Thinking of getting into photography...

[Einholt]

Hello guys, I am considering buying an SLR 35mm camera, IE one with old style film for several reasons, the first being the cost of a digital SLR before I really know if it is something I will get into and because old cameras are kind of appealing to me (not in an "oooo film is better than digital" way)

So can anyone recommend a good place to buy a second hand camera and can you recommend any makes or models, what lense/s should get to start with?

Also what about film processing, does it need to be done at home in your own dark room or are there any good company's that do it, either online or on the high street?
And is there anyway to convert pictures to a digital format flawlessly?
How is scanning, also I saw a USB Negative converter but not so sure if that would actually work well.

[Sniperdude]

the cost of what you are suggesting will end up way way more than a digital camera
film+ processing

why don't you buy a digital compact camera or a used bridge camera

if you want all the settings of SLR but without the cost a bridge camera is the way to go ....bridge cameras have all the auto settings BUT have powerful non changeable zoom lens

[Einholt]

Ok always up for suggestions, main thing I forgot to mention is I want to do black and white photography, will a digital compact or bridge camera allow me to take black and white pictures, mess about with the light and focus?

[Sniperdude]

all digital cameras allow B&W as far as i know. the focus playing maybe more of a bridge camera thing tho

also all post processing is obviously done on pc you can change almost anything you like once you learn ...have a look on youtube for photoshop tutorials ....most of the work these days is done after you have taken the photo


get a cheap compact with good reviews and have ago if you get into it you will soon upgrade

[Einholt]

Hmmm I do not really like the idea of editing the photo to get what I want, I want to get that from the initial shot, ie I have to experiment with modes and features and actually learn how to use a camera to et what I want from it, which is part of the reason for wanting an SLR in the first place.

[Sniperdude]

people who use SLR use both the skill of using the camera and post processing ability
for the best shot possible

but it all depends what your after...not everyone hammers photos in photoshop
but its nice to have the option of removing that lamppost that's spoiling the shot if you know what i mean

but at the end of the day digital is the way to go.

take 1000 shots and get nothing worth keeping with digital its cost you nothing
with film its cost you a fair bit.

[Einholt]

I think I have decided I want a non digital camera and having had a look at old cameras, processing my own film and what is available in my local area I have come up with these:

Minolta 7000 AF + 35-70mm + FLASH (£40)
http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Minolta-7000-AF-+-35-70mm-+-FLASH_33819.html

A USB 35mm slide / film converter (£40)
http://www.maplin.co.uk/5mp-compact-film-and-slide-scanner-503038

Plus the chemicals, a developing tank dark room bag would cost me £60-70

So a total set-up cost of of £140-150 and I get what I want, anyone see anything wrong with this or can give me any further advice?

[Hax]

Remember to budget for the cost of the film. Around £5-£10 a roll of Ilford Delta. Storage for the film, I kept mine in the fridge.

I would say digital is still the way to go for learning. You will spend a lot of money on different rating ASA film (ISO) ratings and will not be able to see what you have taken till you use up the whole roll and then reference your notes as to what settings were used for each shot.

I ocassionally use my film slr's still, but shoot mostly digital. Film for me is the 'look' you get from your film choice which in my opinion you would lose if you scanned them.

I normally use full manual settings on the film cameras in conjunction with a light meter to give me a base reading to start from. If you do not know what settings to start with and decide to run in an auto mode, you must record the settings used for each shot for reference later.

Minolta left the slr market a long time ago and accessories for that system are getting expensive once you start building up your kit. I would suggest a more modern system like the Canon EOS slr's where there is a wider range of lens available. All my lens/flashes/triggers that I use on my film slr's work with my digital slr and vice versa.

