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Posted: 12/5/2018 5:36:34 PM EDT
I wanted a decent camera to VLOG and for every day to capture my boy (soon to be boys).  I just received my Canon EOS M50 for $480 which seemed like a good all around option for myself without breaking the bank...

Exactly what did I get myself into?  I've had it for a few hours and suddenly think I'm a photographer and look like a one of those stereotypical Asians you see downtown capturing every second with their 35mm.  

Is there a quick tutorial on additional lenses that might suit my needs? It came with the 15-45 whatever that means.  I'm absolutely lost and can envision my oodles of cashflow flying with wings from the wallet...never took photography...and other than fiddling with the settings know nothing of what they do.  I assume Google is my friend and the M50 seems pretty introductory level, but I want to take some nice pichers now.  Any crash courses I should entertain?  Any software that rivals Photoshop without a cost to manipulate the images?  Thanks for any aid in this venture, shutter gurus.
Link Posted: 12/5/2018 5:54:19 PM EDT
[#1]
you should get the 55-200 lens and concentrate on taking epic pictures of ducks
Link Posted: 12/5/2018 7:08:01 PM EDT
[#2]
Link Posted: 12/5/2018 11:52:17 PM EDT
[#3]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
You can learn a little bit with these sites.

http://www.canonoutsideofauto.ca/learn/

http://www.canonoutsideofauto.ca/play/
View Quote
This is helpful. Thank you.
Link Posted: 12/6/2018 12:18:41 AM EDT
[#4]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

This is helpful. Thank you.
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You are welcome.

Just wait.  It will bite you like BRD.  

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Link Posted: 12/6/2018 7:35:47 AM EDT
[#5]
Quoted:
I wanted a decent camera to VLOG and for every day to capture my boy (soon to be boys).  I just received my Canon EOS M50 for $480 which seemed like a good all around option for myself without breaking the bank...

1. Exactly what did I get myself into?  I've had it for a few hours and suddenly think I'm a photographer and look like a one of those stereotypical Asians you see downtown capturing every second with their 35mm.

2. Is there a quick tutorial on additional lenses that might suit my needs?  3. Any crash courses I should entertain?  4. Any software that rivals Photoshop without a cost to manipulate the images?
View Quote

  1. Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) is a real condition. Very similar to BRD, but with lenses that cost more than complete kitted out ARs. You've been warned.
  2. See #3. I recommend getting good with your current lens setup before jumping into new lenses. "Buy once, cry once" applies to GAS much more so than BRD. (If it helps, pretend a really short green alien just said those words.)
  3. Here are a couple resources good for new photographers.
    Stunning Digital Photography - Includes lots of video vignettes. They also have a photography buyer's guide that should prove useful in deciding what equipment to acquire.
    Understanding Exposure - Gets you off of Auto almost immediately.
    dpBestFlow is a good resource for best practices (particularly backup) that are good habits to start early (particularly backup [yes, I said it twice])
  4. Consider Photoshop Elements. It comes with a catalog feature (that really helps organize your photos) and a simplified Photoshop experience ($100). If you're set on "free", try GIMP. It's a Photoshop competitor that costs nothing to download. For cataloging, consider digiKam. This is a competitor to Adobe Lightroom (cataloging, light image editing). I say "free" because Adobe is the 800lb gorilla in this space and has a lot more resources on the web for learning the tools. These other tools have strong communities around them, but just know that it may feel at times like you're a Windows Phone user looking for help on features of your phone and your searches keep showing links for iOS solutions.

Link Posted: 12/6/2018 10:39:08 PM EDT
[#6]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Truth.

Pelican 1604 by FredMan, on Flickr
Link Posted: 12/15/2018 5:11:39 AM EDT
[#7]
Buy a copy of Understanding Exposure on Amazon.

Learn how your camera works. Get out of Auto mode. It's so much more powerful than that.

GAS can get bad... I bought the camera I have now, an Olympus OM-D EM-5 MkII earlier this year... before that I had an EM-5 I bought in 2012. I've only bought two lenses this year... a little compact 14-42mm for more lightweight and "vloggy" type use, and I just got a used 14-150mm lens as an "airshow" lens. I found that walking around Oshkosh with only one lens... my 12-40mm was too short for shooting planes in the air, but my 40-150mm was too long to shoot static displays up close.

