Camera recommendations for photography

Bethy55Boo

Bethy55Boo

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I'm thinking of getting into photography for events in my area but I literally have no idea where to start! With such an expensive buy I'm incredibly anxious about getting this right.

I know that the lens needs to be FE 70-200mm, from what I've read? And that it needs to be like a sports camera?

Then there's information about frames per second? Which I am struggling to understand, but have read the higher the better?

I'm looking at both Sony and Canon so far and would like honest opinions on them.

I don't have a massive budget to buy very expensive cameras but would like to still get good quality images that customers would be happy with.

Any other bits of advice on getting started with equine photography are welcome!

Thank you in advance 😊
 
London Camera Exchange sell 2nd hand cameras and have very knowledgable and helpful staff. My sons have recently started taking pics (of steam trains) and we bought both of their cameras from there.
 
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I’m a Nikon user (d800) but I’m really only starting out as a hobby. Mine was second hand from wex but mpb are also a very good site to buy from. My friend is an equine photographer and she uses a canon. You're already on to the correct lens (I’m still saving up for my 70-200!!) but the best advice I can give is go to a class. Self teaching can only take you so far. Happy to share some raw photos I took via pm as I won’t publicly post them but will give you an idea what d800 comes out like.
 
I am a Nikon user but it happened because Nikon cameras and lenses are marginally cheaper than Canon. And Nikon produced a retro camera similar to one I used long ago.
Bethy55Boo said:
Then there's information about frames per second? Which I am struggling to understand, but have read the higher the better?
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When you take video the frames per second is the number of shots taken by the camera per second.
It doesnt apply to all still cameras, bt some still cameras have a setting to take multile shots and on those one would perhaps select shots per second,
On most still cameras you choose a combination of aperture size (the hole that lets the light in) and the time the shutter is open. You can also select the light level.
If you are photographing a moving object like a horse, you need a very short time, otherwise the movement will blur the image.
A long telephoto lens requires a longer exposure which is why you find professionals at matches using a tripod to steady their camera.

When taking portraits many people prefer a focal lenth of 60 as that roughy aproximates the view of the face we are used to seeing when we are talking to another person. But if you have a very expensive 60 lens, you will take a pic that is so clear it shows every bemish on the skin. That is nt what you want so a longer exposure may be better.

I have always had good cameras but the sad thing is that with mobile phones one doesnt really need them these days unless one wants to enlarge a print to wall size. OH saw a fox asleep in the sun in our garden yesterday and his phone was in his pocket, so he took it with that. By the time one fetches the camera, the bird or animal has gone.
 
If you want to do photography professionally then it is probably worth doing a course (there are usually some at night school) or at least buying a book on the technical aspects of t he artform
 
The more important question you should be answering is what photography experience do you have? Photography isn't about the kit - I've seen awful photos produced with the best kit in the world, while an excellent photographer will get the very best out of more mediocre kit. I've taken equine based photography with anything from a 35mm lens to a 400mm lens so again depends on experience and what you're hoping to achieve. There's no such thing as a sports camera either, and mutiple frames per second is a camera setting, something you need to know how to use to get the best out of. No two camera bodies are the same either and that's without taking into consideration full frame vs cropped frame, and SLR vs mirrorless.

I'd suggest you find your local branch of LCE or Wex and they'll take you through the various kit options which tend to be good for starters - Nikon, Canon, Fuji, Sony - everyone has their own preference. In order to offer paid for photography a) insurance and b) the ability to share your images (and c) approval to be there if you're at a competition venue). Sorry to be a bit of a downer on this, but from your post, you're a long way off from having happy customers.

Also the FE 70-200mm is a specific Sony lens - the FE bit being Sony only. Other brands will label their lenses differently, but yes 70-200 is a good option, but they're pricey
 
I use a £400 (in 2014!) Canon with a wide Tamron lens, and love it, get excellent quality shots at different zooms. You’ll pick up how to use it on YouTube then just get practicing, the more you play with it the more you’ll understand it. Most of all have fun!
 
Also the more you understand the behaviour of your subjects the better you’ll be able to angle the shot and know when to push the shutter. I do sheep and cattle photography and because I’ve worked with them I can predict and influence their behaviour and get the best angle. I have spent lots of time lying down in fields with my camera! So don’t rush into it, get a camera you like, then give yourself a lot of time to get acquainted with it. It isn’t as easy as point and shoot, the more passion you have for your subjects, the better! There’s also lighting to consider.
 
It is important to understand too that though most people these days take digital pics, young people like my grand daughter who are doing art and /or photography for GCSE O or A level probably need to use film as well as digital. I lent her my SLR film camera which never returned. She was intending at that time to do a uni level course in Germany and I think they too required experience of using film.
I did years ago, do a photography course and created a dark room in our cellar. I didnt really enjoy it
But before they died, I did take portrait type pics of my parents in law and of my own mother which I am glad to have. (My father had many pics due to the public side of his life)
 
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