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Looking for entry level DSLR for portraits


utmanesb

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If you want to do tight head shots you may find the kit lenses that both of these cameras come with to be somewhat limiting--at the longer end of their zoom range they don't open to a wide aperture for depth of field control and you won't be able to fill the frame at a flattering distance. If that isn't important to you either one should work, so you might want to try both of them in a store to see how they feel in your hands, and see which of the menus makes the most sense to you.
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Even the kit lens of ca. 18-55mm would do OK in terms of image quality, but the apertures, as AJG says, are somewhat limiting.

 

However for a modest ~US$100 (new) or around $50 (used), you can get a EF 50mm f/1.8 (Canon) or AF FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D lens that will be exactly what is thought of as a"portrait lens" on your 'crop' camera.

 

This gives you the

  • wider aperture for "bokeh" (out of focus blur in background), as well as
     
  • better image quality and
     
  • ability to shoot in much lower light levels.

As for whether you go Nikon or Canon, well everybody in their innermost heart knows the answer to that one, eh? However, choose carefully because most people tend to stick with their first commitment.

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+1 to @AJG 's answer.

either one should work, so you might want to try both of them in a store to see how they feel in your hands, and see which of the menus makes the most sense to you.

Some people claim Canon to produce better looking skin tones straight out of camera. Another advantage might be that a 50mm prime lens that can be shot wide open can be had for about $50 less in the Canon world. I am not hands on familiar with either camera you mentioned. Reviewers praise the Nikon's sensor and AF module.

 

For tight headshots you might indeed like to have a longer lens than 55mm. If convenience matters I recommend going for Nikon and their 18-140mm zoom. If changing to a longer lens doesn't bother you, adding a stabilized 50 (or 55)mm to whatever beyond 100mm zoom is possible in both systems. If you'll use a bit of studio lighting, like maybe some flashes and want the best: Look at the Sigma 50-100mm f1.8, but yes prime lenses can be had for less money and might be at least that good.

 

I could ramble on and confuse you more. You could simply toss a coin to pick one of the two but feeling both and buying what you like most is the best idea!

 

You could also check the used market; maybe there is a mid range enthusiast camera, that you like more, available in your price range?

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They are both good. I agree to get a 50mm lens, but as for which to go for, I suggest you look at both and see which you find more comfortable to use. Image quality will be practically identical.

how can they both have the same image quality?? Nikon D3300 got 24.2 MP white the canon 1300D got 18.0 MP ? so there will be no difference in quality?

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I agree with AJG that you should try both in a store and determine which feels better to you. Both cameras will do what you want, both have a large range of lenses available, so that it comes down to which one you prefer to use.

 

Both cameras have more than enough megapixels for your intended use, so that the difference between them is not all that important.

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I agree with AJG that you should try both in a store and determine which feels better to you. Both cameras will do what you want, both have a large range of lenses available, so that it comes down to which one you prefer to use.

 

Both cameras have more than enough megapixels for your intended use, so that the difference between them is not all that important.

 

alright, thank you.

 

Either one is fine and you don't need to be too careful because you don't intend to use it for a very long time do you?

yes i do, probably for the next year.

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Oh well I have been using my same camera for almost 40 years.

The same here, with film cameras. IMO digitals, though excellent, are more like small household appliances. The electronics, sensors, etc. fail and cannot be replaced. Even Leica had their sensor issues - my M3 has been in use since 1954, still works and can be repaired. My DF, on the other hand, will work well as long as it does, and when it fails, likely be a paperweight due to lack of parts.

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"how can they both have the same image quality?? Nikon D3300 got 24.2 MP white the canon 1300D got 18.0 MP ? so there will be no difference in quality?"

Do not confuse image size with quality. You can have a dull and blurry 24.2 Mp image and a clear and sharp 18.0 image depending on the lens more than the camera.

 

The Canon vs. Nikon argument has been going on for decades much like, "Which is better, Ford or Chevy?"

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James G. Dainis
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"how can they both have the same image quality?? Nikon D3300 got 24.2 MP white the canon 1300D got 18.0 MP ? so there will be no difference in quality?"

Do not confuse image size with quality. You can have a dull and blurry 24.2 Mp image and a clear and sharp 18.0 image depending on the lens more than the camera.

 

The Canon vs. Nikon argument has been going on for decades much like, "Which is better, Ford or Chevy?"

 

i'm buying nikon by the way, the seller told me to choose between two different lens Nikon 18-55 Standard and Yongnou 50mm 1.8? which one is the best for fullbody portraits and low light?

