Beginner Camera choice Vs purpose of use? Advise please

Julie M

Julie M

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Julie
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I've been using a Lumix FZ48...for years!..and I've got some great photos from it, but it's not capable of capturing the photos I really want...so time to upgrade!
I've read up on entry level DSLR's and various lenses and I think I know what I will need but seeing as this is new to me, advise would be very appreciated.

Firstly...the main uses...The biggest majority of photos I take, is of my dogs. Mainly when we are out and about, so lots of activity shots, some still ones and a few landscape shots if we are somewhere really nice. Ideally I want a camera & lens that will enable me to capture that ''moment'' and at a reasonable distance...because it never happens when they are right by you! I do have Photoshop for any editing I wish to do and I like the majority of photos to be printed A4 size, occasionally A3 for the really good ones.

Secondly...budget!!! Under £1,000...the more under the better! Besides, anything too professional would be wasted with me, as long as it is capable of capturing clear shots of my dogs in motion, I'll be very happy!

So...I was considering that the Nikon D3300, which comes with a 18 - 55 lens, plus buying a Nikon 55-200 f/4.5 zoom lens.???

The other thing I'm not sure about is whether I should get VR or non VR ? There seems to be mixed opinions on this, so I'm totally unsure whether I would benefit from VR for my use or whether I'd be fine without it.
 
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Firstly are you really sure you want to lug a big camera and lens with you when you take the dog out? I wouldn't. Maybe just upgrade to a newer compact. What's the issue with the current camera?
 
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I've been using D3200 with 18-105 and other lenses for photography out with my dog (as well as other things) for the past 3-4 years. If you're willing to carry it then it's brilliant!
 
rjbell said:
Firstly are you really sure you want to lug a big camera and lens with you when you take the dog out? I wouldn't. Maybe just upgrade to a newer compact. What's the issue with the current camera?
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I don't think that the D3300 is much different on size to my Lumix FZ (which is a bridge, not compact), besides I always have a back pack stuffed with god knows what when I take the dogs out, so an extra lens to carry will not be a problem. Issue with the current camera is that you just can't get sharp photos when zooming in on those action shots.
 
Controversial suggestion perhaps but for slightly more than your budget (approx £1,100) you could get an Olympus E-M5 MkI which does 9 fps and the pro-grade Olympus 45-150 f/2.8 zoom. Total weight of this setup is 425g + 760g = 1.185kg.

Junior park run event shot with the E-M1 and the Olympus 45-150 f/2.8 zoom: https://www.flickr.com/photos/151407326@N05/albums/72157681289111006
 
Eloise said:
The improved AF will certainly be an advantage...
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But if I wanted a telephoto lens too, then this would go over budget...and I definitely couldn't do that, in fact under budget would be more feasible for me!
Had a look around that website though and found this...Nikon D5500 DSLR Camera with AF-S NIKKOR 18-55mm VR II & AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200mm VR II Twin Lens kit £664 (not able to post links yet)
Seems to have more plus features than the D3300 plus it comes with the 2 lens types I was considering....and I rather like the price!
Would this be a good choice for what I'm going to use it for? No point in me buying something more expensive when something cheaper will give me what I need.
 
Panasonic FZ1000 or FZ2000

You like Lumix so stick with them, one of the best bridge cameras around, does everything you need and isn't weighty, it is big though like a DSLR, failing that the TZ100 is the compact version of the FZ2000
One thing to bare in mind the FZ2000 and TZ100 both have Post Focus and 4k picture Grab, great for capturing that moment as you say. They also have the FZ300/330 which is a small Fz1000 my dad has that but its only 12meg pixal which maybe enough for you, but has the same features.

The other idea is go with Panasonics cameras like the GX80 GX8 etc same features

Most of the above have Inbody stabilisation

If you want a DSLR Interchangeable lens then D7200 or the new D5600
 
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As a minimum, you want at least six frames per second, preferably more, and good autofocus (I photograph dogs almost every day). MPB have a Canon 7D for £279 and a 70-200 IS f4 for £554, which would be a great combination for dogs in action and is under budget. MPB are very reliable and give a warranty as well. IS/VR won't be useful when photographing running dogs as your shutter speed will be high (minimum of 1/800, preferably 1/1000), but when you come to take portraits and are using a low shutter speed it would come into its own.
 
As to VR, I would say yes...

