canon digital camera below 5000 image
cameron.mi
I'm about to transfer schools so I can major in photography next semester and I wanted to know what kind of camera I should buy? I was assuming a DSLR but I didn't want to go spending a ton of money on a camera that I might not need just yet.
Answer
First, check with the school to see what camera if any they require their students to have.
If they require you to purchase a 35mm film camera, then I would choose a different school. You will be wasting your money both on the camera and on film, and wasting your own time on learning stuff that's unique to the limitations of film that you'll have no use for by the time you're out of school. This is a school teaching by dogma instead of by practical utility. While some art purists will always love and use film, and film is still used in creating the most detailed images in large formats (4 x 5 and up), the environmentally sound, economically sensible and instant-feedback learning solution for the future is digital.
Then look for a capable, flexible digital SLR camera that's designed for quick access to basic functions without going through menus. My personal choices at various budget points are recommended below. By the time your term starts, there will probably be different cameras I would choose. My recommendations are for Nikon equipment because I've shot Nikon since 1963 and am familiar with that system. There are Canon shooters that will recommend a Canon system - just pick the camera body that feels right in your hands - they're both capable, and tend to leapfrog each other over time with technical advances.
Lowest price - under or just over $1000 for camera and budget zoom lens:
Nikon D90 (or used D200 or D300). Why? Because with any of these cameras you have the flexibility of using nearly all current and past Nikon lenses to their full autofocus and automatic metering potential. While autofocus and automatic metering aren't particularly important to learning photography, they will make your camera easier to use for many types of photography, particularly action, reportage and wildlife photography. The Nikon D200 and D300 were the best of their time in the APS-C format, and are still capable cameras designed for quick access to basic functions.
I would not choose one of the entry-level cameras from Nikon (D40, D3000, 3100, 5000, 5100) because these cameras can't use the full range of lenses easily and they are not designed for quick access to basic functions through direct manual controls (switches or buttons rather than menus) that you will want within the first weeks of using your camera. You don't want to have to go through a bunch of menus to get to the basic functions of your camera.
Next order of capability, $500 more:
Nikon D7000. This is the D90 brought up to date. It's Nikon's most advanced APS-C format camera in terms of resolution, low-light performance and video capability. It's not as ruggedized or weatherproofed and not quite as responsive for action photography as the D300s, which is Nikon's most professional APS-C camera, but it's close.
Big jump in image quality and low-light performance. $3000 or so for camera and lens.
Nikon D700. This is the least expensive Nikon full-frame camera. Its sensor has almost 2.5 times the image area as those in the APS-C format cameras, and image quality and low-light performance benefits from this. However, your budget for everything will be more for this camera than the APS-C range. Lenses to cover the full 35mm frame format must be larger for the same angle of view and lens speed, making them more expensive.
Above this price range, there are two pathways - larger format sensors in a much larger, less responsive camera, and faster cameras and/or higher resolution sensors in the full-frame 35mm format. You'll probably know what direction you want to go in after a year or so of school, and will have more choices open to you as well.
Lenses.
A midrange zoom lens will be useful to start with, and in time you'll want a wider angle lens (90-degree horizontal field would be my guideline - 12mm in APS-C and 18mm in 35mm full frame) and a faster lens in the middle focal lengths (f/1.4 to f/2.0 speed range, somewhere 18mm to 50mm for APS-C, 28mm to 85mm in 35mm full frame) to supplement this zoom for particular types of photography (indoor available-light shots and portraits, primarily). Beyond this, there is a large range of lenses in either the Canon or Nikon system to suit the particular types of photography you are interested in.
First, check with the school to see what camera if any they require their students to have.
If they require you to purchase a 35mm film camera, then I would choose a different school. You will be wasting your money both on the camera and on film, and wasting your own time on learning stuff that's unique to the limitations of film that you'll have no use for by the time you're out of school. This is a school teaching by dogma instead of by practical utility. While some art purists will always love and use film, and film is still used in creating the most detailed images in large formats (4 x 5 and up), the environmentally sound, economically sensible and instant-feedback learning solution for the future is digital.
Then look for a capable, flexible digital SLR camera that's designed for quick access to basic functions without going through menus. My personal choices at various budget points are recommended below. By the time your term starts, there will probably be different cameras I would choose. My recommendations are for Nikon equipment because I've shot Nikon since 1963 and am familiar with that system. There are Canon shooters that will recommend a Canon system - just pick the camera body that feels right in your hands - they're both capable, and tend to leapfrog each other over time with technical advances.
