Recommendations for a DSLR

I'd actually recommend you save money and skip the DSLR, and instead get a mirrorless camera.  I have a Panasonic GF5, and would say get a micro 4/3 camera.  Mirrorless are smaller than DSLRs, and take just as good photos (Although it's really about the photographer, not the equipment when it really comes to quality of a shot.).  I picked m4/3s over Sony, Fuji, Canon, and Sumsung (There might be others, but I can't remember right now as they aren't really big players in the field.) because there are more brands (Panasonic, Olympus, and Kodak) that support the standard, and therefore more native lenses to choose from.  I also like the mirrorless format as do to no mirror, the lens mounts closer to the sensor, so you can get an adaptor to mount just about any other lens on it.  So all my old Canon FL and FD lenses are still usable.  My Canon FD 50mm, f1.8 spends a lot of time on it.  Just be sure to pick a body with the features you want.  My GF5 doesn't have a hot shoe, and I've missed that.  A view finder would of been nice, but I do just fine without it.  I also wish I could use a programmable remote shutter release, but the price was too good to pass up when I bought it.

when considering a camera, remember there are two good lens makers for consumer cameras: Nikon & Canon.

features are great, but it's the lens that makes or breaks a camera.

I use a Canon Rebel XTi

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70

Under $300, 20mm to 1200mm (60x) zoom lens, auto or manual settings for almost everything, macro shots down to 1cm.

Bigger than a pocket, but not by much.  Great for everything from real trains to layouts and smaller.  Really wide angle, really long zoom. Lots of good reviews.

IMHO of course....

Ed

I friend of mine who is a professional photographer sez you can't beat Nikon lens.

All I have is a Nikon Coolpix and it takes very good photos, but I'd rather have one that has the shape of a regular camera.  I also have an old Fuji FinePix S3000 that took good photos, but it FELT and LOOKED like a real camera.  In other words...it didn't feel like I was going to drop it.

Neither of these are top of the line by a wide margin, but make sure it feels like what it's suppose to be.  The Canon Rebel has the look.

I use Canon equipment and all the pros I know do also. 

Nikon makes great stuff but I think Canon has the better quality lenses and entry level DSLR cameras. My original Digital Rebel takes fabulous photos and at 6MP. 

My recommendation #1: A Canon Digital Rebel. The XTi is great.

My recommendation #2: Don't get caught up in the MP wars. Unless you are going to blow up a shot for Times Square, 12-18 MP is more than enough. It's NOT about the size of the sensor for most folks. It's ALL about the quality of the lens and the features you need in the camera.

My professional website is:  www.scaramouchephoto.com

Lots of railroad photos there both real and model

Gee whiz. Hasselblad and Leica fans run away now. your lenses aren't any good. I use a Nikon D90. Does what I want.

Dick

I had an olympus CW5070 - was a 6 MP with a 35 to 105 zoom.  

It worked great in good light and on the layout with a tripod.  However, in low light and using a flash it was slow.   For example taking photos of the grandkids at christmas, they were usually gone by the time the camera fired.   I got frustrated with that.  The autofocus would "hunt" in low lgiht and might take 20-30 seconds to decide what to do.

About a year ago I got a DSLR Canon XT5 rebel.   IT looks like and feels like a film SLR.   but the big deal is, it does everything the Oluympus did plus it is fast.   I can now take family photos of the kids running in action indoors with no problems.   It is also faster for railfanning and a little higher resolution.    I like it very much.     The auto focus is extremely fast too.

One thing about the bigger DSLR cameras, the sensor is bigger.   It is closer to the size of a film frame.   the point and shoots have much smaller sensors.   The smaller sensors need more light to get the same photo.   And the bigger sensors also have bigger pixels.   So 6mp in a DSLR will make it much easier to get a sharp photo than a 6mp sensor in a point and shoot.    The bigger sensor records faster and hence should be sharper.

My DSLR of choice is a Nikon D7100. I have used it to do some club magazine cover shots and many layout shots. I am able to shoot manual mode easily and push the ISO so i can avoid using flash or only a fill flash without the image degrading. 

My suggestion is go to a good camera store and try out both the Nikon and the Canon. I have broken my thumb on my right hand twice so the controls on the Nikon fit me better. I tried using the Canons but the controls did not fit me. 

Remember that the camera is a tool and is only as good as the user.

It's as much about the software as anything.  I use a Nikon D 7000 and my wife uses a D 90, but then we use Faststone www.faststone.org for manipulating and irfan www.irfranview.com for sharpening.

