A good digital camera for portraits.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

04/11/2003 12:55:06 PM · #26

Ok. So the best route for me to go would be to get a DSLR camera. Now I just need to decide what is the best camera out there. And get the lens for it.

Thanks paganini for the info. It really helps to get in depth info.

What lens comes with the DSLR cameras when i buy it?

jimmythefish

Canon EOS-10D

04/11/2003 01:01:03 PM · #27

Originally posted by Sonifo:

No lenses come with it. You're just buying the camera body initially.

Morgan

Nikon D800

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

04/11/2003 01:04:37 PM · #28

What is the reason or purpose for your images?

Often, I find it is best to match the tool to the job. For example, if your goal is to publish to the web, then the resolution is far less of a concern then if you wish to print 8 x 10's. Likewise, if you want to make far larger prints, then the camera recommendation might change again to suit the job.

All of the comments offered in this thread are solid suggestions from my point of view. So, it sounds like you have lots of choice. But, I might suggest thinking about fitting the camera to your needs would be a great approach.

For example, I take a great deal of images that require a long telephoto, so I went with the Nikon 5700. It serves my requirements better then other cameras since it has a 8:1 optical zoom, a digital zoom, and a solid 6-megapixel resolution. Finally, it is lightweight and compact in size. I liked the Sony products too, but they did not offer the optical zoom range that I needed at the time when I purchased.

So, make a check list of the features that are essential to your needs and then go shopping. It will make the short list selection a lot easier and faster. Good luck.

04/11/2003 02:37:57 PM · #29

None. And lenses is where it can dramatically increase your cost :) It also doesn't come with a CF card :)

The lenses I bought with the 10D are:
50 mm F1.8 II ($70) (Good quality glass, really bad construction (don't use it in the rain) and SLOW autofocus, but $70 is a lot of lens)
70-200mm F4 L ($570ish, one of hte best zoom lenses Canon has to offer, the upper ranges are 70-200mm F2.8 L for $1200, and 70-200mm F2.8 IS L (image stabilization) for $1600. Very fast autofocus)

....

I have heard that the 28-135mm IS (non-L) lens is pretty good, or the 24-85 mm F3.5-4.5 is not bad either for generic use.

But the point about lenses is that it will last you a long time and so you should spend as much as you can afford and get the best glass possible. Some of the lenses are pretty awful that people would sell it within a couple years buying it (such as the lens that comes with the Rebel 2000 kit, the 28-90 lens).

For portraits, you can just get a 100 mm F2 lens (the macro lens is $400 but the normal 100mm is less than 300 i believe). I'd check reviews on ZOOM lenses before you buy them. In general, the primes are very good from Canon and the zoom lenses vary greatly (some of the most expensive L lenses are zoom lenses unless you go the big telephoto L primes)

Originally posted by Sonifo:

04/11/2003 02:44:13 PM · #30

Sonifo:

Another option is to buy a USED Canon D30 for about $700-800 on Ebay. There is a risk to that because you are buying USED and you don't know what the other person has, but it'll be the cheaper option than $1500 on the 10D. It'll be 3 megapixels, but you'll find that the 3 megapixel camera images will be significantly better than the 5 megapixel consumer cameras with good glass. The resolution tests (shooting newspaper) won't show it but it's the actual image that counts. Glass makes all the difference in the photo, the pixel count is really not that important if you don't plan on making enlargements past 8x10 (3 megapixels is sufficient for 8x10).

04/11/2003 04:27:11 PM · #31

Ok This is what I want to do.
Portraits
1.)to beable to have a larger print then 8 x 10.
2.)I want a DSLR camera.
3.)I will need a lens. I am guessing by reading all this that a 100mm lens will do.
4.)I need a good printer or someone who prints them for a descent price. Which I might use dpcprints.
5.)I will need backdrops and lighting.

I think I am looking at a year before I get everything on my list. Wow this is going to be spendy.

I do appriciate all your help.
Sonja

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

04/11/2003 05:21:49 PM · #32

:-) not to mention:

high capacity CF cards to store RAW images (256 meg card i have only stores up to 40 photos)

batteries and grips...

lens filters

sensor cleaners

and.......

the ability to lose $4000 by dropping a backpack :)

But you'll love the camera.

Originally posted by Sonifo:

Morgan

Nikon D800

04/11/2003 09:02:15 PM · #33

Money, money, money! Sounds like you will need to take a mortgage on the house. Ask Jacko for a loan, he is a Banker.

04/12/2003 12:47:09 AM · #34

Has anyone heard of that grant or you can get for opening up a small business? I heard it somewhere on tv , but not sure where to begin with that. Does anyone have any ideas?

04/12/2003 02:37:10 PM · #35

Isn't that called a Credit card? :P

Originally posted by Sonifo:

Has anyone heard of that grant or you can get for opening up a small business? I heard it somewhere on tv , but not sure where to begin with that. Does anyone have any ideas?