[ADVICE] DSLR for the quintessential n00b

So I'm considering doing photography for my December hobby, and I am also deciding whether to do a course to teach me how to actually, yanno, *use* the darned thing.

I have never, ever used an SLR or DSLR and I only recently even upgraded to a digital camera.

Yes, folks, I still own camera film.

I have pottered around websites which try to help you pick a camera but it's all a bit overwhelming because I don't even know what brands I may or may not like.

To be honest, I'm not even sure what brand I own in my point and click!

Help?

What do you use? Why do you love it?

What would you use if you were completely new to it?

I take a lot of photos, both indoor and outdoor, and I do print off quite a lot (usually at least 100 a month... :redface:) and I generally go by the principle that if you take enough photos, you're bound to have a lot of nice ones. And I keep them in albums, or make photobooks. I still have photos that I took back in the 80s - I got my first camera when I was about 7 (one of those little rectangle ones with the weird shape film cannister ...) and I've been attached to my camera almost ever since.

But it might be time for me to upgrade to a grown up camera ... if I can figure out what to buy, and what to do with it!

Oh no.

I found a red one.

I want the red one.

I don't even know what all the jargon means, all I know is that it's red, and I want it.

Must. Not. Buy. Red. Camera.


HELP!!

Peanutter we have been looking to get into the DSLR field too. We wanted something that will pretty much cover all our needs and also act as a video camera in a pinch. The problem was neith DH or myself have ever used one.

We went into some camera stores also looked online at the different features and capabilities and have decided on the Nikon D3100. As a bonus it has a built in guide that teaches you how to use the camera and make the most out of it. It seems like a good entry level camera.

The one big piece of advice I have been given is be sure of your choice as the lens are the costly bit and they are not generally interchangable between brands. Some Canon SLR lenses do fit on DSLRs.

Hope that helps a little bit.

ETA We are getting the red one too LOL

Thanks, BubbaT!

What do you use your camera for?

I mostly take photos of people, and the outdoors in general (both close ups and landscapes) and interiors.

I hadn't even thought of the video camera thing ...

If it's the Nikon you're talking about, yes, get the red one :)

'causer red goes faster?

or is there a reason that it's a good camera option for a SLR virgin?

I really just take photos of the hubby and bubby. I would like to get a bit more artsy though as photography really interests me

I'm sure there's all sorts of tutorials online ... I just need to make time to find them!

LOL, well red is good. But yeah, that's a good entry level DSLR and will do everything you need :)

LOL I almost bought the red one the other day just because it is soooo cool!

I've got a Nikon d7000 and love it.

The red one is a great entry level DSLR. But when buying a DSLR lots of people find themselves getting a bit obsessed and upgrading within a short timeframe so maybe consider if you should go the next step up to start with.

I know you see loads of deals with a camera and two lenses package but maybe consider getting a more expensive body and one general purpose lense to start with - you can always add more lenses later if you find you need them.

Dpreview has some great articles on lenses explaining the differences as well as a great comparison function if you have narrowed your search down.

But having said all that, go into a shop and see how they feel in your hand.

ETA - I have a friend who teaches classes and says that normally about 2/3 of the class have Cannons but he also says you get more bang for your buck with Nikon.

I have a Canon 550D. I looked at the Nikons but preferred the Canon when it came down to it at the stores. I waited it out until she came on sale then snavelled her up then and there.

I had a very basic DSLR before this one and it frustrated me to no end that I couldnt do what I wanted it to. So when it came time to upgrade I did so with the idea in mind that I wanted it to grow with me. So far it has done everything I want it to and more. In terms of features I wanted something that I could hand to my parents and know that I could set it to auto and they couldnt muck it up (very technical illiterate) but I could also take it and do so much more. After much research this one seemed the best of both worlds.

I occasionally take more arty photos, but mostly they are just your standard portraits etc. I never have her out of manual mode now unless she has been handed over to someone else.

I wish I had been able to keep my old point and shoot though (went to point and shoot heaven) as sometimes I find it a bit too much to take the DSLR to some places.

I have the cannon 550d too and its awesome. I was /am a noob but I've had great success with my cannon. I even attempted and succeeded with bokeh pics!
I'm a fan!

Thanks, girls!

Will have to have an online squizz, and then get hubby to check them out in store...!

Do you know if there's much of a price difference between online and in store?

Canon 550D fan here also. I did my 365 project with it and I love love love it. I'm a Canon fan as I just find they feel nicer to hold.
I'd say you'd probably get a better buy online, likely to save a few hundred

Re price - there can be a big difference between online and in store.

There are a lot of online stores selling "grey market" cameras out of Hong Kong for a couple of hundred dollars cheaper. They are the same camera but if there are warranty dramas you usually have to return them to HK and they often don't come with manuals or internal menus in English.

Firstly from a photographer, and I used to work in a camera store,
1. Go hold them. Canon or Nikon will do great, but nothing worse than an uncomfortable camera in hand, as if it is uncomfy, you won't want to use it as much.
2. Be careful buying online. Check Australian only sites. Buying from the o/seas sites can void warranties, and I have seen people get second hand ones sold as new ones.
3. Most DLSR's come in a pack. This usually has a great starting range of lenses. And great value.
4. Make sure you spend a little extra and get a good size memory card, UV lenses for your lenses (great protection) and an extra battery if you think you are going to take a lot of pics or use the video function on some DLSR'S.
5. If you are buying to learn, get a camera with more functions than you know how to use. As you learn you won't be limited by a basic camera, and it can be frustrating. If you just want a basic one then any of the entry levels will be fine.
6. Have fun! No such thing as a bad shot abs the great thing about digital is you can learn the specs of each picture and that also helps guiding as you get more confident.

