What is the best digital Camera to buy that gives professional studio quality?

Question

About how much $$$ should it cost , & where to buy it at???

Answer 1

Hi there Bande,

There are definitely two attributes that will give you professional quality results – one is your camera equipment, and the second, how you use it. Just a few years ago a “professional quality digital camera” had 6 or 8 megapixels. Today, entry level digital SLRs come with this level of resolution. So you don’t have to buy a truly professional camera in the $12,000 range to get professional looking results. But you do need the basics.

The basic camera for professional looking results that allows you the kind of flexibility that professionals have to adjust lighting, focus, exposure settings, etc will have to be a digital SLR of some sort. Canon and Nikon are by far the leaders in the space – but there are many manufacturers that make great cameras.

Second, you have to spend time and energy learning how to use these controls to get the high quality effects you are looking for. The skill of using the camera is a key differentiator in professional results and “point-and-shoot” photography.

Flickr recently launched a Camera Finder feature (http://flickr.com/cameras/) that allows you to browse photos by camera model. You can look at night shots, landscapes, and other kinds of sophisticated camera usage as well. This is a great way to not only see the actual photos taken by a camera – but also see how different photographers use the camera. You can even contact the photographers who take photos you like to learn about how they achieved a certain effect. The Camera Finder also features links to prices and shopping outlets for the camera once you’re ready to buy.

Hope this helps – and good luck!

Answer 2

Professional studio quality is the result of 3 things:
* a good lighting system
* a +$1000 portrait lens
* a professional behind the camera
Lots of pro photographers have also taken stellar shots with humble point & shoots, of couse. Some - on a dare - have even managed to sell every single picture from a $10 disposable camera. This all leads me to believe that the photographer is the key ingredient ;-)
I personally use a +$3000 Nikon setup and I can highly recommend it. Canon is also great. But I think the best way to approach this, is to start with your budget and the kind of photography you're into, and take it from there.
In my profile (if you click on my name) I list a couple of review sites for digital cameras and a few good places to buy camera gear.
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I just popped back to see if I could learn something from the 3 people that answered after me (so far). Instead, 1 item of spam and 2 more recommendations for Canon and Nikon gear. I´m surprised that nobody´s mentioned the Canon 1Ds Mk ll yet - their top of the line model. Or medium / large format cameras... since you asked about studio quality, something like a Hasselblad would win hands down. How many thousands of dollars did you want to spend again?
*deep breath*
Okay, I´m done ranting.

Answer 3

You can get quality photos from most any of the digital SLR cameras from Nikon or Canon. The Nikon cameras, low to high, go D50, D70s, D80, D200, D2Xs. For what you are looking at I'd seriously look at the D80 or better. I believe the body for that camera sells for around $1,000 (US). Expect to spend around $1300 (US) for the camera with a kit lens. A professional level lens will add another $1,000 although Nikon makes a 50mm f/1.8 lens that is good for portraits and sell for around $100

In the Canon line up I'd look at the 20D, 30D, 5D (low to high). Canon makes a Rebel XT and XTi but neither of those have a spot meter and I prefer the autofocus sensor arrangement in the other cameras. I'm not sure about Canon pricing. The 5D is the only digitial SLR I am aware of that has a full frame sensor but it will set you back several thousand dollars. It, like the Nikon D2Xs, are the cameras the top pros use.

There are several reputable camera dealers. B&H is kind of the standard in the US and usually has good prices. Check out some of the photography magazines and check those vendor ratings online. I have bought equipment from other dealers with good results. Other places have been Adorama, Beach Camera, and Amazon.

Answer 4

The top name in cameras for decades has been Hasselblad. At the "Pricegrabbers" link below you can get a 39 MP camera for about $30,000 but you will probably need accessories that could run another 10 grand.

I suspect that with 39 MP you could probably do high quality pics for billboards. At $40,000-$50,000 for the complete outfit it is indeed a product for professionals. Us other folks can just look at them and drool. The same sort of drooling I do whenever I see a Rolls.

Don't forget the Lloyds of London insurance policy to go along with it.

Answer 5

I would buy a top of the range camera from Fuji- the S6500 has excellent reviews and loads of features. I have a S20 Pro which was the top of the range and it's superb. If you buy a previous year's top of line you'll get it a lot cheaper. The 6500 can be bought for about £240 in the UK (probably a lot less in the USA). Loads of shops- check on kelkoo.com.
The true digital SLR's are a lot more. I would wait before you get one as the prices are dropping.

Answer 6

Yes, the Hassleblad is the only one that will give you true studio quality. It's quality exceeds that of a fine-grain 35mm film.

Most studio work is done using - at the minimum - a 6x4.5 camera.
6cm x 4cm negative on 120 film. 2-1/4" square (6x6cm) is more commong.

Answer 7

I would agree that the EOS 1D is a top of the range camera. because of the way a digital camera captures images it still falls short of a medium format 35mm film camera.
The quality and build is improving but still has a bit to go.

Answer 8

I have many photographer friends and many of them swear by the Canon Eos range. But you need to be looking at spending upwards of $1000 to even come close to the studio quality ones they use.

Answer 9

Without a doubt, the best is the Cannon EOS-1D. They retail for about $12,000 AUD. THey are available at all good camera shops. I have had professional photos done from this camera and I can't recomend it highly enough. It is exspensive but it is the best.

Answer 10

There is a web site www.alwaysbelowretail.com that has all brands and makes of cameras plus 50,000 other quality brand name products of every kind at approx 50% below retail prices.The best feature though is that they offer a full description of all the capabilities of every one. Great for finding out what they offer and compare it to what you need.