Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with dslr and photography

Help me choose a beginner DSLR?

kylej — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:26:13 -0800

What beginner's dslr should I buy? I'm looking to purchase a camera within the next couple weeks. I have around 600$ to spend, and I'm looking to buy a beginners dslr.

Right now I'm leaning towards the Canon Rebel XSi.

It seems like it has a lot of options for me to learn and Canon has a nice lens selection if I want to buy more.

I've seen other questions on here, as well as numerous online reviews, but I wanted to see if you guys can think of any other options that would be good for me.

Stuff I'm planning on using it for:
Snapshots of friends
Macro(ish) shots
Travel shots(for when I go to Spain this summer)
Probably some informal portraits too

Another camera I was considering was the Nikon D3000, which is geared towards beginners, but I feel like it might be limiting as I get better at photography.

Thanks for your input!

To The Moon Alice, and BEYOND!!!

snsranch — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:15:48 -0800

Any suggestions for a high powered telescope that is t-ring compatible (for DSLR) AND is tough and light enough for backpacking and camping? I'm thinking 40 lbs max. I've been searching around but the terminology is so varied it's tough to nail down. I'm looking here at Oceanside Photo and Telescope, but I don't even know where to start. Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes? Corrected Dall-Kirkham (CDK) Telescopes?

Please hope me, and thanks in advance!

Happy stargazing!

Canon -> Nikon

aeighty — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:33:55 -0800

Switching dSLR systems, going from Canon to Nikon? I'm curious if anyone has done this. I've been photographing with a Canon Digital Rebel 350D for about 4 years now. I'd like to get a little more resolution for larger prints and better nighttime sensitivity. Recently, my father bought himself a Nikon D90, so I figure if I upgrade in the near future, I might as well upgrade to a compatible system so that we may share accessories (flashes, expensive lenses). I'm not heavily invested in Canon. I have a Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, Canon f/1.8 50mm prime and the crappy kit lense. Oh and a flash. Over the years I've gotten used to Canon's menus and ergonomics, so I'm never fiddling with settings; equipment almost never interferes with the process.

I'm concerned that I may hate "the Nikon experience", although truth be told my initial Canon decision was somewhat arbitrary. At some point in the near future, I will borrow my dad's D90 to play with, but I'd appreciate hearing about your experiences.

Thanks

My camera and me: one of us sucks, but which?

Bardolph — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:15:31 -0800

Photography-satisficing-filter: I would like to take family snapshots approximately as nice as this. Can it be done with my higher-end point-and-shoot (currently taking shots like this)? And if not, what's the minimum I'd need to spend on equipment to get there? For all my other very modest photography needs (sunsets, flowers, vacations, the usual), my two-year-old Olympus SP-550 UZ does me just fine. But I would really like to be able to take slightly better medium-to-close-range shots of people. What I especially like about her shot vs. mine:

1. Sharpness/clarity/crispness. No matter what the lighting's like, I feel as though my Olympus consistently produces pictures that are slightly "soft" or foggy. My messing around with the shutter priority mode has succeeded only in replacing blurriness with graininess.

2. Lack of distortion. Somehow, anyone I've photographed close up with my current camera ends up looking vaguely fishbowly and unlike themselves-- what's up with that?

3. Shallow depth of field. This is less critical, since I know it's hard to get in a point-and-click. Still, it'd be nice.

I know there's a school of thought that says you should just learn to work the camera you have-- and my Olympus has tons of complicated modes, including aperture priority, shutter priority, full-manual, and Scene, so it's entirely possible that I'm just not using it to best effect. (I also have Photoshop, so I'm fine with learning to fake stuff in post-production). On the other hand, I don't want to spend a ton of time trying to optimize my technique with this camera if in the end it's simply incapable of producing the shots I'd like.

So... do I need to buy a DSLR? If not, what should I work on, technique-wise? And if so, what's the (approximate) minimum I'd need to spend for something that would suit this particular, very specific purpose?

Whats an ideal everyday lens for an EOS 450D?

