I am looking to get a new camera. Since I already have Nikon accessories, I was thinking I should stick with Nikon. I am not 100% decided on this though. I want to get the best camera for shooting portraits..indoors or outdoors. I want a crisp image. I was hoping some of you would help me out by posting your favorite portrait shots, and tell me what camera was used. It wouldn't hurt to tell me what editing software was used either. Thanks in advance!!
This is one that I took with my D3000. Mostly edited using PicMonkey.
I just upgraded from the Nikon D3000 to the D7000 and absolutely love it. The photos seem sharper and and the camera does very well with higher ISO. I use Photoshop CS5 for processing.
Took this one recently but it looks better on flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tanja_1211/7143091595/in/photostream
If you're looking to upgrade the body and stay with a cropped sensor (full size is big bucks) I would go with a D90...I use it and it's a great all around workhorse. Most software or hardware includes the D90 as a supported model where some either higher or lower level ones get left out....It's a great bridge between amatuer and serious pro level as far as function and ability.....plus you already have the expensive parts, the lenses....it will (as will most Nikons) take older lenses that go as far back as the 80's some into the 70's. You would have to MF and manually set the aperture but thats a minor cost of time for the reduced cost of great glass that would cost you 4x as much with the IS and AF motors inside. Plus that forces you to actually learn and understand that part of photography.
Nikon D5100
Love the color and don't do much to enhance the color. I use Photoshop Elements 10 and the software that comes with the Nikon to process the NEF files.
I use D300. It's a bit big and heavy, but works well in my hands. One thing to be sure to do is to go and handle whatever you intend to buy first. Make sure it feels comfortable in your hands.
I use Nikon Capture NX2. Not nearly as powerful as PS, but works for me. And, for Nikon users, it's probably the best Nikon Raw converter around.
Not exactly portrait shots, but close.
@lorraineb I planned on just selling the camera and the lens that came with it...and getting an upgraded one so that I can use my other lenses. :) Lovely photos BTW! @tanja_1211 Gorgeous image! I have to look in to that! @shadesofgrey I love this advice. I am going to look into the D90. Thank you so much! @jtrudell Gorgeous color! @mikehamm Yeah, I notice the fact that it is heavy after a while. @sdpace I totally forgot about that feature! Thanks!
Hi Mary I am no expert and yes I too use Nikon but in my opinion it's not just the camera but the lens that you use. I have a mix of kit and prime lenses and the primes deliver much better results. I have a number of friends that have turned pro and they all say the same - the "glass" is the important bit. They all use full frame bodies so I guess that helps too. I went to a seminar by the top wildlife photographers in the world and they had an open question session, where someone asked a similar question and the answer they gave was the lenses - spend the money on them before changing the body. I hope this helps and please take a look at some of my images on here.
@andysg
Agreed.
I frequent a photographic website which is much, much more focused (sorry!) on how to get the best results than this one is and each and every one of the regulars will tell you that it's the glass that matters.
An average camera with a good lens will give superior results to a good body using cheap glass.
The D3000 may be a bit basic but any entry level DSLR will produce good results if used correctly.
The bit that really makes a difference is the twelve-or-so inches behind the camera!
@tanja_1211 I upgraded from a D3000 to D7000, as well, but I still shoot with both. I have a bit@h of a time auto focusing with the D7000 and the 5 trillion focusing points. Do you have that problem?
@marydreams You will love a D7000...all the controls you need are right at hand. The colors and image quality are fantastic, especially when using good glass.
@marydreams And just to add one more thought, I agree with @mikehamm...go handle what you intend to buy. I prefer the size of the D3000 compared to the D7000.
@cmc1200 I had that problem too, you have to set the AF Area Mode to single-point AF. Took me a while to figure that one out lol
Look in your user manual on page 95-96
Right now I own a D40 (my first DSLR), a D80, and a D90 (it appears as thought I'm becoming a camera hoarder). I also use a D5100 for work. I enjoy shooting with all of them, but I think my favorite is the D90. The only thing that I don't like about it is the size. The really small DSLR cameras are fun to use because they are small IMO. It seems like I enjoy them more. I've been shooting with the D5100 lately and it's a nice little camera with some nice features.
I was thinking of upgrading to a D7000 or the replacement for the D300s, but I think I'm going to save my $ for the 105mm macro lens because I love taking macro shots. Also, I need to start purging bodies and invest in some lenses.
The lens that I think is really versatile for people/kids is the 35mm 1.8. It's inexpensive, quick, and good for low light, including indoors. If you want to focus on portraits a lot, a fast prime would be a nice starting point. Eventually you'll probably want an 85mm one.
I use Photoshop CS3 and lots of actions from all over the place. I also have Nik Color Efex 3.0, which I love. They now have the 4.0 version. I have a copy of Lightroom, but I haven't taken the time to play around with it. I do also use Adobe Bridge sometimes because it came with the CS3 package that I have.
