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DSLR Camera Guys (1 Viewer)

Annyong said:
I'm almost certain its been axed a billion times in here possibly maybe. But I may be in the market for a decent camera for taking nice photos of the boys/vacations/life/ etc. What should I be looking for? Snogger pointed me in the direction of DpReview.com and the SLR-Like (bridge) but I feel a bit overwhelmed by everything.

Budget:$300-$600

First look has me at:

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300 http://www.dpreview.com/products/sony/compacts/sony_dschx300

Is this too much camera?
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Do you really need a 50x zoom? Kids move around a lot, are in school plays(low light), play sports(moving subject), etc.... You might find a 24x/F2.8 lens more flexible for your needs than a 50x/F6.3 lens.

http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=PNDMCFZ200K&ref=PLA&omid=103&CAWELAID=230005120000066383&catargetid=230005120000079523&cadevice=c&&cagpspn=pla

There are situations where a 50x(or even 60x Panasonic) are a better option but those situations are very specialized(birding/wildlife/zoos/etc).

I would also invest in the highest quality camera built into a phone if I had kids. No matter how nice the camera is you won't have it with you all the time but you'll have a phone with you. Nokia Lumina 1020 seems like the best at the moment by a fairly wide margin imo....

http://reviews.cnet.com/nokia-lumia-1020/

FYI the Panasonic FZ200 hovered fairly close to $400 for awhile and you may be able to find a deal near the holidays so depending on your phone contract situation it might be wiser to upgrade your phone first and save more than $100 on the camera later. I've been waiting to jump on the Panasonic FZ200 when I see it drop below $400 myself. It's been out awhile now. I really don't need yet another camera but it's quite a camera.

 
Thanks for the input BoltBacker. We both currently have iPhones but she has been asking for a nice camera for years after seeing photos/cameras that relatives have. I think my brother might have the Nikon D3200 and she likes the "chunkiness" of the SLRs.

Also I know next to nothing about cameras and just want something versatile and easy to use that won't need expensive lenses.

Also, I just want to make her happy

 
Annyong said:
Thanks for the input BoltBacker. We both currently have iPhones but she has been asking for a nice camera for years after seeing photos/cameras that relatives have. I think my brother might have the Nikon D3200 and she likes the "chunkiness" of the SLRs.

Also I know next to nothing about cameras and just want something versatile and easy to use that won't need expensive lenses.

Also, I just want to make her happy
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If I were buying today I'd go the mirrorless route

 
Annyong said:
Thanks for the input BoltBacker. We both currently have iPhones but she has been asking for a nice camera for years after seeing photos/cameras that relatives have. I think my brother might have the Nikon D3200 and she likes the "chunkiness" of the SLRs.

Also I know next to nothing about cameras and just want something versatile and easy to use that won't need expensive lenses.

Also, I just want to make her happy
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I would definitely get an SLR then. Get an entry level Nikon. Here's a nice D3100 w/ two lenses that will cover most day to day stuff. You can probably find this cheaper with the non-VR versions of these lenses, but the VR versions are well worth getting. This camera can be as easy or as hard as you want it to be, and might be all she ever needs. But she'll have the option to grow it if she really takes to it.

 
Annyong said:
Also, I just want to make her happy
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Smart man. In that case I agree with jwb, just get her what makes her happy.

I might try to rent a Nikon 1 V1 though, just to show her a different option for her to consider. I wasn't sold on the V1 at launch but since then I've warmed to it. Interchangeable lenses. Very fast focusing like a dSLR. Full view finder for shooting in bright situations(again, like a dSLR). The gear is so much smaller/lighter/convenient than dSLR. Which means smaller accessories like bags/tripods/etc...

http://www.cameta.com/Nikon-1-V1-Digital-Camera-Body-with-10-30mm-VR-Lens-Black-Factory-Refurbished-69688.cfm

While jwb offers a solid link if you(or even she) knew exactly what she wanted, but I think you might be better off just buying her an even more entry level Nikon dSLR option for half the price until she really knows why or if she needs to upgrade....

http://www.cameta.com/Nikon-D3000-Digital-SLR-Camera-Body-Factory-Refurbished-18-55mm-VR-Lens-47519.cfm

With a bigger sensor you'd be surprised what a nice image you can get out of 10 megapixels.

