Camera Upgrade Question

[Stefany0219]

Hi all.  I posted in the photography showcase forum not too long ago,  but I also have a camera upgrade question.  I am a beginner, but do feel like I have the knowledge and training behind me to really start focusing on a business.  Right now I shoot with the canon rebel t4 with the 50mm 1.8 lens.  I’m really thinking of selling the rebel for the canon 5d mark ii and getting the 85 mm 1.2 lens.  Since I am just starting out, I don’t want to (or have for that matter) spend $3,000 on a camera just yet.  As it is, the mark ii and lens I want is going to cost me at least $3500.  What does everyone think? Do you think I should hold out and wait to get a better camera or try out the mark ii?

[dont.care]

I think you should keep practicing, save your pennies and purchase a 5d III and 70-200 or a 24-70 (or save up and get them both including camera).. 24-70 2.8 ii and 70-200 2.8 ii is your useful range in 2 very well produced ultra quality and lovely lens’ and the mark III smashes the II in IQ at high ISO (low noise), digic 5+ processor, awesome AF system, among a plethora of other things.. Really it sounds like you’re attempting to make that amateur to pro jump with tech alone.. By the time you’d be able to acquire the Mark III (3100 or so dollars) 24-70 2.8 II (2000 +/-dollars) and the 70-200 2.8 II (2000+/- dollars) for a total of probably close to 8 grand after taxes, you’d be very well on your way.. Don’t know what tripod you’ve got, but with heavy gear you need a strong tripod; add another 300-2000 dollars, plus a head which can run anywhere from 200-1000 or more.. Then you’ve got flash setups; albeit you can always buy cheap flashes and pocket wizards and run them in manual or whatever radio trigger you do so ‘desire’ . I prefer to stick with Canon through and through so 600-EX-RT’s with st3-RT.. There’s plenty of other things.. When you start getting into this price range you really might consider insurance too.. I’m sure after you’ve spent 8-10-12 grand on just this alone, you’ll probably not want to have to replace it out of pocket..

Thus, the moral of the story is; wait. Get more experience and by the time you’ve done that you can successfully merge into a business and charge decent rates for your time and produce awesome images and sell yourself as a real pro..

 

 

[Stefany0219]

Thanks for the advice.  That’s exactly what I needed to hear.  I wanted to buy a camera that I feel will stick around with my style for a while and not keep replacing all the time.  I have lots of practice ahead of me with the rebel, so I know that will be useful in the long run.  Thanks again and I’ll all of these on my photog. wish list 🙂

[dont.care]

photography is an expensive venture… you’d better be prepared to spend more than $3500 ;] look higher .. 25-35k (on gear), initial start up costs plus yearly fees associated with cost of doing business incld maintenance, etc.

the 3 things i told you earlier were nearly 8grand, now add your backup camera.. id suggest another 5d iii which brings you to nearly 12grand .. now add your magic lenses — 85 1.2 50 1.2 35 1.4 = 4-5k right there so 17 grand so far… now add special purpose, etc cf cards, image processing workstation, stands, backdrops,  etc

 

still interested in going from beginner directly  to pro?

[JLiu]

In terms of any upgrades, you’ll almost always want to invest in glass first.  It’ll hold value over time vs. a camera body.

Keep learning with what you’ve got for now until you can justify the jump in gear based on your skill level.

[dont.care]

That is true, you could technically use your 85 1.2 with a rebel t4 i suppose.. Although, I think with the crop factor you’d be shooting 136mm ?

