Digital Photography

[AquariaUSA]

Newbie looking for advice :O)
After years of denial, I have decided it is time to try and learn how to take better digital pics, and figured my older Toshiba PDR-M1 1.5MP Digital Camera could have better uses than having me look at it and ask it why it did not take better pics (when all along I knew it was the user).

So we are going to try and learn with a new camera, Canon G3. Anyone out there have either a G2 or G3 and some pointers? I liked the Sony 717 and the Nikon 5700, but did not want to get to far up in price :O)

Help, help the newbie! hehe
I have been browsing the reefcentral boards, and the WAMAS board. Figured we could start a post here too :O)

[dgasmd]

If you haven't already bought the camera, I would suggest you look into the Nikon cameras. They may not be the cheappest ones, but certainly the easier ones to use. Canon are pretty good also and for what I hear they do excellent as well. I have never used one, so I can't help in that regard.

[AquariaUSA]

I originally looked into the Nikons, for that is what people have used (Coolpix 900s, etc.) for years on hobbyiest marine photography. But not knowing what the heck F-stops do, etc. I scanned lots of boards about photo-idiots just pointing and clicking with Canons, so figured that would be less stressful :O) I actually did the newbie thing and wrote each brand mentioned, and put the check marks next to it. Once I got to the first camera with 10 marks, the search was over, and the order done. http://www.cmas-md.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif I think once I learn the basic settings, things should be ok. Took me three tries on the old Toshiba to understand light settings, but was not able to zoom to well, macros came out too fuzzy (although to me macro shots were how close I could get the camera to the glass), and 1.5MP limited resolution on larger photos. The Sony looked like a bazooka with that giant lens, and the $700-800 price tag seemed steeper than mi amor would allow. Heck, I got yelled at for the $600 I spent today, and the cash I dropped a few weeks ago on new PCs for the business. :O) If I would have spent the grand on the Nikon, I think I would be living in some greenhouse in Florida talking to corals.
Still thinking about picking up an iMAC to search the net (thanks for the idea George!, don't worry I won't tell anyone you use that cute little Mac) haha

[dgasmd]

A grand for a Nikon?http://www.cmas-md.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif? http://www.cmas-md.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif http://www.cmas-md.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif http://www.cmas-md.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif What or where the heck were you looking at them??

Check this link out. The best Nikon there is less than $700!!
http://www.abesofmaine.com/subcate....m=Nikon (http://www.abesofmaine.com/subcategory.asp?scat=4&page=1&brand=Nikon&sort=3&om=Nikon)

Alberto

[geofloors]

You can get reconditioned Nikon CP995 with full warantee on Ebay for less then $400. You can probably take the camera you have back. FWIW

I like the Emac better then the Imac http://www.cmas-md.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif


George

[AquariaUSA]

http://www.cmas-md.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
I compared everything on DPreview.com, the thread on ReefCentral.com and stevesdigicam site. As for pricing the Nikon 5700 NIB with card, lens was up around $1000 even on the abesofmaine site. Only thing I did not like about the Canon G3 was the battery, but seems like those that use em get 500 or so pics before having to recharge. We get rebates (and of course deductions later on) for purchasing through the company we get our pcs from. In total I think the camera NIB ran us $540, the 256MB card $42, Targus bag $20 (although the markup is $18) etc. hehe. I also looked at the G5 but that put me up where the Nikon5700 was. Oh well. After taking polls on newbies with the G3 who had taken good pics I did evaluate the closeups on dpreview, comparing the G3 to the others, which helped me make the final decison :O) I am just going to have to find the time to read the manual when it comes in, and keep surfing the net for settings, after I buy the $20 filters :O) Reading about taking pics with digis can take hours! Too bad they don't sell 'em at the LFS. hehe

[dgasmd]

It really doesn't matter Rich. Most of those packages are way overpriced with tons of things you don't really need. Just get the camera you like, read the manual, and make sure that camera allows for expansions like macro lenses and such. Otherwise you are stocked with what the camera can provide only despite of how good it may be.
I can tell you I would not trade my Nikon 995 for any other camera there is. That includes the Nikon 5700. http://www.cmas-md.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.cmas-md.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[AquariaUSA]

If all else fails, can I hire you and your Nikon? :O) I had wanted to go for the Coolpix 900 and 990s, but I am uneasy about buying electronics on Ebay and companies I don't use too often. Hopefully the new G3 will work out, otherwise I might be in sleeping under the stars. I did show Flor the others I looked at today, and she gave me the "I'd kick your ***" if I bought those :O)

[dgasmd]

One thing I kept in mind when I was buying a camera was the fact that past 3.5 megapixels it is a waste. You can't visually tell the difference unless you go print it in 8x10 or bigger, which I don't plan on doing anyways.

I jsut ordered another set of lenses for my camera. Theya re the 1.5X macro to allow me to take better pictures of far objects and the other is a 0.65X to allow bigger objects from close. You will see when you come for the tank tour that my tank is in a rather small room, so taking a picture of the entire tank is nearly impossible. Also, because the tank is so wide and most of the corals are right in the middle, I can't take great macro shots. At least I haven't played with it long enough (the macros that is http://www.cmas-md.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif http://www.cmas-md.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif )

The other thing to keep in mind is that you will get passed the novice stage at some point, so you need to allow for growth. No difference than going from a 29 gal to a 55 to 125 to a 180, etc.....

Most of the accesories you can buy for cameras are a huge waste. Lenses are a plus, extra batterries are unnecessary unless you go camping in the himalayas for a year, huge cards like 512 MB with a reader are a tremendous waste unless you go to the Himalayas again, etc.

Most good cameras will take awesome pictures in the auto basic mode, so imagine what they can do when you know how to use the other features you really paid for. I still don't know that, so like you, I am learning.

Let us know when you get the camera and post some pictures.

[NAGA]

I bought the Sony DSC V1. I am just playing around with it and you have to definitely practice with it. So far I like it though.....it is a 5mp that allows for a lot of adjustments that the 717 has but, without that Godzilla size lens on it. Can't beat the size.

Jeff

[NAGA]

Hey,

maybe we can start a photography thread on the board http://www.cmas-md.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif and post pics......that would be nice. There seems to be enough people with cameras.

Jeff

[dgasmd]

One of the problems/limitations to posting pictures on this board is that to keep the size of the files small you can only post a picture if it is already in another website as a host. That is why when I post pictures here, I do it after I have post them in the WAMAS site since their board doesn't ahve that restriction.

Alberto

[AquariaUSA]

Thanks Alberto! Where do you like to buy lenses? I think I will be buying some sooner or later, and I have been filling up bookmarks :O) The camera came today, wanted to take it to EA, but after Flor was laughing at me trying to figure out what all the buttons did, I figured it would be best to learn in a quite calm place http://www.cmas-md.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Got to do some water changes this evening on some of the systems, finish a few proposals, and then try to start shooting! I will send/post em as I take them in stages... newbie1day, 2day, hehe, jk.

Thanks for all the help, George too!

[dgasmd]

George recommended this site to me. It is very good and prices are great.

www.bugeyedigital.com