Need advice for starting photography as hobby

[ATM]

I am just starting into the hobby of photography it will be nothing more than a hobby when im outdoors and with my family. I have a starting budget of $500 and was wondering if you guys could point me in the right direction. I would like to do digital so I can create my own photography HSOforum. Adam

[Tom Wilson]

Adam,

I'm at work, but here it is in a nutshell, Photography is not a cheap hobby. It is not even close to a cheap hobby. I don't mean this in a negative way, but before you spend $500, make sure that this is something you want to do. If you truly are looking at this froma hobby standpoint you will need at minimum a DSLR (D50 or Eos Rebel are the two cheapest options) and the bodies alone are at $500-$600 bucks. You will also need at least one decent lens. I would suggest a 28-70 or 35-70 zoom type lens. You also need to take a real hard look and know what you want to shoot when you get started. If you can let us know what direction you want your photography to go in, then we should be able to offer you some advice on how much it will cost you and why. I don't want that to scare you though, as it would be great to have another newcomer.

[ATM]

Tom , thanks for the reply I do realize that this may get expensive, If I find through the research that I have just started that I cant get started properly for 500 I will wait until i have more funds available. I would like to get started with a camera at 500 and add accesories from there if possible but if not I will wait. In december I bought a Kodak Easyshare 6MP. It has been fine for photos during the holidays etc. but lacks the quality I want for my outdoor photos. In the last 2 months I have taken over 200 photos of various things from my son playing in the sprinkler to my pointer on point but the majority will be done while in the field scouting or from the boat. Adam

[Tom Wilson]

Adam,

I would seriously look at getting one of the kit packages for either Nikon or Canon. It sounds like you're going at this knowing that if it grows it will cost you, so get something that you can grow with. I think the D50 or the Rebel, with a kit lens, would be a real good starting point for you.

Besides--you could take the money out of the (get ready) ATM

[hobbydog]

The Kodak easy share was probably a bad choice but it got you started. Tom gives some good advice as you may end up taking another small step and moving up just a notch when you really want to step into a DSLR.

Having said that you can get into photography with a cheaper point and shoot camera. There are some very good ones out there for less than $500. You will have to learn how to stay within it's capabilities but if you do you can take some outstanding shots. Learn how to adjust shutter speed and aperature to get desired affects, compose subject matter, composition and post process your pictures. You will be able to take very good landscape and macro shots but telephoto and long wildlife shots are a bit tougher and that goes back to staying within the cameras capabilities. With good subject material and some post processing and a decent point and shoot camera you can get started in a fun an rewarding hobby....and yes it can get expensive but if all you got is $500 get started now.

[ATM]

Tom, Hobby again thanks for the help. i have decided to pick up some overtime and wait until I have closer to $1000 to get started. I have researched the following cameras and was hoping to get some input on them and any other you may suggest:

Olympus Evolt E500

14-45 mm and 40-150 lenses

2.5" lcd screen

8 mega pixels

$899

Nikon D50

2" LCD 18-55mm lense

6.1 mega pixel

$699

Nikon D70 6.1 mega pixel

2" lcd 18-70mm lense

$999

As of now i am leaning towards the Olympus I an not really all that concerned with the lcd size as i take most of my pictures with the view finder.

Again thanks for the help. Adam

[hobbydog]

I guess my first question would be why are you leaning toward Olympus? And why not include the Canon Rebel XT in the list of choices?

I would look at the Rebel XT along side the D50 and then chose a lens or 2 to go with it.

The kit lens that comes with the D70 is an excellent lens but won't do much for distant wildlife shots.

The D50 would allow you a decent basic lens and leave enough for an entry level 70-300 and keep you in budget.

[buzzsaw]

Quote:

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I guess my first question would be why are you leaning toward Olympus? And why not include the Canon Rebel XT in the list of choices?

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I second that question, but at the same time would like to see what some of the pictures look like from the Olympus.

[Dbl]

Don't overlook choices from Pentax. You can buy a DL right now for $499 with kit lens. That is a lot of money left over for a nice lens or two. If you want to wait a week or two the K100D will be out, $699 with lens. This is going to be one heck of a camera, it has anti-shake technology built into the camera body, making ANY lens you put on the camera a stabilized lens.

