What Digital Cam do you all use for professional shots?

djf863000 · 10-23-2009, 02:46 PM

I am looking to buy a new Camera. Someone recommended Nikon D5000.

What do you all use?

DonaldG · 10-23-2009, 02:58 PM

Hi & Welcome to TSF & the Photographer's Corner

The Nikon D5000 is highly rated - Read this review, especially the conclusions...

I use mainly a Canon 20D and Canon 5d Mk ll Both with a small selections of lenses.

yustr · 10-26-2009, 06:40 AM

By "professional shots" do you mean you want to make your living doing photography? Or just take great looking shots?

If the former, there are a few very high quality cams from both Cannon and Nikon that most professional photog's use; they're expensive, heavy, solidly built, take fantastic images. You'll need professional quality lens too.

If you're just looking to take great images for yourself, family and your friends here at TSF

then almost any of the current digital SLR's will do nicely. How much experience do you have? Are you stepping up from a point-and-shoot or have you been taking pics with film for decades?

A few years ago I decided to get back into taking pictures. I had some training years before and a bag of gear. So I bought a mid-priced Pentax DSLR that was compatible with what I already had to lower the entry price. While the results may not be "professional" that has more to do with my skill than the camera.

I suggest going to a good camera store and talking with the sales staff and handling a few of the entries from the different manufacturers.

**Done_Fishin** · 10-26-2009, 11:48 AM

It's rare these days for "professional shots" to have anything to do with photography skill .. most "professional shots" are a result of taking a reasonable photo then editing with GOOD software like Photoshop.

My own meager photos are taken with an old (now!) Nikon Coolpix E4300 (4,3megapixels) that I have had about 5 years. Before that I used to use a Praktika B500 purchased back in the early 80's ..

**WereBo** · 10-26-2009, 07:53 PM

Although I'm far from being a professional photographer, I'm still using my 1st digital camera, an Olympus 'Camedia' C350 with 3Mpx, now approx 4-5 years old.

I still miss using my ancient Praktica BX20 though, that was a beautiful 35mm camera to use - I just hated waiting for films to be developed and posted back again

djf863000 · 10-28-2009, 11:21 AM

I'm more of an Amateur Photographer. I am have big interest in Art involving either Nature, other closeup or landscape view, or photographing people, Children and Adults. Beauty and Art are my main focus.

I have been fascinated with art with other paintings or Photographing for a long time. I have seen so many photos used in art that I want to start doing my own.

My old Kodak C340. doesn't like certain lighting, especially indoors.

**Done_Fishin** · 10-28-2009, 11:29 AM

All cameras both old film style and new (as in recent and latest production) electronic equipment have their quirks. One of the first things that we do is to see what the strong & weak points are where we want to use them.
I would say that it's possible to pay a lot of money for a top range camera only to find that it's useless for your needs & a much cheaper point & shoot would do.
You mention that your old camera had a problem when taking photo's in poor or specific lighting situations, so perhaps you should also think in terms of what you want your camera to be able to do and whether lighting might be something that you need to add as an extra in the way of flood lamps, umbrellas, props etc.

**zuluclayman** · 10-29-2009, 12:27 AM

Again as an interested amateur rather than a professional I currently use an Olympus E500 DSLR with a 14-45mm lens and a 40-150mm lens as an extra - it is only 8MP (a baby by today's standards) but seems to do OK - Photoshop is my friend

I am exteremely jealous of Donald's Canon armoury especially the 5D mark II

such a good camera for both still and HD video (have a look at some of the stuff on the Vimeo channel specifically for this camera's video work - some of it mindblowingly crisp and clean

**Done_Fishin** · 10-29-2009, 02:32 PM

you and me too, zuluclayman!!!

I am also jealous of his photoshop skills, but with a few decades practice I might catch up

DonaldG · 10-29-2009, 04:23 PM

My ears ar burning - someone talking about me?

**Done_Fishin** · 11-07-2009, 10:23 AM

Hi Don .. YES!! but NOT behind your back

DonaldG · 11-07-2009, 12:40 PM

10-23-2009, 02:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
djf863000 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 12 OS: XP Lite, Pro, MC sp3, Vista Ultimate sp2, Server 2003	What Digital Cam do you all use for professional shots? I am looking to buy a new Camera. Someone recommended Nikon D5000. What do you all use?

10-23-2009, 02:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
DonaldG Manager Home Support, Assistant Manager Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 10,223 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: What Digital Cam do you all use for professional shots? Hi & Welcome to TSF & the Photographer's Corner The Nikon D5000 is highly rated - Read this review, especially the conclusions... I use mainly a Canon 20D and Canon 5d Mk ll Both with a small selections of lenses. __________________ . Lest we forget... "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Submit New Articles Here TSF's Photographer's Corner . Last edited by DonaldG; 10-23-2009 at 03:00 PM.

