My wife wants a dslr for Christmas. Loves taking pictures, and wants to learn manual controls and be able to edit. She finds it quite relaxing. Well, after some intensive research for a decent beginner dslr, I wound up with a Pentax k-50. My first searches were between the Canon t3i, and the Nikon d3200. However, after some really great positive reviews of the k30 and k50, I started looking towards them. Really hadnt even thought about Pentax, but the reviews were saying that they were very underrated, and for the features and picture quality, it was a no brainer. I found what I thought to be a really great deal on the k50, so I bought it. Hopefully she likes it, and grows into it. I know im pretty excited about it, and excited to learn more about photography, and how to edit and what-not. I love technology, so while its a gift for her, its a win for me too. :thumbsup: Next to get her another lens and some nice accessories. Looking forward to learning more!!
Bought my wife a camera for Christmas
- Thread starter JLB
- Start date
I have been using Photoshop Elements. Cost less than $100 and the version I have came with Adobe Bridge, which is a photo organizing software and RAW photo processor. I use bridge for 95% of my editing, things like adjusting exposure and cropping, changing white balance. I only use the Photoshop for merging exposures or more serious editing. It is a very good starting point in photo editing.
If she wants to learn manual controls, get her a leica :glassesgr
No offense or anything, but buying a dslr camera to shoot manual is such a waste of money. with current dslrs, you're mainly paying for the newest technology: how fast it can focus, light meter, video, etc. There hasn't been much advance in sensor technology. I actually believe some of the older DSLRs have better sensors.
Also I think the Ti and D3xxx have tutorials in how to use the camera's features which is great for new DSLR users. I'm not big on other brands of DSLRs other than Canon and Nikon, but than again I have no clues of other brands. I personally use Canons, that's what i started with no sense in switch to anything else.
For photoediting,
PC = Adobe Lightroom
Mac = Aperture or Light room
I use lightroom, I have a PC, and it's a must have tool for all photographers. They're pretty cheap.
No offense or anything, but buying a dslr camera to shoot manual is such a waste of money. with current dslrs, you're mainly paying for the newest technology: how fast it can focus, light meter, video, etc. There hasn't been much advance in sensor technology. I actually believe some of the older DSLRs have better sensors.
Also I think the Ti and D3xxx have tutorials in how to use the camera's features which is great for new DSLR users. I'm not big on other brands of DSLRs other than Canon and Nikon, but than again I have no clues of other brands. I personally use Canons, that's what i started with no sense in switch to anything else.
For photoediting,
PC = Adobe Lightroom
Mac = Aperture or Light room
I use lightroom, I have a PC, and it's a must have tool for all photographers. They're pretty cheap.
I hear ya. I knew nothing about Pentax either. But a bunch of photo sites and reviewers were very high on this camera. Got it from Adorama, with a class 10 card, bag, and a $200 gift certificate, for about the same price as just the cam on amazon.
-Jared
Honestly, I'd start out with Picasa. It's free and will give you a good understanding of the basics of photo editing. Then move on to Lightroom or Photoshop depending on how in-depth you want to get into. Photoshop is very powerful but also comes with a $700 price tag. Lightroom is what most photographers I know use on a regular basis and runs about $150 and will do 99% of what you need it to do unless you start working in layers, but there are plug-ins that you can pick up for a reasonable amount. Both Picasa and LR are non-destructive. They import a copy of the original photo and you do all your editing on that so you can have both an original and an edited copy of the same pictures. LR also lets you go back anywhere in the editing process and start over from that point or from the beginning if you choose to edit differently at a later date.
The best thing in the world she can do is learn to use the manual controls. She will have so much more control over the photos than she would just sticking the thing on auto and never changing it. It'll allow her to change depth of field via manual focusing & aperture settings, controlling blur effects with shutter speed and how different apertures affect the lighting of the picture. Shoot jpeg at first and as you get more familiar with editing software, switch over to RAW. Invest in good quality lenses as they are the things that do the most work in a camera aside from the sensor. Better to have an okay body with great lenses than a great body with okay lenses.
Oh yeah, and just like cigars, get a credit limit increase on your cards...you'll need it!
