Question: I’m looking to get into photography, but don’t want to spend too much money. What SLR should I purchase?
Answer: For most people, I actually recommend NOT getting an SLR. They’re bulky, heavy, expensive, and likely something you won’t take with you very many places. It’s like having to bring an extra purse with you everywhere you go! I know many people who have purchased an SLR for whatever reason, and then a few months later, find themselves leaving it at home most of the time. In fact, I hardly ever bring my SLR with me when I’m not on the job!
Most people would be better served getting a regular point and shoot (P&S) camera. They’re lighter, smaller, a whole lot cheaper, and the image quality is almost as good (from what the average person can tell). You’re more likely to bring it around with you when you’re out and about, or even when you’re traveling. The quality of P&S cameras are now a lot better than what they were even a few years ago. Some of the best P&S currently on the market are the Canon S95, Canon G12, Canon ELPH 300, Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5, and Sony Cyber-shot HX9v.
However, if you’re set on purchasing an SLR, go with any of the Canon or Nikon bodies, and you’ll be fine. At the time of this blog post, the Canon Rebel T3 is $440, T2i is $615, T3i is $670, and 60D is $1k. All of them are great cameras and will last several years — it all depends on your budget. However, keep in mind that the lens is more important than the body, so you’ll probably want to shell out at least $400 for a decent lens. Don’t buy the stock lens–they’re usually sub-par, with a few exceptions.
If you’ll be purchasing only one lens, and sticking with that for a while, you’ll want to get a general walkaround lens with a decent zoom range. If you have a Canon body, a good budget lens will be the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8, or the Canon 18-200 f/3.5-5.6. Some photographers love the Canon 24-105 f/4L, though I’m not a big fan of that lens myself. But if you intend on buying more equipment later, then start with a prime lens. It’ll help you become a better photographer down the road.
Also, consider purchasing 2nd hand equipment — it might save you quite a bit of money.
And if you want to do deeper research, check the reviews on Amazon for specific equipment. I find them to be rather accurate, and they generally give you a good idea of how hundreds of other people use their equipment, the weaknesses and strengths, and potential alternative choices. Also, Amazon prices tend to be cheaper than most other places.
TL;DR: If you’re set on purchasing an SLR, go with the Canon T3i + Tamron 28-75 f/2.8.
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Current travel schedule
Southern California (various): January 12-17, 2011
Los Angeles: February ?, 2012
Las Vegas: February 19-23
New Zealand: March 1-7
Melbourne, Australia: March 8-13
Cairns, Australia: March 14-17
Sydney, Australia: March 18-21
Philadelphia: April 26-30
Wichita, Kansas: June 21-25
New York City, NY: June 26 – July 2
Hawaii: August 2-7
For booking inquiries worldwide, or for more information about wedding photography in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, get in touch with us via our contact form. Special rates for destination wedding collections are also available!
by Junshien
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