Camera Recommendation

PostCamera Recommendation by **Rightey** » Sun Jan 22, 2017 11:34 pm

I'm planning on going on vacation to Iceland at the end of February in hopes that I'll see the Aurora. Can anyone recommend a good camera that would be capable of taking photographs of the night sky?

I was looking at this list...

http://www.techradar.com/news/photograp ... rs-1251700

and was wondering if the Pentax K50 was any good. Does anyone have experience with this? I like the K50 because it's waterproof, but I have no idea if it would be good for photos at night. This would be my first DSLR so I don't want to invest a huge amount but I also don't want to spend a few hundred on something that is crap.

If the K50 isn't good could someone recommend a decent mid range camera?

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Dual** » Sun Jan 22, 2017 11:48 pm

Buy Nikon or Canon. Invest in a good wide lens.

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Green Gecko** » Mon Jan 23, 2017 7:28 pm

You'll find it extremely difficult to take pictures of stars without a tripod and pretty much any SLR will do it. It's about using long exposure times manually.

You'll need a maximum lens aperture of f2.2 or lower (lower number is bigger aperture). The lens is more important.

If you get a Canon the fixed 50mm f1.8 is ideal for this http://www.e-infin.com/uk/item/2601/can ... 8_stm_lens

[wrong wrong wrong]

You buy the lens for the job.

You can buy a body by itself. You don't need zoom.

No really you don't. Use a compact.

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Rightey** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 3:40 am

So that Pentax one is no good? I really like that it's waterproof and not too expensive.

Can you recommend any particular Canon camera?

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Knoyleo** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 7:51 am

Rightey wrote:So that Pentax one is no good? I really like that it's waterproof

You're not going swimming with it, m8. Most DSLRs will stand up to a bit of rain, no problem.

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **OnlyShallow** » Wed Jan 25, 2017 11:42 am

Green Gecko wrote:You won't be able to take pictures of stars without a tripod and actually any SLR will do. It's about using long exposure times manually.

You'll need a maximum lens aperture of f2.2 or lower (lower number is bigger aperture). The lens is more important.

If you get a Canon the fixed 50mm f1.8 is ideal for this http://www.e-infin.com/uk/item/2601/can ... 8_stm_lens

The fixed lens will reduce lens shake and every Canon DSLR has the vibration reduction built into the body, Nikon does not. I prefer Nikon as I have old lenses but you would need to get a VR (vibration reduction) lens which is more expensive, unless you use the included (kit) lens which won't cut it.

You buy the lens for the job.

You can buy a body by itself. You don't need zoom.

No really you don't. Use a compact.

You're giving a lot of "alternative facts" here.

All Canons don't have inbuilt VR. Like Nikon it is usually incorporated into the lens.

Pentax however does have VR built into the body, plus it is waterproof.

The new AF-P kit lens for Nikon is actually pretty excellent and will cope with most you would throw at it.

I know all this as I've just researched the strawberry float out of DSLRs before buying a Nikon D5300 with the 18-55 AF-P kit lens.

The Pentax is a very good shout, I'd have gone for one if I hadn't decided on the Nikon.

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Green Gecko** » Wed Jan 25, 2017 5:00 pm

My knowledge is bloody ancient I'll admit. It must have been at a time when Canon couldn't make up their mind whether to put VR in the body or the lens or both.

Thanks for using actual facts instead of "alternative facts". :mrgreen:

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Rightey** » Thu Feb 23, 2017 11:26 pm

So in the end I got something completely different!

I ended up going with this...

http://www.henrys.com/86313-PANASONIC-D ... 4K-3-.aspx

The camera store I went do didn't have the Pentax, I was looking at and when comparing the prices for some other Nikon's and Canon's they would have ended up costing about $500 more than this thing (keeping in mind I would have had to buy a second lens to be able to photograph the stars).