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how can they both have the same image quality?? Nikon D3300 got 24.2 MP white the canon 1300D got 18.0 MP ? so there will be no difference in quality?
I said practically identical, I didn’t say identical. In my opinion, to the novice, and many other photographers, me included, who don’t give two hoots about how many pixels we have ( over a base minimum) it will make practically no difference.
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The same here, with film cameras. IMO digitals, though excellent, are more like small household appliances. The electronics, sensors, etc. fail and cannot be replaced. Even Leica had their sensor issues - my M3 has been in use since 1954, still works and can be repaired. My DF, on the other hand, will work well as long as it does, and when it fails, likely be a paperweight due to lack of parts.

If the OP is planning to get an entry level (that is a low level camera) to use only for a year then I don't think it's really matter which one he picks. Their performance a close enough to each other and if the OP doesn't buy a lot of lenses he can then switch later on without any problem.

Personally I wouldn't buy a camera to use for a year. That's too much waste.

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i'm buying nikon by the way, the seller told me to choose between two different lens Nikon 18-55 Standard and Yongnou 50mm 1.8? which one is the best for fullbody portraits and low light?

The 50 f/1.8 will be best for low light, but a little long in focal length for full body portraits unless you are working in a fairly big space.

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i want know if i can get like this results below with Yongnou 50mm F1.8

 

if yes, how can i?

https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2017/05/DSC00068-Edit-800x534.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1494/26628490566_257a0f7907_b.jpg

I'm not familiar with the Yongnuo lens's bokeh, but the limited depth of field in those examples should be possible if you are capable of nailing focus. This is where an entry level Nikon or Canon DSLR may not work as well as a more expensive model with faster/better auto focusing.

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i want know if i can get like this results below with Yongnou 50mm F1.8

if yes, how can i?

https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2017/05/DSC00068-Edit-800x534.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1494/26628490566_257a0f7907_b.jpg

 

You can make similar, but not the same. It will depend how much “as similar” that you will accept as "OK for your puposes".

 

The limitations will mainly be because, the two sample images were made with different gear and in this case you are NOT comparing like with like equipment: irrespective of the talents of different Photographers there are physics limitations on the results that you can attain.

 

Having said that, I restate that you can get similar images using a Canon or Nikon APS-C camera and a 50mm F/1.8 Lens.

 

The how would be: to use the 50mm lens wide open (i.e. at F/1.8) and frame the images similar using similar light.

 

Both images exhibit traits of reasonably extensive/talented Post Production (the second especially), so your Post Production skills will need to be good

 

***

 

The elements that you will not be able to mimic are (as mentioned due to the different gear):

 

Noted that the first sample image was made with a Sigma 135 F/1.8 ART, at F/1.8; mounted o a Sony a7RII.

Noted that the second sample image was made with Canon EF135 F/2L, at F/2; mounted on an EOS 5D MkII

 

The main elements that you will NOT be able to achieve are:

 

1. Very Shallow Depth of Field at the same Perspective:

Both the cameras are 135 Format (aka “Full Frame”) and as such affords the possibility of extremely shallow Depth of Field at any given Aperture, for any given Subject Distance.

 

The Perspective of the shot is determined by the Camera’s Position, relative to the Subject- for the two sample shots, assuming they are full frame images, (i.e. not cropped) the Photographer was about 24 ft from the Subject. So to achieve a similar Perspective for the shot if you were using a 50mm lens and an APS-C Camera, you’d need also to be 24 ft away from the Subject, and to attain the same Framing, you’d need to Crop the image in Post Production. In simple terms to achieve the similar extremely shallow Depth of Field, you would need a 50mm lens with an aperture of about F/0.3 ~ F/0.25 on the Nikon or Canon cameras you are considering.

 

Alternatively you could Frame the image the same as the sample images (but NOT the same Perspective), which would mean you would move closer and be about 14ft from the Subject, but to get about the same very shallow Depth of Field you would need to use an aperture of about F/1.1 ~ F/1.2.

 

To put some tangible figures on these points of theory, with a 50mm F/1.8 Lens on one of the two cameras you’re considering: if you were at about 14ft you could get a Depth of Field of about 18 inches (which is a bit more than the depth of a person’s head and about the thickness of a slight woman’s torso): for contrast, the two sample photos should exhibit a Depth of Field of about 8 inches, which may be a considerable difference, depending upon the use of the images.

 

2. Bokeh & the General Condition of the Out Of Focus Background Area

The General Conditions of the Background out of Focus Area when comparing two shots (assuming lighting is static), will be mainly determined by the ratio of:

 

Camera to Subject Distance :: Subject to Background Distance.

