Photographers?

[tacohuman]

in the last year or so i've begun getting into some amateur photography, and i've found that i really enjoy it. some samples of my work can be found here.

all these shots were taken with a canon powershot sd550, a 7.1 megapixel poin-and-shoot digital. i'd like to upgrade to a digital slr, and with christmas coming figured now would be the time to ask, but i'm not too sure what to ask for. i've done some research, but i'd like to know if there are any specific brands or models that any of you may recommend.

thanks for your help!

[Pedersen]

If you're going the DSLR route, then the very first thing to remember is this: megapixels don't mean squat.

Getting more pixels will only help you when you want to increase the output size of your pictures. Before then, it's a waste of your money (and your time) to focus on the pixel count.

Instead, focus on other pieces that will matter.

The CCD size. The bigger it is, the more of the light coming through the lens it will capture.

The interchangeability of lenses, and the futureproofing of those lenses. Nikon, for instance, is excellent about this. It's possible to attach a lens from the 1950's to a body that was made today, and have it work. It won't do all the autofocus features, of course, but it will work.

The maximum size of the memory card it can handle. If you're serious about your photos, you will want to capture using the raw format of the camera, which means no compression. You will, therefore, get around 1/4 the total number of pictures per memory card, maybe less.

The feel of it in your hands. This will sound stupid, but if you're not comfortable holding it, you won't like using it. Ideally, it should also be possible to turn it 90 degrees in either direction and still have an easy time hitting the shutter release.

The accessories that are available. Accessories that may well matter to you include external flashes, remote controls, and tripods.

Duration of shutter opening. You want the widest range possible here. Down to 1/10,000 of a second up to 30 minutes is possible now, and is worth aiming for.

ISO rating range. I've seen bodies go up to 32,000 for their rating. This is good. Aim for it.

Those are a few of the things that come to mind as "Watch for me" items. I don't even touch the firmware of the camera, as the features in there are way too huge to list.

All of that said, I'm a fan of the Nikon D50 I got a couple years ago. It produces superb quality pictures, and didn't cost an arm and a leg. Unfortunately, it's been superceded and replaced by the D40, and then the D60. Possibly one even newer than that. Even still, that line is a good line. It has a nice balance of price and features.

But, before you do go and buy the camera, I'd like to make a recommendation: Pick up Ansel Adams's The Camera. It's less than $30 shipped. And if, like me, you never really knew a lot about how the camera worked, this book will teach you the things you need to know to start to make better informed decisions.

Hope this is of some use to you!

[tacohuman]

awesome! thanks for all the info; i'll definitely take it into account in making my decision

[Reyneth]

To add one small thing to what Pederson already said - make sure whatever you get has a complete manual override feature. Where you have to control the f/stop and shutter speeds for exposure. That will teach you SO much about lighting and all of the technical stuff rather than just relying on the camera and not knowing why it does what it does (which may not be what you're wanting!).

[Pedersen]

Yes! I completely forgot about that!

It's good to get a camera that handles both types of people, the amateur and the pro. It should have a variety of modes to automatically set the various settings. It should also have a couple of specialized modes:

Aperture priority. This lets you set the aperture size, and the camera adjusts the shutter speed to achieve proper exposure.

Shutter priority. This lets you set the shutter sped, and the camera adjusts the aperture size to achieve proper exposure.

Manual mode. You set every single piece. Extremely useful for doing landscape shots that you will stitch together at home.

The automatic modes are good for handing the camera over to someone to take a quick picture of you, and the others are great for you taking your own pictures. Oh, and if manual mode is not an option, skip that camera. The two priority types are nice, but not required. But without manual mode, you will be very upset when you need to take a picture that the camera doesn't understand the lighting for the scene properly.

Something else to ponder for your camera: What you are actually buying, first and foremost, is the body. You're not buying a lens, you're not buying a flash, you're buying a camera body. Get the best one that you can.

The body should fit your hands nicely, not feel clunky. You should be able to easily reach all controls. Furthermore, you should be able to easily tell which control you're hitting while looking through the viewfinder. No, you don't have to be able to tell from the moment you pick up the camera, but you should be able to easily differentiate the controls. Remember, with DSLR, you're going to be looking through the viewfinder more often than not (unlike point-n-shoot, where you're usually focused on the lcd).

Finally, one of the best things to do is to visit the nearest Borders or Barnes & Noble (stand alone) and look in their photography section. You'll find a ton of books on specific models of camera. It will be well worth your time when you're considering a specific model to skim through the book, and determine if you get what you need from it.

Oh, and if you're considering Nikon as your brand, may I point you to Thom Hogan's Nikon Reviews. He is very thorough, and his information will help you out a great deal.

I'll say again, I like the D50. It's the one I've got, and I'm just barely scratching the surface. Hopefully, you can find a close cousin of it, and enjoy it as much as I do.

[crazylegs]

I too am a fan of Nikon, I originally bought a D70 a few years back and upgraded to a D300 this summer.

I've got a couple of albums on my profile if you want to have a look at what they can do.

I will echo the advice already given, that is go to a good camera shop (or even better, two) and pick them up, play with them. If you can find a good independant ask the guys on the desk what they think (as well as reading independant reviews as well).

Good luck!