If you don't need it then you can turn it off... But you can't turn it on if needs be if you haven't got it!
 
littleted said:
Panasonic FZ1000 or FZ2000

You like Lumix so stick with them, one of the best bridge cameras around, does everything you need and isn't weighty, it is big though like a DSLR, failing that the TZ100 is the compact version of the FZ2000
One thing to bare in mind the FZ2000 and TZ100 both have Post Focus and 4k picture Grab, great for capturing that moment as you say. They also have the FZ300/330 which is a small Fz1000 my dad has that but its only 12meg pixal which maybe enough for you, but has the same features.
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Thank you!...I think I will seriously consider another Lumix, it's what I'm familiar with and find easy to use. Would have to be the bridge type as I prefer the feel of a more chunky camera, just not sure whether to go for the 1000 or 2000. The 4K picture grab is tempting but from what I've read, it only captures at 8 megapixel so not sure that this is good for my printing sizes, or justifies the huge difference in price. The one thing that I'm not tempted by is it's touch screen, as I know for sure that I'll end up putting a thumb on it and risk changing settings as I'm shooting!...So I think the 1000 may be a good option for me but I'll have a good think about it some more, just to make sure!
 
maarten.dhaese said:
Controversial suggestion perhaps but for slightly more than your budget (approx £1,100) you could get an Olympus E-M5 MkI which does 9 fps and the pro-grade Olympus 45-150 f/2.8 zoom. Total weight of this setup is 425g + 760g = 1.185kg.

Junior park run event shot with the E-M1 and the Olympus 45-150 f/2.8 zoom: https://www.flickr.com/photos/151407326@N05/albums/72157681289111006
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I loved my EM5 but focus tracking of moving things on the EM5 Mk1 is woeful compared to the EM1
 
just check Julie not too sure if the FZ1000 does post focus, thinks its only FZ2000
Touchscreen can be disabled and only comes on the FZ2000

8meg is the limit I'm afraid for 4k screen grabbing, hence why Panasonic are going to release 6k cameras which ups the anti to 19mb.

The Sony is I think the current best bridge but the price reflects that
http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-sony-cyber-shot-rx10-iii-digital-camera/p1595182

I,ll be honest and say for 500 for the FZ1000 is a good deal and although it may not have post focus or touchscreen its a cracking camera... FZ2000 just gives the best of what Panasonic have at present.

There is also this

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-...x80-digital-camera-with-12-32mm-lens/p1595527

Doesn't have the zoom, but you can buy extra lens for it...
 
MadWoman said:
As a minimum, you want at least six frames per second, preferably more, and good autofocus (I photograph dogs almost every day). MPB have a Canon 7D for £279 and a 70-200 IS f4 for £554, which would be a great combination for dogs in action and is under budget. MPB are very reliable and give a warranty as well. IS/VR won't be useful when photographing running dogs as your shutter speed will be high (minimum of 1/800, preferably 1/1000), but when you come to take portraits and are using a low shutter speed it would come into its own.
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Agree. Good advice and great spot at MPB (y)

Running dogs is one of the most technically difficult subjects for the AF functions of both camera and lens. It needs a lot of skill and practise from behind the camera too ;)
 
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littleted said:
just check Julie not too sure if the FZ1000 does post focus, thinks its only FZ2000
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The FZ1000 doesn't have the post focus, which is a feature that I find rather tempting after reading up on it BUT what I can't find out is...after each shoot (as in one lot of burst mode), would I need to review & post focus that group of photos before doing another shoot? or can you just fire away as much as you want and then post focus everything when you get back home? If it's the former, than it's no good for me, I don't want to spend time faffing about editing stuff when walking the dogs, I just prefer to shoot away, as much as I want, then deal with sorting when I get home!
 
HoppyUK said:
Running dogs is one of the most technically difficult subjects for the AF functions of both camera and lens. It needs a lot of skill and practise from behind the camera too ;)
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Oh, plenty of practice as I take my camera out every day with the dogs but I think it's more luck than skill with me! My dogs are all small one's, so most of the time I'm squatted, holding the camera just inches off the ground, I can't see anything in the view finder/screen! I just aim, burst away and hope for the best, thankfully practice has made my aim quite good and I get some great photos...but there certainly isn't any skill involved :wacky:
 
Julie M said:
Oh, plenty of practice as I take my camera out every day with the dogs but I think it's more luck than skill with me! My dogs are all small one's, so most of the time I'm squatted, holding the camera just inches off the ground, I can't see anything in the view finder/screen! I just aim, burst away and hope for the best, thankfully practice has made my aim quite good and I get some great photos...but there certainly isn't any skill involved :wacky:
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Then Lie down and use the VF.
 
Julie M said:
The FZ1000 doesn't have the post focus, which is a feature that I find rather tempting after reading up on it BUT what I can't find out is...after each shoot (as in one lot of burst mode), would I need to review & post focus that group of photos before doing another shoot? or can you just fire away as much as you want and then post focus everything when you get back home? If it's the former, than it's no good for me, I don't want to spend time faffing about editing stuff when walking the dogs, I just prefer to shoot away, as much as I want, then deal with sorting when I get home!
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Julie just tested it for you..

you have 4 settings
4K Burst
4K burst S/S
4k Pre Burst
4k Off

4k Burst does just that its rapid fire shots as long as you hold down the shutter
S/S is same but you start it with 1 click it kinda videos the thing then you click again to stop it, however when you play it back you go frame by frame
Pre is as you'd think, it kinda starts before you want it to so captures things then you press to stop it, weird one

But FYI yes you can then go back when your at home and scroll through the lot and pull your shots out...
 
