Originally posted by: Krioni
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Originally posted by: Krioni
I've only had this stuff for a few weeks, but I can tell you that I have learned A LOT more using this manual lens than I have using my two auto-focus lens. And frankly, I've had more fun using it.
You're a perfect example of what a beginner should do. Buy a cheap used body and buy some quality lenses to learn on.
Thanks. I would certainly recommend to anyone to save some of their budget for "stuff" to go along with their new camera.
What I think are good purchases:
-An extra lens or two, especially a prime lens to play with
-Lens cleaning stuff
-A good case
-Memory and Reader
-A tripod (I still don't have one of these)
-Last, but not least, editing software (elements, lightroom, or similar)
Extra lenses = absolutely. That's the point of buying an SLR: you can change the lenses. Good rule of thumb: spend more money on glass than your body(ies).
Lens cleaning stuff isn't necessary, IMO. Specks of dust on your lens won't affect image quality unless you coat your lens in sand. I just use my breath and a t-shirt or tissue, because the optical glass and metal-oxide coating are very scratch-resistant.
I would get sensor-cleaning stuff, however. Sensor dust starts showing up in your images at f/8, and is a problem at f/11 if you have a lot of it. Sadly at f/16 and smaller, there will be dust spots somewhere in the image, because it's impossibly to keep the sensor perfectly clean forever. Landscape, studio, and macro photographers need to worry about it, but sports photogs not so much.
A good case is essential, IMO. Something that gets you quick access to your camera, but still lets you carry a couple lenses and smaller accessories. If you have an SLR, then travel places to take photos, but protect your equipment during transport.
A reader isn't terribly necessary, IMO. I always just plug my D50 straight into my computer. Transferring RAW files doesn't take too long.
There are only two times I've ever used a reader:
First, I used the SD card slot in my laptop during a headshots shoot this weekend, though. It was nice to let the subject pick the photos for me; saved me lots of time in post-processing. I think they were also more relaxed during shooting, knowing that they would pick the final photo.
Second, at the college newspaper, all the editing workstations have card readers so photogs can come in from shooting one game, swap out cards and batteries, then hand the cameras off to the next game's photogs. We use the cameras pretty hard; the only good reason that the editors gave to me for switching to Canon is that the aperture is electronically controlled, as opposed to the mechanical pin-coupled aperture on the Nikons which keeps breaking (when 1 of 2 D2H bodies is out of commission, that's a $400 problem).
Tripod = essential. So many reasons I could list, but it comes down to this: the camera doesn't move during or between exposures.
Editing software = recommended. It's one thing to know how to take pictures, but the next challenge after that is developing them in the darkroom.
I would add to that list a flashgun. If you are serious about photography (even serious amateur), then you should be serious about illumination. Nikonians should get an SB-600 (SB-400 can't do adequate bounce flash), and Canon users should get a 430EX.
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