Lowest price - under or just over $1000 for camera and budget zoom lens:
Nikon D90 (or used D200 or D300). Why? Because with any of these cameras you have the flexibility of using nearly all current and past Nikon lenses to their full autofocus and automatic metering potential. While autofocus and automatic metering aren't particularly important to learning photography, they will make your camera easier to use for many types of photography, particularly action, reportage and wildlife photography. The Nikon D200 and D300 were the best of their time in the APS-C format, and are still capable cameras designed for quick access to basic functions.
I would not choose one of the entry-level cameras from Nikon (D40, D3000, 3100, 5000, 5100) because these cameras can't use the full range of lenses easily and they are not designed for quick access to basic functions through direct manual controls (switches or buttons rather than menus) that you will want within the first weeks of using your camera. You don't want to have to go through a bunch of menus to get to the basic functions of your camera.
Next order of capability, $500 more:
Nikon D7000. This is the D90 brought up to date. It's Nikon's most advanced APS-C format camera in terms of resolution, low-light performance and video capability. It's not as ruggedized or weatherproofed and not quite as responsive for action photography as the D300s, which is Nikon's most professional APS-C camera, but it's close.
Big jump in image quality and low-light performance. $3000 or so for camera and lens.
Nikon D700. This is the least expensive Nikon full-frame camera. Its sensor has almost 2.5 times the image area as those in the APS-C format cameras, and image quality and low-light performance benefits from this. However, your budget for everything will be more for this camera than the APS-C range. Lenses to cover the full 35mm frame format must be larger for the same angle of view and lens speed, making them more expensive.
Above this price range, there are two pathways - larger format sensors in a much larger, less responsive camera, and faster cameras and/or higher resolution sensors in the full-frame 35mm format. You'll probably know what direction you want to go in after a year or so of school, and will have more choices open to you as well.
Lenses.
A midrange zoom lens will be useful to start with, and in time you'll want a wider angle lens (90-degree horizontal field would be my guideline - 12mm in APS-C and 18mm in 35mm full frame) and a faster lens in the middle focal lengths (f/1.4 to f/2.0 speed range, somewhere 18mm to 50mm for APS-C, 28mm to 85mm in 35mm full frame) to supplement this zoom for particular types of photography (indoor available-light shots and portraits, primarily). Beyond this, there is a large range of lenses in either the Canon or Nikon system to suit the particular types of photography you are interested in.
Which Digital SLR camera do you recommend?
Bridgett
I'm going on a trip to germany in a few months, and I'm planning on taking tons of pictures. I'm looking at the Nikon D40, but it's only 6.1MP :/
I am on somewhat of a budget, so please don't recommend a $5000 camera
thank you!
Answer
OK here is my short answer. for digital I have a Nikon D40 and I love it. The D40 has a full manual mode, Flexible progam, aperature priority, shutter priority modes. These are the same modes on all DSLR. It also has several other programed modes for things like portrait, night, children etc. As a photographer improves and learnds to use metering better these additional modes seldom get used so they are usually found on the more amature cameras and seen as not needed on the professional cameras. I feel I have a fair amount of experience as a photographer and it performs well for me but I can give it to my 12 y/o grandson if set on program and he can get good usable pictures as well. His photography is improving as he is already learning to use many of the functions himself ( yes I'm a proud granpa) .
I also would not get caught up in the megapixel hype and instead look at the entire sensor issue. Look at the article I linked below The D40 will do everything a beginner to intermediate photographer needs at a great price. It comes with an 18-55 lens. It will let you use any other money to buy more accessories. And by the time you outgrow it cameras will have advanced to the point that most of what is on the market now would be obsolete. I bought a D300 last year and only had a it a few months when the D700 came out. The canon would also serve you well but I am a Nikon person so I suggest them. I have friends that are very happy with thier canon's and take great photos. You will have others that like Pentax and Olympus and they are not bad cameras but if they were in the same ballpark you would see many more professional photographers use them
Now for the longer answer as you already have some experience I will be preaching to the choir on a good bit of this.
I would say the Nikon D40 Its an entry level DSLR. A digital SLR will give you a much larger sensor than any point and shoot camera. Larger sensor = more light to each pixel = clearer, crisper photo with better color saturation. DSLR will also let you grow and take more control as you learn more and you can change lenses when you have a need to. The sensor on the olympus is smaller than on Nikon or Canon
I am a nikon person and have had nikons since the 70's I personally think the nikon D40 give you more for the dollar than any DSLR today. There are some that do more but you pay a good bit more. Do not let the lower megapixels concern you if you do not do very very large prints you will never notice the lower DSLR. My brother recently needs a DSLR for a class and I recommended the D40 to him So I would also say get the D40 not the D40X. The Nikon D40 does not have limited functions compared with other entry DSLR. Yes it has fewer funtioncas than a 1500 dollar camera body would. It is not a a cut down version its equal or above most any entry level DSLR.
