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photography Photography

ColdSmoke

ColdSmoke

I've always had an appreciation for good photography. I've never really pursued it because of my various other hobbies. As an outdoors man I really like landscape and wildlife photos. As a gardener, I also like photos of foliage, fruits...etc. As a dog owner...you get the point!
 
I'd like this to be a discussion about equipment, technique, light...etc all the good stuff. And of course sharing pictures be it your own or others. I really would like to learn more. I'm also considering buying a camera and any recommendations. I've seen some insanely awesome pictures on this board and would like to know what everyone is using and their philosophy.
 
Here's a pic of Glacier National Park
 
glacier_zpsgvauk4xl.jpg
 
Get a good tripod, pointless to get a feeble one. I use the Manfroto 55pro, hold allot, its heavy and withstands wind. Their is a lighter one I want to get when I can afford it.
Allot of people are getting into the 4/3rds cameras, I have two, Olympus E-PM2 and a Lumix (got the body cheap and handles Oly Lenses). Several of the people in my photo club have switched out their Nikon/Cannon for the Oly MD.
Lenses can be a mine field, the low end are all plastic lenses so decent ones start around  $300-500 to get some glass in their.
Ive always been an Olympus person since my first OM2 in the 70's, reliable good quality, small. I burnt out a zoom lens in my pocket Oly SZ14 pocket cam and it was still on warranty and got it back in 2 weeks. I recently burned out the 20mm Panasonic (great quality lens) and it took 9 weeks to get it back (was also on warranty).
I do allot of astrophotography and the SZ14 was the first one I used and can easily do 500 frames in 30min, now using the E-PM2 with 20mm, its done well over 100000 frames.
Practice is the only way your going to learn.
:)
 
A generic bit of advice: 
 
(And perhaps a minor rant!)
 
For the love of all things decent, don't get caught up in the insane gear dweebery that has effectively taken over the activity once called "Photography." Camera clubs and forums are full of people arguing and talking about how camera Y has is so much better in some manner than Camera Z, or how you "Need to get Photoshop, ASAP!"  Much of this is just self-validation, fueled by latent Gear Anxiety.  This path is the dark side, and it will lead you to shooting boring, oversaturated, overprocessed crap, possibly even the abomination known as HDR.   (Shudder!)
 
Seriously, 90% of an interesting photograph happens before the photographer pushes the button, and has little to do with the gear at hand.  (Obviously, the shooter must understand what the camera can and cannot do, and work around any limitations.)  Assuming your camera has enough controls, once you figure out how to drive it, you can proceed to the fun part - seeing and playing with the world around you, which is all photography really is - visual play.
 
 
For a noob, the specific brand or model really does not frigging matter.  At all.
 
For bugs, peppers, critters, etc., a modest P/S (possibly used, starting at $50 from KEH or another reputable) vendor can make excellent pics. (The small sensor helps with depth of field limitations.)  Just get something with aperture and shutter priority, exposure compensation, and other "override the damn computer" controls.
 
Landscape?  A modest DSLR and robust tripod will do. Don't blow a ton of $ on "fast" or "Premium" lenses.  They look sexy, but are a waste of money for most.
 
As for software, the quasi-free CS2 version of Photochop is fine.  Combine with the manufacturer's RAW program and you have all you truly need.  (Sure, there are plenty of handy utilities, plug-ins, etc., but I see them as a distraction for any beginner.)  Worry less about technical crap and more about finding and composing interesting images, and in understanding the fundamentals of exposure, focus, etc.

If you want to go retro on the reading:  ;)
 
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60092457/Photo/The%20Negative%2C%20Ansel%20Adams.pdf
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60092457/Photo/The_Camera_Ansel_Adams.pdf
 
I'm a total beginner as far as a camera user goes. The one on my cell phone was good enough for me for years however for those not checking out the fishing thread here I'm a WEE bit of a fanatic & after loosing countless phones due to water adventures I decided to pick myself up a "real" camera. I opted for something in the $200.00 (CAD$$$) range & I'm a bricks & mortar guy meaning I have to physically hold the camera & not just look at pretty pictures on the internet. I bought a Nikon Coolpix Aw130 waterproof camera & am really happy with it, it just felt right when holding it. Still trying to learn all the bell's & whistles this thing has but the underwater shots & video are great.....well other peoples are mine are not, YET!
20150926_075109_zpsp6bpbq3l.jpg

 
My biggest problem is I'm too busy fishing to pull out the camera, I'll have to find a way to rectify that
 
