I just remembered about this so might as well post here.

My kid sister got an Instax Mini for Christmas.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWKJPMC/ref...UTF8&psc=1

It prints the photograph instantaneously just like a Polaroid, and the only setting is the exposure control on the front of the camera (indoor, sunny, cloudy, night time).

This thing is so much fun I'm considering buying one and leaving it on my living room table. Hipsterish, for sure, but awesome for a souvenir of a bang, portraits.

Economically it's not great because the film is expensive, but girls LOVE IT. Trust me, they'll be dying to get you to photograph them. It's a different look from DSLR and mirrorless pics.

Could be cool to frame the pictures and hang them at home too.

Quote: (02-13-2017 08:56 PM)FretDancer Wrote:  

However the reason I am considering a camera is because I am trying to capture better landscapes and obtain better zooms. Also sometimes it is difficult to to get steady shots with an iPhone since I do not have any accessories like sticks and that kind of stuff. I am kind of old fashioned in that sense.

whenever you take a picture, you have to hold the camera still. The importance of this is amplified when shooting zoom or in low light. Moving from an iPhone to a zoom lens doesn't change the need to hold the camera still, it increases this need.

this is why real photographers use tripods. If you need to be mobile, a monopod can be just as good. a new technique is to use a sling strap and push down on the camera to steady it; they sell special straps that apparrently make this easier. i haven't used one and it won't be as good as a tripod, but its a lot more portable.

Another type of camera to consider for traveling is a wearable camera. They have settings where for example they take a picture every 60 minutes. So when you are in a grocery store or at a cafe, they'll record those every day experiences instead of the tourist sites and landscapes. after having traveled a lot, its the every day experiences that i miss, not another picture of the Eifel tower.
http://lifestreamblog.com/4-wearable-cam...felogging/

if you go with an SLR, consider getting a wide angle lens in addition to a telephoto. its counterintuitive, but you'll probably get more use out of it.

It is not advisable to walk with a big DSLR camera in a lot places in the world.

Chances are nothing will happen to you, but it screams tourist and easy mark.

Even in London, I was stared at hard and some dude came close to me asking questions about my Camera.

The funny thing it wasn't that expensive of a camera.

Quote: (02-14-2017 07:53 AM)The Beast1 Wrote:  

Great thread. My wife has a decent point and shoot but we've been running into issues with it.

I'm seriously considering investing in a professional digital camera with a couple of good lenses. Obviously learn how to use it. I find myself getting stuck in ruts with crappy cameras. My budget is $800, but if something worthwhile appears in the $1000 range I might consider it too.

Suggestions welcome!

Canon T6I is a nice camera to get your feet wet.

Pair with a 50mm lens and you are good to go.

Quote: (02-14-2017 08:16 AM)Ringo Wrote:  

I just remembered about this so might as well post here.

My kid sister got an Instax Mini for Christmas.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AWKJPMC/ref...UTF8&psc=1

It prints the photograph instantaneously just like a Polaroid, and the only setting is the exposure control on the front of the camera (indoor, sunny, cloudy, night time).

This thing is so much fun I'm considering buying one and leaving it on my living room table. Hipsterish, for sure, but awesome for a souvenir of a bang, portraits.

Economically it's not great because the film is expensive, but girls LOVE IT. Trust me, they'll be dying to get you to photograph them. It's a different look from DSLR and mirrorless pics.

Could be cool to frame the pictures and hang them at home too.

I used to have an old Polaroid and I can vouch for what you say about how it affects women. at a buck a shot its not your everyday camera but its unmatched in creating a certain vibe, especially if you are in a large group.

in the old days, polaroids were how you got girls to pose nude for you because there were no negatives.

If you go the gopro route, consider also picking up a cheap tripod off amazon for it. As mentioned above, holding a camera still is vital to good shots.

I picked up this one for $10. It's cheap af and very light and compact. Only downside is that it's delicate, made of aluminum.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Flexible-Sports-C...SwfcVUGS6a

I pair it with a Gopole selfie stick so that overall the camera is high enough to be eye level and so that I don't need to buy a separate tripod adaptor because there's a screw at the bottom of the selfie stick.