MadWoman said:
As a minimum, you want at least six frames per second, preferably more, and good autofocus (I photograph dogs almost every day). MPB have a Canon 7D for £279 and a 70-200 IS f4 for £554, which would be a great combination for dogs in action and is under budget. MPB are very reliable and give a warranty as well. IS/VR won't be useful when photographing running dogs as your shutter speed will be high (minimum of 1/800, preferably 1/1000), but when you come to take portraits and are using a low shutter speed it would come into its own.
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I agree with others above that this is an excellent suggestion. I also like the fact that with this option the lens is more expensive than the body - less budget would be spent on the faster depreciating asset!

juggler said:
I loved my EM5 but focus tracking of moving things on the EM5 Mk1 is woeful compared to the EM1
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Good point. I suggested the E-M5 to stay within budget but mainly because it would enable Julie to afford the Olympus 45-150 f/2.8, which would give a 90-300mm Field Of View and a fast-focusing lens that lets in lots of light.

So here's an alternative m4/3 suggestion: Olympus E-M1 + Panasonic 45-150mm F/4.0-5.6 OIS. If you shop around you might be able to get this for £500 - £550 all in. It would give you decent AF tracking (although not on a par with Canon/Nikon apparently), 9 to 10 fps, and a decently sharp lens with a 90-300mm Field Of View. Also, the E-M1 has a tilt screen that would enable you to crouch down, hold the camera close to the ground, see what you're focusing on and fire away, so there would be no need to lie down yourself. Camera and lens would weigh in at 700g, less than the FZ1000 and less than the weight of the Canon 7D body alone.

In fact I'm going to try this setup when I bring my kids to the junior park run on Sunday to see to what extent it can hold its own against the Olympus 45-150 f/2.8, which is what I usually bring.
 
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Julie M said:
:ty: ...really appreciated.
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FYI I got some terminology wrong.
the 4k Photo is what I said you can grab what you want etc.

The Pre Focus is another feature, which enables you to take a picture and after you've taken it choose the focus point, really funky if you missed the dog and focused on a tree, you just click the dog and walla its in focus....

Good Luck...
 
It's worth noting that there is a world of difference between focusing on a static subject, and focus-tracking a moving subject accurately. To put it bluntly, this is where DSLRs shine, and mirrorless cameras struggle. The key difference is that DSLRs use 'phase-detect' AF, and mirrorless use 'contrast-detect' AF.

Before all the mirrorless fans get upset, yes it is true that some of the latest mirrorless models are much better at this than they used to be, notably those with hybrid 'on-sensor phase-detect' AF systems but they're still not on-par with the best DSLRs.

Just a word of caution really. If it's running dogs etc, be sure to check reviews for this.
 
HoppyUK said:
Before all the mirrorless fans get upset, yes it is true that some of the latest mirrorless models are much better at this than they used to be, notably those with hybrid 'on-sensor phase-detect' AF systems but they're still not on-par with the best DSLRs.

Just a word of caution really. If it's running dogs etc, be sure to check reviews for this.
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And that's why you can't generalise. When saying this is better than that it's much better to be specific especially when spending on kit with a more specialist or challenging use in mind.
 
woof woof said:
And that's why you can't generalise. When saying this is better than that it's much better to be specific especially when spending on kit with a more specialist or challenging use in mind.
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If I could have been specific, I would have been, but TBH I'm not sure there is single mirrorless camera currently available that can track running dogs reliably - fast towards the camera, often in less than ideal conditions - with the kind of hit rate you'd get with the Canon 7D and 70-200/4 L combo suggested earlier. The technology is moving fast (!) but is not there yet. On the other hand, I could name several dozen quality mirrorless cameras that wouldn't stand a chance.

I may be mistaken, and I'd actually be pleased if I was, but I'm yet to be convinced. It'll come soon though, and that's why I suggested checking reviews on this point.
 
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In all these debates about the relative advantages and disadvantages of mirrorless vs DSLRs it's important not to forget the SLTs, Sony's A-mount system, a hybrid of DSLR and mirrorless technology using what you might call a half-mirror, a pellicle mirror which doesn't move. That gives DSLR type phase based fast AF along with an EVF and continuous uninterrupted live view whatever else the camera is up to, including videoing or high speed burst shooting. For some the SLTs solve the problems of choosing between mirrorless and DSLR by combining the advantages of both, for others it's a horrid hybrid technology which combines the disadvantages of both.

Current camera bodies in production are the A58, A68, A77ii, A99ii.
 
HoppyUK said:
Canon 7D and 70-200/4 L combo suggested earlier.
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Honestly, if I had that budget and I was wanting to photograph dogs, that's the exact combo I'd buy without hesitation. I used to use those together a lot and my canine hit rate jumped enormously. In my opinion, a used original 7D is probably the best 'budget' dog cam you can buy.

(Plus they tend to survive better than most of the other options when a speeding dog jumps on you and the camera goes flying. ;) )
 
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