What is a good camera for beginning photography?

Question

What is a good camera for beginning photography?

Answer 1

The Canon Elan 7e with a 50mm f/1.8 can be found for half that.



A Canon AE-1 with the 50mm f/1.8 for about a third of that.





Any of the classics are good:



Pentax K1000, Olympus OM-1, Canon A1, Minolta 101, Maxxum 7xi...most can be found for under $100 with a 50mm f/1.8...a great beginners set-up.



* Check battery compartments for corrosion

* Make sure there are no serious dings

* Check seals for flaking or gum

* Make sure the shutter blade/curtain is in good shape

* Test it out if you can

* Ask questions about any known problems



KEH and eBay are both good places if you shop carefully.



***



joedlh,



There is nothing wrong with digital per se, however it does not produce film negatives. Negatives are forward compatible, technology independent and computer crash proof.



Besides, the $300 limit mentioned in the question did not really allow for the consideration of a beginner dSLR kit. $400 to $500 should probably be budgeted for that.

Answer 2

joedlh > What a very silly thing to say... As a user of both film (35mm and Medium Format) and Digital I have to say that I have loyalties to both. Recommending a film camera to a photography student is not 'blind loyalty' to film, it is a wide-eyed understanding of true photography. I love digital just as much as everybody else, but I learned more about photography using film.



I wonder if I put a fully manual 35mm camera in your hands you would have a clue how to operate it. If I said "There is ISO 400 film in here, set the aperture, set the shutter speed, compose, manually focus, and shoot", I'm willing to bet that you will not have a clue what to do.



By learning on film you take the time to set up and prepare each shot. You THINK more about the settings on the camera and how it will affect the final image. Is that not better than a 'Spray and pray' tactic that you most likely adopt with your DSLR?.



Price is not an issue with 35mm. For the price of a DSLR body these days you can buy a decent 35mm SLR with lens, and afford to buy a heck of a lot of film and developing.



If she is doing a photography course then she will most likely have to use film, and so it should be. If I were you (the asker that is) I would get your daughter a cheap DSLR (it will have to be for that budget) and a 35mm SLR (you can get one of these for less than $30 with 50mm f/1.8 if you look around)



May as well have the best of both.



And joedlh.. Grow up.



.

Answer 3

im using a nikon N65 right now (not the original lens. I bought a different one than it originally came with) but it works well for starts.



like previously said, the Canon Elan 7e is a good one for beginners also.

Answer 4

Throughout this course you will learn concepts that range in scope from beginner photography all the way to advanced topics in post production, composition, and light. https://tr.im/GxjBF

You can start right now. Like right this very moment! The course is all online. There are no deadlines or timelines for you to follow. Set your own pace! Go slowly through the course or blaze through it.

Answer 5

If you want to be able to take good pictures in all conditions you should go with a DSLR camera or and advanced point and shoot. I have a basic point and shoot canon camera and you really have to know a lot and use manual settings to take a GOOD picture in lowlight, or anything with a fast shutter speed. It just depends on how much you have to spend. If you aren't on a budget I would go with a DSLR from Nikon such as the d40 or d60 both are very good cameras. if you want something cheaper try the nikon p90. remember that on a complex camera you always have the option of using auto to take a great picture so it really isn't going to be too complicated for you

Answer 6

How about a slightly used 35mm film SLR such as a Nikon F with a Photomic T meter and a 50mm normal F2.8 lense--all for $250 from samys.com. Remember that film is a 48 megapixel medium and far exceeds any digital imagery.



Good luck!



P.S. I am not an employee of Samys'com.

Answer 7

Just had a conversation with a FaceBook user asking about where she should start.



Here is her question:



"James, where do i start, what is the best camera? i really don't know anything except that i like taking pictures naturally."





My Response and advice:



"OK first you need a camera. I know… DUH!! But the camera you choose needs to be chosen carefully. Why? Because you will likely stick with that brand from now on till ya’ die. See… you will not settle for just one lens. Because just one lens will not do. You will buy at least one more. Then if you really get into it, before you know it, you will have several. Probably at least about 5. Because no one lens will suit all of your needs.



So by the time you have invested that much money in lenses, does it really make sense to jump to another brand later? Of course not. If you do, you will have lost a lot of money in glass.



