# Dslr For beginner



## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

I just ordered the Nikon D5300. It had more features that I wanted over the Nikon D3300. I'd check that one out if you want a good basic camera. I purchased a refurbished one through Nikon and got about $100 off. My husband is a part time pro/am photographer of dog sports and owns the Nikon 7000 so we are sharing lenses for now, but my goal is a nice all in one zoom lens. It's a hoby we can do together. I enjoy nature photography.


----------



## Eowyn (Aug 29, 2013)

I have the Nikon D3200 with a Tamron 18-270 lens and I love it! Here are two recent (past week) bird shots I took with it.


----------



## kellyguy (Mar 5, 2014)

I can't help much with Nikon advice as I've never used it. 
I've been using the T4i (now T5i) since it came out and it's excellent for the price point. The T4i and T5i have a newer image processor, focus system and touch screen otherwise is very much the same as the T3i.
The thing to remember is the camera body you start out with really isn't as important as the lenses that you will acquire for different purposes. 
I have canon lenses that I bought 20 years ago while I was still primarily shot 35mm film and they are fully compatible with my current DSLR system.
The one difference in the older type autofocus lenses is the speed at which the autofocus is much slower, and they are very noisy if you are shooting video and using the cameras built in mic.
The newer STM lenses are silent when they focus.
Whichever "system" you decide to go with, I would check "youtube" for reviews. You will get different opinions, but taking them all into consideration you will have an idea of the features that a particular camera has or is missing that you might not even know you wanted.


----------



## jaina8851 (Apr 19, 2014)

I'm sure photography die-hards will disagree, but from what I've read, the Canon/Nikon debate really comes down to personal preference. Go to the camera shop and put both of them in your hand, see what fits better. See which one is more logical for you in terms of the menu options. Both will give you beautiful photos. I'm a Nikon gal myself. I have a D3000, which is pretty lame compared to the much better entry-level cameras they have now. I'm saving my pennies to upgrade the body but it takes perfectly nice pictures for now! I have a couple of nice lenses and a low-grade external flash, and it works great for me. Have fun with which ever one you choose


----------



## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

Eowyn said:


> I have the Nikon D3200 with a Tamron 18-270 lens and I love it! Here are two recent (past week) bird shots I took with it.


That is the lens I'd like to get for my D5300. I'm glad you like it.


----------



## Eowyn (Aug 29, 2013)

I just thought I would add, I paid $350 and $330 for the lans and camera body (no kit lens). Both were on sale and I bought online.


----------



## 4goldengirls (Jun 10, 2014)

I'm an avid hobby photographer and agree with Jaina8851 - you should go someplace where you can try out and feel which camera you're more comfortable with. I'm a Nikon user and I currently use the Nikon D7000 with various lenses and absolutely love it. You can't go wrong with the D3100 but if you can spend approximately $100 more you might consider the Nikon D5100 (which should still be within your price range). It has just a few extra features. You will find that the lenses are where you start to spend the money. Nikon and Canon are both great cameras. Good luck in your search.


----------



## mddolson (Jul 10, 2012)

I've had Olympus, Sony & now a Canon.
They are all good cameras, but it comes down to personal preference..
I think most of the current DSLR's are all pretty great.
You really need to consider what lens you want & what they set you back.

Mike D.


----------



## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I started with an entry-level Canon. I upgraded to a 60D (outdated now-- looking to upgrade again) and it feels so much better in my hands. It is a personal preference but I like something more substantial and weighted in my hands. For photographing dogs running around, I have the 70-300mm, which is perfect.


----------



## rik6230 (Jan 8, 2008)

Like people said here before; Nikon, Canon, Sony Pentax Olympus, they are all excellent camera's. The lens matters. You want photos of Chester. Action shots ? Then you need a fast lens. (The larger the maximum aperture the faster the lens is. f2.8 is fast, f16 is very slow) Fast lenses are expensive.
You want photos of your family and friends a 50mm f1.8 would be perfect. For a little birding you need a telelens. (300mm would be great) So what do we have ?

a 50 mm 1.8 is great for action shots and family shots. (pro proformance for a very low price. (110 dollars) You have the speed for action shots and a very high quality for portrait and family shots. For bird pics you need more mm. The 70-300mm would be great but is expensive.
My advise would be; buy a body and a 50mm 1.8 and maybe after some time you saved some money for a 70-300mm.
And now back to the camera's; the Nikon 3 and 5 series doesn't have an inbuilt focus motor so the beautiful Nikkor 50 1.8 fits on this cameras but you do not have Auto Focus and you want that. I'm a Nikonian but if you want to use a 50mm 1.8 go for Canon. Canon also has a great 70-300 
Buy a Canon with the 50mm f1.8. 
For camera and lens reviews 
Welcome to Photozone! :wavey:


----------



## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

I have the 50mm f1.8 as well. It is perfect for portraits and low light but I am often wanting more reach when photographing dogs outdoors, when Molly is running around and I just can't move that quickly! I also take the camera with me to field training sometimes and really do need the reach. That is where the 70-300 comes in. My other "walk around" lens is the 17-55 f2.8. Also fast. I love it.