[Einholt]

Just dug out my rather old and rubbish vivtar vivicam 4345, it has some settings I never knew about such as:

Colour:
Full colour
Black and white
Sepia

Saturation:
Low
Medium
High

Exposure:
from -2.0 EV to +2.0 EV in .3 increments

Focus:
Auto
Macro
Infinity

Capture mode:
Single
Burst
AEB

Sharpness:
Low
Medium
High

White balance:
Auto
Daylight
Cloudy
Sunset
Tungeston
Fluorescent

ISO:
Auto
50/100/150/200

Metering:
Average
Spot

As well as portrait mode, landscape, night mode, sports mode, program mode and auto mode, oh and of course it has a flash.

So is that enough features that involve me learning some skills to take good pictures to learn the ropes?

The only downside is that it eats batteries like a monster!
Has anyone used rechargeable camera batteries before and are they any good?

By the way here is the cameras specs:

Item Description
Image Sensor CCD
Effective pixels 4.0 Mega pixels
Image size Still image: 2304 x 1728, 2048 x 1536, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480
Video clip: 320 x 240
Image quality Still image: Fine, Normal, Economy
Movie image: Economy
Recording media 12MB internal memory
SD memory card (Optional, up to 512 MB)
File format Motion JPEG (AVI); Picture Bridge support;
PC-CAM support (QVGA around 20 f/s)
Lens F-no.: Wide: 2.8 / Tele: 4.8
Focal length: 5.4mm-16.2mm (Equivalent to 35mm Camera: 32~96 mm)
Focus range Normal: 50 cm-infinity
Wide: 6 cm-infinity
Tele: 35 cm-infinity
LCD monitor 1.5” LTPS color LCD
High-resolution 130K pixels display
Self-timer 10 sec delay, 2 sec delay, 10+2 sec delay
Exposure compensation -2.0EV~ +2.0EV (in 0.3EV increments)
White balance Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Sunset, Tungsten, Fluorescent
ISO Auto, 50, 100, 200
Interface DC-IN jack, USB connector, A/V terminal
Power 2 x AA Alkaline batteries (Optional)
AC-DC Adapter (3V/2.5A) (Optional)
Dimension Approx. 91 x 61 x 27 mm
Weight Approx. 130g (without batteries and the SD memory card)

[Sarky]

I would also suggest digital, my uncle's a professional photographer and although he loved his film SLR to bits he switched over to digital as the cost of film for the amount of photos taken is a lot. Might as well go for a digital and have a 16gb memory card or something, easily hold over 4000 high res photos.

[michaelkenward]

Ok always up for suggestions, main thing I forgot to mention is I want to do black and white photography, will a digital compact or bridge camera allow me to take black and white pictures, mess about with the light and focus?
Of course. Just press the right "button".

B&W film is a dying beast. Many labs have closed.

(Must find somewhere to get them to handle the unprocessed B&W films I have lying around.)

Good specialist camera shops have film cameras. For example, Park Cameras in Burgess Hill could help.

As for makes, the usual suspects are best, Canon and Nikon, because they have excellent lenses.

If you go digital, do not be seduced by the pixel wars. A professional snapper told me that 10 megapixel is enough for most uses. So the people who love sliding down the bleeding edge will flog off those cameras to get a shiny new one with 15 megapixels. In other words, look for something second hand. You'll have to do that for a film camera anyway.

By the way, how to get into photography has come up here before, so a search in the forum might be fruitful.

[Einholt]

So is the camera I mentioned in my last post good enough to learn the ropes before buying a DSLR camera?

[michaelkenward]

So is the camera I mentioned in my last post good enough to learn the ropes before buying a DSLR camera?
If you mean the "vivitar vivicam 4345", no.

Play with it, by all means. But it will take you about 10 minutes to see that it is not up to scratch.

While 10 megapixels is adequate, 4 megapixels is less than you now get on many phones. And the screen is tiny.

The top ISO of 200 is a sign that it is a low resolution camera. Even my pocket camera does 1600.

ASA 200 will limit the ability to shoot in anything other than bright daylight. And you can forget about moving subjects.

