Central Park Flowers did such a phenomenal job with the reception design, it was truly breathtaking. It really felt like a fairy tale. The ceremony was held at St. Paul’s Parish and the reception was at the Scranton Cultural Center in Scranton, PA. It was amazing working with Kerry and Dann, and we are so thrilled to have captured their beautiful day!

One question that I am frequently asked is what DSLR cameras and lenses that I recommend. For a while I have been meaning to write a blog about my thoughts, so here they are!

Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Buy

The first question to ask yourself when considering buying a DSLR is: what do you want to do with photography? Is it a hobby, a burning aspiration, a potential future job, or do you just want some sweet pics of your kids? Determining where you want to go with photography will help you to make the best decisions now, so you don’t end up buying gear that in a short time becomes obsolete or unneeded. Try to think about what you would like to do with photography both in the next year and in 3-5 years. Do you want to buy a lens that will last you five years, or buy a less expensive lens to use for a year and then upgrade? All things to consider.

The second question to ask yourself is: what are you planning to photograph? Someone focusing on doing macro photos of flowers is going to need to consider different options than someone looking to take sports photos of their kids soccer games. Buy gear that fits your needs, while at the same time give you versatility to take other photos as you like.

The third question to ask yourself is: what is your budget? Do you want to spend $500 or $5,000? Budget holds a huge influence on what camera and lenses you can afford, so put together a number in your mind for the camera and lenses combined, and stick to it. Don’t buy more than you can afford, or more than what you will really use! I watch Craigslist all the time for deals on used camera gear, and there is always someone on there who bought thousands of dollars of camera equipment only to hit a tight spot financially and have to sell it all.

And regarding craigslist, I recommend looking into purchasing used gear if you are on a budget. Picking up a camera that is a few years old will save you a ton of money compared to buying it new. Also, new camera models are released about every 18 months, so if you buy everything 1 generation old it will still have great technology, but be significantly cheaper and allow you to put more of your budget towards lenses.

Some places to look for used camera gear are: http://www.usedcameras.com, http://www.keh.com/, Craigslist, and Ebay. The used gear that I have bought have all been off friends or Craigslist. I like Craigslist because I can meet up with the seller and actually see the item, inspect it for damage, and test it to make sure it works fine. Also, you can negotiate price with sellers on Craigslist and try to get a better deal. The other websites above all have various return problems if there are defects, so you will still be covered.

Cameras to Consider

I personally use only Canon cameras and lenses. I have some friends who shoot with Nikon cameras, and I would say based on all the research and reviews I have done that Nikon’s are just as high in quality and reliability to Canon. Canon has more options regarding prime (fixed focal length) lenses, giving them the edge in my book as I prefer to shoot with primes. But either companies are great and will give you a great camera. I’ve heard recently that Sony is starting to make some great amateur level DSLR’s but honestly I don’t know anything about them.

Since all of my knowledge revolves around Canon cameras and lenses, all the recommendations I list will be Canons.

Budget of $300-$800+: 

For the lowest budgets, look into the Canon Rebel series. The newer model Rebels will have options for HD video, which if you think you will use is a really incredible add on to shoot personal videos. If you don’t think you will use the HD video, then looking into a model without it can save you some cash. Rebel’s can run you anywhere from $300-$1,000+ depending on the “kits” they put together.

Regarding “kits”- I don’t like them. Usually the lenses aren’t great, and if you get more serious into photography you will outgrow them very quickly. Even if you don’t get more serious, the lenses just aren’t going to perform well. You would be better off just buying the body and looking for your own lenses separate.

Also, don’t get totally caught up in the “megapixel” hype. Yes, the higher the megapixel, the higher the resolution, thus making the images more clear and detailed. But most enthusiasts are going to print 4×6 prints 99% of the time, with the occasional 8×10 or larger. You can print a 4×6 shooting at just 2 megapixels, and I have seen decent 8×10 prints done by 3 megapixel camera phones. If you are on a budget, spend your money on better lenses rather than feeling like you have to get the camera with the highest megapixels.

Budget of $800-$1,000: The next step up from the Rebel line is the Canon 40D/50D/60D series. The 40D/50D are older versions that you can pick up used and save some cash. With the 60D they added the HD video feature, which if you want to shoot in HD is a great option. All of the cameras in this series will take incredible “semi professional” pictures, and can handle low light situations. They also feature more of the functionality of the professional models, making them much easier and faster to use than the Rebels. I personally have a very hard time shooting with the Rebel’s I have picked up because the functionality is not ideal for shooting, but a 40D/50D/60D is quick and easy to adjust settings.

The 5D- This is the first camera in the 5D series, and was the first of its kind to offer a full frame camera in a smaller body for an affordable price. This was the staple camera for wedding and portrait photographers when it first came out, and was known for the great image quality it produced. You can find these used online for around $850-$900 now that the new 5d Mark III just came out. The technology is older and I hear they are a bear to navigate compared to newer cameras, but for the price you are going to get incredible image quality. If you can find a used one, get it. If all I had to spend on a camera body was $850, I would buy a used 5D rather than a Rebel or 50D/60D. I just love the look of full frame cameras, and would take the older technology for that.

Budget of $1200-$3500+: If you are serious about photography and want the best quality you can get, then you will need to spend some cash on a decent camera body. In this range you are looking at the Canon 7D, the 5D Mark II, the 5D Mark III, and the 1D Mark III. There are other older and discontinued models, but these are the ones that I see used the most.

The Canon 7D is hugely popular for those looking to shoot HD video, and the image quality is great as well. These run about $1600 new. They are a 1.6 crop frame, so they give a very different look than the full frame cameras in the 5D series. But the advantage of a 1.6 crop is that if you are shooting sports or nature photography you get a boosted zoom to each of your lenses. I much prefer the look a full frame sensor, so in this price range I would spend a little extra and buy a used 5D Mark II.

Brittney wanted me to take some shots of her in action during this shoot. Look at her nailing the shots with baby bump and all… isn’t she just incredible? She looks like a lioness stalking her prey… haha!

So excited for their wedding next month, it should be stunning!

Enjoy!

This session included live painting and wrapped up with a paint battle. Loads of fun!

Enjoy!

Engagement Session Planking? Yes please.

We decided it was in our best interest to combine our website and blog into one location, making it easiest for everyone to view our most recent and up to date photography as easily and often as possible!

We promise to put out more blogs this year, covering more of our day to day photo shoots and also providing some tips & tricks for aspiring photographers. If you want to stay up to date on our postings, be sure to follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/openvisionphoto

God bless!

~Luke & Brittney

Here are some more photos that I took of her and my two cute kiddo’s . Just had to share them!