First off, I realise I am asking a question that will probably get as many recommendations as answers. However, I am looking to buy a DSLR camera and wondered if there was a strong leaning towards any particular make and/or model. I have no experience of DSLR cameras and currently use a Canon SX720 Compact, which I have to say, I am quite happy with. I do however, feel like I want to be more creative, so, what do people recommend, say to a maximum of around £750?
I have looked at various online reviews but can not pin any one particular camera down. :confused1:
The first thing to find out is which feels best in your hands. Go to a shop (Currys/PC World will be open next week but don't buy there!) and hold a Canon, a Nikon and a Sony. Their grips and ergonomics differ a surprising amount and comfort is vital to give you a stable shooting platform.
Once you've narrowed it down to a particular make (all 3 are excellent) look at their range to see what suits your needs. One important factor: Don't necessarily go for the most expensive one that fits your budget - it's often better to go for a cheaper body with a better lens. A better camera doesn't necessarily make one a better photographer, trust me!
Happy shopping and be careful not to get bitten by the bug - taking photography seriously can cost more than a lifetime's worth of layouts!
In case you wonder if I'm qualified to give advice: I have 2 books with my name below the title. (REALLY successful photographers have their name at the top!)
Good luck!
Quote from: Markthetog on November 26, 2020, 11:18:19 AM
In case you wonder if I'm qualified to give advice: I have 2 books with my name below the title. (REALLY successful photographers have their name at the top!)
Not easy, living where I do, to get to a camera shop. Plus I am supposed to stay within 5 km of my home, (except for 'essential' travel - is buying a camera 'essential'? :)), plus I am not supposed to leave my county, plus the Government are thinking of banning travel to Northern Ireland, this Covid thing has a lot to answer for! But, regarding your books - give us a clue.
What Mark says is spot on. If you can't get to shops then read reviews (eg dpreview, Ken Rockwell, Tom's Guide etc) plus if you have any experience of a particular brand of camera and you like the way it handles/menu works then maybe stick with that.
I like the way Canon SLRs handle and menus so I stuck with Canon (plus I like their lenses) but you'll struggle to pick a lemon if you do a bit of reading. My personal preference would be stick with Canon or Nikon if you prefer to have the widest choices of lenses.
Try to think if any features are must haves for you and don't worry too much about number of pixels. Things like low light performance (high ISO, though lenses have a massive impact here as well), frame speed, video capabilities, size/weight (do you want a normal SLR or a mirrorless SLR), autofocus performance.
Cheers Mike
Above advice is all good. One thing to add, and you can only judge this by picking one up, is camera weight. I'd hanckered after a Canon 5D for years until I picked one up. It weighed a ton, I didn't fancy lugging that around on sightseeing trips. I ended up buying (another Canon) something a lot lighter. Good luck with the search.
Agree about the weight. Some time ago I realised there was little point in lugging round a glass prism and went mirrorless. Not only lighter, but smaller. Worth considering.
Another vote for mirrorless after years of carrying heavy SLR's.
I like the Olympus OM-D ones.
Yeah, lots of opinions opened up here.
I've always liked Olympus anything. :thumbsup:
If you were thinking of photographing a layout, if would consider a close-focusing macro lens. I invested in a Pentax system because that is what I started with in the far off days of 35mm film. These days you cannot go wrong with Canon or Nikon.
I had a Canon DSLR and used to carry it everywhere . One day I realised that 95% of the time I left it in auto mode, so sold it and bought a Nikon compact.
Quote from: Markthetog on November 26, 2020, 11:18:19 AM
The first thing to find out is which feels best in your hands.
Having done a lot of photography over the years, not had my name on a book but sold a lot of pictures back in the 1980's and was commissioned to cover various sporting events by advertisers I have to say that the line above is THE most important in this thread. If it doesn't feel right in your hand you're going to struggle. Just because it costs twice as much doesn't mean it will take better pictures, that's down to you and your creativeness. A good example for me was back when Minolta released the 7000 (the first real autofocus if you like) and then the 9000. The 9000 was a lot more expensive than the 7000 and I tried both. The 9000 was horrible to handle whereas the 7000 was great, I still have 2 of them!
So in my mind and as some others have said go with what you think feels right and will do what you want it to do. Don't just start at the most expensive and work your way down. Go to Currys etc, don't look at the price tag first, pick each up, see if you're comfortable with it and then check if it will do what you want it to do.
Then look at the price :thumbsup:
Minolta made a great camera. I had an X300 at one time with a good selection of lenses. With a T mount, you can fit several brands of lens.
Back in the mist of time i had a 35mm pentax spotmatic film camera..and took lots of photos as part of my job. Then about 15 years back i bought a small flat digital jobbie with a zoom lens?.and a 1 gig card that alone cost me £35!! I then sold my pentax because i hadnt used it for years.
I still have that digital job..but havent used that for years now. Why?
I use a mobile phone. It does everything i need..it goes everywhere i go..and means i dont need to carry extra techi-bling.
I had quite a few different makes of film camera, but when Minolta brought out auto focus cameras I switched, when Digital came along I already had a few Minolta fit lenses, so got a digital Minolta, still got it; Sony bought the Minolta camera business and kept the same lens mount so I also have a Sony; still got 4 film cameras, and 3 digital compacts, plus a couple of video cameras.
