Getting into photography

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I'm thinking about asking for a digital camera for my birthday. Never really purchased one for myself and I feel like I'm missing out.

I was looking over this thread and I wanted to know if those suggestions are still what you guys think.

I would love to purchase a DSLR camera but would you guys still suggest a point and shoot?
 
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If you want to get into photography and go with a DSLR, be ready to spend lots of money on good equipment. Depending on what you shoot, camera bodies will cost $600+, lenses worth having will start at $300ish and go up. Look for deals if you go this route....good luck and have fun with it.
 
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I think a good beginner Dslr is whats right for you. I just switched from a high end Point and Shoot to a Nikon d60 and LOVE it.

It is certainly an investment though. I suggest you tell your folks to go down to circuit city and purchase a d60 or d40 w/ a 55-200 lens, thats what i got and I am learning the ropes.

Ps: you can see my images by following the link in my signature
Pss: if you do decide to get into Photo, I suggest you take alot of photos and post them to flickr or something then ask people for advice.
 
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I think a good beginner Dslr is whats right for you. I just switched from a high end Point and Shoot to a Nikon d60 and LOVE it.

What high end point and shoot did you have? Thanks.
 
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personally I think it's much better for a beginner to get a quality compact camera and find out the basics, what you want to do and then if you'll want to get into photography go for a dslr ... getting a cheap dslr as a beginner probably isn't the best choice, unless you really want to :)

the whole point of a dslr is that you have more lenses at your disposal and you can change accordingly to what you're shooting, at least from my understanding :D

I think a good dslr is the Cannon 40D, my dad almost got it but withdrew at the last minute to get a good compact (fotget the name, some A670 or similar, but it was some time ago) because it is much cheaper :) the photos aren't even that bad
 
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What high end point and shoot did you have? Thanks.

I don't know about him, but the Canon G10 is GREAT if you have about $500 to spend on it. Also is the Canon SX10. This one includes the basic accessory set that will help you get a nice start and good grip on the photographic concept. Also is the Canon SX110 IS, this is a great camera with advanced features, and a great price, even with the deluxe accessory set. Here is the other one I recommend, the Nikon P80. If you do not like (or cannot afford any of these) I suggest the basic guidelines below for point and shoot cameras:

Model: Stick with Nikon or Canon. They will give you the best products and if you ever upgrade to a Nikon or Canon DSLR, the controls will be very similar just in a 10 ten fold manner.

Megapixels: Are not important. Just stick with something over 4 MP, so you can properly crop or resize without worrying about pixelation.

Size: Try them out in your hand, see which one feels best in your MANLY hands.

Frame rates: The more the better, if you are shooting things like sports you will need more frame rates. If just general shooting, don't worry about it.

Audio and Video Recording: Whatever. If needed.

Lens Type: Any Canon or Nikon camera will do great with lens performance.

Power type: AA size batteries can be bothersome and annoying to carry around, but it's fine if you don't mind the extra weight and such. The normal power packs won't be featherweight, but they will hold more power, therefore last longer and give you more shots. Charging may be an issue. But it's ok if you don't mind that.

Built in flash: I personally hate flash. But you may differ in opinion.

Live View: All point and shoot's support this feature.

Shooting modes: JPEG and RAW are standard on most high end point and shoots, but both will do justice.
 
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The canon power shot s5 IS its got just about everything a digital slr has .
 
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Very helpful BlueMac. Thank you. I was actually looking at the Nikon P80 last night. I looks like a pretty good camera. I'm going to look more into it.
 
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Any DSLR could possibly do. It's learning how to use it and learning about light and lighting that matters.







This was done with a camera you can buy for $400 used now, an $80 lens, and two flashes that were less than $100 each:
 

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i have to agree with scathe. a good compact will allow you more opportunities as a casual photographer since you don't have to lug around an extra bag for your stuff. once you figure out the basics, and can take a decent photo with a point and shoot - learning things like how and when to use a simple flash, how to use the sun and other lighting sources, how to focus (this helps a lot even with a p&s), and most importantly, how to compose a good shot. if you take to it, a point and shoot is still a good tool to have around, but you can upgrade to a DSLR with the knowledge that you actually really enjoy photography and understand the basics.
 
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i have to agree with scathe. a good compact will allow you more opportunities as a casual photographer since you don't have to lug around an extra bag for your stuff. once you figure out the basics, and can take a decent photo with a point and shoot - learning things like how and when to use a simple flash, how to use the sun and other lighting sources, how to focus (this helps a lot even with a p&s), and most importantly, how to compose a good shot. if you take to it, a point and shoot is still a good tool to have around, but you can upgrade to a DSLR with the knowledge that you actually really enjoy photography and understand the basics.

But the problem with that is that if the person buys an advanced P&S, they're going to pay as much for a DSLR. Then they're going to lose money when they sell it and "upgrade" to a DSLR. In fact, entry level DSLRs are pretty much marketed as advanced P&S cameras.
 
