SuprNovice Loc: New Jersey

Hello all,
This is my first post and I am hoping you will take it easy on me and forgive my lack of experience. I have decided to get into a hobby that I think I will enjoy, being newly retired and a nature lover I decided on photography. I am ready to purchase a camera but I would like some help. Will you guys please advise me on a camera that I can grow into for both nature and people? My budget is $5,000.

Thank you very much

Tom walden

Try kenrockwell.com. He reviews all the camera equipment. Some hoggers probably dont care for him, but i think he is honest and fair.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Possibly look around for a local camera club and see what people are doing. Get some ideas of what your goals might be and make your acquisitions fit. Don't be in a hurry!

CO

You might want to rent first. I've rented from LensRentals.com many times. They're very good. They clean all items after they are returned to them. They even clean the sensors in digital cameras. A pre-paid return shipping label is included in the box.

Do a search for photography meetup groups in your area. Meetup.com is very popular and is used for all sorts of groups. I just did a search for photography meetup groups in New Jersey. I found a lot in cities all over New Jersey.

A big decision you will have to make is if you want a DSLR or mirrorless. DSLR cameras are slowly being replaced by mirrorless.

thomasdwiers Loc: Green Bay, WI

I would recommend checking out some YouTube videos. There are many from professionals who take you through a process to help answer your question? Also, you stated that you are a "nature lover." What part of nature? Landscapes, birds, animals, water, etc.? Try to narrow your interest and it may help with your decision. I have travelled the same journey over the last 7+ years since I retired and have changed course a couple of times. It's a great hobby and you are going to have the "ride of your life."

Archboo3 Loc: Central Florida

If I was starting today looking to buy my first camera, I would focus on mirrored camera. That is the direction all Amerasian or headed. I’m a Nikon user, but knowing what I know today I think I would have a hard time choosing between Nikon and Sony. Also when choosing a camera that has interchangeable lens what you will be shooting will determine your lens selection. My general walking around lens is a 24-120 mm f/4. It’ a great starting range. It will work for family and friends and landscape. Good luck and happy shooting - it’s addictive.

ELNikkor

Welcome to the forum! Although I have been a lifelong photographer, years ago I was in a quandary about digital vs. film photography until I read online a review of the Nikon D40 by Ken Rockwell. His review and photos convinced me that not only was digital at least as good as film, but having a sensor that was smaller than a 35mm film frame was no hindrance to good photography.
When you indicate you are interested in "nature photography", the field is very broad. If "nature" is landscapes, night skies, sunsets, flowers; the larger sensor (same as 35mm film, heavier, more expensive) might be the cameras to look at. (Some call them "FF, or Full Frame.) If you are leaning toward distant, small animals like birds and chipmunks, then cameras with the smaller sensor, (lighter weight, less expensive), would be the route to go.
You are also looking into your new hobby at a time when digital photography itself is in a transition stage, from DSLR, (Digital Single Lens Reflex), to mirrorless. (Have I confused you yet?) Both technologies yield excellent results, and each have their strong points. Though I am totally satisfied with my DSLR set-up, you, as a beginner should at least familiarize yourself with the differences and choices between the two technologies before you make a decision on the track you intend to take.
I am excited for you, starting a photography hobby after retirement! To choose photography, you must already be visualizing the type of photos you want to take, as well as the locations and time of year you want to go, to make those imaginations happen. While it is commendable that you have $5K available for your new hobby, I would suggest that you could keep a good amount of that in reserve, as you can get many fine cameras with 2-3 lenses and a tripod, computer with good photo processing programs, and external storage/back-up drives for $3K. It is good you joined this site, as you can be "standing on the shoulders of giants" as you look ahead to becoming a good photographer. I agree with the suggestions of others that you find a group of local photographers who you can meet with to find out first-hand about any questions you might have as well.
Stay in touch, we'd love to know the choices you make, and see some of the nature photos you take!

TerryVS

I'll throw out a few things for you to ponder!

Don't get caught up in the Nikon vs Canon vs Sony debate. All will make great photos.

Cameras are expensive, lenses are really expensive! Figure out what you want to shoot and buy accordingly. I buy fast glass (typically f 2.8 or better) since I shoot at night. If you're doing landscapes you might buy the same focal length but f 4. It's less expensive and lighter.

Buy good the first time. A good tripod and head will cost you a grand or better but will be good for the life of your hobby. Things like an L bracket which is very handy range from a $19 eBay special to $175 top end.

Two very good and expensive places for camera support stuff are Really Right Stuff and Kirk.

Check out Back Country Galleries. Steve is a member here but also runs another board. It's loaded with folks that are advanced amateur and professional shooters. Steve has a bunch of eBooks that are great and you'll find his videos all over YouTube.

I wish you the best as you navigate your new hobby. One more recommendation, DSLR while still great are going away. Buy mirrorless.

Terry

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

With a $5000 budget, ideally, you'll make a few decisions that are 'right the first time' rather than buying and then buying again. Today's 'high-end' (aka 'professional') equipment is built to last a lifetime of rigorous use. And as such, considering used equipment is a way to extend your budget, buying more for less.

Consider this recent user story: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-709421-1.html He decided on a Nikon body and lens, staying with DSLRs rather than newer mirrorless, when selecting equipment for a pending birding trip to Costa Rica. It's not the selection I would make, but certainly a solid selection of top-line equipment. If you click his user name at the top of the linked page, and look at his profile, you can list / read a few more posts related to this decision from the list of his posts (topics) created.

