New to photography dslr cameras? (Page 5): Welcome to the Hog. A great deal of info is being pushed your way, most good or at least well intentioned. Read everything you can. Compare...

Sinewsworn Loc: Port Orchard, WA

jabagirl1229 wrote:

Hi my name is Sherry and i would like to ask a for a favor. I am new to the photography world and i would like to purchase a dslr 📷 but i am not sure if i should get a Canon or a Nokia any advice i keep getting mixed review's. So any thoughts as to which one i should shop for.
Thank you.

Welcome to the Hog.
A great deal of info is being pushed your way, most good or at least well intentioned.

Read everything you can. Compare and compare. Many choices out there.
Your budget will determine, to a great extent what you buy. Remember lenses and the other items that help you take your photos to a higher plane!
Good luck and let us know your choice!

Vince68 Loc: Wappingers Falls, NY

jabagirl1229 wrote:

Hi my name is Sherry and i would like to ask a for a favor. I am new to the photography world and i would like to purchase a dslr 📷 but i am not sure if i should get a Canon or a Nokia any advice i keep getting mixed review's. So any thoughts as to which one i should shop for.
Thank you.

Hi Sherry,

I am guessing you meant Nikon, not Nokia, as Nokia is a maker of phones. One thing to remember when asking advice in a forum such as this is that you are going to get a lot of different opinions, answers, and advice. Most of it will probably be helpful and well meaning. As many have said so far, "Nikon vs. Canon" can be a touchy subject, but very similar to "Coke vs. Pepsi", "Ford vs. Chevy", etc. There are many things to consider when purchasing a new camera. One of the first questions is, what type of photography are you interested in? Do you want to shoot landscapes, architecture, wildlife, sports, action, or do you simply want to take family photos and vacation shots? Also, do you own a camera now, such as a point and shoot, or do you use your camera phone to take photos as many people do? The next question to ask is, what is your budget, how much money do you want to spend on a camera and lenses? Do you have any experience using Lightroom or Photoshop to post-process your photos? You will need to purchase software to do that as well. As many have said previously, one of the first things you should do is go into a camera shop and check out different brands and models. See how they feel and fit in your hand. Check out the layout of the camera controls, buttons, and functionality of the camera. Do they feel heavy, are they well balanced in your hand? Another thing to remember is, you are not just purchasing a DSLR, you are purchasing a system which includes lenses as well. Buying a DSLR can be a big investment. I would suggest checking online reviews from photography websites of both Canon and Nikon DSLR's. One website I always check is Photography Life. I would advise reading reviews from a number of websites, but also keep in mind that if you read a review from someone that uses one brand over another, then they may recommend that brand over another brand. Personally, I am using a Nikon D800 and am very happy with it. I have a very good friend that uses Canon, and he tried to convince me to buy a Canon DSLR. Neither Canon nor Nikon is a better camera then the other, although some will disagree with me on that. Each have their strengths and weaknesses, and do some things better than the other. Ultimately it will come down to your budget, and what you want to photograph. Some models are better for landscapes, others are better for sports and wildlife. Decide on a budget and what you want to photograph, then go to a dedicated camera shop where you can check out different makes and models. Good luck to you.

Vinnie

wishaw

There are Canon users that swear by Canon
There are Nikon users that swear by Nikon
There are Pentax users that swear by Pentax.
Whatever the amount you want to spend there is little difference between each brand.

MROAK Loc: NH now, MA adult life, NY child

I agree with the suggestion to go to stores that allow you to hold the camera and see how it works in your hand. I have owned Nikon (my first DSLR, stolen in Orlando) and Canon (replacement for stolen Nikon). I like both cameras for different reasons. They are both good brands and you will not go wrong by picking either. I do have a comment about buying from Best Buy, I would not buy anything more complicated than a battery at Best Buy. I made the mistake of buying my Canon at Best Buy and have regretted it ever since. I don't have the time or fortitude to say why but there are very good reasons. The best place to feel or ask questions about cameras are real camera stores. I am a big fan of Costco but their personnel may or may not know anything about the products. The good news is in my experience they will identify what they do and do not know. My experience with Costco is they only sell higher quality equipment (not Junk) and their prices are competitive. They don't have much selection however.

delkeener Loc: SW Rhode Island, USA

If I were just starting to get into photography I would now not get a DSLR; a well thought out system is just too HHEEAAVVYY. My choice would be one of the newer Interchangable Lens Mirrorless Cameras (ILMC). The current ILMC systems are just now developing more lens choices but you should probably NOT initially get more than the usual moderate range kit zoom that covers the range (in 35mm equivalent) 35mm to 70mm: and ONLY that one.

Learn to use it first and you may find out what you mostly prefer (if any) Wide Angle, Normal or Telephoto and by then the manufacturers will have more and better native system choices.

If you get really serious about photography you may find a need for more lighting control on your subjects so look for the manufacturers of the better current hot shoe speedlights with Through The Lens (TTL) technology which are (IMHO) Nikon, Canon and Sony.

Have fun.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Well done and excellent suggestions. The only thing you did not consider is moving next door to her. LOL
Mark

wattsimages wrote:

You're going to get a lot of good advice on this site. And as many have pointed out the brand is really not important. However I would never say just pick one.... this should be your first step in a long enjoyable photography experience. The first piece of advice I would give is, if you have a friend that is into photography, and willing to help, go with the same brand that they use. Having that one-on-one experience person that you can call on the phone, borrow a battery – memory card – lens... there are just too many positives to list. The less obvious, but important thing is how it feels in your hand. Is it comfortable, can you reach all of the controls easily?

So here's a short list of other things to consider.

