help for a beginner!

[cristina_rutzen]

I'm taking a basic photography class at college next semester and I don't know what camera will work for

me the best.

I've done a little research and have a few options (all nikon):

FM10

N55

N65

 

but still, don't know wich one offers more bang for your money!

 

I would also like to know if digital and film cameras can exchange lenses.

[jeff bishop]

Some lenses will swap between the film and digital cameras. Ask before you buy.

 

For a basic photography course, I would suggest a basic camera, such as the FM10. It's hard to learn and understand light when the camera is making all of the decisions for you. Having, or being able to switch to manual metering would be a plus.

[steve_levine]

I 2nd vote for the all manual FM10. The others are auto everything, and if the camera does the choosing, and not you. You lose your creative control.

[nancy s.]

My first camera was a used FM which is a manual camera. You probably can get one for a song at KEH.com (which is important when college expenses come around).

 

I still use the FM.

 

The lenses I use on that will also work on my Fuji S2. It is just they are manual lenses with no auto focus etc.

 

I used the FM for my college courses in B&W (and I am OLD.. I took these in my way late 40's about 3 years ago).

[tr_gleason]

Don't be afraid to ask your instructor who sees many different people use a variety of cameras every semester.

[johnw63]

Some of these classes REQUIRE certain camera types. Check with the instructor, before

making your choice. The nice thing about using Nikon stuff is that for the most part, lenses

you buy for your begginner camera will still work on your next camera, and the one after that

! Not all, but most. Stick with Auto Focus lenses to make that a higher probability.

[photobum]

FM, FM2, FM2N are all fully manual. I started with the FM2N, and Nikon 50/1.8 AIS lens.

[yann1]

I began learning with a FM10 7 years ago, it's good enough, I still use it sometimes. A second hand one with a 35-70 lens would be dirt cheap nowadays, under $100. Now if you could find a FM2 for a good price, take it...

[ShunCheung]

This topic has been discussed quite a few times before, but not recently.

 

IMO, learning photography with a film body is a major handicap.

With film, by the time you see your results, it could be hours or even days since you took those pictures. The shooting environment is long gone and it is hard to remember the aperture, shutter speed, lighting conditions, etc.

 

The instant feedback from digital is a tremendous help for beginners to learn, and the exposure information is automatically recorded onto each frame for future reference. I could only wish I had such a powerful learning aid available to me when I learned photography 35 years ago.

[photobum]

Lesson #1

Keep notes....That was one of my instructors "first" lessons.

[anthony_bez]

Cristina, Your progress will be much faster with a D50 or D70.

[runkel]

It's hard to dispute the advantages cited for learning with a digital camera. However, there are disadvantages as well. You can likely avoid those if you are very disciplined, but I suspect that most people do not. It's human nature that we learn better when there is a price for failure. It's all well and good that with digital you can review your results in real time and keep shooting at no cost until you get the desired result, but to learn something you must retain all the "non-keepers" and spend the time to figure out why they didn't work--reviewing them properly and not just on the LCD screen. The ability to shoot as much as you want can make you lazy about figuring out in advance what you want to accomplish. In some situations, the ability to see that you have obtained something "close enough" may keep you from taking a shot that would be better.

 

My guess is that the majority of people who cut their teeth with digital cameras have a less deep and intuitive sense for the basic variables and relationships involved in photography than if they had learned with manual film equipment. I'm not speaking of anyone here, of course, nor do I deny that it's easier to produce a technically acceptable image with an auto camera than with an all-manual model. But it takes discipline to avoid relying on autoexposure, autofocus, fixing things later in Photoshop, etc.--so as actually to learn the fundamentals. One could even argue that reliance on zoom lenses prevents most learners from as quickly understanding perspective, the need to move around, etc.

[Peter_in_PA]

It is also possible that the photography course REQUIRES a film camera. If not, digital is

better now.

[ShunCheung]

In the last 2, 3 years, I have taken maybe 8 half-day to 2-day photo seminars, mainly on lighting and portrait stuffs. In all but one of those seminars, the instructor had a DSLR tattered to a digital projector so that he would take a shot and then immediately projects it on a screen for discussion. And then the instructor would alter the lighting and take another one for more discussion ....

 

The only exception was a portrait photographer who shoots exclusively with film on a Hasselblad. She brought a Polaroid back and shot Polaroids for instant feedback. It was a bit annoying that after every shot, you need to wait a minute for the Polaroid to develop and you pass around this small print for discussion. But still, you get instant feedback.

 

Frankly, now in 2007, if an instructor still insists that one must learn with a film camera, and I am sure that some do, I would find a different instructor.

 

If you prefer to shoot film, by all means shoot film, but that would be after you have learned the basics. For learning, there is no doubt in my mind that digital is a far more efficient way. I know most of us learned with film and then migrate to digital, but we were limited by the technology available 10, 20, 30, 40 years ago.

[mfophotos]

Having taught some photography myself, I see the inherent advantages of digital as a TEACHING tool. However -- some unenlightened art departments have scrapped their wet darkrooms, thinking that students will only need to use digital from now on. As an art form, photography is more than just taking an image -- it's what you do with it afterwards - hence, if anyone wants to use alternate processes, the many facets of b&w films and printing, and learn about FINE ART photography, then a film camera and learning the basics about the photographic process is a must. Now, if all you are going to do is shoot for powerpoint slides and showing off on the web and making color prints, then digital makes sense.

 

Christina -- The FM10 is a good, basic SLR that will take an enermous array of Manual and AF lenses in the Nikon mount, and if you buy one, try getting a 50mm 1.8 lens for it, not the lesser-quality zoom lens that comes with it. You will learn a lot about depth of field, low-light shooting, and the normal lens is perfect for learning about the basics of photography.

[cristina_rutzen]

Thanks everyone! I just joined this forum and I love it! People are so nice!

anyway... the course requires a FILM camera, digital comes later. I think manual comes best

for this basic couse. How could I learn if the camera does the work for me? So I guess I'm

going for the FM10 with a 50mm 1.8 lens... (thanks Mark!)

[dusty2004]

Good choice. Good to see you paying attention to the good advice given to you. I too learned with a very basic camera. The most important thing for you is to aquire knowledge. Knowledge is power. Great works have been produced by people with basic cameras but with great knowledge. Then there are those with great cameras little knowledge and well, I think you can fill in the rest. My best wishes to you and may photography bring you joy and happiness. Cheers.