Where to start..

_dogma_

_dogma_

_dogma_

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Well, I'm trying to get into photography and as it's my birthday next month my bf is looking at buying me a Digital SLR camera.

I don't even know what I'm looking for in one so I'm hoping someone could shed a little light on the subject for me. I'm hoping to take a lot of animal and scenery pics (like some of the ones shown on here). Would I need a macro lens to get really detailed photos?

Is it an expensive hobby after the initial first purchase?

Can an SLR be used for taking normal picture like at Christmas etc?

Are there any good photography books on the market showing the basics/tips etc etc?

Thanks, guys. :)
 
_dogma_ said:
Is it an expensive hobby after the initial first purchase?
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Oh yes :p

_dogma_ said:
Can an SLR be used for taking normal picture like at Christmas etc?
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It's a camera, you can take photos of whatever you like :)

For animals you would have to look at a lens with a fair bit of reach, 250mm minimum really (assuming you want to shoot wild animals) and for landscapes you want a wide lens.

If you have no experience at all you may be better off picking up a bridge camera, such as the Fuji S5700. They're generally cheaper and the built lens will be a good all rounder, they allow full manual control so you can get used to how everything works.
 
I haven't gotten my SLR yet...:(

But from what I've learnt on here you should look at how much you are spending, and if you will be wanting lots of lenses at a later date.

If you want a big choice in lenses then the best two options are Canon or Nikon. Otherwise there are Sony, Olympus (not sure on them actually) and a few others that are very good for the money, but have less lens support.

When you know which type of camera you are after (in regard to lenses) then get yourself down to a high street camera shop and play with all sorts. I was set on getting a Canon 400D, but after playing with it in a shop I found it to not be quite me, but instead I picked up the Nikon D40X and loved it, very much me. :)

If you want to collect glass/lenses then it will certainly be an expensive hobby, but the glass will last longer than the body (unless you drop it all :p), which is why it costs more.

You can take any photos you like with an SLR, after all, it's a camera at the end of the day, just a more fun one with loads of things to play with. :D

As for books, I don't have a clue. Digital Camera magazine seems to be quite a nice mag for tips and things though. Like this month they have how to do light trails (like someone posted earlier), and how best to frame/take landscape shots.

Hope that little bit of info helps.

InvG
 
I second the starting with a bridge camera idea. It'll have everything you need. and a fixed lens that will allow for wide landscape photos as well as zooming for close-ups.

Plus if you end up not being able to take photos for awhile(busy .ect) or not using it so often, it wont worry you as much(price wise) compared to having got a DSLR and feeling your wasting it.
 
Thanks guys! :)

I forgot to mention that I have a HP digital camera but I find it doesn't take pictures quickly enough and fast show can only be used when it's in daylight. The quality of the pictures isn't great either. Would it be classed as a bridge camera?

I'm hoping to get some good pictures of my ratties and other fast moving animals so would need a lens that takes good movement pictures?

A bridge camera seems like a good idea but would the shots be anywhere near as good as the SLR shots? Or would my untrained eye be unable to tell the difference :P ?

I'll be looking into the magazine but is it more for experienced people with high spec cameras?
 
i was in a similar situation to you but after trawling the net reading different people views i ended up buying a canon 400d DSLR , i did think of buying a bridge camera but it seemed like a lot of people buy a bridge camera and very shortly after upgrade to a DSLR so i thought would just jump straight in and get a DSLR ,i'm still trying to get my head around all the settings but they are user friendly and you can always use it on full auto settings at first so it's just like a point and shoot camera, also although a lot of people say the the kit lens that you get isn't the best quality it's fine to start off with till you work out exactly what sort of pic's you prefer to take :)
 
HP is counted as a point and shoot (P & S)
fine for quick photos but not as good as a bridge camera, these usually have fairly large zoom lenses...
Try a Fuji S6500FD for a good allround bridge camera, or the panasonics are well regarded.
I recommend the S6500 over the S5700 as it can take photo's in raw mode which can help later on when you process them, and also takes compact flash cards which are cheaper than xd cards...
 
