Photographically Challenged

[Tom Cancelleri]

The majority of all pictures I've taken with equipment I've owned has been mostly point and shoot. I've used SLRs and DSLRs, I know the basics of photography and understand the difference with shutter speeds, white balance and all the other photography mumbo jumbo. 

I'm looking to get a DSLR, and since Festool doesn't make cameras (kidding of course) I'm looking for some suggestions. I don't wanna go nuts and spend an ungodly amount of money on a camera. I know that lenses make a huge difference and they are a whole other animal. I want something that I can use for general photography purposes, take staged pictures of finished projects. It's imperative that I be able to grow into the camera as I learn more, instead of growing out of it. 

Let the photography battles begin!

[Trip]

==>I be able to grow into the camera as I learn more, instead of growing out of it.

Something based on the EOS 70D. Kits w/ a non-L zoom are about $1K. If you want a full frame, something based on the 7DMkII ($2K). If you want a pro-am that you won't out-grow, then something based on the 5DMkIII ($3-$4K). A new generation of the 6D will be released in a few months -- it's sort of in the middle.

 

Get a license for lightroom - $150.

Edited September 10, 2015 by hhh

[bgreenb]

Trip - quick, name something that you don't have extensive knowledge in...

[shaneymack]

Tom, we recently bought a Nikon d5300. It takes great photos from my limited knowedge. The camera with extra zoom lense and case and some other crap was under 1800$ Canadian so thats like 300$ usd. Knowing jack squat about photography, thats all i can offer. The wife and i both love it.

[Tom Cancelleri]

Get a license for lightroom - $150.

I'm fairly well versed in PhotoShop, I did some freelance graphic design and have done picture editing and touchups. I've not used LightRoom, would this be redundant in this case?

[shaneymack]

 

Trip - quick, name something that you don't have extensive knowledge in...

 

Here is a better question, whos smarter, google or hhh? Its a toss up. 

One thing I'm sure of, hhh owns more sanders than google so he wins.

[Tom Cancelleri]

Here is a better question, whos smarter, google or hhh? Its a toss up.

I hear the fall TV lineup will consist of a new TV show called "Are you smarter than hhh" contestants will be asked for extensive knowledge about anything from the viscosity of the ink in a pen, to the inner workings of a Cray super computer. 

hhh will then judge their answers and offer the correct perspective and provide so much information they will either have to choose to digest (accept defeat) or spew (offer a valid and correct counter argument)

Edited September 10, 2015 by Tom Cancelleri

[estesbubba]

I'm fairly well versed in PhotoShop, I did some freelance graphic design and have done picture editing and touchups. I've not used LightRoom, would this be redundant in this case?

Lightroom is great for processing photos and Photoshop more for fine editing. I'm a long-time Photoshop user and 99% of my RAW photos get edited in Lightroom. 

BTW - I'm also a Canon user. 

[Llama]

To be fair, I'm almost certain HHH is more than one person.

[Tom Cancelleri]

To be fair, I'm almost certain HHH is more than one person.

Henry, Harry, and Horace?

[Trip]

Boy, is this a tough crowd or what? But it’s one person --- several careers, many interests, ever curious -- but still one person with a widely varied career: two startups and too much time in the Fortune 500 -- everything from embedded systems design & development (avionics), medical device development, info tech, to engineering & operations management. Cave diving, advanced diving instructor, underwater photo & video, shipwreck hunter, one wife, two homes (two shops -- too many sanders), couple of wooden boats, golf and tennis... Outside of that, my life’s empty, vacuous and lacks direction...   Ohhh, yea -- woodworking's in there someplace -- shoehorned between diving and golf...

 

==>I'm fairly well versed in PhotoShop

Much of the digital photography world has moved to LR... PS has it's place (until they add layers and filters to LR), but maybe one image in fifty gets processed in PS.

[shaneymack]

Boy, is this a tough crowd or what? But it’s one person --- several careers, many interests, ever curious -- but still one person with a widely varied career: two startups and too much time in the Fortune 500 -- everything from embedded systems design & development (avionics), medical device development, info tech, to engineering & operations management. Cave diving, advanced diving instructor, underwater photo & video, shipwreck hunter, one wife, two homes (two shops -- too many sanders), couple of wooden boats, golf and tennis... Outside of that, my life’s empty, vacuous and lacks direction...   Ohhh, yea -- woodworking's in there someplace -- shoehorned between diving and golf...

 

==>I'm fairly well versed in PhotoShop

Much of the digital photography world has moved to LR... PS has it's place (until they add layers and filters to LR), but maybe one image in fifty gets processed in PS.

"Too many sanders " Lmao!!

[davewyo]

I have a Canon 5D MkII. The newer MkIII is something you can easily use now and grow into as you expand your interest.

