please help me find a camera for my project!

[salsal18]

Hello

I class myself a a transgender. Never felt I have been able to identify as either a female or male. It has been been hard for me and my family to accept this. And I have been alone until now! I thought that I was an alien , not fitting in. I look like a woman but I never really considered myself a woman or a man. I know the transgender thing is different for many. I have found this out by visiting groups online and in person. I have made many friends who claim their transgender experience is similar or very different to mine. I have a best friend who underwent surgery and hormone replacements... she wants to be known and feels like a woman although she was born as peter. Her parents see her as a man dressed as a woman. This is frustrating not just for me as I understand but for her as well! They just dont get it, they live their conventional norms. I will go back to my title of this thread... is that I want to start a project. I recently enrolled on art class at college and I want to start a project that represents transgender individuals as humans. With equal emotions and chances of whatever life they want ... and deserve! To me this is a personal project and one that will be quite political at college. But I dont care! I want to express myself and therefore I have to be honest. I would like to document my day to day also. I want to get some info on camera's that take sharp photographs . I want to capture alot on peoples faces. Maybe good flash? I am novice and not started my course yet , i need to wait. So in the meantime I would like to find out about what cameras people use. I want to get up close and personal with my subjects . can any one help me to find a good camera? SLR ... for my project please. thanks!

[Lauren O]

How big is your budget? I shoot portraiture and I use a full frame SLR with a 80mm lens. If you use wider angle lenses it distorts facial features.

[salsal18]

hello! THANKS for you reply!

well I have been saving up and can add to it but around 1000 -1200 ... could go over abit...

what make of cam have you got?

[Dena]

Welcome to Susan's Place. I have been using Pentax for about 32 years as they have pretty good quality for the price. My current camera was purchased a little over a year ago because I was going to shoot my sisters wedding and my previous camera was getting a little out of date. It's a K-50 with the main lens of 18-55 mm. The following picture was taken at the wedding with an external flash but the camera has one as well. The image has been reduced 50% in size as the original is almost 20 mega pixel.



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[BeverlyAnn]

Like Dena, I shoot with Pentax and use a K-30 with a K-10 as a backup and have been using Pentax for 45 years.  Since you're a novice, you probably don't want to invest in really expensive equipment to start with.  One question not asked however is because it's an art class, do you need a digital SLR or a film SLR.  Either way, I might suggest you take a look at KEH camera for some used equipment.  https://www.keh.com One of the main advantages of Pentax equipment is the shake reduction built into the camera rather than the lens as some others do.  There is a Pentax K-7 in excellent condition for $228 and a Pentax 18-135mm lens for $268.  The 18-135 is what I use on my K-30 and is a great walk around lens.  As far as a flash goes, old flashes for film cameras generally have a very high trigger voltage so shouldn't be used on digital cameras.  There is a Pentax AF540FGZ flash for $168 and this is the flash I use.  It rotates up and down like most flashes but also rotates side to side so you can bounce the flash (you'll learn that).  So for less than $700 you can have a really good kit.  But there are also Canon and Nikon on KEH so take a good look at everything.

[salsal18]

Like Dena, I shoot with Pentax and use a K-30 with a K-10 as a backup and have been using Pentax for 45 years.  Since you're a novice, you probably don't want to invest in really expensive equipment to start with.  One question not asked however is because it's an art class, do you need a digital SLR or a film SLR.  Either way, I might suggest you take a look at KEH camera for some used equipment.  https://www.keh.com One of the main advantages of Pentax equipment is the shake reduction built into the camera rather than the lens as some others do.  There is a Pentax K-7 in excellent condition for $228 and a Pentax 18-135mm lens for $268.  The 18-135 is what I use on my K-30 and is a great walk around lens.  As far as a flash goes, old flashes for film cameras generally have a very high trigger voltage so shouldn't be used on digital cameras.  There is a Pentax AF540FGZ flash for $168 and this is the flash I use.  It rotates up and down like most flashes but also rotates side to side so you can bounce the flash (you'll learn that).  So for less than $700 you can have a really good kit.  But there are also Canon and Nikon on KEH so take a good look at everything.

hello thanks alot for your suggestions ! Ok seems I dont have to spend so much! I will check out pentax , canon and nikon for sure. I would prefer a DSLR. is the 18-135mm lense good for close ups?

[salsal18]

Welcome to Susan's Place. I have been using Pentax for about 32 years as they have pretty good quality for the price. My current camera was purchased a little over a year ago because I was going to shoot my sisters wedding and my previous camera was getting a little out of date. It's a K-50 with the main lens of 18-55 mm. The following picture was taken at the wedding with an external flash but the camera has one as well. The image has been reduced 50% in size as the original is almost 20 mega pixel.



We issue to all new members the following links so you will best be able to use the web site.

Things that you should read

Site Terms of Service & Rules to Live By	Standard Terms & Definitions	Post Ranks (including when you can upload an avatar)
Reputation rules	News posting & quoting guidelines	Photo, avatars, & signature images policy

Thankyou! seems good suggestions will check them out

[BeverlyAnn]

hello thanks alot for your suggestions ! Ok seems I dont have to spend so much! I will check out pentax , canon and nikon for sure. I would prefer a DSLR. is the 18-135mm lense good for close ups?

The 18-135 zoom lens goes from wide-angle (18mm) to short telephoto (135).  I won't try to confuse you with the difference between full frame and crop sensors on cameras so just say that around 50-55mm on the 18-135 zoom lens is good for portrait type/closeup shooting with the Pentax.

[salsal18]

Ok thanks alot! will be checking on that

[salsal18]

Hello

I class myself a a transgender. Never felt I have been able to identify as either a female or male. It has been been hard for me and my family to accept this. And I have been alone until now! I thought that I was an alien , not fitting in. I look like a woman but I never really considered myself a woman or a man. I know the transgender thing is different for many. I have found this out by visiting groups online and in person. I have made many friends who claim their transgender experience is similar or very different to mine. I have a best friend who underwent surgery and hormone replacements... she wants to be known and feels like a woman although she was born as peter. Her parents see her as a man dressed as a woman. This is frustrating not just for me as I understand but for her as well! They just dont get it, they live their conventional norms. I will go back to my title of this thread... is that I want to start a project. I recently enrolled on art class at college and I want to start a project that represents transgender individuals as humans. With equal emotions and chances of whatever life they want ... and deserve! To me this is a personal project and one that will be quite political at college. But I dont care! I want to express myself and therefore I have to be honest. I would like to document my day to day also. I want to get some info on camera's that take sharp photographs . I want to capture alot on peoples faces. Maybe good flash? I am novice and not started my course yet , i need to wait. So in the meantime I would like to find out about what cameras people use. I want to get up close and personal with my subjects . can any one help me to find a good camera? SLR ... for my project please. thanks!

Hello guys! Firstly THANKYOU for everyones replies! Has helped me out alot and has motivated me even further to start this project. There are alot of camera's out there and has been difficult to decide ! Pentax seems a good brand so I decided to roll with my research being based around that. There are of course others but makes things easier for me! I found a number of pentax cameras classified ads to choose from and ones on there that people have suggested . Seems the K-1 pentax would be a good starting point. I can change the lenses for different projects it seems? lets have a go! I know i mentioned in my first post i could buy a super duper one to start but thinking about it and looking at the specs of the K-1. This will indeed suffice! It's not to say that I have not taken others suggestions on board, i could see how this one goes and if I feel it doesnt do the job i move on! simple! I really look forward to starting and documenting this project, it means alot to me and will be happy to share once i start! I cant wait to enroll on my course! wish me luck! thanks again!