Buying a new digital camera after a very long break from photography

Twentyone

Twentyone

Twentyone

Soldato
Joined
20 Feb 2009
Posts
3,276
Hi all.

I am currently looking for a new camera to buy.

I started taking pictures about 10 years ago and the first camera I ever bought myself was an Olympus C5060 where I basically just used all the default settings when taking pictures. Surfing DA and being all inspired! :p Anyways after that in 2006 I got myself a second hand (was only used once before!) Canon 20D but my friend stole it off me some days after and never fessed up about it until some months ago. Of course it was broken when she gave it back so it's no use to me anymore.

So, since I never got the time to get into the whole shutter speed and all that jazz other than what I have read about it I would be looking for a camera that is quite 'easy' to learn and to use in the beginning but is still fairly well priced and good.

I have looked a bit around and read some reviews but I usually don't have that kind of money to spend so I want to be 100% sure before I get one.

All help is appreciated :)
 
Depends very much on what you're looking/hoping to shoot
If you are going for still life with the occasional indoor shots e.t.c, a little bright lens compact camera like the LX3 will suffice
http://www.flickr.com/photos/harrivayrynen/sets/72157612903133174/

Longer zoom range camera - I'm not very familiar with.
Otherwise, I will point in the direction of a DSLR if you're really wanting to learn full manual and looking to possibly upgrade the lenses for specific needs (Macro, fast telephoto e.t.c.). If it's DSLR, this will depend heavily on your budget.

You can have a nice cheap but useful Nikon D40, Sony A200, Olympus E420 e.t.c for around £200 second hand. Or more expensive models with better functions and such from £400 and upwards, brand new.
 
Oh sorry, forgot to mention that.

Well I want a DSLR because I bought my Canon along with 3 different lenses as a next step after my Olympus camera so you could say I'm picking up from there, I have just put it off for some time even though it’s something I have really wanted to do :) So point away in any direction you like!

The budget is not limited to anything specific. I just want to be a bit careful with what I spend, at least for the first one I buy after such a long time.

Mainly I will be doing some macro, nature shots and portraits. A macro lens is at least one of the first lenses I would think of buying.
 
If you want macro then the best would be a cropped sensor.
What Canon lenses do you currently own?

If they are relatively good then might as well stick to the Canon bodies.
Second hand stuff would be the Canon 40D, a much better camera body upgrade since your 20D. It'll also have the same quality camera feel compared to the xxxxD/xxxD range - which IMO are just glossy plastic toy with impressive parts (like the 450D).

Can be had for under £450 if you look around carefully. (Not checked around for the last 4 months, so can't comment on exact price)

If you are really getting into photography and want the best, the Canon 7D is quite popular as it's a cropped sensor but on a xD body with impressive ISO to boot. Will run into the £1K+ range though...

Nature shots can be done on a nice wide angle lens lens e.g. Sigma 10-20mm and portrait shots, believe it or not, can also be done with a decent macro lens e.g. Sigma 105mm

Other alternatives would be going into the local camera store/electronic stores and fiddle around with different brand and bodies. Nikon D90 has video capabilities if that's your thing. Pentax K series has a completely weather sealed range for your outdoor needs.

Olympus E3 +12-60mm is currently on ridiculous offer an electronic store named after an Indian food. £699-799 can get you the pair which is both weather sealed and the 12-60mm @ the tele-end can give a 1:3 macro, but because the system is a 2x cropped sensor, it's essentially 1:6 IIRC. Even if it's not, the macro capabilities are impressive for a non macro zoom lens range (check out my flickr, my recent Stormtroopers, since the Converse shoe shot, were shot with that) The 2x cropped sensor also helps for macro, the best prime macro is the 50mm f2. Sharpest lens I've even owned but I didn't need it so it was sold for the 12-60 :p

Anyway, I'm just trying to share my use of Olympus range. It's got it's limits but for the size, value and lens range, it's a cracker. Go to the local store, find and feel them all. Decide which bodies/UI feels the best for your hands and use then come back and google on reviews for it's advantage/disadvantage.

I find www.cameralabs.com to be very useful :)
 
Sadly the lenses went with the camera as they where all in the bag when stolen :/

The Olympus E3 and the 7D looks interesting. Can't find that offer though, only some posts around about it. But I guess that offer will be gone when I'm back from vacation either way :p

But I'll have at look at them in some shops like you said and then have another read after that so thanks for the help. Atleast I have some specific names in my head now :)
 
The E3 will not be on any website for that price, just head into that store in your local area (ask the staff to check, if they're out of stock, any others near by). I know there's a few left in the London area. Bolton apparently too.
 
Your "friend" stole your camera and lenses? Can you not get her to replace the lenses and get the camera fixed?
 
:rolleyes:I hope you're not friends anymore

If you really want to get into macro then I'd get a canon 450d Kit with a 60mm macro. The macro will double up as an alright portrait lens and then you can think about saving for a later upgrade - nature shots - 70-200/300mm, 300mm/400mm prime etc.
 
Mark A said:
Your "friend" stole your camera and lenses? Can you not get her to replace the lenses and get the camera fixed?
Click to expand...

Nah..

I have tried to get her to atleast pay me the amount I paid for it when she stole it new off me but, it's like talking to a wall. But don't really talk to her anymore after I found out and she is ****ed at me for getting mad at her for stealing my camera.

Nice friends ey :rolleyes:

Stupot_ said:
:rolleyes:I hope you're not friends anymore

If you really want to get into macro then I'd get a canon 450d Kit with a 60mm macro. The macro will double up as an alright portrait lens and then you can think about saving for a later upgrade - nature shots - 70-200/300mm, 300mm/400mm prime etc.
Click to expand...

Going into some shops on Monday to have a look at them all. Might be a good idea to just buy something cheaper to begin with. But it all depends :)
 
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