Please recommend a camera to start with.

[N5X]

Been interested in photography not too long ago....have been reading up books etc. I understand that the difference between an AF and a MF is that for AF there is auto focus, in-built flash and works on batteries.

What other difference is there between an AF and MF. :dunno:

For a beginner who wants to take up photography what camera, lens and other basic stuff is needed. My budget would be roughly ard $600.

As to what type of photography i would like to take up. I think should be landscape, but ocassionally would use the camera for like club events coverage and also for holiday purposes...


Thanks for all those who respond in advance..........

 

[wanglk]

$600 for a start, I think F75 kit may suit you. Later you will find that you got more and more things need to buy and none is cheap.

 

[N5X]

okieZ....thanKs

 

[N5X]

any other advices??? :gbounce: :gbounce:

 

[jeff49er]

$600 for a start, I think F75 kit may suit you. Later you will find that you got more and more things need to buy and none is cheap.

F75 is good buy esp when they have special. or u may want to start off with the canon eos 33v, this is a new model coming out soon

 

[chgoh]

Hmm... An old school idea : get a FM or FM2 and a 50/1.4. Not sure if it will get within the $600 dollar bracket though, but a second hand set should get quite close.

chgoh @ 12:17am on 22 Feb 2004

 

[clive]

For a beginner who wants to take up photography what camera, lens and other basic stuff is needed. My budget would be roughly ard $600.

I think should be landscape, but ocassionally would use the camera for like club events coverage and also for holiday purposes...

part 1. "minimalist" accessories:

1.blower brush
2.fairly big cotton cloth
3.dont have to specially buy a "camera-bag" =)
4.cheap, decent tripod.
5.filter
6.bottle silica jel+simple drybox
7.self-made bounce card

part2 "ultimately u will at least need" :

1. 1 body
2. 1 wideangle zoom lens
3. 1 telephoto zoom lens
4. 50mm/f1.8 (optional)
5. 1 hotshoe flash

items 1,2,3,4 for part 2 can be made as expensive(top-end) or as frugal as u deem fit ^_^

 

[Cheesecake]

i started off with everything 2nd hand or used.. a Nikon FM2n and a Tokina AF28-105 lens (no flash then because i was taught that flash is for advance learners and always to use natural lighting). then, i saved up, bought a F80 and traded in the Tokina for a superb Nikon AF28-105 f3.5-4.5D. i only got a flash when i was really ready to learn the advance level of photography. thus, i won't be recommending flashes to u, just a camera body and a lens.

i thought that if budget is such a constrain in ur case esp. and the urge to try photography is so strong, then, y not go for used items?

and the items tat i've bought used are in SUPER Pristine condition!
makes me think if the previous owner actually uses them or just leave them in the dry cabinet?

what i'm trying to say is this...
there are some very good value buys in 2nd hand/used market jus waiting to be uncovered. do not be put off by the 2nd hand/used tag like so many people that i know who got a shock each time i told them my mint gears are mainly used items.

u must understand and believe that there are alot of people in Singapore that buy on impulse only to sell it off a few weeks later at some 20% off the brand new selling price.



so, i'll only recommend 2nd hand Nikon items to get and the pricing in general are...

get a mint Nikon F80 body... for S$450/.
( don't wish to explain why i recommend F80, just get it )
and S$100 goes to a used basic AF28-80G f3.5-5.6.
the rest of the S$50 goes to films and developing cost.

the choice of AF28-80G must have been a shock to most people, even to myself, due to my personal disdain towards G lenses. but when i took ur S$600 into consideration, i realised that u can't really stretch this budget that wide.

besides, 28-80 is a pretty useful range and although the aperture steps down from 3.5-5.6 widest, i reckon that it is enough for beginners. the best part of it all, is that its easily available for a low fee of S$100 and below, used.

u can purchase wider lenses or telephoto lenses when u've saved up enough. but in ur case, since u've mentione landscape, i thought going for wide lenses are the norm.

remember that good lenses don't come cheap. esp. so in Nikon's case.

have fun in esperimenting and learning too! :thumbsup:

 

[rapidmax]

I also recommend FM2 (FM2n) or FE2, feels like a real cam, great for learning the VERY essential basics!

Have fun!!!

 

[N5X]

thanKs for the many advices regarding to chesscake advice, yeah been sourcing for a 2nd hand camera juz waiting for the right deal to come hahaha....... but still unsure whether to go AF or MF =XX.

if I would like to take night shots on landscapes, is it better choice to go with AF or should i just stick to MF 1st and slow go thru the discovery process of photography?

 

[N5X]

thanKs clive for the essentials must have when starting photography....

 

[Cheesecake]

i manual focus most of the time be it on AF or Manual Focus bodies. unless the occassion really calls for AF, then i'll switch to AF.

i feel that it is more useful to get a AF SLR then a manual focus SLR. but everyone has their own opinion and there's no right or wrong. it is entirely up to ur own discreetion.

 

[N5X]

sorry i would like to ask.........if i get an AF slr camera......when switched to the M mode, does it works exactly like a MF slr camera, like able to set shutter spd, aperture, manual focusing etc etc....

 

[espn]

Yes, you'll be able to do MF if you set the camera to do so. Nikon's certain lenses have the ability to do MF even whilst in AF mode, for eg: 24-120VR. You can do MF whilst AF. Some lenses however don't have the M/A mode and must be set to M to do MF. And of course you'll be able to set shutter speed/aperture if you set the camera itself to Manual mode, and the AF servo to M.

Frankly, both has it's good point, and I think for beginner you might want to kick off with a AF camera, the only good thing I see on FM cameras is the batteryless work, you don't have to worry about batteries and cold weathers overseas etc. Some might disagree with me though.

 

[N5X]

does all AF nikon lens have the ability to do MF when the camera's AF servo is set to M.

Pardon me for asking so many questions =X. There's alot of things which i am unsure about....

 

[espn]

I believe so, I've tried a 50 and the 18-35 both D lenses, I set the camera to M and the control mode to M and I was able to do MF & set my settings manually. Not required for the G lenses though, I think most of them come with M/A mode on the lenses itself,

 

[N5X]

oh okieZ.....thanKs......

=X may i know whats the difference between a D and a G lens?

 

[espn]

D lenses are workable upon the older FM cameras as they are equipped with an aperture ring. G lenses however do not come with an aperture ring, the aperture is controlled on the camera itself. So one of the main difference is the aperture ring.

G lenses don't work on FM cameras too.

 

[CYRN]

If not for your budget, I'd recommend you to jump straight to D70 :bigeyes:

Get something that have AF cuz you want to cover your club event.

For holidays, you may like to have auto-everything so that you enjoy your hols... not to keep thinking about cam settings.

While I dun recommend that you subscribe fully to the old school of thoughts, you may want a cam that allows also full Manual control for better understanding/learning.

Lastly, remember to factor in accessories as posted by Clive.

 

[N5X]

ThanKs....espn for the information.


Regarding the D70 by CYRN, don't really like digital used some digital cameras before and i find them laggy and based on the current situation my budget doent permit me to even consider it :bsmilie:

Yup will remember to include the basic stuff as what posted by Clive.