Make sure you get out and look at a few of these cameras. Play with the controls, see how it feels in your hand, nothing beats actually trying the camera. Good luck with your choice.

[ATM]

Hobby, Buzzsaw no reason for eliminating cannon rebel xt just have not had time to research them I am finding that there is alot of choices out there. My reason for leaning towards olympus is simple after reading there HSOforum they seemed to offer similar features to canon,nikon etc. and there camera package with 2 lenses seemed comparibly priced. I am really just starting my research and am really hoping to make an educated decision.

DBL you bring up a good point I guess at this point I am not overlooking anything. I am currently looking at a ritz add for a pentax ist slr with 18-55mm af lense for 499.

My plan is to take the info I get from this site which by the pictures and posts Ive seen I can learn alot and by talking to co-workers who are into photography and with that info choosing a camera.

Just worked a 12 hour night shift hope this post makes sense. Adam

[Swimmer]

Good luck Adam. These guys were really helpfull when I was looking into an entry level DSLR a couple months ago. I looked seriously at the Pentax DL...it is a bit smaller and feels great in your hands...the viewfinder is really bright and a pleasure to look through. Check out some of Dbl's images from the past using the Pentax DL (DS)...very high quality. It was also about a hundred bucks more a month ago. Anyhow, I was lucky enough to recieve a little financial windfall (windfall may be exagerating a bit) and ended up purchasing the Canon 30D body and Tamron lense which ended up costing about twice what I was expecting to pay in the beginning. So you have been warned...it is a wonderful world this photography thing but kind of addicting as far as the lenses and stuff you find that you NEED.

The DSLR is DEFINITELY the way to go no matter which brand, so that amoung other things, you will have flexibility with lenses.

[Tom Wilson]

Adam,

One last thing that I thought I should mention...

By the way it does sound like your being very smart about this and taking your time and researching each product. In todays world with the information and tools available to us--we should never be un-informed consumers. I think the others here definitely have some valid points that you should consider and it sounds like you are. The canon is a fine camera, but in my opinion, at the entry level, the Canons are a little too plasticy for me compared to the Nikon. I like the Olympus, but the good folks at Olympus are really pushing hard to stay in the game, and there is a lot of marketing hype that is going along with their new lines. With that being said they do make a good product, however they don't offer a whole lot of longer lenses or lens choices once you bring your photography to that level. Pentax makes a great camera. I started with Pentax film equipment years ago, and to this day my mom is still using my Pentax setup. I would love to be able to buy her the IST, but I just can't afford it right now, as I'll be paying for my last Nikon purchase for the next two years. Pentax like Olympus though has no huge lens selections once a photog gets to the point of needing more and better. They do have a much better selection though than the Olympus. You can get long lenses for both systems, but they're third party lenses, and trust me when I tell you that glass makes all the difference. Its sounds to me like your not gonna make a rash decision, and it also sounds like you are willing to forego the immediance of the your purchase to save money--to me this sounds like your really going to get into and enjoy photography. If this is the case--you will end up with bigger and better disease, and you will need a company that can support that, and that leaves the big three Nikon, Canon, and Pentax. You don't want to end up with a system that you soak thousands into over 3-4 years and then not be able to get the equipment you need once your well established into your hobby.

I can't wait to hear your decision, and to see your first photo posts.

[Dbl]

Excellent advice from all, I will add to what Tom has said since I shot Pentax for over 25 years, owned the Ds for a year and then just recently switched to Canon. Tom is right about the lack of long glass unless you are looking at third party. Pentax does make a few long primes that will set you back an arm and a leg, so they do have some available, but nothing in a long zoom. I tried the third party route and was disappointed with focus issues in three different lenses. The quality was good but only when I could get it to focus. The new bodies that are coming out this month and later this fall show that Pentax is going in the right direction.

They are, rumor has it, announcing a line of longer zooms and expanded ranges on the longer end of things in the coming months. I could not wait for that to happen and made a brand switch to have a number of good choices on the long end. This all seems overwhelming, we know, we all have had to make decisions on equipment, and rest assured that sticking with the big two, Canon and Nikon, and the smaller but starting to try harder Pentax, will get you equipment that should last you a long time. Good luck.