10-26-2009, 06:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
yustr Asst. Manager, The Conversation Pit Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Connecticut shore Posts: 6,069 OS: XP Pro My System	Re: What Digital Cam do you all use for professional shots? By "professional shots" do you mean you want to make your living doing photography? Or just take great looking shots? If the former, there are a few very high quality cams from both Cannon and Nikon that most professional photog's use; they're expensive, heavy, solidly built, take fantastic images. You'll need professional quality lens too. If you're just looking to take great images for yourself, family and your friends here at TSF then almost any of the current digital SLR's will do nicely. How much experience do you have? Are you stepping up from a point-and-shoot or have you been taking pics with film for decades? A few years ago I decided to get back into taking pictures. I had some training years before and a bag of gear. So I bought a mid-priced Pentax DSLR that was compatible with what I already had to lower the entry price. While the results may not be "professional" that has more to do with my skill than the camera. I suggest going to a good camera store and talking with the sales staff and handling a few of the entries from the different manufacturers. __________________ If there are lawyers or politicians involved, logic may be a very poor tool for reaching a conclusion.

10-26-2009, 11:48 AM	#4 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,535 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	Re: What Digital Cam do you all use for professional shots? It's rare these days for "professional shots" to have anything to do with photography skill .. most "professional shots" are a result of taking a reasonable photo then editing with GOOD software like Photoshop. My own meager photos are taken with an old (now!) Nikon Coolpix E4300 (4,3megapixels) that I have had about 5 years. Before that I used to use a Praktika B500 purchased back in the early 80's .. __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner

10-26-2009, 07:53 PM	#5 (permalink)
WereBo Resident Village Idiot Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: SE London, UK Posts: 14,594 OS: Win-7, XP-Pro SP3 My System	Re: What Digital Cam do you all use for professional shots? Although I'm far from being a professional photographer, I'm still using my 1st digital camera, an Olympus 'Camedia' C350 with 3Mpx, now approx 4-5 years old. I still miss using my ancient Praktica BX20 though, that was a beautiful 35mm camera to use - I just hated waiting for films to be developed and posted back again __________________ Sanity is for 'normal' people.

10-28-2009, 11:21 AM	#6 (permalink)
djf863000 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 12 OS: XP Lite, Pro, MC sp3, Vista Ultimate sp2, Server 2003	Re: What Digital Cam do you all use for professional shots? I'm more of an Amateur Photographer. I am have big interest in Art involving either Nature, other closeup or landscape view, or photographing people, Children and Adults. Beauty and Art are my main focus. I have been fascinated with art with other paintings or Photographing for a long time. I have seen so many photos used in art that I want to start doing my own. My old Kodak C340. doesn't like certain lighting, especially indoors.

10-28-2009, 11:29 AM	#7 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,535 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	Re: What Digital Cam do you all use for professional shots? All cameras both old film style and new (as in recent and latest production) electronic equipment have their quirks. One of the first things that we do is to see what the strong & weak points are where we want to use them. I would say that it's possible to pay a lot of money for a top range camera only to find that it's useless for your needs & a much cheaper point & shoot would do. You mention that your old camera had a problem when taking photo's in poor or specific lighting situations, so perhaps you should also think in terms of what you want your camera to be able to do and whether lighting might be something that you need to add as an extra in the way of flood lamps, umbrellas, props etc. __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner

10-29-2009, 12:27 AM	#8 (permalink)
zuluclayman Design Team Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Newcastle, Australia Posts: 3,049 OS: Windows Vista Home Premium My System	Re: What Digital Cam do you all use for professional shots? Again as an interested amateur rather than a professional I currently use an Olympus E500 DSLR with a 14-45mm lens and a 40-150mm lens as an extra - it is only 8MP (a baby by today's standards) but seems to do OK - Photoshop is my friend I am exteremely jealous of Donald's Canon armoury especially the 5D mark II such a good camera for both still and HD video (have a look at some of the stuff on the Vimeo channel specifically for this camera's video work - some of it mindblowingly crisp and clean __________________ AutoGordianKnot Audacity K-Lite codec pack Irfan View GSpot TSF Photographer's Corner

10-29-2009, 02:32 PM	#9 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,535 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	Re: What Digital Cam do you all use for professional shots? you and me too, zuluclayman!!! I am also jealous of his photoshop skills, but with a few decades practice I might catch up __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner

10-29-2009, 04:23 PM	#10 (permalink)
DonaldG Manager Home Support, Assistant Manager Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 10,223 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: What Digital Cam do you all use for professional shots? My ears ar burning - someone talking about me? __________________ . Lest we forget... "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Submit New Articles Here TSF's Photographer's Corner .

11-07-2009, 10:23 AM	#11 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,535 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	Re: What Digital Cam do you all use for professional shots? Hi Don .. YES!! but NOT behind your back __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner

11-07-2009, 12:40 PM	#12 (permalink)
DonaldG Manager Home Support, Assistant Manager Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 10,223 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: What Digital Cam do you all use for professional shots? __________________ . Lest we forget... "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Submit New Articles Here TSF's Photographer's Corner .