If you want to get into photography more then I wouldn't worry about a bridge camera. Just have a look at the entry level Canons or Nikons, they're both great camera systems to get into.

The cameras do have a fully automatic mode which basically turns them into point and shoots should you need that feature.

After you've brought the camera/kit lens/memory card there really doesn't 'need' to be any more expense. This setup will give you a lot more flexibility then any p&s you had before (apart from fitting in your pocket). But of course as soon as you get into it you always want to get more lenses to give you more more options :) The initial expense of the camera is not even 1/10th of my total expenditure on photography so far :)
 
Its really down to budget and if you are going to be restricted initially with the stock lens.
I started with a Bridge and the only reason i went to a DSLR was that my bridge was stolen. I had the S6500fd from Fuji and really liked it - the image quality was good and the noise control was ok as well.

A bridge camera gives you the option of landscape ise and also if you want other types of phptography like sport or wildlife. so if you are starting out you can find your niché and move on to an slr with the right lens for your type of work..
 
_dogma_ said:
A bridge camera seems like a good idea but would the shots be anywhere near as good as the SLR shots? Or would my untrained eye be unable to tell the difference :P ?
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I wouldnt recommend a bridge camera to you, but the real question is your budget.
Theres nothing wrong with bridge cameras, they are very capable - but if you're looking to take pics of rats (i presume indoors so darkish) you want the option to get faster glass or off camera flash, same for moving subjects. For animals its good to have the option to upgrade zoom length (especially for wildlife!).

You can upgrade second hand for reasonable prices, and theres little good reason not to - glass doesnt degrade much.

You really need to think about how much you want to spend, and consider second hand for lenses, and then decide if you can afford the DSLR route. If you're set on it, then you may find a bridge too limiting after a while.

I would recommend a Nikon d40/d60 kit (do some research into them), its a fine entry level dslr, and comes with an 18mm (wide view) - 55/135/something else mm (telephoto) zoom lens, which will serve you well for many kinds of photo.

Remember, you would also need to buy a memory card specific to the camera if one wasnt included in any offer you chose. You will want between 1 and 4GB, but these are only around the £15 these days :)
 
This is all great guys, even if the conflicting views are slightly confusing :p .

Do the photos on here require a lot of processing to get them looking like they do? Or can a photo be naturally good?
 
The modern DSLR has options in the body which do all the common processing (sharpening, contrast adjustment, saturation adjustment), when these are turned off it can be necessary to do it yourself afterwards. But if you want it simple, just use the inbuilt modes, theyre very capable :)
 
I would warn you it's horribly addictive though :)

I decided to give it a try in December and bought the Nikon D40x with kit lens (18-55mm), very quickly bought a basic zoom (55-200mm) then some macro lenses, then a x2 multiplier, then a 70-300mm VR, then a 18-200mm VR.... Now I'm seeking counciling as I've realised I must have spent >£1000.00 on a hobby I've only been doing for 2 months :eek:

Great fun though and out of >1000 images I have at least 5 or 6 I really like.

Personally I'm glad I went straight for the DSLR as I think I'd now be the owner of a two month old unused bridge camera and a DSLR.

But it does depend on budget and how addictive your personallity is....

D.
 
there will always be conflicting views on what to go for...best advice I can give is go and take a look at some models and see what you think. set a budget and attempt to stick to it aswell!
 
Just a little update: My bf ordered my camera today :D I'm so excited!

It's a Nikon D40x with 18-55mm lens and 2gb memory card.

I read lots of reviews and went into the shop to have a play around with a few. The Canon, that I can't quite remember the model, was too big for me to hold easily and I didn't feel comfortable using it. The Nikon was excellent and after taking a few photos and playing around with the menus decided it was the one for me :)

My birthday isn't till the 12th of April so won't be allowed to play with it till then :( but after that I'll more than likely to be needing advice on shots, what lens to get next and of course critasism on the shots I take so I may be in here a lot in the next few months.

Thanks for all the help guys :D
 
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