Quote: (02-14-2017 11:33 AM)rudebwoy Wrote:  

Quote: (02-14-2017 07:53 AM)The Beast1 Wrote:  

Great thread. My wife has a decent point and shoot but we've been running into issues with it.

I'm seriously considering investing in a professional digital camera with a couple of good lenses. Obviously learn how to use it. I find myself getting stuck in ruts with crappy cameras. My budget is $800, but if something worthwhile appears in the $1000 range I might consider it too.

Suggestions welcome!

Canon T6I is a nice camera to get your feet wet.

Pair with a 50mm lens and you are good to go.

Pro and semi-pro Canon models have full frame sensors. Basic Canon models, like the T6i, have an APSC sensor, which crop your image.

If you are walking around with a 50mm, instead of actually shooting at 50mm due to the crop factor of 1.6x you'll actually be walking around with a 80mm lens equivalent. That's a really tight focal length, you'll need to distance yourself from everything.

Here's a comparison:


For someone going fixed lens, the most versatile pick would be something closer to the human eye's range - 35mm for full frame, cheapo 24mm for Canon cropped sensor.

Trust me, you'll be frustrated if you get anything over 40mm - it's easier to get closer to something than to get far.

Quote: (02-14-2017 11:55 AM)Hypno Wrote:  

in the old days, polaroids were how you got girls to pose nude for you because there were no negatives.

Damn, never thought of that.

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-cy...c-rx100-iv

Bought my Sony Cybershot RX100 IV from Ebay for $650. Good as new. If you're on a budget, I'm pretty sure there's somebody out there who bought a camera for a week vacation and never bothered to use it again.

I love it, the only thing I highly recommend is to stay away from the sand. I made that mistake going through the caves in Bolivia and then sandboarding in Peru. Goddamn it.

Small enough to put in your pocket too! It comes in handy while backpacking South America.

Quote: (02-14-2017 01:49 PM)Ringo Wrote:  

Quote: (02-14-2017 11:55 AM)Hypno Wrote:  

in the old days, polaroids were how you got girls to pose nude for you because there were no negatives.

Damn, never thought of that.

the old swinger magazines used to have ads for "discrete" film developing services. prior to digital cameras, who you gave your film to was a real issue, not nec because anything was illegal but because the guys at the drugstore who develop your film would always make an extra set of anything good.

Panasonic Lumix GX7 camera + 12-32mm 3.5-5.6 & 20mm 1.7 pancake lenses.

This combo has been perfect for my travels around Europe for the last 3 years.

Quote: (02-15-2017 01:25 PM)crudeloyalist Wrote:  

Panasonic Lumix GX7 camera + 12-32mm 3.5-5.6 & 20mm 1.7 pancake lenses.

This combo has been perfect for my travels around Europe for the last 3 years.

makes sense.

for those not camera literate, any lens with a focal length greater than about 55mm is a telephoto, and anything less is considered wide angle. normal vision is about 55 mm.

the quality of the lens is defined by, among other things, the amount of light the comes through the glass when the shutter has its maximum aperture. 1.7 above of very good, especially for a wide angle lense. excellent would be 1.4.

Quote: (02-15-2017 01:25 PM)crudeloyalist Wrote:  

Panasonic Lumix GX7 camera + 12-32mm 3.5-5.6 & 20mm 1.7 pancake lenses.

This combo has been perfect for my travels around Europe for the last 3 years.

Did a quick search on this camera:

Looks pretty good, I like it. Small, compact, original lens is not too big.

Some sample images:

Also I think it would cool and interesting if forum members could post some pictures taken with specific cameras so that we can obtain a better feel of the camera (as well as additional equipment used) instead of relying on Google Images.

I'm currently using a Fuji X100, I've shot with a lot of cameras and what I love about the X100 is the fixed 35mm prime lens, I've had cameras with all kinds of lenses and zooms and this is the most versatile focal length and matches your vision well, it works for everything; portraits, street photography, landscapes. Its just simple and minimalistic. The camera has gathered a cult following for its unique image quality which is a bit organic and film like, its also a cool looking camera and just an enjoyable experience to use, its designed like an old rangefinder which can make it a bit of a conversation piece and draw intrigue from women, unlike DSLRs which are commonplace.