I actually got my paws on a Canon M50 at Best Buy this evening. It looks like an interesting little camera... While it falls a little short of what I'd want right now, if whatever the next version is checks all the boxes, and it comes out before the EM-5 MkIII (should be next year), I might be tempted away from Micro 4:3.
Link Posted: 12/16/2018 12:44:43 PM EDT
[#8]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

  1. Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) is a real condition. Very similar to BRD, but with lenses that cost more than complete kitted out ARs. You've been warned.
  2. See #3. I recommend getting good with your current lens setup before jumping into new lenses. "Buy once, cry once" applies to GAS much more so than BRD. (If it helps, pretend a really short green alien just said those words.)
  3. Here are a couple resources good for new photographers.
    Stunning Digital Photography - Includes lots of video vignettes. They also have a photography buyer's guide that should prove useful in deciding what equipment to acquire.
    Understanding Exposure - Gets you off of Auto almost immediately.
    dpBestFlow is a good resource for best practices (particularly backup) that are good habits to start early (particularly backup [yes, I said it twice])
  4. Consider Photoshop Elements. It comes with a catalog feature (that really helps organize your photos) and a simplified Photoshop experience ($100). If you're set on "free", try GIMP. It's a Photoshop competitor that costs nothing to download. For cataloging, consider digiKam. This is a competitor to Adobe Lightroom (cataloging, light image editing). I say "free" because Adobe is the 800lb gorilla in this space and has a lot more resources on the web for learning the tools. These other tools have strong communities around them, but just know that it may feel at times like you're a Windows Phone user looking for help on features of your phone and your searches keep showing links for iOS solutions.

View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
I wanted a decent camera to VLOG and for every day to capture my boy (soon to be boys).  I just received my Canon EOS M50 for $480 which seemed like a good all around option for myself without breaking the bank...

1. Exactly what did I get myself into?  I've had it for a few hours and suddenly think I'm a photographer and look like a one of those stereotypical Asians you see downtown capturing every second with their 35mm.

2. Is there a quick tutorial on additional lenses that might suit my needs?  3. Any crash courses I should entertain?  4. Any software that rivals Photoshop without a cost to manipulate the images?

  1. Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) is a real condition. Very similar to BRD, but with lenses that cost more than complete kitted out ARs. You've been warned.
  2. See #3. I recommend getting good with your current lens setup before jumping into new lenses. "Buy once, cry once" applies to GAS much more so than BRD. (If it helps, pretend a really short green alien just said those words.)
  3. Here are a couple resources good for new photographers.
    Stunning Digital Photography - Includes lots of video vignettes. They also have a photography buyer's guide that should prove useful in deciding what equipment to acquire.
    Understanding Exposure - Gets you off of Auto almost immediately.
    dpBestFlow is a good resource for best practices (particularly backup) that are good habits to start early (particularly backup [yes, I said it twice])
  4. Consider Photoshop Elements. It comes with a catalog feature (that really helps organize your photos) and a simplified Photoshop experience ($100). If you're set on "free", try GIMP. It's a Photoshop competitor that costs nothing to download. For cataloging, consider digiKam. This is a competitor to Adobe Lightroom (cataloging, light image editing). I say "free" because Adobe is the 800lb gorilla in this space and has a lot more resources on the web for learning the tools. These other tools have strong communities around them, but just know that it may feel at times like you're a Windows Phone user looking for help on features of your phone and your searches keep showing links for iOS solutions.

Adobe, whom I used to admire for reliabilty, has changed a bit. Shrug. Nothing else works to the same degree.

Not to mention camera bags...
Is there a semi-serious photographer that only has a single Domke?
Or in my case, Tenba. 4 of those, a Lowepro, a no-name bought in Korea, 3 or 4 small ^free^ included with the deal bags, etc.
Tenba's larger bag was to be my answer for toting my digitals. But then I found I couldn't really carry the bag in the field when loaded. So I got a second one. I'm in the rolling case territory if I can't pare down the gear for a specific assignment.

The rules are simple: no camera bag is large enough until it's too big to carry.
Link Posted: 12/16/2018 12:46:41 PM EDT
[#9]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Now that would almost work for me.
But I still use a hand held flash meter for some circumstances. That's another storage slot used.
Link Posted: 12/16/2018 12:52:40 PM EDT
[#10]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Buy a copy of Understanding Exposure on Amazon.

Learn how your camera works. Get out of Auto mode. It's so much more powerful than that.

GAS can get bad... I bought the camera I have now, an Olympus OM-D EM-5 MkII earlier this year... before that I had an EM-5 I bought in 2012. I've only bought two lenses this year... a little compact 14-42mm for more lightweight and "vloggy" type use, and I just got a used 14-150mm lens as an "airshow" lens. I found that walking around Oshkosh with only one lens... my 12-40mm was too short for shooting planes in the air, but my 40-150mm was too long to shoot static displays up close.

I actually got my paws on a Canon M50 at Best Buy this evening. It looks like an interesting little camera... While it falls a little short of what I'd want right now, if whatever the next version is checks all the boxes, and it comes out before the EM-5 MkIII (should be next year), I might be tempted away from Micro 4:3.
View Quote
Another vote for "Understanding  Exposure" in whatever the latest edition is. Simple but comprehensive.

Canon is rolling out a new mirrorless in professional grade, full frame sensor, L series lenses with a new mount (R mount) plus an EF adapter that is only $100 (compared to ~$200 for most of their adapers).
But it looks to be serious money - in the neighborhood of  $2500 for the body.
I don't really have buyer's remorse over the M5 purchase - yet.
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