After multiple suggestions from friends and readers in combination with the fact that today a friend joined us in our DSLR obsession with his own shiny new 30D and corresponding accessories, I was inspired to share my thoughts on the most effective ways to get started on your own fanatic DSLR journey. Being that my goal is to make the the “ultimate” guide, this post will be part one in a series of three. I’ll start out in part one by discussing what it takes to get started as an educated DSLR consumer, including shopping and research resources. In part two, I will discuss different equipment options broken down into three categories, corresponding to small, medium and large budgets. Part three will focus primarily on getting the shot, mentioning basic tried and true techniques as well as an outline of the best sites and blogs I frequently use for learning and reference.
Before jumping into it, I’d like to preface the whole deal with the statement that these are merely suggestions, and come from my own experiences becoming a DSLR-aholic. As much as I wish I was, (Canon, where you at?) I’m not being paid, endorsed, yadda yadda yadda for any of this. The choices I’ve made are the choices I feel I would or should have made if I was properly educated prior to jumping into photography. I’d also like to say that it is no coincidence it’s all Canon based. I happen to be a “Canon guy” only because its where I started based on suggestions from friends and it is the realm in which I can most effectively make suggestions. At this point I’ve used both Nikons and Canons, and though I definitely have no ill thoughts toward Nikon, my preference is generally with Canon products. Why? I think we should leave that one for a whole other post. All that said, lets get to the cameraporn…
Step 1: Getting Started
Before jumping into any major purchase, it’s always good practice to show some due diligence and research what you are about to buy. If you were about to get a new car, would you just run down to the local dealer and buy the first thing you see? No way, and if you would, you either have way too much money or you’re an idiot. I think of photography related purchases the same way. I like to know exactly what I need and exactly what I’m getting, to make sure I’m not wasting any hard-earned cash. With the wealth of information available online these days about all things camera, it’s pretty easy to find out everything you need to know. Here’s where to begin:
Decide how much you can afford to spend
Obviously the base requirements are a camera body, one lens and a memory card. If this is all you can afford at the beginning that’s fine. It is better to start off with the best camera you can afford and a decent lens than sacrificing the quality of the camera because you think you need a full kit from day one. There is nothing wrong with slowly building a kit around your camera and first lens, but regardless, when deciding how much you are willing to spend, keep in mind that the camera body itself is not all you are going to need to buy to set yourself up with a solid DSLR kit.
What do I need to build a respectable kit?
This being the most common question I get, I figured it would be valuable to share what I feel it takes to get fully set up. In my opinion and from my experiences, a respectable, well-rounded, beginner DSLR kit should ultimately contain the following items:
- Camera body - don’t scrimp, get the best one you can afford, it will pay off in spades later
- Memory card - most DSLRs do not come with a memory card, so its a necessary expenditure. Prices are constantly getting lower on these things. I prefer 4GB cards, and I wouldn’t recommend anything smaller than 2GB.
- Wide angle zoom lens - this will be your “goto” lens for most occasions. Keep in mind that the inexpensive 18-55mm kit lens that is bundled with most Canon DSLRs is no more than a glorified paperweight. If at all possible avoid this lens like the plague, and spend a bit more. It’s worth it, I promise.
- Flash - built in flash is acceptable, though not ideal
- Telephoto zoom lens - for most this is the second lens to buy, anything with a maximum of 200mm or above should be sufficient
- Bag - you just spent all this money on a camera, how are you gonna lug it around? I have 4 already and they all serve their own purpose, but one is enough to start.
- Tripod - the second accessory I purchased. Mandatory for night photography without a flash and much more.
- Lens tissues - don’t clean your lens with your shirt, please. These things are cheap, readily available and are safe on optical glass.
- Blower - nothing beats a decent blower for removing dust from lenses, filters and the camera’s sensor.
- UV filter - this is simply a clear piece of glass that screws into the front of your lens. It protects your expensive lenses from scratches, and dust. Replacing a scratched filter is cheap, replacing or repairing a scratched lens is not. Buy one for every lens you own.