Just speaking from experience, my gf uses my dSLR much more often than I do and she NEVER wants to change lenses. There's something about carrying a "pro"(at least in her mind) camera that makes her feel like her pictures will come out better, or people will take her photography more seriously... I don't really know. I do know that if you told her that it had 10mp or 24mp she wouldn't know or care about the difference and if you offered her the kit lens to use or a $2k 70-200mm/F2.8 lens she'd pick the kit lens every time because it was easier to carry. Give her training wheels and let her suggest when she needs another lens or upgrade. In the end it's entirely possible a $100 software package will improve her photos more than several hundred dollars in photo equipment.

 
HellToupee said:
If I were buying today I'd go the mirrorless route
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x2

My mirrorless camera comes with me all the time while my dSLR stays home or gets used by someone else. Same goes for the nice little tripod that's perfect for a mirrorless camera but I'd never trust to support by full sided dSLR(with vertical grip no less).

If it was going to be HIS camera I'd push harder but when the lady in your life tells you what she wants and you end up getting what she SHOULD have wanted instead... things can go sideways quick. And luckily in this case it's pretty cheap and easy to just get her what she wants. Still, it's good to show her the option of a camera like the V1 because they are fairly new to the market and she may not even know the quality of those types of cameras.

 
The family will be taking a trip to Disney World in November. We have a Canon T2i and want to bring it with us daily. I think we'd be OK with just a single prime lens (or maybe two, we already have the 50mm). A few questions:

-Is this a decent plan?

-What size (or specific lens) should we get? I'm thinking something in the 35mm or 28mm range. Reason being that I won't have to be far back from the subject (kids) to get a decent shot with background scenery.

-What is a good place to rent from?

 
Polish Hammer said:
The family will be taking a trip to Disney World in November. We have a Canon T2i and want to bring it with us daily. I think we'd be OK with just a single prime lens (or maybe two, we already have the 50mm). A few questions:

-Is this a decent plan?

-What size (or specific lens) should we get? I'm thinking something in the 35mm or 28mm range. Reason being that I won't have to be far back from the subject (kids) to get a decent shot with background scenery.

-What is a good place to rent from?
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http://www.lensrentals.com/rent/canon/lenses/wide-angle/sigma-18-35mm-f1.8-dc-hsm-a1-for-canon

- I think it's a good idea to try and avoid taking a tripod so both the linked rental and the 50mm prime are fast enough to hand hold and get good results.

- You may want to go even wider to get amazing backgrounds in with photos of your kids. That wide zoom is fast enough to work well indoors.

- Have never actually used lensrentals.com but have heard great things about it(and that specific lens for that matter). You may end up liking the lens so much you purchase it one day down the road. I'm trying to avoid investing too much in my dSLR equipment at the moment BUT that lens is very tempting based on price/performance.

 
Polish Hammer said:
The family will be taking a trip to Disney World in November. We have a Canon T2i and want to bring it with us daily. I think we'd be OK with just a single prime lens (or maybe two, we already have the 50mm). A few questions:

-Is this a decent plan?

-What size (or specific lens) should we get? I'm thinking something in the 35mm or 28mm range. Reason being that I won't have to be far back from the subject (kids) to get a decent shot with background scenery.

-What is a good place to rent from?
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I went last year to Disney World and used a 18-200 lens on a Canon T3i so I had a broad range available to me. I just did a quick scan through my pictures from that trip and the typical range was 20-45 mm. I would definitely not go prime lens for a trip like that... most of your pictures will be outdoors in good light and you'll get great clarity with whatever lens you have on there (heck I got great clarity with the 18-200). You won't gain much with a prime.

The only time I went over 70 mm was on the safari at Animal Kingdom and there having the zoom lens was $. That was the only place you'll need the zoom.

If I was to pack one lens, I'd feel really good with an 18-55 on my crop camera.

 
My D90 is not taking shots that are as clear as it used to. Anything I can do to clean anything. I have never had to before but I think it might need something

 
AcerFC said:
My D90 is not taking shots that are as clear as it used to. Anything I can do to clean anything. I have never had to before but I think it might need something
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I take my D80 to the local shop about once a year and say "here, clean it", and they do, About $50.