Chris Kewley said:
I'm a total beginner as far as a camera user goes. The one on my cell phone was good enough for me for years however for those not checking out the fishing thread here I'm a WEE bit of a fanatic & after loosing countless phones due to water adventures I decided to pick myself up a "real" camera. I opted for something in the $200.00 (CAD$$$) range & I'm a bricks & mortar guy meaning I have to physically hold the camera & not just look at pretty pictures on the internet. I bought a Nikon Coolpix Aw130 waterproof camera & am really happy with it, it just felt right when holding it. Still trying to learn all the bell's & whistles this thing has but the underwater shots & video are great.....well other peoples are mine are not, YET!
20150926_075109_zpsp6bpbq3l.jpg

 
My biggest problem is I'm too busy fishing to pull out the camera, I'll have to find a way to rectify that
Click to expand...
 
there is an angel in the tree. a bat angel
Geonerd said:
A generic bit of advice: 
 
(And perhaps a minor rant!)
 
For the love of all things decent, don't get caught up in the insane gear dweebery that has effectively taken over the activity once called "Photography." Camera clubs and forums are full of people arguing and talking about how camera Y has is so much better in some manner than Camera Z, or how you "Need to get Photoshop, ASAP!"  Much of this is just self-validation, fueled by latent Gear Anxiety.  This path is the dark side, and it will lead you to shooting boring, oversaturated, overprocessed crap, possibly even the abomination known as HDR.   (Shudder!)
 
Seriously, 90% of an interesting photograph happens before the photographer pushes the button, and has little to do with the gear at hand.  (Obviously, the shooter must understand what the camera can and cannot do, and work around any limitations.)  Assuming your camera has enough controls, once you figure out how to drive it, you can proceed to the fun part - seeing and playing with the world around you, which is all photography really is - visual play.
 
 
For a noob, the specific brand or model really does not frigging matter.  At all.
 
For bugs, peppers, critters, etc., a modest P/S (possibly used, starting at $50 from KEH or another reputable) vendor can make excellent pics. (The small sensor helps with depth of field limitations.)  Just get something with aperture and shutter priority, exposure compensation, and other "override the damn computer" controls.
 
Landscape?  A modest DSLR and robust tripod will do. Don't blow a ton of $ on "fast" or "Premium" lenses.  They look sexy, but are a waste of money for most.
 
As for software, the quasi-free CS2 version of Photochop is fine.  Combine with the manufacturer's RAW program and you have all you truly need.  (Sure, there are plenty of handy utilities, plug-ins, etc., but I see them as a distraction for any beginner.)  Worry less about technical crap and more about finding and composing interesting images, and in understanding the fundamentals of exposure, focus, etc.

If you want to go retro on the reading:  ;)
 
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60092457/Photo/The%20Negative%2C%20Ansel%20Adams.pdf
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60092457/Photo/The_Camera_Ansel_Adams.pdf
Click to expand...
 
So, if my budget was around $300 for the whole set up, what would you recommend?
 
Do you have a friend, relative, etc. with a nice selection of lenses you can try out or borrow? 
If so, buying a compatible body might sense.
 
How about $150 for an older DSLR body and another 150 for a decent zoom lens?
 
There are a gazillion possibilities. Canon, Nikon, Oly, etc. all make fine consumer-grade cameras.
Something along the lines of:
https://www.keh.com/207765/canon-40d-digital-camera-body-10-1-m-p
and
https://www.keh.com/212458/canon-28-105mm-f-3-5-4-5-macro-usm-ii-ef-mount-lens-58
seems a reasonable compromise package that will get you going. 
 
 
Or buy a nice point/shoot to play with. Make sure it has manual modes and "real' aperture+shutter priority.
I'm just grabbing the first likely thing I see on KEH...
Again, a bazillion options, but for ~$100 something like these will be more than enough for now.
 
https://www.keh.com/354811/olympus-sp-570-uz-digital-camera-camera-only-10-m-p
http://www.dpreview.com/products/olympus/compacts/oly_sp570uz
 
https://www.keh.com/352502/canon-powershot-sx10-is-black-digital-camera-10-m-p
http://www.dpreview.com/products/canon/compacts/canon_sx10is
 
Or for a little more:
https://www.keh.com/349624/nikon-coolpix-p7100-black-digital-camera-10-1-m-p
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/P7100/P7100A.HTM
 
 
KEH inspects the gear, and offers a respectable return period.
Ebay, etc. will be cheaper, but less secure.
You might visit a local photo group and look for people selling their old stuff.  Check meetup.com for one near you.
When/if you outgrow the equipment, you can flip it on Fleabay and not loose much since it's already depreciated!
By the time you outgrow the cheapie, you'll have a much better idea of what sort of features YOU find most useful, and will be able to make an informed decision about the next purchase.
 