Photography in general is a black hole into which your paycheck can disappear and never be seen again. I started with one of the Rebel kits several years ago and I found it quite adequate for what I was doing (especially with some additional lenses with high quality glass). On the other hand the 5D is a full frame camera.

[wtnhighlander]

I just keep waiting for Samsung or Nokia to release a phone that accepts bayonet mount lenses. Apple will probably do it first, but of course the lenses will be proprietary.

[moonjam]

We have recently swapped out our Canon gear at work for the new Sony a7 series and I am really, really impressed with them. My business partner is much more in to photography than me but they really are great pieces of kit. Lots of excellent features like pixel peeping for live focus feedback and striping in over exposed areas and they are really well made (if a little basic on design). Admittedly, some of the features might feel a bit gimicky to true photographers but being able to setup the camera as a wifi spot and send the pictures to your phone or computer without touching the memory card is fantastic.

As for Lightroom, I use Photoshop every day at work but for processing raw images, Lightroom is well worth it. Not only are any and all adjustments non-destructive, they can be saved and re-used or quickly copy>pasted for batch processing. 

Edited September 11, 2015 by moonjam

[Eric.]

Cameras are a lot like tools in that the person using it is usually more important than the thing being used.  I suck at photography...to say I have a limited understanding is putting it nicely.  We have a fairly cheap DSLR - Nikon D3100 - but outside on bright sunny days I can get some amazing shots.  In lower light situations, my pics are terrible because I don't know how to compensate.  My buddy, however, who is a photographer, can somehow capture incredible images on his phone.  Why?  Because he gets it.  I don't.

Conventional wisdom from those in the know (who I know) is...don't spend a million dollars on a camera until you know what you're doing, because not only will you not be able to use that camera to its full capabilities, you won't even know the difference.

[bgreenb]

Boy, is this a tough crowd or what?

HA.  Just giving you a hard time.  My ears perk up (so to speak) when I see you've posted in something, as I know I'll probably learn something.  Glad to have you around here.

As for the issue at hand, like Eric I have a Nikon D3100.  Also like Eric I have very little idea what I'm doing.  Like Eric, on bright sunny days I can use it really well.  And, again, like Eric, if there is low light I'm terrible.  I recently bought a 50mm wide aperture lens that my friend taught me to use and I've been able to get some great close ups of my kids with narrow depth of field and all that jazz.  Pretty cool, but not relevant to photographing furniture.  I'd second the recommendation not to spend big bucks til you know what you're doing, though I know that's kind of opposite of what you're going for in terms of wanting something you'll grow into.  

[Immortan D]

I used to be a fan of photography back in the 35mm era. I even developed my own B&W photos.My recommendation: Nikon or Canon for DSLRs. Make your decision based on the availability and price of the lenses you're planning to buy.

Initial lenses: I'd recommend a 50mm f/1.4 and a 70 to 200mm zoom.You may also need macro capability, for close-ups, when taking pictures of your projects. If you don't get a macro lens you can add a close-up filter and a hood to regular lenses.

[Tom Cancelleri]

HA.  Just giving you a hard time.  My ears perk up (so to speak) when I see you've posted in something, as I know I'll probably learn something.  Glad to have you around here.

As for the issue at hand, like Eric I have a Nikon D3100.  Also like Eric I have very little idea what I'm doing.  Like Eric, on bright sunny days I can use it really well.  And, again, like Eric, if there is low light I'm terrible.  I recently bought a 50mm wide aperture lens that my friend taught me to use and I've been able to get some great close ups of my kids with narrow depth of field and all that jazz.  Pretty cool, but not relevant to photographing furniture.  I'd second the recommendation not to spend big bucks til you know what you're doing, though I know that's kind of opposite of what you're going for in terms of wanting something you'll grow into.  

I'm not gonna go nuts on a camera, but I can get a decent body for between 600-800 bucks and then get lenses for anywhere between 100 and 10,000 if I really wanted to be psycho about it. I have some friends that are professional photographers that do photography for motorcycle racing, however talking to them about cameras would be like them talking to me about mitersaws and I say forget everything you've ever seen and just buy a Kapex, when all they're trying to do is frame a basement. 

[Trip]

==>I'm not gonna go nuts on a camera, but I can get a decent body for between 600-800 bucks and then get lenses

Then I'd take a close look at the EOS 70D kits... For a bit over a grand, you can get the camera, zoom lens and photo printer. Check-out B&H photo -- the one-stop-shop for all things photo... There are some web-based sources with lower prices, but I'd be suspicious of valid warranty (there is a lot of gray-marked diversion in photo gear).

