What to look for in a professional camera

[Evvie]

While I am currently far away from being able to afford any, I still like to lust over expensive cameras. Alas, I'm camera stupid and have no idea what is worthwhile and what is not.

Like, what brands are sexiest? What features are awesomest? What features are useless/will likely be never used by anybody? Are there any necessities you cannot live without? At what point does price increase become meaningless and you just start paying for pointless stuff?

I am super hoping some cool camera people can help me out so I can start actually planning and researching for a real purchase instead of staring blankly at nonsense numbers and trying to figure out if it's good or not.

 

[SoTxBob]

...need a bit more info chicka :-D

Whats the intended use?

U want a vid camera?
Something pro for camming? [tripod mounted with pan and zoom remote]
Something to "shoot porn" with [hand held vid with all the bells and whistles, TV broadcast quality]
A SLR, a combination capability, Paparazzi type of shooting, swap-able lenses?
Sooo many variables here.
When you get into "pro," the price rises exponentially many times BC its more of a designated use.

 

[Rose]

You're in luck. I'm actually in school for a degree in professional photography. Currently I have a Canon T3 rebel eos. It's not super duper awesome mega fancy camera, but it's not totally crappy either. While you want a decent body, great glass will get you farther. I only have kit glass at the moment but I can easily screw on attachments to create a fish eye lens, macro lenses, zoom lenses, etc.

Basically what I'm trying to say is you can get a not so awesome body and pair it with fantastic glass for a pretty awesome camera. Currently I don't have any fantastic glass recommendations, but you can look at http://www.bhphotovideo.com/ for an idea of good equipment and body/glass pairings. If you're worried you won't know what to do with an expensive camera then just start small and build up.

 

[skiphop90]

To start with, I'd recommend a 40D

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos40d

Pricey, but get used and you won't be disappointed.

 

[Nordling]

If it's a digital still camera you want, I agree with the concept of glass, but also I'd look for easy to understand controls. I always wanted a Nikon...probably the best glass available, but the model I got, which is by no means pro quality, has a array of controls that are more confusing than helpful. I wish now I'd gone for a Canon.

 

[Evvie]

...need a bit more info chicka :-D

Whats the intended use?

U want a vid camera?
Something pro for camming? [tripod mounted with pan and zoom remote]
Something to "shoot porn" with [hand held vid with all the bells and whistles, TV broadcast quality]
A SLR, a combination capability, Paparazzi type of shooting, swap-able lenses?
Sooo many variables here.
When you get into "pro," the price rises exponentially many times BC its more of a designated use.

I should have clarified, a still camera for taking artsy ass pictures and making them pretty with Instagram.

I have to say I have no idea what glass is :whistle: Is that be like lenses? Ahehe... I make no pretenses as to my photography knowledge here.

I'm primarily looking for something that can churn out high-quality stills. I am happy enough with my own photography when I work at it, but the camera I have is unfortunately low quality, and it shows. It isn't very easy to edit even the most nicely framed photo when you zoom in to actual size and can't really tell where your arm pixels end and the backdrop starts.

The consumer in me wants a really super expensive camera, but I know I won't be able to make full use of it. I need, at the very least, a body that can pop out sexy high-quality high-resolution shots primed for editing with minimal effort. I have always had slightly more than a passing interest in photography, and aside from all the porn stuff, my slowly garnered knowledge has reached a ceiling that needs to be broken with actual quality equipment and application.

 

[Rose]

Sorry, glass=lens. A good lens can really make a basic camera awesome. Skiphop had a great recommendation though it never hurts to start small and work up. I've been drooling over the 40D since I got my T3.

If you want a good photoshop program that isn't as pricey as Adobe photoshop, I'd recommend Corel. It's what I use. It's better than instagram and not very hard to figure out at all. I believe the full Corel program is on sale for $90 right now which is definitely a steal compared to Adobe's $200 photoshop (though theirs is awesome! I use it at school.)

 

[Nordling]

I'd suggest you get a good brand-name camera with features greater than what you think you'll need, because once you get into it, feature desire will pop up almost immediately. If you can afford it, get a camera with an interchangeable lens system so you can "grow" the camera as you extend what you're doing. And in that vein, look for cameras that use "standardized" lens fitting. Ideally would be a camera that can use film camera lenses so that later lens purchases won't be obsoleted by the design of your camera.

 

[Evvie]

Sorry, glass=lens. A good lens can really make a basic camera awesome. Skiphop had a great recommendation though it never hurts to start small and work up. I've been drooling over the 40D since I got my T3.

