Photographers - I need your expertise

[Flummery]

I'm talking myself into a digital SLR camera. I have a little Nikon Coolpix which is great for everyday stuff - and lightweight of course. I used to use an SLR in the Olden Days so I could cope with the fiddly stuff but I'm thinking of something with a decent Macro facility. I'd like to take pictures of the insides of flowers, individual peas and beans in pods etc. Can't get close enough focus with the little job.

I'd be looking at up to £500 - but don't tell Himself!

Does anyone have anything - or know of anything - that they would particularly recommend?

Ta in anticipation.

[ladylottie]

I'm talking myself into a digital SLR camera. I have a little Nikon Coolpix which is great for everyday stuff - and lightweight of course. I used to use an SLR in the Olden Days so I could cope with the fiddly stuff but I'm thinking of something with a decent Macro facility. I'd like to take pictures of the insides of flowers, individual peas and beans in pods etc. Can't get close enough focus with the little job.

I'd be looking at up to £500 - but don't tell Himself!

Does anyone have anything - or know of anything - that they would particularly recommend?

Ta in anticipation.

Hi. At the moment I have a very lightweight Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ25 which is very portable and has excellent macro facility. (Price approx £250). I use this camera most days and have yet to find a situation it can't cope with.

However I feel you would like something slightly more challenging and not necessarily so lightweight. My camera club have suggested that I upgrade to a Nikon D40 (X) which I'm told is comparable to a Canon EOS 400D (but cheaper I think!). I can't comment on how either handle but I'm sure another grape or two will be able to comment.

[TEB]

I would say its more the lens than the camera if it mainly going to be used for macro work, sorry to say that yo are not going to get much change from £500, (if any) you could buy a second hand body though. You will also need a tripod and maybe a remote release.

[T8Ter]

Hi Flum,
Just a fraction outside your budget is the Nikon D5000
Nikon D5000 Digital SLR Camera: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

I use a D90 which is excellent and the 5000, I believe uses the same sensor.

[lettucegrow!]

How exciting Flum! There is always competition between the Nikon and Cannon range of slr's and a lot of this is down to personal taste. I'd buy the lasting digital camera mag that has reviews and see how they rate with regard to what exactly you would like to do. Some give better results with the macro. I hanker after one of the Cannon EOS range,meself but need a lotto win first.

[zazen999]

I use a D80 - however one of the best cameras I ever used [before getting a DSLR] was the Fuji 5500s Bridge Camera; which does have a macro function.

[Two_Sheds]

I treated myself at Xmas to a dSLR. I did a bit of research first, and found the Nikon came out best.

I got it here and it's been superb. I also bought these 4 macro lenses to go with it

[organic]

At each price point there's really not much to tell between Canon and Nikon. The best thing you can do is to go to a real camera shop and get your hands on one of each. Take a look through the viewfinder, try out the autofocusing, run through the menus and things like that.

There's a good chance you'll find one system more intuitive than the other. If you ask me that's probably more important than the few technical differences between one and another. It's exactly how I chose my first SLR about 10 years ago. (I got a Canon EOS300 - soon upgraded, after I was mugged for the first, to an EOS 55E).

For really specialist things like using a flash with a very high shutter speed, Nikon might be better, for other specialist things Canon might be better - it depends what you want to do - I believe Canon's lenses focus a wee bit quicker than Nikon - hence the predominance of those big white lenses at football matches (white lens body = Canon pro-range).

For general use though there's probably not a whole lot in it.

Try them out and see which you prefer.


On the subject of buying a used body - be aware that the shutter will deteriorate over time and if the previous owner was very trigger happy it could be approaching the end of its usable life - it'd be worth checking what the shop's policy is on things like replacing the shutter or indeed if a new one has been fitted as part of a refurb.

If you get into it you'll spend far more on lenses than you will on the camera.
If when you get your hands on some cameras you don't see much difference between them - maybe it's better to look at the kind of lenses you want to get and see if one system or the other better serves your needs.

Oh - and don't get carried away with super high resolution sensors. Not even the pro level lenses that cost thousands give enough image quality to really make use of the massively high resolution chips. From what I remember, much about 10megapixels is pretty much unnecessary unless you're getting into medium format - and that is NOT going to happen for less than the price of a couple of new cars.