WinnipegDragon — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:49:35 -0800

I need advice on a 'walking-around' lens on a sub-frame Canon DSLR. This is a followup to my previous question that I received some wonderful advice on. I'm hoping for more, hivemind!

My Rebel XSi/EOS 450D is now about four weeks old, and I've probably shot about 1,100 frames on it. I'm happy with the camera, I'm learning quickly and I'm ready to branch out into my first 'real' lens. I admit that this is partially fueled by my weekend rental of an EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM that I took to the zoo, and immediately fell in love with.

So, I'm looking for a 'walking around' lens to be my primary lens that will be on the camera as a default. Ideally it would be good for architecural, landscape and street photography but still have a decent amount of reach for the occasional shot that requires it. A good maximum magnification factor certainly wouldn't hurt.

The best of these sorts of lenses always seem to be more than 20mm focal length at the wide end, and on a 1.6x crop body, it's far too wide for anything architectural or landscape. The few that are good at the wide end tend not to have a lot of reach so you end up with the opposite issue. There are one or two contenders in the EF-S series of lenses, but I'm wary about them since an upgrade to a full frame camera is not out of the question in the future.

I have a nifty fifty and have used it as my primary lens, as well as the 18-55 kit lens, but there are situations where these are just not the right lenses.

So, the contenders that I am considering, and their major concerns, are:

- EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM (expensive, not wide enough, slow)
- EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM (expensive, not wide enough, no IS)
- EF 17-40mm f/4 L USM (no IS, slow, practically no reach)
- EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM (not wide enough, slow)
- EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS (EF-S mount, slow, questionable optics)

Is there another option out there that I'm missing?

Help a DSLR Noob

Ziggy500 — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:36:59 -0800

[DSLR Noob Filter] Do I need to invest in a VR (vibration reduction) lens? Hi, I'm buying an entry-level DSLR (Nikon D60) and have the choice of buying a Nikkor VR 18-55mm lens or a non-VR 18-55 lens. The non-VR option costs about £60 less.

I don't really want to throw pots of money at this camera, but I don't want to skimp unnecessarily either, as I'm very keen to improve.

Do the photographers among you find the vibration reduction feature useful? Thanks for your help! :)

Help me choose a DSLR.

biochemist — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:13:56 -0800

Can anyone recommend a good action, landscaping, and travel DSLR in the $~1000 range? I tend to travel around and take pictures of nature, which include landscape as well as fast-moving animals. (Low light would be nice too, but I won't hold my breath.) I have read this, but it's from '07. I'd like updated recommendations.

EASY secrets of taking great photos

JensR — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:31:34 -0800

What are your favourite photographer's tricks that an amateur could use to create stunning photos on a hobbyist budget? As a hobbyist DSLR photographer, I find that once in a while, I stumble across some simple little trick-of-the-trade that instantly makes my photos much better... and it is these little "Wow!" moments that keep me motivated to keep shooting and learning.

I am not talking about expensive studio rigs here, or vague lifelong lessons ("learn about composition and color theory", "know your camera"). I am specifically talking about the low-hanging fruit that a low-budget amateur photographer like me could apply and see an instant difference.

If there are any photographers out there who have experienced the same kind of "Wow!" moment after trying out some new technique or equipment, please share your best suggestions in this thread.

What software should I organize my pictures with, when I need seperation into 3 topics?

jakobmunster — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:45:41 -0800

Can anyone recommend me software for a mac, that can help improving my workflow and organization of images, while I keep the images separated into 3 topics? It's possible to categorize my photography this way: 50% hobby photography (or you could call it experimenting and improving my skills), 40% pro photography for costumers while the last 10% goes to "niche photography".

I'd like a piece (or pieces) of software for a mac, that would help me keep my images organized. I've tried programs like Lightroom and Aperture, but it ends up beeing a mess, as I'd like to keep the 3 topics of my photography seperated.

My workflow:
- Import RAW images
- Convert to DNG
- Sort the pictures in keepers and delete the rest
- Rate the pictures. I prefer to use a star rating
- Process the pictures with photo-editing software
- Archive all the pictures and export the ones I would like to display immediately

Suggestions to improving my workflow, is also very welcome.

