Shallow depth of field on camera

ukcarper

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7t_UrppZx6k have a look at this

harrys_dad

cocopops21 wrote: »

I live in Norwich. Yeah my budget doesn't give me a lot to work with so I was thinking of getting all the equipment second hand on ebay.

A local camera club is here http://www.norwichdigitalphotoclub.co.uk/

If you join and ask around you may find someone looking to offload some equipment.

harrys_dad

WTFH wrote: »

You'll get a canon 1000d for the, not a 100D.

I have now edited my post for the typo, thanks.

patman99

It is horses for courses with DSLRs. I went the Sony route as they take Minolta MA mount lenses and so I have a very wide range of f 2nd-hand kit to choose from.

If I were purchasing from afresh, it would be a Nikon for the same reason (The Nikon 'F' mount has been around since 1959). I ruled-out Canon as they have changed their lens system 3 times in the last 14 years. They originally had the 'EF' mount for their film camera, then introduced the 'EF-S' mount for their digital cameras with APS-C sensors (you can use the older EF lens, but only on manual focus). They now use 'EF-M' mounts for their latest cameras. These need an adapter to work with the older kit.
Also, the 'EF' mount is still used on the full-frame model range, but even though you can use an EF lens on an EF-S camera, you cannot use an EF-S lens on an EF camera. So if you start out with something like a 500D and then later on move to something like a 5D, you will need a whole new set of lenses which can be very costly indeed.

cocopops21

patman99 wrote: »

It is horses for courses with DSLRs. I went the Sony route as they take Minolta MA mount lenses and so I have a very wide range of f 2nd-hand kit to choose from.

If I were purchasing from afresh, it would be a Nikon for the same reason (The Nikon 'F' mount has been around since 1959). I ruled-out Canon as they have changed their lens system 3 times in the last 14 years. They originally had the 'EF' mount for their film camera, then introduced the 'EF-S' mount for their digital cameras with APS-C sensors (you can use the older EF lens, but only on manual focus). They now use 'EF-M' mounts for their latest cameras. These need an adapter to work with the older kit.
Also, the 'EF' mount is still used on the full-frame model range, but even though you can use an EF lens on an EF-S camera, you cannot use an EF-S lens on an EF camera. So if you start out with something like a 500D and then later on move to something like a 5D, you will need a whole new set of lenses which can be very costly indeed.

Thanks for that. I had no idea. I was definitely going to go with Canon but now I'm back to researching as I can't afford all new lenses if my camera ever breaks or I end up switching.

knightstyle

How about a "bridge" camera with manual exposure setting, or a Panasonic DMC-TZ40 which is well thought of, is compact and has manual exposure mode. Then you won't need to buy expensive additional lenses.

ukcarper

cocopops21 wrote: »

Thanks for that. I had no idea. I was definitely going to go with Canon but now I'm back to researching as I can't afford all new lenses if my camera ever breaks or I end up switching.

If go for Nikon the cheaper cameras d3000,3001,3002, d5000,5001,5002 and older d40 and d60 will only auto focus with AF-S lenses.

WTFH

patman99 wrote: »

). I ruled-out Canon as they have changed their lens system 3 times in the last 14 years. They originally had the 'EF' mount for their film camera, then introduced the 'EF-S' mount for their digital cameras with APS-C sensors (you can use the older EF lens, but only on manual focus). They now use 'EF-M' mounts for their latest cameras. These need an adapter to work with the older kit.
Also, the 'EF' mount is still used on the full-frame model range, but even though you can use an EF lens on an EF-S camera, you cannot use an EF-S lens on an EF camera. So if you start out with something like a 500D and then later on move to something like a 5D, you will need a whole new set of lenses which can be very costly indeed.

You've read a lot of sony/Nikon marketing, and ignored that they do the same as Canon.