The best software for photographing model rail layouts is Helicon www.heliconsoft.com/heliconfocus.html  This software obviates the need for worrying about f stop to get depth of field.

Simply set the camera up on a tripod (set the zoom), and take a series of shots from one end of the focus ring to the other.  Download them into a folder and run it through Helicon.

Every part of your shot will be in focus.

It works best with a remote shutter release.

That's how the magazine pros get those great layout shots. 

Cheers

If you are just going to be posting photos on model railway websites even some mobile phones take good quality shots.

You will get no argument from me that pound for pound the bigger sensor should be better however much of what is looked on as great (model railway) photos are taken with modern smaller equipment.

How big a camera do want to lug around, are you just going to take shots on your own layout, do you want to blow them up to poster size, billboard size, or just A4, etc? These issues need to be taken into consideration not just a list of often irrelevant specs.

The best camera is the one you have with you when an opportunity presents itself.

While I have a DSLR and lots of lenses I mainly use a quality small camera with good optics.  It is a lot easier to lug around when layout visiting so it gets taken along. I currently have a Panasonic Lumix LX7, there are plenty of other similar options.

regards

 Bob

Oh for pete's sake.  No, Nikcanon or Canikon are NOT the end all of camera equipment.

If you are trying to take model photos, the LAST thing you want is a DSLR camera unless you are willing to pony up the bucks for a macro/micro lens, tripod, and lighting equipment for it.  Frankly, your Iphone will take a better model photo than ANY off the shelf DSLR with the standard lenses that come with it.

The guy that suggested a mirrorless was right on the money and there are a LOT of them to choose from.

Read this guys blog for a start

http://www.cwrailman.com/photographing-models.html

Sorry.  I thought that it was serious enquiry.

Cheers

I agree. I apologize for saying anything and for expressing my experience. I apparently know absolutely nothing. I am so glad for all of the experts here with the cell phones.

I use a Olympus E3 bought used, have a Olympus Digital 12-60mm lens 1:2.8-4 lens bought used. Most good camera stores will take trades for the "newest" body that comes out every 3-5 years, I never look to buy new camera equipment. I saved $1000 on the E3 body and $650 on the lens because it was used, if both were new it would of been $2500.

Find a good quality camera/photo shop and explain to them what you want to take pictures of, most of the employees are photographers or was. The one I use has one employee that shoots underwater in oceans across the world. DO NOT be afraid to ask to see the used section first, try to find a local shop before the big box stores. You will be better off in the long run for everything else that you will need later. 

My next suggestion would be to get whatever Erik Lindgren is using, he posts nothing but museum quality photos (could be the operator knows what he's doing too ).

Sigh . . . . 

Every "make a recommendation post" devolves into a don't get that, get this.

Once the "Use an Iphone because it takes better model photos" turns up, I head for the door. THE END

You want to see good model photos . . . . . go to my website.  

When I wrote artaicles for a magazine, a cell phone photo would not work.    I can't imagine that those little pea-size lenses can take any kind of sharp photo that could be used for any thing other than viewing on the cell phone.  

And layout photos for publication absolutely need time exposures to get down low and close up in available light.     

I agree with Scrap Iron, it is time to head for the door and maybe go out railfanning with a real camera!

"Light Up Cincinnati" photo contest held a few years ago. The person that won the first place prize did it with a cheapie Pentax K1000 camera. It is not the camera, but the photographer. Even professionals use different camera for different uses.

The best advice ...

1)determine how much you want to spend.

2)what subject matter are you going to use the camera.

3)shop around as most big box and photo shops carry only a few select brands -Nikon, Cannon, maybe Olympus.

4)Do not go by Consumer Reports as their research is limited when it comes to cameras, tested in Default Mode. Ex: Pentax D20 will blow away the Nikon D60/90 once taken out of default.

5)Before you buy, borrow some ones camera and try it to see if you like.

The problem with asking people which camera to use is that they suggest their own choice that fits their needs and not what fits yours. People like to promote their choice because they want to feel that they made the right one no matter what item they purchase.

Good Luck in your selection and hope to see some of your photos,

Stephen

Too funny.  You all are brain washed by the "equipment" pushers and it becomes the blind leading the blind.  The OP is obviously not a camera person and therefore is probably not going to begin to comprehend the workings of your average DSLR, let alone be willing to pony up a grand or two for the equipment.