For example, the other one they had that I was thinking of getting would have been this...

http://www.henrys.com/96578-NIKON-D5600 ... MM-VR.aspx

I should have checked back here though because I forgot about what GG said regarding aperture. The aperture on this camera is f2.8, am I screwed?

I don't want a camera just for shooting the stars though, so overall I think I should be ok. The Lumix seems to offer a good overall performance, I'll report back with how it does with photos of the night sky later.

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Dual** » Fri Feb 24, 2017 4:21 am

You've just spent $1000 on a bridge camera.

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Rightey** » Fri Feb 24, 2017 4:56 am

I'm just checking over my receipt now. :shifty:

Seems like I can return it within 15 days as long as it's in as new condition, which is good, as I really think the sales guy just pulled a fast one on me wowing me with the big zoom lens, which I now realize I don't really need unless I plan to be spying on my neighbours. :fp:

I think I'll go with the D5300 which Only Shallow mentioned, that combined with a good lens with a wide apreture should still come in well under $1000.

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Dual** » Fri Feb 24, 2017 5:01 am

A wise choice.

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Rightey** » Fri Feb 24, 2017 6:05 am

Uhh... I can't decide what the hell to do.

I'm just looking over reviews and the like, and what they all seem to say is that the Panasonic is a good camera. I'm sure the DSLR's are better, but I'm an amateur and really don't plan to get too much into photography, so it seems like I don't need something that crazy.

But then on the other hand I think that if I don't really need something that crazy, why the hell am I spending $1000 on a camera and not just sticking to my cell phone which would do the job 90% of the time. :fp:

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **OnlyShallow** » Fri Feb 24, 2017 6:34 am

Rightey wrote:Uhh... I can't decide what the hell to do.

I'm just looking over reviews and the like, and what they all seem to say is that the Panasonic is a good camera. I'm sure the DSLR's are better, but I'm an amateur and really don't plan to get too much into photography, so it seems like I don't need something that crazy.

But then on the other hand I think that if I don't really need something that crazy, why the hell am I spending $1000 on a camera and not just sticking to my cell phone which would do the job 90% of the time.

You do know Pentax have brought out a new DSLR designed just for you? It even has ASTRO TRACING (whatever the strawberry float that is), for taking pictures of stars.

http://m.henrys.com/94527-PENTAX-K-70-D ... BLACK.aspx

Buy the body and a 35mm 1.8 prime lens

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Rightey** » Fri Feb 24, 2017 7:47 am

Hmm... What else are those 35mm lenses good for? Would I need another lens just for normal day to day photography?

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **OnlyShallow** » Fri Feb 24, 2017 8:35 am

Rightey wrote:Hmm... What else are those 35mm lenses good for? Would I need another lens just for normal day to day photography?

A 35mm prime is designed for day to day photography.

Back in the days of film most SLRs shipped with 50mm primes. The Practica I got for my 13th birthday had a lovely Zeiss 50mm 1.8. The camera was recommended to my dad based on the lens it shipped with. The guy who recommended it was an award winning sports photographer.

35mm is closest to how you see things. If you want to zoom, move closer!

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Knoyleo** » Fri Feb 24, 2017 8:47 am

Oh my god, that Lumix superzoom. :dread:

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Kezzer** » Fri Feb 24, 2017 9:08 am

investing in prime lenses is the best thing you can do.

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Rightey** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 12:08 am

Well thanks for all the advice everyone, but I've decided to keep the FZ1000 at least for now, but I'll see how I like it before my 15 days are up.

I've been looking around at some videos that used it to capture the night sky and it seems good enough for what I want:

That combined with the all in one package, and the loads of positive reviews I've seen make me think this might be a good camera for me after all.

I'll play around with it some more, and make my decision closer to the return deadline.

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **OnlyShallow** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 10:32 am

You are officially the new No. 1 Final Fantasy Fan :dread:

PostRe: Camera Recommendation by **Kezzer** » Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:33 am

RIP

Camera Recommendation

Who is online

Affiliates