An Idiot’s Guide to Your First Professional Camera
July 9, 2007 – 1:35 pmIt is always frustrating to start something with nothing at all. That was how I feel when I first decided to turn my admiration of photography to a hobby. I know I wanted to buy a camera, but what and where is a huge question.
I tried posting my question in yahoo answers and continue my research from there. Here is a summary of the information I gathered to buy my first camera.
Why buy an SLR instead of compact cameras?
1. Lens interchangeability for different type pictures.
2. Able to shoot multiple shots in 1 second, for fast-moving objects.
3. See subject’s detail, colors, facial expression, etc clearly when taking pictures.
Lens
The shorter the focal length(mm), the wider the view will be. The longer the focal length, the more telescopic the picture will be.
1. Fisheye lens – 15 mm
An extremely wide-angle lens which makes pictures looks circular.
2. Wide-angle views – 17 mm
Panoramic view with wider angle
3. Tilt-shift lens – 45 mm
To capture vertical straight lines in image such as for buildings instead of getting slanted pictures with wider bottom.
4. Macro Lens – 100 mm
Suitable to take close up pictures like insects and flowers.
5. Tele-photo lens – 300 mm
Take long-distance pictures.
Before you buy a camera, you have to consider the cost of the lenses too. They ranges from $80 to any price. The good thing about lens is that they don’t depreciate, unlike the cameras.
Recommended Cameras
Nikon D40 – Great Reviews with the best price of about $500
Canon 30D – an evolutionary of the most popular selling Canon 20D
Canon 400D – This is the best camera for the beginner. Easy to use and yet its features are comparable to professional cameras like the 30D.