As many have commented, "what camera do you tell a beginner to buy" is not readily answered - it depends too much on the person and their interests. Larry's variation on the question - "what would you do if you were to replace your entire kit" I'll come back to in a minute. My own variation on the Beginner question is: "what camera would you give your teen-aged son/daughter for Christmas? They have shown an interest in photography and you want to encourage that interest . . ." I'll come back to this in a minute also.
1. What camera should a beginner buy? Which restaurant serves the best food? What university should I go to? Does this dress make me look fatter? All questions that have no good answer other than "it depends." The value a more experienced consumer can provide to a less experienced is to explain what the decision might depend on. I.e., help the newbie think about whether they want to do portraiture or wildlife, product photography or macros, fashion photography or scenics, wedding photography or other self-inflicted torture. Discuss the benefits and limitations of different camera features vis a vis the direction they think they are headed. And then caution patience. A first date does not inevitably lead to marriage, nor does a first camera purchase involve a life-long brand commitment. In short, my recommendation to a beginner is: "Buy something that feels good in your hand. Travel to NYC or wherever you need to go in order to actually see and hold the camera(s) before you make your final decision. Buy something and get started. Spend time in the library and on the internet looking at others' photography. When you are excited by a style or subject matter, read more about how it is done. Try to replicate it yourself. Learn the limitations of your first camera, the ways it gets in your way. Then give the first one away and get your second camera. Repeat the cycle at least 3 times in the first 5 years." 2. What camera would I give a teen-aged child? Pentax of some variety because that is what I have and know; I could answer questions, offer advice, and share equipment in ways that wouldn't be so easy with some other brand. Today, probably a K-5 or K-50 + 18-55 and 50-200 kit lenses. Or whatever in those ranges is currently available. 3. What would I buy if everything were stolen and I had the insurance money adequate to buy whatever I wanted? Probably stick with Pentax DSLR, though I would consider Nikon DSLR as well. Pentax because it is familiar, Nikon because they offer capabilities beyond what I can get with Pentax (and Nikon is quite similar to Pentax in camera-body functionality, control layout, menu layout, etc.). DSLR because I have yet to see an LCD screen or EVF which does not get in my way when I look at a scene. If Pentax, two K-3's. If Nikon, one FF body for wide angle and one APS-C body for longer lenses. If Pentax, a selection of the Limited lenses plus 12-24, 16-50/2.8, 50-135/2.8, 60-250/4.0 and 300/4.0. If I could find another FA*200/4.0 Macro that would definitely be on the list! If the funds were there, I would also toy with the notion of a 645D and a couple of lenses. If Nikon, besides the comparables to the Pentax lenses, I would add 1.4xTC, 2.0xTC, 200-400 and 500mm lenses, and a couple of the tilt/shift lenses. And the availability of tilt/shift, the longer zoom, a 180mm macro, and functional tele-converters would be the primary aspects of the Nikon system that might induce me to switch away from Pentax. stan On Oct 20, 2013, at 10:43 AM, Godfrey DiGiorgi wrote: > It's impossible for me to say what I'd tell a beginner to start with > specifically. It depends on the particular beginner. However, sadly, it would > most likely not be Pentax gear for reasons that have to do with a) lack of > local availability, and b) my own misgivings about their QA and consistency. > > (My personal history in cameras was very diverse, but basically I started > with a Rolleiflex TLR, and mostly had Nikon and Leica gear, although a lot of > Olympus and other makes as well. Always liked the Olympus gear. Pentax was > there for me late in the game and I had a good run with it for a few years, > and I've got a ton of other stuff still, but I'm mostly back to Leica and > Olympus, replacing Nikon, now.) > > But Larry's question—if all my camera gear was stolen, what would I replace > it with—I've given some thought to. I've accreted a lot of equipment now, > both film and digital, and a pleasing bit of it was given to me. If it were > *all* stolen now and the insurance folks handed me a blank check to replace > it ... > > - Leica M digital (M9, M, or MM ... likely MM) with 28, 50, 90 mm lenses. > - Olympus E-M1 with exactly what I have now or maybe the equivalent lenses > all in Micro-FourThirds mount > - Hasselblad SWC + 500CM kit just as I have it now > - Polaroid SX-70 and Spectra Pro > > In other words, I'd want what I have now back again. It's the end result of > all these years of buying and selling equipment, using equipment, and it does > what I want. Even if some of it I use only infrequently. > > To compensate the rest of what I have now ... uh, I'll keep the cash and use > it to go traveling, thank you! ;-) > > G > > > On Oct 19, 2013, at 2:34 PM, Larry Colen <l...@red4est.com> wrote: > >> I will change the question somewhat. >> All of your camera gear has been stolen, but the insurance company has given >> you a check to replace it with the brand new equivalent, or good quality >> used for fear that is no longer made. How would you spend your money >> replacing your kit. > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