Can anyone recommend me a combination of software, that will let me do my workflow and still keep my images organized and seperated into the 3 main topics?

Film like digital pictures...

ashaw — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:30:11 -0800

Photography-filter: As a total beginner to photography, I've been learning all about the basic techniques with my new DLSR. However I've been recently getting very inspired by film photography shot on 35mm film like Lomos, Yashica T4s. How can I emulate this style on a Digital SLR? [More inside] I've done my homework which has amounted to "Use film to look like film". But if I absolutely have to use a DSLR how would I achieve effects similar to the following photos:

I like the hues in the back of this one and this one (NSFW).
I like the lo-fi 'fogginess' (is that the right word?) of this one and this one.
I like the washed out bluish hues of this one and this one.

I love little things like light leaks, vingnetting and accidental quirks which I'm willing to accept is near impossible to achieve.

Post production techniques? What kind of camera settings should I use?

I try to shoot film when possible, but as a student it's prohibitively expensive.

Which DSLR would you pick?

ddaavviidd — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 12:59:43 -0800

I need to choose between buying a used Nikon D50 and a used Canon Rebel XT. I would like to hear about your experience with any of these fine cameras. Both cameras pretty much have the same specs, and I can get them at the same price ( about $400 CAD), both come with the 18-55 kit lense, the Nikon also have a dx nikor 55-200 F4,5-5,6 and the canon comes with a sigma 70-300 F4,0-5,6. I will use this camera both inside and outside, and I don't plan to print huge posters. I'm not doing sport photography, mostly landscape and people. I was also looking at new Nikon D60, but they are still over $500 and I can't afford that right now.

I'd like to hear about your experience with these cameras. I'm leaning towards the D50 for its larger lcd, but I heard the XT does a better job for inside shots. I don't own lenses, so I'm not sold to any brand. Anything I should be aware of to help my choice? I've done lots of photography before, using manual settings and all, but always with point-and-shoot cameras.

Help me spend somebody else's money on a new camera!

synecdoche — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:49:32 -0800

Shopping for somebody else and looking for a digital SLR camera that can handle a handful of specific requirements. I know nothing about these things. I work for somebody who is in the market for a new digital SLR camera. I've been tasked with the job, being the go-to person who knows more about tech than the other employee, but I confess to knowing little about digital cameras. I am hoping the hivemind might point me in the right direction.

What I am after is a very user-friendly camera, a digital SLR if at all possible, that does really well with indoor light. The camera's most important function will be to take picture of things in museums, including presentations of text. The text will need to be legible on the image (This can involve the descriptions of displays, as well as text that is itself the display--treaties and whatnot that are, presumably, legible enough to read when one is not using the camera.) There is a possibility that some of these images will be reproduced in a (non-glossy) book in the future but for the most part it is for capturing material for a research project, for future reference.

The price range for this is between $300-$600 CDN.

Thanks!

DSLR or Point and Shoot?

carterk — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 19:31:41 -0800

Should I buy a low end DSLR or a high end point and shoot? Yes, this has been asked before, but not this month.

So my wife is pretty happy with her point and shoot compact camera, but has recently expressed two dissatisfactions with it- she’d like a bigger zoom and she’s frustrated with the shutter lag. I figured a nice valentine’s gift would be a second camera, one that would not replace the compact but supplement it. I started researching high-end compact ‘superzoom’ cameras, and I figure she’d be real happy with a Canon SX10 IS (about $350).

I got very close to ordering when I noticed that I could get an entry-level DSLR (Canon Rebel XS) for about $460. The big attraction of the DSLR is the greatly reduced shutter lag, a real frustration for my wife. It would also take better pictures, tho this is not actually a real big deal- we’re quite happy with the pictures the little compact takes. It comes with a 18-55mm zoom lens, which of course isn’t as exciting as the 20x lens on the SX10 IS, but if that was a big issue I could always buy a bigger zoom lens when we had more funds.

