trying to get into photography need help picking out cheap and good digital camera

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starmask2k3

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Please help me with any info I should know
 
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I'm in the same boat.

I found a Sony Alpha A35 SLT camera with a lens kit for $240 on Sears Clearance. I actually bought two and sold the other for $500 on eBay.

Since I've bought a few accessories on eBay for cheap and a "Dummies..." guide for that particular camera. I'm trying to learn all I can but think I might try and find a local photography class.

I'm sure there are some good forums that have information for beginners I just don't know what they are.
 
Some stuff I know like 1080p is good and 30 x is good and I also need to know if 16 MP good or not
 
[quote name='GBAstar']I'm in the same boat.

I found a Sony Alpha A35 SLT camera with a lens kit for $240 on Sears Clearance. I actually bought two and sold the other for $500 on eBay.

Since I've bought a few accessories on eBay for cheap and a "Dummies..." guide for that particular camera. I'm trying to learn all I can but think I might try and find a local photography class.

I'm sure there are some good forums that have information for beginners I just don't know what they are.[/QUOTE]

Did you buy this one
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054I54G8?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=1&ref_=aw_bottom_links
 
[quote name='starmask2k3']Did you buy this one
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054I54G8?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=1&ref_=aw_bottom_links[/QUOTE]

^ Yes that is the camera.

Since I have spent about another $100 on accessories and cases and that "Dummies..." book.

It's just a starter DSLR/SLT but it is more then what I'll ever need and I don't see myself outgrowing it.

I'm not the one to ask because I know very little about photography at this point and time but as far as what type of camera you need really depends on what you want to do with it.

If you just want to take nice pictures you could most likely get by with a higher end point and shoot camera.
 
I want to start a business like taken pictures of weddings and anniversaries and other stuff too
 
[quote name='starmask2k3']I want to start a business like taken pictures of weddings and anniversaries and other stuff too[/QUOTE]

This is just a suggestion but maybe you could try and get a job or work as an "apprentice" (i.e. shadow) with someone that currently does that for a living.

That way you could help them out, earn a little bit of money while doing so, and in return learn about photography.
 
A few months ago I got a Nikon D3100 camera, refurbished by Nikon, for $300 on eBay's Daily Deal page. It's happened a couple times since then so maybe wait for it to go on sale again? It's a great starter DSLR camera.
 
[quote name='starmask2k3']I want to start a business like taken pictures of weddings and anniversaries and other stuff too[/QUOTE]

Tons of practice, do photoshoots for free to build up a portfolio. The wife has been trying to break into the photography business and its hard. There are always tons of people that are trying to do it as well. It also depends on location as to how well your chances are.
 
I went down this path last year, took a local class that I was disillusioned with (because the instructor was an idiot) and unfortunately haven't been doing much with it. Plan to give it another go soon tho.

Anyway, for a camera if you're seriously wanting to get into photography, and especially if you are wanting to go into business doing it at some point, you need a DSLR camera. Anything below that isn't going to do what you want it to, and if you take a class they will most likely require you to have a DSLR camera.
 
If you're gonna get a DSLR, and gonna stick with it, you might as well at least get a Canon Rebel T3 or a T3i. I got one last year and finally got past the learning curb and self taught through sites, and having a blast with it now at conventions and also going on vacations and hiking. Actually probably gonna upgrade to a t5i in a couple months.
 
You need to get a dslr of some sort. Canon vs Nikon doesn't really matter much anymore, but once you pick one you won't want to switch.

I don't think that the model you buy right now matters too much, as you have a lot of practice ahead of you to actually get people to pay you to take pictures. A good photographer can take better pictures with a bad camera than a bad photographer can take with a good camera.

Do you know anything about photography?
 
[quote name='yourlefthand']That is not the camera you are looking for [/QUOTE]

Yeah, that looks to be about as shitty as that GE camera I had for like, a year.
 
You might want to look on slickdeals at the threads on canon refurbs. There are loyalty programs that can save a good bit of money. There is no reason to dump a whole lot of money into this starting out.
 
[quote name='yourlefthand']You might want to look on slickdeals at the threads on canon refurbs. There are loyalty programs that can save a good bit of money. There is no reason to dump a whole lot of money into this starting out.[/QUOTE]

I get the feeling that OP doesn't realize how expensive professional cameras are, even the cheap ones. That, or OP just wants to be a Facebook quality "photographer".
 
[quote name='Vinny']I get the feeling that OP doesn't realize how expensive professional cameras are, even the cheap ones. That, or OP just wants to be a Facebook quality "photographer".[/QUOTE]

Yep. You don't need the latest full-frame Canon DSLR to take professional-quality pictures, but it is quite an investment. I have an older canon DSLR with some not-great glass and it would be hundreds of dollars to replace.
 
I would suggest you get a competent point and shoot with manual control and just start taking photos to figure out if it's something you want to pursue. Once you get out and start taking photos you'll understand what you need out of a camera and both the research and choice will be easier when it comes time to upgrade.