 

[TheFatBaron]

I highly recommend looking at The Wirecutter's recommendations. The fact is, unless you're planning to seriously buy into the system (Nikon, Canon, or any other brand), and you're considering upgrading to a full-frame DSLR down the road, there's almost no reason to buy a DSLR today. Additionally, most entry level DSLRs (at least from Nikon and Canon) are crippled - they lack the option to use older, manual lenses, or lack exposure bracketing, or auto-drive shooting, or various other modes.

Instead, look at the Micro 4/3 cameras, or the Sony Alpha mirrorless cameras. You get the same size sensor as the basic DSLRs, most of the control, and interchangable lenses, in a MUCH smaller package.

[Guest]

I have a friend who is a professional photographer.  She likes to play a game on facebook: iphone or full frame.  She will post the same picture taken with each camera.    People never know which is which.   Her point is it is just as much aout the photographer as it is the camera.   Lighting, composition, etc make all the difference in the world.  Shooting still life (i.e. your finished bathroom vanity) is probably the most difficult thing out there.   go look at some custom cabinet websites and you can immediately tell who hired a pro for their photos and who tried to DIY.  

 Its no different than the festool vs. dewalt sander debate.  the better tool might make it more fun, or easier, or take good to great.  but it won't take bad to good.  It sounds like you are on the righ path by picking a high-end consumer camera rather than a low-end pro or semi-pro kit.  Might also pay to take a lesson or find a pro to help you with lighting and what not.  I am sure you have thought about all of this.... I am a frustrated photographer as well and have basically given up.  I do the best I can with my iphone..... (I'd rather spend my cash on tools, BBQ gear and vinyl records).  

 

EDIT:  I just read Eric's post.... didn't not mean to parrot him.  But I agree.  

Edited September 11, 2015 by Guest

[Trip]

==>Just giving you a hard time.

Yea, I got that... I just get bored very easily, have an insatiable curiosity and pursue a wide variety of interests --- simultaneously. Right now it's wreck diving, woodworking, underwater photography and reading -- in roughly that order... My constellation of interests shifts about every five years... Woodworking is the only interest that I've returned to after drifting away... Actual work work is a distant fifth...

[collinb]

The majority of all pictures I've taken with equipment I've owned has been mostly point and shoot. I've used SLRs and DSLRs, I know the basics of photography and understand the difference with shutter speeds, white balance and all the other photography mumbo jumbo. 

I'm looking to get a DSLR, and since Festool doesn't make cameras (kidding of course) I'm looking for some suggestions. I don't wanna go nuts and spend an ungodly amount of money on a camera. I know that lenses make a huge difference and they are a whole other animal. I want something that I can use for general photography purposes, take staged pictures of finished projects. It's imperative that I be able to grow into the camera as I learn more, instead of growing out of it. 

Let the photography battles begin!

As a professional photographer this is my standard advice to shoppers.

1. Today they are all good.  In terms of image quality they all perform well.

2. Ask yourself these questions in picking the camera:

2.1 Are the controls intuitive to me?  Ease of use is everything.

2.2 Does it feel comfortable in my hand?   Ease of use is everything.

3. Do not buy the kit lens.  Get the body and the best lens possible for your application.  That's usually short or medium zoom for amateurs.  If you're shooting professionally you know what you need.  If you are looking to shoot professionally expect to spend $1K to $3K for 2-3 lenses to meet your needs.  16-50/2.8,  35/2 or 35/1.4, 300/2.8, and perhaps others as required.

3.1 There are many equivalent lenses from various manufacturers -- Zeiss, Tokina, Sigma, and of course each mfr.  Take a memory card with you and shoot a pic with each, outside.  Then take your memory card home and look at the images on your computer.  Pick the best or best value to suit your needs.  You'll never be disappointed in the pics from a good lens.  (From your own skills, perhaps, but don't let oor tools ruin the project -- just like woodworking.)

3.1.1 It's the lens that makes the picture.  Not the camera.  It's always been that way. 

Bill Gekas has done some outstanding work.  Most of it "crop" sensor.  http://www.billgekas.com/p1014938437

Look at these two pics:

http://www.billgekas.com/p1014938437/h4d8e6c4d#h4d8e6c4d

vs

http://www.billgekas.com/p1014938437/h4d8e6c4d#h51c557cc

The difference?  The lens design (and with it the sensor format).  A quality lens improves the "rendering" of the image.  The second is far superior, being shot with a Tessar-type lens on a larger sensor (Pentax 645D).  While this level may not be in your offing it serves merely as an example of the improvement to an image based on *lens design*.

4. Full frame vs "crop" APS-C is NOT critical for amateur and most professional shooting.  For some pros it is.  Judge accordingly.

Edited September 11, 2015 by collinb

[Tom Cancelleri]

Very informative, thanks Colin that's a great way to look at it and go about my purchase Sent from my 831C using Tapatalk