Maybe I was wrong?

[JBW]

After looking and thinking I had decided upon a Fujufilm FinePix HS50EXR as my next and last camera. But so far have had no luck in purchasing one. As much as they are sold in the Philippines no one that we can find actually carries them.

I have found that when problems like this arise that the muses are whispering and that I should be looking at a different game plan.

So here is my question: Which DSLR in the US$ 500 ~ 700 range would be a good platform for building upon as my passions take me to different areas in photography?

[William W]

. . . my next and last camera. . . So here is my question: Which DSLR in the US$ 500 ~ 700 range would be a good platform for building upon as my passions take me to different areas in photography?

Q1 What are the cameras you have now (and the lenses), or the cameras that you did have?
Q2 What are "different areas in photography?"
Q3 What are your areas of Photography now?
Q4 Does this "next and last camera" have to be a DSLR? (noting the Fujufilm FinePix HS50EXR is not a DSLR)

WW

[JBW]

Q1 What are the cameras you have now (and the lenses), or the cameras that you did have?
Q2 What are "different areas in photography?"
Q3 What are your areas of Photography now?
Q4 Does this "next and last camera" have to be a DSLR? (noting the Fujufilm FinePix HS50EXR is not a DSLR)

WW

Fujifilm Finepix S4200

do to circumstances above and beyond my control I am a stay at home type of person. Which means I can do macro, studio, astro, and flowers. Flowers and macro occupy most of my efforts now.

No it doesn't have to be a DSLR. fact is i would prefer a good bridge but here in the Philippines top end bridges are hard to find.

[Shadowman]

Brian,

Where would you purchase from and do they have a website? Might be easier to make a recommendation if we know what's available. Wouldn't make sense to recommend a camera you can't find.

[JBW]

Brian,

Where would you purchase from and do they have a website? Might be easier to make a recommendation if we know what's available. Wouldn't make sense to recommend a camera you can't find.

This being rhe Philippines there are darn few websites and even fewer with an up to date inventory. But I will look and see what I can find.

[JBW]

Brian,

Where would you purchase from and do they have a website? Might be easier to make a recommendation if we know what's available. Wouldn't make sense to recommend a camera you can't find.

I do have a co-operative sister in canada who should be able to find and purchase the camera and then ship it down via courier.

[Max von MeiselMaus]

If you are limited in the Philippines, why not look at sites from elsewhere? Digital Rev springs to mind as a cheap, reliable and generally pretty awesome company. They also have their own warranty, to offset any issues with buying a camera for the Chinese market. If they don't have it, it probably isn't available anymore.

[Shadowman]

I do have a co-operative sister in canada who should be able to find and purchase the camera and then ship it down via courier.

This might be the best option if you are set on purchasing the HS50EXR.

[JBW]

If you are limited in the Philippines, why not look at sites from elsewhere? Digital Rev springs to mind as a cheap, reliable and generally pretty awesome company. They also have their own warranty, to offset any issues with buying a camera for the Chinese market. If they don't have it, it probably isn't available anymore.

We are and I shall.

[JBW]

This might be the best option if you are set on purchasing the HS50EXR.

It has the whole ball of wax. But Myra is off to a conference in a major city over here and she will sniff around. The only thing that the fujifilm has that most bridges don't is a manual focus ring for the telephoto. And if need be I can live without that as long as I get RAW and manual focus for regular shooting. I am tired of missing a shot bewcause my autofocus chooses where i focus.

[tclune]

So here is my question: Which DSLR in the US$ 500 ~ 700 range would be a good platform for building upon as my passions take me to different areas in photography?

Given that you are starting with flowers and macro, I would suggest the following starting kit (I am a Nikon shooter and value the wide availability of lenses and the large dynamic range of the sensors): Look for a used or refurbished D3200, D5200, or later body with a used Tamron 90 f/2.8 macro lens. You should be able to find these within your budget. The main "gotcha" is that Tamron does a very shaky job of identifying its various models of similar lenses. The Tamron 90 macro has had a multitude of incarnations, all good but some predating the inclusion of the BIM (built-in motor in Tamron-speak) which is necessary for auto-focusing to work with either of the lines of Nikon cameras I'm suggesting. Most of them will have the BIM, as that was added across the line a half-dozen years ago. But make sure before you buy. You will also want a tripod and some form of remote release (I like cable releases, some prefer the IR kind). The tripod may or may not fit in your initial budget. FWIW

[William W]

Thanks for answering my questions and also the added information in your other posts.

