Acd456

I'm getting into professional photography, what is the best camera for the entry level professional. thanks.

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

Get the Nikon D4 if you can afford it or the Canon equivalent. What will you be shooting?

donrent Loc: Punta Gorda , Fl

While good pro cameras can take better pictures than an average camera, you will fine its NOT the camera that makes an outstanding professional photographer...

What makes a real pro is YOU !!

A good photographer can produce award winning pictures with - lets say - a Panasonic ZS7 - or a Canon SX40....

A camera is only as good as the photographer is trained...

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

Don't take this the wrong way but if we have to make suggestions, you don't belong in the professional ranks just yet.

Nikon_Bill Loc: South Florida

A good doctor first examines the patient and then gives a prescription!

Where are you? What type of shooting do you do? What type of lighting? What kind of budget do you have to work with?Do you have a preference of camera make, or lens type?

Tell me where you are, and I can then begin to tell you how to get where you want to go!

An ancient biblical proverb: "The one answering a matter before he has heard it, is foolishness on his part"

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

:thumbup:

Acd456

Agricultural related photos, field crops (corn, cotton, soybean etc.).

Acd456

It's a gift for my daughter, she is in the business.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

In your original post you stated "You" were getting into the business. If your daughter is a pro, ask her what she uses and help her out there. If a pro uses a Nikon and you get her a Canon based on outside "recommendations" you are doing her no good at all.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

AC, that's not exactly what you said.
But, I'll buy that, so if I where going to turn pro and where going to upgrade the camera I'd been using for the last almost five years, I'd surprise her with a tool that would not limit her creativity and I was sure would be acceptable by her.
I would go with a Canon 1DX. It's a very capable camera for a pro.
Assuming she already has at least some lenses, as she's probably been shooting for some years now, there is at least a better than 60% chance that she's already been using a Canon.
Good luck
SS

Acd456

Good answer, thanks.

Bozsik Loc: Orangevale, California

When you reply to a post, click the reply with the quote included so we know what you are responding to.

If you are going pro, you should already know what camera equipment is available. The D4 Nikon will last you for years and is designed for pro photographers. If you are in the field, as you indicate, the D4 is designed with the ruggedness to last. You may not require the D4, but many clients want to see that you are not shooting a point and shoot camera as others may indicate here. Granted the camera doesn't get the final image perfect, it is a combination of the skill and equipment. But when clients see you are not using anything they couldn't shoot themselves, they will often use their own equipment the next time. It sets you aside from other shooters. It is a perception game. When I am at weddings, I notice many individuals talking to the photographer asking what equipment they use. It makes a difference.

Go full frame body as well, even if it isn't a D4. The image quality is remarkable. Purchase the best you can afford with body and lenses.

Shutterbugsailer Loc: Staten Island NY (AKA Cincinnati by the Sea)

Perhaps the best way to answer this question is to start by looking at other occupations and the "tools" of their trade. Take musicians, for example. The pianist at the New York Philharmonic is a professional who uses a custom Steinway. Down the road, at the local public school, the music teacher, also a professional might make do with a thrift shop upright, even if he happens to be as dedicated and proficient as the concert pianist. In like fashion, the chef at a five star French restaurant, and the cook in a roadside diner are both pros. I do suspect that they don't use the same ovens or cookware. In the case of professional photographers, both their skill levels and equipment vary equally. Someone working for Vogue magazine, Architectural Digest, or Sports Illustrated will probably be using the very best, more than likely paid for by their employers. A photojournalist, working for a local magazine or newspaper, or self-employed can reach down a notch or two on the photographic food chain, particularly if he is paying for his own equipment, or he is working in situations where it might be damaged or stolen. IMHO, the Papparazzis working for supermarket Tabloids could get the needed shots with a $400.00 bridge camera, particularly those taken of celebrities in the bright Southern California sun. A common topic amoung pros and wannabees is what is the minimum required for wedding photographers. IMHO, the tendency is to go higher than what is actually needed. In this type of photography, the clients and subjects are one and the same. I for one, would be put off to see the Pro I hired for $4000.00 using the same Canon Rebel I just bought for my honeymoon cruise, even though, Intellectually I know that in the right hands, with the right lighting and upgraded lenses, it could be pulled off. In other words, a wedding photographer is expected to look the part. In like fashion, a 200 pound former Navy Seal/mixed martial artist might handle a physical confrontation better than a 300 pound bodybuilder. Guess who would be hired as a bouncer in a biker bar?

busted_shutter

Ummm....That is exactly what you said. Just sayin'.

Nikon_Bill Loc: South Florida

Your choice of lens may be more important than you are aware.
You will be considering wide, distant views of trees, and scenes. You probably will need close up shots of bugs, damaged plants, or diseased plants. Some zoom lenses go form wide to telephoto, and do macro. If keeping it simple and the cost down, is a concern for you, you may want to watch some of the reviews available on Youtube.