charlienow Loc: Hershey, PA

Welcome to retirement. I love retirement. Oh yes and welcome to the hog and the wonderful world of photography.

I first started using digital cameras early in the digital era…my brand choice was Nikon as it had been for film cameras. My first digital camera was a 2 megapixel coolpix 950. I bought a new digital camera every couple years increasing both pixels and zoom range. I then got into bridge cameras with 8 megapixels and a longer zoom. Bridge cameras look something like a dslr camera but the lens is not removable. I learned a lot about the functions of digital cameras. Several years ago we were planning a trip to Europe. I decided to take the plunge into dslr equipment. I have since added lenses. Sold that camera and a couple of lenses. Bought a higher level and more durable dslr and my favorite lens (18-300) Nikon zoom lens…I could go on and on about my equipment but I think I have said enough. You can get a good bridge camera with good megapixels and what is called a super zoom for around $1000…a camera such as the Nikon p1000 has it all. You can add a bigger flash which none of my bridge cameras we capable of. You can spend hundreds more on accessories such as memory cards, tripods, monopods, flashes, cases, and so on…

You will also need a way to post process the images after you have taken them. That is where you can make your images shine. There probably aren’t too many of us on here that use the images straight out of the camera (SOOC)…every image you take can be improved in post processing, but this is a conversation for another day.

Things are different that they were in the days of film where you burned a roll of film and took it to the local drug store and got what you got…you will need to study some. The more you study the better you photography will get. You can learn what makes a good exposure, what makes a good or great composition, how to overcome problems and so forth. You can learn a little every day or a lot. There are a lot of books out there on photography. Look for one for beginners…read you owners manual from cover to cover with the camera in hand. Buy a book on your camera from a good author. (Ask here when you get your camera for suggestions)

Since you are a newly retired individual I assume you are over 60. I don’t know what kind of shape you are in but as you age you will start to lose strength and stamina. You may not want to carry a heavy dslr and lens…that happens to us at different ages. I’m 73 and haven’t yet lost the ability to carry my gear, although for the last year and a half I haven’t really had my camera anyplace that would challenge me…we will see next year on our trip…

Anyway enjoy retirement and your new hobby

Chuck

RJI

If nature photography includes birds and other distant subjects as well as closeups of bees and flowers too, then your general purpose lens is more important than the camera brand. Personally, I shoot with a Sony a99ii because I crop a lot and a 28-300mm Tamron lens because it will work as a pseudo macro and has the reach, with the 42 MP sensor, for wildlife. That covers everything but the extreme macros and the the wildlife that requires a lens in the 400-600mm range.

lhardister Loc: Brownsville, TN

[quote=joer]As a complete neophyte, your budget is way too high for a starter camera Check out some used equipment from KEH or MPB for about $1000 or less and use it until you have an idea of what is it you like to shoot and what level of complexity you can handle.

DaveyDitzer Loc: Western PA

IF this were me, I'd first learn from all the free and low cost resources available and then budget some money for rentals - bodies and lenses to see what you really want. Buy the best; cry once. But and it's a big but - learn the trade offs. For example fast lenses, e.g., a 24-70 f2.8, are great but also heavy and expensive. Mine came and went. Lenses can last a lifetime with proper care. Camera bodies less so because of the march of technology. If you have a burning desire to start shooting stuff right away, use a phone or an inexpensive bridge or pocket camera while you are doing research on the "serious stuff". One of my first digital cameras is a Nikon P7800, a pocket size camera. I cost me $300 and I still have it and like it. It shoots RAW and jpeg and is capable of great photos with its small sensor - so no large prints, but an excellent tool while you are learning and deciding on the "serious stuff". Try to avoid purchasing too quickly (I failed here) and be very selective.

gsmith051 Loc: Fairfield Glade, TN

Welcome and I really like Ken Rockwell’s review of cameras. You can’t go wrong using him as a source.