 

This is why “The Perspective of the Shot” was mentioned above. If you need to move into the Subject (i.e. at 14ft), to use the 50mm lens to get the same Framing, your background OoF area typically becomes quite different. And for Portraiture we usually rely on the OoF Background to make the image ‘pop’ in the foreground. This is especially so for Available Light Portraiture, where, whilst we might use Light Modifiers (e.g. Reflectors), we don’t have the use of Flash to Key, Kick or Fill the Subject with the artificial Flash light.

 

Bokeh is a condition of many elements, but, in simple terms, when the lens is being used wide open, it is reasonable to say that the main element of Bokeh is the lens, itself. Certainly the Canon EF 135 F/2 L USM is a lens which is renowned for its quality of the OoF elements of the images it makes (i.e. the “Bokeh”) and this is a main reason why this lens is used by so many Portrait Photographers. It is obvious that pleasing Bokeh was a major design condition of the Sigma 135 F/1.8 ART Lens.

 

I am not familiar with the 50mm Lens that the salesman wants you to buy, but I think that it is safe to assume it is not in the same league as the Canon 135/2L apropos Bokeh.

 

***

 

The above commentary addresses many of the elements contained in your questions: but if you are indeed a beginner, then you are probably asking the wrong questions, because to make good portraiture you need to have good camera skills; understand and know how to use lighting; have good communication and people skills; and have good Post Production Skills.

 

These you cannot attain overnight – only you can attain by practice and making errors and understanding the errors and learning and also this practical experience can be accented attending a good quality course of learning.

 

A talented/experienced Photographer would be able to make good outdoor daylight Portraits with either of the cameras you mention, using the Kit Lenses.

 

Using either of the APS-C cameras that you mentioned and to make Portraitures (not the same as) more similar to the two sample images you provided, then you would be better served to buy an 85mm Prime Lens rather than a 50mm Prime Lens. In this case, the EF 85mm F/1.8 is a very high quality optic and I am sure that the Nikon equivalent would be close to the same. Note well this comment pertains specifically to making images as close to similar as the two samples.

 

In the case that you are limited by budget and are inexperienced, my advice is to buy one or the other of the cameras, with the Kit Lens and learn and practice, especially concerning the lighting of your Available Light Portraiture, before you spend money on other lenses that you may find will not give you all the joy that you seek.

 

Noted that you have already stated that you are buying the Nikon APS-C - anyway, just mentioning - alternatively - if you have the cash: then it is very difficult to argue that learning Portraiture using a 5D MkII and a 135/2L or Nikon equivalent, would be a bad option.

 

WW

Edited by William Michael
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Note that if you want a 50mm Nikon-brand lens for the D3300, you need to get the AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G

 

The otherwise excellent AF-Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D will neither give autofocus nor metering on the D3300.

 

The Yongnou does not appear to share these limitations-it should also be full compatible with the D3300.

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i want know if i can get like this results below with Yongnou 50mm F1.8

if yes, how can i?

https://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2017/05/DSC00068-Edit-800x534.jpg

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1494/26628490566_257a0f7907_b.jpg

 

Realistically speaking, no, not possible with a 1.8/50mm

 

The images reffered to are not only taken with the lens at most likely the widest possible aperture, but given the ' optical compression' or

'flatness' also with a lens with focal length (much) long(er) then a 50mm

While a 50mm 'translates' into a virtual 75mm on a Nikon DX thanks to the 1.5 crop, even with a FX body getting a similar

OoF background is hard to achieve with a 1.8/85mm, shallow DoF yes, but 'flatness' no

 

And that's not even taking into account that, due to the 1.5 crop an image shot on a DX body at a certain aperture and lens will, compared

to an image shot at the same aperture and lens result in a, at least when looking at the final image, deeper DoF compared

to the image taken with a FX body

Based on my own experiences (next to my FX bodies I still have a D7100 I at times use with a 1.4 AF D lens) I have found it will take

a 1.4 50mm, rather then a 1.8 50mm, wide open to get that kind of shallow DoF

 

Similarly I have found that on an FX body it will take at least a 2/135mm wide open to be create both the shallow DoF and optical compression

as shown in the enclosed image (D800 2/135mm DC 1/320s f/2.5 at 135.0mm iso1000 )

I would recommend to try and get hold of a 1.8/85mm, which on a DX body will become a virtual 135mm and when used wide open

very likely will give both the shallow DoF and desired 'compression' on a DX body

 

161832071.arIpZZTc.thumb.jpg.053bfb4f1c4c0fe50f39325b8367576a.jpg

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As above, I'd also advice to consider the Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.8G - it is a higher price bracket, but in my view, it is more flattering for portraits than a 50mm.

That said, I would always get the 'kitlens'(18-55 3.5-5.6) with your camera. When bought in a bundle, the lens is practically free, and it is a lens with a very useful range and always comes in handy for allround use. They're maybe not the best lenses you'll ever see, but they are very good value.

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