So you need to choose your first camera carefully.



There are three brands that you should seriously consider. Sony, for one. They are recent newcomers in the DSLR market, but they have invested billions of dollars and bought former Minolta. So they are here to stay. That much is certain. In fact, until recently, Sony provided Nikon with the senors in many of their cameras. What does that tell you?



Both Nikon and Canon have been in this game forever. They represent the best of the best when it comes to their upper end models for Pros.



So those three are what you should look at. Knowing that, here are three starter cameras you should look at from each of those respective brands. Now they do make other models, but these are affordable and geared for beginners who don’t yet really know how far into this they are going to go.



Nikon D40

Sony A300

Canon Rebel XSi



Now in my very humble opinion, I think the Rebel is a better choice for beginners because of the simplicity in it’s design with fewer buttons on the outside. It tends to not confuse the newbies as much. But that is just my opinion and you will find many that will disagree for a variety of reasons. Regardless, image quality is equal among all three. Go to my website. http://www.BCphoto.biz There are images there made by Sony, Canon, and Nikon. Can you tell which ones are which? Nope. Probably not.



So then your next task is to pick up the phone and start calling camera shops and Best Buys. Find out what stores have these models in stock and on display. Take a drive and hold one in your hands. Cycle through the menu options. Get a feel for it, if you will. Do your best to ignore whatever the salesman tries to steer you towards. They will. But ignore them and tell them you will let them know when you need assistance. The salesman is looking out for themselves. Not you. LOL.



Now once you have decided on what feels the best to you, stick with just the body and a 17-55mm kit lens (or there abouts depending on brand). Don’t buy anything else in terms of lenses. Get a flash if you want, but get name brand only. Not an aftermarket. So in other words if you buy Canon, get the Canon flash.



Now the reason you do not want to buy any more lenses right now, is because you really do not know anything about them or what your needs will be. You will be in danger of buying something you will only regret later. Trust me on this.



Soon, you will have more understanding into your new purchase and the world of photography, and then you begin to desire a certain type of lens. At that point, you can start doing research and making informed buying decisions. When you get to that point, I can assist if you would like.



Now having said all of that, there is something else you should do. Get involved in a class. Get involved now. The more you learn now, the happier you will be when you start shooting pictures. You may have figured out by now that I sell a class. And yes I want you to buy mine. It is a great one. It is all video based so you just watch to learn, and it is certainly cheap enough considering all that it comes with, and the ability to ask me questions at any time.



But even if you do not buy mine, get involved with a class somewhere. You will be far happier in the end I promise. There is a lot of confusion for newbies at first.



To give you an idea on –my- teaching style, go to the front page of this group and scroll to the bottom. I have some video tutorials straight from the class at the bottom of the page you can watch."



----------------------------------------------------------------------



Free Stuff:



FaceBook group with free tips and videos: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=73025951553



Weekly video based podcast show that you should sign up for. It is full of tips and tricks all designed to further your learning. I even answer questions. To watch an example , click here….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb9uQZhqLnI&feature=channel_page



To learn how to sign up, click here….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh8r_9bkOds&feature=chan

Answer 8

I would suggest going on eBay and looking for a DSLR that's a generation or two behind what is current. Maybe something like a Nikon D70s or a D40.

Answer 9

Is it a requirement for her classes that she use a film camera? Both of the previous answers recommend film cameras. Yes, they are less expensive than digital SLRs. However, she must then pay for film and processing. She will not have the benefit of immediate feedback on exposure and composition. If she wants to share images on the internet, she must have her negatives, slides, or prints scanned to digital files. This will be costly.



If her classes do not require a film camera, get her an entry level digital SLR. If they do require a film camera, then my recommendation is to take a class that focuses on digital. It's going to take a generation for die-hard film photographers to stop giving bad advice. Their blind loyalty to film eliminates reasonable discussion and sensible advice.

Answer 10

Really good (used) film SLRs can be had for next to nothing these days -- any of the (traditional) manufacturers will do in your case, just make sure that it has manual setting as well (since that's what she would need in a traditional, film-based photography class).



Try keh.com for used cameras -- they are a great vendor of used camera stuff...