Here are a couple of shots from an IPhone I just took using available light that took 10 seconds to make.  No tripod or anything. Better location and light would be even better.

http://s1074.photobucket.com/u...caletrains7/library/

The herald photos and Atlas tanker are with a tiny Pentax Q camera. The tanker by itself is a older Pentax DSLR with a macro lens.  Let's see, the Iphone, well, it's an IPhone. The Pentax Q mirrorless costs a couple hundred on Ebay. The DSLR was originally a $500 camera with a $350 lens.  For the money, the IPhone and inexpensive Pentax mirrorless Q type photos are perfect for someone like the OP. And the newer mirrorless cameras are even better and cheaper.

You Nikon/Canon worshippers are just too funny, and by the way, I do have a Canon 10D, 20D, and 40D.  Various lenses including a Canon EF 100mm Macro with ring light.

And the mirrorless Pentax blows all that expensive crap away for taking photos of models and modeling. Either get a new IPhone or a mirrorless of some kind, and leave all the expensive my camera is better than yours crap to people that worship such things.

For taking eBay pictures, I do the following

- use a tripod $50

- set up two rows of track lights over a work bench. $60?

- use a white balance card, maybe $20-25 after shipping. Its a gray colored plastic card that is supposed to have equal amounts of red, green, and blue. I hold it up with a mini c-clamp.

I put the camera on the tripod, put it in Av mode, turn the flash off,  and use white balance on the gray card to get the color right. Then use the timer so the camera isn't shaking.

I don't know the terms, but this allows the iris of the camera to become small and the time to be long, makes for more things in focus.

All I have is some run of the mill $150 Nikon and a Samsung CL80 that has Bluetooth but it doesn't work. These cameras were bought because family members have a habit of dropping cameras.

Supposedly you can fix the white balance after the shot but I never tried it. If you leave the camera in that white balanced mode, it will take off color pictures outside.

The lights for taking the pictures are plain old light bulbs but I should probably mention I replaced all the fluorescent lighting with LED tubes, not for photography but so that the fluor light won't ruin the plastic; I have some up on a shelf about two feet from one of the lights.

My point opinion is, you can spend some money on some other things to get better train pics besides the camera.

Wow, Lots of opinions here. The best advice is to go to a real camera store and speak with a knowledgeable clerk. Chances are, he is also a photographer.

I'm a pro and have been using Nikons forever. Nikons and Canons are used by many of us. There are many other good cameras and great shots have been taken with point and shoots. It really depends upon what you want to do with your photos. If you're mainly interested in posting your shots on the internet, then any digital camera will do that. 

I beg to differ with the poster who said that magazine pros get those shots using Helicon Focus. I've been shooting for CTT for years and have many cover shots. I've never had to use Helicon Focus. I'm an old film guy and learned my craft long before the digital age. The model photos that stand out in the train magazines are a combination of many things i.e. camera placement, composition, focal length, lighting and precise control of depth of field. Oh, and one other thing, I never use my macro lens for taking layout shots. It's not necessary. 

i use a Nikon D5100 which is a few years old now and has since been replaced in the Nikon line by the D5200.  body runs around $400.  i use a Nikkor 28 - 300 zoom lens which is just about the only lens i find that i need aside from a very fast 50mm lens i use for indoor very low light conditions.

for most of my model photography, the camera is on a tripod where i dial up the smallest aperture possible and routinely take 20-30 second exposures with no special lighting.  this results in a huge depth of field even at close range; just what i want for model documentation.

good luck...gary

Just to add another opinion.  I have been shooting Pentax DSLR cameras for over 10 years and I'm on my third.  The quality of images is outstanding and Pentax has all the features of the big two at about half the price for the bodies and about 2/3 the price on the quality lenses.  The lens selection is good, but admittedly not as good as Canon or Nikon. The "K" mount has not changed since it's introduction in the 70's so all my film camera lenses still work without special mounts.  This was got me into Pentax digital since I have been shooting Pentax 35 mm since 1987 and had invested in some very high quality architectural lenses.

The biggest difference I see DSLRs is the placement of the controls.  Go out and try some out to see which one feels best in your hands.

Just another opinion and we all know what they are worth.  As has been mentioned, the gear isn't nearly as important as the eye behind it combined with a little technical knowledge of how the camera works.

Both shot with a K5. Both images were taken with limited editing and no filters.  The image below is a 16-45 prosumer lens that I've run over 100,000 images through in 11 years.

