Advice/Questions on buying Cameras & Accessories MkII. Please read OP first

BMF Plint · 04-10-2011 5:52pm

id say it would be mostly outdoor pursuits... whats your opinion on a nikon d5100 or the d3100

bullpost · 04-10-2011 5:57pm

If you want to look beyond Canon and Nikon there is some amazing value to be had in used Olympus kit.

Check out Adverts.ie or if you want the security of a warranty , somewhere like Conns Cameras in Dublin http://www.connscameras.ie/digi-slr-cameras-!255-cat.html .

You can get a lot of kit for around 300 euros.

FoxT wrote: »

They are all pretty good, actually! My 3 tips would be:

- Think a bit about what kind of photos you want to take, or what kind of circumstances you will likely to be in. ie for indoors a decent flash will be helpful, whereas if you will be mainly outdoors then you probably won't need a flash to start with, you might find a telephoto zoom to be more useful...

- consider buying a second-hand camera. You will generally get more bang for your buck.

- Brandwise, Canon or Nikon are a good bet, because if you ever decide it isnt for you, you will find the gear easier to sell than other brands that have a smaller market share.

Good luck !

Antomus Prime · 04-10-2011 6:00pm

Another option is Sony Alpha's, I started off with an A100 and it was great value and a great camera, the biggest advantage to them is that the lenses are alot cheaper because you dont have to fork out for fancy Image Stabilisation lenses cause its built into the Sony camera body..... something that all manufacturers should do!!!

Ive moved on to a Nikon since then but that was purely cause my dad has a nikon kit and i poach from his bag all the time!! lol

But I would highly reccoment a sony alpha!

BMF Plint · 04-10-2011 6:05pm

Antomus Prime wrote: »

Another option is Sony Alpha's, I started off with an A100 and it was great value and a great camera, the biggest advantage to them is that the lenses are alot cheaper because you dont have to fork out for fancy Image Stabilisation lenses cause its built into the Sony camera body..... something that all manufacturers should do!!!

Ive moved on to a Nikon since then but that was purely cause my dad has a nikon kit and i poach from his bag all the time!! lol

But I would highly reccoment a sony alpha!

Thank you I never even considered a sony . I don't have anyone to poach from so anything that makes things cheaper is good:D

peckerhead · 04-10-2011 6:30pm

bullpost wrote: »

If you want to look beyond Canon and Nikon there is some amazing value to be had in used Olympus kit. [...]
You can get a lot of kit for around 300 euros.

+1. I did a bit of auction tracking on eBay and ended up getting my E-510 with both kit lenses (14-42 & 40-150) and a dedicated FL-36 flashgun, all in pristine condition, for €307 delivered (from the States).

You won't pick it up quite that cheaply on the likes of Adverts.ie, but you'll have the reassurance of a face-to-face transaction and can look the gear over before you decide to commit.

Gumbo · 04-10-2011 8:21pm

OP, i only bought my first DSLR 2 weeks ago. Bought a Canon 550D from Simply Electronics.

I would highly recommend going into the shops in town or whereever you choose and get a grip of all the cameras. I personally ruled out the Nikon straight away due to grip issues as my thumb was constantly rubbing along the jog wheel and the set button, whereby the canon was perfect and it sat in my hand much better. These are things you cant check see from online videos or comparisons websites.

I personally choose Nikon V Canon but the brand choice is up to you, try them all i say!

BMF Plint · 04-10-2011 9:34pm

kceire wrote: »

OP, i only bought my first DSLR 2 weeks ago. Bought a Canon 550D from Simply Electronics.

I would highly recommend going into the shops in town or whereever you choose and get a grip of all the cameras. I personally ruled out the Nikon straight away due to grip issues as my thumb was constantly rubbing along the jog wheel and the set button, whereby the canon was perfect and it sat in my hand much better. These are things you cant check see from online videos or comparisons websites.

I personally choose Nikon V Canon but the brand choice is up to you, try them all i say!

best advice yet... i have massive hands so that might be a big factor

steve_ · 05-10-2011 2:32pm

Im looking at getting a tripod for shooting mainly video but am lost in a sea of different brands, makes, models ect ect. Ill be looking to spend about 150-200 but dunno if that will get me something nice. Any advice would be great

JohnCleary · 05-10-2011 3:04pm

Hi folks,
Heading away to SE Asia for 3 months of travel next month. Obviously an important part of this will be the memories I bring back, therefore I want to bring a decent'ish enough camera (not my point and shoot one) - one with a decent lens and that will take decent pictures.

