Digital Photography [ split from Flickr Gallery by VSack (PR1)]

Admin note: Split from this thread originally

No Susan.  Right now, I have not posted my photos because I have to sort through them...I can assure you though that when you see them, you will see many just as good

Did you study photography? I intend to hopefully next fall; right now I don’t even have a camera, but I’ve got to learn how to handle the graphcial end of web design as well as the programming. I have some ideas, but I don’t know how to implement them.

I took it for three years.

The best advice I ever received was just to always carry a camera. Do your own little projects. Most important...take as many pictures as you can!

Whenever you want to get into the sexier aspect of photography, it really comes down to having a good camera. Last year I used a Canon EOS 20D with a 70-200MM Telephoto lens for all of my action shots. Most of them turned out phenomeonal.

Then again, I would take about 2500 pictures per day...

That was going to be my next question, what camera would you recommend. Great! Hopefully by summer I’ll be able to start looking at cameras and deciding what I want. I live in the desert, and want to do both serious scenic shots and some very tight small animal and teeny-tiny desert flower shots, and get some seriously spectacular shots of the native local ibex. I saw one opportunity last summer, a doe and her kid standing on a stone wall overlooking the crater with the sun coming up behind them. And the amazing hilarious huge yellow signs along the highway warning of camels in the road, and this place is lousy with fossils, marine types in the cliff walls and swampy ferns and stuff in black slate in the bottom of the crater. Plenty of material.

(speedstreet, your website reminds me something, are you from the Textpattern community ?)

If you don’t mind I’ll jump in the discussion, since I am into digital photography also The Canon EOS 20D is indeed a great camera, a semi-pro tool.

Susan, I’ll suggest you check a few items before you buy :

• do you already have lenses ? If so, maybe start there to choose a digital camera, using existing lenses saves some money even if you have to take into account the 1.5x (Nikon) - 1.6x (Canon) multiplier (e.g à 50mm for 24x36 is a 50x1.6=80mm on a Canon EOS digital).
• Are you familiar with a particular brand ? Oftentimes people get used to the menu systems and it can be a factor buying a camera...
• Before you buy, go in store and check how the camera feels in your hand : ergonomics is a big part of the photographic experience. Is the grip right in your hand ? Does the button layout make sense to you ?
• Another thing that counts : check out the viewfinder, especially if you wear glasses, some cameras are known to be better than others. Technical datas will give you the Frame coverage (usually between 85 and 95% on entry level SLR and semi-pros).

And here are a few mistake to avoid : More often than not, people think higher pixel count means better camera : not that simple. Some things are critical to picture quality.

• autofocus : something to check is the autofocus performance, if you intend to make some sport or action photography. Nikon has a little edge here.
• mettering : how well your pictures are exposed is critical. Nikon has a little edge here.
• sensitivity : the signal to noise ratio is also something to be taken into consideration, if you’d like to do some night photography. Canon is quite good in this area with its CMOS sensors.
• lenses : check out which lenses are available for a given DSLR, and at what price. A nice thing to check is the used lenses market (some brands have good lenses in excellent condition, and a ridiculous prices => Pentax for instance).

Aside from all this, there is the subjective element : you’ll like some camera better for how it fits your hand, eye and you like its menus and ergonomics... not to mention there is a subjective preference for images from a given camera. Nikon and Canon are obvious contender, and you can’t go wrong with a EOS 350D or a Nikon D70s. Nor will you go wrong with a more expensive Canon 20D and Nikon D200 (the hot model at the moment).

That said, I tested the Konica Minolta D5D and Pentax *istDs they deliver superb images and are less expensive. The Konica Minolta has built-in image stabilization and the Pentax has the best frame coverage among entry level DSLR (95%). Those are contenders that deserves to be taken into consideration.

I am often amazed in the digital photography forums to end up discussing which camera is the best, technically speaking... instead of talking... photography ! It’s easy to loose perspective and get technical, but in the end most DSLR can do a pretty good job of taking superb pictures. In the end it’s the "eye" of the photographer that counts, the camera won’t take the picture itself

My twocents...

A nice website to check out is dpreview.com, nice comprehensive reviews (even if some deem them biased...) and a great tool to make a choice : full resolution galleries

Less comprehensive, megapixel.net has nice reviews but more importantly very active forums.

Susan, 3 months ago I purchased a Cannon Digital Rebel XT and am really impressed. It creates beautiful colors and is really fast! But, something you really need to think about (like David said) is the accessories. Unlike a point and shoot accessories are NEEDED and not just optional. In the last month I’ve spent more on accessories than I did the camera. But, I’m really happy with the setup I have.

Cannon EOS Digital Rebel XT Kit (stock lens included) $799

75-300 mm Cannon Telephoto Lens $399

Cannon SpeedLight 530ex Flash (absolutely necessary--- no questions!) $399

Flash Bracket (if you ever plan on taking vertical shots with a flash you must have one of these) $80

Flash Connect Cord (to connect the flash to the camera when it is on the bracket) $52

Starter Kit (case, extra batter, filter, etc) $99

Total Cost: $1,828 and I still haven’t bought my Macro lens!

Sounds about right, I was talking to a professional news photographer once (a suicide bomber blew himself and five other people up outside the mall across from my computer shop, and he was taking pictures from my window as I was the only place open on that side on a floor high enough to give him a good angle) and he had $5000 worth of camera equipment slung around his neck. So I figured at least 2 grand for my purposes. It will have to wait until I have my 20" iMac.

Susan

I invested in a 350D (rebel in USA) but with a EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens which is an excellent all-purpose lens for EF-S mount EOS cameras, especially portraits, product shots, food photography etc. I would be happy to email you some food pics i recently did for a client, they are truly amazing quality but too big to put on formum and waste space.

I have used both Canon 20D and 350D, for me I think the 350D controls are easier to use and learn and the saving allowed me to go for a good lens. But the D20 is a good build and offers a couple of additional functions.

Regarding learning photography, I just purchased three really good books about 18 months ago myself and also subscribed to Canons EF magazine, and I know I have learnt a lot because talking to a semi-pro photographer recently I seemed to know as much as him which was quite cool.

@edge, I’d love to see your photos!

Any comments on the Canon Powershot S2iS, have seen numerous reviews and used it occasionally. Mainly, any advice on a lens adapter for it that will allow me to use screw-type micro and other lenses from an old Pentax. Also, any advice on buying aditional lenses?