Good value, usability, quality? Such a thing?

[MATTP77]

Hi guys,

I hope you don't think I am infecting what seems to be a very knowledgeable area of PH with some nonsense, but I'm after a bit of advice and hoping you guys can get me started!

I have always been interested in photography, and at Le Mans last year one of the guys who we went with took his camera, and I was instantly jealous. For years I've had crappy ones come and go, but I am keen to spend a few hundred pounds and get myself a respectable one.

Now do not get me wrong, I am a flat out amateur, but seeing as a trip to NYC is soon approaching, and so too is LM 2011, I would be missing out on some awesome opportunities!

So yeah-

any recommendations you may have if you could slap a link down that i could check out or maybe something you guys have had a go with and dont think too badly of it, that would be great.

TIA,
Matt

[XG332]

First question.
Slr, csc, or compact?

[GetCarter]

THIS is a bargain:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nikon-D50-6-24-Megapixel-Dig...

THIS is good for motorsport

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nikon-AF-70-300mm-f-4-5-6-G-...

THIS is a good walk around lens

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nikon-AF-S-DX-Zoom-NIKKOR-18...

HTH

ETA... the three together (as I type) under £130!

Edited by GetCarter on Saturday 30th October 11:52

[MATTP77]

XG332 said:

First question.
Slr, csc, or compact?

Sorry!

I think I will be wanting an SLR.

GC: That looks like a fair old bundle if someone was to manage to get all three!

[GetCarter]

MATTP77 said:

XG332 said:

First question.
Slr, csc, or compact?

Sorry!

I think I will be wanting an SLR.

GC: That looks like a fair old bundle if someone was to manage to get all three!

D50 is a good camera. It's a few years old but will take good photos that will blow up to A4 without any problems at all. The 2 lenses are an idea combination and will do holidays to motorsport. If you managed to get this lot for under £225, it would IMO be a real bargain.

If you want to go new - then up you budget a tad and go Nikon or Canon and you'll be fine.

(There are other makes that make good cameras, but Nikon & Canon have the best selection of lenses and second hand kit).

[MATTP77]

GC, do these lenses you shared fit any slr cameras? Are the connections & diameters all the same?

What i am angling towards, is would those lenses be worth while buying if you bought a new camera.

for example, this camera comes with one:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-D3000-Digital-Camera...

[XG332]

The lenses are brand specific unless they are 3rd party manufactures who produce the lens with different mounts.
Then theres generally 2 mounts per manufactures. Full frame and cropped sensor. FX and DX being Nikon and EF and EF-S canon

[GetCarter]

MATTP77 said:

GC, do these lenses you shared fit any slr cameras? Are the connections & diameters all the same?

What i am angling towards, is would those lenses be worth while buying if you bought a new camera.

for example, this camera comes with one:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-D3000-Digital-Camera...

That's a good starter DSLR camera and the lens will be fine for general photography. You can fit a 'longer' Nikon (or compatible...Sigma for example) lens for your trip to Le Mans. Think : long = telescope (obvious but some don't get it)! Higher the number - closer the subject. 18-55 = kit lens for general photography - 70-300 = telephoto

Edited by GetCarter on Saturday 30th October 13:38

[MATTP77]

That's brilliant guys, thanks for your help here.

I am currently in day one of two days overtime....... i wonder how i am spending my £400!??!

Thanks again! eyes out for my NYC/LM photos

[RobDickinson]

XG332 said:

The lenses are brand specific unless they are 3rd party manufactures who produce the lens with different mounts.
Then theres generally 2 mounts per manufactures. Full frame and cropped sensor. FX and DX being Nikon and EF and EF-S canon

To explain further...

All nikon mount (f mount) lenses will fit all Nikon SLR's.
Some wont auto focus with some bodies (older lenses with newer bodies) some old lenses wont meeter etc with certain bodies, newish lenses will be fine with everything.

