Photography Tips & Tricks

A lot to read through here, but whats a good entry level DSLR? Going somewhere nice in a few months and want something better than my phone, the Nikon D3400 seems to get OK reviews for a starter and is around my price point, any suggestions?

 

Get a new phone

 

What is your intended subject matter? (Filming I mean!!).

I use Canon but that's just what I find better and easier to use for fast action sports photos. The Nikon equivalents are just as good as a starter camera.

You also need to work out whether you intend to buy more/better camera equipment in the future and if so what is compatible with your starter kit.

I also use a small Pentax point and shoot for general scenary piccies and you can borrow my spare one if you want. Probably not much better than a good phone these days though.

 

It's a camera

A camera that let's you make phone calls

Nikons don't really do that yet

And you can go places big cameras can't

Big cameras are history

 

My current phone is a Z5 compact, waiting on the pixel 3 to replace it but I go away in October so not sure it'll be in time.

Subject matter will be mainly landscapes, going to the azores and thee seems to be a lot to see. I'll be doing a lot of hiking around Sao Miguel and want some betetr pics than my phone provides, plus I need a new hobby so could fulfill 2 requirements here.

 

But it's an iphone

 

I'm using Ecker's old Nikon D3000, which I suspect is essentially an earlier version of the D3400 - I find that quite acceptable. I did get a 55-200mm lens, as well as the 18/55mm standard lens. You can have a play, if you want.

I do find it too big for some situations and so use my (second) Nikon Coolpix S4 then, or the even smaller Samsung phone that I don't use as a phone..

 

It's a camera

You can not make calls if you don't want to

Or maybe get a new number and never remember it

 

I may be interested in having a play if you don't mind? I think I'd also need the secondary lens, but then you start carting loads of kit about and Tilley's idea of just using a phone starts to be more appealing. I dunno, I don't want to spend too much in case I rarely use it but at the same time I've been thinking about one for a few years.

 

Azores ?
You either rent a 400 and two times convertor or you take an SD card and be really nice to the Canadian lady on the boat witheveryfookinlensevermade

Your entry level dslr and bingowings lens will make you feel inadequate

Nothing personal like

Charm and a flash card trumps everything

 

The 55/200s are about a hundred quid. Real telephoto work starts getting expensive very quickly..

If Thursday happens, we can organise it then. It takes an SD card, if you want to keep your results.

I find that I do use it more than I expected to, but I do have a car.

 

Yeah, been thinking about transport a lot lately. CBT is on Saturday but seriously considering learning to drive a car.

 

As long as I'm getting better shots than my phone I don't mind looking inadequate, cos I know I'm ace :p

 

We all know you are ace

So here you go

I think it's time to make photography illegal

 

http://[img]https://i.imgur.com/UlaydLm.jpg[/img]

 

I started with a Nikon D40 which was replaced by the D3000 series. It was a very capable camera even if it did have “only” a 6MP sensor. I got some very good photos from it.

The 3400 will be a very capable camera.

 

I have a Nikon D3100 - which I got on special from Argos about four years ago with the same two lenses as @Gramaisc. I'm very happy with it & I've never outgrown it really & I'm only now thinking of investing in another lens (to improve its video capability a little).

The advice I had at the time I was shopping was that once you have a set up you will probably end up only wanting to upgrade one part at a time, so will end up with Nikons or Canons for life depending which way you jump first, so make sure you have a good play with both and see which one you like better.

It's also worth being aware that the march of technology means there are smaller mirrorless cameras on the market now that are capable of taking spectacular pictures and are every bit as 'serious' as a beginner's DSLR.

 

One of the reasons I had for getting a DSLR was that I wanted to go back to 'manual' control, like it was in the old days, It made you think more about what you were doing, as did the cost of each picture, although I don't use it in that mode as much as I should.

 

Just to show you what an 'entry level' DSLR can do, these three photos were taken with my old 6MP D40. The D3400 would be an upgrade on this.


River Okement by bigbluewolf, on Flickr


River Okement by bigbluewolf, on Flickr


Barbed Wire by bigbluewolf, on Flickr

 

I should really start using my canon 500D more.

Whats so funny is that ive got a telephoto lens on that that could zoom in on a gnats bollock over a mile away , yet the moment i fly the drone with a camera on it thats only as good as a mobile phone cam everyone gives it the 'privacy chant' lol.