 
As far as lens rentals go, if you're willing to put a small amount of work in you can usually come out much further ahead by just buying a lens and re-selling it when you're done. Lenses are tremendous at holding their value and I've always been able to get back what I paid (minus shipping, at worst) when buying and then re-selling a lens. Other advantages are you can keep it for much longer that way, and if you decide to hold onto it you haven't just wasted money on a rental for a lens you ended up buying anyway.

 
jwb said:
AcerFC said:
My D90 is not taking shots that are as clear as it used to. Anything I can do to clean anything. I have never had to before but I think it might need something
Click to expand...
I take my D80 to the local shop about once a year and say "here, clean it", and they do, About $50.
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Yup, it's a good idea to occasionally have your sensor cleaned. "Self-cleaning" sensors are not actually very effective at cleaning themselves. I've had my D600 about a year and am about to take it in for a 3rd sensor cleaning!

But if your shots are blurry, it could be an autofocus problem. Have you toggled back and forth between auto and manual to make sure the problem isn't the lens instead of the sensor? It's hard to diagnose without seeing what you mean by "not as clear."

 
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BoltBacker said:
Polish Hammer said:
The family will be taking a trip to Disney World in November. We have a Canon T2i and want to bring it with us daily. I think we'd be OK with just a single prime lens (or maybe two, we already have the 50mm). A few questions:

-Is this a decent plan?

-What size (or specific lens) should we get? I'm thinking something in the 35mm or 28mm range. Reason being that I won't have to be far back from the subject (kids) to get a decent shot with background scenery.

-What is a good place to rent from?
Click to expand...
http://www.lensrentals.com/rent/canon/lenses/wide-angle/sigma-18-35mm-f1.8-dc-hsm-a1-for-canon- I think it's a good idea to try and avoid taking a tripod so both the linked rental and the 50mm prime are fast enough to hand hold and get good results.

- You may want to go even wider to get amazing backgrounds in with photos of your kids. That wide zoom is fast enough to work well indoors.

- Have never actually used lensrentals.com but have heard great things about it(and that specific lens for that matter). You may end up liking the lens so much you purchase it one day down the road. I'm trying to avoid investing too much in my dSLR equipment at the moment BUT that lens is very tempting based on price/performance.
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The main reason u wanted to go with a prime is that I am trying to stay as compact with the camera as possible. We will likely have a backpack with us with phones, snacks, and bottled water so I don't want the camera to take up any more space than necessary. Knowing that are there any more compact primes you would recommend or still go with that one? I may bring our bigger zoom (up to 200 I think) for the day with the safari.

 
Polish Hammer said:
The main reason u wanted to go with a prime is that I am trying to stay as compact with the camera as possible. We will likely have a backpack with us with phones, snacks, and bottled water so I don't want the camera to take up any more space than necessary. Knowing that are there any more compact primes you would recommend or still go with that one? I may bring our bigger zoom (up to 200 I think) for the day with the safari.
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Maybe this one...

http://www.lensrentals.com/rent/canon/lenses/wide-angle/canon-28mm-f2.8-is-usm

The new Sigma is more versatile and gets rave reviews from dpreview.com though...

http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/sigma-18-35-1-8/6

 
BoltBacker said:
Polish Hammer said:
The main reason u wanted to go with a prime is that I am trying to stay as compact with the camera as possible. We will likely have a backpack with us with phones, snacks, and bottled water so I don't want the camera to take up any more space than necessary. Knowing that are there any more compact primes you would recommend or still go with that one? I may bring our bigger zoom (up to 200 I think) for the day with the safari.
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Maybe this one...

http://www.lensrentals.com/rent/canon/lenses/wide-angle/canon-28mm-f2.8-is-usm

The new Sigma is more versatile and gets rave reviews from dpreview.com though...

http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/sigma-18-35-1-8/6
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Polish Hammer, not that I'm trying to steer you one way or another, but sometimes I think people underestimate the range of a 18mm-35mm lens. This website does a GREAT job of showing you just how different the two ends are. Scroll down a couple of paragraphs to the waterfall photo and hover over "18mm" and "35mm". There is quite a difference....