All canon SLR's will mount EF lenses.
The non crop ones (semipro/pro) wont mount EF-S lenses ( nor will the 10D)
If you buy an xxxD or xxD or 7D every canon EF or EF-S mount lens will work, meeter, autofocus etc.

Sony uses Minoltas old mount renamed alpha.

Then theres the 43rds/micro 43rds stuff which is used by panasonic and olympus etc.

Theres several 3rd party lens makes, Sigma, tamron, tokina etc. They tend to make most of their lenses available in anh mount but you have to buy the right one for your body.

A budget would help us narrow stuff down but a used (1-4 yera old) entry/mid level body with a general lens (18-55 stabalised) and a longer lens 50-300 range ish) will be plenty to get going with.

[XG332]

RobDickinson said:

XG332 said:

The lenses are brand specific unless they are 3rd party manufactures who produce the lens with different mounts.
Then theres generally 2 mounts per manufactures. Full frame and cropped sensor. FX and DX being Nikon and EF and EF-S canon

All canon SLR's will mount EF lenses.

All DSLRs

[RobDickinson]

Anything 'EOS' but I suspect the OP isnt intrested in FD mount film bodies...

[XG332]

RobDickinson said:

Anything 'EOS' but I suspect the OP isnt intrested in FD mount film bodies...

Im after a 50mm f1.2 for my F1 if your selling?

[Simpo Two]

XG332 said:

RobDickinson said:

XG332 said:

The lenses are brand specific unless they are 3rd party manufactures who produce the lens with different mounts.
Then theres generally 2 mounts per manufactures. Full frame and cropped sensor. FX and DX being Nikon and EF and EF-S canon

All canon SLR's will mount EF lenses.

All DSLRs

You're getting in a bit of a pickle XG332. Nikon camera bodies have FX (full frame) or DX (crop) sensors but the lens mount is the same physically - Nikon F. However if you put a DX lens on an FX body it will vignette or auto-crop.

You cannot put a Canon EF lens on a Nikon. Well not without a hammer.


ETA: And you work for Jessops?

Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 31st October 10:33

[Dogsey]

Simpo Two said:

XG332 said:

RobDickinson said:

XG332 said:

The lenses are brand specific unless they are 3rd party manufactures who produce the lens with different mounts.
Then theres generally 2 mounts per manufactures. Full frame and cropped sensor. FX and DX being Nikon and EF and EF-S canon

All canon SLR's will mount EF lenses.

All DSLRs

You're getting in a bit of a pickle XG332. Nikon camera bodies have FX (full frame) or DX (crop) sensors but the lens mount is the same physically - Nikon F. However if you put a DX lens on an FX body it will vignette or auto-crop.

You cannot put a Canon EF lens on a Nikon. Well not without a hammer.


ETA: And you work for Jessops?

Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 31st October 10:33

I think he meant that all Canon DSLR's (rather than all Canon SLR's) will mount EF lenses.

[XG332]

Dogsey said:

Simpo Two said:

XG332 said:

RobDickinson said:

XG332 said:

The lenses are brand specific unless they are 3rd party manufactures who produce the lens with different mounts.
Then theres generally 2 mounts per manufactures. Full frame and cropped sensor. FX and DX being Nikon and EF and EF-S canon

All canon SLR's will mount EF lenses.

All DSLRs

You're getting in a bit of a pickle XG332. Nikon camera bodies have FX (full frame) or DX (crop) sensors but the lens mount is the same physically - Nikon F. However if you put a DX lens on an FX body it will vignette or auto-crop.

You cannot put a Canon EF lens on a Nikon. Well not without a hammer.


ETA: And you work for Jessops?

Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 31st October 10:33

I think he meant that all Canon DSLR's (rather than all Canon SLR's) will mount EF lenses.

I was trying to keep it breif, i didnt want to go into details about sensor sizes and the effects of the lens ect.
I think we have a misunderstanding, when did i say a nikon mount will fit a canon?