What's new
By:
Filters
ClioSport.net

Register a free account today to become a member!
Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more here.

Noob DSLR buying advice



H

Harpham

I might be getting a nice amount of cash soon. Should have been a present for my 21st but due to complications, it wasnt, to put it short.
As soon as I get it, I plan to spend quite a chunk on stuff that I wouldnt usually buy with my own money so to speak (treat myself), so I plan to get hold of a DSLR and finally get into photography properly (mainly automotive, taking pics of my car etc, but the odd ones for scenery etc).

Few questions though (probably been answered a million times over, but im a noob so bear with me):

1. What camera can people recommend for noobs like me? (Cheaper the better tbh, definately no more than £500 and one that is easy to get on with)
2. What are the various sized lenses for, and which ones should I make sure I have?
3. I understand to do them long shutter speed photos (where the car is in the foreground and there are blurs in the background from other cars headlights etc) you need a stand. Are these just generic branded ones, and how much would these be aswell?
4. What would I need for photo editing software? Put black borders on, try different effects and put writing on etc. Photoshop? Ive had one version of PS before, but it looked mega complicated.

I think thats it for now, although im sure that ill have more questions in time :eek:

Any help would be great.
 
SamP

SamP

  2.2 bar shed.
Tbh a good compact can do everything you seem to be after? If not I'd get a second hand 450d/nikon equivalent just to make sure this is something your willing to spend money on. Tripods start at £10 and go all the way up to £1000's. I got one from Jessops that was on sale for £25. Its s**t but it does the job.
 
H

Harpham

Yup, ive had a quick glance at the buyers guide. But I wanted to make this thread as I wasnt sure whether the same still applies as the thread was made in 2009, so new models will be out now??
I quite like the look of the Nikon D5000. The back looks quite simple and noob friendly, although the guide mentions that it hasnt got autofocus (which supposidly shouldnt be an issue?!)

What is the difference between a compact and dslr?
I know ill be able to get into photography etc. Ive borrowed my sister-in-laws cam before to give it a go and really enjoyed it (although her cam was wayy too complex for me)
Yea I think any tripod will do tbh, aslong as it stands lol. Just wondered about pricing.
 
jenic

jenic

ClioSport Club Member
Come to the meet Sunday and suck greg dry (of photography knowledge).

You can also play with peoples camera's i'm sure and see different lens' :)
 
H

Harpham

Tigger said:
I'm selling my Nikon D40 mate if it's of any interest to you?
Click to expand...

Obviously need to research this all properly first and more importantly, wait until I get hold of the money. It could be a week, month or even longer yet so cant really say lol.
But yea, once ive achieved the above, then may be interested......
 
Tigger

Tigger

  "Navy" N17 TWO
Harpham said:
Obviously need to research this all properly first and more importantly, wait until I get hold of the money. It could be a week, month or even longer yet so cant really say lol.
But yea, once ive achieved the above, then may be interested......
Click to expand...

No probs mate, sure drop me a line
 
D

Danny133

  Inferno 182 CUP
Harpham said:
I might be getting a nice amount of cash soon. Should have been a present for my 21st but due to complications, it wasnt, to put it short.
As soon as I get it, I plan to spend quite a chunk on stuff that I wouldnt usually buy with my own money so to speak (treat myself), so I plan to get hold of a DSLR and finally get into photography properly (mainly automotive, taking pics of my car etc, but the odd ones for scenery etc).

Few questions though (probably been answered a million times over, but im a noob so bear with me):

1. What camera can people recommend for noobs like me? (Cheaper the better tbh, definately no more than £500 and one that is easy to get on with)
BUY A SECOND HAND BODY AND LENS .. YOU WILL SAVE CASH AND GET A BETTER SET UP BECAUSE OF IT .. IM BIAS AS I LOVE MY CANON BUT THE XXX RANGE ARE AIMED AT BEGINNERS
2. What are the various sized lenses for, and which ones should I make sure I have?
THE LOWER THE NUMBER THE WIDER THE PHOTO. FOR EXAMPLE 10MM WOULD BE A ZOOMED OUT LANDSCAPE, 200MM WOULD BE A ZOOMED IN SHOT OF A BIRD
3. I understand to do them long shutter speed photos (where the car is in the foreground and there are blurs in the background from other cars headlights etc) you need a stand. Are these just generic branded ones, and how much would these be aswell?
LOL ITS CALLED A TRIPOD - THE MOE YOU SPEND THE BETTER THE QUALITY. I HAVE £1500 WORTH OF CAMERA AND LENS - I PERSONALLY WOULDNT BALANCE THAT ON A £10 TRIPOD .. I FIRST OFF BOUGHT A £20 CHEAP ONE .. TURNED UP FLOGGED IT SAME DAY AND BOUGHT A NICE GIOTTO - THAT TRIPOD IS SEX AND ITS ABOUT £100
4. What would I need for photo editing software? Put black borders on, try different effects and put writing on etc. Photoshop? Ive had one version of PS before, but it looked mega complicated.
PS IS OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE BEST BUT LIKE YOU SAY COMPLICATED AND A LOT TO LEARN. IF YOU HAVE THE PATIENCE LEARN IT AS ONCE YOU LEARN THE BEST YOU WONT HAVE TO REPEAT IT WHEN A BASIC ONE PUTS YOU AT ITS LIMITS. IF YOU WANT A BASIC ONE THOUGH TRY LIGHTROOM