A good place to start reading is at dpreview and DigitalRev TV's youtube channel is a great place for camera reviews and comparisons. You can get some amazing point and shoot cameras now for a couple of hundred dollars. I have personal experience with the Panasonic Lumix LX5 and it is both affordable and a very nice point and shoot camera with tons of automatic options. Most importantly it has manual control which is essential if you plan on getting serious about photography.

I would suggest if you have a big specialized photography store in your area check to see if they have workshops for beginners as that is a great place to start if you plan on learning on your own. Once you get the basic understanding of exposure and how the camera works everything else starts to fall into place and it all starts making sense.

If you do choose to go right into a DSLR check the used dept. of bhphotovideo frequently for some pretty good deals. When I was shooting concerts all of my lenses came from them. The choice between Nikon or Canon isn't important anymore but I would advise choosing between those two companies. The important thing is to figure out which brand of body is most comfortable to you as the lenses and flash are what keep you tied to a particular company. When I was shooting concerts (8 years ago) I was using Nikon and struggling with the high iso performance (isn't an issue any more) and wanted to switch to Canon badly but having thousands tied up in Nikon lenses kept me from switching. Just start out with a cheap entry level body from whichever company you prefer and buy a 50mm 1.4 or 1.8 lens, from the company you've chosen, to start out. The 50mm is very affordable and since it's a prime lens (fixed focal length) they are extremely sharp and the fixed focal length will force you to move around and understand how important composition is. Both the 1.4 and 1.8 are fast glass so they are excellent for low light photography and are essential if you don't want to use a flash. Also fast glass will also help you understand the importance of correct exposure which will give you a cleaner image to work with.
 
[quote name='starmask2k3']is a 16 mp digital camera good or do i need to go higher[/QUOTE]

MP only has to deal with what size you blowing it up to
 
[quote name='starmask2k3']is a 16 mp digital camera good or do i need to go higher[/QUOTE]

What do you plan on doing with your images? If you are going to print at smaller sizes (poster size and below) and need images for facebook and other websites 16 megapixels is more than you will ever need. I had 6 megapixel images from a Nikon DSLR used for a slideshow on a DVD as well as used for websites and magazine print. All three looked great and needed little image processing with no software enlargement. Large megapixel sensors aren't necessarily better than smaller megapixel sensors of better quality. You really need to research and compare the individual cameras you are considering as megapixel size isn't clear cut.
 
[quote name='Tvols1480']OP has to be trolling...[/QUOTE]

If you read his posting history, you'll know he's not trolling. It's amazing he can even type, much less use a computer.
 
is 1080p good for pictures or video or both


how high does the MP in a camera go
 
[quote name='starmask2k3']is a 16 mp digital camera good or do i need to go higher[/QUOTE]

nay, no self respecting photographer will use 16mp cameras... you need this

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=893196&Q=&is=REG&A=details

but seriously...

as with almost everything, what is your budget? ...

as mentioned previously, you need a lot of practice and learning (especially with the questions you are asking) and you have to beg people to let you take photos of them... With what I read in this thread so far, I won't even let you take pics of my kids (nonexistent) playing in the back yard.

Beside Nikon/Canon, you might also look into Pentax. There are a lot of older lenses you can buy that is compatible, however, obvious nikon/canon occupy most of the market and if you are looking for the super telezoom lenses for sports etc, you don't really have much choice, but again, some how, I don't think you are really going to look for those. However, you can't do a wedding or any event with just the kit zoom lense... and also beware... most photographer has a few different cameras... I won't expect less than 2 on the photographer during a wedding with different lenses so they can capture the moment correctly.

Anyway, if you are serious, you need to look at cameras that are marketed as for serious hobbyist or semi-pro which will likely cost you 1k ish for the body/kit lense and a probably 2-3k later on for light/additional lenses and various accessories. but with a decent body with kit lenses, atleast you can start learning.

Also... you need to seriously learn photo processing if you are serious about this path... since you are asking about 1080 and pixels here, all I can say is good luck.
 
CF? Compact flash

You might also want to get some books on photography. One that I like is http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321678737/
I am on a trip atm so I can't check, but I believe there is a section on wedding photography too but you want some structure to learn the basic about photos... apperture, shutter speed, iso etc. It is very general so easy to read through a few pages at a time. It will get you a good over view/understanding and then if you really want to dive into details, you can find other resources. Web is always good, but for a beginner, some sites may not always organize the information in a logical/structured order and may contain too much information for beginners to the point of confusing them.

with a good understanding of what makes a good photo, you can take decent photo with a phone camera (assuming newish phone) or a point and shoot that offer you some manual control. someone mentioned it before, a camera phone in the hands of a good photographer is better than a dslr in the hands of someone with no understanding of the basics.

anyway... you need to do research... asking what "CD memory cards" are on a gaming forum of all places when google is available to you means you will likely fail in this endeavor if you do not change your approach. no one is going to spoonfed you info, especially if you want to have people pay you to take pictures of their special moment. Just be glad things are digital now so you don't spend a godly amount of money on films learning.
 
