What Camera to Buy

[BUGSBUNNYBOSS]

Hi Everyone,

I am working as an Engineer and now my works demands me taking pictures of our product (automobile), and make a 2m x 1m print of these pictures. I am an absolute beginner in photography and started reading the tutorials from yesterday. The point is I am yet to use a DSLR. and I want to get a good camera to start with.

After some research, I shortlisted canon EOS 70D and Nikon 7100. But I had some good news from my company. They are even ready to invest in a EOS 5D. So my question is What camera should I go for? In the full frame camera's I have shortlisted canon EOS 5D mark III and Nikon D610.

I am really confused; being an amateur will I be able to handle full frame camera?

It is very important for me to make 2m x 1m print. Also these pictures will be used for advertisements and in magazines. So the image quality should be as high as possible.

What camera will you suggest for me?

Thanks in advance.

Vyas

[Andrew76]

Hello Vyas!! And welcome to CinC!!

Just a quick question to start, so I can understand the situation a little better, would it not be more prudent for the company to hire a professional product photographer, than invest the capital into a full frame camera (which I believe you'll need to be making quality prints at that size ), and also the time in your training, wasted trial prints, etc, etc?

I in no way mean that to sound harsh, or cruel. I'm just looking at it as a business owner, from an objective angle.

PS, I'm sure the folks with tons of experience in FF cameras will be along very shortly to offer some great advice!

Best of luck!

[Black Pearl]

The camera is the least important bit of what you are wanting to do - any DSLR would do it but the lighting, the environment you shoot in, processing and just about everything other than the camera is vastly more vital to the end result.
Lighting is the key and a car is one of the most difficult things imaginable to light as every oddly angled surface is going to reflect in a different way.

I'm not saying you won't be able to take a sharp enough photograph for your needs and I don't want to completely discourage you but honestly you would be far, far better off employing a professional to shoot the images for you.

[Tringa]

Hello Vyas,

I was going to say that I could understand Andrew's view and that I, more or less, go along with him, but that would not be correct. I agree with him 100%.

What you have been asked to do reminds me of another request - someone is getting married and because they know you have a camera says, "Can you take the photos at my wedding?"

Your position sounds even worse. You are being asked to produce high quality images suitable for advertising purposes and, as you indicate, you have very little experience.

I'd suggest if at all possible, unless you are given plenty of time to learn and experiment, you walk away from this.

However, I appreciate your post sounds as if you have been given little choice. If so, I'd use Andrew's suggestion and point out the advantages of getting a product photographer.

If that is not an option then I'd try to make clear that just buying a potentially very expensive camera, lenses and any other additional equipment does not mean the company will get high quality photographs. I am not having a go at you here, you have made it clear you are an amateur with little experience and it is unreasonable that you are expected to produce the types of images that could be used to advertise the business, without a good background in photography.

Dave

[dubaiphil]

Well I'll pop down the road from Dubai for a fee.....

[nimitzbenedicto]

Hello Vyas!! And welcome to CinC!!

Just a quick question to start, so I can understand the situation a little better, would it not be more prudent for the company to hire a professional product photographer, than invest the capital into a full frame camera (which I believe you'll need to be making quality prints at that size ), and also the time in your training, wasted trial prints, etc, etc?

I in no way mean that to sound harsh, or cruel. I'm just looking at it as a business owner, from an objective angle.

Best of luck!

Most likely your automobile company already has a marketing/ad firm. They usually handle the whole thing from concept to output media (tv, mags,etc.) .

Why not ask advice from them what camera do they use whenever they shoot your company's automobiles for advertisements. You can tap their experience and expertise too.

Hope this helps.

[shreds]

Totally agree with everything Andrew76 has said.

Bear in mind it is not just the camera, but lighting, backgrounds, reflectors etc etc etc and then the main thing, the skill of the photographer in making it look good.

Even if they don't use their agency, they should look to using an experienced pro.

The only thing that I can think of as to why not would be some sort of need to maintain confidentiality, but this can normally be resolved with legal contracts and clauses.