EDIT
Oh -and on the "Macro" thing... most cameras with a "macro function" actually can't do macro photography. "Macro" on most cameras simple means it can focus closer to the lens. True macro gives an image on the sensor that is bigger than the real thing... it magnifies the object you're shooting.
If all you want to do is shoot "close up" then a normal "macro mode" is probably fine - if you want to actually shoot macro - you'll be needing a proper macro lens.
Sorry if you already knew that from your previous SLR days - but figured it was worth a mention.

[northepaul]

I can also put in a recommendation for Nikon, probably a D40 as its supposedly more user friendly than the bigger "expert" (I use the term loosely ) models. If you want a Macro lens though its gonna add extra to your budget.
I have heard good things about the Lumix range, however I understand they are no longer associated with Leica, so the manufacturing is bound to suffer as a result.

With regards second hand models - you would be hard pushed to wear a Nikon out, partcularly the newer models. I do think its worth taking a second hand one into consideration, and if you buy from a shop (London Camera Exchange for example) you get a warranty, which at least gives you some protection.

I agree though, its definately worth going into a camera shop and having a little play with their toys!

[organic]

Don't just play though... spend money too
Brick and mortar shops need our support - but that doesn't mean you can't put on some pressure to get a discount.

[bubblewrap]

I have a Nikon D50 there are more up to date models.
Mine came with a 18-55 zoom lens and an editing programme.
Do you have a Jessops in your area Flum they will give you advice on which camera is best suited to your needs.
http://www.jessops.com/storefinder

[Lazgaot]

Depending on what DSLR make you go for you are basically signing up to their lens systems, which is where most of you cash will end up, so making the brand choice is quite important. Nikon and Cannon are the big boys but Sony, Olympus etc also make decent bodies. From my experience there is a very good selection of secondhand Nikon and Cannon kit on Ebay and places like London Camera Exchange. Not sure on the others though.
I have a Nikon D200 and although its littered with buttons its extremely easy and fast to use because I don't have to dive into the Menu system to change any settings, I can do them right on the body of the camera. The lower end ones have fewer buttons, fewer settings and most of them are set in the software menu. Definitely get round your local camera shop and handle a bunch of bodies with lenses as they'll feel very different in-hand. Also spend a while going through the menu systems as some will feel more intuative than others.
Shooting Macro you'll want to control the Depth Of Focus, so the camera body you chose should have an Aperture Priority mode. I'm not sure if the entry level ones have this, they usually just have pre-set modes - Sports, Candelight, Landscape etc etc
Decent Macro lenses cost a small fortune too, so look for secondhand ones.
Good luck!

[TEB]

Shooting Macro you'll want to control the Depth Of Focus, so the camera body you chose should have an Aperture Priority mode. I'm not sure if the entry level ones have this, they usually just have pre-set modes - Sports, Candelight, Landscape etc etc

AFAIK all entry level DSLR had A, S and M () modes at least the Nikon do.
Also just had another thought, if you are going to be using macro on flowers in situ you may want to consider a large viewfinder which can also be angled(rather that using the eyepiece) as you may not be able to get down and look through the eyepiece on flowers that are nearer the ground, newer Nikons have 3" viewfinders and can also swivel, not sure about other makes but I would have thought so.

I wouldn't at this stage bother with buying magazines, I would browse online photography forums and may even join a few to ask your questions, once you have narrowed down your choices then browse for reviews on them. One site that I use a lot is Digital Camera Product Reviews: Digital Photography Review.

[Mizjazzi]

hi there,
I recently bought a Canon SX200is.( +/_ £200-00) . I was wanting to get back into photography as I used to use an SLR, but needed something small. Although not a DSLR, it has a macro and super macro setting which is phenomenal. I use it for photographing miniature sculpture and jewelery also. It has manual settings ( aperture control & depth of field) as well, and I am finding it an ideal camera.
Check out the new cameras in the digital magazines online, they are invaluable, and even have comparison photo's from competing cameras. There is also a website that I found by googeling Macro-Photography that has invaluable info. Jessops are really good at letting you fiddle with the cameras before you buy and take a flower with you,then you can snap away and test them properly.

Regards,
Mizjazzi

[Flummery]

Thanks all for your input. I used to use macro lenses with my old SLR and I'd be loking for something like that. I realise that the lenses are the important bit - I think I might go and bend the ear of our local Jessops. They will let me play about a bit!

I'll go back and re-read all these posts at my leisure!