Good beginner camera for under $300

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Jrco226

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Hey everyone, I was looking into getting a camera for taking shots of my tank but also of daily life. Any recommendations? Additionally, if you have one that you think is really worth an extra $100 or so let me know. Thanks!
 
www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com
Bought my wife a Cannon EOS M3 mirrorless last Christmas. She's been very happy with it. Body runs about $400. I'm no photographer, but I can say that she takes a good photo with it. Mostly of this guy...

15285087_10202755187276893_3685277615282255607_n.jpg
 
Top Shelf Aquatics
As I said, I'm not a photographer... but I am a tech junkie :)

Worth it? Sure... low end DSLR's can take great photos, but can also be slow to focus, lack some more advanced options, and the lens they come with is often not top shelf.

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canon-eos-rebel-t6-1300d-review

The Rebel T6 was built to be a low price competitor in the DSLR world. It's not a bad camera, but it's price is really it's main selling point.
 
Jrco226 said:
Hey everyone, I was looking into getting a camera for taking shots of my tank but also of daily life. Any recommendations? Additionally, if you have one that you think is really worth an extra $100 or so let me know. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Do you want to buy lenses as well? I'm assuming you want a DSLR, therefore I recommend a good used Nikon D5200 or maybe Canon T3i. They have the nice swivel out rear screen. I have the D5200 and used it for about 4 years until I recently upgraded to the Nikon D7100. I am keeping the D5200 because it is a good camera, even better when I paid only $250 for it used. But the camera body is the cheap part. If you want to take good pics, it takes good lenses. Don't bother with the kit lenses. If you go with a Nikon entry level DSLR, leave the kit 18-105 behind. Junk lens. The 18-55mm is nice, but super slow. The best lens for the entry level Nikon cameras is the Nikon 35mm f1.8 DX lens. Fairly quick AF, fast aperture, and smooth bokeh. The 35mm is great for portrait/day shooting and nice wide shots of the tank. If you want macro, the Tamron 90mm Macro is good and the plus is it is affordable. If you can deal with manual focusing, then look for older lenses, they are much cheaper. You can also purchase adapters for other lenses. Adapters without diopters are fine with macro since you only focus close. Without diopters, the lens won't focus to infinity. There are also the nice mirrorless cameras coming out. Sony has some really nice stuff, but the battery life isn't great. That is the only reason I haven't switched to Sony and left Nikon behind. Fujifilm, Olympus, and Panasonic have great mirrorless options and you can use Nikon/Canon lenses with adapters on these cameras. Even better, they focus to infinity without diopters.
 
Top Shelf Aquatics
I'l had several DSLR cameras. My next camera will be mirrorless. Same quality, smaller form factor. Lots of good options out there from Fuji, Sony, Olympus, and now Canon.
 
gcarroll said:
I'l had several DSLR cameras. My next camera will be mirrorless. Same quality, smaller form factor. Lots of good options out there from Fuji, Sony, Olympus, and now Canon.
Click to expand...

That Fuji X-Pro2 is looking really nice. Love the look of the retro styled Fuji mirrorless cameras.
 
Use your IPhone and use the $ you save and buy some livestock. I will be candid (no pun intended) and say that I do not photograph my tanks. However their are many on this forum who have had great success with their smart phone.
 
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So basically the moral of the story is that its not necessarily about the camera body but much more about the lense..?
 
Jrco226 said:
So basically the moral of the story is that its not necessarily about the camera body but much more about the lense..?
Click to expand...

This video explains it very well. Lenses have a greater impact on image quality than the camera body itself. If you are just looking to take jpeg images of family and such, I don't recommend getting a DSLR. If you are looking at photography as a hobby by itself, then go DSLR or mirrorless. Also, if you are considering photography as a hobby, go cheap on the initial camera and lenses. You'll learn a lot on how to achieve good photos with less. Then make the upgrade once you feel you need to or are ready. Buying a pro/enthusiast level DSLR can be pretty overwhelming for someone that has never used a DSLR.

 
Top Shelf Aquatics
erk said:
This video explains it very well. Lenses have a greater impact on image quality than the camera body itself. If you are just looking to take jpeg images of family and such, I don't recommend getting a DSLR. If you are looking at photography as a hobby by itself, then go DSLR or mirrorless. Also, if you are considering photography as a hobby, go cheap on the initial camera and lenses. You'll learn a lot on how to achieve good photos with less. Then make the upgrade once you feel you need to or are ready. Buying a pro/enthusiast level DSLR can be pretty overwhelming for someone that has never used a DSLR.

Click to expand...

Looks like I need to spend a lot more time researching. I've always wanted to get into photography as a hobby. From what I saw last night the Nikon D3400 is a good starter but I'll take some time and see if I can't find a good deal out there. Thanks for all the help.
 
Something to consider...

You can buy used previous models at a very attractive price. Buy quality glass as suggested, in most cases you will be able to use the lenses with your next camera body purchase. Once you master the old model, upgrade to the next model. If you are willing to follow technology rather than have the latest you can save a lot of cash. In reality there is no reason to go out and buy a brand new camera if you are just getting into the hobby. Photography just as the reef hobby can be very expensive. You can learn everything you need on a slightly older model that allows you to work in manual mode. (If you really want to learn about photography.)

If you want to take good aquarium photos you will need to adjust settings manually.


Oh... and if you decide photography is not for you, good glass has a good resale value unlike the camera bodies.
 
Deltec
Jrco226 said:
So basically the moral of the story is that its not necessarily about the camera body but much more about the lense..?
Click to expand...
no. the photographer..
A macro mode is something to look for, and a wide color gamut. Many cameras like the ones above have those attributes but arent always mentioned. Some are actually better and easier to use than a dslr of the same or higher price.
 
While I will want to take pictures of the reef this is really an urge to get into the hobby of photography. I live in a beautiful city with all sorts of imagery to explore. I went ahead a got a Nikon D3400 (body only) and got the Nikon 35mm f1.8 DX lens to start. I can't wait to get my hands on this and dive head first into photography. Hopefully, I get good enough that I'll share some shots one here. Thanks for all the replies. I'm sure I'll ask more questions once it arrives!
 
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IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%

  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%

  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%

  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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