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Sigma-18-35mm-f-1.8-DC-HSM-Lens.aspx

... and since you and I both like primes I'm sure the old axiom "just zoom with your feet" comes to mind, but remember that in a theme bark because of barricades, water, people, and sometimes being seated on a ride it's often impossible to zoom with your feet. There are so many situations where it's nice to shoot a little more wide than you need to and crop the final photo to the exact composition you want later. Especially with the number of megapixels we have at our disposal.

For the longest time I shopped on eBay for this old, reliable Tokina... http://www.lensrentals.com/rent/canon/lenses/wide-angle/tokina-11-16mm-f2.8-at-x-pro-dx-for-canon

... because the 11mm brings you such different photos than the 18mm wide end of the kit lens as you can kind of tell in the dune photo in this review... http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Tokina-11-16mm-f-2.8-AT-X-Pro-DX-Lens-Review.aspx ... although it only shows the difference between 11mm and 16mm. It's built like a tank but can sometimes be found for a very reasonable price.

In the end I would never be critical of anyone for opting for lighter gear. While I may extol the virtues of these wide zooms that I wish I owned, in reality it was shooting wide with light lenses that ultimately drove me away from using my dSLR as often as I used to. Today I shoot wide with a 16mm/F2.4 pancake prime on a mirrorless, shoot tele with a superzoom P&S(90% of the time in fairly bright light), and my dSLR is relegated to being used mostly for portraits as the real strength of the lenses imo for Canon are the primes between 28mm and 135mm. Since you have kids you probably shoot more portraits than myself.

 
Annyong said:
is this a good deal at Amazon? Pretty sure she wants this camera. I see theres 3 different lens packages. Steer me towards the right one.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ZYF3LO/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p421_d22_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0930V8YPVK0DXBNHQG8N&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1630072282&pf_rd_i=507846
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If it were me I'd pay a little more for the D3200....

http://www.42photo.com/pd-productid-106589-k-nikon_d3200_242_megapixel_digital_camera_w_nikon_18_55mm_vr_lens-gclid-CO7foMnEgboCFWfhQgod6SAANA.htm

... or pay the same price for a factory refurb D3200...

http://www.adorama.com/INKD3200KR.html?gclid=CNHW-o_EgboCFS_ZQgodgUoArQ

... and just live with a kit lens for awhile until she knows what type of lens she would like to compliment or replace the kit lens.

 
BoltBacker said:
Annyong said:
is this a good deal at Amazon? Pretty sure she wants this camera. I see theres 3 different lens packages. Steer me towards the right one.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ZYF3LO/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p421_d22_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0930V8YPVK0DXBNHQG8N&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1630072282&pf_rd_i=507846
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If it were me I'd pay a little more for the D3200....

http://www.42photo.com/pd-productid-106589-k-nikon_d3200_242_megapixel_digital_camera_w_nikon_18_55mm_vr_lens-gclid-CO7foMnEgboCFWfhQgod6SAANA.htm

... or pay the same price for a factory refurb D3200...

http://www.adorama.com/INKD3200KR.html?gclid=CNHW-o_EgboCFS_ZQgodgUoArQ

... and just live with a kit lens for awhile until she knows what type of lens she would like to compliment or replace the kit lens.
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whoa thanks. ill prolly go with the refurb. she will never know.

 
If anyone bought a Canon w/kit lens and has been holding off on a telephoto lens this 75-300mm Canon lens for $99(free shipping) seems like a good deal...

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00341407000P?sid=IDx20070921x00003h&srccode=cii_5784816&cpncode=35-76695527-2

While I find myself using my Canon dSLR less and less it's still amazing that you can get a dSLR/18-55mm/75-300mm/50mm prime for under $600. If you really hawk all the deals you even have enough left over for a bag/accessories.

 
Nice to see Sony putting pressure on the full-frame market. It's introducing a $1700 MSRP full-frame camera...

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/sony-alpha-ilce-7r/4505-6501_7-35829201.html

... that's $400 less than Canikon and who knows how much you'll be able to get them for under MSRP in a few months. IMO the only reason to purchase Canon or Nikon is if you really need a TON of lenses. Both Sigma and Tamron are making some incredible lens values right now in just about every mount.

