want to get into photography but need some advice

unwashed potato! · 21 Feb 2009 at 07:22

hi all,

been wanting to get into photography just as a hobby for a long time now and i finally have some money (£500, can be stretched a little) to invest in getting some decent equipment and giving it a go.

i have done a little reading and it appears canon are the guys to go with? i get a little overwhelmed with all the details for the cameras so would appreciate it if i could get a helping hand in what to choose and why. i have only really been looking on amazon and the prices seem all over the place and it's very hard to tell what i should go with.

i am going to usa at the end of march which is one reason i want to get a camera now so i can learn to use it, but i was wondering is it a good idea to wait until i am out there to buy or is the price very similar? if it's only just a little cheaper in the usa then i'd buy from the uk so i get the time to play with it and uk chargers.

also when buying a camera will i be needing extra insurance for it? very worried thinking i could easily brake something worth £500+ after just getting it.

anything else i should be aware of? a new camera coming out soon that will decrease current cameras prices/be a better one to buy etc?

thanks everyone

robertgilbert86 · 21 Feb 2009 at 08:55

Yeah might as well buy from the US, will be a bit cheaper. The Canon 450D is a great start but get a Nikon D90 if you want something with good handling (the cheaper Nikons aren't good long-term options for various reasons-see other D40/D60 threads). A used D80 might also be worth considering as you'd have some money for lenses then AND a well designed camera.

Photoguard for insurance. Should cost around £40 for £500 worth of stuff (worldwide cover).

hyster · 21 Feb 2009 at 09:09

I would go into a shop and have a hold of a few models in your price range, see what feels right to you.

I don't think there are any really bad slrs on the market, they are all pretty good, if you stick at it and plan on buying more lenses then Canon or Nikon are the way to go.

At the moment Nikon have the upper hand (personal opinion) and if I was buying from scratch would probably look to them.

There are stores in the US that are cheaper but there are issues there with warranty, personally I would buy here. Don't be put off by the second hand market, lots of people upgrade and there are bargains to be had on bodys and lenses.

As for insurance, you can get dedicated insurance for you gear but its worth a phone call to your house insurance to see if its covered and if not, how much it would be to tag it on to your household policy.

unwashed potato! · 21 Feb 2009 at 09:16

ah forgot to ask about lenses. do all lenses fit every slr camera or it is d90 lenses fit only d90, d450 only d450 etc?

what do you mean by good handling?

unwashed potato! · 21 Feb 2009 at 09:20

hyster said:
.

sounds like a good idea, will venture into a shop and have a play.

i tihnk it is best then i buy from UK. my main concern is getting to play with it and used to it before i go away which can't happen if i buy from the usa.

i saw people from here sell old cameras but unfortunately my members market access was stolen a long time ago so can't buy from here, leaving sites like ebay which can be a bit worrying. do cameras have a limit on how many photos they can take before deteriorating?

hyster · 21 Feb 2009 at 09:32

A body will have a life of X amount of shutter actuations before its likely to have problems so yes thats something to keep in mind.

I just feel when you are starting out it can be worth buying second hand as you are likely to get a larger percentage of your cash back when you either move on to the next body or decide its not for you and sell up.

Not saying don't buy new just don't write off the second hand market.

Email in trust if you want a few ideas for second hand places to buy.

greedy123 · 21 Feb 2009 at 10:43

Second hand is the way to go especialy with the recent price increases.

unwashed potato! · 8 Mar 2009 at 03:39

ok been reading and reading and really liking the canon 450d so think i'll go for this unless between now and buying i find a reason not to.

would it be better to buy body only and then a decent lens or is the body and lens deals worth it?

as i'll be going on holiday soon is it worthwaiting to get any extra essentials from duty free/usa such as another battery/memory card etc?

anything else that is worth getting? would hate to be out on holiday and realise something i should have bought for it.

dirtybeatfreak · 8 Mar 2009 at 09:31

generally the kit lenses aint all that so if you can afford to get another lens i would do that personally

Charlie C · 8 Mar 2009 at 10:13

tbh it depends on what you want out from it. The kit lenses you get with most low end cameras (the lenses that come with the camera as a pakage often) can be very nice, but not that fast (when i say fast i mean they dont let as much light in as better lenses with wider appertures do, this effects the low-light performance).

If you're planning on expanding you kit at a later date, then invest in lenses and get a second hand body. the lense is by far the most important part for getting a good image: an awesome camera with a crappy lense will still take crap shots, a great lense and a crappy camera will take pretty sweet shots.

look at the sigma 18-50 f/2.8 and then go either canon or nikon with secondhand bodies as they are by far the most used companies, and have the most accesspries and expandibility options for the future.

be warned that some of the lower end nikon cameras dont work with all lenses, they have a very limited range. I can't remeber which ones right now...i think the d40 and d40x are like this. Canon cameras dont have this issue, neither do nikon above a certain price range (e.g. d80 and above, maybe some below this too are fine)