The perfect camera for under £100 for the amateur photographer

camerajamie

camerajamie

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What are the essential features a budget camera would need to have for an amateur photographer?
 
A shutter button and some means of recording the light that fell on the sensing medium.
 
TheBigYin said:
right down to basics - a Pinhole Camera.
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Wot! surely a Camera Obscura

But seriously @camerajamie you need to at least say what the budget is and whether you are talking of a 35mm film body or digital???

Furthermore, have you let the person try your 5Dmk2.......and if so how did they get on......to give you an indication of what they think ?
 
For less than £100 I could buy a canon 40d or similar and either the std zoom that came with it or a 50mm 1.8.

I’m fairly sure there’ll be equivalent from most manufacturers that were around 15 years ago. And I’d buy the 40d over a xxxd every time
 
Just to add that the perfect camera simply doesn't and can't exist, let alone for under £100.
 
Guys, the OP did not state their budget ;)
 
The OP is a student apparently trying to gauge the criteria for a cheap basic camera that would get people enthusiastic about photography using such a camera rather than their phone - I think he's angling for film-related ideas. Mine would be to look at the recent production of half-frame disposables by someone (can't remember who).
 
lindsay said:
The OP is a student apparently trying to gauge the criteria for a cheap basic camera that would get people enthusiastic about photography using such a camera rather than their phone - I think he's angling for film-related ideas. Mine would be to look at the recent production of half-frame disposables by someone (can't remember who).
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He does ask a lot of questions. I wish he'd put his cards on the table.
 
lindsay said:
The OP is a student apparently trying to gauge the criteria for a cheap basic camera that would get people enthusiastic about photography using such a camera rather than their phone - I think he's angling for film-related ideas. Mine would be to look at the recent production of half-frame disposables by someone (can't remember who).
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I think, obviously, that times have changed.......

My initial joy was getting the b&w tiny prints back from the chemist shop.

Later it was my brother & I setting up a darkroom in the bathroom and seeing the prints developing before my eyes :)

In regard to kit, my first proper camera was an Exa 1a with waist level finder. My brother could afford the Exa 5 with it's built in pentaprism.

So, in regard to the OP I think without some context the question is akin to asking someone "how long is a piece of string"........that ( of course) depends on what you propose to use the string for!

In summary, to place the reliance on the choice of camera to inspire and encourage a lifelong interest in photography is IMO nonsensical..,...... equipment alone is not enough. It is merely the tool to fulfill the desire....... = the best camera is the one that you have in your hand

Furthermore, if as @lindsay says the £100 is to gather a film camera kit because that is the budgetry limit.....what about developing & printing costs and the delay before you see your the results of your creative efforts???
 
Plain Nev said:
He does ask a lot of questions. I wish he'd put his cards on the table.
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I think it’s that time of year! There’ll probably be another along soon.
 
camerajamie said:
What are the essential features a budget camera would need to have for an amateur photographer?
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A hand holding it.

I keep saying it: the best camera in the world is the camera you're holding when the picture is in front of you.
 
A Pentax Spotmatic, get a nice one for under £30.

Of course a lens with it may help a bit, as with any other interchangeable lens camera suggestion.

I guess that will be the OPs next question, "what lens" :)


I wonder what the OPs reasoning was buying a Cannon 5d mark ii ? I would have thought that would have answered most of the points asked!
 
Sangoma said:
I wonder what the OPs reasoning was buying a Cannon 5d mark ii ? I would have thought that would have answered most of the points asked!
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He has bought a camera but prefers the output of his phone cos he hasn’t learned to use it. Like many newbies he thought the camera took the picture. The most common misconception in photography.

since he posted his questions, something in the answers has led to the penny dropping, which is why he’s disappeared to have a think.
 
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Phil V said:
since he posted his questions, something in the answers has led to the penny dropping, which is why he’s disappeared to have a think.
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We can but hope...



of course, the cynics amongst the group are perhaps are thinking "well, maybe he's realised we're not going to do his homework for him here" - but i'd like to think its you that's correct Phil.
 
TheBigYin said:
We can but hope...



of course, the cynics amongst the group are perhaps are thinking "well, maybe he's realised we're not going to do his homework for him here" - but i'd like to think its you that's correct Phil.
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I honestly believe he’s been enjoying phone photography, done a little research and bought a proper camera and can’t understand why he instantly isn’t getting better images. This used to be a common first post but that seam has diminished recently.

Leading to questions about why phones aren’t better cameras, how can we make cameras easy to use and what’s the simplest (cheapest) usable camera.

All the answers come down to the same thing all of us already know. Cameras don’t take pictures, photographers do.
 
Phil V said:
Leading to questions about why phones aren’t better cameras, how can we make cameras easy to use and what’s the simplest (cheapest) usable camera.

All the answers come down to the same thing all of us already know. Cameras don’t take pictures, photographers do.
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I remember advertising my Fuji Finepix S602 pro zoom for sale on the notice board at work. A very capable technical guy was interested so I gave him the camera to try out. He brought it back the next day saying it was "too complicated." I was a bit stunned as to me it was just a matter of sticking it in aperture or manual, dialling in the settings and getting on with it. I was surprised that such a technical and capable guy couldn't work a camera but in his defence I suppose he was too young to have grown up with them.

