Help: Beginner looking for an digital SLR

***Civicn33b*** · 03-09-2008, 04:18 PM

ok here goes...

My grandmother (recently deceased) was a photographer and left behind for me, because i always showed an interest in photography but never took it up, 2 minolta bodies and loads of lenses and filters. My problem is that 35mm is pretty outdated so im wanting to go for a Digital SLR bc of ease of use and simplicity

Likes:
I love shooting cars and that will likely be where most of my photography will be done, I will not be doing professional pics for money. Just get good shots for meets and personal pleasure. So rolling shots, group photos, and single cars will be important. Im not super familiar with lenses and filters and functions of diff camera's yet but i will learn.

Does anybody have any suggestions, im not super concerned with price as i have a bud who works at Best buy but im also not looking to spend $2000.

Best Buy

Help pick out my camera

Thanks,
Josh

02civicsi · 03-09-2008, 04:21 PM

What's your budget? That will kind of determine how far up in megapixels you go.

***Civicn33b*** · 03-09-2008, 04:24 PM

to my understanding more megapixels means you can blow the picture up larger and it will still be clear. I dont want to spend 2k but i get a discount, so prolly around ~$1,000-$1200 retail price camera.

02civicsi · 03-09-2008, 04:32 PM

That is true but think it the other way too. My experience is that when I shoot @ the highest resolution possilbe then resize it to fit onto a forum I notice the pics are clearer.

In that range you're looking @ like a D80 but then you will need to buy some lenses. It does come with a lense but if you want the killer pics then obviously you'll need better lenses or a photoediting program.

***Civicn33b*** · 03-09-2008, 04:39 PM

i have photoshop CS3, but again i have hella learning to do lol. Thanks for the opinion

EDIT: im unbiased to nikon, cannon ect. help me make my mind up guys...

***rippars*** · 03-09-2008, 04:41 PM

your best bet would be to go into a camera store (please dont go to best buy or circuit city) and play around with the different camera and talk to the employees there.

i took me a couple trips to the ritz camera before actually buying anything. im actually looking to pick up another camera body myself.

***Civicn33b*** · 03-09-2008, 04:44 PM

ok but buying from best buy shouldnt be a problem right,your just saying the employees arent the most knowledgeable? theres a wolf camera right around the corner from my house i believe

02civicsi · 03-09-2008, 04:45 PM

I would ask BubzSI because he takes some of the sickest pics.

***rippars*** · 03-09-2008, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Civicn33b

ok but buying from best buy shouldnt be a problem right,your just saying the employees arent the most knowledgeable? theres a wolf camera right around the corner from my house i believe

they might have some knowlegde but i would think a store like wolf camera would be better to help you out...

but there wont be an issue buying from there. but you might want to check places online as well.

arisenfury · 03-09-2008, 04:59 PM

If you want to to use the lenses your grandmother left you, look into Sony. Their new A700 ( I think that's the correct model) has loads of interesting features. If you don't want to use those lenses, look into a Canon XT or a Nikon D40. There's no need to spend big bucks on prosumer bodies if you've never even shot with a dSLR before.

***Civicn33b*** · 03-09-2008, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arisenfury

If you want to to use the lenses your grandmother left you, look into Sony. Their new A700 ( I think that's the correct model) has loads of interesting features. If you don't want to use those lenses, look into a Canon XT or a Nikon D40. There's no need to spend big bucks on prosumer bodies if you've never even shot with a dSLR before.

but if i buy a d40 will i be happy down the road once ive been shooting for a while, and be able to improve the pics by just buying better glass?!... typically entry level anything can only go so far...

EDIT: it also seems to me that the d60 is somewheres in between the two. also im catching lots of nikon recommendations is it the general conscensus (sp?) that nikon is a better camera?

arisenfury · 03-09-2008, 05:56 PM

Camera bodies are irrelevent, it's what you put on in front of the camera and who's behind the camera that makes the biggest impact. Different bodies will give you maybe higher megapixels which you only need if you plan on printing LARGE photos. A 6mp dSLR sensor will print up to 8.5x11. Also included with a better body may be more frames per second, better ISO performance with the extremely new ones, i.e. D300/D3 for Nikon.

***k20z3Vo*** · 03-09-2008, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rippars

your best bet would be to go into a camera store (please dont go to best buy or circuit city) and play around with the different camera and talk to the employees there.

i took me a couple trips to the ritz camera before actually buying anything. im actually looking to pick up another camera body myself.