By making the pertinent choice and guiding them in the correct direction has to be better than them spending money on a D610/5D and not getting the shots they want. I wonder why they didn't go the whole hog and offer the D4 or Canon equivalent?

Office politics maybe?

[BUGSBUNNYBOSS]

Hello Vyas!! And welcome to CinC!!

Just a quick question to start, so I can understand the situation a little better, would it not be more prudent for the company to hire a professional product photographer, than invest the capital into a full frame camera (which I believe you'll need to be making quality prints at that size ), and also the time in your training, wasted trial prints, etc, etc?

I in no way mean that to sound harsh, or cruel. I'm just looking at it as a business owner, from an objective angle.

PS, I'm sure the folks with tons of experience in FF cameras will be along very shortly to offer some great advice!

Best of luck!

Hi Andrew
I'd wish my company hires a professional!! But due to some strange company policies, this is not going to happen BTW, though I'm new, I have great interest and confidence that I will comprehend the art of photography.

[BUGSBUNNYBOSS]

Hello Vyas,

I was going to say that I could understand Andrew's view and that I, more or less, go along with him, but that would not be correct. I agree with him 100%.

What you have been asked to do reminds me of another request - someone is getting married and because they know you have a camera says, "Can you take the photos at my wedding?"

Your position sounds even worse. You are being asked to produce high quality images suitable for advertising purposes and, as you indicate, you have very little experience.

I'd suggest if at all possible, unless you are given plenty of time to learn and experiment, you walk away from this.

However, I appreciate your post sounds as if you have been given little choice. If so, I'd use Andrew's suggestion and point out the advantages of getting a product photographer.

If that is not an option then I'd try to make clear that just buying a potentially very expensive camera, lenses and any other additional equipment does not mean the company will get high quality photographs. I am not having a go at you here, you have made it clear you are an amateur with little experience and it is unreasonable that you are expected to produce the types of images that could be used to advertise the business, without a good background in photography.

Dave

Hi Dave,

I know it is very difficult task, but the company supports me a lot and I strongly believe that I would be given time to learn before they expect something big from me (The company knows about my photography experience). Its my interest that has earned me this position. and Regarding professionals, for some reasons that I cannot share, We won't be able to use their expertise.
All the photographs I take, must be done by a trust worthy person, and the company trusts me. So I want to do my best to raise my standards to the company's needs.

The reason why my company offers to buy a full frame camera, is for the future. The company see's this as a long term investment.

[BUGSBUNNYBOSS]

Thanks for the unbiased comments. I understand that all of you guys were trying to help me and I really appreciate it.

From the comments, I take that a beginner, using a full frame camera doesn't make sense.

I guess, I would start my photographic journey with a EOS 70D or Nikon 7100. Hope my decision is correct, and soon I would be clicking good pictures.

[Manfred M]

For an image that is going to be 1m x 2m, a full frame camera, a high quality, sturdy tripod, good studio lights with light modifiers, etc. all make sense. You will be enlarging the image quite significantly. My personal pick for your mission would be the 36MP Nikon D800, although frankly a medium format camera would not be out of place either, but those will cost as much as a car..

[Stagecoach]

Hi Vyas and welcome to CiC.

Here's a few questions that will enable members to give more valid advice/help/information;

a) You say you are required to shoot images of an automobile, is this a car?

b) Will these pictures be taken inside a building or outside?

c) Will you have any restrictions regarding space/distance from the vehicle which may determine the focal length of lens you need?

d) Are you required to take 'close up' shots of details of the auto?

Grahame

[BUGSBUNNYBOSS]

Hi Vyas and welcome to CiC.

Here's a few questions that will enable members to give more valid advice/help/information;

a) You say you are required to shoot images of an automobile, is this a car?

b) Will these pictures be taken inside a building or outside?

c) Will you have any restrictions regarding space/distance from the vehicle which may determine the focal length of lens you need?

d) Are you required to take 'close up' shots of details of the auto?

