calling all photographers

[haveaparty]

hav been thinking for a while now about getting into photography as a bit of a hobby. just something else to keep me occupied instead of working on cars. just wondering wat cameras ppl use. and i dont mean my little $300 harvey norman speacial lol. dont really know where to start looking but i imagine that a good digital slr (or wat ever there called) camera will be like over 1000 doi.

any help and guidance in much appriciated

[McLEVIN]

Can get some very decent entry level digital slr cameras for $1000-$1300 w/ twin lens kit.
nikon would be your best bet for an entry level slr they are good value for money. canons are good too but a bit more expensive.
the debate over canon>nikon (for an entry level camera) is a whole lot of wank in my opinion...much like mac vs pc...
if you got a lot of time on your hand i recommend doing an intro to photography and darkroom course, using a film camera. its a relative cheap medium and you'll learn how to really use your camera properally. if you can shoot film you can shoot digital, its alot more fun and you can get real creative.

[haveaparty]

Sweet. Cheers dude

[LittleRedSpirit]

Eos 7d is the best value for money unit I think. Does high def video, 18MP, 8 frames a second sequences, high speed flash sync, and can wirelessly trigger canon flash packs with no external equipment. Its about 2000 dollars, but if you end up getting at all serious you would end up selling whatever slr you buy when you realise its limitations, to get something like this anyhow. lenses are cheap, just to get something basic with an average F stop. If you want to you can spend thousands on lenses, but the two that I carry with mine day to day are just around a hundred bucks each, so if it gets dropped, the camera is wearing the lens for protection I guess.

Thats my 2c, I have the 7d and rate it very highly. Its cool because it takes photos just like the top of the line cameras and has all the features more or less, but it still has a little pop up flash so at first glance nobody thinks its a decent camera and its a bit easier to run around with as its more compact than the serious Eos5 or Eos 1 models, which are rather large and heavy. kinda the best of both worlds.

What kind of shooting interests you?

[haveaparty]

cheers for the input, any cence is worth it lol. just pretty much wanna shoot cars lol, but will also shoot if i see a nice scenery shot or if an orgy breaks out i wont say no to that hahaha

[KE20]

You don't need to spend much money at all to get started i got a secondhand nikon d70 dslr body for $150 from a camera store and a few lenses at $200ish each obviously its not a fancy camera but its a good way to see if you like shooting photos without dropping thousands

[haveaparty]

Yeah I was thinking of getting a second hand one to see if I like it.

[progkamol]

I got a Canon EOS 50D ... very good for the price. You can get secondhand for around $1,000 with accessories etc.

[HMRacing]

I'm a canon man, I've invested alot of money into gear but to anyone looking to enter into it i'd say don't do what I did. Don't spend big on new bodies as they'll be old and outdated in a year or so, and don't go out and say "nikon are the best, because my second uncle shoots nikon." The only difference between the two major brands is the user interface. Before you make a decision, go to a shop like teds and test some bodies out to see which feels better in your hands. The rest is much of a muchness.

If your budget is $1000, remember that in that you'll want a bag to carry your ever expanding kit, batteries, CF cards, etc, leaving you with 800 odd to actually spend on a body and lens/es. In that price range you could get both the Nikon d3100, or the Canon 1100D with a single kit lens(18-55mm), or a 50mm f1.8(much better option to begin with) plus all the necessities(bag, cards, etc.)

The Kit lenses are not great and are built terribly. You will outgrow them quickly and want to move onto something like a 24-70mm f2.8, so I wouldn't bother with them, but rather get the 50mm f1.8(nifty fifty) and be creative with what you have.

If you have a bit more to spend($1500), I'd still recommend an entry level body, but invest more money in glass. I'd go the same bodies as I mentioned before, but get a 18-55mm and a 50mm f1.4(will last you a lifetime). I wouldn't recommend spending big on a 7d or D300 and going with cheap lenses, as the lens creates the picture. All sensors are the same, bar the amount of pixels.

Another thing you could look into is buying second hand. I know have a great sales section where you could find a bargain on some better lenses and a used body. If you choose to buy off of ebay, either buy locally so you can inspect the gear, or buy from a reputable grey importer. Buying online is a good choice, if you're confident you know what you want. are a very competitive with their pricing and are very helpful. My mate has bought all his gear from them and recommends them highly.

Finally, if you're not too sure, give the film world a go. As you're not spending big on gear, buying on ebay is a viable option. I'd recommend an older body(Any lenses you get for this camera will be compatible with newer digital bodies). These cameras force you to be creative and push you out of your comfort zone as you can't test a shot, but rather need to instinctively shoot away and hope for the best.

Hope I haven't confused you too much.

[haveaparty]

wow cheers man, will reffer back to this wen the time comes