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Basic Equipment you need
| Many beginners are a little shy
to ask, as it seems like such a basic question, but it's not. If you don't
have the right gear, then it shows in the quality of photos you take. You
want good quality photos, right? This is where you begin. This (below) is roughly in order of importance. |
An old Minolta film camera and zoom lenses. |
| Gear | Info | More Info: | ||||||
| Camera body | Digital is great. Picture quality is almost as good as film; far cheaper than film, as you don't need to process and pay for your mistakes; and you get instant results. |
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| Lenses |
There's three kinds:
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| Tripod + remote release | To me, this defines the difference between a pro-level photographer, and an average photographer. A Pro-level photographer never leaves home without a tripod (and remote release), and makes extensive use of these. What brand of tripod is good? I don't know, any that holds a camera steady is fine. |
Sample uses:
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| Filters | The first you usually need is polariser, then Neutral Density, and then for whatever specialisation you're into. What brand? If you see 'Basic info' (right) I recommend Cokin for good reasons. | Basic info... | ||||||
| Flash | For many people, this is essential kit. Honestly, mine broke more than a year ago and I've survived without it. But then, I've got studio strobes, so that doesn't count. Get a good one with a large Guide Number (GN: The distance the light can be seen = it's strength). |
Also see:
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| Gear | Info | More Info: |
| Camera bag | I don't like the 'traditional' over the shoulder bag anymore; it's handy for quick lens changes, but it's a killer on your shoulders. I now use a backpack combo: the bottom is for camera gear, and the top is your lunch and beer cans. Make sure there's a way to attach your tripod. | |
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Memory Cards
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Two schools of thought: you can fit more pictures onto a single large card than two half-sized ones; but why keep all your eggs in one basket. Me? I don't care, my cards are reliable and have never had any problems. |
| Examples: | |
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F8, 1/160, iso400; 75-300mm lens at 300mm. Little Flute. KM Alpha Sweet, digital |
F5, 1/125, iso100, Canon EOS 5d. By danielgilbey, Crestock, 2008 |
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> F9, 1/160, iso400, 75-300mm lens at 200 (handheld, but held steady against a pole) |
F11, 1/125, ISO100 KM Alpha Sweet, digital |
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