Grahame

Hi Grahame,

Thanks for the welcome. I really like it here. The community is so warm!!

The pictures will be taken outdoors, and I don't have any other restrictions. I'll be shooting at about 5m from the subject, though I can go close up to 2m or move further away if needed. I don't have to take any close up shots. It will all be landscape shots, and I'm sorry I'm not at liberty to answer your first question although I can say I'll not be shooting shiny materials.

[Black Pearl]

Take a look at these two shots:



There is nothing in the two images to say these couldn't have been taken with the same camera - the difference is the art director, the advertising team, the photographer, their assistants, the location, the lighting and the post production work. In other words the hundreds of man hours spent getting it to look amazing.

By all means invest in a DSLR - probably a Nikon D800 for its high pixel count - but unless the rest is in place you may not be able to fulfil the brief set out by your company.

[Stagecoach]

Robin,

I can see exactly where you are coming from but to be fair I doubt very much if there was any thought put into the 1st shot other than it being a record of someone's personal car.

As for the 2nd car if you have the location and shoot in the right lighting would it really be that difficult to accomplish assuming you have gained an understanding of your camera. Was that shot taken with a full professional team?


Grahame

[GrahamS]

If it was that easy, the professionals among us wouldn't be in business.

[PaoloMtl]

Welcome Vyas, from one beginner to another, I'd recommend a book that really helped me called "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson along with the great tutorials found on this site. Also, you mentioned taking pictures of "shiny" materials outdoors, perhaps you'd like to consider a polarized filter to manage the glare?

I own a D7000 and I'm very pleased. It easily outmatches my skill level and it has never let me down though I can't speak to your specific intent.

Good luck. I do hope the veil of secrecy is lifted at some point and you can post some photos here!

[Stagecoach]

Hi Vyas,

From what you have told us so far another area to consider is the requirements and advice of the printer that you would use to make these 2mtr x 1mtr prints. Prints of this size do not always require the same resolution as something smaller that will be viewed at a closer distance.

It may be something you have not thought about yet but due to the nature of your task it may be another area where your 'choice' is limited and this may also subsequently have a bearing on the camera best suited.

Grahame

[Colin Southern]

2m is still a very big print even for full frame.

John, there's no correlation what-so-ever between the size of the print that can be made and the resolution and/or size of the sensor taking it. What there IS a correlation between is the resolution of the source image and the minimum viewing distance that image degradation becomes apparent at for a given print size, but since that viewing distance hasn't been supplied in this case, then it's impossible to say what technology is going to be needed to produce it.

Additionally, because prints are 2 dimensional, the relationship between print density and pixels becomes a square-law function. Or put another way, to double the size of the image you need four times as many pixels is you're going to retain the same resolution - and when one starts to go beyond high-end MP DSLRs like the 36MP Nikon D800, that starts to get REALLY expensive, REALLY quickly.

[Colin Southern]

Vyas,

It sounds to me like you might be involved in the manufacture of an automobile or automobile related product that you need to keep confidential until it's announced to the public. So on one hand, using a trusted employee such as yourself to photograph the product makes sense from the point of view of all those involved not having to worry about security breaches. But on the other hand, if you're wanting high-quality images then to be brutally honest, you just won't be able to do it yourself.

No disrespect, but I suspect that you're at a stage where you probably "don't know how much you don't know" yet; as others have pointed out, camera and lens selection is the least of your worries; lighting will be what makes or breaks it - but even then you still need to have a suitable location (not sure if you're needing in-studio or location at this stage) - and then it comes down to the right techniques. In many respects, it's a bit like asking "what heart-lung bypass machine would be best for me to use when I have a go at heart surgery on my boss at work because he doesn't want to check into a hospital".

My STRONG advice is to research and then engage a industry professional, under a signed NDA (non-disclosure agreement) (with appropriate penalties). Failing that, pop along to www.kelbytraining.com - sign up for a month - and take a look at the course on automotive photography from Tim Wallace; it'll be an excellent starting point for you.

Hope some of this helps.