 
With so many cameras pushing 24mp and so many people switching to RAW shooting it's advantageous to have larger and faster memory cards. Here are a couple of great deals on highly reviewed transcend cards right now....

64gb class 10 = $40

http://www.amazon.com/Transcend-Speed-Flash-Memory-TS64GSDU1/dp/B00EH5UQDA/ref=br_lf_m_7510082011_1_6_ttl?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pc&pf_rd_p=1670458802&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=7510082011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0GC70F33TB8NCJK1C5HA

128gb class 10 = $100

http://www.amazon.com/Transcend-128GB-Speed-Memory-TS128GSDXC10U1/dp/B00EH5US4W/ref=br_lf_m_7510082011_1_7_ttl?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pc&pf_rd_p=1670458802&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=7510082011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0GC70F33TB8NCJK1C5HA

Great add-on gifts if you are planning on purchasing a camera for your loved one over the holidays.

 
BoltBacker said:
With so many cameras pushing 24mp and so many people switching to RAW shooting it's advantageous to have larger and faster memory cards. Here are a couple of great deals on highly reviewed transcend cards right now....

64gb class 10 = $40

http://www.amazon.com/Transcend-Speed-Flash-Memory-TS64GSDU1/dp/B00EH5UQDA/ref=br_lf_m_7510082011_1_6_ttl?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pc&pf_rd_p=1670458802&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=7510082011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0GC70F33TB8NCJK1C5HA

128gb class 10 = $100

http://www.amazon.com/Transcend-128GB-Speed-Memory-TS128GSDXC10U1/dp/B00EH5US4W/ref=br_lf_m_7510082011_1_7_ttl?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&s=pc&pf_rd_p=1670458802&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=7510082011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0GC70F33TB8NCJK1C5HA

Great add-on gifts if you are planning on purchasing a camera for your loved one over the holidays.
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:goodposting:

 
So if she is really not spending any time doing that, no need? I will occasionally edit stuff on Picasa and have Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 but never even installed it on the computer.

 
AcerFC said:
Polish Hammer said:
What are the reasons my wife (or I) would want to shoot in RAW on our T2i?
Click to expand...
editing

It allows you to go home, get the images and adjust basically anything (WB, colors etc)
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what he said. First time I shot in RAW, I didn't get the hoopla. Straight from the camera, RAW looks worse than JPEG and is much bigger files. Then I figured out how to edit RAW images using Adobe Camera Raw and I now shoot in RAW 100% of the time without JPEG. The end goal is better pictures and I feel like RAW gives you best the chance at this. Editing a RAW file is pretty easy, you set the White Balance (there are Auto settings for this) and then I usually do Auto settings for brightness, contrast, saturation, etc. and then tweak if I want more color or contrast. I've had a few (less than 5%) of shots that would have been completely useless if not for salvaging it from RAW.

That said, I shot JPEG for 4+ years and was happy with it, so I don't think there's a right answer so long as you are happy with your shots.

 
Polish Hammer said:
So if she is really not spending any time doing that, no need? I will occasionally edit stuff on Picasa and have Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 but never even installed it on the computer.
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If I was you, I'd do a day shooting with the camera set to RAW + JPEG so you have both files. With your camera you should have rec'd Canon Photo Professional software. That free application does a pretty good job of converting RAW to JPEG automatically and you can set it to do a batch edit so it cranks through all your RAW files and converts them to JPEG. Compare the JPEG's from straight out of camera vs. the JPEGs created by Canon Photo Professional. If you don't appreciate the difference, then stick with JPEG.

I like RAW, but I fully recognize that it is more time-consuming and if I was doing just snapshot kind of pictures, RAW is probably overkill. I choose to shoot on RAW just because that 1 out of 100 shot where RAW can make a much better picture.

 
So simply put, even if I don't do editing, the processing from RAW to JPEG on the computer through a program can produce better results than just having the camera do it? It all comes down to if you are willing to do one additional step (or maybe a few), yes?

