Recommend a DSLR! « Hellobee Boards

Recommend a DSLR!

By NovBaby1112 Mar 27, 2013

I have been researching DSLRs and am getting SO overwhelmed!! I know nothing about photography and technology, all i know is that i love the way pictures look with a DSLR and i would love to be able to take awesome photos of my LO. I have a few questions and things I am confused about:

Can you recommend a DSLR that would be great for an amateur, easy to use, and not too expensive?

I keep reading that the lens that comes with the camera isn't the greatest, what type of lens is good and do you need this right away or will the lens that comes with the camera do the trick for awhile?

What other accessories will I need? Memory card, etc? Is there a way to upload photos without using a USB?

Do you use your DSLR to take videos?

You might also enjoy...

Tags: (no tags yet)

26 comments

Boheme
papaya / 10473 posts

Mar 27, 2013

Interested to follow this! I'm shopping for one too
blackbird
wonderful grape / 20453 posts

Mar 27, 2013

What do you want to spend? A rebel is a good start off DSLR.

lens-wise, it depends what kind of photos you want to take. i recommend a prime lens. prime means they're fast/portrait type lenses. a 50mm 1.4 or 1.8 is a good starting point that wouldn't be too expensive. i use mine All. The. Time. But the kit lens would be ok for awhile! Ask for a nice lens for Christmas You can also check out used ones.

you'll want a memory card (i use 4GB ones and they get a couple hundred photos on each, but if you shoot in JPEG, you'll get more!) and you do have to use a USB port. I upload all of my photos to an external hard drive because the files are so large. actually, i use a card reader. Which has USB port. Card readers are much faster!

(I have a 5D and use mine in a professional capacity)
LivsMama
pear / 1728 posts

Mar 27, 2013

We have a Nikon D90 and love it. The lens that comes with the kit isnt great. What I would do is buy just the body and separate lenses. You could use the kit lens to start. Its not great, but to take pics of LO while you are learning, it would probably be sufficient. A great resource is B&H Photo online - TONS of info and inventory. We played with used or refurbed lenses before we started committing on really good new ones bc they are really pricey.

You can upload without a USB cord. You will need a memory card (make sure you get a quality brand, LARGE chip. Several Gigs.) SanDisk Eye-Fi is a good one. It has a wireless conneciton to wirelessly send your pics to your computer. Super convenient.
Ginger333
kiwi / 543 posts

Mar 27, 2013

I purchased a Canon Rebel T3 on the recommendation of a photographer friend and I love it! I'm just using the kit lens for now but I do want to get a prime lens eventually. It's super easy to use and there are tons of tutorials on line for it. Even just using the auto setting and the kit lens, I'm getting some really great shots.

It takes video (apparently) but I haven't heard good things about using it, so I just use my video camera instead.

If you have a Costco membership they have had good deals on kits (camera, bag, memory card, additional lens) in the past and the warranty through them is fantastic.
NovBaby1112
grapefruit / 4066 posts

Mar 27, 2013

@blackbird: i would like to stay under $700 if possible...

thank you everyone for your awesome suggestions and advice so far!!
LindsayInNY
bananas / 9229 posts

Mar 27, 2013

Subscribing!
Foodnerd81
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts

Mar 27, 2013

I got a Canon Rebel t3i for Christmas and I love it. Like you, I have no special photography skills and just wanted something that 1) I could start taking better pictures with right away, and 2) I could learn more about and do more and more as I read more/practice more and use more manual settings. So far I've really only played around with the auto modes and my pictures already look a lot better. I have been using the kit lens for now but will need to figure out a nicer one at some point.

I also have the eye-fi card that someone mentioned. It's nice to not have to hook it up to upload photos, but if you are doing a lot (like, you get back from vacation and have 100 photos) it takes a long time and runs the battery down. But it's great if you just take a couple, it will just upload it whenever both your computer and camera are on in wifi.

I learned all of this on Hellobee, btw, so make sure you search for past threads on this. Tons of info on here!
Lindsay05
pomegranate / 3759 posts

Mar 27, 2013

I have a Nikon D7000 and I love it. It's easy to use and takes great pictures.
KissMeCait
apricot / 280 posts

Mar 27, 2013

I suggest the Canon Rebel t4i. We just got ours a few months ago and it’s an amazing camera. Amazon was running a sale that included the body, lens (18-135mm – GREAT lens!), memory card, travel bag and a few other accessories for around $900. I’m a total newb with my camera but I’ve learned a lot by watching youtube tutorial videos and reading beginner photography blogs.