I would however echo an earlier post and try and find a camera shop that will let you handle various options, there is bound to be one which will feel more comfortable to handle, it will depend to some extent on the size of your hands as the positions of controls etc affect ease of handling, weight may also be a factor.
It used to make me laugh when i worked at the local steam railway....the sheer number of male tourist visitors strutting round with their digital housebrick hanging on a long strap round their neck, with an enormous zoom lens poking out of it. They rarely took any snaps.
Was it Desmond Morris who commented about men driving sports cars with long red bonnets being deficient in other areas ?
Quote from: Bigmac on November 27, 2020, 06:15:23 PM
It used to make me laugh when i worked at the local steam railway....the sheer number of male tourist visitors strutting round with their digital housebrick hanging on a long strap round their neck, with an enormous zoom lens poking out of it. They rarely took any snaps.
I resemble that remark! But there is a degree of logic behind it - as my photography has got better I don't feel the need to shoot off hundreds of snaps.
Smartphone cameras and point & shoot types are brilliant until you actually need the control that only an SLR (or some of the best P&S compacts eg Sony Rx100/ Canon G series etc) typically provides. When you are in low light or have a fast moving subject then being able to set aperture/shutter speed etc, fast focusing and have good ISO performance starts to become much more useful.
Horses for courses - I quite happily take my phone or compact when I can't be bothered to carry round the SLR (or when it won't be necessary).
Cheers Mike
I bought a Panasonic Lumix FZ200 a few years back, its been an absolutely great camera for the more serious stuff, records great videos as well.
Anything for snapshots I just use my Samsung phone, which takes really good pictures!
Quote from: red_death on November 27, 2020, 06:32:10 PM
Smartphone cameras and point & shoot types are brilliant until you actually need the control that only an SLR (or some of the best P&S compacts eg Sony Rx100/ Canon G series etc) typically provides. When you are in low light or have a fast moving subject then being able to set aperture/shutter speed etc, fast focusing and have good ISO performance starts to become much more useful.
Cheers Mike
I agree 100%. I used to do a lot at Santa Pod and there's no way you would be able to take pictures like I did without overriding the automatic settings. Panning in particular took a lot of setting up and if I got 5
useable sellable picturres from a 36 exposure reel I was over the moon. I'm sure I have some of those pictures somewhere still. Unfortunately they never look as good once you scan them though. I suppose what you are doing is in effect taking a digital photo of the original.
Quote from: Trainfish on November 27, 2020, 09:39:06 PM
I used to do a lot at Santa Pod
Santa Pod.
Is that where they do
drag racing :D
Oh gawd, yes it is as it happens. I left myself wide open there didn't I? :doh:
Thanks to everybody who gave their thoughts and remyn remmin remanis memories - it is appreciated. I have gone and bought the Canon EOS M50, so, some learning to do! :)
Please don't tell me you bought that awful looking white one though? :doh:
Quote from: Trainfish on November 28, 2020, 01:10:00 PM
Please don't tell me you bought that awful looking white one though? :doh:
Okay, I won't tell you I bought the awful looking white one ............. cos I bought the black one. :)
Quote from: dannyboy on November 28, 2020, 12:54:23 PM
Thanks to everybody who gave their thoughts and remyn remmin remanis memories - it is appreciated. I have gone and bought the Canon EOS M50, so, some learning to do! :)
Good camera's the EOS I still have a 35mm. Fit a 28 x 200 lens to it and you can take pictures of pilots faces flying in their aircraft at air shows! :)
Phew! :thumbsup:
I'm sure you will be happy with it. I have a 1300D which I have thought about updating but with the lack of use these days it just doesn't warrant it. Good luck with it and yes, there will be a lot to learn. I also have an IXUS 700 which I used for underwater photography with the genuine waterproof case of course. Not been able to use that for a while though since we had the bath taken out :(
Quote from: Trainfish on November 28, 2020, 01:30:03 PM
I also have an IXUS 700 which I used for underwater photography with the genuine waterproof case of course. Not been able to use that for a while though since we had the bath taken out :(
That sounds interesting, what sort of things have you been taking pictures of? :hmmm:
On second thoughts seeing you standing there in that superwoman outfit, don't bother answering ! :D
Hopefully this explains all. We only have a walk-in shower now so can't do this any more. The fish had to go :'(
(https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/102/262-291120021951-1025141675.gif)
Quote from: dannyboy on November 28, 2020, 12:54:23 PM
Thanks to everybody who gave their thoughts and remyn remmin remanis memories - it is appreciated. I have gone and bought the Canon EOS M50, so, some learning to do! :)
That's great news, the M50 is a lovely piece of kit and will do you proud. I had a play with one when it first came out courtesy of a friend who is a reviewer for one of the Camera Mags. Great performance and being mirrorless means it's less of a brick to cart around! I may love my Full Frame DSLRs but wherever possible I go mirrorless with a fixed lens (zooming in means walking forward!) and I know several huge names (eg: Trevor and Faye Yerbury have photographed the Queen) who have dumped all their DSLRs & Medium format kit in favour of Mirrorless APS C cameras so don't ever think of your EOS as being a lesser option.
I know several Fora where your question would have sparked a "lively debate" leading to challenges of duels, toys thrown out of prams and handbags at dawn. It is a testament to Railway Modellers that everyone was so helpful and constructive.
Happy snapping!