An entry level DSLR any brand, buy the one with the best deal..
Full automatic external flash..
A Wide angle lens that can deliver the equivalent to the full frame focal length of 24 mm. Preferably one that doesn't cause straight lines to curve at the edges of the frame..
If she wants to illuminate an entire room, she will need some slave flash units and remote triggering devices. (not needed for simple flash shots)..
Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos..http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington..
She'd like to do something relatively professional andis tired of hiring people to do the work.Any suggestions for a camera for her needs?.
Jen,.
A friend also tells me he's tired of hiring dentists for taking care of his teeth. Any suggestions of good drill bits for his needs?.
Sorry for the harsh parallel, but the job will be professionally done by a proffessional. Unless your friend is well-versed in photography, she'd be best advised to continue hiring photographers when needed, or she will get so-so results, possibly compromising her interior design image (no pun)..
That said, interior shooting where the room, furniture and decoration are themselves the subject (as opposed to interior shots of people, for instance) will almost always call for wideangle or extreme wideangle lenses. I'd suggest a 15 to 25mm lens (in 35mm camera parlance) for such photos. In the DSLR world, Canon's 10-22mm lens, or Sigma's 10-20mm are good lenses for the job, assuming an APS-C sized camera. I don't feel this should be attempted with compacts, firstly because their image quality with interior/low light will be inferior to DSLRs (as she needs professional images), and also because their lenses won't probably reach the wide end that would be needed..
Best regards,.
Bruno Lobo..
Http://www.pbase.com/brunobl..
Depends how wide angle it needs to be..
If I wanted to take interior shots, especially in relatively small spaces, I'd want something wider than the 28mm you tend to find in compact cameras and DSLR 'kit' lenses..
You could consider the Ricoh GX100 or the Kodak P880, both of which have 24mm lenses. Whether you'd get 'professional looking' results is another question. If you were clever with Photoshop perhaps, and used a tripod and low ISO to start with..
An entry level DSLR will probably be best. But the lens it comes with might not be wide enough. Proper wide angle lenses tend to be expensive, even ones from Sigma or Tamron..
Androohttp://Androo.smugmug.com..
Another option is a camera like the Canon G7 that takes a wide-angle accessory lens. Not sure how wide they go, but many Canon cameras can accept these lenses, as can others from Nikon et al.Androohttp://Androo.smugmug.com..
Bruno,.
She is well versed in photography, and very capable. She just didn't have the means or time to get the camera before. Now she does. I'm pretty sure she knows the importance of the photos considering her job and art background. She wouldn't jeopardize her reputation..
-Jen..
Andrew Butterfield wrote:.
Another option is a camera like the Canon G7 that takes awide-angle accessory lens. Not sure how wide they go, but manyCanon cameras can accept these lenses, as can others from Nikon etal.Androo.
The Sony H series also took a wideangle teleconvertor, though not sure how wide it is..
Alex.
Http://akiralx.smugmug.com/..
Kodak has a WA auxilary lens for the P850 and P712 cameras and they will take the P20 external flash unit for bounce flash..
That said the P880 would still be a better choice because it's lens is 24mm equiv. vs. 25.2mm equiv. for the WA attachment on the other two. Additionally the P880 has an external flash sync connector giving it greater flash versatility...
Canon's Photostitch program for example will lace together two or three shots with hardly any effort for those times when 18mm on a DSLR and 28mm equivalent at 35mm won't do..
It will usually be said that only a DSLR will do, and this is quite disengenuous as I regularly use a Fuji 9100 at the 28mm mark and get results good enough to publish. Generally, there will be less vertical and horizontal distortion on a pupose made wide angle lens. Maybe we struck lucky here then:http://www.pbase.com/johnfr/image/77833563John.Please visit me at:http://www.pbase.com/johnfr/backtothebridgehttp://www.pbase.com/johnfr..
It's like recommending a G6 any more!.
Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos..http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington..
Brunobl wrote:.
She'd like to do something relatively professional andis tired of hiring people to do the work.Any suggestions for a camera for her needs?.
Jen,.
A friend also tells me he's tired of hiring dentists for takingcare of his teeth. Any suggestions of good drill bits for his needs?.
I use silicon carbide, as they last longer..
Charlie DavisNikon 5700 & Sony R1CATS #25PAS Scribe @ http://www.here-ugo.com/PAS_List.htmHomePage: http://www.1derful.info'I brake for pixels...'..
Babyteach101 wrote:.
Bruno,.
She is well versed in photography, and very capable. She justdidn't have the means or time to get the camera before. Now shedoes. I'm pretty sure she knows the importance of the photosconsidering her job and art background. She wouldn't jeopardizeher reputation..
-Jen.
If she knows all this and knows what she needs then why the question?.
A DSLR is what she needs along with a decidated flash. She must already know this (according to you). So, tell her to go get it!.
Doug Walker..
...is doing it on the mirror..
You know, left/right keep getting mixed up."OMG, I drilled the wrong tooth"! :o).