 
The reason to shoot RAW instead of jpeg is because there is potential for a better final photo. Same reason many people shoot with a dSLR instead of shooting with the camera on their phone. I'm not saying people can't shoot GREAT photos with their phone in JPEG... I'm just saying the chances of getting a great photo are better with a dSLR and shooting RAW because there are so many fine adjustments you can make. Some people will never want to carry a dSLR with them and if it's at home in the closet it doesn't do them any good. Some people will never want to post-process an image so the advantages of RAW are almost negated. Although, the nice thing about shooting in RAW is if you have that great image and something went wrong it's a whole lot easier to "save" an image that would otherwise be un-fixable later.

I'm not trying to convince anyone to shoot in RAW but here are a couple of pretty good links that describe why someone might prefer to shoot in RAW...

http://www.revellphotography.com/blog/2008/01/why-shoot-raw-instead-of-jpeg/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-35QG4dZ9IY

The biggest reason not to shoot in RAW in the past imo was the storage capacity and speed of recording the image to the media. This hurdle is much less an issue than it had been in the past so I don't see any real advantage to shooting in JPEG unless you want to upload your photos to the internet instantly.

 
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Polish Hammer said:
So simply put, even if I don't do editing, the processing from RAW to JPEG on the computer through a program can produce better results than just having the camera do it? It all comes down to if you are willing to do one additional step (or maybe a few), yes?
Click to expand...
Generally speaking, yeah, I've found that the Canon Photo Professional does a better job than the camera at converting RAW to JPEG. Don't expect shooting in RAW to magically make everything better, but I've found that it's actually pretty darn easy (experimenting with a few sliders) to have images that are much better than the JPEG you'd get out of the camera. If it was a small quality difference, I wouldn't bother.

 
Wife wants a zoom lens for her Canon Rebel XTi

She mainly does family photos and that kind of thing

We don't want to break the bank but would consider spending $200-$300

Looks like in that range is a canon 55-250 or 70-300 and from what I've read the 55-250 sounds like the better choice

Thoughts on those 2? Any other good alternatives?

 
Dan Lambskin said:
Wife wants a zoom lens for her Canon Rebel XTi

She mainly does family photos and that kind of thing

We don't want to break the bank but would consider spending $200-$300

Looks like in that range is a canon 55-250 or 70-300 and from what I've read the 55-250 sounds like the better choice

Thoughts on those 2? Any other good alternatives?
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I don't have an opinion on those lenses but this is a great prime which would be ideal for portraits in that price range(85mm/F1.8) for $286....

http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/lenses-flashes/refurbished-lenses/ef-85mm-f-18-usm-refurbished

 
I'm not saying the Canon M is one of the premier mirrorless cameras(a replacement has already been announced) but if you already have some EF lenses you can use them with an adapter. This would be a great camera to use with the light/inexpensive 40mm pancake or 50mm/F1.8 lenses and $252(w/kit lens) is a pretty amazing value.....

"Newegg has the Canon EOS M 18.0 MP Digital Camera EF-M18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens for a low $251.99 Free Shipping after Coupon Code: "MASTERPASS" when you check out with MasterPass from MasterCard (Exp 12/21). Tax in CA, NJ, TN."

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?nm_mc=AFC-TechBargains&cm_mmc=AFC-TechBargains-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA&Item=9SIA1Y318J6905

 
Pretty freaky seeing this thread bumped when I was just looking for it. Appreciate all of the info in here. :thumbup:

 
So I picked up the Nikon D3200 and am really trying to figure out this thing (i know nothing about photography lingo) and learn enough about how to use it so I can teach the Mrs. how to feel comfortable with it.

From what i gathered I should be focusing on these 3 things (let me know if im wrong or if you have any tips)

Shutter Speed- How fast the picture is taken. Faster shutter speed should take crisper picture

ISO- Using a higher ISO is better for low light situations but results in a grainer photo

Aperture- The opening of the lens. The lower the aperture, the closer to the object you want to be?

 
Annyong said:
So I picked up the Nikon D3200 and am really trying to figure out this thing (i know nothing about photography lingo) and learn enough about how to use it so I can teach the Mrs. how to feel comfortable with it.

From what i gathered I should be focusing on these 3 things (let me know if im wrong or if you have any tips)

Shutter Speed- How fast the picture is taken. Faster shutter speed should take crisper picture

ISO- Using a higher ISO is better for low light situations but results in a grainer photo

Aperture- The opening of the lens. The lower the aperture, the closer to the object you want to be?
Click to expand...
I strongly suggest you buy a book or use an online tutorial. Until then, shoot on Full Auto mode.

