Advice on camera needed

[Tommy G]

Hi folks!

I need to get a camera that allows me to make some "professional" quality pictures. I'm planning to get a Canon, I just don't know which one yet. If you own a good camera and/or if you are an experienced photographer, I need your help.

Imagine you have to take some photos of cannabis plants to feature in a book. Macros, with HPS on, indoor grows, outdoor, guerilla, hash pictures, etc...

Which Canon would you get for less than 600 euros/700 dolars?

Any special lens?

Thanks!

.

 

[Hazeseeker]

I just bought a new Canon cam at the end of last year man (Canon EOS 450D SLR), really good camera, i'm still learning with it tho,
alot of the times these cam's come with the standard 18-55mm lens which is ok but not awesome, this is the lens i got with mine,
probably the best thing to do is try and buy a cheap (ish) camera body then pick up a really nice lens, it's all about the lenses bro

peace

 

[luaith]

if your looking for a great point and shoot go with the canon g-10..about 500 dollars..i use a canon g-9...pretty freakin sweet cam..

if your looking for a dslr...well i dont know..

 

[DoobieDuck]

Hi folks!
IImagine you have to take some photos of cannabis plants to feature in a book. Macros, with HPS on, indoor grows, outdoor, guerilla, hash pictures, etc...

Psyco..these ^^ boys are on the right track. I suggest, if you're going to do a book, you'll need a camera capable of very high resolution images, the most pixels you can afford is my suggestion. You'll need good lighting, not under HPS. A good tripod, and as Hazeseeker said, a good lens. If you want to do macros you'll need a macro lens as well. Welcome to cannabis photography..get out your walllet! Many photographers, thier advice, technics, and reviews, can be found at Fredmiranda.com..I look there for information regularly. I'm looking forward to your images...DD

 

[Tommy G]

Thanks!

You've all been helpful so far. IT happens that, as you may have noticed, I have zero experience in photography, at least with reflex cams.

Seems to me that an EOS 450D with some EF-60mm Macro lens would be perfect. It gets a bit more expensive than I was expecting (some 700 euros/800 dolars, at least) but I'll think about it. Maybe I'll buy the camera first and a couple of months later I'll buy the lens.

I'll also check that Fredmiranda site that doobieduck suggested.

Thanks again... and if someone has something else to say... please do it.

.

 

[neongreen]

That canon and 60mm sound like a good choice to me, but I would advise a good tripod/head too, and ideally a focusing rail (or 2) - it can get expensive, but if you want consistently good photos...

A set of extension tubes is a must too if you want extreme macros of trichs.

Unless you can take the plants (or parts of them) outside, lighting can be a problem, unless you do not mind the yellow look of the HPS. Since HPS lacks in blue light, trying to correct it back to daylight balance and keep it looking natural is going to be a problem. You may want to consider buying a pair of flashes + diffusers/reflectors so that you can have more naturally color balanced light.

You don't necessarily need an expensive new macro lens, look into "reversing" a normal-wide lens using an adapter. Works best with older manual aperture control lenses, and you are not restricted to canon lenses since you use the filter thread at the front of the lens to mount it on the camera via a lens "reversing ring" (try goggling that phrase).

Make sure you get a tripod that's flexible, and can get down low - don't cheap out and by a no-name brand/flimsy or mini tripod. Check out some of the gitzo aluminum tripods for a good compromise between cost/quality.

 

[trueblu8]

Canon's are good.

 

[GHETTO_grower]

canons seem to have a slight advantage with different lenses and macro modes, as well as user interface seems to be easier to figure out , however if you wanted some thing really well rounded I'd go with the nikon,
another thought as well is bang for buck and I think canon wins that right now with thier cheaped out models of thier rebel (wich I heard break easily)
For my many uses of a camera I go with Nikon usualy but if there was a deal to sway em otherwise I'd totaly go with canon. the last deciding factor between the cameras I'm deciding in is the quality of video they take and megapixels .........hope this helps ......

 

[SmokeyPufmaster]

Moved to Tokers Den.

 

[sirgrassalot]

I'm still using my 2002 prosumer canon g2 paid good bucks for it back than. I have 3 lenses for it & a external EX speed flash as it has a hot shoe - a must for indoor shots. I also have some filters I use. I researched them @

http://www.steves-digicams.com/hardware_reviews.html

I saw Gretzky's wife photographed with one in her hand at the time too. The g1 actually took a better auto shoot but the g2 had more bells & whistles. They must be absolutely amazing these days. It's uses a sony ccd so when you buy something it could be a little of anyone.

 

[Mc__Nugget]

canons are regarded as consumer grade, most professional photographers choose Nikon. They have a greater range lenses available, and in my opinion (after owning both canon and nikon DSLRs) is that nikon is just generally better. Better built, easier to use, and more reliable. They also dont carry as much of a markup as i think canons do. look into a d50, they arent that much and will do the job for you. Also, if you are just taking closeups, and general pics of grows, a 50mm-80mm should be fine for ya, actually way easier than a telephoto where you have to be pretty far back and sometimes use a tripod.

my 2c

 

[neongreen]

canons are regarded as consumer grade, most professional photographers choose Nikon.

Not true.

Professionals use whatever does the job they need to do. There are pros and cons to both brands, but both offer good selections of "pro-grade" (if there is such a thing) gear.

 

[Stoner4Life]

stick with Nikon, Cannon, Olympus.......

stay away from any kind of cameras made
by non camera companies such as HP & others

 

[sirgrassalot]

Not true.

Professionals use whatever does the job they need to do. There are pros and cons to both brands, but both offer good selections of "pro-grade" (if there is such a thing) gear.

Correct "prosumer"

What is a 'prosumer' camera?

"Prosumer" is a word often used about cameras (or other gear) that is targeted for sale to people on the border line between being consumers and professional users.

Examples include the Canon EOS 10D / 300D digital SLR cameras (and Nikon 's D70/D100 etc): these are cameras that are priced for consumers (or at least for very interested hobbyists) and yet could easily be used professionally due to high quality / large number of features / expandability and so on.

World wide words writes:

[A prosumer is] a purchaser of technical equipment who wants to obtain goods of a better quality than consumer items, but can’t afford professional items (older terms for goods of this intermediate quality are semi-professional and industrial quality). Here, the word is a blend of professional and consumer. Prosumers of this sort are famed for their enthusiasm for new products and their tolerance of flaws and, from the marketing point of view, have much in common with early adopters. This usage is common among those selling video equipment, digital cameras, and similar goods [...]

 

[Dr Dog]

S4L has got it right

when you get to the high end cameras, they are all pretty much the same, you just need to buy from one of the actual camera makers.

dont worry about a macro lens right now, you can get pretty close with an 18-55 standard lens mine came with

I use a Nikon D 60

 

[Greenburrow]

I have a Nikon D90 and love it. Camera body is about $900 U.S. Also, for a couple to few hundred dollars less, you can get the D40, D50, etc...

I agree with Hazeseeker. Whatever brand you end up getting, if it's an SLR (advisable due to veratility of lenses), try to get the best lenses you can buy. There are definitely some good third party lenses out there, but your best bet is usually to buy lenses made by the camera manufacturer. I have lenses from Nikon, Tamron, and Sigma, and I'm satisfied with all of them, but when I need a lens with the best clarity and definition, I use my Nikons. They're more expensive but they're worth it.

I've heard others say that they'd rather have a crap body with great glass than a mega-expensive camera body with crap glass. You'll get better results with the better lenses.

Both Canon and Nikon are excellent brands. Go out to stores and pick them up, try them out, see how they fit your hands. You'll be happy with whatever you end up getting.