GCSE Kit Advice Please

Freester

Freester

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Mark
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My cousin's daughter has some talent with a P&S camera.

She has expressed an interest in taking GCSE photography as an option at school.

Her mum has asked me to recommend a camera for Xmas that will be of use to her for the GCSE.

I have NO idea of the syllabus at GCSE. Do they dabble in film? Is an SLR camera expected? Or can she get away with a Bridge camera?

Budget is limited. 250UKP - 300 at a push... Recommendations?

Thanks in advance

Mark F (aka Freester)
 
gcse will dabble in film, but will most likely have their own film cameras for this.

A kit lens entry level dslr would do her fine for gcse (maybe a 50mm 1.8 too to encourage more creativity?)
 
id go for something like a 350D/400D thats based on no knowledge of the GCSE stuff though.
 
Have a look on Ebay for an A200. You should be able to pick one up for about 200ish and if it comes with no lens, pair it with the 28mm F2.8 or the 50mm 1.7 which would be great for this use. You could also fit a D60 + kit lens (second hand!) into that budget.

Second hand is definitely your best option in this price range as although I got my A200, lens, bag and memory card for 270 in may, a whole load of new more expensive entry level cameras have cropped up which seem to be a lot more expensive. There's not a large amount between 200-300 pounds now :(
 
entry level slr secondhand with kit lens.

unless its a surprise take the child to a shop and show her the current models from each brand then buy the one before of that brand

If it was me I'd get a 450/400d with a 50/1.8 and kit lens and maybe an eos 650 or other cheapy film slr should just scrape the budget

birthday could be a flashgun and some triggers.......
 
david1701 said:
entry level slr secondhand with kit lens.

unless its a surprise take the child to a shop and show her the current models from each brand then buy the one before of that brand.
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:agree: let them pick the bodies up and see which feels best for them.
 
My daughter is doing GCSE Photography and there was no specific requirement for equipment, although it was suggested that the camera had a viewfinder rather than just a viewing screen. She started with a point and shoot, then inherited my Panasonic FZ-20 bridge and when that broke got an FZ-28 bridge.
I'm not sure my daughter knows much about the technical stuff, the GCSE seems to be more about the artistic side.
On visiting the sixth form college open evening, the photography lecturer told us that there was no requirement for any particular digital camera there either - he said a camera phone would do! But they would need a film SLR.
 
Thanks a lot for all of the responses. Some good advice. Keep it coming.

I guess I had no idea what the syllabus contained.

I am beginning to think spend less that £200 on say a Fuji S2000HD and some rechargable AA batteries.

She can have fun with the video also. If she shows promise she can borrow my EOS100 film camera, and most likely I will be upgrading my body so she can also borrow my 400D - both with the 1.8 nifty fifty. My cousin doesn't have a lot of money and there is always the chance the daughter will lose interest.
 
If she wants a film camera, i have an Nikon F70 with a 35-80mm AF lens she can have for free, well hit me with a tenner via paypal gift for shipping/packaging? I dont use it and its a shame to see it sit here unused if someone can actually benefit from it. Its not boxed or anything and hasnt been used for quite a while (a couple years) but i assume it works. Needs a battery.
 
Skyline On Fire said:
If she wants a film camera, i have an Nikon F70 with a 35-80mm AF lens she can have for free, well hit me with a tenner via paypal gift for shipping/packaging? I dont use it and its a shame to see it sit here unused if someone can actually benefit from it. Its not boxed or anything and hasnt been used for quite a while (a couple years) but i assume it works. Needs a battery.
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Wow that's a generous offer. I am sure someone on here will bite your arm off. Really not sure what the kit requirement is - she won't even start until September 2010 though when she can use my film equipment if she really needs some :)
 
Ah okay no worries :) I assumed it wasnt worth anything, and id much rather she used it for something.
 
I may get flamed for saying this but I'd reccomend a simple point and shoot and possibly an old film camera. Like you say it's quite a way off and she could lose interest.
As for the need to understand and be able to apply "technical" things like apertrure, ISO/ASA, shutter speed etc. Very few courses that I know of go into this kind of thing at all, apart from some HND's?
DSLR's aren't required at all but some people tend to justify buying one because of the fact they will be/are doing a photographic course. If a DSLR is required on any course then the establishment should provide them for the students to use.

Just my 0.02p. I'm doing Photography and although I have a DSLR I don't feel it has advanced me any more than people that don't have one. We do indeed look more at artistic approaches which slightly annoys me if I'm honest but that's for another thread.

A small tip is to make sure the course does what she wants before starting it. It's probably the most common "mistake" by people coming onto these courses.

Tom N.
 
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