Start off for amateurs.

[Gael Chan]

Hi, I'm just wondering any kind souls out there willing to give me advices on what model and brand of camera to buy?
I just need a simple(not that professional of cause), good(duhh) and not that expensive one.
I've got a budget of let's say below 1k?
Anyone?

 

[daydreamz]

hmmmm...nikonD40....great for a start up and then evolve from there on...

 

[dorts]

If you are not going to use many lenses, the Nikon D40 is a good choice for your budget. As it can only focus on AF-S lenses.

 

[Galdor]

Hi Gael,

Welcome to ClubSnap.

First determine what type of camera you want first. (PnS, Prosumer, dSLR).

If you want something small that you can slip in your handbag and carry wherever you go, you may want to consider Sony/Casio for style & compactness. If you are going for good specs, go for the Fuji F31. It may not look as sleek as the Sony/Casio models but it's a pretty little devil. My lady firends usually go for Sony/Casio for their sleek styling and compactness and the cameras have served them well.

For prosumer cameras, you may want to consider Canon S3IS, Nikon Coolpix 8700, Sony R1 or Sony H7/9. You may want to check out the Fuji & Olympus too. Do a comparison between the cameras to see what you need & what you want before deciding which to get.

For dSLRs, do factor in the accessories you need to get and if you are OK with the cost, any model is ok. There is no perfect camera, each user will support the brand they are using but you are the one really using it. So follow your heart and not what others say.

Before you decide which to get, go to a reliable store to get a feel of the cameras to see which suits you and you feel comfortable using.

Enjoy your hunt now and do let us know which you have chosen.

 

[Gael Chan]

Hmmm. thanks for all the replies but i'm really confused and have no ideas about all these SLR or whatever at all man. any idea of the cost and all? meanwhile i will do some research myself.

 

[Andy Ang]

What are you shooting with now?

Any TOTAL budget you are willing to spend in this hobby?

 

[schon]

you could with any camera actually. and the best one would be whatever camera you have at home. and from there, you'll learn and discover what photography is, and what you need and what you do not.

 

[Gael Chan]

i've got a digi cam already. let's say below 1k?

 

[zaren]

hi gael,

what's wrong with your digi cam? how is it limiting your photography?

cheers,
z.

 

[cantaresg]

What kind of pictures do you normally take? Just a normal camera which you can bring around and take pictures as and when you like? What kind of pictures do you take most often?

What are the difficulties that you face with your current digicam? Do you find most of your pictures blur due to camera/ handshake? Do you find that the pictures looks ugly when you take pictures indoors or at night, perhaps due to a grainy picture or colour artefacts? Do you think you need a bigger zoom? And do you print your pictures?

 

[Gael Chan]

there's nothing wrong with my digi cam but i think it's not good enough for some shots. like making the foreground blur and focusing in the subject itself and blah blah. Plus it's a family digi cam so i would like to get one of my own. thought of doing photography as a job too. of cause when i gain experience along the way.

I was thinking Canon Digital Rebel XTi / Canon 400D is not bad. comments anyone?

 

[trifusion]

Hmmm. thanks for all the replies but i'm really confused and have no ideas about all these SLR or whatever at all man. any idea of the cost and all? meanwhile i will do some research myself.

Gael, you can try here http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=245883 zoossh did a really good job here, don't waste it.

 

[cantaresg]

If you are looking at the possibility of doing photography as a job, then perhaps you should get a DSLR, which stands for digital single-lens reflex camera. However, it may be tough to get hold of one at under $1k, unless you are looking at Nikon D40, or DSLR in the BS section.

 

[mhjasni]

1) what model and brand of camera to buy?
It all up to you preference. It can be Canon, Sony Nikon ...etc

2) I just need a simple(not that professional of cause), good(duhh) and not that expensive one.
In summary Prosumer : Point & shoot c/w dslr partial function. DSLR : A camera where lenses are interchangable. It can be an entry level (eg. Nikon D40,Canon 350D or Cannon 400D...etc) semi level (Nikon D80..etc)and professional level (Nikon D200...etc) type.

I've got a budget of let's say below 1k?
Anyone?
If you don't mind, I'm selling my Nikon Coolpix 5700 ($350 No warranty) or Nikon D40 kit at ($850 only c/w warranty of 6mth left). The decision is up to you at the end of the day.:think:

 

[zaren]

there's nothing wrong with my digi cam but i think it's not good enough for some shots. like making the foreground blur and focusing in the subject itself and blah blah. Plus it's a family digi cam so i would like to get one of my own. thought of doing photography as a job too. of cause when i gain experience along the way.

I was thinking Canon Digital Rebel XTi / Canon 400D is not bad. comments anyone?

canon 400d is good, but it's above your budget of 1k. in any case, you should budget another 2k or so for good lenses, flash, etc if u want to seriously go into dslr's and doing photography as a job.

 

[Gael Chan]

i thought of getting a good and cheap one first and from there i could start off like buying a better a lens and changing parts here and there. omg, so many models to look at.

 

[ramboo24]

what kind of shots do you like to take?

how far do you intend to pursue this hobby or passion?

the sky's the limit!

 

[Gael Chan]

i guess its more to streets and scenaries? passion in photography never dies.

 

[Yatlapball]

Wow. You sound like you are in a mess. Follow the advice given... go read up much much more. Do you have a friend that has a dSLR? Meet up and try it out. Go to the shops, try every single major brand.

Choose the right brand from the start and stick with it. Otherwise you are going to regret it much later and waste alot of unnecessary money in selling off your entire system just to switch to another brand.

The cost of the consumer range of dslrs have come down significantly over the recent years, but in itself as a hobby, is still far from cheap. So do consider if you really need one. Would a prosumer do the same for your needs? Or would only a slr suffice. That's something we can't answer for you

 

[cantaresg]

Well, it may be cheaper if you get a camera that is going to last you longer, rather than getting one which you find that you need to change after half a year.

On the other hand, if you are considering to try out first, why don't you get a ps camera? It is easier to bring around, and you will not hesitate in bringing it out to take pictures. Sometimes it is easier to take streets picture (if you are interested in candids) if you are using a PS camera.