Photography Course - Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a digital photography or camera question you need answering? Email me at faq@digitalphotographycourses.co.uk I will either answer it on this page if there is enough space or answer it on a course.

Which Digital SLR Camera should I buy?

Buying a digital SLR is an expensive commitment and it can be daunting as to which one to choose. The main players are Canon and Nikon with Pentax, Sony and Olympus all offering credible, good value alternatives. If extra lenses are important then Canon and Nikon offer a greater choice of branded and compatible options.

A very popular camera on our Digital SLR photography courses at the moment is the Nikon D5000 because of it's adjustable LCD live view screen which makes low angle photography much easier. I also like it because it has a clear LCD screen with a good graphical display which is great for beginners to understand. This coupled with the excellent Nikon 18-200mm F3.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S VR II DX Lens should keep most amateurs happy for most photography assignments. If you prefer a Canon camera then the Canon EOS 500D Digital SLR Camera (incl. EF-S 18-55 mm IS Lens Kit) is very well regarded alternative.

Which Lens should I buy?

Lenses Most DSLR cameras come supplied with a standard 18-55mm zoom lens. This lens has the same zoom range as most compact camera zooms and photographers very quickly becomes aware of its shortcomings. The next step is usually to buy a telephoto zoom lens of the 80-200mm or 75-300mm variety. You now have a bulky camera with two lenses, which also require a camera bag. The danger of this set up is the tendency to leave the whole package at your accommodation instead of taking it with you on location.

Personally I’m a great fan of the 18-200mm wide range zoom lens so my recommendation is to save money buy purchasing camera body only and investing in one of the Canon, Nikon, Tamron or Sigma wide range zooms. Your initial outlay will be greater but in the long run you will save money, weight and a huge amount of time swapping lenses.

Which is the best wide range zoom to buy?

Canon, Nikon, Tamrom and Sigma all make very good wide range zooms and they all have there different pros and cons. For instance the Tamrom 18-270 has a longest range, so it's great for wildlife photography, but it's also the heaviest and it can be slower to focus. The best thing is to try them with your camera and see which lens you prefer.

An excellent website with trusted reviews is www.dpreveiw.co.uk

The Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/sigma_18-200_3p5-6p3_os_n15/

The Canon EF-S 18-200mm F3.5-5.6 IS is Canon's latest zoom lens for APS-C format DSLRs,
www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/canon_18-200_3p5-5p6_is_c16/

The Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO review
www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/tamron_18-270_3p5-6p3_vc_n15/

Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S VR DX
www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/nikon_18-200_3p5-5p6_vr_afs_n15/

These are all recommended lenses on the www.dpreview.com website and any would be suitable.

Which is the best Canon wide angle zoom to buy

In my Canon camera days I used to have the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens which I really liked for my landscape photography. It needed using with care as it could make things look a bit "bendy" at the 10mm end of the zoom but it was brilliant for getting small objects, like flowers, large in the foreground and a sweeping landscape and sky all sharp behind.



A lower cost alternative would be the Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 EX DC HSM - Canon fit lens. Sigma also do a Nikon version of this lens Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 EX DC HSM Nikon fit lens

Gift Vouchers

Gift Vouchers are available for any Digital Photography or Photoshop course. They can be booked for a certain date or be left open for the recipient to book a course themselves - subject to availability. All photography course Gift Vouchers are valid for a full 12 months.

Please Contact Us If You Have Any Questions

email - glen@digitalcameracourses.co.uk or call 0116 279 6906

Course Location & Timings

 

Dates: February to November 2010

Timings: 09.45am - 5.00pm

Address: 25 Westerby Lane, Smeeton Westerby, Leics, LE8 0RA

Telephone. 0116 2796906

Price: £135

Lunch: Included

 

Nature = Nature & Bird Photography Course at Rutland Water. Oakham

 

Photography Course Timings

 

9.30 -10am Arrival, coffee & biscuits 10.00am camera settings & theory

12.30 -1.00pm light lunch (included)

1pm-3pm Practical photography

3pm-4pm Review photographs

4pm-5pm Photo-editing Demonstration

5pm Questions & course feedback

 

DSLR Course Requirements

 

Digital SLR Camera

Extra lenses - optional

External flashgun - optional

Fully charged battery and / or a spare

Empty memory card

Any other kit you need explaining

change of shoes if wet.

 

Please ensure you have a fully charged battery as we will be using your camera a lot and batteries do to tend to run out.For batteries and cards at huge discounts visit

www.mymemory.co.uk