Buying Online

Buyer Beware

I can remember working at an upscale camera store in Metairie, LA (suburb of New Orleans).  A woman came in and wanted to purchase a camera and proceeded to tell me how much less she could purchase it for less online.  Let me start here.  Here is how pricing works from the retail end.  Most cameras have an 8 to 12 % margin.  I can tell you that is not enough to keep a store open for any length of time.  Stores make money on accessories such as memory cards, batteries, bags, etc.  With that said, why would an otherwise intelligent person think they had more buying power then a store when purchasing a camera online?  Truth is the don't.  So keep in mind if it seems too good to be true it probably isn't true.

Another woman came in and recounted how she thought she had found a deal on a camera that would save her hundreds of dollars online.  When she received the camera it was clearly broken to the point where the body was physically cracked.  When she called the place she purchased the camera from they told her that they never said it was a working camera in their ad.  She had no recourse.

I think purchasing from a local merchant is the way to go.  It establishes a relationship in the event you need help of any type you can go to them and handle your issue face to face.  The prices may bit a little higher but should be inline with legitimate online sites.  And you help your local economy.  However if you want to purchase online do so with care.  Read reviews, and go to larger sites such as Amazon.com.  But you must keep in mind that there will probably not be any one to talk to should you have a problem.  The good thing about dealing with a site like Amazon is that returns are usually hassle free.

Below are several links to sites and stores I have dealt with over the years and found them to be professional and priced well.  Many also offer services beyond just camera sales.  Prices for accessories will vary widely.  But Camera and lens prices should be similar across the board.  As an added bonus if you buy online if you are not located in the same state as the retailer in most cases you will not be charged tax, which can save hundreds on a large purchase.  Good luck and happy shopping.

1. http://lakesidecamera.com/
2. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
3. http://www.adorama.com/
4. http://www.milfordphoto.com/
5. http://www.calumetphoto.com/

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Accessories, Accessories, Accessories.

Polarizer, tripod, camera bag etc.

All too often the purchase of a new DSLR is where the consumer stops.  This usually happens because the purchaser thinks the camera will make the difference and nothing else in needed, or the budget doesn't allow for anything else.  Well if the later is true you need to save up for the essentials usually found in a Pro's bag.

First lets talk about the "Polarizer".  It can make or brake a photograph.  Most of these filters sold today are circular.  They increase the contrast in a scene and will cut down glare over water and reflections in glass.  Have you ever taken a photo on day with a high pale blue sky?  Then uploaded it to your computer and find that the sky is white in your photo?   Had you used a polarizer you would have been able to increase the contrast and color saturation so that the sky would look more interesting.  With the filter on your camera as you point your lens to the sky and turn it you will actually see the color and contrast change.  When you are satisfied with what you see, shoot and see improved results in your landscape photos.

Another filter to consider, especially when you own a fast lens, and like shooting wide open outdoors is a "Neutral Density Filter".  This technology is like a pair of sunglasses for your lens.  They come in different densities and allow for shooting at F2.8 and greater while still achieving a correct exposure where in the past you were getting blown out images.
 
These filters vary in price depending on the quality of the glass and the size needed.  As a rule of thumb if you have several lenses you should purchase the filter to fit the largest lens then purchase step rings to save money on buying filters for every lens you own.

Below are two photos.  The top photo taken without a polarizer the bottom photo with.  You can the difference is quite dramatic.

Next lets talk about a tripod.  If you enjoy shooting landscapes or the night sky you will need one.  Many people do purchase one but often choose price over quality.  Basically you should only have to buy a tripod once.  However if you allow price to be the deciding factor you may find yourself purchasing one every few years.  Plan on spending about 100.00 at a minimum.  And if you are a nature shooter who likes to have a tripod with you all the time, a good light weight one can cost 150.00 or more.  It may sound like a lot to pay at the time, but 15 years from now when you grab it to go out on a shoot you will realize it was worth every penny.  Tripods come in different formats.  Some are specific for video.  While others have different type heads (ball, 3 way pan).  They also are rated as to the weight they can support.  You need to consider all these factors when making your purchase.

Lastly the camera bag.  Oh how many error here.  I hear so many people say "I have an old one I can use".  That may be true, however the bag that held and protected your old film camera does not have the fit and finish needed to house and protect your new DSLR.  The inside of the old bag didn't need to protect large LCD screens, or house large batteries, and memory cards.  There are numerous companies making quality bags and now many specifically design for women shooters.  Also many are undetectable as camera bags, keeping thieves from eyeing your precious equipment.  A good bag that can house a DSLR with a lens mounted, a second lens and a flash, along with extra batteries and memory cards will start at just under 50.00 dollars.  But you can spend much much more depending on taste, size and purpose (waterproof etc.).  The bags specifically designed for women are a bit more expensive.

