New Camera. Any Advice?

[stealinglaramie]

I am a beginning photographer and I recently got rid of my Canon Rebel T1i because I was unsatisfied. I'm in the market for a new camera and I'm worried about making the wrong choice. I've been looking at the Canon EOS 60D and the Nikon D7000 and the D5100. I'm looking to spend no more than around $1,500 for a kit. I need a camera and lens(es) that are good with action photography, specifically dog sports, and portraits. I also like to try different angles, so should I buy a dslr with a movable monitor?

[Doug Sundseth]

I've seen many pictures from the T1i that are quite nice (all genres). It's a pretty good camera.

The first thing you need to decide is just what it was about your old camera that was a problem. Once you know that, you can identify a camera that solves the problems that you had.

As far as a flexible monitor, they're sometimes quite nice, especially when shooting at ground level or with the camera held overhead. But they don't work very well in bright sunlight and they're a bit more prone to mechanical failure than a standard monitor. When I was shooting with a D5000, I found myself using the flexibility only very occasionally.

[inkista]

Two questions.

1) Are you sure it was the equipment and not a technique issue? Because if it was a technique issue, it's gonna follow you to whatever gear you get.

2) Your budget's a little low to do fast-action sports, too. I'd say drop that from the list for now, and concentrate on portrait, when it comes to buying lenses, particularly if you're going to be blowing $1000 or so of that $1600 budget on the body alone.The lowest price tag I know of on a new 70-200 f/2.8 lens is about $800, and those are third-party. The OEM ones are in the $1600-$2000 price range, new. You're going to have to save up a bit more for the fast-action/dog sports lens.

[stealinglaramie]

I do believe that it was partially me, but I bought a macro lens and it's photos were really nice. They were clear and I was overall happy with them. So, I don't think it was all me. I had two lenses that came in a kit with the camera and they were fine with the action as well as pretty cheap (Canon 55-250mm zoom and 18-55mm). They were able to stop the motion of my dog, and she's fast. The problem was with the focusing. Again, it was probably me, but I worked at it for the longest time and just couldn't get it to focus on the right area. If it was me, any advice would be awesome. I'm a beginner, so I don't want equipment that I won't be able to use.

I've been looking in Best Buy and I'm liking the Nikon D5100 that comes with 1-2 lenses, depending on the kit. I was wondering what length lenses would be good for both portraits and action. I feel like I can get something that will satisfy what I want to do with the action because I don't have to freeze something that's moving crazy fast like a car. Like I said, my cheap lenses from before could catch my Border Collie. The D5100 is in my price range and I've heard nothing but good things about it. However, I was looking at D7000 and the Canon EOS 60D. They all look like great cameras, but I don't know which one is for me. They are currently on sale at Best Buy, so I would be saving around $500, if that helps.

Nikon D7000 currently on sale at BB- body, 18-105mm lens, 55-200mm lens $1,649.98
Canon EOS 60D currently on sale- body, 18-135mm lens $1,299.99

[Doug Sundseth]

I shoot the D7000 now, and I love it. I bought it as an upgrade from the D5000, mostly for the better user interface, somewhat because of the better high-ISO performance.

Testimonials aside, I'd strongly recommend that you go by a local camera store and try out the cameras you're interested in. See if they'll grab focus quickly enough for you, which fits your hands best, which gives you easy access to the controls you care about right now.

One thing about camera bodies is that they're not a 'forever' purchase. In a few years there will be a body that is much better than anything you can buy right now, so don't worry too much about future-proofing that part of the equation. That said, the ergonomics of one Nikon or Canon body are usually quite similar to the next body from the same company. If you hate the feel or interface of one, you're unlikely to fall in love with the next body from the same company.

The other part of the equation is the lenses. Once you buy into a given company's lenses, you're likely to be there for a long time. (Though lenses, especially good lenses, hold their value on the secondary market pretty well, so it's not an irrevocable commitment.)

[BigFuzzy]

Originally Posted by stealinglaramie

I am a beginning photographer and I recently got rid of my Canon Rebel T1i because I was unsatisfied.

