Photography.

[Tom]

^good advice^

I can take better pics on my cameraphone than other people I know who have fancy cameras. Its all about having the eye for photography, and its not a natural thing either - it can be learnt by anybody.

 

[Thadius]

So I want to get involved. It looks interesting, and pictures are pretty.

I have a Ixus 750? I think.. Digital camera. Obviously this isn't very good for photography.

I want an SLR. Question is do I blow £450+ on say a canon 400D which I have no idea what the features are like, or do I go for a film one to get me started?

I dont want to waste money incase I dont like it, but I don't want to waste money incase I do like it and want a better model.

Definately get a film one, they are a lot better than digital cameras. I studying photography this year in college, the teach was always banging on about how good film was.

But maybe start with a digicamera, then move onto film

 

[Ch3tan]

Why are they better, apart from the fact that someone told you so?

 

[DaGaffer]

Definately get a film one, they are a lot better than digital cameras. I studying photography this year in college, the teach was always banging on about how good film was.

But maybe start with a digicamera, then move onto film

Sounds like elitist bollocks to me. Big advantage of digital is that you can take a million photos, discard the shit `uns and keep the good, not an option with film. I need a new camera as well, got mine nicked when I was off my tits in Cusco the other night

 

[Ch3tan]

Hope you had backups of any pics on the card.

 

[DaGaffer]

Lost about a week´s worth, which isn´t bad in the great scheme of things I suppose. Problem was I`ve just been to Machu Picchu (I´m waiting for my train back to Cusco while I´m sat here, reading Liverpool v. Chelsea on the BBC) and had to share a camera with the girls I`ve been travelling with for the last few weeks, which was OK but I can´t do that for long. I need to find a camera asap, but I also want one that has a diving case available (my last, a Sony, didn´t), as I`ll be doing loads of dives when I get up to the Caribbean in a month or so. Turning out to be fairly difficult in Peru...

 

[Ch3tan]

I got bloody paranoid about losing my pics while i was travelling, used to get two copies made of cd's and send one back to the uk, keep one with me, and not delete them off the memory card. heh.

 

[DaGaffer]

I got bloody paranoid about losing my pics while i was travelling, used to get two copies made of cd's and send one back to the uk, keep one with me, and not delete them off the memory card. heh.

I put them on my laptop every few days, back them up to my iPod every couple of weeks and do a CD when I remember. Unfortunately my iPod´s also gone titsup in the last few days as well...

 

[Tom]

Why are they better, apart from the fact that someone told you so?

Much greater dynamic range mainly. Also, its worth bearing in mind that we're talking 35mm size here - go to MF or LF, and film is easily superior to digital.

I had a nice position at the Superbikes last weekend. I recorded it from the telly, I'll show you (Earl) how to film on a long lens when I get some leads tomorrow

 

[Pfy]

My brother has a http://www.panasonic.co.uk/high-zoom/dmc-fz50eb-k/index.htm.

He dabbles in his spare time.

Says it's a good camera and from what I've seen (I know fuck all about cameras) it takes a nice piccie

Or at least I think so

 

[Ch3tan]

Much greater dynamic range mainly. Also, its worth bearing in mind that we're talking 35mm size here - go to MF or LF, and film is easily superior to digital.

I had a nice position at the Superbikes last weekend. I recorded it from the telly, I'll show you (Earl) how to film on a long lens when I get some leads tomorrow

oi Tom, I was asking him to justify his statement, not you

Remember for the majority of people digital cameras are much better quality than the compact film cameras they had before.

If you want to get into the realm of spending money on good film, and medium and large format then fair enough film has an edge. But an edge most people will not notice, and not one that will justify the cost.

 

[Sparx]

Ok, anyone able to condemn any books that are shite, before I start ordering random ones from Amazon.

Like i mentioned before get the digital photo magazines. They are fantastic teaches you quite advanced things while explaining it in idiot form

Its all about having the eye for photography, and its not a natural thing either - it can be learnt by anybody.

Tom i'm afraid i disagree with you there, there is a definate element of natural with it, you can learn all the technical stuff but you cant learn the eye, when to capture a moment. Being able to see things before they happen etc.

I've been doing it, professionally for awhile, for 6 years now, i take photos at least 4-5 times a week, in 2 clubs every weekend and also do portfolios for DJs/Producers and its not something you can just learn, especially in a club

Also yes high end film cameras will still be better than digital but digital has caught up very well now. Thats an old belief that film is still better, its not, well not for the things that most people will be using the images for

 

[yaruar]

oi Tom, I was asking him to justify his statement, not you

Remember for the majority of people digital cameras are much better quality than the compact film cameras they had before.

If you want to get into the realm of spending money on good film, and medium and large format then fair enough film has an edge. But an edge most people will not notice, and not one that will justify the cost.

Most film proponents are just scared of digital, as it's totally different from shooting film, and in some cases a lot more difficult. TBH i would love to still shoot film, as it was easier for my chosen subjects (live bands) but it used to cost me a fortune developing 5 or 6 rolls at a time. Low light manual focusing is imposible without a full frame sensor. However the flexibility of digital in post production makes it a lot better, and less punishing than film. Most people who shoot digital don't even know how to frame a shot, let alone get the right exposure/light levels, it's all done via cropping, which is one of the things which annoys the buggery out of me. I hate cropping even in digital, if i don't get the framing and composition right then it feels wrong to me.

 

[Sparx]

Most people who shoot digital don't even know how to frame a shot, let alone get the right exposure/light levels, it's all done via cropping, which is one of the things which annoys the buggery out of me. I hate cropping even in digital, if i don't get the framing and composition right then it feels wrong to me.

I totally agree there!

 

[yaruar]

L
Also yes high end film cameras will still be better than digital but digital has caught up very well now. Thats an old belief that film is still better, its not, well not for the things that most people will be using the images for

I dunno, i think most high end professionals would now argue that something like a H3D-39 or a Mamiya ZD is preferable to a medium or large format camera, AFAIR almost all magazine and high fashion is digital now.

 

[TdC]

AFAIR almost all magazine and high fashion is digital now.

yes, but that's a money thing. time to print is just so much shorter with digital.

 

[Sparx]

depending what you are using them for, a decent film camera, if you wanted to try translate, would come off at 60odd megapixel where as the 400d is 10.1 (which is pretty good for a budget dslr)

Obviously its difficult to translate film into digital terms but you get the point

I personally prefer digital, i've had better images from digital than i did with film my 400d takes better shots than my nikon f65 did, mainly because the 400d is canon and we all know canon are better

 

[Gumbo]

depending what you are using them for, a decent film camera, if you wanted to try translate, would come off at 60odd megapixel where as the 400d is 10.1 (which is pretty good for a budget dslr)

Obviously its difficult to translate film into digital terms but you get the point

I personally prefer digital, i've had better images from digital than i did with film my 400d takes better shots than my nikon f65 did, mainly because the 400d is canon and we all know canon are better

I'm suprised, as a professional, that you use 'just' a 400d. Any particular reason you are using the lowest end of the proper DSLR's?

 

[Sparx]

sorry i didnt mention my MK11 or the 5d i used to have my mistake

the 400d is what i use for clubs because its cheaper so i dont worry about it too much

 

[Sparx]

also 400d is far from the lowest, the 300d and 350d are still selling, 400d is probably top end of the budget dslrs

 

[Ono]

I've had a Canon 350D for about a year now. Was pretty expensive buying lenses and the flash unit for it initially but I must say I would never go back to a compact for important photos.

The amount you can do with a D-SLR is amazing.