Could I do a photography course with this camera?

top_drawer_2

hi,

I would really like to do a photography course but the course specs state that I would need a SLR camera - I have a Canon PowerShot A2000IS and the lady in the camera shop seemed to believe that this was suitable for doing a course.

Would it be suitable? Maybe some improvisation required ...

Thanks

Jen

cleopatra4485

Did the course spec suggest you had an SLR or a Digital SLR? I ask this because when I did A-Level photography a huge amount of the course was darkroom based and learning how to develop photographs. So a digital point and shoot may not be suitable.

You probabaly do not have to have an SLR camera, but it will effect your learning and final photographs.

What you have is a shoot and point camera, so basically you can zoom and thats it, maybe have a few special effect features. The final photograph is what the naked eye can see.

With an SLR you are controlling the camera and the final result, so you can manipulate the picture - shutter speeds, focus etc etc

I would recommend you get an SLR, look on ebay for some second hand ones. Enjoy it is so much fun

Marty_J

A camera with a manual mode would be best, but you should be able to do a photography course with any camera. Some things may be lost on you, but the fundamentals of light and composition stay the same whether you're using a £100 or £1,000 camera.

CLAPTON

you firstly need to check with the course provider to see exactly what they require... no point in relying on a sale person however knowledgeable.

if it's a 'old fashion' SLR camera that's required, it should be possible to pick one up cheaply as there must be loads of abandoned SLR cameras sitting un-used as they have been replaced by digital versions.

kwikbreaks

If it is a course that is based heavily on film as some seem to think then imo you need to seek out a different course as well as a different camera because there is little point learning how to use an obsolete medium. I doubt that it will be though.

The advice to seek clarification with the course provider on exactly what camera type is required is the best provided in this thread so far.

Money_Grabber13579

Would many courses be based on film anymore though? I know my sister did one that was 3 or 4 years ago, but what would be the point, considering even the professionals are moving to digital now? I don't know of anyone that still uses a film camera. (Besides my Grandfather who's 90!)

Sput2001

Agree with the advice given above - check with the people providing the course. If they're specifying an SLR camera then there's a good chance they mean one with manual exposure, shutter and focus adjustment.

kmmr

Does your camera have a Manual mode? My Olympus point and shoot does, it is trying to be a poor mans DSLR, which actually works quite well. If it does, then it is probably fine for the course.

C_Mababejive

top_drawer wrote: »

hi,

I would really like to do a photography course but the course specs state that I would need a SLR camera - I have a Canon PowerShot A2000IS and the lady in the camera shop seemed to believe that this was suitable for doing a course.

Would it be suitable? Maybe some improvisation required ...

Thanks

Jen

Well it doesnt appear to be a (D)SLR camera and it doesnt even have a viewfinder so i doubt its suitable. A new DSLR would be at least £350 whereas film SLR cameras can be had on ebay for very little money now. In fact a few months ago i would have sent you a nikon film SLR free of charge but its gone now. so you need to find out if its film SLR or digital SLR. If its film,,you have no problems as far as money goes...

Zazen999

Money_Grabber13579 wrote: »

Would many courses be based on film anymore though? I know my sister did one that was 3 or 4 years ago, but what would be the point, considering even the professionals are moving to digital now? I don't know of anyone that still uses a film camera. (Besides my Grandfather who's 90!)

There's lots of us about! There has been a huge resurgence in using film cameras [particularly medium format] as photographers realise that anyone can buy a digital camera but it takes much more than possession of one to be a 'photographer'.

OP - ask your tutor. Most good tutors will be happy to teach you how to use whatever camera you have - and they will [hopefully] have film cameras at college that will be used to teach processing and darkroom work. Creativity is not about your camera, it is about you!

Marty_J

C_Mababejive wrote: »

Well it doesnt appear to be a (D)SLR camera and it doesnt even have a viewfinder so i doubt its suitable.

You need neither of those things to learn about photography.