Buying a DSLR camera for first time?
I want to buy a new camera… But here's the thing, I've only used cheap little digital cameras before (Kodak Easyshare 8.2megapixel), but I want to get a dslr camera. I'm still in high school, and I've never taken a photography class or anything, but I love taking pictures in my spare time. I've been researching a lot lately about different cameras, where to buy them the cheapest, etc. I found that Nikon has some nice starting cameras that got great reviews, but what else should I be considering?
I want to go into Best Buy one of these days and look at the cameras up close to see the features and discounts and such, but what kinds of specific things should I look for? What other cameras are great for beginners? Thanks for any help!
Added (1). My budget is TBD by a combination of how much money I have and how much my parents are willing to chip in… I would say $600 is the max, preferably between $400 and low $500's. If this is reasonable!
I would recommend an actual camera shop over BB/Walmart/etcetera. The people at a camera shop are more knowledgeable with cameras and will be able to answer your questions better… PLUS, the shops around here offer beginner camera/photography classes for free when you buy the camera there.
Both Nikon and Canon make good cameras.
The best thing for you to do is to go to an actual camera shop (not an electronics store). You need to hold/handle/try the different brands and models to see what feels comfortable to you, and that you can find/use the controls easily. I chose Canon for its ergonomics and menu layout while a fellow photog chose Nikon for the same reason.
If you go to http://www.yellowpages.com type in camera and your city, state you can see if there are any camera shops near you. I personally avoid Ritz/Wolf though
Some stores like Best Buy or Walmart have some PRETTY BAD cameras.
Do not get convinced to buy from some weird brands (For example, GE X5 is horrible)
Go with Canon, Pentax, or Nikon.
I learned photography all on my own. You are on the right track. Keep it up.
- Post your good pics online and ask people to critic them.
- Take as many pics as you can. You can always delete them.
- Practice, practice, practice and practice. Be regular even if it is 1 photo/day [better than 10 photos in a day over a duration of 1 month. LOL.]
- Check out: http://365project.org/
For your budget, I would suggest:
- Canon Rebel T3i
- Canon Rebel T2i
- Nikon D5100
Things I look for:
- Focus Points
- Auto-focus motor (in-body or in-lens or both)
- ISO range (ISO is the sensitivity measure 100-6400 is good though you won't need more than 1600 I guess)
- RAW support (12-bit or 14-bit) [more bits = more details captured]
- Image formats: RAW, JPEG, TIFF
- Exposure bracketing for HDR photos: 3 shots from -2 to +2 (in steps of 1/3, 1/2 or 1EV)
- SD card slots (1 or 2) [to have a backup or extra storage]
- HD video recording: At least 720p
EV is the unit of light on a sensor.
1/2EV means the amount of light has been reduced to half of before
2EV means the amount of light has been doubled since before
Accessories to buy:
- A good camera bag (avoid backpacks) [http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/bags.htm]
- SD card(s) - 8GB or 16GB
- Lens if you have bought only the camera (or else it will come with a lens)
Software:
- Get Lightroom or Photoshop (free versions)
- A free alternative to Photoshop is Gimp (it is free to use - just download)
For you budget and experience, this what I would recommend:
Canon T3, T1i
Nikon D5000, D3000
Pentax KX, KR
If you want to consider mirrorless cameras and advanced compacts, you have a few more options
Olympus E-PL1 and XZ-1
Samsung NX100 and TL500
Canon G12 and S95
Nikon P300 and P7000
Panasonic LX5
These camera take very high quality pictures and have full manual controls just like a DSLR. They are great options for people on a budget or just want a smaller camera.