Again, I must reiterate, this list is only guidance on what makes up a complete starter kit in my opinion. If you can’t afford all of these items from the get-go, don’t worry about it. Most people, including myself have slowly built up a decent kit over time. In addition, there are many other items you could and should own including lens hoods, a monopod, sensor swabs, polarizer filters, prime lenses, macro lenses and etc. However, these additional items are not as necessary to you at the beginning as the items on the list above. Now that you know what makes up a solid kit, its time for the fun part…research.
Step 2: Research, Research, Research
I call this the fun part, because this is where you get to dive into and see what’s out there, and where your mouth is going to start to water for all the hot gear you will eventually pine for. To me, there are three aspects to researching: getting real word-of-mouth information from friends, reading in-depth tests of prospective equipment, and shopping for the best price, which includes reading online customer reviews on shopping sites.
Talk to your Peeps
For me, the most valuable information available about photo equipment comes from friends and acquaintances who have actually used the equipment I’m looking to purchase. Most budding photographers are more than happy to discuss equipment choices and make recommendations based on their experiences. These opinions, though generally not technical like a web review, give you a good feel for what its actually like to own and shoot with a specific camera, lens or accessory. When you get opportunities to discuss equipment with people who own it, pay attention and ask specific questions. These word-of mouth reviews are worth their weight in gold.
Online Research
There are hundreds if not thousands of photography review websites and blogs you can find to learn more about specific pieces of gear. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time looking at these sites, and I find myself revisiting several because of their quality content and reliable reviews. Here are some of my favorite gear-centric sites:
- The Digital Picture
An early favorite of mine, this site has extensive, high-quality reviews of pretty much any canon products worth owning. Most reviews include test shots, iso chart comparisons, and excellently written opinions that really give an excellent picture of what its like to own and use the piece of equipment being reviewed. - Photo.net
An old-school favorite, photo.net has been around forever and is a very comprehensive resource on pretty much everything. It includes gear reviews, galleries, forums, interviews, and guidance content. - Dpreview.com
Digital Photography Review is probably the most comprehensive photography equipment review site on the internet, seriously. Recently acquired by amazon.com, Dpreview.com is an excellent source for photo news, equipment reviews, forums and more.
Shopping Resources
There are a huge number of photo shopping sites at your disposal. The three below are the best in my experience.
- B&H Photo
The undisputed king of online photography shopping, B&H is my primary source for photography equipment. B&H, in my opinion has the best customer service, fastest shipping and best reliability of any online photo store. These guys have been doing it for a long time and cater to professionals and hobbyists, so they know how to take care of their customers. Though the information and customer reviews are not the most comprehensive, B&H is simply the best place to shop for photo gear. I’ve never had a bad experience. - Amazon
Everybody knows Amazon because they sell everything. Generally I would recommend staying away from a megastore for purchasing camera gear, but Amazon does it pretty well. They have a huge number of customer reviews, which is a very valuable resource. It will be interesting to see how they integrate the newly purchased dpreview.com with their shopping process. - Adorama
Another big player in the online photo shopping world, Adorama stocks just about everything you could possibly want. I’ve purchased items from them several times, as well as sold them some used equipment. They do okay when it comes to service, but their customer service and shipping times are not at the level of B&H. I did have a somewhat negative experience with the used department, but only with the fact that the transaction took much longer than initially promised. In the end, i received what was promised, just a bit late.
I think that just about takes you through everything it takes to get educated as a DSLR consumer. Up next, Part 2: Getting Equipped, where i will recommend and analyze three different and well rounded kits to fit a wide range of budgets.
Be sure to check out - Part 2: Getting Equipped - Now Available
Nice introduction to getting a digital kit set up. However, I don’t think everything in your list is mandatory for most people. Here’s what I would add:
Camera Body — if I had to choose between putting money into a lens or a body, it would go into the lens 100% of the time. Except for features, the body basically just holds the lens. Most people keep their lenses for several iterations of their camera bodies. The biggest mistake someone new can make is to buy a $2000 body and put a $200 lens on it (except of course for the cheap 50mm I talk about below).