Also please remember to purchase extra batteries and high speed memory cards.  You purchased the new camera because you wanted a faster processor so you could shoot faster.  Well truth be told your old cards can't keep up with the new camera.  Using an old card is like buying a new Corvette and asking the sales person to put the tires from the Chevy Vega you just traded in on it.  

I realize this all means more money to spend in these rough economic times, but these are needed items to ensure your photographic success.  So if you can't afford these accessories at the time of your DSLR purchase, get that letter off to Santa as quick as you can.  He has been known to run out of parts!

Oben

AC-1400 4-Section Aluminum  w/ BA-00 Ball Head 99.99

General Brand   58mm Circular Polarizing Filter 29.99

Tamrac   3445 Rally 5 Camera/Netbook/iPad Bag 69.95

Jill-E Designs   Small Camera Bag 129.99

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The 50

An inexpensive solution to gathering light, and shooting portraits like a pro.

There was a time when the purchase of an SLR camera included a 50mm lens.  Before the advent of zoom lenses these lenses were a staple in any camera bag.  Usually very affordable, the 50mm lens is an inexpensive way to get a large aperture lens which can help you capture stunning portraits and good exposures in very low light. I will address the latter first.  We first need to understand what the aperture is so we can understand the benefit of this lens.  The smaller the "F stop" number (1.4) the larger the opening in the rear of the lens allowing it to gather more light.  These lenses are referred to as fast lenses.  The fastest lenses in the bunch are fixed focal length lenses.  The reason for this is that larger the opening at the rear of the lens the larger the lense needs to be.  So making zooms with very large apertures would create a lens that would be far to heavy and bulky to handle.  But if we use our feet as our zoom these lenses combined with using a higher ISO makes for stunning low light images, and often without the use of flash.  In portrait photography the perfect focal length used by pros was between 70mm and  90mm at an aperture of 1.4 to 1.8.  These lenses are often expensive.  However when we take the 50mm 1.8 and put it on the cropped sensor of a DSLR we have the 35mm equivalent of a 75mm lens.  So now we are shooting portraits like a pro for 150.00 dollars instead of 800.00 dollars.

In the sample photo of the guitar player we used a 50mm 1.7 Minolta lens.  With the camera set to 1600 ISO we were able to capture this shot without flash.

In this portrait sample below we also used the 50mm 1.7 Minolta lens. This time at ISO 80 we were able to blur the buildings behind the subject and give the photo a 3 dimensional feel making the model really pop from the back ground.

Lastly put this lens on your camera and you will find yourself moving your feet where you never did before.  Normally with your zoom lens your feet stay planted in one spot and you spend your time zooming in and out of shots.  The 50mm makes you think through your shot more which in the end will make you a better photographer.  All of the DSLR manufacturers make two versions of these lenses.  Usually a 1.4 version and a 1.8 version.  The latter being the most affordable and usually less then half the cost of the 1.4.  Canon also has a 50mm F1.2.

Get one, try one, and you may find yourself with it on your camera more often then not.

Canon - 50mm 1.8 II - 139.99
Nikon - 50mm 1.8 D - 134.99
Sony - 50mm 1.8 - 175.00

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Less is More

Fill the Frame

All to often I see photographs of a single child taken horizontally and capturing the child completely head to toe.  Then the person taking that photo goes to a kiosk and crops the photo vertically.  Lets start by turning the camera.  A basic rule of thumb in photography is "Fill the Frame".  The best way to explain this is for you to think about your favorite movie.  I like to use "A Few Good Men" as an example.  The last courtroom scene with Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson has them both being cropped to a point where you do not even see their hairline.  Why would you crop off the top of someones head?  To see their eyes.  We have all heard that the eyes are the window to the soul.  This is especially true in photography.  When the eyes are not only in sharp focus but also the focal point of the photo, the person viewing the photo gets a sense of knowing the person in the image.  It makes for a more intimate portrait.  In the sample above you can see that the focus is on the eyes of the model and the wall behind her, her hand and arm are both gently out of focus which puts more emphasis on the face and eyes.  On this shoot a full length shot was also taken of that pose because we wanted to showcase the dress and shoes also, but we always get several shots like this one because they always add impact to the shoot.

Getting back to filling the frame.  Using that rule we get much better results in our photography.  It's so much easier to accomplish this by turning the camera vertically.  Also unless you designed the shoes and pants your subject is wearing you should make the photo about the person being photographed.  So get more of their upper torso, skew the photo a little off center, use a shallow depth of field and you have a professional looking portrait.  I use this everyday in my portrait work.  There are times that a full length shot is warranted.  A bride requires several full length shots to capture the beauty of her dress, and very often fashion shoots require shooting that way also.

So remember "Less is More".  By focusing on the eyes you will always come away with a wonderful shot and one that will bring your subject into sharp focus.

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