Best Camera to start taking up photography with?

Question

I really would love to get into the hobby of photography. I just dont know what camera i should start with. I am looking for a camera that takes clean bright shots. I dont care how technologically advaced the camera is i will learn how to use it, i just want something that will last me a while b/c most digital cameras these days go out of style so fast. Also any good advice on photography editing programs i should go with would be great. Thank you

I have taken pics before but just with friends. I had a hp photosmart camera 8.1 mp. The thing i didnt like about the camera was it made everyone look very pale and brought out all of our flaws it seems. I want classic looking photos that really capture the moment and i wasnt getting that with my camera. I understand about going with the cheaper and its what you do with it. The problem is...i dont know how to do anything with the pics once i take them. I do my best editing them and adding stuff. It just seems the photo programs i buy are either to easy to use and dont offer the effects i want or the others are way complicated and have really no help manual

Answer 1

You should think about taking a photography class at your local community college or high school. The knowledge you'll acquire will give you a better idea of what you want to do with photography. Then you'll have a better idea of what camera to buy.

IMO any aspiring photographer should learn photography with a manual 35mm film camera.

Using one will help you learn about f-stops, shutter speeds and light.

You'll learn composition. Knowing the "Rules of Composition" will give you good results when you're getting started. As you gain experience and begin to develop your personal vision you'll know when to ignore the "Rules" and think of them as "Guidelines".

You'll learn about different lenses and their uses and why there is such a price disparity.

You'll learn to slow down and think about what you're trying to do.

You'll learn how to get the photograph "right" in the camera and avoid the mind-set of "Oh well, I'll fix it in Photoshop."

Don't worry about a camera "going out of style". There will be technological advances, as there are in computers or cars. Ignore the marketing hype. A 50 year old camera in the hands of a skilled photographer can yield excellent results. Today's most advanced DSLR in unskilled hands will yield mediocre results. Its all about the photographer and their skill level.

The late Robert Capa, photojournalist, combat photographer, once quipped: "I'd rather have a strong image that is technically bad then vice-versa." He's also quoted as saying "If your pictures aren't good enough you aren't close enough."

Answer 2

Personally I dislike cannons, they are not the easiest cameras to handle and usually they have strange things going on with the shutter speed, often a fraction of a second delay but it's really irritating when you want to capture something instantly that changes within a couple of seconds! Not too big a problem though. Nikon D40 is the best DSLR you can probably buy under the £500 bracket. Buy a 18-200 lens if you can, it'll keep you going for years. Really - unless you're a pro, taking photos for a living, you won't need anything more!

Answer 3

This is a silly answer, but get one that you'll use!

Are you familiar with the great designers, Charles and Ray Eames?

Charles had a grandson who was getting interested in photography. They gave him a nice camera, but he was so afraid of breaking it, he didn't use it much. Instead, Charles bought him a cheap camera that was only a step up from disposable. That way his grandson would focus on taking pictures, rather than focus on the camera.

The camera isn't important - just the fact that you're taking pictures. Every tool has handicaps and weaknesses. The art is learning how optimize what you've got.

If you go digital, get something that doesn't have a delay between the time you press the shutter and when the camera actually takes the shot. I've missed many great shots because of this problem.

Answer 4

Probably your best idea would be a fairly cheap digital camera to start with. That way, if you find that photography is not for you, you have not wasted too much money. Don't worry about it going out of style. It is what you do with it that counts :-).
By the time you have found out if you like photography or not, you will be ready to upgrade to a better camera (or take up something else).
Software is very important. Most digital cameras these days come with their own software which helps you to edit your shots. The shots you take with a digital are only raw data. What you do with it is the fun part.
There are several very good freebies which you can download as far as editors are concerned.
One is IrfanView which can be downloaded from
http://www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm
Picasa is another good one which can be found at
http://www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm
If you have a little spare cash and find that you like editing and messing around with photographs, try ACDSee at
http://www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm
I have used ACDSee for years and find it to be excellent.
Happy clicking. :-)

Answer 5

well i just started taking photos seriously about last year. I bought a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTI, and I've found that it's a really great camera, very easy to learn to use. It also has great megapixel resolution, it's small, light, and very sturdy. I've found that it's one of the best of the entry level SLR cameras on the market right now. Not to mention it's compatible with all Canon lenses, also. To give you a point of reference, I won first prize at my county fair with that camera, and I've only been shooting for about a year. So all in all, i would say to go with a good, entry level SLR camera, either by Nikon or Canon, they're both pretty much the same if you look at them, it's mainly a matter of preference between the two. Hope that helped.

Answer 6

you should consider investing to a more professional point-and-shoot camera.. if you're interested (but just on the beginning) in the expensive-yet-exciting world of photography, don't throw money on buying a DSLR (those big black 'real' camera which you can swap the lenses), you don't need them, yet!!! by the time if you then get familiar with photography, let say after a couple of years, then consider getting one, otherwise it's such a waste of money

so, get a 'prosumer' point-and-shoot camera! there's a wide options to choose...

you'd might confuse on what i mentioned about 'prosumer' here... so how do you distinguish a merely 'consumer' camera and a 'prosumer' ones?

+ a consumer camera usually small, compact, and cute (yes, this last fact also sells!)

+ a prosumer camera have 'big zoom' or even 'super-zoom' lenses

+ yes, that definetely increase the size of the camera.. usually it comes with propotionally large-looking lens

+ on prosumer ones, you'd get more options for shooting manually
(more than compact consumer camera, that usually only have options such as; night scenes, sports, potraits, macro, and a bit more.. in prosumer cameras, you'd get like ability to change shutter speed, apperature opening, iso speed, white balance, playing with your focus, etc.)

with these ability to manually shoot your pictures, you'll learn a lot.. trust me, don't just take automatic settings everytime, try shooting manual

e.g. new prosumer cameras that recommended (by some review on websites like dpreview.com): panasonic lumix fz8, canon powershot s5 is, canon powershot g7, panasonic lumix fz50, and many more