[Sniperdude]

for £150 you could get a decent digital camera

upto you tho but there is a reason you get a film SLR for just £40

[Einholt]

So the next question is what can I get that is affordable ( as cheap as possible, a bit strapped at the moment) that will be a training ground for a proper DSLR when I can afford one?

[Bammy]

ASDA do some great cameras for not a lot of money. I paid £60 for a 9.2 megapixel Kodak camera and I love it.

[Sniperdude]

I personally have a bridge camera i have a fuji S9600 these go on ebay from £100- 200

more often than not you will see one with case and filters going for around the £150 mark.

you can even get cheaper than this, a forum member bought another fuji type bridge camera for £80 a few weeks ago

[Einholt]

Think these are bridge cameras that I have found locally, will one of them do for my needs? (would like to buy locally as can go and see the condition of the camera and see how it feels in my hands)

Fuji S6500fd
http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Fuji-S6500fd_33215.html

Nikon 8800
http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Used/Nikon-8800_33749.html

They are both £120 but got to admit I am not very keen on the look of the Nikon though.

[Sniperdude]

http://www.trustedreviews.com/digital-cameras/review/2006/10/24/Fujifilm-FinePix-S6500fd/p1

[Einholt]

So we can agree that's the best entry point model for me at a decent price point, all the reviews certainly seem to favour it :)

Also had a poke around and saw macro lens sets etc were nice and cheap giving me affordable options to add to it, I take it this camera would be ok to take along to a course to learn how to use it, I actually plan on getting a decent book and using the internet a lot but I may end up in a class :p

Can anyone recommend any good books that are not too basic but not too advanced?

[Sniperdude]

i couldnt tell you whats the best bang for the buck you would best look about
see what the ebay price is and if your local supplier is giving a warranty (normally 3 months for a used camera)

you shouldnt really need a macro lens to be honest but I would make sure the camera you get can take screw in filters and buy a uv filter to protect the lens from scratches (remember you cant change the lens on a bridge cam)

this has been taken using macro mode on my fuji as an example
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/2817491443_8a9845c509_z.jpg?zz=1
same with this
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3054/2818341740_12731b08b3_z.jpg?zz=1

also BW shots
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3183/2818313288_3868a1533f_z.jpg?zz=1

and this just cos i like it
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3125/2818346816_d1d29f1228_z.jpg?zz=1

[Einholt]

i couldnt tell you whats the best bang for the buck you would best look about
see what the ebay price is and if your local supplier is giving a warranty (normally 3 months for a used camera)

you shouldnt really need a macro lens to be honest but I would make sure the camera you get can take screw in filters and buy a uv filter to protect the lens from scratches (remember you cant change the lens on a bridge cam)

this has been taken using macro mode on my fuji as an example
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/2817491443_8a9845c509_z.jpg?zz=1
same with this
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3054/2818341740_12731b08b3_z.jpg?zz=1

also BW shots
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3183/2818313288_3868a1533f_z.jpg?zz=1

and this just cos i like it
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3125/2818346816_d1d29f1228_z.jpg?zz=1

Seen a couple of bids on ebay that are fairly low so will try and pick one up really cheap off an auction.

Cheers for the advice on the macro lens :thumb:

So a UV lens is just a protective cap for the real lens or does it alter photos aswell? sorry just curious.

Those photos are lovely, the moth especially, are they as was taken on the day or been edited and if so how much?

Thanks.

[cruciate]

A UV filter makes a tiny difference to the picture, but more importantly it protects the sensor. Also, if you keep the UV filter in place, and your "lens" gets scratched its a new filter, not a whole new lens.

FWIW, I have an old nikon D70 (6MP) camera that I use. Its amazing. I have shots from that blown up to poster size and framed and there is no sign of pixelation.
Seriously. Most people never need more than 6MP. Its the quality of the sensor that matters.

Look for old 6MP D-SLR's on Ebay, like the D70 and its not expensive.

