[Andrew Stephens]

I'm looking at getting a good(ish) dslr for my birthday so I can finally get into some photography. Rather than spray shots around I'd like to focus on taking pictures of one subject to try to develop some skills before maybe branching out so I'll be taking pictures of cars, both static and in motion.

So can any nners recommend a body and what abut lenses. I've heard some random chat on Mac Break Weekly about cameras and lenses, particularly what have been described as "fast" lenses (???). I don't want to lug a monster zoom around but I'd be interested in any lenses that allow generation of some subtle effects that could be pushed to develop a personal style. Also I'm interested in HDR.

I guess my top budget would be around the $1000 mark (£500). I've got some friends coming over from the US later in the summer so I may be able to take advantage of any lower US prices rather than rely on british retail value.

So, a little eductaion amongst the normal nn posts would be lovely.

thanks

[Buckaroo]

Canon Xsi

I have the Canon Xti and I love it.

[iMOTOR]

Regarding lenses; ‘fast’ refers to how much light the lens design passes through when its aperture is completely open. So, given the same lighting conditions, you can use a faster shutter speed with an f2.8 lens than you can with an f4.0 lens.

An ideal zoom lens is one that has a wide aperture at all focal lengths, but such a lens could cost you your entire budget or more.

A lens with a wide aperture will also provide more shallow depth-of-field if you want.

[iMOTOR]

On choosing a camera body; I think all the entry level SLR cameras are equally good, so I would just go to a good camera shop and see what feels best in your hands.

I recommend Calumet Photo if you live near one.

[design219]

You can't go wrong with either Canon or Nikon. I shoot Nikon and I guess I'm loyal because I've shoot with Nikon since 1977, but I know a lot of members are Canon shooters and very happy. I've always been very happy with Nikon.

By "fast" lenses, they mean relatively large apertures. The larger the aperture, the faster shutter speed you can use, and that's where the term "fast" come from.

I'm not sure what you mean by "lenses that allow generation of some subtle effects"? Usually, you don't want a lens to have an effect other than rendering you subject correctly, anything else is called distortion. You can use attachment filters for some gimmicky effects, and of course there are many things you can do in post production (photoshop).

[Andrew Stephens]

Originally Posted by design219 

by "lenses that allow generation of some subtle effects"? Usually, you don't want a lens to have an effect other than rendering you subject correctly, anything else is called distortion. You can use attachment filters for some gimmicky effects, and of course there are many things you can do in post production (photoshop).

I guess I was sort of meaning maybe a very slight fish eye effect that gives a subtle distortion, or I guess a very fast lense would allow a very shallow depth of field to be acheived (I'm dredging up 3 months of photography basics at art school 20 years ago here). Don't really want to go gimmiky as such.

[Tiresias]

Originally Posted by Andrew Stephens 

So, a little eductaion amongst the normal nn posts would be lovely.

thanks

Here you go.

[Mastrap]

Originally Posted by design219 

You can't go wrong with either Canon or Nikon.

Correct, but also not the entire story. Olympus has some cameras out which, dollar for dollar, blow both Nikon and Canon out of the water. The Pentax K10D and K20D sell at the price of the Nikon D80, but with the quality and feature set of a Nikon D300. Also, Pentax lenses are cheaper than both Nikon and Canon lenses, with no loss of quality.

Check out Digital Camera Reviews and News: Digital Photography Review: Forums, Glossary, FAQ for in depth reviews of digital SLRs. If you're on a budget buy the best lenses you can afford with a basic body, then upgrade the body later. If you're buying from the US without living there make sure that the camera comes with an international warrantee. Canon for example guarantees lenses worldwide, but not bodies.

[IceEnclosure]

I love my Nikon. Canon, Oly, the Pentax Mas mentioned, even Sony have some great SLRs that you would probably be very happy with. Shop(touch) them where you live and place your order with your friend in the States. Whatever you do, go with Nikon.

[Andrew Stephens]

Originally Posted by Tiresias 

Here you go.

Why thanks. Now, if only someone could explain how that works.

Or I could ask a bunch of people that I know to be relatively well informed, are prepared to entr into a dialogue and that may have relavent experience to offer.

[mduell]

Buy the previous generation body-only (like the Canon XTi) and spend the $500 left on a decent lens (whatever length is appropriate for the types of photos you want to take, with IS and USM).

[MacosNerd]

Check out dpreview Not only do they have a good glossary, and excellent reviews they have a rather lively forum and you can ask questions there. I suspect many 'NN members belong there based on prior posts.
You cannot go wrong with either Canon or Nikon. I prefer Nikon but its one of those personal preference things

[residentEvil]

Originally Posted by Andrew Stephens 

Why thanks. Now, if only someone could explain how that works.

