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Posted: 12/18/2018 1:55:06 AM EDT
[#1]
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Posted: 12/18/2018 1:56:47 AM EDT
[#2]
budget?
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Posted: 12/18/2018 2:01:00 AM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
budget? 
Seriously though I just don't know. Like I said, I know jack about cameras so I don't even have a general idea of what you get in any given price range. Let's say up to $250. What do I get in that realm? |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 2:01:06 AM EDT
[#4]
Probably just a basic point and shoot will do fine. Canon and Panasonic are good.
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Posted: 12/18/2018 2:02:33 AM EDT
[#5]
https://www.ar15.com/forums/General/Photography-andamp-Photoshopping/121/
Many guys here like @Zack3g who helped me out, without the GD shenanigans |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 2:05:21 AM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
https://www.ar15.com/forums/General/Photography-andamp-Photoshopping/121/ Many guys here like @Zack3g who helped me out, without the GD shenanigans
I'll leave this here for now, see how it goes. |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 2:05:39 AM EDT
[#7]
Does your phone have a camera? That may be better than the ipad. Many "flagship" phones have very capable cameras nowadays that cannot easily be bested by low price point and shoot cameras.
For your budget, though a point and shoot, canon, panasonic, or sony would be good. Something like this: Panasonic Lumix zs50 I also recommend checking out buying refurbished directly from Canon: https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/cameras/refurbished-powershot-digital-cameras |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 2:14:16 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Does your phone have a camera? That may be better than the ipad. Many "flagship" phones have very capable cameras nowadays that cannot easily be bested by low price point and shoot cameras. For your budget, though a point and shoot, canon, panasonic, or sony would be good. Something like this: Panasonic Lumix zs50 I also recommend checking out buying refurbished directly from Canon: https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/cameras/refurbished-powershot-digital-cameras Yeah... it's not noticeably better.My only cellphone is a Tracfone that sits in my car for emergencies. Not joking. So that's out of the picture. |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 3:15:57 AM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Didn't even know we had a photography sub forum and didn't think to check.
I'll leave this here for now, see how it goes. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
https://www.ar15.com/forums/General/Photography-andamp-Photoshopping/121/ Many guys here like @Zack3g who helped me out, without the GD shenanigans
I'll leave this here for now, see how it goes. 
Just prepare to be overloaded with info when Zack pops in Man knows his cameras
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Posted: 12/18/2018 3:37:57 AM EDT
[#10]
I would probably stick with the iPad for your purpose.
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Posted: 12/18/2018 3:47:07 AM EDT
[#11]
What kind of stuff are you reviewing? Cars or fidget spinners? It kinda matters, especially with a small budget.
Either way, you'll probably see a bigger improvement with lighting & setting up your shots than by simply changing to a camera in that price range. I don't keep track of Apples stuff but I do know they put some respectable cameras in their stuff...for what it is at least. |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 3:50:45 AM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I would probably stick with the iPad for your purpose. This image is typical of the quality I get out of it. Does it work? Yeah. Is it good? No. Of course some better lighting would help and I plan on addressing that as well but a more serious camera would be an improvement. 
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Posted: 12/18/2018 3:51:33 AM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
What kind of stuff are you reviewing? Cars or fidget spinners? It kinda matters, especially with a small budget. Either way, you'll probably see a bigger improvement with lighting & setting up your shots than by simply changing to a camera in that price range. I don't keep track of Apples stuff but I do know they put some respectable cameras in their stuff...for what it is at least. |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 4:45:53 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
It's just not holding up to the standard I set for my work. The photographs lag behind in quality compared to the writing and content itself. My iPad's photos are generally grainy and lack the sharpness I desire. This image is typical of the quality I get out of it. Does it work? Yeah. Is it good? No. Of course some better lighting would help and I plan on addressing that as well but a more serious camera would be an improvement. https://i.imgur.com/Oqe2Dji.jpg Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I would probably stick with the iPad for your purpose. This image is typical of the quality I get out of it. Does it work? Yeah. Is it good? No. Of course some better lighting would help and I plan on addressing that as well but a more serious camera would be an improvement. https://i.imgur.com/Oqe2Dji.jpg If you shoot stationary objects under plenty of light, you probably don’t need the latest greatest. |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 5:24:04 AM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I wonder what an older DSLR sells for these days. You almost need something like that, a decent lens, a tripod, and a light box setup. If you shoot stationary objects under plenty of light, you probably don’t need the latest greatest. This may not be the best option, but I think it'll get ya in the ball park. Canon EOS Rebel XSi $149.95 Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens $79.95 |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 6:32:24 AM EDT
[#16]
Honestly, the iPad cameras are pretty solid for what they are. If you don’t want to spend a fair bit of money, I’d honestly look at spending money on lighting. Hell, you can find a DXO One add on camera for your iPad for $120 or so if you shop around.