Some of my Photos with a 6MP SLR:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48038036@N07/4460316374/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48038036@N07/4460314350/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48038036@N07/4459535353/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48038036@N07/4460310688/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48038036@N07/4460304210/

[Sniperdude]

really do your research on cams before you just jump in
i bought mine a few years back and it had really good reviews but there have been loads since

good place to start http://www.steves-digicams.com/camera-reviews/

all i have done to the photos is re-size them for the net because a jpeg file from my camera is about 4.5MB per file and digital images look stupid until they have been resized

but really do some research on a good camera first and read reviews
the uv filter does almost nothing at all other than protect my lens

Added after 2 minutes:

nice shots there cruciate (http://forums.aria.co.uk/member.php?u=20295)

Added after 3 minutes:

another think i have learned from owning this cam is to buy hybrio battery's they are miles better than normal rechargeable ones http://www.batterylogic.co.uk/hybrio.htm

[Einholt]

Think I just got an absolute bargain :D

Fujifilm S6500FD 6.3megapixel
shoulder strap
USB Cable
Lens Cap
Lens Hood
Instruction Booklet
4 new AA batteries
1 x 256mb Olympus XD Card
2 x 512mb XD Cards
Camera case

All for £108 posted, very very pleased, cannot wait to get it and get snapping, thankyou all for your help today, I am sure I will be back asking advice soon enough :rolleyes:

[michaelkenward]

the uv filter does almost nothing at all other than protect my lens
Indeed. The best filter to get is a polarising one that can "blue up" the sky and squelch annoying reflections.

[Hax]

http://www.creativelive.com/ usually allow you to watch their live streams for free. The calendar looks a bit bare at the moment but in the past they have featured photographers such as Zack Arias and his One Light workshop which taught you the basics of a camera all the way up to lighting using 1 light. Well worth a watch.

Other photographers I keep my eye on through their website/blogs/streams:
Chase Jarvis
Lee Moris
Peter Hurley

There are lots of sites on the net that can teach you the basics which cost nothing.

A bigish photography forum I read (haven't yet posted there:rolleyes:) is POTN (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/), admittedly it is a Canon forum (I own Canon cameras if you hadn't guessed) but there are a lot of Nikon shooters there.

The top item in my list when I was starting out choosing my camera (buying into a system) was the feel of the camera. It had to feel right to me.

Regarding UV filters, this is IMO, you don't really need one. It is another piece of glass between the world and your sensor reducing available light (very minute). If I scratch my lens, I would be peeved but wouldn't be that bothered. You will hardly notice scratches on your front element for normal photos as long as it is not a macro lens. I've seen smashed front elements take perfectly fine photos! A lot of lens can have just their front element replaced, last repair I heard was for £90 on a £1000 lens. At this stage I would save your money and skip the UV filter. Your choice if you want to use one when you start buying expensive lenses.

For a polariser, you will need a circular polariser if you want to keep your autofocus, with linear ones you will lose AF. Be aware that you could lose around 2 stops of light with them. I bought a decent one that fitted my largest lens filter thread size and use stepping rings to fit my smaller threads ones. As Michaels says, nice blue skys :) Remove mostly the reflections of the sky on car windscreens allowing you to see in clearer....

Forgive me for the post that doesn't read/flow that well, just typing what comes to my head of the times when I was going through all that. Too many thoughts, knackered fingers :p

Have fun with your new purchase :)

[Einholt]

http://www.creativelive.com/ usually allow you to watch their live streams for free. The calendar looks a bit bare at the moment but in the past they have featured photographers such as Zack Arias and his One Light workshop which taught you the basics of a camera all the way up to lighting using 1 light. Well worth a watch.

Other photographers I keep my eye on through their website/blogs/streams:
Chase Jarvis
Lee Moris
Peter Hurley

There are lots of sites on the net that can teach you the basics which cost nothing.