The best thing in the world she can do is learn to use the manual controls. She will have so much more control over the photos than she would just sticking the thing on auto and never changing it. It'll allow her to change depth of field via manual focusing & aperture settings, controlling blur effects with shutter speed and how different apertures affect the lighting of the picture. Shoot jpeg at first and as you get more familiar with editing software, switch over to RAW. Invest in good quality lenses as they are the things that do the most work in a camera aside from the sensor. Better to have an okay body with great lenses than a great body with okay lenses.
Oh yeah, and just like cigars, get a credit limit increase on your cards...you'll need it!
Awesome!!! Thank you sir for the advice. Sounds like Picasa is definitely where we should start. And that's what I've read with the lenses. It comes with a weather resistant 18-55 lens. So I know we'll be picking up another soon. And I can see that this is going to be another expensive hobby! But we'll start slow. Thanks for the recommendation.
And thanks everyone for the advice so far. Appreciate it!!
-Jared
Just searching around, I have never looked at Pentax stuff, but they look like they have an interesting lineup of lenses for when you outgrow the 18-55 (and you will outgrow the 18-55) . It's a good starter lens, but I really love getting down in the 2.2-2.8 range aperture and that really shallow depth of field. Getting a photo chubby just thinking about it. I gotta get out and take some pictures.
My pleasure. I'd also recommend the following lenses:
an 18-135 lens
a 24-70 F2.8 Constant (meaning the aperture doesn't change as you zoom in and out)
Later on, if she really get bitten by the shutter bug, a 70-200 F2.8 (save up for that one though...about $2,000)
Oh yeah, don't skimp on protective filters....get good ones (Tiffen's are great). When looking at Circular Polarizing Filters (CPL for short, for shooting on water or area's have a high amount of sun glare), there is a simple test to check the quality of what you are buying. Hold it up in front of a computer monitor and rotate the lens with the rotating ring. At some point it should completely block out the light from the monitor.
I have to disagree with it too. When using the auto settings, you are relying on the camera to make decisions based upon what it's programmed to do. It's been my experience that it more often than not, gets it wrong...especially when you start to edit your photos and bringing out details in the picture that the camera couldn't during it's processes. Sometimes you might want a slightly over-exposed picture to soften it up, especially when shooting portraits. You can't do that in auto mode.
I haven't bought any lenses in a couple years, been pretty happy with my lineup. EVP has some pretty good advice there on the lenses. Not sure about the 18-135, but the 24-70 and 70-200 are the way to go. (if you can afford it) Since you will already have the 18-55 covered you might look into a 75-300 type long zoom if you find you need it. Those are much cheaper starting out than jumping into the 2.8s
The difference between automatic and manual is the difference between a snapshot and a photograph. Also, I shoot professionally and have used picasa on quite a few occasions. Adobe (or similar editing software) is definitely useful and even necessary on some jobs, but picasa has done quite well on work that doesn't need all that much alteration or fine tuning.
Picasa will most definitely do the job for most people. But sometimes the editing bug bites hard and you find yourself wanting more flexibility and control. Happened to me. Now I find myself wanting plug-ins for LR.
I agree. And I highly recommend learning an advanced editing program as the usefulness is almost unlimited. Picasa is a good place to start and may help in getting one accustnmed to the editing environment, then on to bigger and better things. I always feel the more options one has, the better.
Adobe products are the bread and butter. For the cost you can't beat Elements. Lightroom is great and I've used it since beta before it was ever released, but it's not the same. It's as much as a cataloging tool as it is an editor. Don't get me wrong, it's worth every penny and I think Lightroom w/ Elements is ideal for your wife, but if you're going to start with one get either Elements or Lightroom. Why start with something else if eventually she'll want to move to better? Then she has to learn the way the new software works. Makes no sense, start with where she should be.
I'd recommend shooting RAW as well. You don't lose any data, only consideration is file size. Cost of working with high pixel cameras.
I've been shooting professionally for 15 years. If you have any questions feel free to PM me.
I'd recommend shooting RAW as well. You don't lose any data, only consideration is file size. Cost of working with high pixel cameras.
I've been shooting professionally for 15 years. If you have any questions feel free to PM me.