Help for aspiring 13 year old videographer/photographer

[SniperPenguin]

Hey all,
I'm going to Germany in the next month or two and want to film it. I also want something to do as a hobby over the summer.
I will be building an 8 core PC with an RX 580 for editing the photos and videos.

I'm receiving 500$ for my birthday. Add that to the money I've already saved and the expenses are almost all payed for.

I have chosen the Canon EOS Rebel T7i, the EF-S 18-55mm lens, and the Manfrotto Befree live fluid head tripod.
Is this a good setup? I would like it to last me for the next 3-4 years, and only need to change the lens within that time if needed.

Thanks!

 

[SniperPenguin]

What camera do you use? Did you post process?
The pictures you made are amazing....

And can someone please answer my question? Wondering if a full frame 26 more or crop 24.3mp is sharper/better?

 

[getochkn]

It'a Canon M10, low end of the Canon mirrorless. About $400 US, nothing fancy. Some lightroom processing, but pretty light, and some didn't touch really at all.

As for the question, no idea on full frame or anything. This is my first real camera.

 

[kenrivers]

Though I have contributed nothing I have been following this thread. Learning experience for me as well. Wish I could give you an informed answer about the full-frame vs. APS-C but I only use APS-C cameras (Canon T4i and T5i) because when I purchased mine the full-frame cameras were quite a bit more expensive and since it is just a hobby and there are no paying gigs then I went with what I could afford.

Seems as though you have a strong interest but you might want to slow down and not try to learn everything at once. Though the videos might be useful you really won't know until you experiment with the settings. Take a picture of the same subject with multiple settings. Record the setting as you take each shot so you'll be able to replicate it if you like. This will also give you an idea of how the settings work together.

 

[USAFRet]

What camera do you use? Did you post process?
The pictures you made are amazing....

And can someone please answer my question? Wondering if a full frame 26 more or crop 24.3mp is sharper/better?

It's not solely the sensor size. APS-C and above (full frame)...lens quality comes into play as well.

Do not focus on megapixels. (pun intended)
Pics taken with either will be more than 'adequate'. They will be, with the correct eye and brain...professional quality.

In the wrong hands, $20,000 of high end equipment will result in crap photos (I believe we've said this before).

 

[SniperPenguin]

Alright,
Thanks! From your personal expierence, do you like Canon or Fuji stills?
Canon for 1,400$:
26 MP Full Frame
Fuji for 200$ more:
24.3 MP CMOS

I guess the Canon is the better deal, right?

Lenses for the Canon are also much cheaper.

And I do need to start thinking about a new camera. My Nikon is great, but it really lacks some things in the focusing department.

I'm just afraid that I'll buy a clunky DSLR and have mirrorless become the future, making the DSLR irrelevant.

 

[USAFRet]

Alright,
Thanks! From your personal expierence, do you like Canon or Fuji stills?
Canon for 1,400$:
26 MP Full Frame
Fuji for 200$ more:
24.3 MP CMOS

For an "aspiring 13 year old"....my suggestion would be neither. For at least another year or two, if even then.
That's an awful lot of green to spend this early in your career.

You've not yet fully delved the depths of the current Nikon.
And in a very few years, you may be off to college. You'll wish you had that money.

I have a vary smart, talented granddaughter just your age.
If she came to me with this same question..."Which camera should I spend $2000 on"...
I would look at her and her mother like they had each spontaneously sprouted another head.

Learn photography first. You have a very viable Nikon that you've been playing with a whole 2 weeks.
Learn that.
Then worry about new hardware.

(I'll take off my dad/grandad hat now)

 

[SniperPenguin]

Well,
Apparently the Canon is a whopping 2,000$ for the frame. Can't really choose that if I want.


It's so tempting to just spend my money and buy a Fuji.. But I'll heed your advice, once again. I just really dislike the autofocus on the Nikon. I can only use manual for a shallow depth of field, but then there's another issue - there is no focus peaking so I can't tell if it's in focus.. Annoying.

I've got a handful of decent pictures that I'll share on Wednesday.
This is my first time shooting with a DSLR, so keep that in mind.