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

Welcome to the Hog, enjoy.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

PhotogHobbyist Loc: Bradford, PA

The suggestion of a local camera club is appropriate so you can get personal opinions about various camera brands and very possibly handle a few different brands and models. Discussions about the cameras and handling them is quite important so you will get one that fits your hands, needs and abilities. Good luck and welcome to photography.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

I'm a retired mechanical guy so I tend to put things in that perspective. For example, I may enjoy doing an assortment of projects so I will need a drill (camera in your case). There are some things to consider such as cord or cordless, torque, variable speed, impact, etc., etc. Now, a drill is useless without bits (lens in your case) AND THAT is where "what is it that I want to do for today's project and what is it that I may want to do for future projects such as drill concrete, do milling or routing, again...etc., etc. and I end up spending far more money on drill bits and drill accessories than that of the drill itself.

Digital cameras are microprocessor and firmware driven. They are mostly electronic components with some mechanical mechanisms. They receive and process digital data that strikes the sensor. The lenses are the eyes of the camera and as such we are often far more limited by our lens at hand than the capability of the digital camera.

A long road to get here however I find the selection and investment in lenses to be far more important to the equation than the digital camera itself for those reasons.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

I would suggest the Sony RX10IV. I recently purchased one and love what it can do taking pictures. It is a camera you can use for people, landscapes, portraits, snapshots of the kids, close ups and so on.

Dennis

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

My suggestion is to first decide what you want to photograph. Then read some books on photography that cover:

> The properties of light (specularity/diffusion, angles, directions, ratios, contrast range, color temperature, etc.) and lighting techniques (using light modifiers such as umbrellas, soft boxes, various reflectors, scrims, gobos, flags, filters, bounce, flash, LED, etc.; controlling white balance or color balance, dealing with discontinuous spectra and power line flicker...)
> Revealing or hiding textures, choosing/using colors, using contrast, controlling shadow/edge acuteness...)
> Exposure and exposure control — using the variables of exposure time, aperture, ISO, focal length, and format size (the special effects of each variable on your images)
> Techniques for composition (spiral, pinwheel, golden triangle, rule of thirds, layer cake, letters of the alphabet, leading lines, converging lines, etc.)
> Developing your point of view, genre, style, and overall imaging passion.

If you understand these sorts of things, the equipment you need will be obvious. It's not the same for everyone. THERE IS NO PERFECT CAMERA THAT MEETS ALL NEEDS. There is only the camera kit that meets *your* needs. Don't fall prey to the, "It's gotta be this brand or model" background noise.

Above all, try before you buy. Some models look perfect on paper, but don't "feel" right in your hands or "work" right with your brain. Leave them be. Your camera should be an extension of your hands and thought processes. There are reputable rental houses scattered all over the Internet. A couple hundred bucks to rent what costs a few grand is well worth it if you intend to live with your system for a long time.

alexol

I'm horrified by many of the suggestions for the OP!

He's said he's brand new to photography, knows little about it, and we have people actually suggesting that he should go drop a grand on a tripod, and someone else suggesting a 200-500 lens for a total beginner.

How about some useful ideas on how best he could educate himself to determine what might best suit his (developing and therefore subject to change) interests & needs?

He said he's retired and interested in nature. Photographing aquariums? Lion safaris? Birds in flight? Macro images of flowers?

It's as if he said he was interested in transportation and people are suggesting he buy a car or a bicycle or a train.

Too much GAS all round...

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Precisely. It's like my friend, a marketer and Internet Web developer, heard from a company president back in 1995: "Son, we know we need a Website. What in hell is that?" He could have used that question as a license to steal!

DaveyDitzer Loc: Western PA

Alexol: That's why I suggested learning first and if shooting is a must, use a phone or inexpensive pocket camera while learning. I suggested a camera because OP can also try some free post processing software and add that to his education.

Moondoggie Loc: Southern California

You might like to try a few to see how they feel in your hands. Go to a camera store in your area. Welcome to the HOG. This is a great site for information and feedback as well. Remember, everyone has an opinion, good or bad. You need to decide for yourself. The trend is going to mirrorless cameras. If I was buying a new camera, I would look at them. I currently use a 9 year old Nikon, it works great for me. My son recently bought a New Sony A7iii that is terrific. He did a lot of research and this was the best camera he felt for his budget.

Good luck and take your time, no rush. The research is part of the fun too.