idont know if i have posted it in the right section but i have a few questions here.let me intro myself before asking them. i am a 15yo(still schooling) and i like taking photographs. it give me the satisfactory when i take good photos(in my opinion). i am using my w800i to take photos. i wanna get a cam which suits me. so here are my questions. should i just get a p&s cam or smth better than that. altough i may not know anything about those dslr cams but i know that they produce good pics. so would it be a good choice to get a basic dslr to start with(around 2k) and start learning the techniques and lenses and stuff. or should i just get a normal p&s. you guys may think:"why the hell would a kid wan a dslr when he doesnt know a thing bout it" when to answer that question i would say that i will/should be using that cam for next 5 years or longer and not planning to change if not necessary. taking photos is kinda like my hobby too. so all gurus out there please help me decide. what cam what model what price? don flame me if i posted anything wrong.cheers

if u r new in photography...
and very interested...i suggest start with dslr...
i would suggest d40...
=)

wondering if you go dslr, do you have the budget to keep purchasing new lens and accessories? Your hands will start to get itchy after some time u know...

thanks for your reply guys...whoa... after hearing what you say..i also wondered...the cam itself de price is ok...but ltr still nid buy lens again...hmm... dunno ler... was looking for smth more than a p&s but not as complex as a 10k dslr=,=' as i wont even know how to operate the damn thing...haha... so you know...start off with a basic dslr...learn from scratch...

if that's the case...
start off with bridge camera...
PnS with SLR capabilities...
such as nikon p5000, canon g7...
olympus has a lot of bridge cameras too...
take a look at them...

just buy a fuji pns, F31fd, good image quality, cheap, can slip in a pocket so you can bring it everywhere with you, never miss any opportunity.

dslr is bulky, you have to carry it on the shoulder, very inconvenient.

well, but if you're really interested in photography, its better you start investing now on a DSLR system & particularly good lens since it will last you a lifetime (the lens, that is). If unsure, go for PnS with DSLR capabilities like Xandman suggested... Even when u decide to migrate to DSLR that time, you can still keep your PnS due to it's compactness and convenience.

If you've decided on a DSLR, next step is choosing the brand... nikon, canon, olympus, fujifilm, sony, pentax, sigma, philips (just kidding..haha), and many others.. choosing the brand might also help you learn about DSLRs when you compare the brands pros & cons...

Do you have the budget to go for a secondhand Nikon d80? <-- high on my recommendation list as a Nikon User!

hmm....let me see...i see the d80 features looks very complex ler... i guess bridge camera like what xandaman was talking about was what i was looking for as a start... PnS with SLR capabilities...if you give me a d80 now i also dunno much about the functions... what do you guys think?

This post has been edited by orenzai: Jul 26 2007, 03:53 PM

bridge is better i think for u...since u r still schooling...and i assume limited cash....also u have lots of time to practice shooting before u move to pro level camera...=)

haha...was scouting around waiting for people to answer my questions... ill get it after my pmr...then see results... if good then i get to choose lor... my budget around 2k or below...is this olympus 550uz good? i see reviews from book say not bad...also..its around 1.9k for a 7.1mp lens

i started out on prosumer (Sony H5) thinking a DSLR was too complex... regret-ed that since i sold it off a year later for a huge drop in price... (u can say i lost about rm1k, because i spent quite some money on its extras and the whole set isn't too second-hand value friendly)

The thing with me being a DSLR user, i still leave my compact on auto mode (majority of the time) since there's not much settings i bother to change other than the occasional ISO & White Balance settings. I don't bother playing with Aperture at all, as long as the shutter speed is what i need for the occasion.

(this is coming from a person who hasn't touched bridge cameras before and using Aperture Priority on his DSLR)

anyway a suggestion, the k810i camera is great and so handy (and is an upgrade from your current hp camera)...

i see...so you are saying that guy bought a dslr but only used the basics... buying a bridge cam is not worth as the price drop fast? oh ya...and my n80 is on the way from sing...waiting for my fren to bring it over...k810i button too funny and uncomfy...

i agree...
u can save a bit if buying a bridge...but some bridge are more expensive than dslr...
but...if u get a dslr now...u can save more in the future...
assuming u dun get poisoned by lenses...=)

hm...i see that i think the camera range such as g7,lumix l1, olympus 550uz range is what i am looking for... so any recommendations of good cams of this range?