So I can afford the extra ~$100, but I’m not sure which camera would fit her needs better. She’s a point and shoot picture taker and would be quite happy, I’m sure, with the pictures taken by the cheaper camera. OTOH, she’d just love to capture our kids’ expressions without the frustrating shutter lag she’s had to get used to. With either camera, she’ll be using the automatic settings and is unlikely to spend much time learning how to take advantage of more advanced features or manual settings. So I guess my question boils down to this: assuming a point and shoot attitude, which camera will take better pictures?

Incidentally, weight is not a big deal, since she’ll not be carrying this camera except when we specifically want to be taking pictures- the compact camera will be the default for spontaneous shots. Recommendations for alternatives to the Rebel XS are welcome, but understand that spending $600+ for this purchase isn’t really an option.

Take my pictures....please!

um_maverick — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:32:26 -0800

My snazzy new DSLR camera (Canon Rebel XS) just arrived, so now I need to know what to do with it. My Google skills have failed to find me a useful photography class south of Boston (Brockton/Tauntron/Attleboro-type range). Please help! I'm looking for classes that will show me how to take pictures - composition, color, lenses, settings, etc. At this point, I've read a lot online, but am a hands-on noob. Something once or twice a week, maybe with some field trips built in, would be ideal.

I found courses at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, but that's farther than I'd like to go. I also checked some area community colleges, but the only one I found (at Bristol Community College) looks like a film class - darkroom techniques, etc... Maybe I'll get to that point eventually, but right now I just want to take some good pictures, and maybe learn digital post-processing techniques.

Thanks!

Photographing bright shiny things

ninazer0 — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:17:24 -0800

Photographing shiny things: help my light this stuff nicely and take a good photo that isn't blurry. Some basic info. I am using a Canon Eos DSLR 400D. I only have an EFS 18-50mm lens, on-board flash and I'm using a tripod, just general house lighting with variable amounts of sunlight, and I have access to a small light-tent and various bits of shiny or mat card. I am trying to photograph large pieces of polished silver jewelery on a black background.

My problems are that I'm finding it hard to get an in-focus shot and (probably related) getting a clear shot where the polished silver isn't unevenly over and under exposed. Because I don't have any good lighting, I've been trying to use mostly natural sunlight with a reflector and light-tent, not using the flash and hoping for the best (which isn't working).

Re: blurring, I assume that the auto-focus is getting confused with the multiple shiny points and I'm about to try switching to manual focus, but I foresee a large amount of time being spent futzing around because - even though things look sharp in the viewfinder (and even after zooming in on the on-board screen), they don't look particularly sharp when I download the pix and view them on my laptop.

Re: lighting, the polish on the silver is giving me a headache. Parts of the piece look great, but others are faded, too dark, too light or blurry. I'd use the Macro pre-set but it wants to use the flash which is horrible, and I just don't know enough about f-stops and ISO's to do it myself.

Before I start over again and waste more time, can anyone please give me some helpful hints to make this slightly less painful??

Best low-light lens for Nikon D80?

bollockovnikov — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 05:03:51 -0800

I am looking for a lens for my Nikon D80 that works well in low-light conditions. Something relatively compact and not too expensive would be best. I already own a 18-200mm VR lens, which is OK in low light, but not very compact.

I would obviously like my new lens to be useful in a range of situations, but I am more interested in the portrait to 10 metres range.

I do not own a flash unit and don't intend to buy one.

Thanks

Which camera should I buy?

sliderjc — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:55:57 -0800

Which camera to buy? Canon 40d or Canon 50d? I'm having difficulty deciding which camera to buy. On one hand the 40d is 300-400 pounds cheaper than the 50d but then the 50d is far superior in terms of specs.
The key to this question is timing, I would like the camera before christmas, but I'm worried if I buy either of them now that I will lose out and they will be cheaper in the January sales.
Has anybody experienced Canon sales techniques? Does anybody have any idea if they reduce the prices of their products over time?
For what it's worth, I'm living in the U.K so that may have some bearing on things.

