Interested in photography: but where to start?


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icube

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May 22, 2002
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hi...

i'm a newb who is very interested in photography... so where/how should i start learning...? buy a camera then learn from there myself..? or take up photography lessons and move on from there..? am thinking of getting an affordable digital SLR(any recommendations?)... actually i'm quite interested in photography since but hasn't find any frens to join me in this interest.. now that i've found a few frens interested(who are newbs also)... my interest has rekindled...

so guys please advice...

thanks alot
 

icube said:
hi...

i'm a newb who is very interested in photography... so where/how should i start learning...? buy a camera then learn from there myself..? or take up photography lessons and move on from there..? am thinking of getting an affordable digital SLR(any recommendations?)... actually i'm quite interested in photography since but hasn't find any frens to join me in this interest.. now that i've found a few frens interested(who are newbs also)... my interest has rekindled...

so guys please advice...

thanks alot

hi .....

welcome on board ..... :bsmilie:

maybe ur frenz n u will like to come down to SEED where me believe some of ur queztionz can be anzwered by the CS memberz there .....

:D
 

really, ask yourself how serious you want to be, then get the equipment that you best figure to fit your needs. if you already have them. join for the SEED sessions, and ask the "Old Birds" the questions the ever important questions that bother you a lot :D
 

scud said:
hi icube, welcome on board.

if you are unsure, please click the link below to know more.
i believe all of us here are happy to help.

http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=53016

enjoy ;);)

is there a big difference in Digital SLR and Analogue SLRs..? cos i'm building a personal website and i need to digitise the pics that i took.. dun wanna go through the trouble of getting films, developing and then scanning them...
:)
 

Don't worry iCube, you ain't alone here... I'm trying to pickup digital photography too... In the same boat as you, preoccupied with NS, we can pick up photography together...
 

icube said:
is there a big difference in Digital SLR and Analogue SLRs..? cos i'm building a personal website and i need to digitise the pics that i took.. dun wanna go through the trouble of getting films, developing and then scanning them...
:)

yup, there is a VERY BIG dif.
it is $$ factor that decide which one you are going for.

a decent slr may cost you less than $1K, dlsr will be abt $2K (EOS 300D kit with CF). if you are new to photography, then i would suggest you try out (besides doing your own readings) and then decide for yourself.

you can also use other Digital Cam if you decide that dslr is way too expensive. there are ppl selling in Buy&Sell forum.
 

icube said:
is there a big difference in Digital SLR and Analogue SLRs..? cos i'm building a personal website and i need to digitise the pics that i took.. dun wanna go through the trouble of getting films, developing and then scanning them...
:)
the principles behind them are the same, just that the "film" is different. one is a chemical-based process, the other is digital. so in that sense, there's not that much difference.

however, you do have to realize that while digital is convenient, you have to be prepared to pay thru your nose for the "convenience". e.g. the cheapest D-SLR currently in the market (the Canon 300D) is going for around $1800. whereas the same amount can get you a top-notch film SLR like EOS 3. generally, digital SLRs costs 3-4 times as much as its film counterpart (e.g. comparing 300D with EOS 300v or even EOS 30).

just my 2 cents.
 

so where/how should i start learning...? buy a camera then learn from there myself..? or take up photography lessons and move on from there..?

3 steps:
1. Buy a decent camera, at least an SLR recommended. For digicams, at least an advanced P&S (like the Canon G3/G5) if you can't afford DSLRs. Anything below that it's hard to pick up photography as a serious hobby.
2. Read books. Get lots of inspiration and techniques.
3. Take lots of photos. And I mean lots.

To decide between film and digital, just remember that it only makes economical sense to go digital if you expect to shoot a lot. It's no point getting a top end DSLR and let it sit in the drybox for most of the month. I use film, and I save on cost by scanning the negatives rather than printing them out...in this case every roll should cost around $3 + $2.50 to process and scan.

Nothing beats hands-on in terms of learning. Give yourself a project/theme and go out and shoot for that day(s). Critically evaluate your works, and if you're brave enough, post them out here for others to critic. It's a tendency not to be able to see your own mistakes. But most importantly, it's all about developing your own style and niche.

Going for outings with other experienced photographers is a very good way to learn as well, and it helps to go digital in this aspect as they can help critic your works on the spot.

As for taking lessons...hmm...I've not got the time nor money to go for any yet.
 

and to top off what Larry said, there is massive depreciation for digital SLRs - after all they're commodities, and worse of all, they're also consumer electronics (save for the pro digital slr's). i've shared with a few friends before - the canon eos300d is a shrewd marketing move to get people to buy into canon's lower tiered market share, and tempt them with all the "professional" taglines - but the truth is that it's the *lens* that matter. that's why photography ain't cheap a hobby... :cry:
 

its the photographer that matters. there are many photographers who have taken photographs using their cheap sigma lenses that are far better than a lot of the stuff you see taken with DSLRs and L lens that get posted here.

Honestly, looking at some of the stuff taken with say, a 70-200L IS (aka rather expensive lens), even if it was taken with a sigma (aka good and cheap lens), it really wouldn't make a difference ;)

just get a cheap 2nd hand film slr. actually theres a thread where people are willing to lend one to u to try...
 

sehsuan said:
and to top off what Larry said, there is massive depreciation for digital SLRs - after all they're commodities, and worse of all, they're also consumer electronics (save for the pro digital slr's). i've shared with a few friends before - the canon eos300d is a shrewd marketing move to get people to buy into canon's lower tiered market share, and tempt them with all the "professional" taglines - but the truth is that it's the *lens* that matter. that's why photography ain't cheap a hobby... :cry:

Yes u are rite. Lens that matters.
Try not to get those not very good quality plastic lens...the pictures just look....dunno how to explain...jus look "funny"
 

oh yes, and like what erwinx mentioned, compositional skills. i openly admit i am learning and experimenting now... :embrass:
 

wow thanks guys.. din really know the price difference was that big... actually wanna take those with interesting perspective shots like those wide angle shots, those motion blur shots and those special effects kind of shots... which camera suits my bill...? budget say 1000... be it 1st hand or 2nd hand... was thinking the G3...

o yah.. dunno wat those wat lens wat lens u all toking bout.. sorry.. really newb here.. so u guys need to explain to me in simple English... :bsmilie:

i really need somewhere to start researching... any advise..? i actually prefer someone on the spot teach me rather than reading big chunk of articles that give u all the theory... just bores me...
 

icube said:
wow thanks guys.. din really know the price difference was that big... actually wanna take those with interesting perspective shots like those wide angle shots, those motion blur shots and those special effects kind of shots... which camera suits my bill...? budget say 1000... be it 1st hand or 2nd hand... was thinking the G3...

o yah.. dunno wat those wat lens wat lens u all toking bout.. sorry.. really newb here.. so u guys need to explain to me in simple English... :bsmilie:

i really need somewhere to start researching... any advise..? i actually prefer someone on the spot teach me rather than reading big chunk of articles that give u all the theory... just bores me...

juzt look out for the photo outingz organized by any CS memberz .....

for example, Azure regularly organizez outingz for CS memberz

az for thoze "wat lenz wat lenz", dont worry if u do not noe wat the different dezignationz like L meanz. Slowly u will get to noe them. It took me quite a while to noe wat they mean alzo ..... :bsmilie:

:D
 

I can see you're very interested in learning photography, consider a SLR system instead of DSLR. Get a cheap set to kick off. Nikon's having a promotion for it's F65 + SB-28DX + kit lens. Canon has it's EOS 300V + 28-90mm kit lens also.
 

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