Help Wantonebad take a decent picture...

[wantonebad]

Is this as good a deal as it seems? Is the Nikon D3200 the right camera for someone who can't take a picture to save his life. This incompetent photographer would really like to know...

Groupon Deal Nikon D3200

[teqp]

Marc,

If you want to learn photography, then I say go for the 3200. If you are content taking photos, just use a cell phone or point n shoot to capture the moments. Even if you want to learn, but don't want to lug heavier cameras, go for a point n shoot that offers some of the features of a digital slr, such as adjusting white balance, ISO, shutter speed.
If you want to learn, try a community college course and practice, practice, practice.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by teqp

Marc,

If you want to learn photography, then I say go for the 3200. If you are content taking photos, just use a cell phone or point n shoot to capture the moments. Even if you want to learn, but don't want to lug heavier cameras, go for a point n shoot that offers some of the features of a digital slr, such as adjusting white balance, ISO, shutter speed.
If you want to learn, try a community college course and practice, practice, practice.

The course is a good idea, and I should do that, I actually did take a continuing education class at my local adult learning center in the 90's but it didn't help, I still stink! I think you get what you pay for with these classes. I have 5-6 point and shoot cameras but I've always wanted to take great pictures and while I need to learn techniques first to take better photos I'm still really intrigued by this deal, it seems too good to pass up.

[figbo]

I have the same set up,Nikon D3200 with same lenses and it cost me lot more than that.It takes excellent pics.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by figbo

I have the same set up,Nikon D3200 with same lenses and it cost me lot more than that.It takes excellent pics.

Thanks Raf!

I think I'm pulling the trigger on this puppy, only a mater of time before I start taking some really sharp, clear, awful pictures

[teqp]

For the price of 3 Midleton bottles, this is not a bad choice! It really does take lots of practice with some luck to get great images. I could not see if these refurbished units were sent back to Nikon or elsewhere, but at least you get 90 days from Nikon...work that thing for the first 90 days.

Of course, there's the old adage that it's not the camera that takes great photos, it's the person behind the camera. I'm sure David Doubilet would take amazing photos with an iPhone in a ziplock baggy underwater!

If you get it, post some photos.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by teqp

For the price of 3 Midleton bottles, this is not a bad choice! It really does take lots of practice with some luck to get great images. I could not see if these refurbished units were sent back to Nikon or elsewhere, but at least you get 90 days from Nikon...work that thing for the first 90 days.

Of course, there's the old adage that it's not the camera that takes great photos, it the person behind the camera. I'm sure David Doubilet would take amazing photos with an iPhone in a ziplock baggy underwater!

If you get it, post some photos.

Will do, it's been ordered!

[figbo]

The battery last a long time but if you need to buy another one,make sure the battery is "unlocked" or whatever it's called.I made that mistake.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by figbo

The battery last a long time but if you need to buy another one,make sure the battery is "unlocked" or whatever it's called.I made that mistake.

[azguy]

Samsung Phone

watches and compass.jpg

GMT II.jpg

covered slips.jpg

Dock3.jpg

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by azguy

Samsung Phone

Yes but do you have a big bulky bag, attachments to schlep and worry about and extra lenses to carry?...

[GradyPhilpott]

The D3300 is out and has a better built-in tutorial function that will help you to learn to use the features.

Personally, I wouldn't go for a two-lens bundled deal.

Get one with the 18-55mm kit lens only, because I doubt that the entry level camera comes with without a lens.

Then spring for an 18-200mm zoom lens. This lens is now about half what I paid for mine when it was introduced and it will last a lifetime.

I think that a better choice would be to step up to a D5300 without a lens and buy the 18-200mm lens.

This combo is more likely to be one that you will never outgrow and you can add some primes later on to fill out your kit.

[azguy]

Originally Posted by wantonebad

Yes but do you have a big bulky bag, attachments to schlep and worry about and extra lenses to carry?...

You need one of those big light reflectors to that they use on professional shoots

maybe less scotch/bourbon and more steady of a hand

[Angrypuppy]

I'm a point and shoot guy, but my wife bought the 3200 a year or so ago. I'm not sure who good she is, but she has taken some nice shots. She got the Nikon 3200 for dummies book and that seemed to help a lot.

[LandLawMan]

Originally Posted by wantonebad

Is this as good a deal as it seems? Is the Nikon D3200 the right camera for someone who can't take a picture to save his life. This incompetent photographer would really like to know...

Groupon Deal Nikon D3200

I'm pretty-much as incompetent as one can possibly be, so I'm over-qualified to address this issue.

MY RULE: All camera bodies within a given price range are all the same, basically. So spend 90% of your budget on the LENS.

I took the attached photo* on a frozen lake on a golf course. The photo is now published by The Nature Conservancy. Camera body? A $750 Nikon 60D. The lens? A $9,500 Nikon USA 400mm f/2.8.

Use it up and throw the camera body away. But for gosh sakes, get the finest lens you can afford! (I later sold the 400mm for $7,500 cash. So, lenses are probably a better investment than watches!)

My portrait lens (on that same $750.00 Nikon 60D) is a Nikon USA 24mm f/1.4. And I take shots that rival if not beat the professionals in the same given lighting environment. Bottom line: Competence counts for little. EXCELLENT LENSES results in really nice photography.


* North American River Otter breaking through the ice with a fish in its mouth.
@ All rights reserved.

[wantonebad]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate your willingness to share your thoughts. I did order the smaller bundle Grady, thinking that the two lens combo was not quite the selection I would have preferred. In addition to watch collecting and my penchant for all things booze, I also collect coins and antique Asian art. I'm really interested in taking great macro shots of not only watches but coins and Asian artifacts, even some flowers. So I hope to get a really great macro lens for this Nikon and work on its settings to constantly improve the close up shots that others here do so well!

[Pix]

Great price on the kit…but in the end its all about the lighting.

[figbo]

Straight from the camera,no photo editing.

[Rbdport]

iPhone 4s:

Hubby and I travel enough that we have debated about a nice digital SLR, but it's always come down to neither one of wants to be the one that has to schlep around a bulky bag and heavy equipment!