Pokémon Snap was about as far as I got with photography.

joshrholloway — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 09:13:58 -0800

What are some absolute beginner DSLR tips and tricks my wife can pick up on quickly and start using today? My wife has recently become interested in photography as a hobby or potential career, but has always been a point-and-shoot person. Instead of sinking money into a nice camera and lenses, I decided to borrow a nice DSLR from a friend and let her use it for a day or two to see if it's something she would like.

I know about ISO and white balance and shutter speed in the sense that I know what they are, but not how to utilize them effectively. I want to help her be able to maximize her experience of using the camera, but neither of us have ever really used a DSLR before.

I know that these days you can set a camera to auto and just snap away, but are there any absolute beginner techniques to make your pictures pop like the pros? I know she's not going to be an expert in a day or two of using a DSLR, but is there something that would just take here a few minutes/hours to "get" to really see some results and room for potential growth?

(If it matters, the camera she was looking at buying is a Nikon D40, and the one I was able to borrow is an Olympus E-410.)

How do I get that Cobra Snake look in my photos?

geoff. — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:50:18 -0800

I want to start taking party pictures with the Cobra Snake aesthetic. I don't own a dSLR so I will be buying into the body/lens system. It looks like Cobra Snake uses a Canon with a speed light with some sort of fisheye lens? Anything else unique about his setup or is it as simple as it looks? I do realize that Cobra Snake is somewhat derided among amateur and professional photographers, but there's a certain intimacy and lack of self-consciousness with his party photos that I find charming. A lot of this has to do with putting his subjects at ease, but from a technical perspective it does not seem very hard to replicate what he does.

What should I be looking for? I've been leaning toward a Canon XSi with a fisheyes lens plus a speedlight flash. A good start? Are the 400 bodies a better deal now? I've read through nearly all the "What should I buy?" thread, and realize it comes down to personal preferences for the most part, I've also meticulously gone through dashiv's suggestions for party photography. The choices seem limitless, but I'm looking for entry level Canon/Nikon. What specifically would you buy if you were me? What lens, what speed light?

I've also always admired Infrangible and definitely want to start exploring photography beyond my little, outdated point-and-shoot. I just know that if I don't have something specific I'd like to accomplish, I'd end up always finding an excuse not to take pictures, so I'm aiming at recreating a Cobra Snake party album when I go out with friends. I figure it is a somewhat easy, obtainable goal that will help me get comfortable with photography before I start sinking real money into this.

With that in mind, any further suggestions? Is this something I can accomplish for for under or around $1,000? Or, let's fudge and say $1,500? Thanks, always wanted to get into photography but was intimidated by the prices and complexity, trying to get my feet wet.

Too many cameras! So many features! Too much choice! Arrrgggrhhhh!

gergtreble — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:17:08 -0800

Calling all Mefi photographers. Help me choose my entry level DSLR. I just went to my local camera store to buy a Nikon D60 but I made the mistake of asking the guy in the store if there were any other similarly priced ones he recommended. He immediately recommended the Sony a350. This totally threw me I had made up my mind that I wanted a D60 no question! But the Sony A350 has a host of extra features I wasn't expecting to find with the budget I have. Here are the pros and cons of each model as I see them.

1) Glass - Nikon lenses are generally better than Sony right? But Sony bought Minolta so I can use old Minolta lenses if I want. I've also heard that Carl Zeiss makes all Sony lenses! Is that true?

2) Live view - The Nikon doesn't have it, but the Sony does. And the display is movable for shooting from the waist or from over the head! This is drawing me to the Sony.

3) Vibration reduction - The Nikon uses VR in the lens. But the Sony's VR is in the body. Technically I should be able to get vibration reduction with any lens I use in the Sony. But i would have to buy specific VR lenses from Nikon

4) Autofocus - I think the Nikon's AF isnt back compatible with old lenses. But I'm not sure about this.

Now to top it off I've started looking at the Cannon EOS 400D / XTi too! I'm a beginner photographer so I'm looking for a camera that will help me learn the nuances of photography. My budget is £500 ish give or take. I also plan to buy a longer lens before Christmas as I am hoping to spend new year in The Maasai Mara.