 
Whitetail Hunter said:
Annyong said:
So I picked up the Nikon D3200 and am really trying to figure out this thing (i know nothing about photography lingo) and learn enough about how to use it so I can teach the Mrs. how to feel comfortable with it.

From what i gathered I should be focusing on these 3 things (let me know if im wrong or if you have any tips)

Shutter Speed- How fast the picture is taken. Faster shutter speed should take crisper picture

ISO- Using a higher ISO is better for low light situations but results in a grainer photo

Aperture- The opening of the lens. The lower the aperture, the closer to the object you want to be?
Click to expand...
I strongly suggest you buy a book or use an online tutorial. Until then, shoot on Full Auto mode.
Click to expand...
Completely agree. There are so many great free tutorials on youtube.

Annoying, you have the best understanding of ISO. While high ISO settings are more grainy(or have more "noise") there is software that does a good job of reducing noise in your photos. Experiment with different ISO settings and really figure out what is the highest level of ISO you can live with.

After you fully understand ISO then put your camera in Shutter Priority Mode and experiment some more. After that Aperture Priority Mode. I think a lot of serious photographers shoot in Aperture Priority Mode most often.

While you are experimenting it is probably a good idea to take photos in each of these modes and in full auto mode until you are comfortable you won't miss a great image. Another suggestion would be to use RAW format so that if the settings are slightly wrong you can save a great image using software. IMO it's a good idea to get used to using RAW in general if you want to get the most out of your dSLR.

 
BoltBacker said:
Whitetail Hunter said:
Annyong said:
So I picked up the Nikon D3200 and am really trying to figure out this thing (i know nothing about photography lingo) and learn enough about how to use it so I can teach the Mrs. how to feel comfortable with it.

From what i gathered I should be focusing on these 3 things (let me know if im wrong or if you have any tips)

Shutter Speed- How fast the picture is taken. Faster shutter speed should take crisper picture

ISO- Using a higher ISO is better for low light situations but results in a grainer photo

Aperture- The opening of the lens. The lower the aperture, the closer to the object you want to be?
Click to expand...
I strongly suggest you buy a book or use an online tutorial. Until then, shoot on Full Auto mode.
Click to expand...
Completely agree. There are so many great free tutorials on youtube.Annoying, you have the best understanding of ISO. While high ISO settings are more grainy(or have more "noise") there is software that does a good job of reducing noise in your photos. Experiment with different ISO settings and really figure out what is the highest level of ISO you can live with.

After you fully understand ISO then put your camera in Shutter Priority Mode and experiment some more. After that Aperture Priority Mode. I think a lot of serious photographers shoot in Aperture Priority Mode most often.

While you are experimenting it is probably a good idea to take photos in each of these modes and in full auto mode until you are comfortable you won't miss a great image. Another suggestion would be to use RAW format so that if the settings are slightly wrong you can save a great image using software. IMO it's a good idea to get used to using RAW in general if you want to get the most out of your dSLR.
Click to expand...
I cannot recommend this book enough. I went to straight manual mode when I started after this book.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0817439390

 
bleachercreacher said:
BoltBacker said:
Whitetail Hunter said:
Annyong said:
So I picked up the Nikon D3200 and am really trying to figure out this thing (i know nothing about photography lingo) and learn enough about how to use it so I can teach the Mrs. how to feel comfortable with it.

From what i gathered I should be focusing on these 3 things (let me know if im wrong or if you have any tips)

Shutter Speed- How fast the picture is taken. Faster shutter speed should take crisper picture

ISO- Using a higher ISO is better for low light situations but results in a grainer photo

Aperture- The opening of the lens. The lower the aperture, the closer to the object you want to be?
Click to expand...
I strongly suggest you buy a book or use an online tutorial. Until then, shoot on Full Auto mode.
Click to expand...
Completely agree. There are so many great free tutorials on youtube.Annoying, you have the best understanding of ISO. While high ISO settings are more grainy(or have more "noise") there is software that does a good job of reducing noise in your photos. Experiment with different ISO settings and really figure out what is the highest level of ISO you can live with.

