What is the BEST Photography Camera out there? (portraits)?

Question

Hey I currently have the Nikon D3000 and i have been doing alot of peoples senior pictures but i think that i need to move on a level. I was looking at the Nikon D3x. I want a DSLR Camera that is perfect for portrait photography. It can be nikon or Canon. Im just really lost and i dont want to spend more then 950 dollars
Thank you SO much :)

Answer 1

The best camera is the one that works for you, to give you the results you want for the type of subjects that you like to photograph.



The D3000 is a competent starter camera which give you considerable help, the D3x is a pro camera which will give you no help at all, it is for people who know the process. I can't imagine it costing less than several thousand dollars with suitable lenses. Get to know your D3000 for a year or more before thinking of moving on; remember it's the photographer that makes the picture, the camera merely facilitates it. Buy a good lens for portraits if you need to, say a 50mm or a 85mm.

Answer 2

I'm not sure which question you want an answer to. "What's the best camera out there?" or "What's the best camera I can get for $950?" Because the two will have completely different answers. You were looking at the Nikon D3x with a $950 budget? I'm so confused.



You may be able to find a used D300s body on Craigslist for around $950, I've seen them before, every once in a while. Otherwise, you can get a new D90 body for around that much. Since you're looking to move on to the D3x, I'm gonna' spare you the 'the camera is only as good as the photographer makes it' speech because you certainly must already be professional. Hell, not many professionals even tote around a D3x.





Now that you're looking for lenses;

For portrait work, a standard is anything over 75mm. You want long focal length, because it creates the least distortion. For example, the shortest focal length lenses you find are fisheyes. That effect diminishes as you lengthen the focal length.



That said, an 85mm 1.8 is a damn good place to start, at 500$ new. It turns into slightly over 100mm on a DX camera like your D3000. At 1.8 it's fast enough to treat you well in low light, and has nice bokeh. However, low light situations shouldn't be one of your ideals, because using the D3000, you're using the worst DSLR in existence by today's standards, as far as ISO functionality is concerned. It's about one or two stops noisier than..pretty much any other DSLR you can buy today. So keep shooting in the daylight, buy a long, fast prime lens, and save some money for a D3100 when it's release later this month.

Answer 3

Oh it's so much more than the camera! Portraits rely on good control of the light to make the subject look correct, and to set the tone of the image. You must master this as well as your camera, so do not forget you'll need all the necessary gear for that too. The suggestion of a Hasselblad is good, and I agree medium format film is the way to go....but for a 500c you're looking at around $800-1000 for the camera body. You could probably pick up a Hasselblad 1000 and 80mm lens for a little over $500. But then that's not really something for beginners. You'll want a small format DSLR (something like a Nikon D70s or a Canon 10D) for you to learn the basics on. You'll need one with a 50mm f1.8 lens and an 85mm f1.8 lens. You don't need zoom lenses, they're pretty useless in portraiture. You do need the massive apertures that primes give you, since one of the nice tools is depth of field control. Now onto light, the minimum you need is a set of reflectors (gold and silver). Though it would be good to get a couple of cheap manual flashguns, a set of radio triggers, couple of light stands, brollies and gels. Look you have a lot to buy, so you'll probably want to buy used.

Answer 4

The best of the best for portraits?



The Hasselblad H4D-60 Digital SLR Camera ($41,995 with lens) is probably the best you can get.



Given the fact that the camera is about 44 times over your budget, a Nikon D90 will suffice. But wait! If you are mostly shooting portraits the D3000 will do just fine. Keep it and get a new lenses. Fast, High quality glass always beats a better camera body. If you absolutely insist on a new body, i reccomend that you keep saving and make the jump to a D700 ($2,398) because its a full frame camera, that is only where you will experience a major jump in image quality.

Answer 5

Why just Canon and Nikon? I really hate it when people limit themselves to just ONE or TWO brands!!

Here are some cameras to try:



Pentax k-7

Nikon d90

Canon EOS 50d mark 2

Nikon d40

Pentax k20d



But any DSLR will do really, if you get a good portrait lens, are you sure you need to upgrade from your nikon d3000, why not just have a look for a more decent lens?

Answer 6

Just don't get one of those non-photography cameras.



Seriously though, the D3000's fine. Just buy a new lens if you HAVE to spend money on the thing. Or practice more.

Answer 7

Buy lenses, not a camera. A 50mm 1.4 AFS would be a good protrait lens, or the 60mm 2.8 Micro N AFS.



here's some more on lenses:



http://cgipix.com/Cameras_Lenses_Photography_Equipment_Affordable_Gear.htm

Answer 8

ARE you really GOOD enough that you've OUTGROWN your current camera?



PERFECT would be a fast prime or the 24-70

Answer 9

i was googling and found Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Digital SLR Camera for you which is really good i hope it helps you.



* 18.0-megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor;

* DIGIC 4 image processor for high image quality and speed

* ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 12800) for shooting from bright to dim light;

* enhanced 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system

* Improved EOS Movie mode with manual exposure control and expanded recording 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)

* Wide 3.0-inch Clear View LCD monitor;

* Dedicated Live View/Movie shooting button

* New compatibility with SDXC memory cards,

* Plus new menu status indicator for Eye-Fi support



http://www.amazon.com/Canon-T2i-Digital-3-0-Inch-18-55mm/dp/B0035FZJHQ/?tag=pntsa-20