Memory Card — well, they are relatively cheap nowadays, so get whatever you can afford. But I have a 8.2MP digital SLR and shoot quite often. As long as I don’t shoot RAW, it’s not very often I push past 1 GB in a single shoot.
Wide angle zoom - this depends on what you’d like to shoot I guess. For most people, I think having a stable zoom lens is probably more important. In fact, if you actually want to become a good photographer, I would recommend most people start with the cheap 50mm f/1.8 lens and learn how to frame properly. It’s one of the best lenses out there, and should be in everyone’s kit anyways. I have a wide angle L series lens, and while I like it, it’s not really on my body that often.
Telephoto - again, depends on why you’re getting into photography. I think a standard zoom is enough for most people for the first little while. I started with the 28-135mm IS lens, and it was good enough for me.
Like I said, good coverage of most issues. I just wanted to share some of my insight into this, since I made the plunge about two years ago and have learned a lot since then.
Duane,
thanks for the great feedback! I agree with investing in nice lenses, but since very early after purchasing my 30d, which i love, i find myself pining for the 5d, and now the 1d mark III. I mean that comment mainly for Rebel level users who are borderline between that, and something like a 30d. If you can afford to get the 30d, get it. same goes for the next level of 30d to 5d.
As for memory cards, I always shoot RAW, which i recommend to anyone who has that capability.
Great point on the 50mm 1.8, great bang for buck and very true about learning framing, but for most beginners, something like a 17-85, 24-70, etc would be more versatile in my opinion, and make a new user happier.
Make sure to check out part 2, coming asap, where i will talk about different lens and camera options. One of my recommendation actually is the 28-135 lens
Again, thanks a lot for commenting and supporting cameraporn.net
Great article.. Just added to http://www.photographyvoter.com
YOooo Ryan….
Great info and guidance for the DSLR noob, thanks for posting.
Nice intro into the DSLR for newbies!
I am in the process of ordering a new Pentax K10D, although I was going to go with the kit, I stumbled upon your site, and now am confused as to which size lens to get.
I am newe to this, and decided upon the pentax, because there’s one button for auto everything, and every other button you have to learn, this will allow me to learn the different effects of using aperture, shutter speed, etc…
Since I can only afford one lens at the moment, whis???and does it have to be a Pentax or can I look at Sigma, etc…
Thanks in advance for your help.
Peter
Peter, though I am not very familiar with Pentax lens options, I would say you can go down one of two paths.
1. Get a versatile zoom
Something like a 17-85 or 24-70 or similar. This will allow you a decent amount of versatility to start, and in my opinion, for a newbie thats the best way to go if you want to begin to explore the world of DSLRs.
2. Get a Prime lens
As our new friend Duane Storey mentioned above, a prime lens, though less versatile will force you to become a better photographer by teaching you framing and requiring you to work with only one focal length. I’d suggest either a 35mm or a 50mm.
Again, I’m not familiar with Pentax lenses, but if you post a couple options you are looking at here, I’ll gladly take a look and see what works best.
Dear Sir,
I wish I had stumbled on this site earlier. I have a Nikon D70s with 18-70mm DX kit lens. I am thinking of adding another lens to it. I have shortlisted the Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 VR and 70-200mm f/2.8 G VR. I am confused whether to go for the versatility of 18-200mm VR or the professional grade 70-200mm f/2.8 Vr. Kindly help me remove the cobwebs.
I know you are not acquainted with Nikon equipments but you are far more experienced and knowledgeable than me as I started photography only about a year back and still to learn the basics leave alone a working knowledge of Photography.
Further, on tripods, I am thinking of buying a Monfrotto 055 PRO B with 488RC head. Kindly enlighten me.
As for the flashlight, I am thinking of Nikon SB800.
Thank you
Why Canon over Nikon? Please comment on D40x vs. Canon 350D.