I'm a camera technology noob, so go easy on me. All I want it a camera that will take nice, decent shots with an adequate zoom level.

I'd be willing to spend (potentially write off) about 300euro - I'm guessing my best bet here would be a 2nd hand one, so I won't have any emotional attachment to it, or feel especially ripped-off if it gets stolen etc.

I'm going to have a gander around adverts.ie but if anyone can offer any advise i'd be grateful.

Thanks

Every You Photography · 05-10-2011 3:47pm

Hi John,

For that price, and regarding the fact you'll travel a lot, in a pretty warm and humid area I would say the best would be to go for a bridge camera. Would will have a better lens than a small compact, it will be (a lot) lighter than a reflex, and you wont need to have 2 or 3 lenses to cover the zooming range.
I don't have a bridge so I wouldn't know which model is actually the best, but I'm pretty sure some people on the forum will have an advice.

Freddie59 · 05-10-2011 4:56pm

FUJI Bridge cameras are fantastic. I owned an s5000 for four years (have a look at my Flickr set NYC 2006 to see samples).

Would you consider a Canon S95? P&S looks, but delivers DSLR quality. Here are a few samples:

Tall Ships Race 2011, Waterford City, Ireland by Vadrefjord (Ireland), on Flickr

Her Majesty's Theatre, London by Vadrefjord (Ireland), on Flickr

Cleopatra's Needle, Westminster Embankment, City Of London, England. by Vadrefjord (Ireland), on Flickr

The Admiralty Arch, The Mall, London, England by Vadrefjord (Ireland), on Flickr

The Freeman · 05-10-2011 6:05pm

Hey Guys,

New to photography in the last couple of month or so and just realising what type of photos i want to take, my set up is currently a 300d with the stock 18-55 lens which isin't great, picked up the affordable 50mm 1.8 which is a fantastic little lens and very sweet to use. I want to get a nice wide angle lens or a low aperature lens that would be good for landscapes and also great for capturing autumn light outside in general, which we have in abundance at the moment:)

Would any of you folk be able to recommend me a lens anything like the above at all thats around the 150e mark?
(low aperature/wide-angle/zoom or non-zoom/great at capturing vibrant colours)

I know i am not asking for much at all:P

05-10-2011 6:36pm

To be honest, I think the 50 f/1.8 is about as good as it gets in that price range.

You could pick up the 17-85, but then all you're really getting is an upgrade from your kit lens. It's a little wider, but it's fastest aperture is f/4 so not exactly a huge step up from what you currently have (I think the 18-55 is actuall faster at the wide end? f/3.5? Though the image quality of the 17-85 is superior in my opinion).

The only real recommendations I'd make, based on my own personal usage and experience, would be the Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6. It's not the fastest in the world, but it's very wide and would be very useful if that's what you need (can't imagine you using much less than f/8 for a landcape, anyway?).

There's also the Sigma 30mm f/1.4, which is extremely fast, but not very wide.

Trouble is, that both of these lenses cover different areas of what you're asking for, and both would have you spending at least twice your budget (hence the recommendation of the 17-85, or if you want to splash cash, the 17-40L. This way you'll have a good short zoom to cover a decent and relatively wide focal range, but also give you pretty solid image quality, too).

I'd say save up and do more research into what it is exactly that you want (keep in mind the wider the lens, even if it is a fast lens, you won't get as much background blur as you will with a higher focal length. In other words, a 10mm lens at 1.8 won't give you as shallow a depth of field as your 50mm does at 1.8).

EDIT: If you're in Drogheda at all, I have the 17-85, 10-20 and 30 1.4, so if you want to give them a going over in person.

The Freeman · 05-10-2011 7:23pm

wow thanks so much for the offer to try out your equipment mate, really appreciate it. I am based in the windy west though so not an option.:p

Just re-read my post there and realised in the middle of my post a referred to a low aperture lens for landscape pics.(not ideal of course)

I guess i want 2 lens, 1 for landscape pics that could do sunsets and sunrises nicely too.(not low aperature but wide angle would be super)
Or a lens with a low aperature for highlighting colours in scenery and surroundings in autumn day time, dusk etc.
I am veering towards trying my hardest to accentuate natural light and minimalising the need for using flash.

gerk86 · 05-10-2011 8:00pm

samyang do a relatively cheap 2.8 mf fisheye. 14mm or thereabouts I think.