There is a great article in this months Digital Photopro Magazine that is titled "Megapixels how much is enough" EVERYONE looking at buying a new digital camera can profit by reading this article. Its here
http://www.digitalphotopro.com/studio/me...
I have a d300 and a d40 and when I am shooting for fun I grab the d40. Its weightless, a joy to use and gives good results
If you have a bit more money the D60 give you a number of things you want. It has newer firmware and image processors, designed for the 10 mp sensor. It has an "Active Dust Reduction System with Airflow Control ". Nikon not putting a system on the D40 to deal with dust is one of the biggest drawbacks I see to the D40 ( though I think its still a great camera for the money) If you change lenses dust will get in and the camera needs a system to deal with it. With the D60 you get a VR lens. That will help with low light situations ( they may offer that now with the D40 but originally it was not) . The D60 has Adaptive Dynamic Range. Nikon calls it "Active D-Lighting," it lets you save some highlights that my otherwise be lost. It has a newer better metering system than the D40. So you can get the D40 not the D40 x and spend the other money on lenses or a flash
Some people will want to make a big issue out of the fact that there are some nikon lenses that will not autofocus on these cameras. Right now there are "only" about 39 lenses that autofocus on these cameras. They cover the range of focal lengths. I doubt any photographer would be seriously limited with "only" this many lenses to choose from. If you want to manually focus you can more than double this and do so at a low cost. Manual focusing is easy and how we did things for decades before the advent of autofocus.
Cannon and Nikon chose to put the vibration reduction in the lens rather than the body. Somefolks put it in the camera and make of that. Yes that means you get stabilization only on lenses with that feature built in. In the body in theory it would work on every lens. But in fact image stbilization in the lens has proved to work faster and smoother with a lower impact on focus times than image stabilization in the body/ One problem with in body stabilization comes from the fact that the sensor would have to move different amounts for different focal lengths. A canon white paper says an in body system would have to move the sensor 1/4 inch to account for movement on a 300 mm lens.
Now a comment on liveview. Have you ever tried to hold several pounds of digital camera and lens steady at arms length while you look at an LCD screen. It not at all the same as holding a few ounces of point and shoot camera steady in the same position. One of the things we preach to new photogrpahers is to learn to hold the camera properly so the body mechanics give you a steady shot. You can't really do that looking at the LCD. So liveview is really something that will have very limited applications in a DSLR. . Usually only when its on a tripod. I have liveview on my D300 and have never used it.
Nikon also has great service. I was just reading the other day on eyefetch in the Nikon forum where someone posted that they had dropped thier lens and broken it. It was not a fault of the company they messed up. The sent it to Nikon and Nikon could not fix it. Nikon offered them a brand new identical lens at half the price. They did not have to
In closing all major camera manufactures make good cameras get out and compare the features and how they feel in your hand. Go to places like kenRockwell.com and DPreview.com to compare them. Nikon and Canon have the largest market share and I personally think there is a very good reason they do. Not bashing other brands but photographers tend to be very very demanding folks and they then tend to be loyal to what has worked for them well and consistently. That is not a pavlovian response anymore than it is a pavlovian response in my work at the fire department when I trust the brands of turnout gear and airpacks that have worked for me time and time again. Sometimes even going beyond the published specs. People in ANY demanding profession gain loyalty and trust from thier experiences. And if the product did not perform it would not be favored for long.
OK here is my short answer. for digital I have a Nikon D40 and I love it. The D40 has a full manual mode, Flexible progam, aperature priority, shutter priority modes. These are the same modes on all DSLR. It also has several other programed modes for things like portrait, night, children etc. As a photographer improves and learnds to use metering better these additional modes seldom get used so they are usually found on the more amature cameras and seen as not needed on the professional cameras. I feel I have a fair amount of experience as a photographer and it performs well for me but I can give it to my 12 y/o grandson if set on program and he can get good usable pictures as well. His photography is improving as he is already learning to use many of the functions himself ( yes I'm a proud granpa) .
I also would not get caught up in the megapixel hype and instead look at the entire sensor issue. Look at the article I linked below The D40 will do everything a beginner to intermediate photographer needs at a great price. It comes with an 18-55 lens. It will let you use any other money to buy more accessories. And by the time you outgrow it cameras will have advanced to the point that most of what is on the market now would be obsolete. I bought a D300 last year and only had a it a few months when the D700 came out. The canon would also serve you well but I am a Nikon person so I suggest them. I have friends that are very happy with thier canon's and take great photos. You will have others that like Pentax and Olympus and they are not bad cameras but if they were in the same ballpark you would see many more professional photographers use them
Now for the longer answer as you already have some experience I will be preaching to the choir on a good bit of this.
