I am sorry to ask, but I am way out of my league here.

My daughter has graduated high school today, and would like a camera.  She has had several point and shoot type camera's but would like a decent one.  She is 15, and graduated 2 years early so she can start working at the family business and help her old man by working with me.  I want to get her something to show I appreciate her hard work and her dedication to the family.  She has shown a appreciation for photography and has wanted a decent camera for a while.  I kept asking her to until she was older, but I think she has waited long enough.

I have no knowledge of cameras or the lenses they use, but I have a lot of money invested in scopes and a spotting scope.  I know in general with glass you get what you pay for.

She wantsthis package, but it seems to me that with that many lenses and accessories for that price the lenses may not be much good.  I would pay more than that for a decent scope, and it just strikes me as possibly being item heavy and quality light.

Since she graduated 2 years early, I do not have to pay for 2 more years of private school for her.  It seems fair to me to spend some of what she has saved me on what she wants.  Budget is somewhat flexible, I figure about $ 3,000.00, but if $4,000.00 makes a huge difference we could swing it.  I just want to be sure that she is not limited by the what she chooses.  She is very willing to purchase used equipment if she would get more for her money that way.  I would assume that most of the money should be spent on glass as a long term investment, and less on the body as a consumable or replaceable item.

Most of her pictures will be of family members at gatherings, perhaps some scenery.  Mostly across the room / across the yard distances.  Probably little long distance photography.

Is their particular software that she should have to complement the camera?

I guess my last question is: Is it worthwhile to purchase from a local store for a little more money for advice / service or do camera bodies and lenses get sent away for service?  I know with my scopes, if I have a problem I send it directly to the manufacturer.  Is photography equipment repaired the same way?

Any recommendations on what to look for or reputable places to buy new or used online would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and for any recommendations you have.

That should be good for a starter camera. She will quickly find out what lenses she likes to use most. Looks like the lenses are all Canon so they should be good.

I have been thinking about selling my 5d mark three with some nice canon lenses as I never use it.
it has 100-400 16-35 2.8 and 24- 70 lense with nice memory cards and flash I have about 8500 in it and never use it

Anything in that price range is pretty good. I would stay away from "bundles". Alot of times the extras are useless or not that great. You will end up rebuying better stuff.

B&H is a good place to shop.

Unless you have a local pro camera store, just buy online. Ever read those gun counter idiot stories? Camera stores are the same way.

Do NOT go and drop $3k on camera stuff. She needs to learn about photography with beginner gear and then decide if it something that she really likes. Then you can progress into the digital darkroom with software and computers.

Costco and Sam's clubs have similar starter digital SLR cameras like that.

I am a proponent of the point and shoot waterproor handheld camera that fits in my pocket.  But I have to admit that the pictures that come out of her SLR are 10x better than that coming out of my hand held.

If she deserves it, then go for it. Just don't get upset if she never uses it.

That is the camera I have and used it for about a year now. I'm no pro but extremely satisfied with it. I have the 18-55mm and 75-300mm lens that take great sports pics. You can get it much cheaper on eBay and as stated prior, most of the bundle is junk. I'd stick with camera, lens, and get her a good bag.

Agree with checking out your Costco or Sam's

Lenses make the camera. Not the other way around.


I also agree not to spend big bucks initially. She's 15. Will you buy her a Cadillac when she turns 16?  Or something a little more sensible until she gets older?


The nice thing about cameras is the lenses and body of the camera can be upgraded without making the other 'part' worthless. So you can invest appropriately in lenses and get a nicer body later.


Camera gear also holds value pretty good so if you choose to sell and your gear is in good condition, you'll get almost new prices for it


Good for you dad.

I would get her a Nikon D7200 and a 50 1.8 to start.  As she learns photography and develops her style she can buy more glass based off of what she thinks will be best. The 50 1.8 is an indispensable lens for an incredibly great price.

There is a big difference in showing an interest/appreciation for photography and sinking 3-4k in equipment/gear.