We considered the same caliber Nikon but ended up going with Canon because we liked the oscillating view finder and touch screen. If you use a smart phone, that’s a feature that you’d probably really enjoy. I know I do.
NovBaby1112
grapefruit / 4066 posts

Apr 3, 2013

ok i just wanted to update everyone, i scoured the boards on dslr info and went with a Nikon D5100 body only, and a 35mm 1.8 lens, i cant wait to get it in the mail!!!
PrincessBaby
cantaloupe / 6610 posts

Apr 3, 2013

@NovBaby1112: That lens is bananas! I have no idea what I'm doing and I keep getting AMAZING photos with it and my D3200!
NovBaby1112
grapefruit / 4066 posts

Apr 3, 2013

@PrincessBaby: hahah i will have no idea what i am doing as well, im glad to hear that you love that lens! i was debating between that and another one, but it seems like lots of people recommend the 35mm 1.8 one(no clue what those numbers even mean LOL)
jetsa
grapefruit / 4663 posts

Apr 15, 2013

@NovBaby1112: @PrincessBaby: I want to try this lens! We bought a D5000 at christmas 2011 and we like it. After recommendation from a photog friend we bought a zoom lens which is good but when this LO comes I think I need a prime lens.
NovBaby1112
grapefruit / 4066 posts

Apr 15, 2013

@jetsa: i LOVEEE that lens, its amazing! it gets so much detail and awesome close ups, and i love the blurred backgrounds, they look so professional!
jetsa
grapefruit / 4663 posts

Apr 15, 2013

@NovBaby1112: awesome! Thats exactly what I'm missing with my zoom lens.
MsLipGloss
GOLD / pineapple / 12662 posts

Apr 15, 2013

@NovBaby1112: If I understand it right, 35mm is the focal length of the lens (how much of the subject will be magnified for a given photographic position), and that a prime lens (like the 35mm f1.8) has a fixed focal length (instead of a variable, like a zoom lens).

The aperture (which is measured in f-stops) determines how much light is let in for a photo. The smaller the number, the larger the hole (to allow light in . . . so f2.8 is much larger than f22). It also impacts the depth of field (what is in focus and what is blurry) . . . an f2.8 will likely put the subject in focus and make the background blurry, but an f22 will pretty much keep everything in the photo in focus.

I am really still learning about all of this, and some of it is soo confoosing!
NovBaby1112
grapefruit / 4066 posts

Apr 15, 2013

@MsLipGloss: that makes a lot of sense...i am still learning so much about it and the photography lingo is also very confusing to me lol. yes, it doesn't zoom. you have to actually move closer or farther back depending how much you want in the picture.
78h2o
grapefruit / 4441 posts

Apr 15, 2013

@PrincessBaby: I'm going to have to get that lens! I have a D3100 but don't like the lens it came with very much... Where did you get yours?
MsLipGloss
GOLD / pineapple / 12662 posts

Apr 15, 2013

@NovBaby1112: I also have the same lens (Nikon D3100 and 35mm f1.8) and love the combo for baby pics!
NovBaby1112
grapefruit / 4066 posts

Apr 15, 2013

@78h2o: i have the same lens as @PrincessBaby, I got my lens from Cameta Camera. it was $214 and it came with these accessories: 6pc Complete Cleaning Kit, CapKeeper 2, Vivitar 52mm UV Glass Filter.

@MsLipGloss: i wanna see some of your pics and LO! I am ALWAYS too late when you post a pic and end up missing it lol...I will have to be quick as a cat next time you post!
PrincessBaby
cantaloupe / 6610 posts

Apr 15, 2013

@78h2o: Amazon for$200! It's amazeballs! I'm an aperture addict:)
MsLipGloss
GOLD / pineapple / 12662 posts

Apr 15, 2013

@NovBaby1112: I posted to your wall.
NovBaby1112
grapefruit / 4066 posts

Apr 15, 2013

@MsLipGloss: thank you!!!! checking now!
NovBaby1112
grapefruit / 4066 posts

Apr 15, 2013

@PrincessBaby: do you shoot on the "A" setting? Is that aperture?
PrincessBaby
cantaloupe / 6610 posts

Apr 15, 2013

@NovBaby1112: Yes:). It fades the background and makes it look all professional-ish!
78h2o
grapefruit / 4441 posts

Apr 15, 2013

@NovBaby1112: @PrincessBaby: Thanks, I'm going to look into it!

@MsLipGloss: That's the camera I have, so maybe I will get that lens and my photos will be amazing?! I wish, but if you think that's a good combo, that gives me all the more reason to get the new lens!

I have a May birthday, so maybe my parents will be looking for an idea...

Member	Posts
Miss Ariel	1
winter_wonder	1

	Today	Monthly Record
Topics	0	0
Posts	1	0

Hellobee Boards

Recommend a DSLR!

You might also enjoy...

Reply

most popular tags

most recent archives

Recent Blog Posts

Recent Board Posts

Classifieds

Deals

Today's Leaders

Photography

Today's Posts

Site Basics

Features

Series

The Team

More