@aeroektar, really digging that Fujifilm!

If you want to see examples of different cameras and lenses you can check flickr and do a search based on the lens/camera. Just keep in mind that while it's possible to replicate them the person taking the pics photography knowledge is more important than the equipment they are using.

Posting random example photos from a given camera is not a good way to gauge image quality for the casual amateur. Those above examples look good almost entirely due to the skill of the person taking the picture. Modern cameras facilitate ease of use by having better automatic features. Guess what happens when you put the most expensive camera in the hands of someone who knows nothing about lighting, composition, depth of field, aperture lens choice etc....shit, underexposed, out of focus photos.

With so many different cameras on the market there is no right choice. If you want your photos to look better than average, you'll have to up your snapping skills.

@Aeroektar "Is that the X100T or X100S" and will having a basic X100 produce that type of image?

Damn you guys are making me rethink what I want to buy.

My thinking behind the Sony, is that I get a pro camera, and I can learn to use it fully over a year or and not have to upgrade.

I know if I get a basic camera now that I'd want to upgrade to something like the Sony later.

I second the Sony RX100 V. Its $900 but takes awesome photos/video + very compact + swivel screen if you wanted to get some selfies or do a narrative video blog. Step way above an iPhone camera and still pocket sized. I have three relatives with the phone and I'm jealous of their photos when we travel together.

I'd also be pretty good using a GoPro Hero5 + a good smartphone camera too.

So I'm backing off the Sony A7 series, might go 6300 looking at comparison videos with footage.

I have a guy whose really into cameras at work that's going to look up a few options.

That Fuji is nice, but the price is a little steep.

Good posts above.

Quote: (02-16-2017 01:35 PM)kaotic Wrote:  

Damn you guys are making me rethink what I want to buy.

My thinking behind the Sony, is that I get a pro camera, and I can learn to use it fully over a year or and not have to upgrade.

I know if I get a basic camera now that I'd want to upgrade to something like the Sony later.

There's two componentes to becoming good at photography: look at a lot of pictures and take a lot of pictures.

If you have never shot or had a decent camera before, I'd encourage you to drop by a bookshop and skim through different photography books. (This is also a great date with artsy girls.)

See what you like and don't like. What framing you're fond of, if you like bright of muted colors, maybe even B&W. If you like shots of buildings, patterns, portraits, street photography, studio, nature. I like photographing people, real life situations, natural light, and a I have a background in journalism; so I really dig guys like Cartier Bresson, Robert Capa, Sebastiao Salgado, James Nachtwey.

Go home, google the photographers and research how the shots were made. Flickr is also a great resource (shout out Shimmy).

Based on that, evaluate how much money you're willing to spend and pick a camera/lens.

Crudeloyalist made a good point above. Give a pro an iPhone and no filters, and try to out-shoot him with your Hasselblad and Lightroom editing. Not gonna happen. The basics - exposure, framing, shutter speed, composition, light, timing, interaction - are what make photos great, not the technology used.

When you decide what gear you want, go for used material in good shape - you'll most likely sell it after a while to explore new stuff.

And then shoot anytime you can.

There's fun and beauty no matter what equipment you choose and it will most likely take you years to master the basics and explore at least a couple of different setups, so don't stress over specifics.

It's just like with musical instruments. You hear a tone in your head but it's hard to replicate it in real life. So you spend years looking for the right combination of guitars, pickups, speakers, strings, effects, mics, and so on.

There's a saying in photography (often attributed to Chase Jarvis, although I'm not sure if he came up with it): the best camera is the one you have with you. My camera and lens setup is awesome, but I can't carry them with me everyday.

That's when minimalistic, compact camera like the one Aeroektar posted really shine.

I've been researching those little Fujis and low end Leicas for a few months, they're a lot of fun and stimulate you to photograph at every chance.

Reverse engineer the process and post some pics you like and how much you're willing to spend - that's the easiest route to find the right equipment.

I currently use an Olympus OMD E-M10 Mark II. You can get the body and a decent 14-42mm lens kit for around $600.