P.s megapixels are sort if important, but anything over 6 will be fine as I don't think you'll turn your pics into billboards!!

Thanks heaps, ladies!

I just got a Nikon 3200 in a 2 lens pack from cameras direct and they were fantastic. I have no idea what to do so auto is my friend lol

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Oh no.

I found a red one.

I want the red one.

I don't even know what all the jargon means, all I know is that it's red, and I want it.

Must. Not. Buy. Red. Camera.


HELP!!

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my Nikon is red lol I get comments everytime I get it out

Ok I'm looking into this again ...

What is a good, useable DSLR around the $500 mark?

Is there one?

How tricky are the lens things?

Hi pn I ended up getting the Nikon d3100 and I love love love it. It's easy to use and I get great photos.
Well worth the money :)

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Ok I'm looking into this again ...

What is a good, useable DSLR around the $500 mark?

Is there one?

How tricky are the lens things?

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Check places like Gumtree, Quokka, Ebay.. Also it's overseas but Digital Rev are brilliant! Also check specials in stores, price match and if you can pay cash, doesn't hurt to try and bargain down the price either as they often will if you commit to buying with them..

My first camera was a Nikon D3000 no joke, 1 day before Nikon D3100 was released.. Wasn't happy with myself.. D3100, D3200 are good little camera's perfect for first time buyer, and often you can get a lens kit that usually includes a 18-55mm lens along with a 55-200 or sometimes 70-300mm lens..

There's plenty of websites and forums that can help you with all the jargon :) Best of luck!



Oh! And Nikon are great little camera's, but when I first started out I really wished I had gotten a Canon, mainly because the D3000 ended up being far too basic for my needs (I do ALOT of Photography) and I love filming things, and back then Nikon didn't offer entry level camera's with filming. Best tip I can give is write down EVERYTHING you want in a camera, then stick to your budget and work out what camera fits both criteria :) Feel free to throw me a PM if you're stuck

How long does it take to learn how to take a good pic with them?

Something good enough (in normal outdoor lighting) to get enlarged and framed for the wall?

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How long does it take to learn how to take a good pic with them?

Something good enough (in normal outdoor lighting) to get enlarged and framed for the wall?

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If you can already take a good photo, even with a phone camera, you will instantly take good shots with the DSLR.

We bought a Nikon 5100 and just practised. Used it on auto and took photos of everything. Within a month, we were comfortable enough with our pics to want to canvas them. We have a 900mm x 700mm canvas on the wall of DD2 that DH took a month after we got the camera. We have two lenses, one zooms much further than the other (sorry, I'm bad with specs and DH is asleep so can't ask!).

As far as price goes, look for sales. We got ours with the shorter lens on sale at Teds, picked it up for around the $600 mark. But then you need to get the bag and the filter which protects the lens, plus the clear screen guard so it can quickly add up. We haven't regretted ours for a second, the quality of the photo poops all over everything else.

Mum got the red one. Because it was red. And she has no idea about cameras. But it didn't need anything additional, has a great zoom on it and is really user friendly.

I'm getting very tempted ... !

Things you need to ask yourself

Do you take a lot of photos?

Do you have a lot of photos around your house on display?

Are you prepared to take the time to set the camera up? (It's quick, but not as quick as whipping the phone out of your pocket for a quick snap shot)

We seriously ummed and ahhed for a couple of years. My dad has had one for a long time and we've always been impressed by the quality. Then another BB member showed us hers and it was fantastic, as were the photos she was taking of DD1 (and her beautiful kids of course!). But we still ummed and ahhed. When we sold our house, we just went and bought it and the only regret I have is that we didn't do it sooner. I so wish we had bought it prior to DD1 being born as most of the photos of her were with an iPhone camera.

I tried to PM you with a couple of shots to show what we could do after only a month, but couldn't work out the linking.

I take hundreds of photos a month.

We have a number of photos up, but part of what I want is the next two 8x11 inch ones of DS2 (18 and 24 months - the ones we'd get for free from Pixi Photos if they hadn't gone under).

And then we try to get updated ones of the extended family once a year - and at the moment none of us have a "proper" camera, as Dad's Phillips one from circa caveman days has given up the ghost ...

I've been umming and ahing for about a year now, and I think I need to make a decision!

We got the Nikon 3100 DSLR :)

Loving it so far, but haven't figured out how do anything even remotely tricky :redface:

How is the camera going peanutter?

I'm looking into nikon 3200 or 7000 versus canon 550 or 650. I'm just not sure how entry level I need it to be. I also want a bigger lense than most kits offer, namely a 18-135mm, because I think changing lenses would be a pain, but then I don't want it to be too heavy for everyday use.

Any advice would be appreciated!

I take loads of photos, but rarely print since they're all on an iphone. We have another point and shoot camera we rarely use because I don't think the image quality is THAT much better than the iphone, and as they say, the best camera is the one you have on you.

So, let's say I had 1000 to spend, would I get camera, lense, bag, spare battery etc? Obviously I need to start trying some in store ;)

We got the 550D - great entry level camera, we bought a 50mm macro lens as well for taking photos of the kids etc. The Canon website is awesome and I learnt heaps watching their tutorials on different functions. Best way to learn is play! Dh has since upgraded to a 6D as he's started a landscape business but we still use the 550D as it's way lighter and one of the lenses doesn't fit the 6D.

We got the camera with the extra lens (55-200 or something) for around $400. And I bought a bag which fits both for$20 online.

It's super easy to use. It doesn't zoom as much as I thought it would, so I can't take really close close-ups, but it takes incredibly clear shots.

If I was happy to spend more, I'd get a macro lens.