what camera should i get?

Question

i'm in high school, will be taking photo 1 next semester, so i'm just wondering what kind of camera i should get.

i know for sure that i want an slr camera, but i really don't know like what kind or what model, so if you have any suggestions, that would be great. =]

oh, i'm so sorry! i can't believe that i forgot to specify that i what kind of camera i needed.
but yes, i need a film camera for that class.

Answer 1

Photo 1 classes that dont supply the cameras themselves?

Anyway, for photo 1, you'll be needing a Film SLR camera, not a Canon Digital Rebel. Oh, and by the way, the Digital Rebel is a very old entry level DSLR, not a highly sought after wonder that some people say it is.

For film cameras, there is a wide variety. Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Minolta are all very good. I would recommend Nikon or Pentax, because if you ever want to move to a DSLR, you'll be able to use all of the lense that you buy with the film camera. Newer Canon lenses work on their DSLR's, but not the older ones. These are really good, which is a shame. Older Minolta are also very good cameras, and their lenses were made for a time with Leica lenses; the best in the world.

I always recommend Nikon gear, becuase of their solid design, and excellent lenses. An article in Pop Photo about an Army Sergeant in the 1940s saying that they were all as good as the German counterparts.
Most of Nikon's film cameras are very good, even still today. I just picked up a Nikon N8008s a few months back to compliment my Nikon DSLR. So far, it is a very good camera. The others that I have tried out are just as good. The Nikon 2020, N6006, N8008s, N90, are all excellent cameras. The more professional models are the f series: F2, F3, F4, F5, and F6. The F6 is still widely used, and is still hovering at around $2,000.

When you select a camera body, then you still need a lens. The standard for many decades has been the 50mm prime. They come in f-1.4 and f-1.8 models, f-1.4 being better, but the f-1.8 is very good as well. This lens, new, will set you back about $120. The 50mm 1.4 is about $350.

I will also recommend the Pentax K1000. It is a very good SLR for beginners, and has been so for over 30 years. It's very sturdy and strong.

As far as lenses go, this is all you need. You can always pick up a cheap used manual focus wide angle lens, or a telephoto zoom, but I do not recommend it. They just slow me down when I'm trying to shoot. Also, the constant aperture is always nice.

For places to buy, no one sells new camera bodies, except for the film Canon K2 model. It's very poor quality, and the kit lens is crap. The T2 is better, but not by much.

Check out B&H Photo and KEH.com. THese are both very good websites.

Hope this helped.

Answer 2

SLR isn't necessary and an expensive camera if you decide you don't like photography.

Is your class a film class or a digital class? How much are you thinking about spending? This more than anything will determine if you can benefit from buying an SLR.

I'm not a film photographer so I can't advise with that, but I do shoot with several digital cameras (Nikon D70 dslr, Olympus C-8080UW prosumer, and a Samsung NV-11 point an shoot) so I'll give you my opinion based on that.

First if you don't necessarily want to spend alot (<$500... some of my lenses are +$2000) then there are inexpensive point and shoots available that have full manual control (Shutter priority, Aperture priority, Manual) and that's most important if you want to learn to shoot. At a later date you can buy a dslr and use your point and shoot when the dslr is too obtrusive.

If you go with a point an shoot or prosumer, get one with a decent range telephoto lens. Optics are as important if not more important than the sensor and image processing engine. Hopefully a zoom range from 28mm to 150mm (slr equivalent) with a large aperture like f2.8 or bigger (the smaller the aperture number the larger the aperture). Which camera to get will depend mostly on how much you want to spend.

If you can spend $500+ then certainly consider dslr's as they are significantly superior from a response rate perspective (faster shot times) better sensors which results in superior image quality. Plus you can of course benefit from using a plethora of lenses. Better lenses will cost a lot (again $500+ minimum per lens is the norm) but there are decent enough ones that are also inexpensive available.

Which brand SLR depends alot on your needs. I've found that for basic shooting (portraits, party shots, etc.) almost any camera brand will do.

Most pro's use Canon and Nikon camera's. The two brands probably make up 80% of the market. I've found that unless you have some obscure shooting requirement there's not really too much difference between the two brands from a lens point of view. Nikon and Canon have similarly matching lenses. Oh, don't let anyone sway you with extremely exacting lens comparisons between a these two brands. In most cases I'd bet you'd never be able to tell the difference between either lens.

As for a DSLR body and user interface, this is probably where I'd focus most of my decision because you may prefer one over another however for most new users, it probably won't matter as you'd learn one over another.

So, all that said, the number 1 thing to consider is my one question for you... how much do you want to spend?

This will determine which body (& lens) will be in your price range.

HTH.

Answer 3

Many photography courses require you to have a film camera, not digital, so I would reccommend asking the instructor before you buy.

What ever camera you choose, make sure it has a manual setting on it. You will need to use this feature to learn about exposure, and many of your assignments will require you to use it.

Choosing a SLR is more about personal taste than anything else. Stick to a major brand, find one that feels nice in your hands, and if you are buying used, make sure the lenses will fit the most recent camera models. You may want to update the camera at some time, and you won't have to replace the lenses you already have.

Hope you enjoy the class!

Answer 4

If you're taking a serious photography class, which it seems you are, I would definitely steer towards a Canon Rebel xTi.

I'm taking a digital photography class now, and I started off with my point-and-shoot. We have the opportunity to check out Rebels from our media lab, which I have done twice, and I never want to give them back!

The only drawback, though, is that it's really expensive-- $850 for a full kit (lens, case, etc).

I was looking around myself and saw a pretty nice Sony model that had similar features to the Rebel but was about $350-400, if I can remember correctly.

It takes some time getting used to, especially all of the manual controls, but you are almost guaranteed to take better pictures with the SLR camera. You're even closer to a guarantee if you're skilled in Photoshop. It's much easier to shoot better pictures from the camera than to try to fix them in Photoshop, though, so remember that. The class will help.

Answer 5

You don't mention whether you want a digital SLR.
The Canon Rebel is a digital SLR that is very popular with camera buffs.
Don't know where you are located, but if you go to the B&H Photo and Video website you will find that they have great prices, plus a wide variety to choose from. Also 17th Street Photo has great prices.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
http://www.17photo.com/default.asp

Enjoy the course. Photography is a lot of fun and very rewarding artistically. :-)

Answer 6

Your going to want to ask your instructor. They may want you to have a film camera or a digital one. Probably film but digital is getting big so you need to ask.

If its a film camera, check craigslist. You can usually find some pretty cheap gear. Just make sure you have a camera with all manual features. Manual control over shutter speed and aperture are essential, its usually marked with just an M on the dial. If it has automatic features too its cool.

Just an example: http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/pho/471211241.html

Answer 7

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Answer 8

My Canon Xti is great.

You'll find most people are either nikon or canon people but don't listen to those nikon lovers, they don't make a good digital camera.

Canon is tried, true and trusted.

Sony's decent for digital too.

Answer 9

i use a pentax 35mm an a digicam when i shot pics depending on what effect i'm going for

Answer 10

idk wat kind of camera ur lookin 4 but i just got a casio pink 1 and its rly qute!