1. You want the simplest and most straightforward camera you can find. Today I shoot with Canon, Nikon, and Sony. It's a luxury for me that I have access to multiple brands. The brand that I'm using most today is Sony. but I would never recommend a Sony to you for your first camera. They're very complicated and because of this people get frustrated, and don't use them. With that in mind Nikon, Canon, Fuji, and Olympus all make a model of camera that is simple. The model comes to mind first is the Fuji XT-10. Also, take the advice from camera store salesman with a grain of salt. In my experience these guys can be very helpful, but they also tend to be brand loyal.

2. What is your main interest? All of the current digital cameras are very good, but some are better than others at certain things. For instance a Canon 7d (version 1 or two), or Nikon D500 are good all-around cameras, but are best for sports/wildlife. if your main focus was family, landscape, or travel, those two models would likely not be your best choice.

3. What do you want to do with images? if you plan on using the mostly online (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.), then get a lower megapixel model. If you plan on making large prints, then you're going to need a higher megapixel model. Unless your planning on printing posters I would recommend staying away from the high-end high megapixel cameras. More detail in the next paragraph.

4. what's going to happen to the original images once they leave your camera? Most/all photographers transfer images from the camera to a computer. So what type of computer you have? Does it have adequate storage? To have a way to back it up, so that if it dies you don't lose all your precious memories? this is a another reason why I would stay away from high megapixel cameras. The files take up tons of space, they require more computer power process, and they can really slow things down. I regularly create images for billboards, bus raps. because of this I have a $6000 Mac Pro desktop, with a separate raid backup, and two monitors. The whole thing probably set me back $10,000. Unless you plan on creating billboards, this would be a huge waste of money. In fact the only time you would need this is if you are doing it as a business where time = money. after all of this rambling I would lead you to the basic Canon, Nikon, and Fuji models that range in the 16 to 18 Mpix range. Any computer made in the last five years can handle this type of file size.

5. Do you also want to learn the software to process the images. If yes, then any camera will do. if not then I would really recommend the Fuji or Olympus. Fuji has fantastic in camera processing, that seems to work under that the others. I have led many photo walks, and the JPEG's that come out of Fuji seem to look just a little bit better than the rest.

Once you've considered all of this, go to your local camera store hold the camera (s) in your hand. Remember all of these manufacturers make fantastic cameras so you're going to get a good one. After you've bought it, take as many pictures as you can. You're not going to wear these things out. you can take 1000 pictures of month every month for 10 years. So shoot away. Then join some online groups that will give you reasonable critiques. You don't want one where everybody says it's great, and you don't want the opposite either. Maybe your local meet up group, or camera club...

Have fun!!!

You're going to get a lot of good advice on this s... (show quote)

wattsimages

markngolf wrote:

Well done and excellent suggestions. The only thing you did not consider is moving next door to her. LOL
Mark

My Girlfriend (Married for 25 years) might take issue with that.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

That makes you a lucky guy!!
Mark

wattsimages wrote:

My Girlfriend (Married for 25 years) might take issue with that.

Kuzano

wattsimages wrote:

My Girlfriend (Married for 25 years) might take issue with that.

OTOH... you may be surprised!

Kuzano

SharpShooter wrote:

Sherry, welcome to the Hog!!! br I can see I'm a l... (show quote)

Not sure I agree with all the puffery listed above. Speaking about the money involved, I suspect the poster here has from $50 to $100 K involved in her passionate investment. She speaks highly of Canon, and could even be right! I've shot a lot of Canon's, but have also shot many (in her consideration) lesser camera's with equal or better results. She is loyal beyond belief. I even heard a few little girly squeals in there. Passion like that should only be exhibited behind closed doors in the arms of a big burly man!

Have you considered your potential investment. Me, I'm Chevy, Coca Cola, and the camera that's at hand ... the saying goes "f8 and Be There", with the camera you brung!

FramerMCB Loc: Northern, ID (formerly Portland, OR area)

jabagirl1229 wrote:

Hi my name is Sherry and i would like to ask a for a favor. I am new to the photography world and i would like to purchase a dslr 📷 but i am not sure if i should get a Canon or a Nokia any advice i keep getting mixed review's. So any thoughts as to which one i should shop for.
Thank you.

First, welcome to the "HOG!". I'm sure many have already suggested this, but I would go into a camera store and try different models that are in your price range. See how they feel in your hand. And go from there.

tinwhistle

I didn't take the time to go through 5 pages of "why I love my Canon/Nikon", but it so happened that what I would advise was posted just ahead of my post. Go to a "real" camera store, that's populated by "real camera people" and start there. Please avoid (as stated earlier) the Best Buy' and Costco types, they're toxic.....

Steve g Loc: Logtown, CA

My advice is to go to a camera shop and handle the cameras to see if one fits you better than another. All of them are good cameras with great lenses, but the one that fits your hand, eye, and has the menu that makes the most sense to you will be the one that's the most likely to become that extension of you that it needs be so you can concentrate on the image being made and not be distracted by the camera.

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

simple answer to that. if your new and have no idea what your doing. Check with your friends, if you find one with a Canon or a NIkon, talk to them and try and buy the same camera. Then you have someone that will be able to answer your 1000's of questions that will pop up

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

First and foremost, unless you are planning to be a professional photographer and know you will be able to make enough money at it to support your profession and lifestyle, buying modern mass produced camera gear is not an investment. Before you decide what you want you need to determine what you can afford 'cause this stuff can get real expensive.

If Financials are not a problem or consideration, you've got a whole world of stuff to choose from and it all boiled down to, where do you want to be in photography in the next few years...