"Tony" wrote in
:

Hi All,
I would like to become a professional photographer. On September I
will follow some classes and I am reading a good manual at the moment.
Could you suggest me a good camera to start with with the budget of
$350-$500. Is better a new one with limited features, or a second hand
but older and full feautured? Is better a F100 in good condition
second hand, or a Canon EOS300v brand new? What are the disadvantages
of the F100 because is a quite old model?

Thanks,
Tony

Inviato da www.mynewsgate.net


You can probably find a new Canon EOS Elan 7 on sale for a good price, now
that the 7N is on the shelves. The Elan is a step up from the Rebel series
in terms of build quality and features. Coupled with a 50mm lens to start,
you've got yourself a nice kit. Learn the pluses and minuses of a single
focal length, then move on to another prime, or even a zoom lens. I started
with a Rebel and the 50mm/1.4. My kit has grown considerably since then,
but this is still my favorite lens. I use it primarily for street
photography. It also shines in low light situations. To save money, you
could pick up the nearly-as-good 50mm/1.8 for about $70 USD, whereas the
1.4 will run you about $300. They are both very sharp, but the 1.4 does
have a much more solid build, metal lens mount instead of plastic, USM
internal focusing mechanism, and smoother bokeh/blur.

Whatever you do, stay away from most standard "kit lenses" that come
coupled with camera bodies (usually slow 28 or 35 to 80 or 90 mm zooms).
Take a look at ratings for various lenses at http://www.photodo.com and you
will get a sense of how well these 50mm and other prime lenses compare to
zoom lenses in the consumer price range.

Good luck with your choice. Please come back and tell us what you decided
to buy.

--
"Live fast. Die young." (Nikki Sixx)

-Richard Cockburn