Car photography

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luksnk

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Grzegorz
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Hi everyone,

I am new here. I am a beginner in photography and am interested in car shots. What budget camera and lens would you suggest buying? I would appreciate your help.
 
Phil V said:
Budget?
Car shows or what kind of racing?

Welcome to TP, and remember cameras don’t make photographs, photographers do.
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I do understand that cameras don't make photographs. I need a good setup that will let me edit photos. My iPhone isn't good enough :D.

Yes, car shows and static car shots.

Budget - I would say £600. Maybe a used camera?
 
luksnk said:
I do understand that cameras don't make photographs. I need a good setup that will let me edit photos. My iPhone isn't good enough :D.

Yes, car shows and static car shots.

Budget - I would say £600. Maybe a used camera?
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I think what Phil is asking is...

Are you taking pictures of static cars or ones zooming past you at 100 MPH? The answer could make a difference to the kit people suggest.

By the way... Welcome :D
 
£600 is a reasonable budget for a single camera and lens that'll take pictures of static cars better than an iphone, there’s literally hundreds of options (fairly simple subject).

Have you any idea what format you might want.

You can likely get a decent M43, APSC or full frame camera and standard zoom with that budget. I’d recommend mirrorless, which limits the options only slightly. But a mid range DSLR would do the job.
 
I would always tend to recommend Fuji, because I really like their cameras, and they're very tactile, with dials for all the settings. However, as a learner in all honesty it probably doesn't matter what make you go for, as it's probably best to start off in auto mode and then as you learn and get more confident you'll start to know what you need and want.

I don't know where you are, but if you can I'd suggest going to your local camera shop (London Camera Exchange or Wex are both very good) and telling them what you want to shoot. They'll be able to advise you, and you'll be able to have a play with some different options to find what suits you best.
 
Hello and have fun,

Car shots IMO are all about the colours, look at as many car shots as you can, hundreds, and see which colours and tonality strike you the most, the differences are subtle.

If there is one camera and lens combination that stands out for you or which you prefer, choose that one.
 
As a suggestion, I would try a Fuji X-T30 or possibly an X-T2. They have good automatic modes which you can start with as well as a full range of manual controls when you want to start tweaking the exposure. They aslo have built-in 'film simulations' which give different effects with colours straight out of the camera. These can be quite interesting and are very easy and convenient. As you progress you'll probably be more inclined to shoot RAW images and then process them in Lightroom or similar software.

One thing Fuji are not the market leaders in is fast autofocus. If you want to take images of cars at speed you're probably better off with a Sony A7 (i, ii or iii) if you can find one at a good price.

Lens wise, I'd suggest a 'kit' lens. Something with a moderate zoom facility to give the option of variation on the focal length. Say a 16-55mm or 20-60mm or similar.

As stated previously, there are countless options out there so the best thing is to go and have a look/play with some and make your own mind up.

Good luck with the search. Hopefully that in itself will be enjoyabe for you.
 
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luksnk said:
Not sure what format. I don’t have experience with any of them. Not sure about pros and cons.
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Your problem is that you literally couldn’t buy a camera that’ll fail to do what you want. You can’t possibly buy the wrong camera. But some may suit you more than others.

You really need to go and try out some different options if you can.

Trying not to sound flippant but…
Recommend me a car? I’ve only ever had a scooter, and I need it to get to work and stuff.
 
Phil V said:
Your problem is that you literally couldn’t buy a camera that’ll fail to do what you want. You can’t possibly buy the wrong camera. But some may suit you more than others.

You really need to go and try out some different options if you can.

Trying not to sound flippant but…
Recommend me a car? I’ve only ever had a scooter, and I need it to get to work and stuff.
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Got it. Personal preference will be crucial here.
 
luksnk said:
Got it. Personal preference will be crucial here.
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A small M43 camera will do the job, an old ff DSLR will give better IQ but will be bigger and heavier.

It ought to be said that mirrorless is the modern standard, but if you don’t care about that, there’s bargains in older DSLR’s, both APSC and full frame
 
Phil V said:
A small M43 camera will do the job, an old ff DSLR will give better IQ but will be bigger and heavier.

It ought to be said that mirrorless is the modern standard, but if you don’t care about that, there’s bargains in older DSLR’s, both APSC and full frame
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Can you name any of them? I was reading about the Sony A7, and Mark 3 seems to be the way to go. Unfortunately, even used one is £600-700.
 
luksnk said:
Can you name any of them? I was reading about the Sony A7, and Mark 3 seems to be the way to go. Unfortunately, even used one is £600-700.
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You can’t look at recentish FF gear with your budget. New cameras are expensive, however a used Canon 40d is less than £100 and is easy to use, and produces lovely files. You’ll get a decent 3rd party zoom too for a couple of hundred.

In your shoes though, I’d look at a used M43, which will be newer tech, mirrorless and small and light.

Sorry I can’t make recommendations because it’s something I’ve never used.

But if you put a post on the M43 thread, you will get loads of help.
 
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