Im 16 now and decide to go to college in two years for a photography major.. i currently use my parents sony camera which i can not stand at all. I am saving money to eventually buy my very own for college but have no idea where to start or which kind to get.
I'd like to get a camera that can be used for almost anything, but without completely making me broke!
Any suggestions at where to start would be awesome...
If you're ending up looking for a digital SLR, my Canon Rebel T3 is great and inexpensive enough that I bought it completely with babysittiing money! Plus, you can interchange a lot of other Canon lenses with the kit lens that it comes with.
@kateygivan Thanks! I will look into that camera.. with everything i have looked at i cannot decide between canon, nikon, etc... my camera now doesn't allow me to do much so i don't know which features are worth the money and not worth it!
I definitely know the feeling....kind of overwhelming, isn't it?? I Really, Really, Reallllyy like my Canon, though. It turned out to be a really good fit for me! My mom has a Nikon, and between the two (my Canon and her Nikon), I personally like my Canon better! But you should definitely check to see if your college photography program has any camera requirements! It would be awful to buy a camera and then have to buy another one because it was the wrong kind or whatever.
@kateygivan yes it would be! And thank you for all of the help.. that gives me a good starting point.. because i just really want to have my first camera to be my favorite one!
My advice would be to make sure you go spend some time with whatever camera you are thinking about getting, be it Nikon, Canon etc. Get a feel for it before deciding. Also, if your friends all have Nikon lets say, maybe thats the way to go. Good to have people you can ask questions and borrow gear from :-)
@kelleyfraser You definitely will want to get a DSLR as they are the creative tool you need to properly learn photography: full manual controls, a large sensor, high ISO ability and interchangeable lenses. I would recommend you start with an entry level DSLR from either Canon or Nikon, both excellent companies. If you like photography, you can upgrade. You should be able to purchase a new D3100 or T3 for around $540 with a lens. Good luck!
@soboy5 i have looked at the D3100 and really like that one because it is an upgrade from my parents camera but not too crazy that i can't use the thing.. i even found a used one at my local camera shop. Would you suggest i pay the extra dollar for a new one or a cheaper one that has been gently used?
@kelleyfraser Hi Kelley, I use a D3100 and love it, you can check out my project to see what my images taken with my D3100 look like, I recommend you buy it new. That way there are no bad surprises. Amazon sells the D3100 and the kit 18-55 mm lens for $540 almost every day with free shipping. That is an excellent deal, it was $699 when it was introduced in late 2010. Feel free to ask me any questions you have about the camera or about photography. Cheers, Danny
I would wait and see what your college suggests. Get the one that most other people on the course have. Much easier to swap advice and ideas.
2nd user is fine as long as you can rely on the previous owner.
The only reason i stuck with Nikon is because i'm old, and I have old lenses that fit a Nikon and still work fine with digital cameras. If i was starting from scratch...I think I'd go with Canon. More bang for the buck i think.
I actually shoot with Sony and love it. But it's in their DSLR line. I understand your frustration with point and shoot, but your shots seem pretty sharp and have very nice color. Looked through your album and am now following :-)
I agree with some of the other posters who say to check with the school you're going to and find out what their requirements and/or suggestions are. A lot of it boils down to personal preference and the limits of your budget. Our son got a fine arts photography degree with minimal equipment because the school provided a lot of equipment for them. That way he had a chance to try out various cameras and lenses and decide what he ultimately would buy.
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2nd user is fine as long as you can rely on the previous owner.