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I don't get why anyone is trying to help this guy... he's clearly not reading anyone's posts, nor is he making any effort to actually do some Googling to understand the most basic things about photography.
 
I can't see this man being professional enough to take pictures for a friend's wedding much less running a business and expect strangers to pay him for his services. You are basically being told what exactly you'll need and are even given specific cameras to look at. You aren't providing any of your own findings from research and you're asking some pretty basic questions that seem more suited for a general camera, not a professional one. There have been very helpful replies but you should probably just go on a photography forum where it'd be more appropriate to ask for help or get a job assisting in someone's photography business as hands on learning would probably benefit you more than reading very detailed and helpful explanations.
 
depreview always have good review. check it out. the site offers a lot of resources.

It is much better to also ask questions where it is likely get good responses. While maybe 1 or 2 of us may have this specific model, it is hardly anything to base a purchase on.

Camera by itself (if you stick with nikon/canon) rarely go wrong, but you don't just buy the camera, but the whole system... what other lenses will you be buying, wide angle, 30-200mm zoom and what not.

But for what it's worth, yes, this will be a good camera (tho I think you may just think 24.2 mp > *) but yeah... with this, you just need another $300ish on another lense like 55-300, a few hundred on a prime, more on a wideangle, a strap, a tripod (don't go cheap and get $20 tripod, I have Manfrotto 055XPROB Pro Tripod and it is pretty good. good ball head mount, a monopod,, a battery grip, a flash, a camera case and you will be all set!



http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikon-d3200
 
ur call, it might get u started up sooner, but I like to pick my own stuff which is usually hgiher quality. like my tripod+ head cost $250 but all that may be over kill for you right now. I have no opinion on the kit, however, with photography, the best thing is to get ur hands on whatever and start taking pictures, lots of pictures with various setting and experiment. You can always use old crappy tripod for lights or something. I do highly recommend some photography books like the one I linked before. go to a book store and see if you can take a quick look (or library). with taking pictures, you want to achieve a certain affect, easiest is to try the settings these books/other photographers already outline and see experiment.
 
I have a camera bag aready and a big memory card I think 64GB or so
 
in general, no, it would not be cheaper to buy separately, it would however be of better quality of items of your choosing.

Just for example, that tripod/monopod in both b undle are less than $20. will it work? sure... but eeerrrr... I have $40ish tripods that still suck, now it does some other duty.

for comparison, my current tripod. http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-055XPROB-Tripod-Legs-Black/dp/B000UMX7FI/ Will probably rate this as semi-pro. now combine this tripod with a ball head with quick release (this is what i have http://www.amazon.com/Manfrotto-496RC2-Release-Replaces-486RC2/dp/B002WN212I/ ) then you see how flexible it is. I can have it on/off in a second and these components will not break in 2 months.

but ultimately, it is your money. whatever works, no right or wrong. you have to make that decision. Chances are tho, if you are serious about this and don't envision yourself quitting in 2 months, you will likely end up buying a better tripod but again, ur money and you may find a use for the cheap tripod anyway so all is not lost.
 
I'd join the discussion as I bought myself a canon t3 and took some beginning/intermediate photography classes but OP, make an effort that shows you are putting research into this.
People have been pointing you to the right direction but you want everyone to hold your hand and tell you what's right.

Any dslr camera is fine. 12mp is enough for beginners since mp count matters mostly in printing
 
If you are looking for decent hobby cameras, go with Pentax. When dealing with DSLRs, don't just look at the cost of the camera, but of the lens as well.

Pentax hasn't changed their mount in years and years, so you can buy cheap film lenses that will pop right on. Some are manual focus, some auto. I love Pentax because they have relatively cheap prime lenses, which is how I prefer to shoot.

 
I'm actually looking into picking this up as well, mostly as a side hobby and for some amateur/family functions and such. I'm a complete cheapass though... would buying a cheap body of a camera be a good starting point if I can get one cheap, and then just buy a separate lens for it...? or am I completely off base with thinking that'd be the cheapest way to go...? I'm trying to keep the whole thing around $250-300, but I don't want a piece of crap either... Any advice? 

 
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pentax kx used with kit lense. there are a few  on amazon from keh photo.  may check local p hoto stores for used.  

if you intent on new camera, then u need to bump up your budget... otherwise, might as well just focus on learning how to take good photos with a good point and shoot.

 
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/390608292349?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400434596308?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321109695009?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

I was debating between these, can anyone sway me toward or away from any of these, or point me towards something similarly priced / better quality?

or how would something like this work (again just for like family functions, and as a starter camera for amateur photography/photoshoots) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fujifilm-FinePix-S2980-14-0-MP-Digital-SLR-Camera-4GB-SDHC-Card-/321121452409?pt=Digital_Cameras&hash=item4ac4548179

also how do some of these handle for videos? does anyone have a preference which to go with for that?

 
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