I think thats it for now, although im sure that ill have more questions in time :eek:

Any help would be great.
Click to expand...

my answers are in red ^^^^
 
M

micallef1990

  mk5 fiesta zetec s
Go for a canon 40d. Awesome camera I had a nikon d40 and it was a big upgrade. You won't have the problem with a canon that you would with the nikons lenses. On cheaper nikon slr's you have to get lenses that have an auto focus motor built in and they are expensive. I sold my canon 40 d for just under 400
 
H

Harpham

Right im looking to do this now, as I have my moneyyssss :)

Ive had a read through Revels' guide about this. I quite like the look of the Nikon D5000 (way its set out, screen etc), but will this cause me any problems as a noob as it doesnt have the autofocus in the body. Micallef1990 in the above post says that the lenses are expensive for this?! Should I go with a Canon instead (I dont think that these look as nice or as easy)?
 
TheEvilGiraffe

TheEvilGiraffe

South East - Essex
ClioSport Area Rep
Have you been into Jessops and had a play ?

Once you're done .. and assuming you've not been thrown out :eek: .. try a few cameras out that are in your price range.
 
TheEvilGiraffe

TheEvilGiraffe

South East - Essex
ClioSport Area Rep
Do that, then see what you think, and then come back here and ask us again ;)

I got a web-price-matched 7d in Jessops .. I was told it was cheaper than the guys staff discount ! I LOLd a lot.

See camerapricebuster (above) and see what's occurin' :cool:
 
H

Harpham

Went into what I thought was a Jessops today. Turns out it has changed to a Kodak store lol :p

They were showing me the Sony cameras (as that is all they stock). Looked alright. Shown me the ax55 or the ax33, cant remember which one it was.

Went into Argos to have a look at what they have, as they were next door. Seen this deal:
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5592850/c_1/1|category_root|Photography|14419436/c_2/2|14419436|Digital+SLR+cameras|25417975.htm#promotion_1
Nikon D5000, 8GB Memory Card, Nikon Waterproof Bag and Adjustable Tripod. £550. But I think it was slightly cheaper in store. About £520?!
What think? This was the one that I wanted to look at in detail as it seems a nice one to start off with.
 
D

Danny133

  Inferno 182 CUP
personally - if it were me

get the best you can afford.

its addictive and you will probably want to upgrade laalalala but saying that the real money and quality is in the lenses.

first of all decide which brand suits you

does a canon or a nikon feel better in your hands and which menu system do u prefer? (i have ignored other brands as i find it easier to stick to the 2 big boys - makes sharing kit with freinds easier and you find more bargains on ebay)

when you find the right manufacturer .. consider 2nd hand

LOTS of people upgrade very quickly and lots of wedding photographers carry second bodies that dont actually get used! you can pick up CHEAP 2nd bodies with barely any use. I once picked up a 50D with 7,000 clicks for £425!!!! it was pure mint .. RRP was about £900 ..

then you can spend the rest of the money on lenses. a cheap 50 1.8 will teach you the depth of field tricks and a cheap kit lense will get you started. both can be had 2nd hand as a pair for under £100

if you must get used .. consider an import from a REPUTABLE seller like digital rev, HDEW, digigood .. ive used both DR and DG and products are fine + they offer warranty so your not fucked if it all goes wrong.

you can save alot of money here just dont rush it and be stupid like me!

i went through a 550, 50D and about 5 lenses in 3 months! :mad: (i wasnt new to photography - but couldnt afford the 50D straight off and was impatient - eventually i picked up the 7D which was my first choice for practically nothing compared to its value)
 
H

Harpham

TheEvilGiraffe said:
Genius !

You've really got to mess about with them all and see what suits you best dude. No big shopping centres near you ? Jessops / Currys / John Lewis ?
Click to expand...
:eek: Yup, im going to go down to another retail park with a Currys later on, see if I can have a play there.

Danny133 said:
. dont wanna quote all this lol
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply matey.

I think the most I want to spend is around the £500 mark.

I like the looks of both Canons and Nikons. I think my sister-in-law also owns a Nikon (or could be a Canon :S ), so I could borrow some of her lenses and stuff, as she used to be a photographer.

This may sound stupid, but buying second hand always puts me off with expensive things like this. I would certainly prefer to buy new. I doubt ill ever want a top of the range camera (like you mention above) as I cant see myself getting good enough to warrant spending that amount and it will always be a hobby for me. £500 is pretty much the limit as I think ill get the money's worth out of that and will be good enough for me to see the benefits and have a play with different techniques. But as I say, id prefer new.
 