A bigish photography forum I read (haven't yet posted there:rolleyes:) is POTN (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/), admittedly it is a Canon forum (I own Canon cameras if you hadn't guessed) but there are a lot of Nikon shooters there.

The top item in my list when I was starting out choosing my camera (buying into a system) was the feel of the camera. It had to feel right to me.

Regarding UV filters, this is IMO, you don't really need one. It is another piece of glass between the world and your sensor reducing available light (very minute). If I scratch my lens, I would be peeved but wouldn't be that bothered. You will hardly notice scratches on your front element for normal photos as long as it is not a macro lens. I've seen smashed front elements take perfectly fine photos! A lot of lens can have just their front element replaced, last repair I heard was for £90 on a £1000 lens. At this stage I would save your money and skip the UV filter. Your choice if you want to use one when you start buying expensive lenses.

For a polariser, you will need a circular polariser if you want to keep your autofocus, with linear ones you will lose AF. Be aware that you could lose around 2 stops of light with them. I bought a decent one that fitted my largest lens filter thread size and use stepping rings to fit my smaller threads ones. As Michaels says, nice blue skys :) Remove mostly the reflections of the sky on car windscreens allowing you to see in clearer....

Forgive me for the post that doesn't read/flow that well, just typing what comes to my head of the times when I was going through all that. Too many thoughts, knackered fingers :p

Have fun with your new purchase :)

Information and resources are always great, thank you for the time you took to explain those bits, I was going to go without a UV filter to start anyway as for one thing a £100 camera is an investment and not something I will throw about willy nilly, I expect it will see a good few scruffs but not any that can be helped as I like to look after things.

[Hax]

Be aware that once you start down the photography path, it is like beer, women, cars, computers, shiny things.... ;) :D

[mac124]

I have been watching this thread all day and i have to say THANK GOD you didn't waste your £££ on an analogue camera, yes it might be nice in a retro kinda way but tbh retro isn't always a good thing.

The fuji you bought should be a good starting point for you to experiment with, i myself started with an S5000, my old mans camera, i think i have used more than he has and i stopped using it two years ago when i got my first "proper" dslr lol.

I will say one thing though, if you do get hooked and buy a dslr, i hope you have deep pockets, the bodies are relatively cheap, the glass you fit to them is WAY more expensive. The past 12 months i paid £500 for a body and the thick end of £2k for glass for it, and thats only 2 lenses.

You have been warned, if you thought PC's were expensive photography is more so, BUT in 12 months time the lenses will still be worth some money, unlike my pc ;).

[Sniperdude]

might as well go over the manual while waiting

http://fujifilm.co.uk/consumer/digital/digital-cameras/legacy-cameras/finepix-s6500fd/support


regarding the uv filter i have tried shots from a tripod with and without a UV filter and the difference is undetectable...the shots i post all have the filter fitted.

[Hax]

If only this was true http://re35.net/index.html

My lightweight film bodies would be used more...

[Smiggy]

Think I just got an absolute bargain :D

Fujifilm S6500FD 6.3megapixel



Good choice there mate, I have the very same camera and I have been very pleased with it. Takes great photos, good battery life and a decent zoom on it. :thumb:

As for filters, I have a UV filter (58mm) always fitted, it protects the main lens and if it was to get scratched by a grain of sand on the cleaning cloth it cheap to replace! (I've always protected my camera lenses in this way).

[Einholt]

Well I will get a polarising uv filter just not quite yet :)
By the way what is the best way to clean the lens and what should I use, is a monitor cleaner and the microfibre cloth it came with suitable or do I need special kit and how often should it be cleaned?
Also anyone got any tips on general camera maintenance, ie anything I should before or after every shoot?

Thanks :)

[michaelkenward]

By the way what is the best way to clean the lens and what should I use, is a monitor cleaner and the microfibre cloth it came with suitable or do I need special kit and how often should it be cleaned?
Also anyone got any tips on general camera maintenance, ie anything I should before or after every shoot?

