Hi, sort of a newbie here. Have not used a camera since my old Film AE-1, in the 80's. And for some reason was looking at DSLR's and got the bug to get one. This post was going to be one where I ask about a good starting camera. But a few days ago, she brought home a Nikon D7200, with "kit lenses". So I have been reading and refreshing my memory (which is foggy at best) on all things photographic, lol. Any adivce or pointers for this new camera would be welcome....lol
Thanks and Howdy
Welcome to the forum.
(My AE-1 is in the curio cabinet.....)
sroter
Loc: Montreal,Quebec. Canada
Hi there, I started with a Canon AE-1, as well. I learned a lot, I used it on 'Auto' to meter the scene, noting the setting, then modified the setting to my taste. For a light weight camera I would look at the Canon G 10.
I like the Nikon D7100, replaced now by the Nikon 7500.
Getting back into photography is fun. I am starting to recognize the shortcomings of my "kit" lenses (Canon), especially the zoom lenses, but I'm using inexpensive adapters to allow the use of older prime lenses from various manufacturers. You can find old lenses on eBay and adapters on many photography retail sites including Amazon.
Welcome and don't forget to have fun! The best thing about digital is that once the equipment is in your hands.. the shooting is FREE!
Some thoughts:
1) Don't get all caught up in G.A.S (gear acquisition syndrome). The D7200 is a VERY capable camera, and the "kit lenses" should not be looked down upon until you have actually found what your shooting style is (landscapes, macro, BIF, etc) and when you find that the lenses SEVERELY hamper your success.
2) One of the hardest parts of having digital "immediate feedback" is that most want to blame the equipment. So much has to be learned and practiced. This is not a hobby where one stops learning
3) Learning. Steve Perry, Steve Perry, Steve Perry. YouTube is your friend.
4) Learn how to read and analyze your EXIF data. That will allow you to try different camera settings, modes, and exposures on similar subjects to find the sweet spots for your style of shooting.
5) Ugly Hedgehog. There are some here who are very blunt (read snarky) in their critiques etc. My suggestion, is if they don't post links to their work, their opinions are just that opinions. Find some experienced posters here, find whose work you admire, and learn from them.
6) Did I say have fun? Some days are frustrating. Don't worry about the perfect keepers every day.... just keep practicing and getting better..... you will and you will really enjoy that D7200!!
Welcome.
I would have said stick to Canon but the Nikon 7200 is a great camera.
What part of Kentucky? I am from Barlow in Ballard County but now a retired teacher in Southern California (at least I am still in the South, right
)
robertjerl wrote:
Welcome.
I would have said stick to Canon but the Nikon 7200 is a great camera.
What part of Kentucky? I am from Barlow in Ballard County but now a retired teacher in Southern California (at least I am still in the South, right
)
Georgetown, a few mins north of Lexington
Speed that kills wrote:
Georgetown, a few mins north of Lexington
One a them Eastern furriners huh?
A few years back the wife and I considered the Lexington area as a place to move but we are just too settled here. Plus she is California born and bred, the times we vacationed (and honeymooned in the 70s) back home she was sort of lost. Esp when she couldn't find the stuff she needed to cook the Mexican food she learned from her mother and grandmothers.
sroter wrote:
Hi there, I started with a Canon AE-1, as well. I learned a lot, I used it on 'Auto' to meter the scene, noting the setting, then modified the setting to my taste. For a light weight camera I would look at the Canon G 10.
I like the Nikon D7100, replaced now by the Nikon 7500.
The G10 is a nice little camera but, the OP already has a D7200. The D7500 wasn't really a replacement for the D7200, it's more a blending of the D500 and the D7200.
I too started out with an AE-1 and still have it. I shot an A-1 for years before going digital.
Speed that kills wrote:
Hi, sort of a newbie here. Have not used a camera since my old Film AE-1, in the 80's. And for some reason was looking at DSLR's and got the bug to get one. This post was going to be one where I ask about a good starting camera. But a few days ago, she brought home a Nikon D7200, with "kit lenses". So I have been reading and refreshing my memory (which is foggy at best) on all things photographic, lol. Any adivce or pointers for this new camera would be welcome....lol
Thanks and Howdy
Hi, sort of a newbie here. Have not used a camera... (
show quote)
Hello, welcome to the UHH. I also still have my AE-1, and my AT-1 and my AE-1P and my A-1, the camera I shot with until going digital around 19 years ago. Although I have mostly Canon cameras, I also own a couple Nikon's, their two top crop frame DSLR'S, The D500 and the D7200.
I don't know which kit lenses you got but my Nikkor kit lenses are pretty good lenses. My D500 came with a Nikkor 16-80 lens. I save almost half the cost of the lens by buying as a kit. My D7200 came with a Nikkor 24-120 for less than half what the lens retails for. They also tossed in a Nikkor 70-300 for an additional $225. I don't know a whole lot about Nikkor lenses but apparently there's several versions of the 70-300. The one I have appears to retail for around $550 so I guess I got a good deal on the kit.
Additional lenses I acquired for my Nikon bodies include a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, a Nikkor 200-500 f/5.6 and a Sigma 150-600 Contemporary.
I suggest you purchase a couple few good books on digital photography and specifically on the D7200. There are a few really good books on just the D7200. A pro photographer and author named Scott Kelby wrote a series of books called The Digital Photography Book. They are easy and fun to read and very, very informative.
Best of luck with your D7200; it's a really good camera and if you learn how to use it, there's little to no limit what you can do with it, photographically that is.
Welcome. Have fun. The D7200 is a great camera.
Glad you got back into photography and Welcome to the Hog!
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