# DSLR Recommendations?



## artgecko (Aug 8, 2018)

Hello all,

I have just gotten back into keeping planted tanks and am wanting to take decent pics of the tanks I have set up as well as pics of my reptile collection. Up till now, I've only had a crappy point and shoot and cell phone camera to work with, so I'd like to get something that is capable of taking much better shots..Especially macro shots and shots without motion blur. I'd ideally also like a camera that has easy uploading capabilities. My old point and shoot requires a lot of cables to be attached, etc. which has been a huge pain in the past. 

If you have any recommendations on a good DSLR and lens package that might work, I would greatly appreciate it. I'd love to find something reasonably priced as well, but understand that sometimes you get what you pay for. 

Thank you for your time and help!


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## Kubla (Jan 5, 2014)

A budget would be helpful. Reasonably priced is pretty subjective. You can get a Canon T6 with a couple of lenses and all kinds of accessories for $500. I don't think you can get a new full frame body for less than $800 and that might not quite do it. My wife and I both do photography. I'm still working on getting used to the smaller camera and restricted capabilities as a good deal of what I've done in the past was with a 4x5 camera. A whole world of difference when you can tilt, swing and raise the front and rear of the camera independently. We've had 2 cropped sensor Canons for a few years. A T2i and a T1i. I just purchased our first full frame camera, a Canon 6D Markii and so far I'm really happy with it. Of course at $1600 for the body it's still pretty much an entry level for full frame. It should make some of the downloading a lot easier as it's Wifi enabled.

The first decision you need to make is whether you'll go with a cropped sensor, full sensor or mirrorless. The lenses for cropped sensor cameras are a lot less money for the same quality and speed as the full sensor lenses. Full sensor lenses are compatible with cropped sensor cameras but not vice versa. We have a few lenses now that we can't use with the new camera, or, in some cases we can use them but they don't fully cover the picture and you end up with some dark corners that need cropped out.

As far as picture quality, I think lenses are the most important part of the equation. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the Canon L lenses. The Canon 100mm macro is also a widely acclaimed lens. I wouldn't get too hung up on the brands. I keep mentioning Canon because that's all I really know. The decision of brand was easy for me. On a trip to San Francisco we found a bunch of gear left from a wedding shoot in Golden Gate Park. I stayed with it figuring someone would come back for it, but after 2 hours and darkness falling I left with it. Never could come up with the owner. In it was a 70-200 Canon L lens and some high end video stuff. My next trip to SF we actually found another bag of camera equipment in another park. It was also canon stuff but most lower end including 2 unimpressive kit lenses.

I was also a keeper of reptiles. At one point I had a large male boa and my room mate had a female. They successfully bred and we had 21 babies. At the same time we had 3 reticulated pythons, a ball python, a gopher snake, a baby rattlesnake, 2 Jackson chameleons and a bunch of tarantula's.


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## Banquo (Sep 24, 2018)

I know little about aquariums, im new to it however have 40 years experience with many photography formats from pinhole right through to DSLR of which i own 5 of atm. The largest single mistake people make when buying a camera is going cheap on lenses. The lens is the tyre on the road. I can pick up one of my 10 yr old DSLR bodies & grab my L Prime lenses & know that camera is being supported by the quality of the lens. The colour, the sharpness & the bokeh. I look at my camera bodies & whilst i paid around $1k-$2k for them, my lenses cost around the same (1-2k) & are still like the day they were purchased. I only use & own L Canon Prime lenses (ie one focal length, non zoom)


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## artgecko (Aug 8, 2018)

Kubla said:


> A budget would be helpful. Reasonably priced is pretty subjective. You can get a Canon T6 with a couple of lenses and all kinds of accessories for $500. I don't think you can get a new full frame body for less than $800 and that might not quite do it. My wife and I both do photography. I'm still working on getting used to the smaller camera and restricted capabilities as a good deal of what I've done in the past was with a 4x5 camera. A whole world of difference when you can tilt, swing and raise the front and rear of the camera independently. We've had 2 cropped sensor Canons for a few years. A T2i and a T1i. I just purchased our first full frame camera, a Canon 6D Markii and so far I'm really happy with it. Of course at $1600 for the body it's still pretty much an entry level for full frame. It should make some of the downloading a lot easier as it's Wifi enabled.
> 
> The first decision you need to make is whether you'll go with a cropped sensor, full sensor or mirrorless. The lenses for cropped sensor cameras are a lot less money for the same quality and speed as the full sensor lenses. Full sensor lenses are compatible with cropped sensor cameras but not vice versa. We have a few lenses now that we can't use with the new camera, or, in some cases we can use them but they don't fully cover the picture and you end up with some dark corners that need cropped out.
> 
> ...


Thanks! I'm thinking my budget would be around $500 - $700. I could see the value in spending more, but I want to make sure I can hack it with something lower end first...If I end up spending a lot of time and money using it, I can invest in a more expensive set. My father owns an entry level DSLR (can't remember brand), so I may ask him if I can borrow it and play aorund with it. If things go well with that, then I could just save up more and purchase a higher quality camera and lenses from the start.

My main concern is that I want a brand / model that is newbie friendly, but also allows room to tweak settings once I am comfortable. I was an art major in college, but the closest I've come to photography was taking a history of photography class as an art history credit. :/ 

My collection is pretty much all common species, I've got a South Brazilian BCA, a hypo BCI, and a Central American motley BCI. 5 ball pythons, a BRB, jungle jag carpet, and some Kenyan sand boas. I also own a blue tongue skink and some geckos. The boas and my giant leachie gecko are my favorites. I've had limited success with planted terrariums. For me at least, they seem harder to keep than planted tanks unless I use bullet proof plants.