Yeah, it took me a couple of months of in and out of the Ritz shop before I actually decided to get my D40. Even before that, I went through three point n' shoot digital cameras with unsatisfying results.

To the original poster,
You should talk to the folks at Ritz and see what's right for you. They'll take care of all your questions/concerns. And if you can find a better deal at BestBuy(or other) then use your knowledge from there on... Good luck on the buy.

***GETxERxDONE*** · 03-09-2008, 06:29 PM

wolf camera is ritz camera if you didnt know. and yeah i made several trips there before i bought my D40 played in nikon and canon cams and didnt like the feel of canon. so i suggest you do that..and does minolta have DSLR's? you might want to look into that since all your old lenses will prob fit and AF with one of those

arisenfury · 03-09-2008, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GETxERxDONE

..and does minolta have DSLR's? you might want to look into that since all your old lenses will prob fit and AF with one of those

Sony dSLRs use Minolta mounts/lenses.

***GETxERxDONE*** · 03-09-2008, 06:36 PM

then thats what i would go for, a friend of mine that met in florida one year (yes shes hot lol) has a sony and its pretty nice...to me feels better than canon but not as good as nikon. and i think all of sony's dslr as their version of the vibration reduction in the body itself soon i will be taking pics of my brothers truck in the mud :)

***k20z3Vo*** · 03-09-2008, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GETxERxDONE

wolf camera is ritz camera if you didnt know. and yeah i made several trips there before i bought my D40 played in nikon and canon cams and didnt like the feel of canon. so i suggest you do that..and does minolta have DSLR's? you might want to look into that since all your old lenses will prob fit and AF with one of those

yeah, i knew that. guess it depends on where you're from, makes the difference between the two??

***GETxERxDONE*** · 03-09-2008, 06:58 PM

yeah, im in the south and from it seems most people up north have the Ritz camera stores. i think its the same store with a different name. everything thats store brand in my wolf camera is labeled ritz. not wolf

***Civicn33b*** · 03-10-2008, 01:44 PM

awsome thanks for all the helpful info guys, ill go check out some sonys...

stay tuned for pics of what i have currently from her old 35mm setups

***Civicn33b*** · 03-11-2008, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rippars

they might have some knowlegde but i would think a store like wolf camera would be better to help you out...

but there wont be an issue buying from there. but you might want to check places online as well.

what are some of these places you speak of?! looking for good prices before i go into BB and get a discount on an already jacked up camera?

03-09-2008, 04:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
*Civicn33b* is b0osted! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 3,160 Josh iTrader: 3 / 100%	Help: Beginner looking for an digital SLR ok here goes... My grandmother (recently deceased) was a photographer and left behind for me, because i always showed an interest in photography but never took it up, 2 minolta bodies and loads of lenses and filters. My problem is that 35mm is pretty outdated so im wanting to go for a Digital SLR bc of ease of use and simplicity Likes: I love shooting cars and that will likely be where most of my photography will be done, I will not be doing professional pics for money. Just get good shots for meets and personal pleasure. So rolling shots, group photos, and single cars will be important. Im not super familiar with lenses and filters and functions of diff camera's yet but i will learn. Does anybody have any suggestions, im not super concerned with price as i have a bud who works at Best buy but im also not looking to spend $2000. Best Buy Help pick out my camera Thanks, Josh __________________ "oh no he dit'en" Last edited by Civicn33b; 03-09-2008 at 04:21 PM.

03-09-2008, 04:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
*Civicn33b* is b0osted! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 3,160 Josh iTrader: 3 / 100%	to my understanding more megapixels means you can blow the picture up larger and it will still be clear. I dont want to spend 2k but i get a discount, so prolly around ~$1,000-$1200 retail price camera. __________________ "oh no he dit'en"

03-09-2008, 04:39 PM	#5 (permalink)
*Civicn33b* is b0osted! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 3,160 Josh iTrader: 3 / 100%	i have photoshop CS3, but again i have hella learning to do lol. Thanks for the opinion EDIT: im unbiased to nikon, cannon ect. help me make my mind up guys... __________________ "oh no he dit'en"

03-09-2008, 04:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
*Civicn33b* is b0osted! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 3,160 Josh iTrader: 3 / 100%	ok but buying from best buy shouldnt be a problem right,your just saying the employees arent the most knowledgeable? theres a wolf camera right around the corner from my house i believe __________________ "oh no he dit'en"