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Depends, I've had just as much fun making images with a 110 camera as a 4x6 view ;)

Besides, even though I have a DSLR I still carry a simple point and shoot far, far more often.
 
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I can't speak for Canon, but a Nikon D40 could be a good way to go with the 18-55mm lens. 55-200mm would probably not be a good choice as there is no wide angle. You can always get the 55-200mm VR for $199 later down the line. Unless you want to shoot objects far away, the 55-200mm will not be a good indoor camera unless maybe you're at a wedding in a church, but even then it wouldn't be a good lens if the lighting is poor.

The D40 costs as much (maybe less) as a high-end P&S but I think the images from an SLR are so much more vibrant. The D40 by any means isn't just a beginners camera, and you can really take some great shots with it.

When I was shopping for my DSLR a year ago, I researched what I wanted to be able to do and the features I needed and I opted for the D80. Now a year later I couldn't have made a better choice to suit my needs. (Even with the D90 now on the market). ;)

Let us know what you decide on or have narrowed your choices down to.
 

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But the problem with that is that if the person buys an advanced P&S, they're going to pay as much for a DSLR. Then they're going to lose money when they sell it and "upgrade" to a DSLR. In fact, entry level DSLRs are pretty much marketed as advanced P&S cameras.

well, there's two points here. you can get a decent P&S for a few hundred bucks. less if you're going used, or checking somewhere like woot regularly, etc. also, there's the main point about portability; that it can be easier to get into something when you don't have to put extra effort into dragging something with you that requires extra thought or effort. and when talking about photography, it's a bit like music. sure, you could have a huge studio filled with tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment, but you can just as easily make music that is just as good with a guy and a guitar on a street corner or the back of a dark and lonely bar. art is not about accuracy and equipment; though an artist could focus on those things, it's not necessary.

i would imagine, if i got fully back into photography, and finally replaced my aging nearly 40 year old Canon with a nice new DSLR, i'd still keep a point and shoot, becasue there is nothing as awesome as a quickly caught impromptu shot that just turns out to be a great photo despite cosmetic imperfections of bad lighting or lower levels of detail.
 
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I can't speak for Canon, but a Nikon D40 could be a good way to go with the 18-55mm lens. 55-200mm would probably not be a good choice as there is no wide angle. You can always get the 55-200mm VR for $199 later down the line. Unless you want to shoot objects far away, the 55-200mm will not be a good indoor camera unless maybe you're at a wedding in a church, but even then it wouldn't be a good lens if the lighting is poor.

The D40 costs as much (maybe less) as a high-end P&S but I think the images from an SLR are so much more vibrant. The D40 by any means isn't just a beginners camera, and you can really take some great shots with it.

When I was shopping for my DSLR a year ago, I researched what I wanted to be able to do and the features I needed and I opted for the D80. Now a year later I couldn't have made a better choice to suit my needs. (Even with the D90 now on the market). ;)

Let us know what you decide on or have narrowed your choices down to.

I like that Canon's entry level DSLRs will AF with every lenses currently in their lineup. I'm not a fan of the controls after my first upgrade to an XXD camera. I think Canon has the best used deal between the two. You can get a used 40D for $600ish because of the short period of time between the 40D and the 50D. 10mp, 6.5fps, and a sturdy body.

Other than that, there will be pros and cons for each at different price points. It doesn't really matter until you start spending more than $2500 on a body.

well, there's two points here. you can get a decent P&S for a few hundred bucks. less if you're going used, or checking somewhere like woot regularly, etc. also, there's the main point about portability; that it can be easier to get into something when you don't have to put extra effort into dragging something with you that requires extra thought or effort. and when talking about photography, it's a bit like music. sure, you could have a huge studio filled with tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment, but you can just as easily make music that is just as good with a guy and a guitar on a street corner or the back of a dark and lonely bar. art is not about accuracy and equipment; though an artist could focus on those things, it's not necessary.

i would imagine, if i got fully back into photography, and finally replaced my aging nearly 40 year old Canon with a nice new DSLR, i'd still keep a point and shoot, becasue there is nothing as awesome as a quickly caught impromptu shot that just turns out to be a great photo despite cosmetic imperfections of bad lighting or lower levels of detail.

Depends on the person. I always have a camera bag with me in the car. The fire pictures I posted from one random night of going out for a beer were a result of that. Of course, if I would have had a P&S instead, I couldn't have gotten those photos. That and I wouldn't have wanted to stand in the rain with it, not unless it was weather proof.

And some one said Staples is selling the Canon xti with the kit lens for $350. Of course, it's a lot harder to sneak a camera like that into a concert and unless you want to be a photographer, you're probably only going to let it set on a shelf until you go on vacation or actually get the urge to do something with the camera.
 

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