Shot with a Sigma 135-400 zoom.  Again another prosumer type lens, but very sharp for the money.  Unless you are getting paid for top quality gear, you can often make do with outside lens manufacturers.  I currently also use a Sigma 10-20mm for shooting architectural interiors.

Yep, talking camera equipment is just like talking politics and religion.

So, Ed, you have quite a number of "recommendations". And exactly what lens will be best for what you want would have to be answered the people that recommended them.

Mirrorless:

Panasonic GF5

http://www.amazon.com/Panasoni...Camera/dp/B007R7DTRK

$400

Panasonic FZ70

http://www.amazon.com/Panasoni...mp;keywords=DMC-FZ70

$300

Pentax Q10

http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-Q...ywords=pentax+q+body

$300 for the body and the lens you would want for this application is $150 at F1.9

http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-0...p;keywords=pentax+01

Panasonic LX7

http://www.amazon.com/Panasoni...=Panasonic+Lumix+LX7

$400

Full sized cameras:

Canon Digital Rebel XTi is not available new, so the T5 is

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Re...keywords=Canon+Rebel

$400

Olympus E3

http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-...;keywords=Olympus+E3

$700 body only

Nikon 5200

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Di...keywords=Nikon+D5200

$600 body only

Nikon D90

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-12...p;keywords=Nikon+D90

$750

Nikon 7100

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-D7...keywords=Nikon+D7100

$700 body only

Nikon D7000

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-D7...keywords=Nikon+D7000

$500 body only

Nikon D90

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-DX...p;keywords=Nikon+D90

$600 body only

Pentax K5

http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-K...p;keywords=Pentax+k5

$500 body only

An IPhone 6 is $600 but it is obviously also a phone and does all sorts of other things like email and internet and such. I even use it to control the furnace and air conditioning in the house from anywhere I happen to be. And you gotta have a phone anyway.

Frankly, it is not surprising that DSLR aficionados who have never owned a mirrorless camera would react the way they do. They either purchased what DSLR was available at the time that they could afford or purchased what they knew how to use already. Mirrorless cameras have a LOT of advantages over DSLR's for taking model photos.  They are small enough that you can sit them right down on the layout in front of whatever you want to take a photo of and actually focus there. They have smaller sensors than DSLR's and that drastically changes their crop factor and their close up abilities and until you actually use one and go "wow, I can do this without spending a fortune on SLR lenses!" you have no real idea how handy and capable they really are.

A lot of strong opinions here !!  I use and have been using Canon digital cameras for about 20 years, I think.   Get good results, too but  money usually enters in to the selection. I will say that I wouldn't trust or believe every camera store employee. A lot don't know much.  Plus, anyone and I mean anyone, who talks down or belittles Canon and Nikon photo equipment has either an axe to grind or doesn't know much about photography and I don't care how many wonderful pictures you have taken.

I don't believe that there has been anyone talking down the big two names in digital cameras.  I believe that many people have simply stated that there are other very good options that are more than adequate for getting the job done and done well at a better price point.

The same questions remain to the OP.  What is your budget?  How large do you intend to publish your photos?  What type of camera feels best in your hands?  Does the system you buy into have the options you need to satisfy your current and future needs?

True, but people will still tell you that doing so is essential anyway. With any pastime, you'll find that people will often tell you that you have to have the biggest, best and always most expensive to be any good at anything.

You should have seen the reactions I've gotten from people who've seen my published artwork, just to find I didn't use any expensive art supplies to create them. Also, I've been published as a photographer in international magazines and I wasn't shooting with a $5,000+ camera like people think you must have.

There's this little thing called, "Talent," which is a better thing to have than expensive toys. We all know people who think that the more money you have, it automatically makes you more creative. Frankly, I feel the opposite is more correct because you learn to adapt to limitations in your tools, both real and perceived.

I have a new Canon 24.2MP camera I bought in September, but it was based on an inspection at the store (I was at the massive B&H store in NYC at the time) and familiarity with the brand. In other words, my learning curve was not steep at all and the sales guy did a good job showing the improvements that had been made between it and my older camera of the same general model. Also, I went with the brand my 2 lenses (telephoto and wide angle) would fit. But other than this, I couldn't say that canon is a better camera brand than any others out there.

If ONE brand were the end-all-be-all of cameras, there wouldn't be other brands. I know people who shoot for National Geographic, Playboy and even the train magazines, and none use the same cameras or brands. They all get the job done and it's more the eye and familiarity with their camera than the name on the body of the camera itself. To say otherwise shows the ignorance of the person saying so.

