Recommended cameras

[camille1585]

Having had an iphone in the past, I discovered that they have very capable cameras, so you should be able to take some very nice shots with it. My current android has a full manual mode so expands the possibilities.

Think/learn about lighting and composition. Backlit subjects are always going to be trickier to photograph. You can deal with shadows without buying anything fancy, even with my 1700€ Canon camera and gear I still use a flashlight aimed at wrinkled aluminium foil to reflect light back on the blooms. I also recently bought a small LED panel with adjustable color temperature and light intensity, and am thinking of rigging up a softbox for it.

If you want to do macro, I have read about special clip on lenses for phone cameras, and recall that reviews for some are actually quite good.

If you discover that photography is something you really enjoy and want to progress in, then I'd recommend moving up to a normal camera, like the entry level Canon R100 mentioned earlier. I started with photography 15 years ago, learning on a basic point and shoot, then moved to a dslr when the camera became the limiting factor, and recently upgraded to mirrorless. I love that the learning possibilities are endless and enjoy the rather meditative process of trying to get the perfect shot.

[tmoney]

howdy! im gonna go against the grain and suggest you get a dslr (a digital camera). with newer digitals that are full frame, the older dslr models are becoming quite affordable. and, while phones take great pix, you will have a LOT more flexibility, control, and ultimately, take "better" pix with a true camera. and, like i said, now you can get one somewhat affordably! and due to folks turning to mirrorless, lenses for dslrs are also starting to drop a bit in price.

but it is true that phones have come a long way. for the focusing issue, you may want to research some of the photo control apps available. they will give you a better interface and more control than your basic picture app that comes with the phone. also, as Roberta said, you can get some good macro lenses for phones. while ive never used one, people post really great results with them. only problem is that you need a specific one for your phones cam configuration, so new phone means new lens.

but i agree with others that learning lighting and composition will help a lot more than your gear. a lot of peeps take very crappy pix with very expensive cameras. good luck, and have fun!!

[qbie]

Haha! More and more choices to consider. I just looked at the macro clip on for phones. But had always thought about a DSLR since my brother and cousin have one and I really like the pics they've taken. Hmmm. What to do? (Drumming fingers). I've got much to research because I've never even heard of mirrorless cameras til posting here. I have an ample amount of bedtime reading material now.

Tyvm everyone for your replies!

[tmoney]

well, based on what you've said, unless you really want to get more into photography and have a load of cash to spend, i would suggest NOT going to mirrorless.

the benefits of the system will be mostly seen on moving targets, like sports and animals. if you are doing mainly flower pics or still life, then you really don't need the mirrorless. yes, of course sensor sizes are bigger, so if you want to make wall size images of your flowers then you would benefit from mirrorless. but, you can do huge prints with older systems as well, assuming you get good lenses and know how to use your setup.

so yeah, if it were me i wouldn't waste my time thinking about mirrorless...unless you just want to know, then for sure study up!! good luck with your decision...

edit to add, the ONE feature of a camera that i would not go without for flower pics is a fully moveable led screen. it seems silly, but when taking flower pics in the wild (especially macro) then you will need to put the camera in all sorts of weird angles, and so with a moveable screen you can easily proof the images without having to bend all weird or take the risk of bumping the tripod. it seems like a trivial thing but now that i have one i will never go without!!

[Roberta]

I went mirrorless because it was lighter weight. It's relatively low end, but was a quantum leap in capability relative to the point and and shoot world. And I'm just beginning to utilize some of its capabilities. I could have spent a lot more, of course, but I think I got the functionality that I was looking for, without breaking the bank.

[MCD]

Not an expert by any means, but two things that I have found to be game changers and that I didn't fully appreciate before recently getting back into mirrorless and modern gear:

1. Having a good full frame sensor, with a sharp lens, allows you to crop a picture to a fraction of the original size and still have a lot of detail. That gives great freedom in re-framing a shot and picking out small elements of interest.

2. Stabilization is amazing. It can let you get sharp pictures in almost any situation without the need for a tripod.

That said, phone cameras are so good (and convenient) these days that you really have to think about your intended use case and whether the investment and extra features are worth it to you.

[camille1585]

Tmoney makes good points that I agree with, to a certain extent. (Though I'm 100% on the swiveling screen, I love it and that was a must have for the new camera).

I shot with a dslr for years. I hesitating over 2 years before going mirrorless in January, because I wasn't sure that making the switch would provide much added value for the type of shooting I do (macro, orchids/plants/mushrooms, landscapes mainly). Boy was I wrong. Very,very wrong.

They are smaller and lighter as Roberta already noted. But most importantly, the one I got has in body image stabilization (IBIS), and it's only a mid range camera. Now THAT is a game changer. My macro lens does not have IS, and shooting with it was only possible with a flash/sunny weather or tripod. IBIS gives 2-3 stops of stabilization (up to 7 stops with lenses made for mirrorless), and I can now shoot hand held. Even with my 2 lenses that do have IS, the difference IBIS makes is also significant. I can shoot in conditions that were previously very challenging, and my keeper rate has improved significantly (I don't like using a tripod to shoot my orchid photos, changing shooting angle/positioning is too time consuming).

Also keep in mind that mirrorless cameras are retrocompatible with dslr lenses via an adaptor. Drawback is that it adds weight/length, and not all third party lenses are supported.

Though in the end the main factor to help make a decision will probably be budget. A good lens is far more important than the body, so if money is an issue, better to get a secondhand dslr body and a good lens.

[tmoney]

bunch of enablers round here...thats what you all are

[qbie]

I think that pile of material to read by my pillow just got a lot thicker!

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by tmoney

bunch of enablers round here...thats what you all are

I shot this handheld with my non stabilized Tamron 90mm macro at f/9.0, in somewhat overcast conditions. This would have been impossible with my (10 year old) dslr. I did apply some denoising in post processing. Click on it to get the full res image