Beginner searching for a Camera

[sholla]

All-

I've begun to get an itch to buy a camera and start a new hobby which I hope could eventually turn into something more. I have a degree in graphic design and have taken a couple of photography classes (about 5ish years ago). These classes stayed with the basics of digital photography. I currently use a point and shoot KODAK EASYSHARE M863 Digital Camera and I'm looking to move up. I have no idea which direction to take though. I would love to begin shooting at sporting events at some point. There are so many options...it's quite overwhelming. If anyone has any advice I am more than eager to hear it.

Thanks!
-Sean

[Tzetsin]

Well, there are a couple things you need to know right off the bat.

#1 Photography is EXPENSIVE. I'm not talking about a nikon coolpix 100 dollar point and shoot, I'm talking about a digital SLR. The actual camera is going to be very likely the cheapest piece of the big picture.

#2 There are 2 areas of photography that really require top of the line gear. Weddings and sports shooters. Weddings need low light performance and Sports need speed (fps) So if your serious about shooting sports, then your going to shoot sports effectivly then your going to need a Canon 7D or other brand equivilent (about 1600 bucks for JUST THE BODY) then your going to need a good zoom lens (100-400L zoom = 1800) Tripod or monopod with head = around 300
FAST compact flash card (fastest one available, whatever that is at the time) around 250 And a computer to do your edits unless you have one already and a copy of lightroom or equivilent @ around 200$. You can get away with less while your learning, but if you actually want to do it and make money, thats the equipment you'll need. Even as a beginner the cheapest of the cheap you can get in a DSLR is about 700 new.

#3 Photography isn't a spectator sport, it takes years to develop and hone. Against popular belief there are no shortcuts. You can go into business anytime you like, but you'll be going in uneducated and untried. If your good at business, you might make it, if not, then you wont. its really up to the individual.

#4 Photography is extremely rewarding and a hell of a lot of fun. It almost forces you to get to know new people, broaden your horizons and become more creative. Its well worth the time, effort and cost.

The cost is usually the killer for most people. You often get stuck with what you can afford, not what you need. This causes a couple issues. Firstly if you have what you can afford, and not what you need, then you will catch the upgrade-itice desease. You'll forever be looking to upgrade. Secondly, you wont be able to focus on learning "photography" because you'll always blame poor skill on bad equipment. Sometimes this will be true, like if your trying to take pictures of fast action with a rebel and a kit lens, but most of the time it'll just be your lack of skill, not the camera. You wont have enough experience though, and because your struck with upgrade-itice, you wont be able to identify it, nor accept it.

Photography is one of those rare hobbies that both have a good used market, and a used market that doesnt drop very fast. If you bought all your equipment used for x dollars, you'd very likely be able to sell that same equipment for the same (and sometimes more) than you paid for it, so experimenting with different equipment is very much a possibility without having to shell out for something you'll be stuck with forever.

My advice is always to buy what you'll need, not what you can afford. This isnt always the best advice for everyone though as some people only get into photography as a hobby and then ditch it, but even then, what they "need" is just a camera with manual settings to see if they like it, and they should buy accordingly. If you really think you want to do this for money, wasteing your money on new equipment is exactly that. wasting. If you cant afford 3000 dollars investment for the proper gear, then get what you can afford, USED, so you can ditch it and "waste" as little as you can. On a side note, Canon and Nikon have the biggest used market. I'd stick with them.

So any advice anyone can give you is all up to you, how much you can afford, how much time you want to invest learning, and how you want your future in photography to go (hobbyist, pro hobby, or pro) Any way you look at it, photography is a life changer. The bulk of your extra cash will go there, the bulk of your extra time will go there and any future events, holidays and such will be influenced by it.

Once your deep into photography, nowhere you go will look the same. no time of day, shift in season or phase of the moon will go un noticed by you. You will know at about what time of day the sun goes up, comes down, you'll know the weather patterns, you'll know the patterns of people walking down the street, you'll notice skin tones, blemishes and always think how a scene that you notice could be photographed. You will no longer be the same person you are now.