I'm torn and conflicted here! A decision that once was so easy has become unbelievably difficult! I would appreciate any advice or testimonies that you can provide.

Thanks in advance.

Best lens for low-light photography with a Nikon D50?

inatizzy — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:54:46 -0800

What is the best lens to use with a Nikon D50 for low-light situations where the subjects are moving? I would like to photograph people at swing dances, which are usually low-light settings and the people tend to move fast.

A friend has gotten some really amazing shots using a Canon EOS 30D with a fixed 28mm lens. (exposures were typically lasting .005-.01 seconds, f 1.8 or 2.) No blurring, beautiful colors. Really just gorgeous portraits of people having a good time, like a freeze-frame in the middle of their dance, and just enough blurring in the background to bring the viewer's focus to the subject.

I have a Nikon D50 and this friend has told me Nikons are not as good as Canons in low-light situations. But I don't really want to invest a lot of money in a whole new body *and* lens.

Is there a lens for the D50 that could accomplish this? (And that would be not-too-expensive? I'm happy to buy used.) In case it matters, right now I have the Nikon 18-200mm lens, which has been fine for everyday shooting but doesn't do as well in really low light. I might be willing to sell this lens to put the money towards the low-light one. (esp if the low-light one could also be used for more general settings like outdoors in the afternoon.)

thanks for your advice! :)

Old Lens with New dSLR?

awesomebrad — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 20:41:32 -0800

dSLRfilter - What will a dSLR think about my 30 year old lens? I've recently started photography as a hobby, and have been using a very old Nikon EM from 1979 that my parents had lying around the house. It only has one lens, a 50mm f/1. Series E, which I quite like. My limited but growing understanding of dSLRs tells me that because I won't be getting a full frame camera, the image is going to be different in some way because the lens is designed for film. What is that something? Is there anything else that will prevent it from working with a new camera?

Bonus: thoughts on Nikon D40 v. D60? I'd go with the D40, but I'm a bit concerned about not having a dust removal system...how big of a problem is that?

f-stop my heart

drpynchon — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 09:52:56 -0800

DSLR recommendations anyone? So I'm finally thinking about going the DSLR route and I'd like advice on how to get the pictures I'd like to shoot at the most reasonable price (body + lens). The stipulations are as follows:

1) I'm mainly interested in low light portraits and food shots. Think lighting levels at your average fancy restaurant at dinner time. Some shots may ultimately end up on something amounting to a food blog.

2) I'm a relative beginner.

3) Shots will likely be handheld.

4) I'd really like to pull it off without the use of a flash, and wonder if that's even reasonable.

5) I don't necessarily need lots of bells and whistles on the body, and would easily give such things up for a fast lens that can sop up lots of light and yields a nice bokeh. That said, am I correct in believing that a budget body/processor is going to limit the use of higher ISOs? Any comments on the ISO/f-stop issue would be welcome.

6) Starting with just 1 lens and the body, I'd love to do this at under or around $1000.

Again, I'm a relative noob so any input is much appreciated. And yes, I've read all the dashiv posts on photography.

Guides/tricks for my new DSLR?

meerkatty — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:55:24 -0800

Please help me use my new DSLR camera. Are there guides/tricks for specific cameras online? I took a course today on how to use my new Canon Rebel xti, which came with a handy password protected guide online. (The guide was far superior to the camera manual - with explanations of when and why you would use a certain function, complete with photo examples.) The course was a little basic for my needs but I can't take the more advanced part of the course for a few months. Are there guides along these lines available online?

Big bonus points for anyone who has the password for Henry's School of Imaging Canon xti Part 2 guide.

Traveling With a DSLR

paulfreeman — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:43:22 -0800

Backpacking with a DSLR Camera - Any advice? From December I'll be traveling around Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam with my DSLR in tow. I'll be sorting out specific travel insurance for it, and have taken into account the fact I am carrying expensive kit from a financial point of view.

But given there is little point in owning a nice camera and leaving it behind when going places you really want to take good photos, does any one have any experience or advice regarding SLR photography when backpacking?