-300d-review-samples-two/slideshow



Check the ISO listed for each image. High ISO will give more noise in the image for cameras.

Answer 4

getting an SLR is essential. you have the freedom to adjust your own settings, whereas with a point and shoot, you can basically only compose the shot, which is only a small portion of photography. so, i know SLRs are more expensive than 200 dollars, but you'll just be so limited without one. so try ebay. a canon rebel would be the best way to go, and these are around 200 right now in the bids:



http://catalog.ebay.com/Canon-EOS-300D-Digital-Rebel-Kit-18-55mm-Lens-6-3-Megapixel-/81781801?_fifpts=1&_pcatid=13&_trksid=p3286.c0.m271



and this website looks great:

http://www.thepeaches.com/photography/Basics.htm



but ONE THING! if you're ordering a camera online, make sure it's not "body only" or "just the body" because then you won't have a lens. if you're getting a rebel make sure it comes with the 18-55 kit lens.

Answer 5

Many people steer away from DSLR cameras because they feel daunted by the range of technical capabilities that these seemingly complex cameras offer, but in actuality, learning to use a DSLR camera is simple when you are supported and guided by the expertise of a professional photographer. Go here https://tr.im/FGTQh



This highly practical course will teach you the technical skills needed to operate a DSLR camera correctly, as well as help you to apply these skills in practice. In addition, you will receive feedback from a professional photographer and fellow aspiring photographers through a supportive and unique online learning format. The course offers an exciting opportunity for individuals wanting to explore the world of digital photography, improve their picture-taking abilities and produce high-quality photographs, whether for personal or professional pursuit.

Answer 6

I like the Nikon D70s for a used starter camera. The camera will cost around 200.00, and a lens another 100.00. It's not anything state of the art, but it will produce great photos. A DSLR is much better for creativity, you can vary exposure, unlike a majority of P&S where the camera chooses everything.



Here's a shot with a D70s:



http://cgipix.com/Zion_1_National_Park_Utah_Photos.htm

Answer 7

Go online and look for an original Canon Rebel (or try typing 300D). Those you could find for 150 for a decent quality camera- its a GREAT little camera to start on! The image quality between that and the newer rebels have very little difference, the build is actually BETTER, and theres actually an LCD screen for settings!



Good Luck! :)

Answer 8

Try Trick Photography Special Effects - http://tinyurl.com/5smhBV4bah