Canon Powershot S5 IS? The G7 is probably better but the S5 IS is a pretty good camera to learn some stuff before jumping onto the dslr bandwagon.

Then again, do you really need a bridge? Nikon D40 is going for RM2070 now and the kit lens (18-55mm) is actually pretty good.

True that you might get poisoned to buy other lens but theres also the risk of buying a bridge cam and getting poisoned 6 months down the road to get a dslr. Its all about self control aint it?

If you can control yourself not to buy new lens, then I think the 18-55mm will give you some great shots. The D40 is also really easy to use, compact (for a dslr) and produces great shots.

In the end, if you are still looking for a bridge cam, my preference will be Powershot S5 IS.

a dslr is MORE flexible than any bridge..
juz like zio said...
it's up to u n ur self control actually...
n yes i have to agree the 18-55mm kit lens is pretty good...for the d40...=)

hmm...i dont mind buying a dslr...but the problem is that i don even know what lens is for what... and the functions...unless you all gurus out there would teach me?haha...if i were to buy a dslr do i need to have a choice of lens or sticking with one will do?

To learn, you need only just one lens. Because you will then learn about shutter speed, apperture, composition, white balance (something I am really bad at) etc

There are tons of websites you can learn from (just check the stickied thread).

My advise: Get the D40 with the kit lens and slowly learn from there.

so you mean the 18-55mm lens comes with the cam and ill just stick with it? also...i went to all the websites liao...but they all teach quite intermediate de?can you show me a link to smth meant for pure beginner de...like intro to aperture...compostion...white balance...all those...thanks...

This post has been edited by orenzai: Jul 27 2007, 03:52 PM

Yup, 18-55mm comes with the lens and you can certainly use it for a lot of occassions.

You can try this link:
http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/enjoydslr/index.html

i see...how bout those macro lens and other...those are to enhance on that type of shots only is it?about the aperture all those things if i dont touch it will auto adjust for me is it? or need adjust manually?

Macro lens is for close-up shots (really close-up) but its for some purpose only. The 18-55mm can do macro to a certain extent. Worse come to worse, pay extra RM50 and get a +4D filter, but all these can wait until you learn the basics.

If you go Auto on your dslr, then everything adjust for you. Kinda wasting

If you go P mode, then you adjust ISO, white balance and the camera adjust aperture and shutter speed for you.

If you go Av mode, you adjust aperture, camera adjusts shutter speed.

If you go Tv(i believe) mode, you adjust shutter speed, camera adjust aperture.

If you go manual, you adjusts everything yourself.

i now reading through the website you gave me...was a great help for intro to dslr... now my hand gatal gatal wanna use dlsr cams liao

Have fun, but before buying the camera, read the reviews, get some user opinions.

But most important of all, go to the shop and try it out. Nothing beats a real "look, look, touch, touch, feel,feel" session

so you guys recommend me use which cheap and good de dslr le? d40 only ar?no other choice?

Haha im biased

Im a D40 user. I think there are some that will recommend the Canon 350D

yes...go with the d40...
the cheapest dslr for beginner...i m also using one...
juz to let u know how good is the kit lens...i used it almost 90% of the time during my travel...=)

photoxels
ken rockwell
photo school

hope u could get some idea of photography from these webs...
i started off with these webs too...=)

hmm...you guys have been really helpful here...thanks again...you all also no take any special photography courses de har? just learn from webs?oh ya...bout the cam...its rm2040right? what does it come with? will the price drop or it is stable edi?

you will find lower than that if you keep survey...
try foto selangor at pertama complex,they will give student price..last time I was quote for d40 RM2000 + 1GB + tripod + Bag...

good news= very pleased to hear that students get special price
bad news= i am in kuching