Someone already mentioned using Ken Rockwell's site as source of camera reviews. He's an interesting read. Today's equipment from all the options / brands are excellent and you'll see that high regard in his individual reviews. Take any suggestions for specific cameras and lenses and go read his reviews of those specific equipment, as well as using other online sources.

Coming back to budget. You need a computer too and editing software, don't try to spend all that budget just on camera equipment. None of the images you see online are the 'straight from the camera' results. Cameras that create large digital files need computers with lots of memory to edit and lots of diskspace to store. You need a large screen (monitor) to enjoy the pixel resolution and / or to see and edit the fine details. Many people find the "gamer" configuration computers meet the same requirements for digital photography editing. If you were starting from scratch, you might find splitting your budget between camera, lens(es) and computer / software with HighDef monitor is a reasonable split. So back to new vs used, that's 'new' computer equipment, probably a new camera, and maybe all used lenses. I shoot with some lenses 40-years old mounted to new mirrorless cameras, they really can last forever.

Welcome aboard!

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

Welcome and Hello to the UHH. As you may already know photography equipment is expensive, and for several reasons. Digital cameras do far more things than their film-counter-parts. And, they are somewhat smaller. And they are more expensive. You might consider a photography club (avoid "camera" clubs at all costs). If you live near a junior college try a course or two. BEFORE you make a major purchase try something similar to a point-and-shoot as their costs are much lower. There is much more to photography than the final print. Watch some videos of Nat Geo shooters snuggling into a shooting blind for days waiting for a snow leopard to appear, or hours just waiting for a bird to roost. What you will NOT see is the trek TO the shooting site or the return. We once spent several hours getting to a lake in Rocky Mountain where we would photograph the Milky Way as it slid into perfect position over the end of the lake. Between the group we captured some spectacular shots. In a matter of minutes all our prepping and hiking and setting up came to and end and we began the dreaded return trip! Same distance as the trip to get to the site, but now we are in pitch black night sky. Back down the mountain trail we went with only the light from a head-lamp or very small flash light held in two fingers. The exhilaration of the final product was yet to come to us. That occured back at our house when post-processing would begin.

Not all photography requires this much endeavor. But that is where the trail leads, walking, climbing, sitting, followed by more walking, climbing and sitting. Then, of course you get to walk into your own "gallery" and see your own creations and the memories of all the work will fade to black. There is the feeling that YOU made that photograph and it is living through you. NOTHING equates to the satisfaction you can receive. There are millions of people who know that feeling. Do your research and spend wisely. IF photography is for you the rewards can be wonderfully satisfying. Good luck.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Welcome. You have begun a complex but extremely satisfying journey. You will get advice from every segment of the camera user world. I would just say decide what you would most like to photograph and read reviews on suitable equipment for those genres and watch lots of videos. You will learn as you go.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Welcome to the forum.
Good luck with your search.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

Photography can be practiced using any camera. There are a whole range of cameras you might use from the simplest, point and shoot, to the interchangeable lens cameras (ILCs). In-between are the bridge cameras, which I will include the mega-zooms and the pocketable versions.

The most versatile and capable of operating under the greatest range of situations and conditions are the ILCs which include DSLRs and mirrorless. DSLRs have the largest selection of compatible lenses having been around for a long time, mirrorless are the latest. There are adapters to use DSLR lenses on mirrorless.

I find I use my ILC camera when anticipating difficult lighting conditions or other conditions that are hard for lesser cameras, but I also have 3 "bridge" cameras that I often use because they are easier to carry around. You might consider something in this category knowing that if you later want a better camera, you might keep it for the convenience of one that is easy to carry. If you go this route, make sure you get one with a viewfinder, it is a feature most desirable outdoors in bright sunlight, and one with the modes of Auto, P, T (or S), A, and M and one that can save RAW files.

Other than what is in a cell phone, point and shoot are not what I would recommend.

So let us know which category camera you are considering, and we can narrow down the choices.

I assume you have a computer so you can edit your photos. Editing software comes with better cameras, but there are alternatives that are free, as well as more powerful ones that aren't.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

One of the problems with the high end stuff is that it'll have lots of bells and whistles that you won't need, at least as a beginner, and it's more likely to be a distraction than a help. My own camera is a Nikon Z5, which is an entry level mirrorless full frame camera. It's simplicity makes it easy to use but that doesn't mean that it's lacking in functions. It does everything that I need. And with full frame cameras, entry level doesn't mean lacking in performance. The differences in image quality between entry level and high end are truly marginal.

At this point in time, going mirrorless will be more future-proof than picking up second hand DSLR stuff.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

I'd spend some of that moolah on a secondhand model - make sure it's really what you want to do. If it is, you'll get your money back if you buy new later.

Try a club, or ask a few friends - I bought CANON because my sister had CANON and that gave me access to lenses. If she had had NIKON I'd have likely bought NIKON, or any other brand she might have had.

Manufacturers software will be good enough to get you up and running. Steer clear of enhanced software till you've an idea of what you are doing.

As has been mentioned previously, whatever brand you buy, go MIRRORLESS! It's the way forward. But a DSLR will be O.K. to get you going.