Starting out...........

Author
Discussion

Farky

Original Poster:

875 posts

206 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
I've always been really interested photography but never done anything about it!!
Basically i need to know everything i need to start taking pics.
I know of a Canon 40D with accessories available and have been told its a good starter kit?? Is this correct?
Do i need a powerful PC/Laptop for putting the pics on and where do you get the pics 'processed' if i want prints?

Basically, i need any information that will be of help to me.

Thanks in advance, Ian

andy-xr

13,204 posts

206 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
Erm...quite a bit to go at there. Do you maybe want to start off with one area and we can go from there?

Gemm

1,833 posts

217 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
40D should be more than a great starter.

You shouldn't need a powerful PC just for 'putting' the pics on, but you would need a reasonably fast PC if you are editing images on Photoshop, for example. Specs don't need to be that high but you could be waiting a bit if you are processing a large file on a slow PC.

Have fun!

Farky

Original Poster:

875 posts

206 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
Gemm said:
40D should be more than a great starter.

You shouldn't need a powerful PC just for 'putting' the pics on, but you would need a reasonably fast PC if you are editing images on Photoshop, for example. Specs don't need to be that high but you could be waiting a bit if you are processing a large file on a slow PC.

Have fun!
Thanks for that Gemm, very much appreciated.

CivicMan

2,211 posts

203 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
Is not a 40D slightly ott as a "starter" camera for a poster who obviously has not an iota of knowledge about what is involved? There are cheaper options.... just my opinion!

GetCarter

29,443 posts

281 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
Farky said:
where do you get the pics 'processed' if i want prints?
Most of us use www.photobox.co.uk excellent quality and service.

Jag-D

19,633 posts

221 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
CivicMan said:
Is not a 40D slightly ott as a "starter" camera for a poster who obviously has not an iota of knowledge about what is involved? There are cheaper options.... just my opinion!
Get orff

That's the beauty with the Canon SLRS, if you have an ounce of knowledge on technical things (not just photography) you can usually work them!

I would say if you've got the chance to get a 40D at a good price, then bloody well go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gemm

1,833 posts

217 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
Jag-D said:
CivicMan said:
Is not a 40D slightly ott as a "starter" camera for a poster who obviously has not an iota of knowledge about what is involved? There are cheaper options.... just my opinion!
Get orff

That's the beauty with the Canon SLRS, if you have an ounce of knowledge on technical things (not just photography) you can usually work them!

I would say if you've got the chance to get a 40D at a good price, then bloody well go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+1.

agent006

12,057 posts

266 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
CivicMan said:
Is not a 40D slightly ott as a "starter" camera for a poster who obviously has not an iota of knowledge about what is involved? There are cheaper options.... just my opinion!
I started with a 1d. Reasoning being that it gave me absolutely no opportunity to blame the camera for a bad shot. No "oh that would've been better metered with a 20d rather than this 1000" and the like. Plus there's no magic green box mode so thinking is always required.

Farky

Original Poster:

875 posts

206 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
Jag-D said:
CivicMan said:
Is not a 40D slightly ott as a "starter" camera for a poster who obviously has not an iota of knowledge about what is involved? There are cheaper options.... just my opinion!
Get orff

That's the beauty with the Canon SLRS, if you have an ounce of knowledge on technical things (not just photography) you can usually work them!

I would say if you've got the chance to get a 40D at a good price, then bloody well go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks mate!!
When i start off in something, i always put my mind to it to achieve the best!!! This is the approach i will take regarding starting of in photography, plus, where better to ask about something i have no knowledge of whatsoever than a Photography Forum where there are very experienced people??

Civicman= If there are cheaper options, i would be more than happy to have a look at your opinons. Like i said (well, as said by you) i have no iota of whats involved, hence my first post saying ANY help on getting started would be most appreciated.

Edited to say= there is some mind blowing photograpghy on here!!!

Edited by Farky on Sunday 15th November 12:08

CivicMan

2,211 posts

203 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
Farky said:
Civicman= If there are cheaper options, i would be more than happy to have a look at your opinons. Like i said (well, as said by you) i have no iota of whats involved, hence my first post saying ANY help on getting started would be most appreciated.
No doubt my advice will be scoffed at by the seemingly cognoscenti, but in my opinion, if you know NOTHING about photography, have a look at something like the Nikon D3000 (about £400 with kit lens) which has got built in tutorials as a feature - saves having to clutch the instruction manual in one hand! It'll give you a good idea of the hows and whys when you're trying to create an image.

