lwhitehall Loc: St. Louis

With as quick and the models change and new features are added (almost as fast as computers were changing a few years back), I feel that there is no such thing as a camera for the rest of my life. The only rest of the life thing here is the lenses, which that is the expensive part, in other words, if you have a bunch of Canon EF lenses, get bodies to fit.

mikenolan Loc: Lincoln Nebraska

It's been nearly a year since I bought my Canon T6i, and if I had to do it again, I'd probably buy the same camera today. FWIW, the camera itself represents perhaps a third of what I've spent in the last year.

In a few years, I might be ready for a better camera, and I'm sure the cameras that will be available then will be better than the T6i. With all that I've learned about digital cameras in the past year, the only feature I don't have that I might utilize is the 'beep on focus achieved' feature that some higher-end cameras have.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

The Kodak DP2 lab software developers would tell us, privately, that the senior managers were more interested in status quo than having a future. Kodak practically invented much of the technology behind digital imaging, then let it slip away.

Like a live frog in a pan of water, warming to boil on the stove, they waited too late to decide to jump.

jamesl Loc: Pennsylvania

When you first start out, I don't think that you realistically have enough experience or knowledge to know exactly what will ultimately to be the one camera that you want to shoot with for life.

fotoman150

You won't keep it for life. It will become obsolete and the shutter will wear out. Eventually you will have to buy a new one.

Selene03

I haven't read all the posts yet, but I agree with this. I found it much easier to produce the photos I wanted with a full frame camera (the Nikon D600) than I did with the D5100. No matter how much I tried, I could not get the framing right with the D5100 or get the quality of image I wanted. It seemed like everything worked the way I wanted to the minute I took the D600 out of the box. I didn't have fancy lenses for either camera, just the kit lens that came with the body. I know there is a sense that one should start with a cheaper crop sensor camera or maybe a mirrorless, but it did not help me at all. In fact, the difficulty of getting good images from the D5100 almost made me decide it wasn't worth it to pursue photography much further. The one caveat I would add to this is that I did have a lot of experience with film cameras before I turned to digital so I might have had a better idea of what I wanted than most new users. I would agree that the same is true with tripods.

I do see the argument of not spending a lot of money on the tools for a new hobby before you find out if it is really something to pursue, but I think many forget that one of the big advantages of more expensive full frame cameras is that they make photography much easier than it is with the crop bodies. The D600 is still a great camera, as is the Canon 6D. The D750 is an amazing camera for the price. None of these would be compromises.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Typical. Film camera experience can hold one back, especially if you expect the same results with the same focal length lenses used for full frame 35mm.

I'm on Micro 4/3 now, but have used everything from half frame 35mm to 4x5 and full frame 70mm long roll. You have to choose lens focal lengths based on angle of view/field of view for each different format. Aperture for the same depth of field, best lens performance, and diffraction avoidance changes with format and focal length, too.

crazydaddio Loc: Toronto Ontario Canada

Wife wanted a DSLR. I got one. She never used it. I got hooked and now shoot weddings and events. Progression from entry level to mostly professional grade equipment.

Get an entry level, low cost refurb. Play with it. If you get hooked on photography....then buy the best you afford as next... per AK Grandpa feedback

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

You can learn simpler gear easier.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

I disagree. Most DSLRs have an "Auto" mode that is darned easy, no thinking.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

How would a newbie even know? Most never heard of most of the huge selection of cameras out there. There are a lot of different formats let alone different brands and models. I have had and have a few different formats in film, 35mm, 6x7cm, 4x5". I still don't have one that I really would love to have, a Relleiflex TLR 120 (6x6cm) camera! For Digital, cost wise I can only think about APS-C and FF. But that is me, I already have brand preferences. A newbie should have the world to choose from but it is a learning experience. And why spend the money for a D810, D5, or 5D mk iv, if you end up loosing interest after a year or two. You probably learn more using a simple manual camera. That is the way I learned, hand held meter and all.

BebuLamar

I disagree the green "AUTO" mode is the most difficult to use.

zoomphoto Loc: Seattle, WA USA

This posting has been helpful.
I have been dating for a long time and wondered if I should settle down with one of them for the long haul, but then again a new one always seems to appear with new and different attributes.
Choices-choices-choices

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Exactly! I could not figure out what the person you were replying to was talking about. Example, as you know a 50mm lens on a FF gives about the same perspective or angle of view as a 35mm on a APS-C. And to get a 35mm look on a APS-C one needs a 24mm lens. One needs to know each format. For example anyone else on the Hog want you venture what a 210mm lens is often used for on a 4x5" camera? What is a "normal" lens for a 6x7cm camera? You need to learn and know the lenses for your systems, not endlessly "translate". Unfortunately 35mm evolved into several types of digital cameras.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Auto is not learning!