Sandman1318 Loc: From: Hawaii / In: Oregon

Aloha All;
I am a US Marine that was seriously injured in Iraq... got retired... healed as much as possible... and am now a fairly new college student (Fall 2014) for the first time ever. I'm taking a higher level photography class next term to really learn about photography, how to use cameras properly, etc, etc, etc. I will be needing to buy a good DSLR camera for the class in the very near future. I can only afford to buy a camera once... and I have no idea what to get (the camera ads might as well be in a different language). I know that I like fast action... and tend to be in lower light situations often. I will also be want to be able to take high quality family pictures (new grand-daughter is due in February). I have big hands and fingers, so something small would probably not work very well. Also, I will probably be taking a lot of outside pictures... in Oregon... so being somewhat water (rain) resistance would definitely be helpful. It is said that there are a lot of very professional photographers on this sight... and I need your help. I am maybe looking at the Nikon D750 or the Cannon EOS 7DMII... but the Cannon doesn't have an articulating display which I would like (for pictures with my arms stretched up)... and I don't know the difference between those and a Rebel at $1000 less. I have access to the Military Exchange system, so hopefully it can save me some money when I get it. I am open to any camera advice given and will greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
Sandman

tscali

I own a Nikon D750. It takes wonderful pictures and is very good in low light and outdoors. I like taking pictures of birds in flight and this camera is very good for that. There is a lot to learn, however. You can use Auto mode and let the camera select all of the settings; but to fully utilize the functions of the camera you will need a reference manual like Darrell Young's Mastering the Nikon D750. The Nikon's User Guide has a lot of information but it is hard to follow and doesn't flow very well. If you have deep pockets then I would strongly recommend you researching all of the Nikon f/2.8 lenses. These are Nikon's best lenses. If you are like me the Nikon 24-120 mm f/4 is a very good lens and it is usually packaged with the D750 at a good discount. There is one known problem with the camera, the shutter can stick. There are a list of serial numbers with this problem available from Nikon in case you are thinking about buying a refurbished one. I had the problem and my camera was not on that list. Nikon was very good at fixing the camera. It took me about three weeks from the time I shipped it to when I received the camera back. I took an extended warranty after that experience. I have no experience with Canon; but many of my friends love their cameras. Good luck with your decision.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Thanks for your service and welcome to the forum. You will get a lot of advice here. I would suggest you Google for advice. Decide first whether you will want a full frame or crop sensor. (You may not know what this is - it is important to understand .) Compare all brands and decide what suits your needs. Have fun, we will help when asked.

jim quist Loc: Missouri

Ask if the college has lenses or flashes they loan out. If they do it might be worth it just to buy that brand. Some college photography classes even loan out cameras so you don't need to own one.

Sandman1318 Loc: From: Hawaii / In: Oregon

First off... thank you all for your responses... and for the Veteran's Day thank you. I will address these in reverse order if ok. My college specifically states that I need to provide all of my own equipment... so no help there, but I don't mind so much as I would hate to learn a piece of equipment then have to give it back. I am looking at getting the camera on/before Black Friday as I want to get (somewhat) used to "my" new camera prior to Christmas when I go to Las Vegas to meet up with my kids and grandkids there. My photo experience up to now is exclusively with my Galaxy Note 5 (phone)... but don't throw rocks... I'm working on upgrading and improving that now with research and coming on this site asking questions. I understand that most people will say start small... then upgrade. As this is probably a one time deal for me (I've been saving for a long time), I need to get my final level camera (body) from the start... so I'm trying to think of everything that I will want to do with it (which is hard at my experience level... or lack of). I'm looking at about $2000 (a bit more if I can get it through the Military Exchange) From what I understand... a full frame has a larger CMOS so gives much cleaner pictures at the same resolution... (one of the reasons I'm looking at the D750)... is this correct? I'm more interested in quality than brand, but I want to be able to shoot action (two running 2 year olds and more), low light, portraits (of family), and landscapes... so basically everything right!! I'm figuring on getting the body, two lenses (approx 25-70 w/ low fstop and a 100-300 Telephoto), a flash, and a tripod, and a bag (or a kit with it all together). I really like being outdoors (to the extent that I can be), so the majority will probably be landscape (Crater Lake, coast, old boats, show vehicles, ect). Again, any help is greatly appreciated.

Sandman1318 Loc: From: Hawaii / In: Oregon

A couple pictures at Crater Lake with my (ugh) cell phone... which I thought actually came out pretty good.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Welcome to our forum!

You have many different makes and models to choose from, so take your time. If you get a camera without a built-in lens, you'll always be wondering what lens to buy next. That can get expensive.

Read comparisons and specs, and decide what features are important to you.
(Reviews) https://www.youtube.com/user/TheCameraStoreTV/videos
http://cameras.reviewed.com/
http://camerasize.com/
http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM
http://snapsort.com/compare
http://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras?utm_campaign=internal-link&utm_source=mainmenu&utm_medium=text&ref=mainmenu

Sandman1318 Loc: From: Hawaii / In: Oregon

I know for sure that I will be getting a DSLR (that specification is specifically required for class). We will also be learning to make our own B&W prints. I'm not sure of the benefits of Fx vs Dx though... was my earlier thoughts accurate about an FX (Full Frame) giving you a cleaner picture? I can't find much about it other than that the CMOS is almost double sized and that many Pro Photographers insist on it.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Since you seem to be taking this seriously, I would recommend FX. I use the Nikon D750.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/features/dx-vs-fx-its-not-debate-its-choice
http://www.lightstalking.com/cameras-sensor-size/
http://neilvn.com/tangents/full-frame-vs-crop-sensor-cameras-comparison-depth-of-field/

Rob Almeda Loc: Gaithersburg, Maryland

I have a D750 and it is good for low light Photography and some actions. You won't regret if you get the D750. It is a great camera and quality. As some have suggested, invest on lenses that has a 2.8.

Elsiss Loc: Bayside, NY, Boynton Beach, Fl.

Sandman, thank you for your service. These are very nice shots and in my opinion, your strength is in your composition. I use a Nikon d750 and I love it. Try to go to a store that has one so that you can hold it and check out its ergonomics. With large hands, such as yours, I believe this would be a good fit for you. I take lots of images of my grandkids( from 8 years old, down to 3 and 1 years ol.) Good luck with that! Have a lot of fun with whatever you choose. David Busch is another fine author of camera manuals that I find indispensable. You picked a great forum to learn from...Larry

Cykdelic Loc: Now outside of Chiraq & Santa Fe, NM

Check out snapsort:

http://snapsort.com/compare

...and dp:

https://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

You can buy refurbished or used from a reputable store such as B&H or KEH etc.

cjc2 Loc: Hellertown PA

Again, thank you for your service. At the moment, Nikon is selling the D500 for $ 200.00 off for a total of $ 1800.00. This camera, which does have the moveable display you are seeking, also has all the newest systems and is a DX version of their D5. As of something like the 20th (according to my dealer) there will be the additional incentive of a free grip, which adds $ 371.00 to the freebies. There is also a similar deal with a discount on a lens as well. If I were you, I would JUMP on this deal. I own a D500 and it's a fantastic camera. Best of luck.

orrie smith Loc: Kansas

The d750 is an excellent camera, but you mention that you like to take fast action photos. Check out the d500, 10 frames per second with a 200 raw image buffer. the d500, in my opinion, has a faster autofocus than the d750. it is dx as opposed to fx, but I do not think you lose anything by going to dx for the photos you like to take. the d500 is a professional quality camera and I own both the d750 and the d500 and have found no image quality differences in the two cameras.