Originally Posted by stealinglaramie

I do believe that it was partially me, but I bought a macro lens and it's photos were really nice. They were clear and I was overall happy with them. So, I don't think it was all me. I had two lenses that came in a kit with the camera and they were fine with the action as well as pretty cheap (Canon 55-250mm zoom and 18-55mm). They were able to stop the motion of my dog, and she's fast. The problem was with the focusing. Again, it was probably me, but I worked at it for the longest time and just couldn't get it to focus on the right area. If it was me, any advice would be awesome. I'm a beginner, so I don't want equipment that I won't be able to use.

It's not an issue of getting camera you won't be able to use, it's more about getting something you don't need. I really don't think, from reading the above, that you need to upgrade. I don't mean to sound harsh, but I really believe it's probably your technique and lack of knowledge about your focus settings/options. Have you learned what the three different focus settings are and have practiced with them? Do you know proper panning technique?

How do you hold your camera? Do you have good camera holding technique?

What setting are you shooting in?

Can you post us a photo showing the type of image that made you unhappy? And please include the exif so we can see what the settings are.

I'm always hesitant when people say what you're saying because it's almost always the person and not the camera.

The best thing you could do for us to try to help you find a good answer is to post one (or two or three) images that are reflective of why you believe it's the camera and give us the exif info, and we'll be able to give you much better educated answers.

It's my initial opinion that you would probably benefit more from a better lens than a whole new body.. but let's see those photos and then we can take this further. Don't get caught up in the "better camera = better photos"

[prince]

+1 Big Fuzzy. It appears to be a technique issue. However, getting better lenses will also solve your problem if you decide to upgrade at all. I just upgraded from D40 - D7000 and today is the day when my new toy arrives

[SwissJon]

I think I'm going to agree with Fuzzy here too (I usually do)

FIRST get your technique right, second get a better camera.. Thing is, it's a long slippery slope getting more and more gear, and if your only reason for getting one is that the one you have isn't good, then you're going to be disappointed when you get a better one and still find your technique stinks.. Push yourself to the boundaries of your camera, THEN upgrade.

I'll also agree with the comment from Prince.. Good photos are 60% technique and user, 35% Glass and 5% camera.. (Although I've no scientific proof on ths numbers ha ha!)

Get your glass sorted before your camera.. Stick with Canon, there's nothing wrong with Canon, get some decent glass, little by little, learn to use it.

Then when you've got the glass sorted, then you upgrade the camera body.. This is the right way to go about things.. It's unusual for people to do it that way, but it's the way it should be done.

[graciousness]

The problem is she (or he) already got rid of the Canon Rebel. So no choice but to get a new camera now.

But the advice from everybody else is the same - you need to understand technique first and find out what it is that you were doing that were unsatisfactory. A few months ago, I was like you and was wondering if I need a better camera, even a change from Canon to Nikon, to get sharper images that i want. I was advised by these kind folks that it's not the camera but me and that i need to hone my skills.

Of course they are right.

I would also recommend like what the others said about getting better glass (lens) when shopping for your new kit. Look for purchase that gives you the best lens you can get even if it means a downgrade in camera body.

Why don't you let people see some of your photos so that they can give you feedback on your photos that you feel have issues and made you get rid of your camera?

Cheers and good luck. Don't forget to look for online deals, too.

[stealinglaramie]

BigFuzzy, you don't sound harsh at all. I know that I have A LOT to learn, and I'm trying. What I've learned, I've learned on my own, and until a few months ago, I lived in the middle of nowhere. There were no classes or groups of any kind, much less for photography, and we had dial-up, so I couldn't do much research. I'm not trying to make excuses, but that was my situation. I lived in a beautiful area, but all I had was nature and dogs, so not much variety. I do know about the three focus settings and I have practiced with them, but I quickly got discouraged and stopped.

I suppose I hold the camera correctly. Never thought about it until now. I've shot with every combination of settings you could imagine. I absolutely know it was me, but I'm confused at why the macro lens' photos turned out so much better. Was it because it was just a better lens?

I'm not saying that a better camera will make everything better. I want a fresh start. Trying everything I possibly could and still getting nothing really made me depressed. I pretty much gave up. I'd had this camera for over a year and nothing I did the whole time worked.

SwissJon, I've already gotten rid of my camera. Like I said before, I just need a fresh start. I fought with that camera every day and it took its toll. I considered just selling it and not getting another.

graciousness, I'm not sure what makes a good lens. I don't even know what kind of camera I want.