| Joined: | Mon Apr 2nd, 2012 |
| Location: | South Lakeland, UK |
| Posts: | 4066 |
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I've decided to make photography my hobby.
Nice idea, what other interests do you have? Hill walking, birds, motorsport, coin collecting, nighttime/stars or many other interests? They can all involve photography.
What you intend to photograph has a big bearing on what camera and perhaps what lens you need.
I want to get a mid range camera (is that a good idea or is lower better for now?), I don't plan on upgrading for a year or two, I figure it will take me some time and a lot of practice to go for something better if need be later on. My budget is around $500, it can be a little more if it makes sense. I keep browsing on amazon and I feel overwhelmed as I know nothing about these cameras but I really want one.
You should be able to get a Nikon D200/300 and a simple lens for that budget, I prefer manual focus lenses. I would steer away from the lowest end, 3xxx and 5xxx cameras because so many functions are buried in the menus. They are also limited in choice of lens.
I've read a few posts here and there and watched some stuff on youtube, however I don't know anyone I can ask irl and I just would like for someone to make sense of buying a camera. Do I need the Canon EOS Rebel T6 with bundle (I don't know what I'm looking at in those dslr bundles and I don't know if it's a deal or trash) for $ 550 on amazon (can I post a link at what I'm looking at or can you guys pull it up by searching amazon?) or would just a camera and a certain lense do it for awhile? I would like to be able to use it to take pictures of my husbands band playing indoors/outdoors at night and during the day. I would love to be able to take nice shots of my kids playing sports (football & ballet) as well as close ups. I think these cameras can handle taking a decent video as well? It would be used for birthdays or holidays (where on the camera would the sound be recorded or is that an extra? I can't figure this one out at all, sorry if it is dumb to ask.)
For video you would need something more modern than my first suggestion but frankly for video I would stick with something like a Go-Pro which you can buy for peanuts, or even a smart phone, which can produce perfectly adequate videos. Video resolution is much lower than still camera resolution, but you take many more exposures. Then you have to assemble the clips... I have loads of video clips I CBA to sift through and edit to make a movie that nobody will ever watch, except perhaps once if pushed!
See this is where I wouldn't mind going over the budget because I was planning on buying a video cam that can record at night but if a photo cam can handle the occasional video that would be awesome and square away that purchase. I just don't know if it would be able to record in the dark is that even a thing with these types of cameras?
For dark things get a bit difficult and for satisfying results more expensive, you need more sensitive lenses and more sensitive camera. Both of which get very expensive, very quickly, also a good tripod.
Thank you for reading through my scattered brain post, please help
Not a problem, I have tried to break it down for you... Photography frequently works alongside an interest, if it's only visiting new places and exploring, I am interested and involved with motorsport, so that's one aspect of my interest. I am also very interested in plants and flowers so that's another. I also find the challenge of star photography irresistible! While I enjoy seeing uncommon birds, photographing them well is too much of a financial challenge for me.
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Robert.