Best regards,.
Bruno Lobo..
Http://www.pbase.com/brunobl..
With a wide-angle attachment. (It's better than the G7)..
Amazon has one at the moment, and I found 22 of them on the net in Germany. Probably many more out there on the net...And anyway, what's wrong with a second hand camera?.
Lots of people bought the R1 just because it was a new gadget and barely used their cameras.Just passing by.....
John farrar wrote:Maybe we struck lucky here then:.
Http://www.pbase.com/johnfr/image/77833563.
Don't get me wrong. The following won't imply that it isn't a nicely done picture, which it is..
The luck bit is related to the fact that the shop shape (long and narrow), coupled to the end-on point of view, lends itself nicely to not-so-wide lenses..
And while the caption says "Good detail in this one. Probably sharper than the DSLR version too", it should be noted that the image is (as in most compacts) sharp but flooded with artifacts, quite a different outcome than would have been the case with a DSLR, where sharpness would have not been determined by the camera, but chosen after the fact during PP yielding a much cleaner, and as sharp, image..
Best regards,.
Bruno Lobo..
Http://www.pbase.com/brunobl..
A budget might give us an idea. If she's looking for professional quality photos, and an SLR, I might think something along the lines of a Canon 5D (wide, full-frame) and a 17-40mm lens. If she doesn't want to spend that much, a Canon 30D with the 10-22mm... But could also try a Nikon in the same price range....
For a pro-sumer camera, a G7 or S3 or S5 IS with the wide-angle adapter..
Also a decent, stable tripod (Manfrotto or something like that) as the light isn't likely to be good for shooting f/8 or f/11 indoors, hand-held, even with Image Stabilization. Diffused Flash, strobes, etc. can be used jsut depends how expensive and complicated you want to make it.....
Hi, Bruno. Thanks for the discussion. I have now put the DSLR version of that shot next to that picture in the gallery, so it is easy to compare. I won't embed the image here: please click on link if interested. Both were shot at 28mm equivalent. The DSLR 18 and the Fuji 9100 6.7mm.
Curves used on both and dodging/highlighting in similar areas.http://www.pbase.com/image/80127883.
John.Please visit me at:http://www.pbase.com/johnfr/backtothebridgehttp://www.pbase.com/johnfr..
Do you know all of the cameras out there and have the time to check them all out? I thought that's why this forum was around was so people who know can recommend what they feel would be best. I researched my camera, but the bottom line was what I read and questions I asked on-line. I don't think it's unreasonable for her to be unsure regardless of her photography background..
-Jen...not sure why I have to defend this question to people. how sad...
Thanks, good recommendations. I'm not sure what her budget is, but I'm guessing if she wants to drop the prof then she's able to spend the dough.I like the Nikon, too...but I'm totally biased..
-Jen..
Thanks for posting that example, what a difference!.
-Jen..
Hey Hohn,.
As expected, the DSLR image expects a little sharpening after the photo was taken. This may be more or less needed, (decision is to be taken at shooting time) if the photo was captured in Jpeg, as your camera probably has Jpeg sharpening options. Otrherwise (if shot raw) all the Postprocessing, including sharpening, may be done later..
Don't forget that the DSLR photo posted is phisically smaller in size, so judging details in both images may be misleading to a degree..
Nice gallery BTW!.
Best regards,.
Bruno Lobo..
Image control:Zoom outZoom 100%Zoom inExpand AllOpen in new window.
Http://www.pbase.com/brunobl..
You may also consider the Ricoh GRD and GX-100 with WA adapters... they go down to 21mm equivalent.Just passing by.....
Babyteach101 wrote:.
Do you know all of the cameras out there and have the time to checkthem all out? I thought that's why this forum was around was so.
Any of the least expensive DSLRs will work. The choice becomes which lens..
If your friend knows a little about (35mm) photography basics, she should have an idea of focal length required for interiors that she will shoot..
Assuming she uses a camera with sensor smaller than 24x36mm, she needs to divide the crop factor (for lack of a better term) i.e. 1.5, 1.6, etc. into her desired (35mm film) focal length. If she thinks a 28mm lens will suffice on a 35mm camera, she needs a lens on her DSLR that will be (28/1.6) 17.5 mm or shorter..
E.g. Canon Digital Rebel XTi and a kit lens (around 18-55mm) might suffice, or for higher image quality (without breaking the bank), the Canon 17-40mm L lens. If she wants to go wider, a ultra wide like the Canon 10-22mm will work..
However she goes, she should have a tripod, too, and external flash and possibly a flash diffuser to cover the extreme wide angles..
..
Nikon is also a very capable system it's all about personal preference, and what makes her happiest. I "happened upon" Canon as my first camera, so I stuck with it; others start and stick with Nikon; other switch back and forth or use both... It's not the tool as much as it is the artist holding it... A true artist is an artist despite the tool....
Either way, I hope she is very happy with whatever she decides on, and enjoys the new experiences in shooting!..