Or I could ask a bunch of people that I know to be relatively well informed, are prepared to entr into a dialogue and that may have relavent experience to offer.

actually, search the NN forums. there are several dozen threads about bodies and lenses...

http://forums.macnn.com/search.php?searchid=1916764

[Hawkeye_a]

Although a bit out of the price range you mentioned, it's worth a note.....

Leica Digilux-3

Cheers

PS>>If you plan on ordering any photographic gear online, check out B&H

[misc]

Leica is the best (and most expensive)

For something a bit cheaper take a look at the Canon DSLR.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by mduell 

Buy the previous generation body-only (like the Canon XTi) and spend the $500 left on a decent lens (whatever length is appropriate for the types of photos you want to take, with IS and USM).

This is great advice.

I like fredmiranda.com: Specialized in Digital Cameras, Photoshop Plugins, Actions and Digital Darkroom for lens reviews.

And if you are going to take any portrait shots, get the cheap 50mm f/1.8! They run under $100 and are awesome lenses.

Also, RAILhead has written an excellent review of a Tamaron lens that I am buying next. Another Dadgum Stinking Blog: Canon and Tamron Lens Tests

[Mastrap]

Originally Posted by misc 

Leica is the best (and most expensive)

For something a bit cheaper take a look at the Canon DSLR.

Not really. Leica has been plagued by problems in their digital line up. High noise, chromatic abberation, colour shift issues in their flagship M8 to such a degree that they needed to ship corrective filters, the list goes on and on. I personally would give Leica a miss for now.

Canon builds good, solid cameras that will produce excellent results. But it's worth keeping in mind that so does Nikon, Pentax, Olympus and even Sony. Pretty much all DSLRs these days are neck on neck. There is no obvious winner and the choice of what camera to buy is increasingly a personal one.

Go to a store, see what feels best for you. Then go home and read the reviews on dpreview, linked to above.

[villalobos]

Buy the previous generation body-only (like the Canon XTi) and spend the $500 left on a decent lens (whatever length is appropriate for the types of photos you want to take, with IS and USM).

Originally Posted by Railroader 

And if you are going to take any portrait shots, get the cheap 50mm f/1.8! They run under $100 and are awesome lenses.

Two excellent suggestions.

[Goldfinger]

Originally Posted by Mastrap 

Not really. Leica has been plagued by problems in their digital line up. High noise, chromatic abberation, colour shift issues in their flagship M8 to such a degree that they needed to ship corrective filters, the list goes on and on. I personally would give Leica a miss for now.

Agreed, digital Leicas are horrible. The M8 included. Sure the lenses are great but that's just about it.

[OreoCookie]

I wouldn't call them horrible, not at all. It's just that if you buy a Leica, you expect it to meet the highest of standards in every respect. The M8 doesn't do that nor did the digiback for the R8 and R9.

Many other cameras shared the M8's problem (e. g. Nikon's D70): its sensor was too sensitive to infrared light. This made some black fabrics look purple. I think Leica's idea to team up with someone who knows his stuff with electronics is the right move. Even the D80 (and I suppose every other dslr) once or twice gave a dark gray/black fabric a bluish tint (which was very difficult to correct).

[red rocket]

Originally Posted by misc

Leica is the best (and most expensive)

That’s not Leica, that’s Hasselblad.

Originally Posted by MacosNerd 

Check out dpreview Not only do they have a good glossary, and excellent reviews they have a rather lively forum and you can ask questions there. I suspect many 'NN members belong there based on prior posts.

Be careful in those forums. Some members get caught up in arguing specs so much that they forget that almost every DSLR is capable of taking great pictures. DPReview has great camera body reviews, but for Lens reviews, I like Welcome to Photozone!

The key is not only to evaluate today's needs but tomorrow's as well. Think about the pictures you want to take in the future, and look at the price and types of lenses available. Don't worry too much about the camera body - it's the lenses that really matter.

[MacosNerd]

Originally Posted by hayesk 

Be careful in those forums. Some members get caught up in arguing specs so much that they forget that almost every DSLR is capable of taking great pictures.

And that's different from Mac forums or any other forum

Seriously before joining any forum, your generally best suited to lurk around to get the lay of the land. I've found dpreview to be invaluable for advice, information and reviews. Its probably one of the best places I've found for camera specific information. I've checked out a number of them and most pale in comparison to the breadth of information available. Are there people there who are canon zealots or nikon zealots sure. Are there people on macnn who are mac zealots sure, yet we still are able to converse, get opinions, and reviews.