I'm looking to buy a camera to capture home moments. I found my daughter in really cute situations yesterday and my mobile camera wasn't doing the moment justice.
I was thinking of spending $500-$600. Second hand would be ideal as I could (hopefully) get more bang for my buck.
Problem is I have no idea what im looking for as I have zero experience with cameras. Do I get a good digital camera? A camera that uses lenses? Etc.
Any help will be extremely helpful.
Okay cool. Expanding beyond home photos could be a possibility but I don't think it's a hobby I could afford haha.
you need something with great shutter speed…unless you want to do more, dont buy a DSLR. You will end up purchasing lens after lens.
Just get a point and shoot with a good shutter speed
My exact thoughts (worries) in regards to a DSLR. Whilst it would be awesome to get one, I don't think I could afford lenses ATM.
Actually I just bought a Nikon D3400 on recommendation from one of the members here (plus a lot of reading). I got a refurbed one from RYDA's ebay store with 12 months genuine warranty. Came a decent AF-P VR lens for $440 all up. This was including the 20% off ebay code THAT EXPIRES AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. (parent)You wont need extra lenses until you have mastered the camera so I wouldn't stress too much about that. Just checked and they only a couple of that model left and they don't have the VR lens which is the preferred one. But you could buy the body and lens separately, here is their website.
http://www.ebaystores.com.au/ryda-online/Nikon-DSLR-/_i.html…
Also found a great youtube channel which features that model pretty heavily.
expires midnight or tomorrow midnight?? isn't it valid till 30th Aug?
This has just thrown a spanner in the works! Gritting teeth. This is very tempting. Can anyone else offer their advice?
For $460 I can get the Nikon d3400 body + a Nikon AF-P DX 18-55mm F3.5-5.6G VR Lens (JAA826DA) With GEN NIKON WARR
Edit: NVM I think a digital camera might be better to start with. DSLR seems to be for enthusiasts/professionals. I'll more just wanna get snaps of home and interesting things when I'm out and about.
yeah…ends tomorrow.
I was thinking of spending $500-$600.
Home moments are more about reaction speed than almost anything else. If you add that $500-$600 to how much you're planning to spend on a new phone, you can get the new Google Pixel 3 XL, which if the Pixel and Pixel 2 are anything to go by, will have camera performance on par with a very decent point-and-shoot.
And you'll have a better phone, that you'll be carrying with you and readily available far more than you will a dedicated camera.
Oh, and yeah if you have zero experience with cameras, by the time you learn how to wrangle one, and accumulate all the lenses you'll need, your daughter's going to already be all growed up.
Ah this was exactly what I forgot to leave out. I was wondering if my budget of $600 I'd just be better off forking out for a decent camera phone (like the pixel). Unlimited photo storage is nice too.
Some smartphone camera reviews:
https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-phone-cameras,review-2272.…
https://www.techradar.com/au/news/best-cameraphone
Getting a flagship phone is your best bet. If you find you are outgrowing your phone camera then maybe it is worth getting a dedicated camera.
Phone cameras are very good nowadays
My current phone is an LG G6 and when I try to capture decent photos it doesn't catch what I want it to (what my eye catches). This is mostly photos of my girlfriend or daughter, but lately my trips to uni has got me wanting to take a lot more photos.
@Frayin: what are you not happy about with the image? Is it blurry (out of focus)? You don't like the colour? Is it grainy?
It's usually the colour I'm not happy with and the photos are always grainy. The focus is usually good. Blur only occurs when the light is disproportionate.
The G6 is capable of raw capture so you should be able to change the colour to your liking in post processing if necessary. If it is grainy then you are probably shooting in relatively poor lighting and you will want a larger (and preferably newer) sensor. The blurring with light disruption is probably your software trying to render and fix the image.
There are really only a few options if you are shooting in the (relative) dark and none of them are cheap :p you can get a DSLR but with slow kit lenses you are still going to have a high iso (and grain) so it might not give you what you want. Using bounce flash or a diffuser is one way to go. An on camera light to accompany your phone might also work. I would investigate the lighting options (and understanding how light works in your photo will help you irrespective of your gear)
Shooting people, especially kids, in the dark is pretty difficult (unless they are relatively still and sedate).
One thing I could recommend (on top of the other recommendations here for dslr and apsc cameras) is getting a newer Panasonic and use their 4k photo mode; which effectively takes a 8.9mp screen grab from 4k30p video. You can choose which one you like after the fact. It really helps when capturing fleeting smiles or silly things.
If possible, see if you can borrow or rent gear before purchasing. Or focus your shooting outdoors in good light where your phone will be at it's best.
@Fiximol: thanks so much for the detailed reply! Really appreciated. I'm pretty confident to research and cater to my situation now.
I'll more than likely go for a non DSLR camera or upgrade to a pixel 3 down the line.
@Frayin: good luck! Shooting kids is always a challenge but a great shot of a great smile is worth all the effort! :)
@Fiximol: come across two articles that suggested the Nikon d3400 for beginners. Being able to get one with an AF-P 18-55mm lens for $460 is extremely tempting lol. But I'm less than a beginner so I'll sway away from that.
@Frayin: it might not be a bad investment but they are big and bulky (and not really my thing) so you have to decide whether you will carry it around with you much. As the saying goes, the best camera is yhe one you have with you (which is why I think phone cameras are great options).
Best to actually see and hold the camera before committing to buy one. The kit lens is 'slow' with a high f stop number meaning that it will let in less light though the larger sensor will compensate for that a bit. It will probably do the job well if you use it, but will you want to carry it with you all the time? :D
@Frayin:
Unless you're willing to put some effort into learning to use a DSLR properly, you're likely to end up with worse photos than your phone.
A very good point and shoot is the Sony RX100 series. You may need to consider a second hand one.
Whatever you get, I'd recommend Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson as a good beginning for any form of photography.
Sony a6000 with kit lens.
Buy any camera with around a APs-C sensor or larger and you will be converted. Lifes memories will be a new part of your budget.
Used Fuji x100 series. Fixed focal length, but you'll get used to it.
I have faced the same dilemma - I own a DSLR and have owned a number of flagship phones Android phones in my time and using an iPhone 8 at the moment.
To be honest, I have not used my DSLR in years and the iPhone camera is decent for a phone but I have not been able the photos that would blow me away.
The camera that has solved that problem for me was the second hand Sony RX100 III. There is a reason it's known as the best compact camera in the world. You should be able to pick up a second hand one for around $400. I wouldn't recommend paying extra for later versions (the current one is mark VI and costs $1700 brand new), as the differences are minimal and are mostly around video and other features that you'd be unlikely to take advantage of, like the FPS that's faster than the already lightning fast 10 frames per second.
I do enjoy playing around with different settings and semi-manual modes but it can also be used in the 'Intelligent Auto' mode, as well as many others. I've had "photographically challenged" friends use it in full-auto and it has blown all of us away. The photos are definitely DSLR-like and I will be selling my trusty old DSLR.
Having said that, I definitely recommend reading about photography basics, which should improve the quality of your photos regardless of which camera you use.
i'd suggest photos + videos for capturing moments when she starts to walk or running around + take selfie video together
canon g7Xmk2
you don't need dslr for that unless you're planning to use it more than just that