How To Begin ?

Hi all !
I'm just a newbie in photography so and don't really know what do I need...
I really would like to make fashion photography or outdoor photography...
I guess these are two things very different so if you could advise me something very versatile...
I don't know how much it will cost so something not very expensive (well I guess I won't have something for 100 $ :rolleyes: )
If anybody is a pro and would like to help and give some advices to a newbie... please help !!
thanks,
etienne

Welcome - I see you're a guitar player. There's a few around here and I'm a bass player.

Fashion and nature work on a pro level uses very different equipment, but you can learn alot from a manual 35mm SLR camera. Something like a Pentax K1000 or a Nikon FM (or many others including Canon and Olympus) and a few lenses like a 24mm wide angle (for scenic outdoor) a 50mm "normal" lens and a telephoto somewhere between 85-135mm (for nature but also good for portraits). You wouldn't even need a flash right away while you learn about working with natural light.

The good thing about buying an older manual camera like this is that the camera and compatible lenses will be very inexpensive compared to current autofocus systems. The bad thing is that you'll have to replace it all if you go with an autofocus and/or digital system someday - but you can probably sell what you have for close to what you paid for it so I wouldn't worry too much.

Check the Studio Lighting forum for ideas on lighting and how to get nice results without spending a lot of money.

hi,
thanks for answering !
I'll check in some shops around my home to find something good ;)
I hope I will find what I want !
do you know what price I don't have to go over for a newbie like me, I mean I don't need a great camera at 4000$ :D
thanks again !

Well, the amount of money you want to spend is really up to you. Here in the 'States, you could get a camera body and lens for probably $150-$200 that would teach you a lot about photography (one of the camera bodies I mentioned and a 50mm lens for it).

With older cameras, it's best to get some kind of warranty just to make sure everything is working properly. All you really need to do is shoot a roll of film, trying out all of the features on the camera like the self timer, different apertures and shutter speeds, etc. If the negatives look good (not just the prints) then you're all set.

thanks again !
but I am oblige to begin with an "old camera" , I mean I can't begin with a digital camera ?

Sure, you can with digital - but a digital SLR will be very expensive and I wouldn't recommend it to someone starting out anyway. A compact digital will give you instant feedback of what your shot looks like but you won't have all of the control over the camera that you would with a manual film SLR camera.

I recently started as well, in november i guess. I would get a manual film camera so you understand how the shutter and f-stops combine to form the exposure and all that technical stuff, then you can move on. If you have some extra money, you could get an 'advanced' digital camera that lets you change these settings, then you wont have to pay for film processing when youre learning. I personally like film though. Alternativly you could just move right into a lower end autofocus camera so you wont need a new camera when you want a few more features. All the manufacturers have cameras in the <$200 range that seem pretty good for a beginner. As for a lense, most people will say a set 50mm is a good starting lense, I will definetly agree with that.

thanks a lot guys !

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Originally Posted by eti

thanks again !
but I am oblige to begin with an "old camera" , I mean I can't begin with a digital camera ?

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Beware of old equipment. With some exceptions, everything will have to be replaced when you move up to the current models.

A low end film camera is fine but the film costs will add up very quickly. In no time at all, you will have spent the extra cost of digital yet the costs never stop. You don't get the immediate feedback with film that is so important to learning. You can't really afford to experiment with different approaches.

There are lots of used DSLRs on the market. As with computer technology, people have a lust for upgrading when they don't really have to. Look for a used D30 or D60 or an older Nikon. You'll be much happier.

thanks for this advice !
but when you say

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Look for a used D30 or D60

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D30 and D60 are models of Digital cameras or what ?
thank you anyway ;)

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Originally Posted by eti

Hi all !
I'm just a newbie in photography so and don't really know what do I need...
I really would like to make fashion photography or outdoor photography...
I guess these are two things very different so if you could advise me something very versatile...
I don't know how much it will cost so something not very expensive (well I guess I won't have something for 100 $ :rolleyes: )
If anybody is a pro and would like to help and give some advices to a newbie... please help !!
thanks,
etienne

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Hi

I'm not a pro but I live in France..

Fashion and Outdoor are two areas where film is still strong (I believe), particularly slide film. You need to buy a film body from one of the major manufacturers (Canon or Nikon) with something like a 28-105 to get started.

The second-hand market collapsed a while ago - when people started switching to digital they sold their film material and nobody wanted to buy it. There are a lot of real bargains out there. FNAC is an excellent supplier and I have never had any problems with second-hand gear I have bought from them. Otherwise you come down to Paris and have a look along Bvd Beaumarchais, but get a copy of the Chasseurs d'Images second-hand price list and be prepared to negotiate.

Charles

Thanks for this answer but if it's possible I really would like to "work" with a digital camera...but if you say that a film would be better, I'll take a film camera !

neither is 'better' than the other, if you say you want to use digital primarily then by all means go for it. Most of us were saying its cheaper just to start into a manual film camera for a bit, then when youre sure you wanna jump in and youve got some stuff figured out you can get a digital camera. make sure the camera allows for manual control though.

Neither is better overall (IMO). Film is better in some cases, Digital in others so both is best. :)

D30 and D60 are Canon digital SLR's that have been discontinued for a few years now. When they came out they were likely over $2000 USD (I'm a Nikon shooter so don't quote me on that) but with new digital cameras coming out all the time, the price of last year's model drops very quickly. They're far from an investment!

And that was exactly my point - older manual film cameras are very inexpensive. You could build a small system for what even a used D30 or D60 probably costs (body only) and sell it for close to what you paid for it if/when you decide to do that. Older equipment can be very capible of excellent images - it's all up to the photographer! Like I said, just make sure everything is working properly and you should be fine.

ok, thanks, I'll check in some good shops close from me for some old digital camera with manual control (I think the Canon Ixus 40 has this manual control...but very expensive :( )

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Originally Posted by another view

D30 and D60 are Canon digital SLR's that have been discontinued for a few years now. When they came out they were likely over $2000 USD (I'm a Nikon shooter so don't quote me on that) but with new digital cameras coming out all the time, the price of last year's model drops very quickly. They're far from an investment!

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The investment is in the lenses. D30 and D60 go very cheap and the lenses will fit and work FULLY with more recent cameras. The D30 easily matched 35mm film up through 11x14 and still do. The D60 did better than that. Upgrades don't render older technology useless. When more money comes in, these cameras make excellent backups.

Yeah, you can buy a film FD system cheap. You can buy manual focus film Pentax cameras cheap. You can buy manual Nikon cameras cheap. But the lenses will be out of date. Yeah, some lenses will work with modern cameras (film and digital) but you lose all the features most photographers will want. The system will require a constant infusion of cash for film, developing, and scanning, and you can't learn as fast with film cameras.

In this day and age, old film systems are for photographers who know what they are getting into, not beginners. IMHO, if one has the money and insists on film, a modern film camera system is a much better buy and has a real future for the eventual digital upgrade. Get a film Rebel, N65, etc. instead of an old dead-end system.

Thanks, I'll check this out ;)