D

Danny133

  Inferno 182 CUP
i used to feel the same

im a snob so second hand .. pft f**k that.

but youll regreat buying new .. its like a car -

photographers look after there kit .. as you said its so expensive they cant afford not to!

if i were you (as ive made the mistake before)

id go have a play ;) find out nikon or canon and then come back online

£500 will get you @ a push a 500D or D5000 .. both are fairly entry level spec

buy used and you could get a 40D/ MAYBE 50D or whatever nikon equivalent is

if you can find a cheap 50D and kit lense you will be set for a few years without the need to upgrade!! although 40D and 50D dont have video they are good cameras!

In your shoes id get a 550D or a 50D :)
 
H

Harpham

Tbh I think all I will need is an entry spec model like the D5000, as it will just be a hobby and wont be used hardcore.
(I quite like my brand new car btw, warranty and being the first owner ftw ;) )

Ill have a play with them later, if Currys let me :p and have a look at the second hand market aswell, just incase.

Cant access that forum thread, need to sign up. :(

Thanks for all the info matey, I really appreciate it, especially seeing as im probably acting like a 'tard!
 
D

Danny133

  Inferno 182 CUP
then d5000 or 500D mate - 600D is released ina bout 2 weeks so if you want the 550D will be cheap and the 500 even cheaper ;)
 
H

Harpham

Went into Comet tonight. They had no cameras that I could test out :( (ffs, another trip out to shops needed)

I think regardless, I have narrowed it down to the two, just need to actually see them in action first:

- Nikon D5000 - Set with camera + lens, 8gb memory card, nikon carry bag, tripod - £550
- Canon 500D ?! - Set with camera + lens, 4gb memory card, canon carry bag, tripod - £600
(both of these deals are at Argos, so might be cheaper deals around - mentioned them as they will come with everything that I want)

Both go over my £500 limit. Question is, is it worth the extra £50 for the Canon? Will a noob notice any difference?
Also, is it worth me even looking at cheaper cameras? Like the Canon 1000D for example is about £400 for a bundle of stuff? Or is that going too far down the poverty spec list.
 
jenic

jenic

ClioSport Club Member
Check out http://camerapricebuster.co.uk/ for price comparisons.

500D kit is £499 cheapest, + those accessories cant take it to more than £550

Its up to you on the camera front, you need to pic which you think feels better in your hands, which you find easier to use in the shop (check out the screens too, the resolution on the 500D is beautiful, can't comment on the nikon) and finally what friends and family have so you can borrow lens'.
 
K

Kane.

Sorry to hijack thread but im looking at a canon 1000d on amazon, are these any good, really cant afford a 500D its just for replacing my digi cam so i can take a few pics of my car dog etc.

Worth the 340 pound ?
 
OEM Battery Nonce

OEM Battery Nonce

ClioSport Club Member
If anyone's interested in the Canon 1000d there is an offer on at Makro where you can get the Body/standard lens + canon 70-300mm lens for £480.
 
H

Harpham

jenic said:
Check out http://camerapricebuster.co.uk/ for price comparisons.

500D kit is £499 cheapest, + those accessories cant take it to more than £550

Its up to you on the camera front, you need to pic which you think feels better in your hands, which you find easier to use in the shop (check out the screens too, the resolution on the 500D is beautiful, can't comment on the nikon) and finally what friends and family have so you can borrow lens'.
Click to expand...

Good shout that, Mike. ;) Thanks!

Another question, is a 4gb memory card enough? Theres a cheap deal with a Nikon D5000, 4gb memory card and carry case for £480 posted on Clifton Cameras, which would mean that I could hopefully get a tripod for £20, leaving me within my budget.

Oooh, Dixons has the Canon 500D for £479.99. Tempting at that.
 
Last edited:
Scott™

Scott™

  Fiesta ST-3
Harpham said:
Good shout that, Mike. ;) Thanks!

Another question, is a 4gb memory card enough? Theres a cheap deal with a Nikon D5000, 4gb memory card and carry case for £480 posted on Clifton Cameras, which would mean that I could hopefully get a tripod for £20, leaving me within my budget.

Oooh, Dixons has the Canon 500D for £479.99. Tempting at that.
Click to expand...

Just check the grade card. How long it takes to write the photo to the card.
 
jenic

jenic

ClioSport Club Member
lol

Just letting him know the deals.

Its still a personal choice though, both camera's will take equally as good pictures in the right hands, he needs to consider the points I wrote above to decide which he likes the best.

Obviously the answer is Canon, but he'll get there eventually, as will you ;)
 
SamP

SamP

  2.2 bar shed.
I sold my 500d kit on ebay for £340, rather buy a second hand 500d than a new 1000d any day of the week.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
New Clio F1 owner needing general advice
Replies
4
Views
359
Toshwilks
T
L
New engine need advice 👍🏻
Replies
16
Views
909
botfch
botfch
S
Rs 200 Clio maybe for sale……….
Replies
2
Views
521
Speeds
S
C
Clio Mk2 Phase 1 - 2001 Petrol. No power to fuel pump - Fuse?, Relay?, Diagram?
Replies
8
Views
902
G Hut
G Hut
C
2001 Mk2 1.2 16v Petrol - turns over, won’t start. What do I check?
Replies
1
Views
294
Colink
C


Top