I use a microfibre cloth and lens cleaning spray from the optician. Avoid anything that could scratch the coatings.

Not much you can do about maintenance. Just treat the thing carefully. And keep it clean.

I carry mine in decent padded cases (Lowerpro). I like a case that can hold a spare set of batteries and an extra memory card.

Do not rely on Velcro to keep the thing attached. I lost a camera that way.

And set up a properly organised way of storing photos on your PC. Mine are in dated folders. (The software does this automatically.)

I also "tag" photos as I download them.

Then there is the regular backup so that I have several copies of my collection on various disks.

You may find that you want software other than that supplied with the camera. First, though, check to see if there are any updates for the supplied software.

Also, check to see if there is an updated "firmware flash" for your camera.

Talking of flash, if you do get sucked into photography, you will quickly realise the shortcomings of built-in flash.

[Sarky]

For software I reccommend HP Photosmart Essentials 3.5 (http://www.hp.com/united-states/consumer/digital_photography/free/software/index_ww_eng.html), been using it for years and I love it, it can sort your photos into month or date folders and I find its simple for what I use it for :).

[Sniperdude]

Well I will get a polarising uv filter just not quite yet :)
By the way what is the best way to clean the lens and what should I use, is a monitor cleaner and the microfibre cloth it came with suitable or do I need special kit and how often should it be cleaned?
Also anyone got any tips on general camera maintenance, ie anything I should before or after every shoot?

Thanks :)

I use a lens pen nothing more

was told that using solvents on them can remove coatings on the lens
and clean when needed only

every few months i take the filter off and clean that an the lens with the pen (lens dont get dirty with the filter)

[BurningFeetMan]

I hope this link is allowed, it's not to a competitor but a camera shop.

https://secure.fujifilm.co.uk/shop/consumer/digital/digital-cameras/d-slr-long-zoom

I would look at some of the refurb models to save quite a lot of cash, they have some good deals indeed!

Currently the S2500HD looks the best deal on refurb, but the guys who know cameras will tell you for sure :D

Hope it helps,

BFM

Edit; sorry only just realised you've bought one already, ignore my post :)

[coiler]

my first bridge camera was an S6500 very impressive camera.

Particulary the x10.7 OPTICAL zoom ring :D

Used it for all my urban exploring. Eventually died after 2 years of solid use, but that including many underground damp tunnels, dusty industrial sites etc really took a hammering!

[Einholt]

my first bridge camera was an S6500 very impressive camera.

Particulary the x10.7 OPTICAL zoom ring :D

Used it for all my urban exploring. Eventually died after 2 years of solid use, but that including many underground damp tunnels, dusty industrial sites etc really took a hammering!

Good to hear its a good camera from someone with personal experience, to be honest at the price I got it I would be happy if it only lasted a year, the more the better of course :D

Been thinking today and I think I have loads of places to go and take pictures locally as I live in Lincoln, only about 20 minutes away from the cathedral, as well as the impressive cathedral and grounds we have a castle, lots of period buildings all over the city and as the castle and cathedral are on a huge hill overlooking the city there are great views down over Lincoln and good views from the bottom of all the houses on the hill and the castle and cathedral at the top.

Also we have a very pretty village five minutes drive away with a breck(?) running through it (first time we went there I decided that day that was where I wanted us to get a house when we get a mortgage)

Also loads of countryside all around us that is easily accessible as well as lots of factory's and industry and a few that are still running but in major disrepair.

So yeah loads of stuff to keep me entertained :rolleyes:

[michaelkenward]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this before, but steer clear of the "digital zoom".

Stick with optical zoom.

You can do the digital on screen back at the PC. Doing it in camera is pointless.