I would go for an advanced compact camera so she can better develop her skills and find out what she is really interested in before dumping a bung of money into equipment.  (Full frame dslr vs smaller image sensors, which camera company lineup (for bodies/lenses), which body, which lenses, which accessories, ect.)

It is kind of like sinking a bunch of money into a knights armament sr-15 with a for a beginner instead of starting off with an inexpensive rifle for them to develop their skills/interest

I would look at the following options:

DL-24-85:

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/premium-compact-cameras/index.page

Panasonic LX-100:

http://shop.panasonic.com/cameras-and-camcorders/cameras/lumix-point-and-shoot-cameras/DMC-LX100.html

Canon G7 X Mark II:

https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/products/details/cameras/point-and-shoot/advanced-cameras/powershot-g7-x-mark-ii

the nikon and canon haven't been released yet, so it would make sense to wait a couple of months for them to be released and reviewed before picking a camera.

Whichever one of those she chooses, she will have a good platform to learn with.  In a few years, if she want to stick with photography and wants more, she can buy into a interchangeable lens camera platform. (DSLR or mirrorless)  But these cameras are good enough that it is highly unlikely that she will be left wanting.

She gets to use her grandfathers old 1997 Chevy until she is 18.  She has no other option.  She is not happy about it, but I am.

Quite true, but just as with shooting rifles, one must learn the fundamentals and how to apply them before the expensive optics bring any value.


This Canon kit is a good one to start a "real" photography addiction hobby.

Just as with rifles, success is far more dependent on the operator than the equipment. The kit lenses that come with starter kits from Canon and Nikon (and others) are really pretty decent. Sure, there are much better lenses available, but if she is new to "real" photography (meaning anything beyond an iPhone or point-and-shoot) where she has complete control over shutter, aperture, and ISO, then it would be good to save some money now and hold it for a better lens that solves a particular problem later.

The thing to keep in mind is "ecosystem." Canon has a wider variety of lenses addressing particular niches while Nikon generally has better sensors. It really does come down to the investment to be made in glass later because the lenses are not interchangeable between camera makers. (Yes, there are adapters for some bodies, but this is the exception, not the rule - and they have their own...peculiarities.) If she has friends with a collection of lenses for a particular camera make (say, Canon), then she may be able to "extend" her lens collection by borrowing from those friends.  

If she's done her research and has settled on the T5i as her desired camera, this kit is just fine.

Here is some suggested reading to help get her started (geared toward the beginner):
"Photography Buying Guide" by Tony Northrup (Good for future purchase ideas. This one may be worth a quick review prior to buying the above kit, but really, there's nothing wrong with that bundle.)
"Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson
"Stunning Digital Photography" by Tony Northrup
AdoramaTV channel on YouTube (Check out videos from Bryan Peterson, Gavin Hoey, Mark Wallace, and Doug McKinlay for good beginner and intermediate level guidance and ideas.)

Good luck!

Edit: Oh, and don't forget local photo clubs. They can be a great resource.

I own the t5i, it's probably as good as you'll get before going to the pro lines (actually I'd get the successor, the t6i which just came out at Christmas.) There are definitely a few bodies in the <2000 range that will outperform it if you want to go that high. The new 6D (full frame) and 7D (crop frame) might be worth looking in to. 1D/5D are going to be pricier and larger, but Canon's lineup is a bit of a mess, every model has its tradeoffs, but all the pro lines are all good. Back to the t5i, the lenses and accessories in the kit you posted are cheap and mostly a waste IMHO, memory cards are cheap and everything else when you need you'll likely go out and buy top of the line stuff when you need it. The $100ish 50mm and maybe  the ef-s 40mm are good cheap buys for starter lenses. Then for a crop I wouldn't dick around too much with other lenses until you get the 17-55mm f2.8, maybe add a macro or telephoto depending what you want to do down the road.

Eta: if you shop around since the t5i is last year's model, you can probably get just the cameras and kit lens for <400-450 easily if you check/watch slickdeals, I personally wouldn't get the 3rd party kit with the extra misc stuff they usually are trying to pad the bundle with the cheapest of everything they can throw in there. I'd personally also instead shop for the t6i, they added WiFi and a few better picture/video features, you can probably get a deal for around 600-700 from canon with the kit lens and everything which is about what the bundle you posted was anyway.

