Girlfriend wants to get a camera. photography/art/design

[Playaa]

Nikon or Canon (which do you prefer?) for cheap.

New is best.

 

Start teaching me folks!

[Unclean]

What does she want the camera for?

[Bush]

I've alway's had good luck with Canon's.

[stutters]

wow, this girl is bleeding you dry.

[boiler]

wow, this girl is bleeding you dry.

+1 to this!

 

 

Get a Canon, highly recommend them. Bought a new one for the wife and she loves it.

[Unclean]

If she wants tons of creative flexibility, she should go with a DSLR like a Canon Rebel XTi or XSi.

 

If she wants a camera for snapshots that she can just throw in her purse, go with something like an SD800.

[Preacher]

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=BL...3-R&cat=CAM

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=C813-R&cat=CAM

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=25...-DT&cat=CAM

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=PN...3-R&cat=CAM

 

I own the last one there and it's a very good camera. If looking for a DSLR camera I suggest the Nikon D40

[Playaa]

Sorry, should have clarified. She wants a DSLR. Not a little point-and-shoot. She uses the camera to take pictures of architecture for work.

 

Also...I am not paying for this camera.

[Unclean]

What kind of target budget is there for this camera?

 

And I'd recommend going the Canon route. Since this is for architecture, she'd have a real good start with something like this:

 

Canon Rebel XSi body (~$600)

Canon EF-S 10-22 f/3.5-4.5 ($600)

Some kind of sturdy tripod with a quick-release head + carrying strap (~$200)

 

The Rebel line is a smaller, lighter DSLR so she doesn't feel the weight quite as much as she's walking around. The 10-22 lens is superb for landscape/architecture photography (NOFX has the lens, check with him about results). The tripod would be a necessity to get the sharpest shots (since this is for work).

 

If she wants to get another lens for a "walkaround lens", I'd recommend either the 28-135 f/3.5-5.6 IS (~$400) or the 17-55 f/2.8 IS (~900. I have this lens, and absolutely love it).

 

Can't really speak for Nikon, but I didn't like the menus/feel to it when I tried them out at the store. I'd HIGHLY recommend she do that too - don't just buy a camera off a recommendation alone, have her try out a few cameras to see what she likes.

[Playaa]

As far as budget goes...she does not do this professionally...just in her "spare time" for her work. She has a point-and-shoot right now and wants something a little nicer...but something with interchangeable lenses is probably a bit too much.

Her budget is probably less than $500 (haven't asked her yet)

[Unclean]

A DSLR has interchangeable lenses.

 

If her budget is around $500, then she should go with a Rebel XTi and a kit lens (18-55). That's a few steps up from the absolute cheapest DSLR you could go with... the Nikon D40. Lots of people like that camera, but it doesn't have the same room for upgrades that the XTi has.

[Playaa]

See, now I was unaware that interchangeable lenses was what separated the DSLR's from the rest of the pack.

I feel edumakated already.

[Unclean]

Woot!

 

Another thing... photography can be really rewarding, but it can really become expensive too. It's really easy to get all caught up in the hype and details (f stop? shutter speed? ISO?). It's easy to start though... leaving everything in automatic mode and let the camera do the thinking.

[NOFX]

interchangeable len's is not the only thing that separates the two. DSLR's allow you to see what the lens sees when you look through the viewfinder. Notice their isn't a little plastic window on the lens side, like point and shoots.

 

You also have total control over all aspects of the camera. If I were her and doing it over again. I'd get a d40 or an xt/xti with the kit len's used off ebay. Once she learns how to use the camera, she can then decide how she likes to shoot and pick up different lens.

 

One note I've learned is to never use the back LCD for viewing pictures. It doesn't do them justice really, sure you can get a decent idea of what it looks like, but not to show to people. I actually leave my LCD off all the time(saves battery) The only time I use it to display the WB histogram after every shot, so I will know if it is over or under exposed. A 10-20 lens throws the light meter off and alot of shots tend to be over exposed.

Edited September 18, 2008 by KNOWFX

[Batman]

Nofx.... Your probation clearly states that you are no longer allowed to own or discuss cameras, you know that man..