KNOWING THE HOWS ::: EQUIPMENT BUYING DECISION GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS

Eyeport

Know the HOWs in life saves us from many troubles. Sometimes we wish we have or haven’t done certain things resulting us wasting our money and the precious time, there’s also no exception in photography. We don’t want to do photography with a wront type of equipments in hands, or have the right ones but don’t know how to maximise their use. Learning photography is a long accumulating process and it takes months and years to master the technical theories, develop skills, purcahse equipments, collect key contacts and build up portfolios. The good news is although it may seem long and tedious but it’s also fun and rewarding.

Although I started to take photos with a point and shoot camera ever since I was a lot younger, it wasn’t until 2006 I started to learn about photography after I purcahsed my first ever DSLR. And it’s amazing I tell you. : )

Based on what I’ve gone through, I briefly summed up a “Equipment Buying Decision Guide for Beginners” and hope this will help you in your photography development path, if they are constructive at all.


So here they are:

1. Stick with Nikon or Canon. They simply have a larger second hand market which end up saving you money when you trade your equipments at some point in the future.

2. Decide on how far you think you may go in photography – stay as a hobbiest? grow to a semi-pro? or a full-time pro and make a living out of it? If unsure then go with the first one.

3. Next, decide on whether to go with Nikon or Canon. Feature-wise they are quite similar. Gnerally, Nikon is better at high ISO and focusing accuracy and Canon is better at skin tone based on my experience.

4. Get a low to mid end camera from either one of those two brands.

5. If you wanna go budget, then stay budget – get a 50mm F1.8 lens for a start because it will take you a long way.

6. Focus on learning PHOTOGRAPHY first such as composition, leveraging natural light etc. This also includes learning about your (or your friends) gears. As much as you want the nice gears, DON’T end up buying them unless you know why you need them and HOW you can best use them.

7. Don’t let equipments get in your way, if you have a set of basic lens, learn to master them well before upgrading to the pricy ones.

8. Again, don’t let equipments get in your way – if budget allows and you feel your equipments begin to hinder your growth, maybe an equipment upgrade is due.

9. If money is never an issue, I would suggest you get the best ones you can afford because it really saves your time and money. However, upgrading equipments from time to time is also sometimes what makes learning photography enjoyable.

Annabell-NG

thx for sharing this, very useful for people like me, wanting a camera for entry level, as a habby but don't want to waste money unnecessarily

Honeymeimei

Good good, thank you =]

Conax

u r being very funny. my longest reach is still 135 and it will remain at 135 for a long time. hahahaha...

400 is not enough, will need 2x400mm LOL
Eyeport 发表于 19/4/2011 12:28 AM

I know 400 is not enough, but I don't want to push you too far all in one go...you know..slowly...slowly...

Eyeport

i support u ah  bin bin..
nic706 发表于 2011-4-19 00:02

u support me me support u u support me me support u and it goes on like this...

Eyeport

教学贴不错不错～！！
jason-chen 发表于 2011-4-18 16:48

thanks. pls share some nice photos of urs with us. i see u taken photos for the girls...^^

Eyeport

So are you getting a 100-400mm, Eyeport?  
Conax 发表于 2011-4-19 00:16

u r being very funny. my longest reach is still 135 and it will remain at 135 for a long time. hahahaha...

400 is not enough, will need 2x400mm LOL

Eyeport

崇拜能写的人... ...顶你哦
对初学者很有用滴贴贴
.maomao. 发表于 2011-4-18 22:41

just some basic sharings. i m not very good in writing in fact. = =

Eyeport

COOL. 一口气学完  你的无敌兔让我心动啊
6a4ever 发表于 2011-4-18 19:54

haha...if u give me ur ipad2 i will consider let you play with my 5d2. haha

Eyeport

你又在办公室的电脑里开小差写东西了。给你加进那个固顶帖里吧写的不错。
nowflying 发表于 2011-4-18 19:12

hahaha.....i am normally very focused and productive in the office.
cheers bro : P

Conax

So are you getting a 100-400mm, Eyeport?  

[u]nic706

i support u ah  bin bin..

.maomao.

崇拜能写的人... ...顶你哦
对初学者很有用滴贴贴

6a4ever

COOL. 一口气学完  你的无敌兔让我心动啊

nowflying

你又在办公室的电脑里开小差写东西了。给你加进那个固顶帖里吧写的不错。

jason-chen

教学贴不错不错～！！

Conax

too long, won't read now, but support.