I got my fiancee a Canon very much like that package. The main lens is a Canon, and that's the one she will use the most. The tele appears to be an off brand, but I doubt she'll really notice the difference for some time. I just bought the fiancee a Canon 55-250 mm lens for Mother's Day, and she loves it. If you get great first class stuff right away, you have no place to go. Maybe she'll want a different/better tele for Christmas, and you know what to do.

I don't think you would go wrong with the package you've listed. I was always a Nikon guy, but the Canon I bought is really a fantastic camera.

Don't forget about the 35mm 1.8, particularly with the crop sensor the D7200 has.

lumper: Wow your budget for a camera is pretty high for a teenager, but she probably deserves it. My whole set is worth about $4,000

Anyways, does she have a smart phone with a built-in camera?
Those phone cameras are pretty darn good and the photos will rival many DSLRs. The phone cams has pretty much killed off the low-end of the P&S camera market. And is treading hard on the mid-priced P&S cameras.

Currently the SotA in cameras today are the mirrorless ones, especially from Sony A6xxx-series. They use Minolta optical technology when Minolta decided to leave the camera business.

Personally for me I use B&H and Adorama out of New York when purchasing photo gear.

I would like to thank you all for your advice and recommendations.  I will purchase the books that were advised above, and after she has read them along with selected parts of this thread (the money part has to be edited out to prevent her getting a swollen head) perhaps she will have the knowledge to decide how to proceed.  

Thank you again all for being willing to take the time to help a beginner make wise choices in their new endeavor.

Yep, forgot that a 50 is going to give an 85ish equivalent on the 7200.

 

In that case I would buy her a 35 or 50...either one will be a great way to get her started.

Just to add a little comment on the wifi the T6i (and I think the new 6D and such have) for a young person is actually super cool since it lets you take a picture with your SLR and immediately sync it to your phone which makes it easy to share. Could be a huge selling point for the younger more socially connected crowd.

One last suggestion, you may want to get her a lesser expensive camera until she figures out what she really wants to do with. Remember cameras are like firearms, they are very personal. You maybe interested in ARs whereas you daughter maybe interested in trap & skeet. Remember unlike guns, the state of the art in cameras advances every few years. So you may want to get a basic Nikon or Canon DSLR until she really learns the ropes, and from there you/she determine what she really wants. Good luck!

I would say  the Canon T5 is the best, and most affordable, way into DSLR.  It is very capable of taking great photographs and should serve her well for a long time.  You can buy a 70D or go all out with a 1D or 5D with Zeiss and L-series lenses later when she learns the basics and decides if she even enjoys photography enough to spend that kind money on it.

This is a T5 with a couple lenses for $299 directly from Canon.  The 18-55mm lense that comes with it isn't that good, but it will be adequate for a beginner and can always be replaced when she outgrows it.
http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/eos-rebel-t5-ef-s-18-55mm-is-ii-kit---ef-75-300mm-f-4-56-iii-usm-refurbished

Strongly disagree, spend the extra $100 for the i version. Terrible screen resolution (hey that picture looks good! find out shit is out of focus when you put it on the computer .... because the AF sucks), doesn't flip and no touch, and biggest one of them all is the poor AF (and I think it's only 1 point too) that is rage inducing at least in my experience. Now if it was a grand difference I might reconsider, but they're both old models and the difference should be about $100, at least get the better one.

This.  I also have a T5i, and I love it.  It's small enough to be easily portable, not like a big heavy Pro DSLR like a 5D.

I wanted to update you on what we decided on.

We purchased this camera.  We bought the one with the lens since it cost $50.00 less than the camera body alone.

We purchased this lens

We also purchased after considering the options this lens  (would it hurt to spray rubber bed liner on this to prevent damage if it were to be dropped)?

Along with clear filters for both expensive lenses, an extra battery and memory card.    I do not know how image quality will be affected by placing a piece of plastic in front of the glass, but with the cost of the lenses it seemed wise.

