gdanmitchell Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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rprouty wrote:
I have two 5DIIIs and a two 7DIIs.
I wanting to get a camera for my fiancée for Christmas so she can have her own camera. She can use mine anytime but it would be nice for her to have one she could call her own.
I started researching and can't believe there are so many entry level Canon cameras.
I'm looking at a 77D but open to suggestions.
Also, a quality wide angle zoom would be nice.
In advance I appreciate any help and suggestions.
The first question — and the one you don't address! — is about your fiancee's particular interest in photography. When people buy (generously!) camera gear for fiancees, their children, and so forth it is often important to look into this... and to think clearly about the motives of the buyer.
If we are talking about someone whose interest in "serious" photography is more potential and than current, there are a few things to consider;
1. Such a person may not be well served by the same cameras that "enthusiasts" or "serious" photographers would pick. For them it is unlikely to be worthwhile to get something more sophisticated than the least expensive "rebel" style DSLR with the 18-55mm kit lens at first. For most newbies, this will seem like a great camera, but it won't be onerously large and complicated. It will produce fine image quality and give the recipient room to grow if their interest develops.
2. In many cases a DSLR (or mirrorless equivalent) may not be the ideal camera. I've seen lots of such folks decide that carrying the larger camera and lens combo simply isn't worth it to them... and they leave the camera at home. Here something smaller and closer to pocketable could be best, something along the lines of a very good point and shoot model.
The person doing the buying also needs to do a bit of a self-assessment — as I know from my own experience and from making a mistake or two along the way. As a serious photographer it is easy to overlook the fact that others may find the serious cameras (which include, from their perspective, entry-level DSLRs) to complex and too big.
I finally — after too many missteps — figured this out with one person in m life. I started this person on a tiny, low-end point and shoot, after she told me she just wanted a camera to use while traveling, etc. and didn't want something big and overly complex. I, of course, thought this was insufficient, but she began to make a lot of photographs and eventually began to develop her own interest in something better. A few years later the subject came up again — she didn't want the big stuff that I shoot with, but did want something better with more control, so we stepped up to a very good point and shoot. This was a great learning tool, especially about "photographic seeing," and before long she was ready for a serious camera — we got a very low-end "Rebel" with the kit lens. After a while, when the subject came up, I loaned her a few of my better lenses, which produced very good image quality on this camera. Before long she figured out that she loves macro photography, and ultimately moved to a full frame camera with (mostly) the 100mm f/2.8L IS macro.
Imagine if I had gotten that ultimate setup (full frame DSLR plus 100mm macro!) back when she was getting started. It would have been a complete failure, and she probably would not have used it. Instead, by starting with more appropriate and friendly gear "a photographer was born." :-)
To loop back to your starting point... if you are certain that a DSLR is the right camera and the recipient is somewhat new to this... get a small "rebel" style body with the kit lens and see what evolves.
Make sense?
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