Read about it here : http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/nikon_d3000...

It's just a thought. At the end of the day it's your decision, but it's always good to have differing advice to weigh up.

Farky

Original Poster:

875 posts

206 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
CivicMan said:
Farky said:
Civicman= If there are cheaper options, i would be more than happy to have a look at your opinons. Like i said (well, as said by you) i have no iota of whats involved, hence my first post saying ANY help on getting started would be most appreciated.
No doubt my advice will be scoffed at by the seemingly cognoscenti, but in my opinion, if you know NOTHING about photography, have a look at something like the Nikon D3000 (about £400 with kit lens) which has got built in tutorials as a feature - saves having to clutch the instruction manual in one hand! It'll give you a good idea of the hows and whys when you're trying to create an image.

Read about it here : http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/nikon_d3000...

It's just a thought. At the end of the day it's your decision, but it's always good to have differing advice to weigh up.
Cheers mate, i'll do some reading on the link you posted.
Much appreciated.

Farky

Original Poster:

875 posts

206 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
WOW!!! Cheers Civicman, very interesting read regarding the link you posted.
Certainly seems a 'easier' camera to operate for me than maybe the 40D.

Looks like i have a LOAD of reading to do!!

Edited by Farky on Sunday 15th November 13:49

Simpo Two

85,883 posts

267 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
I'm going to be boring:

Aperture
Shutter speed
Focal length
Composition

nerd

Whatever particular box you buy to use those with is very often immaterial smile

oobster

7,129 posts

213 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
Hi Ian - you must be fairly local to me (Blackburn).

I bought a 400D about two and a half years ago and for the first 2 years I just left it on auto mode. It's only been in the last 6 months that I have started to learn how to use the camera properly. It gets expensive!

I bought the book in the link below and I found it very good for understanding the settings on the camera. I also went on a one-day Canon beginners workshop in Edinburgh which was very good too, and it cost under £60.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-Exposure-Pho...

It's only (in my opinion) once you master the basics that you then want (and need in some circumstances) to start looking at expensive bodies, lenses and accessories.

Farky

Original Poster:

875 posts

206 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
oobster said:
Hi Ian - you must be fairly local to me (Blackburn).

I bought a 400D about two and a half years ago and for the first 2 years I just left it on auto mode. It's only been in the last 6 months that I have started to learn how to use the camera properly. It gets expensive!

I bought the book in the link below and I found it very good for understanding the settings on the camera. I also went on a one-day Canon beginners workshop in Edinburgh which was very good too, and it cost under £60.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-Exposure-Pho...

It's only (in my opinion) once you master the basics that you then want (and need in some circumstances) to start looking at expensive bodies, lenses and accessories.
Hi mate, cheers for that!!

Yeah, i'm just over the hill from you in Armadale.
Its just something i've always wanted to get into but never really had the time lately. A course like the one you did was something i was thinking about so may look into it.
Pictures are a great way to keep memories obviously so clicking away with the camera wherever i go would be brilliant!!!

Jag-D

19,633 posts

221 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
Farky said:
Jag-D said:
CivicMan said:
Is not a 40D slightly ott as a "starter" camera for a poster who obviously has not an iota of knowledge about what is involved? There are cheaper options.... just my opinion!
Get orff

That's the beauty with the Canon SLRS, if you have an ounce of knowledge on technical things (not just photography) you can usually work them!

I would say if you've got the chance to get a 40D at a good price, then bloody well go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks mate!!
When i start off in something, i always put my mind to it to achieve the best!!! This is the approach i will take regarding starting of in photography, plus, where better to ask about something i have no knowledge of whatsoever than a Photography Forum where there are very experienced people??
I started off with no photographic intentions or inclinations at all and I bought a little point and click thing...3.2mgp hehe

Then I moved onto a bridge camera Fuji Finepix S5600 IIRC which was ok, but I found myself frustrated with motorsport shots so a friend recommended that I try a DSLR and I did.....in hindsight, I wouldn't have bothered with the other two cameras and gone for the best I could afford in the same situation!

LukeBird

17,170 posts

211 months

Sunday 15th November 2009
quotequote all
I started out with a 40D.
Well worth it IMO. thumbup

Can't see me replacing it in a long time!