[coiler]

Good to hear its a good camera from someone with personal experience, to be honest at the price I got it I would be happy if it only lasted a year, the more the better of course :D

Been thinking today and I think I have loads of places to go and take pictures locally as I live in Lincoln, only about 20 minutes away from the cathedral, as well as the impressive cathedral and grounds we have a castle, lots of period buildings all over the city and as the castle and cathedral are on a huge hill overlooking the city there are great views down over Lincoln and good views from the bottom of all the houses on the hill and the castle and cathedral at the top.

Also we have a very pretty village five minutes drive away with a breck(?) running through it (first time we went there I decided that day that was where I wanted us to get a house when we get a mortgage)

Also loads of countryside all around us that is easily accessible as well as lots of factory's and industry and a few that are still running but in major disrepair.

So yeah loads of stuff to keep me entertained :rolleyes:

theres aspects of the s6500 i prefer over my Sony A200 DSLR.

Some of the menu's are v v intuitive.

Added after 12 minutes:

these were all taken on the S6500

http://forums.aria.co.uk/showthread.php?t=54637

[Einholt]

Thanks for sharing the thread, love your abandoned pics :thumb:

With a little searching I found this:

http://www.ephotozine.com/photolocations/lincoln-97

I will definitely be trying to get the shot of Brayford wharf at night with the cathedral behind it up on the hill.
http://www.ephotozine.com/images/photolocations/2609Lincoln015.jpg

[Einholt]

After having spent more time researching photography in Lincoln I have found out we have two nature reserves next to each other within the city about 25 minutes from the centre , lived here 4 years and never knew :eek:

Looks absolutely stunning:

http://thelincolnite.co.uk/wp-content/themes/inuitypes/thumb.php?src=http://thelincolnite.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/hartsholme_park.jpg&h=300&w=598&zc=1&q=80
http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/62/22/622212_9c0edbe8.jpg
http://www.keepbritaintidy.org/GreenFlag/ImgLibrary/GF_1_Lake_view_1190.jpg
http://www.world-guides.com/images/lincoln/lincoln_hartsholme_park.jpg
http://www.picturesofengland.com/img/L/1075573.jpg
http://www.picturesofengland.com/img/L/1075560.jpg

[InvaderGIR]

Did someone say 35mm....

http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/vv126/InvG/DSC_0740.jpg


And with another 'film' camera...

http://i676.photobucket.com/albums/vv126/InvG/DSC_0741.jpg


Still not actually got round to using the 35mm cameras!

Personally I'd say to the OP that he should get a bridge digital camera, or even just a point and shoot with adjustable settings and learn how to use the settings.
Whilst the film camera is cheaper to buy, films, processing etc. will cost a lot to learn the settings, especially as you'll forget what the settings are for a photo by the time you've had it developed. With the digital camera you can adjust the settings, take photos, check them on the screen, redo settings, etc. etc. and learn what you need.

I need/want to get some B&W film for the 35mms so I can have a play.

[BurningFeetMan]

Actually whilst the knowledgeable photographers are here i will ask a quick question;

I've got an old, but IMO quite nice 35mm camera but, if i remember right, the shutter sometimes sticks open so you have to take several more photo's to free it up. It seemed to be related to what lens was on, perhaps the contacts are not good? Can a service fix this or is the camera pretty much knackered? Ta for any help :)

Its a Canon EOS something or other, i'll dig it out shortly and get the model :)

[InvaderGIR]

I suspect it is serviceable to be honest, old SLR cameras were built properly, unlike these modern throwaway things. :)

[michaelkenward]

Its a Canon EOS something or other, i'll dig it out shortly and get the model
Not at all useless.

A specialist shop can advise on the likely cost of repair, without charging for the diagnosis.

If you sniff around the Canon site, you should also find links that take you to independent repairers.

I also have an EOS that needs fixing! Shutter buggered, too. I dropped it.

Have you thought of using the lenses on a digital Canon? That's what I did.

[BurningFeetMan]

I also have an EOS that needs fixing! Shutter buggered, too. I dropped it.

Have you thought of using the lenses on a digital Canon? That's what I did.

