Advice for a newbie please!

[planetgong]

Hi people

I have decided to give photography a go, as I need a hobby and it looks fun!

I am currently saving up for a camera - a digital SLR probably. What would people recommend? Also does anyone want to explain(or provide me with a link) all the technical stuff. I don't really understand about different lenses and all the settings on a camera, but I am willing to learn!!

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

BEn.

[noah]

we're actually in the middle of writing a kind of faq for digicams at the min, so watch this space.

for now here's a chat we had about lenses a little while ago, should have some stuff in there for you

http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t=60828

[shiato storm]

give the nikon d50, canon 350D and olympus E330 a look...

[da_ging]

olympus E330 a look...

have you seen the price of that thing! it's nearly as expensive as the 30D!!!!

[shiato storm]

is it? no, surely not...where have you been looking?

[da_ging]

30d £999 bo, e330 £799 bo and 20d £750 bo all at warehouseexpress compared to a d50 at £340

[planetgong]

I have seen a D50 with a 28-100mm lens for £405. Would this be a good starter camera and lens? I have read the discussion that was linked to, but think I need some practical experience to really know what is going on!!

[hoodmeister]

for the same sort of money you can get the D50 with the 18-55mm lens, which is a much better lens. Wider, but not as telescopic.

[da_ging]

the 28-100mm lens is supposed to be totally pants tho, you'd be better off with the 18-55 kit lens or spending the extra £100ish and getting the 18-70 lens but id defo avoid the 28-100

[hoodmeister]

To be quite honest I don't see a whole lot of point in the 18-70, not since Nikon released the 18-55.
I've used both, and can say that I much prefer the 18-55. There is less distortion at the wide end, and image quality is much the same. What really gets me about the 18-70 is the way it bunches up at the telescopic end. It's far too sensitive at the wide end, and takes loads of movement at the telescopic to get any sort of difference. The 18-55 is smooth all the way through.
I'd save the money from getting the 18-55 and, if you decide you need // want it, spend it on a decent telezoom.

[noah]

well... the opinions on the 18-55 are mixed from what i read, i certainly wouldn't swap my 18-70 for it even if it is smaller.

the only person i can find who loves it is ken 'i hate anything not nikon' rockwell who i think is very experienced but a little mad. he talks about the bunching of the zoom at the short end, yet as a wide angle fanatic i've never found this a problem. i think you'd have to have muppet hands for this to be a real world issue. the man rates the new 17-55 f2.8 the last choice in this range! it is according to everyone i speak to that has used it simply amazing (should be for a grand!).

you're also only saving £20odd (WE prices) for a potentially useful portrait range. the 18-55 also has a plastic mount, the extra money is worth spending jsut for the longer lasting metal mount.

[Nick F]

I got myself the Nikon D50 about 1 month ago and it's fantastic. Does everything you will ever need and give you a great understanding of photography. It also lets you do lots of advance stuff. I posted a thread on here about my choice a good month ago.

http://forums.hexus.net/showthread.php?t=65042

[planetgong]

Ok great, thanks for all the help guys.