----------



## Shutterwolf (Jan 30, 2012)

Vhuynh2 said:


> I started with an entry-level Canon. I upgraded to a 60D (outdated now-- looking to upgrade again) and it feels so much better in my hands. It is a personal preference but I like something more substantial and weighted in my hands. For photographing dogs running around, I have the 70-300mm, which is perfect.


I also got the 60D for my professional photography. It works amazingly well, and it has withstood lots of water, and dogs over the time Ive had it. The 70-300 is a good lens, but I am actually happier with the less expensive 55-250. It seems to have a faster auto focus... 

The 50mm 1.8 is also an incredible lens. I just took some shots of my girl with it yesterday (see below).

To answer the OP, I would recommend a Canon for an easier to use menu system, and I could personally offer help and advise with any questions on how to use it. You can get lots in that price range, if you are open to getting a used camera. I got my 60D used, and it has worked flawlessly for the last 100k clicks Ive put on it.


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

I just bought a Nikon D3200 last week. Love it! There's so much to learn. It is dubbed the entry-level SLR camera with both basic and advanced functions and capabilities. I wish I could buy another lense for it with more zoom, but my budget is so tight. I am hoping to become a serious hobby/semi-pro photographer myself.


----------



## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

MercyMom said:


> I just bought a Nikon D3200 last week. Love it! There's so much to learn. It is dubbed the entry-level SLR camera with both basic and advanced functions and capabilities. I wish I could buy another lense for it with more zoom, but my budget is so tight. I am hoping to become a serious hobby/semi-pro photographer myself.


Great camera. My new (refurbished) D5300 should be delivered today. It's my first "big people" camera. I have always had point and shoot, so this should be a fun new experience. Rick is the photographer in the family. He has a D7000 and is looking to upgrade with the next upgrade. It's a hobby we can do together and will be fun. I just got the body because he has so many lenses, but I'm looking for a good all in one lens. Maybe next year.


----------



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

I had a hand-me-down Canon XTi for years with a f/4-5.6 75-300 from the 80s or 90s on it. I found that I could get totally good shots of small birds and some excellent ones of large birds with it. I think anything less than 300 is probably not going to be great for birds, though. "Only" 300mm is really frustrating for songbirds. I shoot most dog photos in 70-200mm range, but birds require more reach. The comparable 75-300 (USM III) these days goes for something like $200 at most retailers.

I bought a Canon 6D in November 2012 and a 100-400 lens in March 2013, which gave me a big jump in sharpness, exposure range, and the ability to zoom in tighter, but if you go to the bird section of my blog from before that, you can see what an old Canon can do with a 75-300 lens. I also wasn't manually setting my camera as often then, so a lot of those bird photos were simply taken on the "action" (the little runner guy) setting. I think those are pretty similar to what you would get from a T3i plus a modern day 100-300, though my guess is your photos would be generally be a bit sharper and a bit better exposed. I think the T3i is a step up from what the XTi was back in its day.


----------



## eleni (Oct 10, 2013)

I am a fan of Nikon and I have the D90 with a 18-105 lens. If you read online reviews you might find out it's better than newer entry level models and you can get it quite cheap as it is an older model. It is a fantastic camera with many auto but manual features as well. Here is one of my best shots with it.


----------



## rik6230 (Jan 8, 2008)

eleni said:


> I am a fan of Nikon and I have the D90 with a 18-105 lens. If you read online reviews you might find out it's better than newer entry level models and you can get it quite cheap as it is an older model. It is a fantastic camera with many auto but manual features as well. Here is one of my best shots with it.


That is a great shot..beautiful


----------



## watergirl (Apr 9, 2014)

We are total novices and recently bought the Nikon D5200 with a 55-300 lens. We bought it primarily for dog action/water pics. Here's my favorite shot from last weekend. 









I suspect we'll purchase more and better lenses as time goes on, but I'm happy with our purchase.


----------



## xoerika620xo (May 25, 2012)

you guys are awesome! i have a lot to think about but i am so grateful for all the responses.


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

Tayla's Mom said:


> Great camera. My new (refurbished) D5300 should be delivered today. It's my first "big people" camera. I have always had point and shoot, so this should be a fun new experience. Rick is the photographer in the family. He has a D7000 and is looking to upgrade with the next upgrade. It's a hobby we can do together and will be fun. I just got the body because he has so many lenses, but I'm looking for a good all in one lens. Maybe next year.