ColdSmoke said:
 
there is an angel in the tree. a bat angel

 
So, if my budget was around $300 for the whole set up, what would you recommend?
Click to expand...
I have an Olympus Stylus TG-3 that costs about that much, and I don't have attatchments. The TG-4 shouldn't be much more, and they're good for being pretty much indestructible as long as you don't try.
 
cruzzfish said:
I have an Olympus Stylus TG-3 that costs about that much, and I don't have attatchments. The TG-4 shouldn't be much more, and they're good for being pretty much indestructible as long as you don't try.
Click to expand...
 
can you really dunk that thing underwater and take pictures?
 
My head is spinning with all the options out there. The only point and shoot (besides my phone) I've ever used was a Sony 5mp when digital cameras first came out. Can I really get the quality of pictures I'm seeing on these boards (creepy crawlies, carnivorous plants threads) with a modern point and shoot? That may be all I need, but I really like the idea of having a body and lens set up.  
 
FWIW, all my Creepy Crawlie shots were taken with a 6 megapickle Canon A540 purchased at a thrift shop for $10, or a slightly newer A710IS I got from KEH for $30.  Neither are ideal for landscape, but do fine for plants, pods, bugs, and typical "I was there!" group shots.  The A710 has a movable AF zone, which is sometimes handy, but otherwise there's not much between the two.
 
The lightning and weather images, seen in http://thehotpepper.com/topic/53577-sunset-pics/or http://thehotpepper.com/topic/26255-photo-album/ were taken with an old (cheap and replaceable, should it get zapped or drowned) Rebel XT with 8 pickles.  Lenses are either a 28mm or 50mm Olympus OM manual focus job, purchased ~$20 each.  The largest drawback is the small, dim viewfinder, something most similar cameras suffer from.  If you do pop for a DSLR, I'd suggest one with "Live View" on the rear display.  You'll want a "real" AF lens as well.  MF lenses are sharp and cheap, but sometimes a bit difficult to use.
 
I'll admit to A7 lust, not so much for the pixels, but because it will allow me to use my huge collection of old old FD Canon (manual focus) lenses.

Ergonomics are important!
If you have the time, head for the nearest Walmart, Costco, Target, etc. - whatever is close by and sells cameras. 
Play with all the display models and determine which is easiest to hold and use.  You may like a slightly bigger body, tilt screen, or some other feature that you didn't know you needed. 
 
Geonerd said:
FWIW, all my Creepy Crawlie shots were taken with a 6 megapickle Canon A540 purchased at a thrift shop for $10, or a slightly newer A710IS I got from KEH for $30.  Neither are ideal for landscape, but do fine for plants, pods, bugs, and typical "I was there!" group shots.  The A710 has a movable AF zone, which is sometimes handy, but otherwise there's not much between the two.
 
The lightning and weather images, seen in http://thehotpepper.com/topic/53577-sunset-pics/or http://thehotpepper.com/topic/26255-photo-album/ were taken with an old (cheap and replaceable, should it get zapped or drowned) Rebel XT with 8 pickles.  Lenses are either a 28mm or 50mm Olympus OM manual focus job, purchased ~$20 each.  The largest drawback is the small, dim viewfinder, something most similar cameras suffer from.  If you do pop for a DSLR, I'd suggest one with "Live View" on the rear display.  You'll want a "real" AF lens as well.  MF lenses are sharp and cheap, but sometimes a bit difficult to use.
 
I'll admit to A7 lust, not so much for the pixels, but because it will allow me to use my huge collection of old old FD Canon (manual focus) lenses.

Ergonomics are important!
If you have the time, head for the nearest Walmart, Costco, Target, etc. - whatever is close by and sells cameras. 
Play with all the display models and determine which is easiest to hold and use.  You may like a slightly bigger body, tilt screen, or some other feature that you didn't know you needed. 
Click to expand...
 
 
Thanks for all your help! I'm going with a used Nikon P7100 from KEH for $150. The reviews are excellent and it will be more than enough for me ...it's also nice to see they hold their value. 
 
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