Buceph · 05-10-2011 8:27pm

If I was to buy a second hand film camera, what should I be on the look out for?

Edit: And I don't mean what camera, but what tests should I run it through before handing over the cash. This would be for a private sale with someone over on Photography Ireland. (The Nikon F5.)

steve_ · 06-10-2011 6:52pm

Just a quick question in regarding to cleaning my lens and camera, i have a bottle of UVEX lens cleaning solution at home and i was wondering if its ok to clean my lens with. I know its not actually made for camera lenses but was wondering if it would be ok to use?

target assassin · 07-10-2011 1:01pm

I bought a Nikon D60 for my girlfriend a year ago for her birthday. it came with a lens.

I don't know much about cameras at all.

She's doing Fine art in college and loves her camera.

I would like to buy her another lens for the camera but don't know where to start .

could any one recommend cool lens and maybe explain why they are cool. lol

hbr · 07-10-2011 2:32pm

target assassin wrote: »

could any one recommend cool lens and maybe explain why they are cool. lol

Probably not. A long telephoto lens would be great for someone with an
interest in wildlife photography, but it would be almost useless for someone
interested in macro.

Is she interested in any particular type of photography?

dirtyghettokid · 07-10-2011 3:34pm

50mm f/1.8
cheap and awesome!!

prime lenses are awesome. sharp, fast and uhh yeah

:)

target assassin · 07-10-2011 4:10pm

hbr wrote: »

Is she interested in any particular type of photography?

Well not particularly she sometimes take obscure images of things and paints them like a gate or a lamp post. she wouldn't do much distance shooting.
Really I just want to get her a lens that could add a different dynamic to her photography.

DeVore · 07-10-2011 4:11pm

I have a F1.8, 50mm for portraits (which I never tire of recommending!) and I used to use my Canon kit lens for landscapes. Now my landscape photography always seemed flat and "far away" (no Fr Ted jokes pls

)

I'm looking for recommendations for a landscape lens. Ideally something not to expensive as I intend to mostly use this for holiday snaps.

Should I just go back to something like the kit lens or is there something decent out there I dont know about?

DeV.
ps: I have a 550D (which I love!)

fguihen · 07-10-2011 4:14pm

i usually use the 17mm end of my sigma 17-55mm, but il hopefully be picking up the Canon USM 10-22mm in the next week or two, as i find im doing too much stitching to get the panos i want.

Once i pick it up il give an update here.

FoxT · 07-10-2011 4:30pm

Not sure what you mean by 'flat & far away' - I am thinking maybe something along the lines of the shot above? ( a photo I took for navigation purposes...)

From a landscape point of view this shot is nondescript. There is nothing visually interesting in this photo, the light is dull, colour is dull....

No lens will fix these problems though! I don't do much landscape photography, but when I do, I tend to use my 17-70mm at the wide end.

The lens is grand, my challenges always are

1 - composition- create a sense of depth, but also have some foreground interest.

2 - The 'quality' of the light is crucial. If it is overcast the light is flat, and your photo will be, too.

I wouldn't rule out the 50mm for landscapes - it is a long-ish focal length on a crop sensor camera - but is a very, very sharp lens indeed when stopped down. If you look at the 50mm group on flickr you will see some decent landscape shots there.

-FoxT

marko93 · 07-10-2011 4:36pm

Looking for my first telephoto for a Nikon D3100. Any suggestions of somehting cheep and cheerful?

maddog · 07-10-2011 4:38pm

This Savage lens for the price;);)

Paulw · 07-10-2011 4:41pm

Canon EF-S 10-22mm lens is decent for it's price. Nice and wide, and does the job.

joconnell · 07-10-2011 4:42pm

The king of wide lenses for crop cameras is the tokina 11 - 16mm f2.8. It's razor sharp and aperture wise it's the fastest of all the really wides. People have had them converted to use on cinema film cameras cos they're so good. difficult to find in a shop and it's pricey, but it's the best lens for type of stuff. Otherwise the sigma is very nice to use too and a few hundred quid cheaper.