All Canon bodies will accept the EF lens. The EF range is the high end range - best quality. The EF range has existed for years with no changes to mounts, etc.
The EF-s range was introduced as a lower cost alternative for crop sensor bodies (in the same way that Nikon have the FX and DX range of lenses and Sony have the E mount and A mount).
More recently when Canon introduced their EVIL camera - the EOS-M, they introduced a most compact lens for it - but it will still take the EF-s and EF lenses.

So, if you want the best lenses, or you are fairly certain you will change to a full frame body in the future, then the EF lenses are the ones to go with if you choose Canon, or the FX lenses if you choose Nikon. If you think you will not go full frame for a long time (if ever), then EF-s or Nikon DX will save you money, remembering that you can always put the full frame lenses on the crop bodies.

The advice I would give is to spend the money on lenses. You will get far better results with a good lens on a lower end body than you will get with a cheap lens on a high end body.
The next piece of advice would be to go to a camera shop and buy the body from them. Not online, not imported, but froma camera shop. You need to handle the body to find the one that fits your hand best. If you're not comfortable holding it, you won't use it as much.

ukcarper

WTFH wrote: »

You've read a lot of sony/Nikon marketing, and ignored that they do the same as Canon.

All Canon bodies will accept the EF lens. The EF range is the high end range - best quality. The EF range has existed for years with no changes to mounts, etc.
The EF-s range was introduced as a lower cost alternative for crop sensor bodies (in the same way that Nikon have the FX and DX range of lenses and Sony have the E mount and A mount).
More recently when Canon introduced their EVIL camera - the EOS-M, they introduced a most compact lens for it - but it will still take the EF-s and EF lenses.

So, if you want the best lenses, or you are fairly certain you will change to a full frame body in the future, then the EF lenses are the ones to go with if you choose Canon, or the FX lenses if you choose Nikon. If you think you will not go full frame for a long time (if ever), then EF-s or Nikon DX will save you money, remembering that you can always put the full frame lenses on the crop bodies.

The advice I would give is to spend the money on lenses. You will get far better results with a good lens on a lower end body than you will get with a cheap lens on a high end body.
The next piece of advice would be to go to a camera shop and buy the body from them. Not online, not imported, but froma camera shop. You need to handle the body to find the one that fits your hand best. If you're not comfortable holding it, you won't use it as much.

That is vey good advice I know when I bought my first DSLR I read all the specs and reviews and went out with in intention of buying a Canon but I came home with a Nikon as I found hold Canon very uncomfortable.

patman99

I didn't read any of the manufacturers blurb when looking for my first DSLR. Instead, I looked at real user reviews & those from magazines.

My 35mm SLR was a Canon T70 & I was happy with the built quality.
At the time I purchased my A200, the general consensus was that Sony's sensors produced the better images.
Now, both Nikon & Canon use more advanced sensors than they used to (I believe they are actually made to their designs by Sony Imaging).

The best sensor in use at the moment is that used in the latest Fujifilm cameras which is so advanced in design that it will take Nikon, Canon & Sony 2 years to catch-up. The downside is the lack of lenses for the Fuji mount.
Speaking about sensors, the Canon APS-C sensor is smaller than that used by other APS-C cameras and has a 1.62 crop factor in comparison to the 1.5 crop factor of the others (although you will have to enlarge the image to huge proportions to actually see any difference).

As UKCarper & WTFH state, use a camera shop for your purchase (although if you have a PCWorld/Currys near then you can try out the cameras they have on display (but DO NOT buy from here)).
A lot of camera shops (inc. London Camera Exchange) sell 2nd-user kit & will happily sell you a body only.
The reason behind buying 'body only' is that the glass they normally supply as part of 'body with lens' kits tends to be the bargain basement range (try holding a 'stock' 18-55mm zoom and an aftermarket equivalent and you will feel how much heavier the aftermarket lens is due to the use of better components). You can then buy a good aftermarket lens to go with the body (by aftermarket, I mean what the camera manufacturer makes to sell as 'separates').