Another, a family member and part time paid photographer asked me how I'd "done" a particular picture, it was just a bokeh ball picture of a Christmas tree. Talking to them it became obvious that they had no idea about depth of field or bokeh balls.

Just goes to show that people have different interests in their lives and what seems obvious to some (like sticking the camera in aperture or manual) are unfamiliar and even unfathomable things to others. How many times do newbies ask about exposure triangles? I suppose it can be all a bit daunting.
 
Phil V said:
I honestly believe he’s been enjoying phone photography, done a little research and bought a proper camera and can’t understand why he instantly isn’t getting better images. This used to be a common first post but that seam has diminished recently.

Leading to questions about why phones aren’t better cameras, how can we make cameras easy to use and what’s the simplest (cheapest) usable camera.

All the answers come down to the same thing all of us already know. Cameras don’t take pictures, photographers do.
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It’s also interesting that cameras going from entry level through enthusiast to professional, seem to lose a number of preset modes (sport, portrait, landscape etc) that start off as being useful for beginners, but aren‘t really used by those with more knowledge and experience who want instead to have more control over the camera’s functions.
 
TheBigYin said:
We can but hope...



of course, the cynics amongst the group are perhaps are thinking "well, maybe he's realised we're not going to do his homework for him here" - but i'd like to think its you that's correct Phil.
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Hope he realises he has to include the forum in his citations :)
 
D40;)

Advanced CCD sensor which takes realistic film-like pictures
High resolution display
Easy to understand menu system
All the best beginner-friendly scene modes
Special dynamic range teaches you to manage exposure extra fast
Can be made to beep so the person you are taking a picture of knows it is in focus
Weighs less than a most mirrorless cameras
Adjustable ISO to increase or decrease noise to your taste
Can fit 116 000 pictures on a £5 memory card
 
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Phil V said:
I honestly believe he’s been enjoying phone photography, done a little research and bought a proper camera and can’t understand why he instantly isn’t getting better images. This used to be a common first post but that seam has diminished recently.
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I understand that it takes many years to master photography and your equipment. That doesn't mean that I cant start somewhere and improve. When I first picked up my camera I took some pretty average photos ( as I expected) but over the past year or so I have improved.
 
camerajamie said:
I understand that it takes many years to master photography and your equipment. That doesn't mean that I cant start somewhere and improve. When I first picked up my camera I took some pretty average photos ( as I expected) but over the past year or so I have improved.
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All I'll say Jamie is that it's a common courtesy to at least give us a bit to go on rather than firing off questions all over the place. I'm sure many people here, myself included, weren't sure what you were after.
 
camerajamie said:
I understand that it takes many years to master photography and your equipment. That doesn't mean that I cant start somewhere and improve. When I first picked up my camera I took some pretty average photos ( as I expected) but over the past year or so I have improved.
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You'll not find any criticism in my posts ;)

What I did was try to ascertain your motive for asking a bunch of odd but vaguely related questions, because you didn't offer any clues.

I'm guessing that my assumption was bang on. And again, it's not even close to being a judgement, photography is hard.

And I'll give you a further nugget. I will bet my entire gear collection that you have learnt more in your first year than I did in my first, with a fully manual camera and no immediate feedback, no online support and just a very basic technique book.

So there's no need to be defensive, I hope that you have garnered some knowledge from the answers to your questions, and I hope that you'll hang around to move further forward still.
 
camerajamie said:
I understand that it takes many years to master photography and your equipment.
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BTW - nowadays it doesn't necessarily take many years, I was once mates with a guy who turned over tens of thousands from a photography business within a couple of years of picking up a camera for the first time. He was however very driven. I wouldn't suggest he was the norm, but as per my post above, it's more than possible to understand the technicalities within the first year in the internet age.
 
The answer to any "What's the best...?" type question should always be to ask another question, or series of questions.

Which should really be some variation of: To do what?

Followed by: What problem are you trying to solve? What are you trying to achieve that you can't achieve now? Are you prepared to put in the effort to learn?

If you don't understand how to use a camera, maybe the the 'best' camera would be one that only operates in full manual mode. That way it would force you into learning how it works. The impact of shutter speed versus aperture versus ISO. You learn how the tool works, then you understand how to solve any issues on the spot.

OR you could argue that modern cameras are so good, you could buy one, leave it on full auto and concentrate on composition and framing. My issue with this way of thinking is that you don't (I don't) always understand what to do when you're not getting the results you want. It's a bit like playing Guitar Heroes and believing it means you can play the guitar.
 
Canon 450d. It’s got the basics. Not the best image quality, but you might find a decent copy on eBay with the basic 18-55mm lens for £100 or so. You’d probably find yourself wanting to upgrade the lens pretty fast to get more control over depth of field if you’re just starting out, but I took some long exposures with that camera and lens that I’m still chuffed with to this day. If you’re looking for a more modern digital camera, then you’d need to extend that budget by 4 to 6 times the amount
 
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