I’ve been blogging for a long time now and my blog has evolved during this time. I have shared good times and bad, embarrassing (and funny for everyone else) situations, and loads and loads of inspirational quotes. Which I love. Even if you don’t.
But I have never branched out and bought myself a good camera, and I am feeling like now is the time. Gone are the days when I can get by with my camera phone, complete with dodgy flash and go faster blurs if I geta little over enthusiastic. Nope, its time to make the change.
But I have a real issue with purchasing anything of value. If I see a pair of shoes over £60 I will always rationalise that I don’t need them and I can cope with what I have, and anything over the £200 mark makes me feel a little uncomfortable.
So ive been doing my research. I’ve spent what feels like days on Amazon reading reviews, ive scoured the blog world for recommendations for all kinds of bloggers, and I have made a shortlist. But it still makes me, you know, a bit itchy.
I wanted to reach out to you guys and ask what you would recommend? I did a photography A level at school, but that finished 10 years ago and I haven’t picked up an SLR since. I want something that is easy to use (like childlike) and that is reliable, so does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks peoples!
Tinkerbelle 
My main DSLR is a Nikon D90 and I use 35 mm and 50 mm prime lenses a lot of the time. I recently acquired a Nikon D5300 for the wi-fi and GPS capability as well as the enhanced sensor. It also came with an 18–140 mm kit lens which is pretty good. I also have a 24–85 mm lens which is great for outdoors. I’ve done a course and now shoot in manual and in raw. I then post process in Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. I’m fortunate enough to be able to afford this hobby but I’ve collected equipment over many years.
The D5300 body is under $AUD1000 (not sure about euro and pounds). It’s easy to use and the LCD is fantastic. It’s small and light too.
I had a Canon t3 Rebel and it was simple and easy to use and took the clearest pictures. It was 18 mp but it was a bit heavy ( was stolen also). If you go with Canon they have a version of an SLR camera out that is smaller and easier to carry around. I purchased off of Amazon as I found they had the best price and their cameras actually went on sale. Now that I have no camera I borrow my dad’s sometimes and it is a Nikon. According to his photography friend, they are the best camera’s out there for SLR but I really did like Canon personally. Goodluck!
The canon was in the running and the reviews om Amazon say exactly the same thing 🙂
I recently bought a Nikon Coolpix L27 camera which does it for me – it even comes with software I haven’t yet installed on my new PC as I didn’t have a use for it!
Continued! 🙂
It works pretty well and has a smart system so it can identify faces and loads of extra functions which are automated, so helping you take better pictures! 🙂
All I need now is a family event to use it… 🙂
Love and hugs!
Prenin.
Hi! Its been a while since I last commented here, I’m sure you forgot about me, hahaha. Anyways, I’ve been looking around for a camera too, except that I’ve been searching for about about a year and haven’t purchased anything because, well, I have to pay money for it.
In that time, I thought about what I wanted a camera for (and at the same time trying to convince myself that I didn’t need one, and that I can get by with a camera phone), only to realize that I wanted it to snap pictures of outings with friends, some street photography, maybe catch some sunrises from my morning runs, and pretty much a camera that I could take anywhere. Definitely not a point-and-shoot though. I wanted to be able to manually focus, and have some power over my images. That crossed out big cameras. And so the process of elimination started. I don’t like carrying lots of things. I absolutely HATE spending on things that are non-essential.
No big SLRs. No extra lenses. No carrying cases. Not expensive. Durable. Retro-looking. Great images that I can edit (if I want to).
I spoke with a few photographer friends, and they named combinations of letters and numbers, lenses and a bunch of camera words, it got so intense I almost went non-digital and into the film world. Then, someone suggested an “RX1” … what the heck is that? It turned out to be a VERY expensive Sony Compact camera for almost $3,000 (USD), but the image quality was amazing. But hell no. I’d rather buy a car. But that was my answer: compact cameras.
I learned about Pentax Q10, Fujifilm X20, Sony RX100, Canon G15.. and many other cameras with fixed lenses, great images, plus some other cool features that I won’t really use but are nice to have.
So far, I have a winner.. but I still won’t make the purchase. I think I’m just waiting for a better price.
Do you know what you’ll use the camera for?
Hi Edwin, I haven’t really been blogging much lately. I want to use it to take better photos and be able to get a little more creative, so be able to play about with focus etc. I decided and plumped for a Nikon camera, so we shall wait and see if I get the hang of it or not!!
I am on my second Canon Rebel, I love it!!!
Your photos are always lovely too x
Most of my shots are from my Canon Rebel XTI. Others are from a Canon PowerShot consumer grade which does a decent job for much less the price of an SLR (if cost is a factor).