This post has been edited by orenzai: Jul 27 2007, 09:08 PM

OMG..sorry ,I dont know..
Maybe u can try this one :
http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=154761

komtar... not bad...my grandma stay there..so i go back every year end...oh ya...can anyone answer my question...will the price drop or already stable edi?thanks h_bib for the recommendations...

it will drop...
but not significant..
maybe arnd 50-100 bucks..
thats about it...
then...new model will come out!
=)

cant wait to get my hands on one...thanks for all the reply....

lemme welcome u in advance...
WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE!

so fast edi welcome...i can onl get cam after october(after pmr)...thats what i love about lyn... everybody pure msian style...haha...oh ya...i wan ask...if buy lens then will it be compatible with other cam? same model or others models also can use?

if nikon,most of the lense is compatible with nikon dslr body,even the old nikon one..

only work with nikon? so next time change new body edi still can use the lenses?

This post has been edited by orenzai: Jul 28 2007, 10:04 AM

most ppl would agree that prices will always drop for DSLR bodies, whereas good lens value lasts a lifetime...

Although i'm Nikon-biased too, i suggest you also consider the other offerings by Sony (Alpha), Canon, Pentax, Olympus where they have their different pros & cons too...

Nikon lenses can work with Canon bodies if you get adapters for it... (although it is a bad idea as read off somewhere).. but yes, a new Nikon body will definitely fit your Nikon lenses unless Nikon comes up with a Full Frame body in the future which would not fit Nikon DX lenses nicely... (but i think you don't have to worry about it... la...)

Then there's also Fujifilm bodies which uses the same F-mount as Nikon, so it's also usable on Fujifilm bodies, i.e, s5pro

thanks for your explanation there...since you call me see other brands...can recommend any model good?as far as i can see...only nikon d40 quite cheap... the sony alpha a100 is 2.7k O.o promotion period lagi...

no need see other brands d...
go nikon...join the dark side!
muahahahaha....

if you're looking at Nikon D40 due to its price, the CANON EOS 350D also somewhere there. You cant go wrong getting a NIKON or CANON. And I feel NIKON better come out with a full frame DSLR...! More competition amongst companies, cheaper prices................... hopefully...

hm...i dont even know the diff between 350D and d40...just get d40 lar...join the dark side...hahaha...

thats the way! =)...

i think the d40 is as cheap and good as it gets... great value for your money.. especially when you're starting up

but keep in mind the d40 does not have an internal focusing motor, which is terrible (to me at least). In fact, all my lenses in my siggy below would not have autofocus with the d40/x...only manual focusing. Unfortunately that means you can only go for Nikon lenses (not all though), and some Sigma lenses. I don't think Tamron & Tokina has any lenses that will autofocus on the d40...which is a drawback in a way, since they are cheaper third-party alternatives to nikon lenses

Anything without an AF-S in the link provided will not have autofocus http://forums.clubsnap.org/showpost.php?p=...245&postcount=4

happy deciding! The d40 works great regardless, and it fits teh great 18-200mm VR which alot of people seem to go for anyway... at the same time Xandman is using a d40 and a 50mm nikkor f/1.8, maybe he can give his opinion on having to manual focus with it...

This post has been edited by wlcling: Jul 28 2007, 08:49 PM

Go for D40 first..after SPM go for D80 or better...^^

no internal focusing motor means no AF lar? wah...then people who never use MF de people(me) will be crying lo...

AF-S lenses will have autofocus on the lens itself so you can still AF. Some lens like the 50mm lens has no AF on the lens so for D40, you got to go with D40.

You seen my shots of the toys in my photo thread. Those were done using MF (50mm). Its not that hard once you get the hang of it. Just practice

As for the kit lens (18-55mm), its an AF-S lens so you have AF, don't worry

Unless you really want to go for older lens or prime lens, most of the newer Nikon lenses are AF-S lenses. Its a bit pricier though

lolz...do you know the price of the 18-200mm VR lens ar? i see the focal range so wide...must be very useful... and what is VR?

18-200mm is quite expensive. Its about RM2k+ I believe.

VR stands for Vibration Reduction. It helps with shaky hands Its an anti-shake technology.

