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Салатные палочки

I have been interested in photography since I was young but never put the effort into buying equipment or learning anything about it. My parents offered to get me a  good camera when I was about 15 but I said no out of stupid teenage embarrassment (how could I tell my mates I got a camera for my birthday) and opted for clothes instead. 

 

Recently I have been snapping anything that looks interesting to me on my phone but they never turn out the way I thought they would. For example, I like to snap Arran whenever I am at down the harbour or beach as it always looks stunning, either when the sun is behind or in front of it, especially in the winter.  The sunsets are always stunning on the west coast as well but when I look back at the pictures, they look nothing like I hoped they would. 

 

I decided last week that I am going to purchase a camera but don't know where to start. I had seen some second hand or reconditioned DSLR online for between £120-150 and was wondering if it is worth getting one of these? I don't want to go dropping £500+ only to discover I don't have a scooby what I am doing and leave it in a drawer for good. 

 

Anyone got any advice? Is a second hand device worth it or should I be wary of them? Is there any particular place where I would be best picking one up from?  

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Personally I'd go for a high end compact, as carrying a big bulky camera around, plus lenses, is a pain in the arse. 

 

Try and pick up something like a Sony rx100 off ebay. The ability to shoot raw mode will give you much more control over editing your shots in post-processing. 

 

Watching some tutorials about photo editing will help too. All these amazing shots you see online have had lots of settings tweaked post-shot. 

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Get a DSLR. A compact is pointless for what you're talking about. A mirrorless will also do the job but you can't beat putting a viewfinder to your eye. Also, the battery will need constantly charged with a mirrorless camera whilst it lasts ages in a DSLR unless you're using the screen all the time. 

 

Learn how to use it. Even if you just get a "dummies book for whatever camera you buy" and go through all the stages in it. Buy photography magazines with content you're interested in and learn from that also. 

 

All of the above is amatuer advice. Bear in mind that the shot your after might not be possible to replicate without the right type of lens.

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4 minutes ago, IronJambo said:

Get a DSLR. A compact is pointless for what you're talking about. A mirrorless will also do the job but you can't beat putting a viewfinder to your eye. Also, the battery will need constantly charged with a mirrorless camera whilst it lasts ages in a DSLR unless you're using the screen all the time. 

 

Learn how to use it. Even if you just get a "dummies book for whatever camera you buy" and go through all the stages in it. Buy photography magazines with content you're interested in and learn from that also. 

 

All of the above is amatuer advice. Bear in mind that the shot your after might not be possible to replicate without the right type of lens.

i agree get a dslr, i got one last summer and am still trying to get the most out of it. also if you want to dip your toes into the water and try and get one off of ebay check for the shutter count as they are rated for x amount of shutter openings.

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I’ve been thinking about a DSLR for a while. No justification  just an odd feeling I should own one. I spoke to a couple of mates who are into it including one who’s a professional photographer and they both said the same thing. Loads of people fancy the idea and spend a fortune on kit that ends up either in a cupboard or on Gumtree so it’s actually a good idea to buy a decent, but older, camera to see if you’re actually going to use it. Also don’t look at a camera and think it’s no good as it doesn’t have the same amount of megapixels as your phone. The sensor on a camera is very different to the tiny one rammed in a phone body. 

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Legend Claws

I work as a producer and director for photo and video shoots, and while I'm not a pro photographer, I would class myself as semi-pro! As others have said, get a 'real' camera. Take the time to learn how to use it and the output will be vastly better. Also, editing is vital, it's very rare that a shot that you love from another photographer hasn't been at least tweaked a little. What could you feasibly spend?

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Салатные палочки
18 minutes ago, Barack said:

Salad, DM me if you want. I could maybe help you here.

 

👍

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Салатные палочки
44 minutes ago, IronJambo said:

Get a DSLR. A compact is pointless for what you're talking about. A mirrorless will also do the job but you can't beat putting a viewfinder to your eye. Also, the battery will need constantly charged with a mirrorless camera whilst it lasts ages in a DSLR unless you're using the screen all the time. 

 

Learn how to use it. Even if you just get a "dummies book for whatever camera you buy" and go through all the stages in it. Buy photography magazines with content you're interested in and learn from that also. 

 

All of the above is amatuer advice. Bear in mind that the shot your after might not be possible to replicate without the right type of lens.

 

38 minutes ago, milky_26 said:

i agree get a dslr, i got one last summer and am still trying to get the most out of it. also if you want to dip your toes into the water and try and get one off of ebay check for the shutter count as they are rated for x amount of shutter openings.

 

Thanks for the advice. I have been looking at DSLR's and it's definitely the most ideal for what I am looking for. It is for hobby purposes after all. I am not going to kid on I know what I am talking about and what exactly I am looking for but having read a bit on them, they probably have everything I need. 

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1 minute ago, Salad Fingers said:

 

 

Thanks for the advice. I have been looking at DSLR's and it's definitely the most ideal for what I am looking for. It is for hobby purposes after all. I am not going to kid on I know what I am talking about and what exactly I am looking for but having read a bit on them, they probably have everything I need. 

I'd consider mirrorless. You can buy spare batteries pretty cheap and the compact nature will help. You won't go wrong with a DSLR though.

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Mrs Inspector started with a bridge camera about 12 years ago then quickly moved on to a Canon with various lenses. She has just upgraded to a Olympus micro 4/3 system with a single lens 100-400mm. Cost is going up each time although she traded in 4 lenses. However it's not just the taking of the pictures, it's the editing of them that takes the time. If you want to take the hobby up seriously, you have to spend a lot of your time just going through them(or deleting most) and doing editing stuff.

Just to say though that she is a damn fine photographer but it has meant a lot of hard work on her part.

BTW one battery cost her £75

Edited by inspector
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  • 3 months later...
On 10/08/2021 at 14:21, Tazio said:

I’ve been thinking about a DSLR for a while. No justification  just an odd feeling I should own one. I spoke to a couple of mates who are into it including one who’s a professional photographer and they both said the same thing. Loads of people fancy the idea and spend a fortune on kit that ends up either in a cupboard or on Gumtree so it’s actually a good idea to buy a decent, but older, camera to see if you’re actually going to use it. Also don’t look at a camera and think it’s no good as it doesn’t have the same amount of megapixels as your phone. The sensor on a camera is very different to the tiny one rammed in a phone body. 

So I made the jump and got a second hand DSLR. I decided to do it on the cheap and got a Nikon D80 body for £80 with a 35-80mm kit lens for £20. Not the most modern body but I’m enjoying the images I’m getting. The lens was ok for snapping stuff but ultimately not the best due to the aperture choices not being great. Since then I’ve bought a 50mm prime lens and a 70-200mm zoom. So far my total outlay is about £200 and I’m happy with what I’ve got to play with. 
I’d heartily recommend using MPB.com for second hand equipment. They are very honest with their descriptions of kit and the delivery and packaging are totally first class. The zoom was a total punt as I wasn’t convinced I needed one so bought one from them described as well used. I was amazed at the condition when it arrived. Very good condition and no problems with the operation of the autofocus and the optics, or even the cosmetic appearance. 
It paid to do lots of serious research. The reason I opted for the D80 body was that it has an autofocus motor in the body making the choice of lenses much bigger. It’s also the logic that if you upgrade it’s a lot cheaper if you already have all your lenses so you’re only replacing one component.  I’ve been keeping an eye on gumtree and Facebook marketplace in case I saw anything I fancy and it appears that Edinburgh is a Canon camera town…

Edited by Tazio
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