This photography lark - where to begin?!

[egomeister]

Hi all,

I'd like to have a dabble with photography. My experience so far has been limited to some digital point and shoot stuff, so nothing major. I'm looking at getting hold of a 35mm SLR to get me used to all the settings but don't know where to begin.

What kit do I need to start out? I've had a quick look on ebay, and its flooded with stuff but I don't know what I'm looking for and how much I should be paying. What am I looking at for the most basic setup that'll allow me to get out there taking a few shots (both cost and kit-wise)?



(PS. I know this have probably been covered before but the search function is disabled at the moment!)

[poah]

I bought a digital SLR because I could practice a shit load without it costing me mroe than the out lay of the camera.

[egomeister]

I forgot to mention I am on the smallest of budgets (at least until I get some more work sorted!!) A digi SLR is definitely out of the queston...

LA - I was thinking of a 35mm film SLR for pretty much the reasons you outline, ie. they are seen as old technology and hence people are getting rid of them and also I think learning on something like this would help me develop a better understanding of the processes involved which I'm sure would help no end in the future. Hadn't thought about b&w though... is there any technical reason you chose this over colour (ease of learning?) of is it just an aesthetic preference?

[simpo two]

Interesting question. If you want all the functionality and control of an SLR but don't want to splash out £500 (or be reliant on a computer) then a film SLR is no bad thing. People tend to poo-poo them but we managed perfectly well with them for decades!

The good news is that there'll be loads to choose from at <£100 prices. However, you don't want a model that's too old - if I was in your position I'd head for a Nikon F60 (c1999-2000) as a smart camera that does all you'll need, is modern enough to use the same language, but isn't too complicated. My ex had one and I was very impressed. Any lenses you get for it will also work on a Nikon DSLR if you later decide to go digital.

More here:
www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/htmls/models/specroom98/f60/f60spec.htm

[egomeister]

simpo two said:

Interesting question. If you want all the functionality and control of an SLR but don't want to splash out £500 (or be reliant on a computer) then a film SLR is no bad thing. People tend to poo-poo them but we managed perfectly well with them for decades! The good news is that there'll be loads to choose from at <£100 prices. However, you don't want a model that's too old - if I was in your position I'd head for a Nikon F60 (c1999-2000) as a smart camera that does all you'll need, is modern enough to use the same language, but isn't too complicated. My ex had one and I was very impressed. Any lenses you get for it will also work on a Nikon DSLR if you later decide to go digital. More here: www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/htmls/models/specroom98/f60/f60spec.htm

Cheers simpo, that sounds good. My digital camera is a Nikon and i'm quite impressed with the quality of it. It also sounds good from an upgrade point of view if the lenses are interchangable with their digital SLRs. Would this be the same with other manufacturers?

[simpo two]

egomeister said:

It also sounds good from an upgrade point of view if the lenses are interchangable with their digital SLRs. Would this be the same with other manufacturers?

I can't be specific. Physically the mounts tend not to change, but with the rise of electronic trickery - autofocus and metering are obvious examples - they've tended to sprout many electrical contacts. For example, many older lenses will fit a D70 physically but the more advanced functions won't work. That's why it's good to keep your choice fairly recent, to maximise compatibility. When you get very specific, eg 'can I use lens X on body Y' then you can get a definite answer, if not here then from a more specialist forum. In the case of Nikon, the 'D' lenses seem to enjoy best compatibility: they will work equally well on the F60 and D70.

A quick search on eBay reveals this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30035&item=7516642334&rd=1

[egomeister]

I'll watch ebay for a few days and see what the F60's go for but it definitely seems like the right kind of camera and the right kind of price, with the added bonus of the potential interchangability of the lenses with a digital.

Is it also worth getting hold of a book for some guidance during the learning process? If so, what would people recommend?

[simpo two]

egomeister said:

Is it also worth getting hold of a book for some guidance during the learning process? If so, what would people recommend?

If you're starting from scratch, The Simpo Book of Basic Stuff, a home-made freebie available by e-mail

[tinman0]

I wouldn't go 35mm SLR. They maybe cheaper to buy but they are more expensive to run.

Canon D30s can be found on Ebay for about £300. Once you have the camera there are no more costs. The cost of a 35mm SLR is going to be present everytime you hit the fire button.