03-09-2008, 06:29 PM	#14 (permalink)
*GETxERxDONE* Dont Mess With This Zohan Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Birmingham, Alabama Age: 22 Posts: 7,098 Nichuma Ben Gabriel Ha Levi iTrader: 2 / 100%	wolf camera is ritz camera if you didnt know. and yeah i made several trips there before i bought my D40 played in nikon and canon cams and didnt like the feel of canon. so i suggest you do that..and does minolta have DSLR's? you might want to look into that since all your old lenses will prob fit and AF with one of those __________________ Click Sig for Details on the Wreck, it just gets worse. DIY HFP Front Lip Overlay CHEAP! \| DIY HFP Side Skirt installation DIY AUTO Shift knob Removal \| DIY E-Brake Trim removal License = SUSPENDED Days left = 9

03-09-2008, 04:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
02civicsi Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Longwood, FL Posts: 6,481 I am the Juggernaut!!! iTrader: 17 / 100%	What's your budget? That will kind of determine how far up in megapixels you go.

03-09-2008, 04:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
02civicsi Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Longwood, FL Posts: 6,481 I am the Juggernaut!!! iTrader: 17 / 100%	That is true but think it the other way too. My experience is that when I shoot @ the highest resolution possilbe then resize it to fit onto a forum I notice the pics are clearer. In that range you're looking @ like a D80 but then you will need to buy some lenses. It does come with a lense but if you want the killer pics then obviously you'll need better lenses or a photoediting program.

03-09-2008, 04:45 PM	#8 (permalink)
02civicsi Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Longwood, FL Posts: 6,481 I am the Juggernaut!!! iTrader: 17 / 100%	I would ask BubzSI because he takes some of the sickest pics.

03-09-2008, 04:59 PM	#10 (permalink)
arisenfury Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Central CT Age: 21 Posts: 1,559 Nikon & dSLR squad #6 iTrader: 0 / 0%	If you want to to use the lenses your grandmother left you, look into Sony. Their new A700 ( I think that's the correct model) has loads of interesting features. If you don't want to use those lenses, look into a Canon XT or a Nikon D40. There's no need to spend big bucks on prosumer bodies if you've never even shot with a dSLR before.

03-09-2008, 05:56 PM	#12 (permalink)
arisenfury Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Central CT Age: 21 Posts: 1,559 Nikon & dSLR squad #6 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Camera bodies are irrelevent, it's what you put on in front of the camera and who's behind the camera that makes the biggest impact. Different bodies will give you maybe higher megapixels which you only need if you plan on printing LARGE photos. A 6mp dSLR sensor will print up to 8.5x11. Also included with a better body may be more frames per second, better ISO performance with the extremely new ones, i.e. D300/D3 for Nikon.

03-09-2008, 06:36 PM	#16 (permalink)
*GETxERxDONE* Dont Mess With This Zohan Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Birmingham, Alabama Age: 22 Posts: 7,098 Nichuma Ben Gabriel Ha Levi iTrader: 2 / 100%	then thats what i would go for, a friend of mine that met in florida one year (yes shes hot lol) has a sony and its pretty nice...to me feels better than canon but not as good as nikon. and i think all of sony's dslr as their version of the vibration reduction in the body itself soon i will be taking pics of my brothers truck in the mud :) __________________ Click Sig for Details on the Wreck, it just gets worse. DIY HFP Front Lip Overlay CHEAP! \| DIY HFP Side Skirt installation DIY AUTO Shift knob Removal \| DIY E-Brake Trim removal License = SUSPENDED Days left = 9

03-09-2008, 06:58 PM	#18 (permalink)
*GETxERxDONE* Dont Mess With This Zohan Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Birmingham, Alabama Age: 22 Posts: 7,098 Nichuma Ben Gabriel Ha Levi iTrader: 2 / 100%	yeah, im in the south and from it seems most people up north have the Ritz camera stores. i think its the same store with a different name. everything thats store brand in my wolf camera is labeled ritz. not wolf __________________ Click Sig for Details on the Wreck, it just gets worse. DIY HFP Front Lip Overlay CHEAP! \| DIY HFP Side Skirt installation DIY AUTO Shift knob Removal \| DIY E-Brake Trim removal License = SUSPENDED Days left = 9

03-10-2008, 01:44 PM	#19 (permalink)
*Civicn33b* is b0osted! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 3,160 Josh iTrader: 3 / 100%	awsome thanks for all the helpful info guys, ill go check out some sonys... stay tuned for pics of what i have currently from her old 35mm setups __________________ "oh no he dit'en"