Buying a new camera =)

[Butterfly]

Hey guys and gals ~
I've done a bit of browsing around the forum but I figured just asking my question would be more helpful =)

I'm looking to step up in the camera world from my little family snaps samsung to something a bit more serious. However, I am really...really daunted by forking out £300-400 for a DSLR that I'm certain I have no idea how to use just yet. I am completely clueless when it comes to lenses and I don't want to be scared of my camera, lol. The step between your usual little compact thing and DSLR is where I want to be going.

So! Any recomendations on cameras for a girl that wants to take better quality pictures but has no idea where to start with a DSLR?

Thank you! :)

[rpthorne]

Hi Butterfly,

Everyone will have their own opinion on this, and you might not feel like you are any further forward after everyone chips in!

I started with the Canon 350D - I know what you mean about being scared off, but the best way to learn is to jump on in and give it a try. As you will know, the beauty of digital is being able to fire away without having to worry about the development costs.

Take a look at the Trading Post thread - Ray has a 350D for sale at a bargain price :)

Good luck!!

[Chris Hawkins]

Agree - £200 means that you will worry less.

[clive]

So! Any recommendations on cameras for a girl that wants to take better quality pictures but has no idea where to start with a DSLR

Do they do a 350D in pink... ahhh that must be the parallel import version :grin:
Likewise i started out on a 350D and would recommend it to anyone, no idea about the entry level Nikon but im sure someone will post up.

Yep when you first look at it there are all these funny switches and buttons but within a week you will know where you are and there are enough friendly people here with patience to help you if you get stuck.

[Butterfly]

Do they do a 350D in pink... ahhh that must be the parallel import version :grin:
Likewise i started out on a 350D and would recommend it to anyone, no idea about the entry level Nikon but im sure someone will post up.

Yep when you first look at it there are all these funny switches and buttons but within a week you will know where you are and there are enough friendly people here with patience to help you if you get stuck.

That's okay, pink is so hard to match with my wardrobe! :dizzy:....lol

Thank you for the advice :)

[clive]

Sorry its when you said "for a girl that wants to take better quality pictures" made me think of my daughter hahaha when she doing this whole pink thingy

[Butterfly]

Hehe, no worries! =) I most certainly went through a 'pink phase' myself...and not really that long ago. :rolleyes:

[george.monaghan]

Hi,

Depending on where you intend to take your photography and how much cash you have to spend in total - SLR's are expensive hobbies - really expensive when you start buying all the add ons like filters, lenses, etc.

Have a look at these as they might better suit your needs:

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/1660/36/xx/1/1/criteresn.html

Excellent lens quality and zoom range all in one body.

[Butterfly]

Thank you George =) I'm looking really to start into the hobby and a bridge camera might be perfect =).. my only question is... do I spend £200 or so on a new bridging camera? Or a bit more on a second hand dslr and kit? I'm just a bit worried that if I really take to the hobby, which I have a feeling I might (I've been wanting a 'proper' camera for a long time now)...that if I buy the bridge camera that I'm going to be a bit dissapointed :confused:

Has anyone got or used a bridge camera? :) Whaddya think?

[Pabloverdes]

Hi Butterfly

If you think you're going to really enjoy togging then I think I'd go for a "Pre owned" DSLR probably off of Ebay or similar. I think you'll soon get fed up with a bridge and want to change again pretty soon. There's plenty of friendly advise on the forum and you'll very soon have a full understanding of what a DSLR will/can do. I don't think you'll go far wrong with a Canon 350D (previous advice earlier) or the Nikon equivalent.

Paul

[al1967]

+1 on a new or used DSLR. Even the most advanced p&s won't give you the image quality of even a beginners DSLR, they aren't that much smaller or lighter than DSLRs and very soon you will feel limited by a bridge camera (used to have one :)). Every DSLR has a "green" (fully automatic) mode if you feel intimidated by all the modes, buttons and options, so you can always use it as a very advanced p&s camera.
I still have my old 350D and it still goes strong after 2 years. You can't go wrong with any recent DSLR, but it would be a good idea to visit a good camera store and to try out a few different models to see how they feel in your hands. If you don't like how the camera feels, you won't use it and it will be just a huge waste of your money.
just my $0.05

[.Ray]

£300 might sound a lot, but when you consider some compacts can cost more than that, it's not really that much. Also, considering a manual SLR 20 years ago would have cost you £200 then £300 for a state of the art digital SLR is quite a bargain.

Oh, btw, don't worry about learning how to use the camera functions, that's the easy bit... it's how to use it creatively that's the hard bit :) As others have said, an entry level, even used DSLR will give you better images than cutting edge compact.

Aaaannd, finally... I'm selling my old Canon 350D + kit lens for a bargain £200 + postage! ;)c http://www.photography-forum.org/showthread.php?t=20900

[clive]

Ide spend the extra i really would saw a couple on fleaybay...
1 was with a 70-300, kit lens, 1gb card @ £300 (buy it now not auction) which seemed a reasonable price

[clive]

:laugh1::laugh1::laugh1: scrub my last post then

[george.monaghan]

Hi,

The quality in Panasonic far exceeds that of most kit lenses. They carry a Leica lens, usually F2.8 and have a massive zoom range. I have two of them and they are excellent cameras.

Now an SLR is more versatile because you can change lenses but it is pretty certain what you will stick on the end of it will be a mid range zoom or wide angle zoom.

Like I said earlier it depends how your money situation is. There is no perfect or ideal zoom (or prime) lens on the market - it does not exist! Can you imagine if we only had to buy one lens? When you buy a DSLR you are buying into a brand and a system for that camera.

You will need lenses, flashgun, filters, tripod, camera bag etc etc. The list goes on. That is the nature of what the hobby is. No matter what you buy now, you will grow out of it and wish to expand your horizons.

Look at the main players, Nikon, Canon, Sony, Pentax, and the rest. Go down to your local camera shop and try a few cameras and lenses and see how they feel to work with. No matter what main brand you pick you will not go far wrong, but it might be helpful to read a few reviews before making a final decision.

Easy eh! The way technology is advancing your digital will be exceeded in less than 18 months!

A bridge camera will let you get used to all the usual settings without a lot of the expense. You will grow out of it if you continue you advance in photography, but the same applies to any current DSLR. Otherwise we would all still be walking about with Box Brownies. Of course with a bridge camera you do not need to worry about dust so much and all that cleaning malarkey.

Your decision will not be for life - no matter what way you go. I used to use one camera makers kit, now I use anothers. Expensive? Too right it is, but I would change again if I had to.

It's only money!

[Butterfly]

Thank you so much everyone! Your advice has been really helpful. :) For this poor student, a new camera will have to wait until September and I'm settled back in uni and working again. But! I now have a much better idea of what I want and how to go about looking for it.

I think I'm going to go for the dlsr after all, daunting as it might be! hehe. I'll shop around a bit, go and have a feel at a local dealer and go from there I think. I've decided that I want a hobby that I can grow into, that I can play with new gadgets and get new results and keep challenging myself. I already have an expensive hobby, so I suppose I'm fine the with cost, and George you're right - It is only money, can't take it with ya when yer gone! Might as well enjoy it, lol.

Thank you again :)

[Butterfly]

:laugh1::laugh1::laugh1: scrub my last post then

lol, did it go? XD

[clive]

was referring to .Rays post lol , a good deal and there are no shortages of sh lenses on the market, get used to camera then decide what lens to get ?