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New Camera


hershy314

hershy314

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With the price of new DSLR cameras being as expensive as they are. I am looking at used ones on Ebay. Even then the prices are crazy. Just not sure what to look for. If possible I am going to switch my major from Graphic Design to Photography. I'm guessing MP is important.
 
That was my first DSLR, a respectable camera.
Being a used camera you may want to add to that the price a cleaning and calibration ($180+/- I think) of camera and lens by Canon some time in the future.

I had to do that on another Canon DSLR that I bought new.
In spite of being new it always had a soft focus.
I finally sent it in and got a cleaning and recalibration.
What a difference.
 
When Purchasing a 2nd User camera i advise to get them to send you a picture recently taken with the camera unedited of course.

Then you can upload that pic here http://www.camerashuttercount.com/

This will give you an idea if the shutter is near replacing or not. You should look up shutter count life of the camera first. I have never known anyone wear out theirs but with 2nd hand you never know the real reason behind the sale.
 
second hand is OK, some people get fed up soon with a camera and opt for a bigger/fancier/more expensive one.
Talking to the seller is important, you'll soon find out why they are selling. (My husband sells his videocamera's quite often because he wants different ones. He takes great care of his stuff so buyers are never fooled, his buyers are mostly amateurs just starting.
If you can test the camera it would be great. Good luck!
 
Hi Hershey -

That's some good advice given above, but I guess the first thing I would ask is what do you think will be your primary uses of the camera? The reason is that each camera has different strengths, and this should affect your choice.

For example, if you want to do real close-ups of flowers, some of the inexpensive Point and Shoot cameras actually have much closer minimum focusing distances than the 28 or so cm of that particular lens and do superb jobs on flowers.

So, here are some of the different types / aspects of photography that you should consider:
flowers (ie, needs a lens with a macro mode and/or good minimum focusing distance)
stationary scenes (eg, landscapes, still life, etc. - scenes you could take with it on a tripod at low ISO)
action scenes (eg, sports, some pet and animal photography, etc. - needs to have fast auto focusing)
buildings and other architecture
low light candids of people (you need a fast lens and good high ISO performance - definitely not small sensor point and shoot cameras)
*really* low light - ie, time exposures
nicely blurred backgrounds in portraits
full automatic mode (for when you want to hand the camera to a stranger)
time-lapse
video
etc.
etc.

Cheers,

Tom
 
That's some good advice given above, but I guess the first thing I would ask is what do you think will be your primary uses of the camera?
Click to expand...

that's why I always tell people to go to a shop and explain what they want to do with/from the camera.
I'm a photographer, not a sales person, people are always asking my advice :rolleyes:
 
I'm just looking for a all around good camera. If I am able to switch from Graphic Design to Photography at school I don't know if I would be able to use a point and shoot camera. If I could then I would just borrow my moms camera. But I highly doubt it.
 
When I sold cameras professionally, I would start with, "Put it in your hands and get a feel of it" If you do not like the feel, find another. With high quality cameras available I will tell you to go to a well known dealer, find what you want in the condition you can afford. If you go to a reputable dealer a 30 day return or exchange warranty is part of the deal. I have and will use in no order, B&H Photo, Adorama, KEH

I picked up a sweet Pentax DSLR with two zoom lenses, factory packed for 400 .00....Great product, great glass, but not Canon or Nikon prices, just features. (I shoot in RAW)
 
My daughter did photography at collage... she used the schools equipment before buying anything.. this work out good and saved me lots of money as she no longer dos it since leaving, why not ask school to use there's.
 
hershy314 said:
I've found some things on KEH's site that look good. The prices seem reasonable. Now the really tricky part, getting the funds together to get one. Not sure what kind of lens to get though.
Click to expand...

When I started with the DSLR I got two zooms, short and wide, Portrait to short tele. I would prefer a wide, portrait and mid tele BUT I don't have the $$$ for the glass I want. Instead the two zooms I have are not that "fast"...BUT by setting my "ISO/Speed" faster and using my denoise filters I can survive. No it's not the same as Kodachrome and my trusty 180 f2.8 EDIF Nikkor......BUT I CAN REMOVE NOISE and still get the shots.

Building a good camera system takes many years and dollars. If you keep your eyes open, and follow the pawn shops you can get great deals....I will buy clean lenses thru pawn, if they work on my own body (bring with you)....grab a few quick shots..if they look OK you should be good. Pawn shops can give you a great deal...IF you know your stuff. I wouldn't buy body's though
 
Hi Hershey -

Mike's list of reputable vendors (B&H, Adorama, and KEH (for used gear)) is exactly the same list I would have come up with. Also, his comments on "hand feel" and other aspects are right on the mark.

There's only a few things I would add to his and all the other good comments you've already received:

a) If you switch to a photography major at school, there is a good chance that they will require that you use a camera that can be put into a completely manual mode. Not only will this be useful if you switch majors, it is incredibly useful for regular shooting, as well as if you want to learn the basics on your own. I think that most of the cameras mentioned in this thread have a completely manual mode, but do check for this feature before you finalize your purchase.

b) In addition to hand-feel, with digital SLRs, there is also the pesky issue of menus. Most cheaper DSLRs force the user to wade through a system of menus to change basic parameters such as ISO, WB, exposure compensation, single vs multiple shot, etc. As you get better and start to shoot fast moving sports or kids, being forced to use the menus will almost certainly infuriate you.

In contrast, higher end DSLRs have dedicated knobs and switches for these functions. Good photographers become so familiar with the layout of their camera that they can make such adjustments without ever taking the camera from their eye. This can be very important in "getting the shot". So, you may want to consider an older used high-end camera such as a d200 that allows this.

c) You should also be aware that most photography degree programs don't spend a lot of time on basic camera operation. They will cover this in one or two of the intro courses, but will move quickly on to other topics such as aesthetics, business and legal matters, printing and display, the various photographic specialties, etc. Look at the list of required courses for the degree and imagine yourself taking each of them. If you aren't interested in learning about these aspects of the profession, think carefully about switching to a photography major.


HTH,

Tom
 
I just talked to the academic counselor at my school about switching majors. As it turns out in order to take the photography class I need more than just the camera and lens, but also filters, tripods, and other stuff. Not sure what yet, there is a course list that will give me the list of what I need. Didn't really realize I would need so much, but since it's an associate class I guess it does make sense.
 
Another thought.... If / when you get to a "Big City" look into the local "Pro" camera store many places allow you to Rent equipment...ask if it applies to purchase. I used to rent bodies and glass as"loaners" when the customers equipment was in my shop , so it is an old concept. I know in Miami, NY, Chicago you can rent everything you need...even the assistants with out attitudes!

A great way to try before you buy.

I would also check with the school, are you learning digital imaging or Silver Photography ? The difference many times is the professor, not the school.

Let us know where you go...BUT enjoy the ride!
 
I think what I might do is keep working for my graphic design degree, then when/if I can get all the equipment I need I can return to school for photography. The closest big city to me is 2 hours away and I'm not traveling that far just to rent the equipment.
 
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