If you think you are overwhelmed now, before you've even gotten your first camera, all I have to say is "you ain't seen nothin yet!"

;D I hope I have both enlightened you and intrigued you. The initial cost of photography is high, but for the most part, once you've got the right gear, it doesnt really wear out (other than bodies, but like i said, its the cheap part of your kit) and because we're all digital now, there is very little cost to shoot.

[sholla]

Tzetsin-

Thanks for such an in depth reply. I really appreciate the insight. While I would LOVE to eventually become a sports photographer...would it make more sense to buy a used digital SLR and shoot as much of everything else as I can in order to get used to it and learn the controls before spending a greater amount? I'm just not totally sure on where to start. I am very willing to educate myself through reading and trial and error but I need to find my first camera before I can dive right in.

Thanks again!

[tsy72001]

So your saying a Rebel not not a good camera?? So far I love mine and can upgrade when I get better. Why waste tones of money when one is learning? Not trying to be ugly just want to know!

[bigben6]

Originally Posted by sholla

Tzetsin-

Thanks for such an in depth reply. I really appreciate the insight. While I would LOVE to eventually become a sports photographer...would it make more sense to buy a used digital SLR and shoot as much of everything else as I can in order to get used to it and learn the controls before spending a greater amount? I'm just not totally sure on where to start. I am very willing to educate myself through reading and trial and error but I need to find my first camera before I can dive right in.

Thanks again!

I think this philosophy is great. It's what I have done, and I have enjoyed it very much. I am not a pro, will never have the gear Tzetsin has, but I make do with what I do have and i read alot.


tsy72001- a rebel is a terrible camera for a national geographic photographer, it's no too bad for a serious hobbiest, it is a GREAT camera for a weekend warrior, only you can decide if it does what you need it to do.

[Phillydog1958]

Last spring, I sold my Nikon D5000 on Craig's List for $450. I even threw in a beginner's camera bag and an extra battery. The buyer was also an experienced hobbyist with his own camera. He bought my D5000 for his wife. There's a great pre-owned market out there. Try Craig's List.

[sholla]

Does this sound like a decent deal for my first dslr? I stopped in on Saturday and they said they could get me a refurbished Canon EOS Rebel T1i EF-S 18-55mm IS Kit Black for $599.

Canon EOS Rebel T1i EF-S 18-55mm IS Kit Black REFURBISHED

Should I keep looking? Should I stay away from refurbished? $600 is my limit.

[tsy72001]

Originally Posted by bigben6

tsy72001- a rebel is a terrible camera for a national geographic photographer, it's no too bad for a serious hobbiest, it is a GREAT camera for a weekend warrior, only you can decide if it does what you need it to do.

I do want a better camera when I hone my skills and can make great shtis. I do love my T3!!

[Doug Sundseth]

Since Adorama has the body for $499, and the lens is only worth around $100, I wouldn't pay that price for that camera refurbished.

Note that I don't have a problem in principle with factory refurbs; they're generally just as good as new stock, though they have a shorter warranty (usually). But if I'm going to give something up, I want something back, and it doesn't look you're getting anything back.

FWIW, B&H is selling a Nikon D3100 kit with essentially that same lens for $596 new and a new T2i kit for $609.

(I trust both B&H and Adorama, BTW; they've been around for a very long time and have given me excellent service whenever I've needed it.)

[kathleenwilliams]

Originally Posted by sholla

All-

I've begun to get an itch to buy a camera and start a new hobby which I hope could eventually turn into something more. I have a degree in graphic design and have taken a couple of photography classes (about 5ish years ago). These classes stayed with the basics of digital photography. I currently use a point and shoot KODAK EASYSHARE M863 Digital Camera and I'm looking to move up. I have no idea which direction to take though. I would love to begin shooting at sporting events at some point. There are so many options...it's quite overwhelming. If anyone has any advice I am more than eager to hear it.

Thanks!
-Sean

shooting at sporting events is a good start.. Many fans are interested in photos of their favorite players so you'll have a large market (if you are planning to get something from those photos) .. .. Graphic design is a good foundation and will be great addition to your photography skills for if you'll have your photos you can enhance it..