I am eyeing the Nikon 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AF-S DX (VR) lens. I hope to make that my main lens eventually. In the meantime, I will be begging my father in heaven to give me a raise in my allowance.


----------



## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

watergirl said:


> We are total novices and recently bought the Nikon D5200 with a 55-300 lens. We bought it primarily for dog action/water pics. Here's my favorite shot from last weekend.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What a great shot. I'll be taking lots of dog photos and landscapes and nature shots. Just started playing around with my D5300 last night. Very excited to try some things this weekend.


----------



## Melfice (Aug 4, 2012)

I'm new to photography and I'm starting to learn more and more about taking pictures. I have a Canon REBEL T3i, and I really like the camera.

I am looking at these two lenses but I'm not sure which one to get.

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens:






Or

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Standard & Medium Telephoto Lens:








If anyone has feedback on which one I should invest in, that will be very helpful


----------



## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

The 1.8 is lighter and much less expensive than the 1.4. The 1.4 is better in low light, heavier and probably has a better build quality. They are both excellent lenses. For the price, the 1.8 is hard to pass up.


----------



## Melfice (Aug 4, 2012)

Max's Dad said:


> The 1.8 is lighter and much less expensive than the 1.4. The 1.4 is better in low light, heavier and probably has a better build quality. They are both excellent lenses. For the price, the 1.8 is hard to pass up.


Thanks for the info 

Yeah I think the 1.8 is very hard to pass by. I'm going to order it today, and I can start using it next week. Good stuff


----------



## goodog (May 6, 2013)

77 Just got a Nikon D750 and s 70-200 f2. l3ens.
---------------------
Im a member of Nikonians : The Nikon user community --the source of the BEST INFO online for Nikon users -any skill level.
There are sub-forums as here for each type of Nikon camera--and users here. If you're a newbie -you can talk w. newbies. Same story on people w/ the same camera. 
Need serious advice--lots of pros who do a great job explaining pretty much anything.


----------



## Max's Dad (Apr 23, 2012)

goodog said:


> 77 Just got a Nikon D750 and s 70-200 f2. l3ens.
> ---------------------
> Im a member of Nikonians : The Nikon user community --the source of the BEST INFO online for Nikon users -any skill level.
> There are sub-forums as here for each type of Nikon camera--and users here. If you're a newbie -you can talk w. newbies. Same story on people w/ the same camera.
> Need serious advice--lots of pros who do a great job explaining pretty much anything.


Thanks for the link. Joined today. The D750 looks to be one impressive camera. Curious, what did you upgrade from?


----------



## rik6230 (Jan 8, 2008)

goodog said:


> 77 Just got a Nikon D750 and s 70-200 f2. l3ens.
> ---------------------
> Im a member of Nikonians : The Nikon user community --the source of the BEST INFO online for Nikon users -any skill level.
> There are sub-forums as here for each type of Nikon camera--and users here. If you're a newbie -you can talk w. newbies. Same story on people w/ the same camera.
> Need serious advice--lots of pros who do a great job explaining pretty much anything.


I was a Nikonians member but my account is deactivated. I can reactivate it any time but I have to pay at least 25 dollars a year :doh:
That 750 is a great camera. I was at the Photokina, Cologne Germany, a few days ago and tried that camera. Also saw some pictures. Impressive !


----------



## BajaOklahoma (Sep 27, 2009)

I agree that lens are more important than the camera. Put your money into the lens first, then the camera. 

Hold the camera with the lens that you are interested in. The better lenses are heavier than you expect. And imagine holding it for long periods of time.
Also look at the cameras that are a few steps up. Once you committ to a lens, you are committing to stay with that manufacturer unless you want to take a loss when you sell it.
Our local camera club will often have members offering equipment for sale as they upgrade. It's important to know that some camera parts have a limited life expectancy, so the more the camera is used, the sooner you will need some work on it. Lens can be a huge bargain, but you need to use it and blow up the images on a laptop to see if you can see any errors. Most of our members are honest and take care of their equipment.

For me, IS makes sense as my arms are getting weaker as I age (both shoulders have had surgery). My sister is an avid wildlife photographer and uses IS on her telephotos lens that are 300 and greater. 

From personal experience, Canon service is outstanding. I dropped a 70-200 _F_2.8, denting the focus ring and breaking several of the elements. Sent it in overnight on Monday and had it back in my hands on Friday - it looks and works like new. Very reasonable price too. Whatever shipping method you use to send it in is the same method they ship it back. It's your original equipment you get back, not somebody else's refurbished. Yes, I checked the serial number.

Take lots of pictures and have fun.


----------