I'd suggest that your purchase be functionality driven. I think that amongst the main criteria as "a good platform for building upon as my passions take me to different areas in photography" would be:

> to be able to capture in 'raw' files
> live view or similar for accurate focusing
> articulated screen would be handy
> good flash options (i.e. Hotshoe to buy later)

WW

[JBW]

Thanks for answering my questions and also the added information in your other posts.

I'd suggest that your purchase be functionality driven. I think that amongst the main criteria as "a good platform for building upon as my passions take me to different areas in photography" would be:

> to be able to capture in 'raw' files
> live view or similar for accurate focusing
> articulated screen would be handy
> good flash options (i.e. Hotshoe to buy later)

WW

That makes sense. Not the brand but the functionality.

[JBW]

Given that you are starting with flowers and macro, I would suggest the following starting kit (I am a Nikon shooter and value the wide availability of lenses and the large dynamic range of the sensors): Look for a used or refurbished D3200, D5200, or later body with a used Tamron 90 f/2.8 macro lens. You should be able to find these within your budget. The main "gotcha" is that Tamron does a very shaky job of identifying its various models of similar lenses. The Tamron 90 macro has had a multitude of incarnations, all good but some predating the inclusion of the BIM (built-in motor in Tamron-speak) which is necessary for auto-focusing to work with either of the lines of Nikon cameras I'm suggesting. Most of them will have the BIM, as that was added across the line a half-dozen years ago. But make sure before you buy. You will also want a tripod and some form of remote release (I like cable releases, some prefer the IR kind). The tripod may or may not fit in your initial budget. FWIW

After looking at prices used is becoming more of a reality for the DSLR route.

[xpatUSA]

. . . here is my question: Which DSLR in the US$ 500 ~ 700 range would be a good platform for building upon as my passions take me to different areas in photography?

A Sigma SD1M will take you deep into uncharted territories

[William W]

After looking at prices used is becoming more of a reality for the DSLR route.

I do think that you should give the DSLR route adequate consideration.

I think that if there is depth in the meaning of "a good platform for building upon as my passions take me to different areas in photography", then a DSLR would be a better foundation.

And probably DSLR's are cheaper to "build on" if you buy (and know what to buy) second hand. For example, in a Nikon Kit the older Nikkor Lenses present very good value for money: if you are doing closeups and/or any other static & controlled photography, without the shooting under the pressure of time, then you might consider a specialty manual focus lens. (Note, that is not the same for Canon - previous models to the EF Series Lenses do NOT work on Canon DSLR's)

BTW, in Digital Cameras, I have Canon and also Fuji. Canon Flash gear, IMO is superior and also a superior platform on which to build than the Fuji, but I think that Nikon Flash gear, is slightly better again than Canon.

I had a look at some of your pictures and, (only from a limited sample), it seems that you might not use a lot of Flash. I think that is one area you might consider developing an interest in and seek to master. Some of your Photos, especially those of Flowers, display much talent of: composition; fabric and design which are all used effectively to underscore a meaning of the Title that you created.

I have mentioned "flash" often in my responses, because I think that controlling and crafting artificial light would allow you to further develop those skills and I think that you might get much pleasure from doing same. Maybe I am off the mark, but at the least the idea will supply you with food for further thought.

WW

[JBW]

A Sigma SD1M will take you deep into uncharted territories

where I would sadly flounder on the Rocks of Bankruptcy. That is a fine piece of equipment but way over my price limit.

[xpatUSA]

where I would sadly flounder on the Rocks of Bankruptcy. That is a fine piece of equipment but way over my price limit.

Nicely put. They're coming down, though, with all this Quattromania going on.

New one from Canada, $849:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BOXED-NEW-0-...-/321753738132

Closer to you but used, $820 :

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EXC-Sigma-SD...-/261900763898

I've still got the 17-50mm f/2.8 kit lens from one I sold recently, should you ever go that route

[JBW]

I do think that you should give the DSLR route adequate consideration.

I think that if there is depth in the meaning of "a good platform for building upon as my passions take me to different areas in photography", then a DSLR would be a better foundation.

I have mentioned "flash" often in my responses, because I think that controlling and crafting artificial light would allow you to further develop those skills and I think that you might get much pleasure from doing same. Maybe I am off the mark, but at the least the idea will supply you with food for further thought.

WW

Bill, you raise valid points A used DSLR is best bought by someone who knows what they are doing. Which begins to push me back towards a good bridge camera.

You are spot on that my least developed area of photography is artificial lighting. But the weakest part of my Fujifilm S4200 is the flash. The good news for me is that all of the bridge cameras I would consider have a hot shoe so whichever route I end up taking learning how to use a flash is on my agenda.

Thanks for your advice.

[William W]

Good Luck with your choice.