I think its a bit too expensive, so I am using 18-55mm, 55-200mm and 50mm. This means I got to change lenses a bit more frequently but I save a fair bit of money

manual focus is not a problem...with the help of focus indicator...=)...
its actually fun to manual focus once in a while...practice to keep ur hand really steady if shooting from minimum focus range...=)...

55-200mm de how mush le?50mm lens how to focus ar? no focal range de har?actually i like manual focus...so that you can focus on the object you wan...AF sometimes always focus wrong object very frustrating...

VR = vibration reduction... useful so that you can handhold while keeping images sharp... (or at least sharper than without VR) 18-200mm is useful so that you don't have to change lenses all the time... which is great that you don't miss out on shots, although it's not the best deal on image quality...

Strange that your AF focuses on the wrong objects...

55-200mm is about RM800++

edit: sorry, posted the wrong price earlier.

This post has been edited by zio: Jul 30 2007, 12:32 AM

Once you get used to an DSLR you will focus on the right subject coz cameres got different AF points to focus..

I recommend you to take Canon 400D use until you get very familiar at shooting than sell and get Nikon D80
Canon is cheap for your test runs and guinea pig hehe after good ady move to Darkside..
Than when very very Pro at Darkside move back to Canon MARK series

400d? its better than d40 har? price?

400D is from canon, D40x is from nikon, both DSLR entry level camera..same class i would say...

hm... but so many people recommend d40 ler... how is 400d in feature wise...

D40 and D40X is different ah..
400D is newer than D40..
Features are fine for entry level lar no need worry so much about features first learn to use its basic features and shoot good photos.

so just go for d40 first?

yes! =)...
we'll be waiting for ur arrivial...to the dark side!

D40 is in my opinion the best entry-level dslr. Once again, I am biased

guess what...i went to a shop just now ask the price of d40...and its 2488!! then he say no stock liao..coz d40x better with more reasonable price...so i ask how much is d40x...lagi worst...he said it was 2988...lolz...look at the difference between east and west msia...

d40-2488(east)-1990(west)
d40x-2988(east-2399(west)

have someone buy it and send it to you or move to WM, that's where the future of msia is

thats why lar..many people think like you thats why east msia so outdated

i see that guy from penang selling at 1990 is it reasonable?and since it will be big with the box and everything whats the postage?roughly..

Yikes, shipping might cost you a bomb. And you probably have to get insurance for it as well.

I've been to Kuching. Not that bad what, could do with a lil more development but I am sure that is coming soon. Already seen a few new shopping complexes in construction.

ya la...but still...this is just pure price slaughter...2488 is the price when the cam FIRST came out which is 599usd...and just coz they don wan to cut a lil profit we have to suffer...hmm...shipping cost a bomb ar?around how much? lolz...but no matter what..even if shipping plus insurance is up to rm150 i still save around 400...

That depends. Usually for expensive stuff, Ill pay the extra to ship with DHL or some courier service with insurance. Get the Penang dude to check the cost

just buy from him n courier oso wun cost u much....

come join the dark side...

i really cant wait to lay my hands on a d40 already but my mum tell me:" focus on your pmr first. the rest after pmr then talk" i wanna join dark side!!!

once poisoned...
it's hard to NOT think about it...
it juz took me 2 days after being poisoned for me to get the D40...=)...
being poisoned is bad in photography...especially when $$$ IS LIMITED...

---

Added on July 31, 2007, 5:47 pmhey bro...
i saw some interesting pics on ur frenster profile..
if only u have the d40 NOW...
we'd be able to c ur work sooner! =)


This post has been edited by xandman: Jul 31 2007, 05:47 PM

first time see somebdy compliment my pics... do see my blog...got quite a number of pics too...thats why lar...i now cant study edi...everyday think of d40... haven touch already poisoned...when got the d40 ltr poisoned by lens again..

Bro,
Focus on your study 1st,then ask u mother to buy a D80 for if u got straight A's..

so good no use lar... i dunno how to use also waste money...i don think parents can afford to buy also...