Beginner - lil help please?

RachPie

Hey, I've always been interested in photography (looking at other people's!) and have wanted to take it further for a while. I'm saving up for a decent camera and was just wondering what kind of camera would be best to buy? I've heard a lot about canons... just what type, etc. All help greatly appreciated!

pixbyjohn

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=55212558&postcount=27
Have a look at that link

RachPie

Maybe I should rephrase. I'm in a journalism course, so I want to take it professional - something suitable for that? I am looking for brands.

pixbyjohn

If you are going for an SLR camera you have lots of choice. Nikon, Canon, Sony, Pentax etc etc. Maybe Nikon and Canon are the 2 most popular brands. Have you a camera at present or will this be your first one ?
To buy an SLR for your first camera will be a huge step into learning.

RachPie

This is my first one. Learning photoshop and basics at the moment, all I'm missing is a decent camera!

pixbyjohn

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wd9hot/3872833346/
Have a look at these taken with a Canon G11 camera, its not an SLR. But it will be more than good enough for what you require at present.
Don't take my advice as gospel, research a bit more

charybdis

Why don't you go and read about modern cameras, understand the particulars, and try to make an informed decision about what you might need before asking vague and simplistic questions?

Dara Robinson

whats your budget mate. thats the most important piece of info we need. As a photojournalist you can easily get by with a couple of lenses for your study years. But your budget is important to know.
Also, what college are you going to? and do you know what equipment they have that they lend out? Also an important question at the start as you can buy a reality cheap body and survive on their lenses until you graduate and then, having spent years saving, buy a high end camera

dinneenp

recommended cameras link

Could get a bridge camera- like panasonic FZ28 (has macro, big zoom etc all in one and is smaller than an slr).

Or an intro slr. Bigger, bigger learning curve but also better* (quicker, better in low light, field of depth etc).

Or a good all round pocket camera (Canon S90 etc.)

It depends on:
budget
what you want it for specifically (all round, portraits, landscape etc)
do you need big zoom
do you want to pick it up and 'camera' to do it all for you/point and shoot or are you willing to learn about the camera/how to use etc.
size
etc.
etc.

DutchGuy

I would suggest going second hand if budget is an issue (and even if it's not really). Realistically this means that your best options are probably Canon or Nikon as the second hand markets in these are much more developed.

Adverts.ie usually has a large array of second hand bodies for sale.

Personally I went straight for a SLR as my first proper camera and though it's a steep enough learning curve I've never regretted it.

SubLuminal

If you're doing journalism and you want something for reportage, you don't need high megapixels as you're not going to be blowing stuff up super large, its going to be online or in small / medium size print.

I've got a canon 350d, its an SLR and its tough as s**t, to date I have:

Dropped it out of a moving car (turns out those neck straps ARE actually handy.)
Had it totally covered in foam at a 'foam party'
Had it soaked in the rain, many many times
Had it hit with spray from the sea a few times, and spent a lot of time on the beach (bad environment for cameras)

and generally chucked it into rucksacks, bags, jacket pockets (with a short 50mm lens on it)...

And the thing just keeps on going, Never misses a beat. Works perfectly. I don't know if I just got a freakishly tough one, or what, but I've had it for years and years and it just doesn't give a f**k what I do to it, like the russian says in Rocky "he is like a piece of iron! I cannot defeat him!"

Example image I took the other day with it..




And this is scaled down for flickr. So quality isn't a problem really.

They're cheap as chips on ebay, I'd look there, try to find one that someone has bought and never used, they aren't "pro" cameras so you'll likely get one with a low shutter count if you look. Although going by the way mine keeps chugging along, the insides are made of kryptonite so it won't matter anyway.

Best of like, Just my two cents worth and I'm heavily biased because I like my little camera!

All the best!

Sir Gallagher

I'm also taking the plunge and loonking to buy my first dslr, i more or less know what i want my question is though if i buy off ebay be it a seller in the UK or Hong Kong etc. will i be subjected to customs charges and if so what kind of fee would we be looking at?

rowanh

If you buy from the UK there is no customs as its part of the EU, from HK or America its likely you will have to. Not sure on the exact amounts, i have had to pay duty on things a few times and the number always seemed very random.

RachPie

Thanks very much lads... definately a bit wiser now anyhow!:)