Hmm, i wasn't sure if that was possible but obviously it is :)

I appreciate i was vague with the camera, but it's been in the bag for well over 2 years as i knew it was playing up :)

I wonder if the shutters are the weak point on the old canon' or perhaps thats kinda true for all cameras, they are delicate bits of kit after all :)

Thanks for your help mate :)

[enthusiast17]

Just seen your thread and read it Like this:

Thinking of getting into pornography...

LOL

[Einholt]

Got it this morning and been fiddling with the modes etc, a bit confusing but once I get out and try them out I am sure I will get the hang on it, I want to get a tripod to do some landscapes and maybe some bird photography in my garden, will this serve those purposes ok until have the funds to spend a fair bit more on a good one when I decide I want to?

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5692279.htm?_$ja=tsid:11527|cc:|prd:5692279|cat:ph otography+%2F+memory+cards%2C+bags+and+accessories +%2F+tripods+%2F#promotion_1

[InvaderGIR]

Nice link....:p

Should be fine. I use a cheapy £40 jobbie that I got in Jessops. :)

[Hax]

In your position, go with a cheap tripod to start off with.

If you find photography is the 'you', then spend the money on a decent one with quick release plates etc.

Don't buy a cheap second tripod ;)

My tripod and monopod are made by Gitzo. That might give you and idea of what they can cost!

Alternatively, if you are around Northamptonshire, I will give you a cheap tripod if I can find it.

[Einholt]

Thanks for the info :thumb:

Can anybody recommend any good sites to teach me how to compose and take a good or excellent photo? I don't mind lots of reading as long as it is accesible to a newbie ;)

[michaelkenward]

Can anybody recommend any good sites to teach me how to compose and take a good or excellent photo? I don't mind lots of reading as long as it is accesible to a newbie
Your camera isn't a Canon, but their website has some useful tutorials on different aspects of photography.

Canon UK - Canon Tutorials (http://www.canon.co.uk/youconnect_newsletter/tutorials/)

My guess is that other camera sites have something similar, although Canon and Nikon are likely to be the best.

[Einholt]

Hello again all, have not had as many chances to take pictures as I would have liked but been picking up a magazine every week for fresh ideas and got The digital photography handbook by Doug Harmen, here are a few tries at a bit of macro, a bird and a few pictures of Lincoln, all C+C welcome :thumb:


http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/th_DSCF9750.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/?action=view&current=DSCF9750.jpg)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/th_DSCF9747.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/?action=view&current=DSCF9747.jpg)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/th_DSCF9734.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/?action=view&current=DSCF9734.jpg)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/th_DSCF9729.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/?action=view&current=DSCF9729.jpg)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/th_DSCF9705.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/?action=view&current=DSCF9705.jpg)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/th_DSCF9669.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/?action=view&current=DSCF9669.jpg)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/th_DSCF9663.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/?action=view&current=DSCF9663.jpg)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/th_DSCF9662.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/?action=view&current=DSCF9662.jpg)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/th_DSCF9648.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/?action=view&current=DSCF9648.jpg)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/th_DSCF9643.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/?action=view&current=DSCF9643.jpg)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/th_DSCF9637.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/?action=view&current=DSCF9637.jpg)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/th_DSCF9636.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/?action=view&current=DSCF9636.jpg)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/th_DSCF9833.jpg (http://s38.photobucket.com/albums/e109/Einholt/Lincoln%20and%20macro/?action=view&current=DSCF9833.jpg)

[aidan2007]

Read up on leading lines and depth of field. They are my current favorite techniques to get attention grabbing photos.

Composition is key, as well as being able to spot good photo opportunities. Obviously a good understanding of how a camera operates like focal length, aperture, ISO, exposure etc. helps a lot.

I'm no expert but that's just a few things I've picked up.

Also don't feel you have to get the perfect shot in camera. The best photographers are often also extremely good Photoshop artists.

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