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sparkleythings_4you6582
Joined: 25 Nov 2007
Posts: 18
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 Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 9:23 am Post subject: For a beginning photographer, would an ultra zoom camera be |
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| I'm just starting to get into photography as a hobby. Right now I just have a basic point and shoot digital with a 3x zoom lens. I've been playing around with the ISO and white balance settings and found the actually do make a difference.I've been looking at a Nikon D40, but I don't feel ready to make the purchase yet. I was just doing some research and came across an ultra zoom camera (see link below). I'm wondering if this might be a better step up than actually going to a DSLR. At this point I'm not really concerned about the difference in price, but I want to make sure I get the best tool for learning.http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/olympus/sp550uz-review/I already have Digital SLR Cameras & Photography for Dummies.Thanks everyone for the input so far. I just want to add that I haven't given any real thought to the ultra zoom camera - or any particular model. I posted the link to that Olympus just because it was the first in the class I came across and I was reading up trying to see how it compares to a DSLR.Based on the comments so far, I'm probably going to wait until I'm ready to go for th Nikon D40. |
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Taiggifemefut
Joined: 31 Mar 2008
Posts: 4
Location: World
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 11:31 am Post subject: For a beginning photographer, would an ultra zoom camera be |
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| The best tool for learning is a book that gives you an understanding of what you're doing.Here are a few to get you going:http://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=photography+dummiesHope this helps.V |
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SirenSong
Joined: 21 Jan 2008
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 1:39 pm Post subject: For a beginning photographer, would an ultra zoom camera be |
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| I personally don't think that an ultra zoom camera would be a better choice than a DSLR. If you are truly interested in learning photography, and it looks like you do, then you'll end up handicapping yourself this way. Without being able to switch lenses I think you'll get frustrated further down the road. If you aren't ready to purchase your first DSLR then you should wait. Most of the readers of my website that don't have DSLR's yet are itching to get one. Once you get to a point where you're really starting to hone your craft you'll be wishing you had waited too. But this really refers to how much time and money you're willing to invest in your hobby. By the way, the RAW feature for that particular camera didn't look so hot. I would shy away from it for that reason alone. If you want to save some money, look into a used DSLR. |
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smifatv
Joined: 28 Feb 2008
Posts: 2
Location: Russia
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 3:47 pm Post subject: For a beginning photographer, would an ultra zoom camera be |
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| Although the Olympus seems to be popular, I've never been a fan of these superzoom cameras. They always have the smaller size sensor and this just introduces too many compromises for me.If you can accept the idea that you will probably outgrow the SP550 in a couple of years, go ahead and buy it and have fun. After a while, if your interest continues to grow, you will see the shortcomings and buy whatever Nikon or Canon is offering at the entry level by that time.See: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympussp550uz/If you don't want to read all 18 pages, see the conclusion where the pros and cons are listed. The camera was rated merely "above average" from a site that also has "recommended" and "highly recommended" ratings. |
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Starter
Joined: 24 Jan 2008
Posts: 4
Location: Russia
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 5:55 pm Post subject: For a beginning photographer, would an ultra zoom camera be |
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| I have one question for you:Are you reach enough to buy a cheap camera?Are you serious about photography? Then get a dSLR. Are you not sure if you want to learn all the perks or just keep pointing and shooting? Then stick to your current camera and wait until you decide. Just buying it as an intermediate step, knowing you will then graduate to a dSLR seems like a completely wasted money to me. Once you get your D40 kit, you don't have to set it to manual mode and plunge head down into all of the things associated with professional photography. It too has the "auto" mode, as well as "portrait", "sports", "outdoor", etc., that take the thinking out of the equation and allows to use it as point and shoot. But then to graduate from there to more advanced photography all you need to do is turn a dial to "A" or "S", or "M", and start playing with other advanced settings.This is why this camera is known to be a "prosumer" or a blend of pro and regular consumer cameras. But of course you have to be the one who makes a final call...Have you read the detailed reviews of both cameras you're choosing between on http://www.dpreview.com/reviews ?Good luck with your journey into the world of photography!LEM.---EDIT: re additional info ---Just something for you to think about regarding ultra zoom, if the camera you listed was not specific choice you were debating about.Why ultra zoom? Do you really need that big-big zoom that is usually known to have large distortions and low f-stop? You really don't need that to learn the photography. I learned my basic photography skills with a fixed lens 36mm focal length all manual film camera back then (when the only digital thing on my desk was a calculator). Maybe if you are not ready to go for dSLR, consider other "advanced" point and shoot, that are not ultra zooms, but have a good set of manual controls, etc? Look at Canon G9, for example. Again, like in your case it's just a sample of what you can get, look around for other advanced point and shoots too! Ultra zoom after all is not a panacea for anything one way or another!Oh, and if you do like big zooms - if you save money on "intermediate" step, you may as well one day save enough for 18-200 VR lens for your D40. A great ultra zoom solution for dSLR world! Or maybe there will be another ultra zoom lens available a few years from now.... That's the beauty of dSLR, you can always change the lens!LEM. |
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sandrybalsc