Also, I would like to do long exposure shots of water in the daytime. Sadly, it always gets too over exposed. I tried using sunglasses and it didn't work. Do I need a filter?

And last question.
For night time, long exposure shots like traffic or stars, would I use a 20 second shutter, or Hi 2?
Both give off very bright images.

 

[getochkn]

Cheap Canon lenses are going to give crappy results regardless of the sensor size or pixels or anything. I bought a bunch that I'm already unhappy with thinking having ton's of lenses was the way to go. DSLR is going to be around a LONG time. The top dogs have too much invested in it, and mirrorless doesn't offer a way to have an optical view finder. It's either none, or electronic. There are pro's and con's to each.

 

[USAFRet]

For water, where you want the moving water a little bit blurry, you use a ND filter of varying densities.
This will let you use a slower shutter speed (blurry water), and not over expose everything else.

For night, of stars...it depends.
Your personal ambient/city lighting, etc.

This is the Moon, Venus, Mars.
Feb 20 2015.

Taken with a Fuji HS10 bridge camera. Basically a fancy point and shoot.

 

[getochkn]

Well,
Apparently the Canon is a whopping 2,000$ for the frame. Can't really choose that if I want.


It's so tempting to just spend my money and buy a Fuji.. But I'll heed your advice, once again. I just really dislike the autofocus on the Nikon. I can only use manual for a shallow depth of field, but then there's another issue - there is no focus peaking so I can't tell if it's in focus.. Annoying.

I've got a handful of decent pictures that I'll share on Wednesday.
This is my first time shooting with a DSLR, so keep that in mind.

Also, I would like to do long exposure shots of water in the daytime. Sadly, it always gets too over exposed. I tried using sunglasses and it didn't work. Do I need a filter?

And last question.
For night time, long exposure shots like traffic or stars, would I use a 20 second shutter, or Hi 2?
Both give off very bright images.

I've used a Nikon D5100 before to shoot a wedding as a favor with the kit lens and no experience and didn't have any focus issues.

Waterfalls do need either a ND filter, or shot at dawn/dusk, don't frame the sun in. You only need about 1/4s or so to get a silk effect, use a lower aperture. Don't try like F4 or something for that.

Same for night. As little as light as possible, low aperture, low ISO. Set to shutter priority and let the camera pick the rest.

 

[getochkn]

Now if you have about $50,000 to spend......

https/www.phaseone.com/en/Products/Camera-Systems/XF100MP

 

[SniperPenguin]

The autofocus is alright now that I've had some more expierence.
For distant objects, it tends to struggle.

No focus peaking is a bummer.

 

[SniperPenguin]

Oh, and I made this one picture... It's a rock with moss, dark picture with a decent bokeh. When you look at it, your eyes travel left to right. Makes me feel comfortable..

Gonna be my new background...

Photography is sooo fun

 

[USAFRet]

No focus peaking is a bummer.

Without looking it up from the great god google...what is focus peaking, and how does it affect your photography.
In your own words....no looking it up.

Explain it like I'm 5.

 

[SniperPenguin]

AFAIK

Focus peaking is a feature that tells you if an object is in focus. That means that it will look sharp, not blurry.

This helps a lot when you are focusing with your own hands.

 

[SniperPenguin]

Correction:
It will tell you if the image will be sharp or blurry. It by itself does not make the image sharp.

(bad wording in the first post)

 

[SniperPenguin]

I've chosen the Fuji X-T20, a macro lens and a 23mm.

I love macro photos. I can't do it with my 18-55
But I still try

 

[Prashant_48]

Hello Everyone.

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Also, check the price, features, and specifications of Panasonic Lumix 4K DSLR Camera.

 

[SniperPenguin]

http/vsco.co/im-max/images/1

So this is the new VSCO I made.

It has some pictures of my trip up north. Actually, most of them are.


I'm holding back on the camera. I love the camera I have now. I'll just pick up a new lens.

 

[USAFRet]

Nice.
Some of them are a bit dark, but still nice.