After you fully understand ISO then put your camera in Shutter Priority Mode and experiment some more. After that Aperture Priority Mode. I think a lot of serious photographers shoot in Aperture Priority Mode most often.

While you are experimenting it is probably a good idea to take photos in each of these modes and in full auto mode until you are comfortable you won't miss a great image. Another suggestion would be to use RAW format so that if the settings are slightly wrong you can save a great image using software. IMO it's a good idea to get used to using RAW in general if you want to get the most out of your dSLR.
Click to expand...
I cannot recommend this book enough. I went to straight manual mode when I started after this book.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0817439390
Click to expand...
Understanding Exposure is awesome when you combine it with the class. Best thing I ever did and well worth the money

http://ppsop.com/unex.aspx

 
The Z Machine said:
OK, thanks for the tip.

How's this then... what are the thoughts on Pentax (specifically Pentax K-5 II or IIs) cameras?
Click to expand...
I really like Pentax cameras and think they are the best choice for travelers because they offer the weatherization that only the high end models of other brands have. They also have stabilization of the sensor so you don't need stabilization for every lens which makes them cheaper and lighter. Lastly, they have an adapter so they can accept AA's if you are out some place where you can't charge and all you can do is just pack a ton of AA's.

Not sure that helps in your application though. The big drawback of Pentax imo is they simply don't have as many accessories available as the Canon/Nikon cameras and it sounds like you'll be using a fair amount of accessories. They may have the ones you need but they will be more scarce and that may mean more expensive. The K-5's have a maximum shutterspeed of 1/8000sec and offers 7 frames/second which are great for you application BUT I think a big stumbling block may be the flash sync speed for what you want to do. The Pentax K-5's have a maximum sync speed of 1/180sec while the Canon 70D and Nikon 7100 are 1/250sec which might make a significant difference. I don't do a lot of studio lighting so here is a link explaining why flash sync speed might be very important to you....

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/syncspeed.htm

... but then again the Canon/Nikon don't offer quite the 7 frames/second. Lastly, I looked at the Sony NEX 7 because it has an amazing 10 frames per second, but then it has only a 1/160sec sync speed. Plus, lens selection would be the worst as well. So it seems to me like they all have trade-offs unfortunately.

I don't know enough to give any other advice other than don't skimp on the quality of the memory card because I would imagine for you write speed is going to be much more important than capacity. And do skimp on the tripod because it sounds like you don't need the most expensive ultra light tripod if you'll be working indoors instead of hiking with it. Best of luck!

 
Huh... Maybe the complexity of this project revolves around the flash sync and not the ISO or shutter speed. I wonder if having these things timed independently (i.e. by a computer) would make more sense than relying on the camera to drive the signal to the lighting.

 
The Z Machine said:
Huh... Maybe the complexity of this project revolves around the flash sync and not the ISO or shutter speed. I wonder if having these things timed independently (i.e. by a computer) would make more sense than relying on the camera to drive the signal to the lighting.
Click to expand...
Another great resourse would be www.fredmiranda.com. Ignore the usual trolls on their boards, but I've always received great help there. I'm not sure what kind of lighting you are doing, but the strobist blog is great also: http://strobist.blogspot.com/.

 
Dan Lambskin said:
Wife wants a zoom lens for her Canon Rebel XTi

She mainly does family photos and that kind of thing

We don't want to break the bank but would consider spending $200-$300

Looks like in that range is a canon 55-250 or 70-300 and from what I've read the 55-250 sounds like the better choice

Thoughts on those 2? Any other good alternatives?
Click to expand...
Can't really go wrong with the EF 75-300mm III for $80 imo.....

http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/lenses-flashes/refurbished-lenses/ef-75-300mm-f-4-56-iii-telephoto-zoom-refurbished?WT.mc_id=C126149

The one you really want imo is the 70-200mm/F4 but the lowest I've ever seen it is over $400. Maybe you can find a great deal on eBay though.

 
Will be purchasing the Panasonic FZ200 for the wife's Christmas present this week. We have an older DSLR that can superzoom with a dedicated lens but it never gets used due to its bulk. The FZ200 seems to be the best fit for us - lots of bird photography and travel photos.

 
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