Barring that, what’s a ballpark your ‘everything needed to do stuff’ budget? |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 6:37:39 AM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
It's just not holding up to the standard I set for my work. The photographs lag behind in quality compared to the writing and content itself. My iPad's photos are generally grainy and lack the sharpness I desire. This image is typical of the quality I get out of it. Does it work? Yeah. Is it good? No. Of course some better lighting would help and I plan on addressing that as well but a more serious camera would be an improvement. https://i.imgur.com/Oqe2Dji.jpg Start with that. |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 6:52:03 AM EDT
[#18]
You could improve your lighting and get what you are trying to do with a camera. That aside, every time that I have been to a Best Buy, they have had cameras that people have opened the box and returned, at nice discount prices. But, I have all the cameras that I need, I just check them out and think to myself, someone is going to get a nice deal.
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Posted: 12/18/2018 7:14:44 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Probably just a basic point and shoot will do fine. Canon and Panasonic are good. |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 7:18:51 AM EDT
[#20]
Editing software will improve your photos
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Posted: 12/18/2018 7:25:10 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
From "Free" up to "Broke ass tool who shouldn't be wasting money on a camera".
Seriously though I just don't know. Like I said, I know jack about cameras so I don't even have a general idea of what you get in any given price range. Let's say up to $250. What do I get in that realm? |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 7:29:34 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Editing software will improve your photos |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 7:43:56 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Honestly, the iPad cameras are pretty solid for what they are. If you don’t want to spend a fair bit of money, I’d honestly look at spending money on lighting. Hell, you can find a DXO One add on camera for your iPad for $120 or so if you shop around. Barring that, what’s a ballpark your ‘everything needed to do stuff’ budget? If "take better pictures" is the goal..the answer is learning about photography, not buying new stuff. You buy new gear to solve specific limitations with the stuff you already have. Example: An Ipad would suck for doing something like wildlife photography, that's usually done with long lenses from a distance. It can manage lots of landscape and street and travel photography just fine, though. The sensor in the ipad isn't that different from one you'd find in a point and shoot or bridge camera, and in many cases will be better. The dedicated cameras do occasionally add useful things like optical zoom, which may be of some benefit. Let me illustrate what I mean. @FredMan has a picture he shot with his phone a couple years back, but it's lit to perfection and it looks like it was shot with a DSLR. Once he gets that mention, hopefully he'll come post it. I can show you some shots I've done with my phone as well that kinda drive home the point (my phone's 5 years old or so at this point, and has a 4MP camera anyway) yet it can do some pretty nice stuff when handled properly. 
It's on the charger just now, but I can add some later if you wanna see. |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 8:13:49 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I would probably stick with the iPad for your purpose. |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 8:52:08 AM EDT
[#25]
Kodak 110
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Posted: 12/18/2018 9:14:18 AM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I wonder what an older DSLR sells for these days. You almost need something like that, a decent lens, a tripod, and a light box setup. If you shoot stationary objects under plenty of light, you probably don’t need the latest greatest. The D30 is 3.1 megapixels, which is low by current standards, but it has all the features and modes of a SLR camera. 3.1 megapixels is still a higher pixel count than 1080p. If you're wanting to learn the ins and outs of photography, grab an older dslr body and one basic lens and get started! ETA: Just did some digging. KEH has 6mp digital rebel bodies for 60ish bucks. |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 3:49:39 PM EDT
[#27]
What I’d seriously look at OP is getting some budget light modifiers and rigging up a generic light box. You can buy one, but you can DIY for a lot cheaper. Bare bones is a couple sheets of white foam core, some white poster board, high output and fairly high CRI LED bulbs (when I use continuous light) Phillips 100w LED bulbs, and 2 of those cheap wire clamp aluminum shop lights.