If you want a good photoshop program that isn't as pricey as Adobe photoshop, I'd recommend Corel. It's what I use. It's better than instagram and not very hard to figure out at all. I believe the full Corel program is on sale for $90 right now which is definitely a steal compared to Adobe's $200 photoshop (though theirs is awesome! I use it at school.)

I have (and still occasionally used) Corel but I'm not overly familiar with it. I have Photoshop CS4, but now that I'm trying not to steal shit anymore I'm going to get CS6 on a student license in a month or two when I can afford it.

That 40D thing sounds interesting, I will look in to it! And I hope you don't mind a few messages from me in the future begging for a translator when it comes to camera stuff xD

 

[Evvie]

I'd suggest you get a good brand-name camera with features greater than what you think you'll need, because once you get into it, feature desire will pop up almost immediately. If you can afford it, get a camera with an interchangeable lens system so you can "grow" the camera as you extend what you're doing. And in that vein, look for cameras that use "standardized" lens fitting. Ideally would be a camera that can use film camera lenses so that later lens purchases won't be obsoleted by the design of your camera.

Will the interchangeable lens feature be advertised, or is it something to look for? Do you think most bodies have that? Also, will lenses from one brand sometimes/often/never work on cameras from another brand? Is that standardized thing cross-brand?

 

[Nordling]

Sadly, most brands have their own unique lens fittings so you need to select a brand that has a large array of available lenses. But third party lens manufacturers mitigate that a bit.

Hasselblads make me drool. lol

...but so expensive they're off-topic.

 

[Evvie]

Sadly, most brands have their own unique lens fittings so you need to select a brand that has a large array of available lenses. But third party lens manufacturers mitigate that a bit.

Hasselblads make me drool. lol

...but so expensive they're off-topic.

lol, i appreciate the sticker shock warning

I feel like Canon vs Nikon is kind of like Windows vs Apple. Is there any real difference between them?

Edit: ...holy shit. Their website: "Good news, we have discounts! This camera now only costs FIFTEEN THOUSAND FUCKING DOLLARS"

 

[Nordling]

Nikon is generally accepted as the top 35mm style camera, but Canon is significantly cheaper and are used as bread and butter cameras by many pros.

The Canon EOS Rebel T3 would be a good choice, at about $500 at Amazon.

 

[Evvie]

Nikon is generally accepted as the top 35mm style camera, but Canon is significantly cheaper and are used as bread and butter cameras by many pros.

The Canon EOS Rebel T3 would be a good choice, at about $500 at Amazon.

Another nubbly question here, what other mms are there? I'm guessing 35 is the most common? When that number changes, what are the physical ramifications? I shall have to wikipedia this.

 

[Nordling]

Nikon is generally accepted as the top 35mm style camera, but Canon is significantly cheaper and are used as bread and butter cameras by many pros.

The Canon EOS Rebel T3 would be a good choice, at about $500 at Amazon.

Another nubbly question here, what other mms are there? I'm guessing 35 is the most common? When that number changes, what are the physical ramifications? I shall have to wikipedia this.

Well, since we're talking digital, mm is kind of meaningless, but the "form" of a 35mm camera is still currently the most common. 35mm referred to the film size.

mm is still used with regard to lenses, however. It has to do with focal length (wide angle, telescopic, zoom, etc.)

 

[Nordling]

Oh, and do get a subscription to a major photography magazine. They will get you up to speed on terminology, methodology, etc. sooner than most other ways, other than taking a class.

And find a camera shop that you can trust and pick the brains of the sales people. (they tend to be biased with regard to models, brand, etc., but still can give worthwhile info on the current state of the art.

 

[Rose]

Hasselblad :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

I totally don't mind messages! Anything I can't answer I can forward to a teacher and get answered. I would subscribe to Rangefinder. It's completely free and comes every season or every 2 months I think. I chose to order the magazines, still free, and they've been helpful. The camera that I have is compatible with a few other lens brands, I think. Mine is just the kit lens though but I believe there's a few Nikon stuff that would fit my camera.

Oh and I got my Canon T3 rebel (with a few perks) for $350 on Amazon brand spanking new. Don't purchase it new for anything less if you can help it.

 

[SoTxBob]

Photojournalism was my minor many years ago and I've been behind the lens ever since.
The best thing you can do at this point is read... find a few photo forums as well as any of the good photography magazines as Nord suggested.
Dont worry so much about the megapixels. Anything over 10 is plenty unless you are making wall sized posters or looking for facial detail across a football field. The MP are always going up and to date I think the highest Ive seen so far was 39mp by Hasselblad. During your research, keep an eye on lens prices. You will never have enough if you really get bit by the photo bug. Its easy to spend $1000 on a camera body alone and another $5k on glass and toys and still want more. Best thing is to familiarize yourself well with the hobby before you spend any cash.

