Hi. Sully here.
Hi, 69 yr old (male) newbie here. I know little about photography, yet like most people, I’ve been snapping pictures all of my life. And today, everyone’s a photographer. So, I’d like to learn the right way. And then choose a suitable beginner camera. Been looking at a few kits on Amazon. Such as Canon Powershot sx60 or sx70 or a Sony A6000. Not looking for a DSLR, but maybe a mirror less (from what little research I’ done, this seems like a good fit for me). But cart before the horse here. I’m interested first in taking an online beginners photography class. So, reaching out here for suggestions as to a decent course. I don’t know if I can just find something on YouTube, or perhaps find a decent online cla$$. Any experience/suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks very much!
Sully57 wrote:
Hi, 69 yr old (male) newbie here. I know little about photography, yet like most people, I’ve been snapping pictures all of my life. And today, everyone’s a photographer. So, I’d like to learn the right way. And then choose a suitable beginner camera. Been looking at a few kits on Amazon. Such as Canon Powershot sx60 or sx70 or a Sony A6000. Not looking for a DSLR, but maybe a mirror less (from what little research I’ done, this seems like a good fit for me). But cart before the horse here. I’m interested first in taking an online beginners photography class. So, reaching out here for suggestions as to a decent course. I don’t know if I can just find something on YouTube, or perhaps find a decent online cla$$. Any experience/suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks very much!
Hi, 69 yr old (male) newbie here. I know little a... (
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Welcome Aboard. You tube is a great free resource. Look up Composition, Focusing, Use of Aperture, Shutter and Manual exposure. Ask questions and post pictures.
Sully57 wrote:
Hi, 69 yr old (male) newbie here. I know little about photography, yet like most people, I’ve been snapping pictures all of my life. And today, everyone’s a photographer. So, I’d like to learn the right way. And then choose a suitable beginner camera. Been looking at a few kits on Amazon. Such as Canon Powershot sx60 or sx70 or a Sony A6000. Not looking for a DSLR, but maybe a mirror less (from what little research I’ done, this seems like a good fit for me). But cart before the horse here. I’m interested first in taking an online beginners photography class. So, reaching out here for suggestions as to a decent course. I don’t know if I can just find something on YouTube, or perhaps find a decent online cla$$. Any experience/suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks very much!
Hi, 69 yr old (male) newbie here. I know little a... (
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Welcome,
I'm a newbie myself, but someone on here pointed me to this online free site:
https://digital-photography-school.com/ I'm still working my way through everything on there.
Welcome. Have fun. Lots of training on the net.
Welcome! Lynda.com has a variety of easy to digest classes, and there is a good chance that you can get them free through your library's website. If not, I believe you can get one month free on the Lynda site. There are also hundreds, if not thousands, of free videos on the internet, and some of them can be quite good, depending on your needs. The big photo retailer, B&H, has some excellent presentations (
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/videos/event). Another respected retailer, Adorama, also provides free tutorials. And, of course, you can learn a lot by checking this forum frequently and asking questions.
BTW, I highly recommend the Sony a6000. I bought one 4 or 5 years ago as a starter camera, and thousands of pictures later, it still is my primary camera. It's great for travel, hiking, or any other activity where you don't want to lug around heavy gear, but still be able to capture excellent photos. The body is inexpensive, so you can focus more of your budget dollars on obtaining quality lenses. I started shooting JPEGs on Auto for several months to become familiar with how the camera worked, then easily graduated to RAW and Manual. It's a fun camera to learn on (but be sure to buy a couple extra batteries). Good luck!
I suggest the introductory course from The Great Courses by Nat Geo photographer Joel Sartore. Very well done and their streaming works marvelously.
They have silly list prices for courses but always sales. Don’t pay more than $69 for it. Well worth that.
I’ve enjoyed all their photography courses and many more.
Sully57 wrote:
I’ve been snapping pictures all of my life. And today, everyone’s a photographer. So, I’d like to learn the right way.
Young whippersnapper... hope you haven't picked up too many bad habits over the years... can be a problem, but your attitude speaks volumes.
Sully57 wrote:
or a Sony A6000.
I picked up one about a month ago... 1/2 the size and 1/3 the cost of my Canon 7Dii, and I think a better camera. I'm super thrilled with it. It's been in production for about 5 years and is still going strong. Unless you're into real tekkie stuff, it may have too many features... pick the ones you want. I hardily recommend it.
Sully57 wrote:
I’m interested first in taking an online beginners photography class.
Once you pick up the a6000 you are doing everything right, IMHO.
Dik
I highly recommend the A6000. However, to get the most out of it and to give you the most versatility I would recommend getting the 18-105mm F4.0 G or the 18-135mm lens instead of the'kit 16-50mm.
For courses. I suggest Udemy
https://www.udemy.com. There is no monthly charge - just pay for the courses you buy. Sign up for notifications and watch for their frequent sales. Courses on sale are typically around $10.
I highly recommend the A6000. However, to get the most out of it and to give you the most versatility I would recommend getting the 18-105mm F4.0 G or the 18-135mm lens instead of the 'kit' 16-50mm. I started with the A6000. I have added the A7Rii and several expensive lenses, but the A6000 and 18-105 is still my favorite for walking around or travelling. Make sure to buy a good guide book like David Busch or Friedman.
For courses. I suggest Udemy
https://www.udemy.com. There is no monthly charge - just pay for the courses you buy. Sign up for notifications and watch for their frequent sales. Courses on sale are typically around $10.
repleo wrote:
I would recommend getting the 18-105mm F4.0 G or the 18-135mm lens instead of the'kit 16-50mm.
For the 18-135, is that the Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS APS-C E-mount Zoom Lens? If so, I'll put it on my shopping list.
Thanks, Dik
Dikdik wrote:
For the 18-135, is that the Sony 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS APS-C E-mount Zoom Lens? If so, I'll put it on my shopping list.
Thanks, Dik
Yes it is. The 18-105mm is a constant f4.0 which means that you can still get f4.0 at its longest reach whereas the 18-135 drops to 5.6 at some point during the zoom. The 18-105 should have slightly better IQ overall, but I think that is more than offset by the smaller size, lighter weight, and longer reach of the 18-135. Either of them would be a great choice to start your journey with.
repleo wrote:
Yes it is. The 18-105mm is a constant f4.0 which means that you can still get f4.0 at its longest reach whereas the 18-135 drops to 5.6 at some point during the zoom. The 18-105 should have slightly better IQ overall, but I think that is more than offset by the smaller size, lighter weight, and longer reach of the 18-135. Either of them would be a great choice to start your journey with.
Thanks for the information... reviews for the lens are great.
Dik
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