Banquo said:


> I know little about aquariums, im new to it however have 40 years experience with many photography formats from pinhole right through to DSLR of which i own 5 of atm. The largest single mistake people make when buying a camera is going cheap on lenses. The lens is the tyre on the road. I can pick up one of my 10 yr old DSLR bodies & grab my L Prime lenses & know that camera is being supported by the quality of the lens. The colour, the sharpness & the bokeh. I look at my camera bodies & whilst i paid around $1k-$2k for them, my lenses cost around the same (1-2k) & are still like the day they were purchased. I only use & own L Canon Prime lenses (ie one focal length, non zoom)


Thanks for the information! I will probably be getting a kit with a couple basic lenses and then buying a good macro lens and other lenses after the fact.


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## Frank158 (Oct 1, 2013)

All the advice you got is very good. Mine is to take your time and don't plunge in and make a purchase. All major brands of DSLR's are good, there really is no "best" Most popular are Canon and Nikon but don't exclude Pentax from the list. You are not buying a camera per se but rather marrying into a camera system. So keep that in mind when spending a lot of money of that first camera. 
Used gear is also an option.

Go to a local camera store, and touch, feel and use the cameras before you buy. If you want to specialize in fish photos then purchase a dedicated macro lens. (not cheap) of at least 100mm in focal length and one or two off camera flashes (again not cheap)

Photography is a more expensive hobby than fish (lol) but very rewarding as well. 

So do some research on the different brands and what the prices of their lenses and flash kits are. Don't go just by the price of the camera.


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## mtnbikeracer76 (Jan 29, 2017)

I will recommend the Nikon D series. I'm using a D3200 and it fits all my needs regarding photography. 

I think the model now is the D3500. Retail on a kit with the 18-55 lens and a 70-300 lens is around $600 through B&H Photo.


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## Ziggy (Sep 2, 2011)

Dont spend an eternity obsessing over which exact camera. Those are weeks/months of photos you are missing out on. 

Canon Rebel T_i series and Nikon D5xxx series are just about the safest bets out there. Avoid gimmicky bundles. Better to spend low on the body (if you have to) in favor of top-shelf lens(s). I'd rather have a discontinued T5i with a nice bit of L glass than a brand new T7i with that slow kit lens.


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## Nigel95 (Mar 5, 2017)

I went for a relative cheap body. The lenses make the difference 

Second hand camera can work. Bought mine for around $275 (canon 700d / rebel t5i) with a shutter count of like 6.000. Cameras depends on model most can do like 50-150k before shutter dies..

For macro I have
Canon EF-S Macro lens - 60 mm - F/2.8 - Canon EF-S (second hand)
Started with 24mm canon pancake. Cool lens but for my diorama / depth style the canon 10-18mm is much better. Just bought the 10-18mm a week ago. Huge difference compared to the 24mm. 

I like the 60mm macro from canon. Light lens easy to use w/o a tripod. But for real close ups livestock / plants need to be at front glass. 100mm better for further away in tank but more heavy handheld... Macros is lots of shooting (for the right shot) can be a pain if camera is heavy. I don't like tripod for moving fish etc. For plants is ok. 

Also light is king... I really like external flash. But my whole setup with products I use is covered in the videos if you are interested. 

Some videos if you want some tips of my setup..
















24mm canon pancake lens shots
Nigel Hoevenaar Blackwood final shot 1 AGA by Nigel Aquascaping, on Flickr

forest detail 128l nigel aquascaping by Nigel Aquascaping, on Flickr

60mm macro shots
Mikrogeophagus ramirezi by Nigel Aquascaping, on Flickr

fissidens riccardia detail by Nigel Aquascaping, on Flickr


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

https://www.dpreview.com/buying-guides

spend some quality time at the above site..

some tips and current feelings..
Macro lens or fast 35 (50 equiv) is probably a necessity..
Look for remote tethering. found it very helpful to put the camera on a tripod and use a tablet to take photos.
Decide whether you care about video or not.
check high iso performance.
Check pricing on the lenses you like..DSLR is a system not a camera..

https://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-a...how-to-take-great-photos-at-the-aquarium.html
https://reefs.com/2011/10/17/aquarium-photography-guide-part-i-choosing-the-right-camera/


https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/enthusiast-dslr-roundup/5
my newest (bought used) camera.. though not the high iso champ is a dream.. 

admittedly already had a stable of high quality macros for it..


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

And as a counterpoint, think of how and when you will be using the photos. Doe sit make sense to invest in a great camera that is only used for posting online where the image quality is so limited and can be made much better with programs like Photoshop? 
If you are going for printed, look for great but if going for internet posting, go for handy and forget the great! 
Point and shoot/ they can have lots of great features and that means many of us are really not limited by the camera but by our own willingness to learn how to use the camera. I use a very simple $100 camera that has far more features, macro, manual, etc. than I will ever use as lighting and spending the time to work it are far more my limits.


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## Asteroid (Jul 26, 2018)

A fast macro will allow you to get more shots with the available light if you don't go to off camera flash. A fast lens is one with a small f/number like 2.0, 2.8. The aperture allows more light in so you don't need as much light from a different source. Although nothing beats good light. That's why even cell phone pics look great outdoors.

Also you should shoot in continuous focus mode. So in the auto focus options on your camera make sure it's on continuous. On a canon camera its called AI Servo. I think it's called something else on a Nikon. This allows you to half press the shutter button and follow a moving subject around (the fish) and it will keep the focus regardless of where it goes.

When shooting fish, a tripod is irrelevant since the shutter speed will most likely be greater than the focal length of the lens (for example 50mm lens and your shooting a 1/100.). At these speeds the tripod is really just in the way. If your shooting a full tank shot then the tripod can come in handy.

The macro lens is a great investment since you could really use it for anything, not just close-ups. It's also alot of fun to use for many subjects to see close up detail.


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