What camera should I get?
I couldn't find topic like this on Forum, so I let myself to ask this obvious question (and hard to answer as well).
I'm amateur with aspirations for being pro :). Of course. Stop laughing. I've just started my journey with taking photos. But let's assume I'm not gonna stop taking photos after one week because I get bored.
What I have now, is some shitty compact camera. It sux. I could elaborate on this, but it doesn't make sense. So I'm looking for more professional stuff. I see tons of cameras here: tookapic.com/cameras but still I don't know which should I pick.
I don't have any preferences for manufacturer. I'd like to spend around $1000-2000 (+/-) for everything: body + lens(es) + optionally some flash + optionally some tripod. Not sure if it's a lot or not. I'm not even sure if it's enough.
I'm not demanding if we talk about features. Not sure if this exists but I think it would be nice to be able to connect camera to my computer by wifi or some other technology rather than cable or inserting SD card. Other than that - I'm open for "cool" features suggestion cuz I'm kinda geeky.
Of course, I'm beginner. So I'm not looking for this kind of camera c2.staticflickr.com/4/3082/276... but something more human. On the other hand, I wouldn't like to get something that I will have to replace after 1 year of taking pics.
And btw. let's skip part called "Good photographer can take photo with shitty camera" - I already know that and I'm a bad photographer.
Kevin Drum If I were starting out again, I'd get the A6000. If you eventually decide to go fullframe, then the A6000 becomes a perfect backup/travelling camera.
Shenandoah
I know you said you don't want to get something you have to replace after 1 year, but I'd like to suggest a different point of view. Obviously not everyone will agree, but I bring it up for your consideration.
As a beginner, you likely don't know what you need long term. I'd recommend getting a second or third generation low- to mid-range camera, used, for cheap and that you will likely be able to later sell for close to what you paid.
In that case, it really doesn't matter what you buy. Anything better than what you have is fine. Take the pressure off of yourself as far as finding the "right" camera.
Use the camera for 6 months. After that time, you'll have a better idea where the camera falls short for YOUR particular needs. In the meantime, you'll be learning a lot and becoming a better photographer overall. And you'll be developing a personal style. Then you can search for a long-term camera that meets your needs and style.
I just say this based on my own experience. It took me over 200 days here and two different cameras (plus a couple pictures on a third) to figure out what I want for my long-term camera - and I can guarantee it's not the camera I would have bought on Day 1 if I was looking for the perfect camera back then. I'm not ready to buy it yet - I still have more to learn from what I have (and fortunately my current lenses will be compatible with my dream camera), but now I finally know what my needs are.
Eugene Alexeev I agree. Something like a D90 would still make a great beginner camera. What you need is experience and the ability to experiment. The later is more important and requires that the body you choose gives easy access to manual mode. I'd say you don't need anything above 12 MPix. You must have full frame, Nikon D700 is 12.1 and going for $700 used in the US.
Michael McKee
Almost any interchangeable lens camera made recently will should be capable of creating good photos. What's most important is getting one that fits the style of shooting you want to move into. A smallish camera is good for street shooting. One with fast autofocus is good for sport or birds and so on.
What many serious photographers find is that they start with a modest camera body, then gradually upgrade lenses. Then at some point they upgrade the camera.
Preston Phillips
I know that everyone loves the new mirrorless cameras, but I love the 'old school' style SLR (digital of course).
I'm not pushing a brand, and am talking from my own personal experiences. My first "grown up camera" was a D3100. It was great and I even took it on wedding shoots (I was second shooter). It's smaller than the more professional models and as such is lighter. As an entry level camera, with a kit lens it was less than $500 new. That gave me some leftover money for a couple of primes (35 mm 1.8 and 50 mm 1.8) as well as a speedlight and tripod. I just recently upgraded to a D7100 (Christmas gift) since I realized I was outgrowing my D3100. All of my lenses still work with my new camera and will work with any body in the future so long as I stay within the same 'family' (company) or use adapters. I hope this was helpful and didn't come across as pushing a brand.
Marek
I would not hesitate even two minutes ...
fujifilm.com/news/n160115_01.h...
Robert de Bock
I am waiting to order one also! I've got enough lenses to use; although I mostly use the 35mm f/1.4 and the 18mm f/2.0.
I guess that X-Pro2 will be available next month or so.
Marek As early now I know, that unfortunately it will have one, but a very serious defect - the price ...
Michael McKee I'm a Fuji shooter too, and would love one of these. I wouldn't recommend it as a first camera.(besides, it's twice the price mentioned) The X-T10 or the new X-E2s would fit the budget and be a good place to start with Fujifilm cameras.
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Kevin Drum I am a big fan of Sony's mirrorless bodies. They are all very portable and relatively affordable. Better portability means you're more likely to keep it on hand and actually shoot with it every day. Sony's E mount uses a short flange distance, which means that you can adapt most manual (and some autofocus) lenses to it by attaching an adapter between the lens and the body (I love me some 80's Minolta lenses and vintage Russian lenses). I'm pretty sure all of them can transfer photos wirelessly. Here are the ones I'd recommend within your budget:
- A6000: In my opinion, this is the best crop sensor camera. Great value. There are quite a few affordable lens options, whether you want manual or modern autofocus lenses.
- A7: I'm pretty sure this is still the cheapest and lightest full frame (35mm-ish sensor) body out there. Great sensor with great dynamic range. The only downside to this and the rest of the A7 series is that the native FE lenses can be expensive if you want modern lenses with autofocus.
- A7s: The advantage this has over the base A7 is that you can shoot at a really high ISO with relatively low noise. In other words, it's great for shooting in the dark / astrophotography.
- A7r: The advantage this has over the A7 is a higher megapixel count. Landscape photographers love it.
- A7ii: This is the body I own. It is the same as the A7, except it has sensor stabilization. When I use my manual lenses, I have to set the focal length in the camera (since it can't automatically detect it), but it makes a big difference in how low I can set the shutter speed without getting blur from camera shake. It also has some minor ergonomic improvements over the A7.