50mm would probably be closer to your 85, so hey — You can shave 500 dollars off of your 85mm and just use the ol’ nifty 50 on your 1.6 crop factor t4 😉

[Stefany0219]

Yes, I’m still highly interested.  I’ve already spent around $2000 between camera, lens,  backdrops, off camera flash, photoshop, etc.  As far as glass goes, I definitely think purchasing  a better lens for now and putting it on the rebel isn’t a bad move, especially to have that practice with it first.  I’m prepared for all of the cost associated with it(equipment, insurance, props, backdrops, website fees, etc).  I will be doing all portrait work(families, children, newborn, etc), a lot of it will be outdoors or at a great setup I have at my home.  (Big living room with a bay window that brings in beautiful light).  I won’t be dabbling in weddings, as I just don’t have an interest, but I still want gorgeous portraits.  Oh, and nevermind the money I’ve spent on trainint(roughly $1000)..And I want to keep educating myself, especially with newborn photography.  Thanks again!

[Stefany0219]

Oh..and while we’re talking..what do you think of these?

 

http://365project.org/stefanyflynn/365

[dont.care]

Honestly? I think you’re moving too fast.. I think you need to slow down and think more objectively.. The first image seems soft, alot of blown out highlights — Not to mention color balancing seems weird and yellow.. Lighting seems very flat.. There’s absolutely nothing intriguing about that photo..

 

But, if you have that image in raw, I think maybe if the levels aren’t completely blown where the raw file has no detail in the whites, you could possibly salvage it

[Stefany0219]

I do have the raw file and I will go back and look at it.  I see  your point with lack of detail and it’s flat.  But I wanted it to be more of a dreamy shot.  Thanks

[dont.care]

I’m sure you’re aware of the ACR brush utility for localized adjustments, correct? K.. don’t use it for this.

Well, Adjust the image to bring down the blown highlights, open..

Save as something else, but don’t close it..

Reopen the raw file in the open->recent

Adjust the rest of the image, open

merge the two images into layers create a duplicate, create a mask for the window / everything in the upper portion of the image and mask it out to level the overall image

create a new layer and make your own lighting effects.

Use your polygonal line tool on a new layer

Polygonal line tool and make “light cast” make sure your foreground color is white, ctrl + backspace to fill the polygonal, blur with motion in the direction of light, then use guassian blur to blend it all.. then use layer blending modes to “blend the light” i.e. soft light hard light pin light whatever suits you just flip through it until you come across something you like..

flatten, save.. or add little tid bits of glowing light, or whatever 😛 then flatten save.. I always keep PSD files of every image, because I usually don’t like it the first 5 times I do it.. but to each his own

tutorials for you: http://www.photoshoproadmap.com/Photoshop-blog/dreamy-magical-and-lighting-effects-photoshop-tutorials/

p10

[dont.care]

Wanna post me the raw file? I’d love to take a crack at it.. I’m bored with nothing to do on this day =)

[JLiu]

Haha…considering you’ve been posting every 5 min. 😉

I’m gonna have to agree with dont.care – slow down and take the time to really learn photography.  The fact that a lot of posted photos are soft is a sign that, at the very least, technique needs improvement.   Learn the basics, get to know your gear backwards and forwards (and I mean really get to know it – being able to dial-in the “sweet spot” at a moment’s notice is crucial sometimes), work on the post-process…then decide if making that jump is worth it.  The last thing you probably want is being prominently displayed on the front page of this site.

[dont.care]

Oh, you say it like it’s a terrible thing to agree with me 😛

[dont.care]

Personally, I think this site could benefit from the collective input from it’s usual caucus.. Like you for instance, you claim your an amateur, yet your IQ is on par with a lot of pros, which makes a statement, you don’t have to title yourself a “pro” or sell yourself as one and can still make money freelancing for people.. I’m sure you know your gear in an out.. I think most aspiring photographers feel they need to up the ante and make themselves “feel important” by labeling as such.

CameraClicker seems as if he breathes photography as he seems to be technically drawn to it

Honestly, I think this site could use a tutorial section.. Just sayin’. An intervention and tutorial section, rather.

 

ofcourse there’s others it just seems that you guys offer up the most technically sound ‘advice’

There’s always BEG.. Wonder how she’s coming along with that micro adjustment

[Author]

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