I would like to thank everyone here who was willing to give me advice on what to purchase to get a beginner started on the right track.

My daughter and I decided that I would pay 75% of the purchase price and she would pay 25% so that she also has time and money invested in the equipment.  

Thanks again, your advice helped me put my mind at ease regarding spending this amount of money on something that has never interested me, but has interested her for many years.

Clear filters in front of lenses are the most common fallacy in the photography world. The front element is very strong and designed to be exposed the world. A cheap filter in front degrades image quality and will do nothing to "protect" the lens. Any impact that is hard enough to damage a lens isn't going to be stopped by a filter.

That is a lot of coin on beginning photgraphy. Fantastic lens, but a lot of money.

I like my Canon power shot Elph, small enough to always have with me.

Jealous

That's more than enough to keep a photographer happy for a long while and that 24-70mm should last for years and years if you take care of it, probably outlasting the body in that if you do go pro someday and spend 5+ grand on a body it will still be with you, it's that good. It's probably one of more popular professional newspaper/event photographer lenses in use by pros right now. (The other iconic complementary pro lens being the 70-200 L for distance).

Good luck!

Having used nothing but low-end point and shoots forever (with the exception of messing around a little with a 35mm Canon AE1 I got from my grandmother, and realizing the potential of the SLR/DSLR and getting a taste of long exposure shots, etc) , the modest Nikon 3100 with a basic 18-55 that I paid $289 for used, and shortly after a used $160 55-300, was a major step-up.  The body is a bit more compact (which some like and some don't), but it's ok for me.  Honestly to me it's like having a professional grade camera that I get to learn on, even though I know it's no D700 or whatever.





Being able to use things like IR, red, polarized, ND, etc, filters for different effects is fun, and having the ability to work with RAW images is great too.  





I'm no professional, but that T5I package seems pretty good and not overly expensive if that's what she wants, although buying the bare camera and lenses, and then selectively choosing accessories separately will get you better stuff.  Tripod, etc.



* already made the purchase I see.  A prime lens is something I still need to get.  




 

we were able to remove the lens covers and go with hoods instead.  Thanks for the advice.

You guys acquired a really nice kit. Stick around the forum and share!  


Battery and card are good additions. The clear filters... not as much.  



This video reinforces this point.

The lenses should come with hoods? I'm not positive (Nikon here).

The L will, the 50 won't.





 

All of the Nikon lenses come with lens hoods, but I personally find them a PITA because it makes the lens too long, and it easily falls off the lens unless you tape on. Those factory lens hoods are pretty expensive pieces of plastic, that I'd rather not lose.

I recently lost my 10 year old Benchmade SP830 somewhere

ETA: except the Nikon 18-55 doesn't come with a hood, but you can buy one.

Congrats on the camera for your daughter OP.

Other little things to invest in.  

-a rocket blower to clean the camera
-extra batteries and SD cards depending on how much she shoots
-look into the $8-10 a month Adobe Creative Cloud Photography subscription or grab the Photoshop Elements 14 deal when it goes on sale on Amazon
-if the lenses are swapped a lot, you might want to learn about how to clean the image sensor.  Eventually you'll have to wet clean it to get some dust off.  Would probably take a year or so unless she's changing lenses in the wind or something, but it'll happen.
-filters (polarizing and neutral density) are useful and fairly inexpensive if she wants to do long exposures in bright light, cut down on reflections, etc.

Shoot in RAW to get the most out of your photos if she wants to edit them btw.  Best advice I could possibly give is to read and use the crap out of the camera before going nuts on stuff.  It's like building your first AR.  You think you know what you need, but after using stuff a lot you realize where you spent money in the wrong spot.

I'm still halfway in the UV filter camp, but every time I bring it up Zack tries to drag me out back and beat me with a tripod.

Pretty good starter body but MAN, the 50 1.4 AND the 24-70 2.8?

Your grandaughter is getting some FINE glass that will last her a lifetime.

 
That's for sure. I have the 50 1.4 and it's pretty awesome.

So, who wants to be the first to review this item.

Hell, get two!  Only $353k, and
Lease for as low as $11,970 / month