Basically under $75 all said and done for a way better lighting setup. If you want to get fancy, a sheet of white acrylic or high gloss tile work to put stuff on, you can get diffusion material for the lights pretty easily and cheaply if bouncing isn’t working for you, etc. Then pick up a cheap or free editing program. Hell, if you’re photographing stuff on your iPad, you can get most of the Adobe software suite for free. They’re a bit stripped down from the full versions of Photoshop, but can still to a fair amount of heavy lifting. I do edit notes on my iPad when I’m traveling, then sync the files to my PC (with the full version of Photoshop CC) for when I get home. |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 3:55:29 PM EDT
[#28]
Point is, the iPad takes pretty decent photos provided you give it enough light to do so. Once it has to bump up the ISO settings, you start to get noise pretty fast. So adding extra light and light control is really important for it.
You can also get programs that give you 100% manual camera control, plus put the iPad on a tablet tripod. Drop the shutter speed and ISO, take a long exposure, and you’re g2g. If you’re feeling like DIY isn’t your thing, look at the Godox A1 flash controller. It’ll Bluetooth sync to your tablet or phone and control any X series flash or flash with a X series receiver on it. So you can be using quality camera flash gear with a smartphone. Been tempted to pick one up myself for when I don’t feel like setting up all my camera gear but want to get a quick photo off. Someone who understands light control will nearly always take better photos than someone with a high dollar camera and no idea on lighting. There are a fair number of professional high dollar photographers that will take photos on smartphones and tablets, it just comes down to light control. |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 9:54:01 PM EDT
[#29]
FredMan has a picture he shot with his phone a couple years back, but it's lit to perfection and it looks like it was shot with a DSLR. Once he gets that mention, hopefully he'll come post it.  BrightonRail by FredMan, on Flickr
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Posted: 12/18/2018 10:18:22 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted: This is straight out of the iPhone 5; shot after a long https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7673/26880036805_e6916d7255_b.jpgBrightonRail by FredMan, on Flickr They were all taken with a LG G4 or a LG G6, so the G6 ones are by a much better camera (to the iPad Mini 2) but the G4 is a similar quality camera and while I don't have many left over from that they were pretty dang good also. |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 10:33:36 PM EDT
[#31]
The major issue with the iPad mini 2 is the lack of flash. Your photos are grainy because the tablet is trying to compensate for poor lighting.
You can make a massive improvement simply by adding more lighting. Next there are some very simple photo editing apps out there to help after the shot: the new iOS editor is good, snapseed, WD Photos, adobe photo shop express, camera awesome. Nothing will help till you add controlled lighting |
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Posted: 12/18/2018 10:36:13 PM EDT
[#32]
If you want a camera that is close to DSLR performance, see if you can find a Panasonic Lumix FZ80 at your price point. You should be able to get pretty damned close.
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Posted: 12/19/2018 12:24:39 AM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted: This thread kinda made me scroll through my gallery on my phone and look at some of the pics I've taken with it. I'm not the photographer in my family and none of my pics were taken with any or much thought/preparation but I had hard time believing that somebody who did would get unsatisfactory results (in this situation). They were all taken with a LG G4 or a LG G6, so the G6 ones are by a much better camera (to the iPad Mini 2) but the G4 is a similar quality camera and while I don't have many left over from that they were pretty dang good also. This was for selling this phone case, so a little setup in the sense I was trying to take a clear pic for an ad, but nothing special. 
This was just to send a buddy to show what was wrong with this dirt bike, no setup at all. 
This was just from a little zoo kinda place we stopped at on vacation, no setup, taken through glass. This is one of the better pics, there were plenty that turned out "cell phone like" as well. 
This was just to send a pic to a buddy about a new build, no setup at all. 
This was supposed to be a little creative but was taken inside at a fairly dark enclosed shooting bench, so this was making the camera work a bit. 
So like several of us have said, you should be fine to keep using your iPad if you set things up properly to ensure a good pic. A better camera won't hurt anything, but if you don't want to spend your budget on one you don't have to. |
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Posted: 12/19/2018 5:44:44 AM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
If you want a camera that is close to DSLR performance, see if you can find a Panasonic Lumix FZ80 at your price point. You should be able to get pretty damned close. |
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