Canon is a well marketed and supported brand. Adored by many and usually quite available.

I prefer Nikon and my old standby of Pentax as they were well respected pro brands before Canon had made its market share.. The lenses aren't interchangeable between brands but Nikon and Pentax [arguably] market some of the best glass available.
Aftermarket glass [such as Sigma] fit many brands but the sharpness just isn't the same.
Nikon d5100 you can get for under $1000 and the Pentax k10 [my usual 'go to' camera] has plenty of features to play with as well but isn't as main stream popular.
My medium format [similar to the Hasselblad pic] is Mamiya 645af that I use primarily for landscapes and outdoor portraits. The digital backs that they made for their film cameras are pretty sweet.

If you are careful and work it right, you can get a baseline body to learn on and get a few lenses. Then you can upgrade the camera body at some point and in many instances still use the same glass so you don't need to buy twice BC the lens mount changed.

Now, if in the odd chance you want to talk old school film cameras, for custom fun stuff and actually get into your own processing, I can open up the store room and dump a bit of that on you.. :lol:


geesh.. didnt mean to write a book here.. See what you and Cam are doing to me? :laughing-rolling:

 

[Rose]

I prefer Nikon and my old standby of Pentax as they were well respected pro brands before Canon had made its market share.. The lenses aren't interchangeable between brands but Nikon and Pentax [arguably] market some of the best glass available.

I've seen some glass from knock off brands that are 'supposed' to fit my camera, though I have no clue if they actually do and if they're even decent.

Agreed that Nikon definitely has some good glass! (I know nothing about Pentax at the moment.) A couple girls have some super awesome mega cool glass for their bodies and ZOMG! Jealous! I only started with Canon because it's cheaper and was recommended to me as a decent starter body to build up from as I work. I'm still very much an amateur myself and only know about beginner stuff so far.

 

[ThePioneer]

Best thing is to familiarize yourself well with the hobby before you spend any cash.

I strongly agree with this.

There’s nothing wrong with starting with an entry level DSLR, just pick a brand and stick with it. A $1500 camera body isn’t necessarily going to take better pictures than a $400 one until you learn how to get the maximum potential from it, which is going to take time. I started with a Nikon D40 and eventually upgraded to a D80 and I’ll probably upgrade again once I have the time to start taking more photos. You can sell the body later on to offset some of the cost if you decide to upgrade and it will leave you with more money initially for other items to supplement the camera and kit lens such as a GOOD tripod, 50mm f/1.4 or f/1.8 lens (a must have IMO), an external flash, memory cards, extra battery, etc. Eventually you will want to upgrade, but by the time you get to that point to will have a better idea what your actual needs/preferences are as well as the features of the cameras, and most of these items will transfer to the new camera as long as you stick with the same brand.

I’ve had good luck with Sigma and Tamron lenses as a more affordable alternative and still been able to get fairly good photos out of them but in the end you do get what you pay for.

 

[LilyMarie]

50mm f/1.4 or f/1.8 lens (a must have IMO),

What do these numbers stand for?
I know it's a stupid question, but I've been wanting to know for ages, and I just picked up all my courage to ask...

 

[skiphop90]

50mm f/1.4 or f/1.8 lens (a must have IMO),

What do these numbers stand for?
I know it's a stupid question, but I've been wanting to know for ages, and I just picked up all my courage to ask...

F numbers are the aperture.

 

[ThePioneer]

50mm f/1.4 or f/1.8 lens (a must have IMO),

What do these numbers stand for?
I know it's a stupid question, but I've been wanting to know for ages, and I just picked up all my courage to ask...

50mm is the focal length. This is a prime lens so the number is fixed. On a zoom lens it will have a range (i.e. 18-55mm).
The F-Number is how much the lens can open up. A low number like f/1.4 means that the lens can open up more allowing more light in which also means you can use a really fast shutter speed and vise versa. It also changes the Depth of field. A low F-number is going to have a narrower depth of field and for a high f-number it's going to be wider.

 

[Rose]

50mm is the focal length. This is a prime lens so the number is fixed. On a zoom lens it will have a range (i.e. 18-55mm).
The F-Number is how much the lens can open up. A low number like f/1.4 means that the lens can open up more allowing more light in which also means you can use a really fast shutter speed and vise versa. It also changes the Depth of field. A low F-number is going to have a narrower depth of field and for a high f-number it's going to be wider.

This is one of the best descriptions about this that I've heard. When I first got into photography I always got the f stop and aperture confused. So kudos on the awesome description. :thumbleft: :handgestures-salute: That's all.