Joined: 19 Feb 2008
Posts: 3
Location: Porno
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:03 pm Post subject: For a beginning photographer, would an ultra zoom camera be |
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| zoom seems like the answer to all budding photographers and it does in fact have its uses but most landscapes are better taken with wide angle and cropped, and personally I like to use 50mm for landscape and 135 for portrait, the thing most needed is to learn composition |
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T
Joined: 02 Dec 2007
Posts: 27
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 10:11 pm Post subject: For a beginning photographer, would an ultra zoom camera be |
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| Okay. Let's look at where you're at and what you want to do.You're just getting into photography and, at this point, haven't got a real idea of where you'll go with it. You do want to learn and be able to experiment with your camera and that means versatility. You aren't going to be exhibiting, selling prints or trying to earn a living off the camera. At this point, probably a good Super Zoom would be the best choice. They have the controls that you will need to learn to use for creative control, the image quality can be pretty good and they have an effective lens range with their zooms that would take you at least two lenses with a DSLR. Yes, they have limitations, but for learning and every day shooting they are practical, less expensive and designed to be easier to use. They are also more practical for casual and informal shooting than a DSLR because they have more of the P&S capabilities than a DSLR does. DSLRs are terrible with their presets, which are more of a marketing add on than really useful. That means you will have more bad to really bad pictures with one than with a Super Zoom until you learn to use the Program through Manual settings. Everything you need to learn can be learned with a good SZ and you can produce very good to excellent images if you choose carefully.A DSLR basically assumes that you have grown past the other cameras like the P&S and even SZs and are for the person serious about photography. By that, I mean that photography itself is a major thing for them and is something that they know will extend forward for years as an interest of theirs. You don't seem to be there yet and, without experience, you don't know that it will become something like that for you.If you see yourself taking photography to pesonal heights as a matter of desire, then a DSLR is the way to go even at the beginning. If it is something less, then a SZ would be a more pragmatic choice.Both tools, the SZ and the DSLR are good learning tools. They provide equivalent, though not equal, learning environments technically. However, when it comes to those things that aren't part of the camera, but very much part of photography, like composition, selecting strong subjects and just plain being sensitive to potentially good images, they are about equal. Your sense of design will be as good (or bad) with either camera and for the same reasons. Things like that. My impression is that most people, if they move up to a DSLR, do it after a couple of years experience with something less and because they have reached their limits with what they were using before.Vance |
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SarahM
Joined: 31 Jan 2008
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:19 am Post subject: For a beginning photographer, would an ultra zoom camera be |
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| If you have any interest in final image quality I suggest that you go with the DLSR. |
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Russ Lowe
Joined: 08 May 2007
Posts: 40
Location: USA
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 2:27 am Post subject: For a beginning photographer, would an ultra zoom camera be |
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| You don't have to pay tons for a DSLR. Nikon does have some great ones (and I plan on getting one one day!), but meanwhile, until you build up your skills, try an Olympus E-10 or E -300.You would probably be looking at paying a bit less than $200 for the E-10, and less than $300 for the E-300. The E-300 is definitely worth the extra $100 though. Check ebay! They have some good deals on them!Good luck! |
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thasiahodoogd
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Posts: 3
Location: World
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:35 am Post subject: For a beginning photographer, would an ultra zoom camera be |
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| This is strictly personal opinion: I took a Digital Photography class as part of the coursework for the Graphic Design BFA that I am going for. I found the DSLRs hard for me to work with (awkward to hold and use because I have small hands). Several months before the class I had already purchased an ultra zoom camera, the Canon S3IS. I was able to persuade my instructor to allow me to use that camera because it had all the manual controls of the DSLR, and it was comfortable for me to use. Yes, it has its limitations (and these have been improved in the latest version of that camera, the S5IS [IS stands for Image Stabilized]), it does not have a very large ISO range, or F Stop range, but it was adequate for my purposes and I got some very good photos with it. It's a 12X optical zoom camera.So my own opinion is that if you feel intimidated by the full DSLR, you might want to look into one or another of the Ultra zoom cameras. If you think you want to go further, you may want to go ahead up to a DSLR.Good luck and have fun. Remember that with digital cameras, bits are cheap! You aren't spending money on film; if you go to DSLR you WILL be spending money on glass and if you do that, make sure you go for the best lenses you can afford. |
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sportscollectables
Joined: 27 Dec 2007
Posts: 6
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| Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 6:43 am Post subject: For a beginning photographer, would an ultra zoom camera be |
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| I think you should go for the DSLR. If you think that you'll eventually get a DSLR, then why not just get one now? Plus, they do have automatic features that you can start off with as well, and when you're ready then you can move on to the manual features... and when you have more money to spend, you can buy a nice lens.My first digital camera was a DSLR... the Canon Rebel XTi to be exact. It's a great entry-level DSLR and is very reasonably priced right now. I highly recommend it! |
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