I would say the Nikon D40 Its an entry level DSLR. A digital SLR will give you a much larger sensor than any point and shoot camera. Larger sensor = more light to each pixel = clearer, crisper photo with better color saturation. DSLR will also let you grow and take more control as you learn more and you can change lenses when you have a need to. The sensor on the olympus is smaller than on Nikon or Canon
I am a nikon person and have had nikons since the 70's I personally think the nikon D40 give you more for the dollar than any DSLR today. There are some that do more but you pay a good bit more. Do not let the lower megapixels concern you if you do not do very very large prints you will never notice the lower DSLR. My brother recently needs a DSLR for a class and I recommended the D40 to him So I would also say get the D40 not the D40X. The Nikon D40 does not have limited functions compared with other entry DSLR. Yes it has fewer funtioncas than a 1500 dollar camera body would. It is not a a cut down version its equal or above most any entry level DSLR.
There is a great article in this months Digital Photopro Magazine that is titled "Megapixels how much is enough" EVERYONE looking at buying a new digital camera can profit by reading this article. Its here
http://www.digitalphotopro.com/studio/me...
I have a d300 and a d40 and when I am shooting for fun I grab the d40. Its weightless, a joy to use and gives good results
If you have a bit more money the D60 give you a number of things you want. It has newer firmware and image processors, designed for the 10 mp sensor. It has an "Active Dust Reduction System with Airflow Control ". Nikon not putting a system on the D40 to deal with dust is one of the biggest drawbacks I see to the D40 ( though I think its still a great camera for the money) If you change lenses dust will get in and the camera needs a system to deal with it. With the D60 you get a VR lens. That will help with low light situations ( they may offer that now with the D40 but originally it was not) . The D60 has Adaptive Dynamic Range. Nikon calls it "Active D-Lighting," it lets you save some highlights that my otherwise be lost. It has a newer better metering system than the D40. So you can get the D40 not the D40 x and spend the other money on lenses or a flash
Some people will want to make a big issue out of the fact that there are some nikon lenses that will not autofocus on these cameras. Right now there are "only" about 39 lenses that autofocus on these cameras. They cover the range of focal lengths. I doubt any photographer would be seriously limited with "only" this many lenses to choose from. If you want to manually focus you can more than double this and do so at a low cost. Manual focusing is easy and how we did things for decades before the advent of autofocus.
Cannon and Nikon chose to put the vibration reduction in the lens rather than the body. Somefolks put it in the camera and make of that. Yes that means you get stabilization only on lenses with that feature built in. In the body in theory it would work on every lens. But in fact image stbilization in the lens has proved to work faster and smoother with a lower impact on focus times than image stabilization in the body/ One problem with in body stabilization comes from the fact that the sensor would have to move different amounts for different focal lengths. A canon white paper says an in body system would have to move the sensor 1/4 inch to account for movement on a 300 mm lens.
Now a comment on liveview. Have you ever tried to hold several pounds of digital camera and lens steady at arms length while you look at an LCD screen. It not at all the same as holding a few ounces of point and shoot camera steady in the same position. One of the things we preach to new photogrpahers is to learn to hold the camera properly so the body mechanics give you a steady shot. You can't really do that looking at the LCD. So liveview is really something that will have very limited applications in a DSLR. . Usually only when its on a tripod. I have liveview on my D300 and have never used it.
Nikon also has great service. I was just reading the other day on eyefetch in the Nikon forum where someone posted that they had dropped thier lens and broken it. It was not a fault of the company they messed up. The sent it to Nikon and Nikon could not fix it. Nikon offered them a brand new identical lens at half the price. They did not have to
In closing all major camera manufactures make good cameras get out and compare the features and how they feel in your hand. Go to places like kenRockwell.com and DPreview.com to compare them. Nikon and Canon have the largest market share and I personally think there is a very good reason they do. Not bashing other brands but photographers tend to be very very demanding folks and they then tend to be loyal to what has worked for them well and consistently. That is not a pavlovian response anymore than it is a pavlovian response in my work at the fire department when I trust the brands of turnout gear and airpacks that have worked for me time and time again. Sometimes even going beyond the published specs. People in ANY demanding profession gain loyalty and trust from thier experiences. And if the product did not perform it would not be favored for long.
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