DSLR Camera Advice?

[SetsunaKou]

Hi min'na-sama!

My sister tells me she wants to buy me a DSLR camera (not a point and shoot) for my birthday but we have no idea what we're doing. ^^;;

So I figured I'd ask the experts here! I don't want her to spend much---she's showing me ones for $350 but I am kind of freaking out at that cost. She said those are already low cost, but I don't want to spend even that! Are there any decent DSLR for less than $200?

It's crazy, I am willing to spend a lot on LE dolls but for a camera, I am reluctant to pay that much!

Anyway, does anyone here have a DSLR that takes good quality pro-looking pictures of dolls, even small dolls and figures without making them look all grainy or washed out, AND is inexpensive?

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Your sister is awesome!

I have no idea if you can get one that cheap - I'm a fan of the Micro four thirds system (small, mirrorless dslrs that are easier to carry around than their bigger cousins, but are just as capable for the most part. There aren't as many lenses around for them, though) and the cheapest one of those is around £350, so I guess it'd be about $350 too.

Get one that will shoot RAW as well as jpeg so you have the option to really tweak colours etc afterwards (RAW is basically the digital negative, for those of us old enough to remember film cameras ) - they have a lot more info in them than jpegs do so you can do a lot more with them - such as recovering photos that are too dark or too light (it's not magic - if it's almost all black or completely washed out you won't get much back)

Get a good lens (or lenses) to go on it! You want one that has a lower F number as possible - the lower the f number, the more light the lens lets in, which helps in low light and also gets you those nice out of focus backgrounds. This is actually the expensive part - you can get good, cheap lenses, but with a few notable exceptions (the Canon 50mm f1.8 lens springs to mind) there aren't -that- many around. You might want to consider one with macro functionality too - you don't need 1:1 for dolls, but ones with less magnification can be useful.

An inbuilt flash might be less useful for doll photography - they tend to only point forward which means the light doesn't necessarily go where you want it. But if the one you get has one you don't have to use it - you can always use external lights (torches, led panels, phone - that sort of thing)

And read the manual, watch videos about it - however you best learn, and practice with it, taking photos and changing the settings and so on. Like any tool you won't get the best out of it until you've learnt how it works and how to get it to do what you want it to do.

[K2!]

I have been using a Nikon Coolpix L110. It's a "bridge camera" (somewhere between a point and shoot and a DSLR).
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-produc ... -l110.html
It's been replaced (I think) by the Coolpix B500.
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-produc ... -b500.html
Again, not a DSLR but closer to your price range.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Nikon-Black- ... 3=&veh=sem
The Nikon Coolpix L340 is an older model (2015) but also within your price range.
http://www.nikonusa.com/en/about-nikon/ ... olpix+L340
https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Coolpix-L3 ... QDAD3BRW0S

[DollyKim]

Can I ask why a DLSR and what she hopes you'll do with it? It might help figure this out better.

I'm also trying to find out the stats on my sister's old one and see if lenses and stuff could still be found for it.

*It's a Panasonic and early 2000s if she can find it.

[SetsunaKou]

Wow!

Thanks for your advice and help, ShortnCuddlyAm-san, K2-sama, and Dollykim-san! I will definitely look into what you are advising.

ShortnCuddlyAm-san, wow! Thanks for the details and advice! I had no idea about differing lenses and Raw/jpg and well just about everything you mentioned! Thanks for the pointers! :hugs:

K2-sama, I didn't know there were 'bridge' cameras! 0_o Do these take much better photos than regular digital point and shoot cameras? Almost as nice and detailed as DSLRs? If so, I need to check into these!!!

DollyKim-san, I've been wanting a DSLR for about 4-5 years, but a LE doll or BJD or something 'more important' always gets precedence. :laughs: I mainly want one for my doll photos and figure photos. The point and shoot cameras are 'okay' but they just aren't up to par for really detailed photography and to me, they make my faceups and sculpting look a bit scratchy and grainy, plus the sides get warped or misshapen on the digicam pic. I have always wanted 'true to what they look like in person' looking photos. The point and shoot is well enough for cosplay photos---seems decent, though I'm sure they could be better, too. But the photos I take of my dolls and figures and faceups---I'm just never happy with. In natural light, it's too dark or blurry or smudgy, and if I put on the flash, it's now bright enough but often it glares on the eyes or hair or even cheeks and also makes an 'unnatural' look. Again, it's 'okay' but I really wanted to get really nice, detailed, sharp clean images of my dolls and it seemed to me that a DSLR was the only answer.
I saw some really amazing detailed and lifelike images of tiny insects, dolls, etc using a DSLR so I figured, that's the ticket!

But I'm such a novice---I have NO idea where to start.

The past 2 days, I've been looking at a Canon 15.1 MP Rebel T1i and a Sony 14.2 MP A380.
Right now, I'm choosing between either of those. I found a really good deal on the Sony because it's a Japanese model and the monitor/screen and instructions on it are only in kanji/Japanese. So the USA seller can't really use it well and are offering it at a more than decent price. My sis and I can read and understand Japanese, so I figure it's a good match for us!

We did some research and found that the Canon takes better pictures in the dark but that their interface is more difficult to use and less user friendly. I don't plan on ever taking photos in the dark. I just want this for doll/figure photography in the best possible lighting/setup. So I don't think that matters to us.
The Sony takes great photos in regular circumstances and their menu/format is easy PLUS we've been owning Sony Point and Shoot cameras so both my sis and I are already familiar with their basic setup. I know the DSLR will be quite different but since it IS a Sony, they will kind of have a similar menu setup or just vaguely familiar already.

So we're kind of hovering which to opt for....

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

No probs!

A DSLR or a bridge camera should give you more options and controllability than your current camera, by the sounds of it. The main advantage DSLRs have is changeable lenses. This may or may not be or become important. Being able to change lenses gives you a lot more versatility, but at a cost, and you may not need it.

A menu system that is at least half familiar is a good thing - if nothing else it'll make learning how to use the thing a bit easier! If it was me would give the Sony more of an edge.

[K2!]

It's my understanding that the big differences between bridge cameras and DSLRs are that with bridge cameras there is usually no completely manual mode and they do not have interchangeable lenses.
Whatever camera you choose, before you buy it, I would suggest going to the manufacturer's site and downloading the user's manual. Looking through the manual will give you a pretty good idea of what the camera can do.

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Some bridge cameras do have full manual mode (the yeti had/has one - just can't remember which now! - and there's a Canon one that does) - not sure how common it is though. Or how pricey they are.