Thanks for starting this thread. I have a Sony Cybershot. Point and shoot. I love the pics I can get with it but I miss a lot of detail/close ups/zoom shots that I take as they end up with not a lot of clarity. It has become clear to me that I will need/want a new camera soon. I will save this to my favourites for future reference.
I think, in general, this has been covered here, but why do you wish to upgrade the camera - is it now getting unreliable, is very low pixel count? I would say that if it is 10 or 12 Mpix and you are happy with it otherwise just stick with it. Perhaps invest in a super-duper lens for it instead. It is the lens which dictates the sharpness etc og the photo, the camera the exposure. It is easy to compensate for exposure but you cannot compensate for sharpness etc. The lens will cost as much as the body (or more!!) for a really good one (prof. quality). What other lenses do you have?
@edie Yeah, I hope this thread helps you out as well! @georgews I couldn't find the thread covering the topic. Honestly, I didn't have the time to search through. My D3000 is 10.1 MP, but the ISO doesn't go up very high. I think that I need to upgrade the camera. Get a better body to work with, THEN get some fancy lenses. I see that the D5100 looks more up to speed, so-to-speak. It is also in my price range. As of now I have a 50mm 1.8G, and a 55-200mm 1:4-5.6G ED. I am going to try using the 200mm lens on some portrait work. It is really a nice lens. I just had it stored away, and kind of forgot about it. @agima Awesome shots! Thanks for the info!
Mary, the D3200 and the D5100 would both be excellent upgrades. Much better sensors than your D3000, and other than the glass, the sensor is the key. I shoot with a D3100 and love it.
@soboy5 Thank you so much! I got the D5100~ I am very happy with it!
Here is an example of a portrait that I took with it. I haven't had much of a chance to mess with the camera. Maybe this weekend....
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I use photoshop, if you have the lenses already why change?
Took this one recently but it looks better on flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tanja_1211/7143091595/in/photostream
Love the color and don't do much to enhance the color. I use Photoshop Elements 10 and the software that comes with the Nikon to process the NEF files.
I use Nikon Capture NX2. Not nearly as powerful as PS, but works for me. And, for Nikon users, it's probably the best Nikon Raw converter around.
Not exactly portrait shots, but close.
Have you used this new-ish feature here on 365?
http://365project.org/cameras
@tanja_1211 Gorgeous image! I have to look in to that!
@shadesofgrey I love this advice. I am going to look into the D90. Thank you so much!
@jtrudell Gorgeous color!
@mikehamm Yeah, I notice the fact that it is heavy after a while. @sdpace I totally forgot about that feature! Thanks!
Agreed.
I frequent a photographic website which is much, much more focused (sorry!) on how to get the best results than this one is and each and every one of the regulars will tell you that it's the glass that matters.
An average camera with a good lens will give superior results to a good body using cheap glass.
The D3000 may be a bit basic but any entry level DSLR will produce good results if used correctly.
The bit that really makes a difference is the twelve-or-so inches behind the camera!
My best shot so far is my first one "Candlelight"
I will agree that when it boils down to it the camera is really only a box with a hole in it
I shoot in RAW format, used PhotoShop Elements 9 to convert to B&W.
@marydreams You will love a D7000...all the controls you need are right at hand. The colors and image quality are fantastic, especially when using good glass.
Look in your user manual on page 95-96
I hated the 39 focus points because it never focused on what i wanted it to.
I was thinking of upgrading to a D7000 or the replacement for the D300s, but I think I'm going to save my $ for the 105mm macro lens because I love taking macro shots. Also, I need to start purging bodies and invest in some lenses.
The lens that I think is really versatile for people/kids is the 35mm 1.8. It's inexpensive, quick, and good for low light, including indoors. If you want to focus on portraits a lot, a fast prime would be a nice starting point. Eventually you'll probably want an 85mm one.
I use Photoshop CS3 and lots of actions from all over the place. I also have Nik Color Efex 3.0, which I love. They now have the 4.0 version. I have a copy of Lightroom, but I haven't taken the time to play around with it. I do also use Adobe Bridge sometimes because it came with the CS3 package that I have.
Portrait of my cat with the D5100
Portrait of my daughter with the D90
My daughter with the D80
Another with the D80
Cat portrait with D40
This one is in very low light and at ISO 3200.
I use Lightroom and photoshop in post. I also use pro lens on a full frame body (5d mk II).
The clarity comes from the combination of body, lens, post and the correct lighting.
Have a look through my project as I do a lot of portraits with information about the lighting behind each of the photos.
@agima Awesome shots! Thanks for the info!
Here is an example of a portrait that I took with it. I haven't had much of a chance to mess with the camera. Maybe this weekend....