There are snobs for everything, and for sure with cameras. If someone tell you only one or two brands are "It" and to avoid anything else, you should quit talking to them.

Gotta agree with that... which is why I've refrained from making any "recommendations" here.    Entertaining to watch how the discussion evolves though. 

David

i didn't check all your quotes, but seeing the D5200 at $600 (body only) i thought was a little out of wack.  from the B&H camera site...

the Nikon D5200 kit which throws in a 18-55mm zoom lens LISTS at $600.  the B&H price along with a number of other reputable online camera stores is ~$499.  the body only retails, as i said earlier, for about $400.

you're obviously trying to sell your idea of the perfect camera, but it would help to be honest about your comparisons.

(Edit...  it took all of 1 minute to find this Amazon deal...

http://www.amazon.com/...Nikon+D5200)

i have nothing against any other DSLR, so i can only report on the one i own.  i also have nothing against the P&S cameras i have owned over the past decade, but i really missed a telephoto zoom along with shutter and aperture priority automatic modes i haven't been able to use since i bought the last roll of film for my Minolta XG1.

i also love my iPhone5.  i certainly carry it more than i do my DSLR, but to say the iPhone camera has all the functionality the Nikon does would be quite far from the truth.

cheers...gary

I agree on 2 out of 3 for the casual layout photographer who posts mainly on the web, but you might gain more credibility if you remove "tripod" from your list of unnecessary items.

What makes or breaks a model photo is depth of field .... and what increases depth of field is a lens stopped down to small apertures. Long exposures are then necessary which makes a tripod a must-have item.

I'll include the obligatory "sample photo" below, but you should realize that the appearance of a photo on a computer screen doesn't say much as to its suitability for publication or large format prints. It doesn't take much resolution to look good on the internet.

If you think you might like to submit your photos to a magazine at some time in the future, listen to the pros like DennisB or Scrapiron.

But, if Facebook or this forum is where your photos are going, then you really don't need a DSLR.

......Just realized that we were on the 2-rail forum - better include a shot from my old 2-rail layout!!!

Jim

I am wondering why you want to pigeon hole people into a category of unwilling or not wanting to use anything but what you insist. I own one mirrorless camera and have used quite a few and I do not like them. Working on getting the focus and composition that I want using a mirrorless does not work for me. It hurts my eyes and I can compose and get what I what with any style SLR. The original poster asked DSLR and you have spent quite a few posts to badger those who offered their experiences.

Many years ago I met a person who became a good friend. We were both shooting 35mm SLR film and he was a Nikon enthusiast. I have and still occasionally use my Konica SLRs and the Hexanon lenses can produce good results in the right hands. We had an informal contest and we admitted I won. He then pulled out a medium format camera from Ukraine called a Kiev and I was hooked. The lenses are amazing but the camera bodies are crap. We still managed great results because we were comfortable with the equipment and liked to test our limits.

My first reply was to tell the poster to spend some time at a true camera shop where they will spend several hours with you. The experts can fit the user to their best fit. So, unless you are willing to do that how about stopping the remarks and underhanded comments about others' experiences?

Okay, now this might sound like camera snobbery, but really isn't. Cell cameras are pretty darned good now (I have a Galaxy 5, 12MP) but they lack a lot of features that a good digital (or film, as there are people still shooting-and being published- with film, as crazy as that may sound to some of you) camera can provide.

For example, when taking photos in tight-in places or very low light, it works very well indeed. In fact, I took my good SLR with me the last time I was doing "the astronaut thing" in Huntsville but wound up getting most of my best indoor shots with my cell due to very tight quarters, very little time to use a focus, bad lighting and other issues...

One of my shots taken with a good SLR under very similar lighting conditions, for comparison:

Now, I later good a much more updated version of the same SLR and got this shot, without a tripod, at night, in NYC about a year later:

What a bag of worms.

Ok, Ed Kelly, do this.  Find the photo you like the looks of. Right click on it and save it to your computer or desktop.  Then go here:

http://exifdata.com/

Click on browse and find the photo on your computer that you saved and select it. Click upload and it will usually show you what digital camera and sometimes the lens the photo was taken with, if it was taken by a digital camera anyway.

Copy down the camera info and search google for it. If it is a current camera google will come up with ads for it. If not you will just get info on it and you will have to look towards Ebay if you want to buy a used one.

There you go, your own recommendation.

See the title of this thread.

What I took umbrage to was the insulting burst I copped from a guy who won't even post his name.