Which camera should I buy? PT. 2

[naughtygoat]

 Hi all.  I am an Alamy newie.  And actually an amateur photographer in general.  I really think I have an eye for good photos but got rejected by Alamy because 'my digital camera was not suitable'.  That was using my mum's holiday camera.  I only have about £100.00 (U.S Dollars 80.00 ?) to spend.  Can anybody recommend any models to me?  Thanks.

[spacecadet]

For £100, no. For £3-500, possibly, used definitely. I paid that for my Sony equipment.

[John Morrison]

That was using my mum's holiday camera.

 

Nice to welcome a fellow optimist to the forum...

[Inchiquin]

A secondhand RX100, maybe?

 

Alan

[DavidLyons]

Buy one with lots of good photographs in it.

[Kumar]

A secondhand RX100, maybe?

 

Alan

+1 

 

Second hand Sony RX100_1 or second hand Sony RX10_1

[Martin P Wilson]

 

A secondhand RX100, maybe?

 

Alan

+1 

 

Second hand Sony RX100_1 or second hand Sony RX10_1

 

 

And you should recognise at that price anything you can buy will have very limited capability as far as meeting Alamy's QC standards. It is important to understand your camera's limitations (they all have some) and use it accordingly. Work at the craft of photography, get to grips with the technical aspects.

[Kumar]

 

 

A secondhand RX100, maybe?

 

Alan

+1 

 

Second hand Sony RX100_1 or second hand Sony RX10_1

 

 

And you should recognise at that price anything you can buy will have very limited capability as far as meeting Alamy's QC standards. It is important to understand your camera's limitations (they all have some) and use it accordingly. Work at the craft of photography, get to grips with the technical aspects.

 

+1 

[Matt Limb]

Photographs may be taken in a camera - but it is the human eye and knowledge that make them work!

[biel]

perhaps you have a better choice with FILM using the grandpa camera, yes film, developing film is fun

 

today if you buy a full pro photographic equipment, big lenses, big filters, batts, cards, big computers, big software... unless you work for a friend with a big wallet or for a gov... I think a few guys recover the thousands of euros invested selling pics in today agencies marked for 0.50ç-50$.

 

bona sort!

[John Walker]

Second hand RX100 seems a fair suggestion.  Not sure you'll get one for the money you have but a bit more saving could get you one.
Look at my portfolio - every image of the 4000 was taken on a Sony RX100 Mk1 and later the Mk3 version.  No problem with QC and

my images sell every month.  

[Gabbro]

I suggest to ask mum to upgrade her holiday camera .

[John Mitchell]

You might want to take a look at the early Sony NEX cameras that were introduced in 2010 (I believe). They have APS-C sized sensors and are fine for Alamy. I have many images on Alamy -- some of them good sellers -- taken with the original 14 megapixel NEX-3. Image quality with these cameras is as good as a traditional DSLR. I currently use the NEX-6, but it would be considerably more expensive than the older NEX-3 or NEX-5. Either of these cameras would probably be less expensive than a used RX100.

 

P.S. Here's a thorough NEX 3/5 review from 2010.

[Travelshots]

Buy a second hand Canon 350 or 450. Excellent camera with reasonable lens. It can be manual or fully automatic. It amazes me how accurate the auto is. Peter

[wiskerke]

+1 for the Sony Nex. Cheap enough on Ebay. It's easier with a compatible lens.

But you'll learn more with an older manual focus lens. Buy a cheapo Chinese adapter from Ebay. Old Olympus lenses are nice and small and usually pretty cheap.

 

wim

 

Edit:

Do you have an iPhone or an iPad? Then you could try Stockimo.

It's an Alamy offshoot.

[naughtygoat]

Thank you all for your answers.  I had perused the forum and seen those cameras mentioned.  The camera will obviously be a starter one, for practice and to get feedback.  That's why I submitted to Alamy.  I enjoy taking photos, then looking at my lovely results on lap top!  Don't expect to be on any magazines any time soon.  I don't want a very complicated camera to start with.

 

I can't work out one thing though:  does Alamy accept ANY photos if the quality is good enough?

 

Thanks again.

[chrumu]

Thank you all for your answers.  I had perused the forum and seen those cameras mentioned.  The camera will obviously be a starter one, for practice and to get feedback.  That's why I submitted to Alamy.  I enjoy taking photos, then looking at my lovely results on lap top!  Don't expect to be on any magazines any time soon.  I don't want a very complicated camera to start with.

 

I can't work out one thing though:  does Alamy accept ANY photos if the quality is good enough?

 

Thanks again.

 

 

 

Hi

 

I don't understand why you submit to Alamy if not for earning money.

 

Are you sure you're not better off in a photography club or on a website like Flickr, where you will actually get feedback on the pictures you're uploading?

 

In comparison, all that will happen here if you upload a few "lovely" pictures is: nothing. "Lovely" doesn't sell, except maybe for calendars and cards.

 

 

 

Christoph

 

PS: I'm in a blunt mood today. Hope not to upset anyone.

[bobdabiulder]

+1 to chrumu, I agree - HOWEVER I am helping him anyway because I like helping and sharing knowledge.

[naughtygoat]

 

Thank you all for your answers.  I had perused the forum and seen those cameras mentioned.  The camera will obviously be a starter one, for practice and to get feedback.  That's why I submitted to Alamy.  I enjoy taking photos, then looking at my lovely results on lap top!  Don't expect to be on any magazines any time soon.  I don't want a very complicated camera to start with.

 

I can't work out one thing though:  does Alamy accept ANY photos if the quality is good enough?

 

Thanks again.

 

 

 

Hi

 

I don't understand why you submit to Alamy if not for earning money.

 

Are you sure you're not better off in a photography club or on a website like Flickr, where you will actually get feedback on the pictures you're uploading?

 

In comparison, all that will happen here if you upload a few "lovely" pictures is: nothing. "Lovely" doesn't sell, except maybe for calendars and cards.

 

 

 

Christoph

 

PS: I'm in a blunt mood today. Hope not to upset anyone.

 

 

 

well i don't Hate money...

[AndyMelbourne]

A Fuji S3 and any fixed length lens that has 'Nikon' written on it. Cheap as chips and one of the best aps sensors ever made.

[Bryan]

+1 for the Sony Nex. Cheap enough on Ebay. It's easier with a compatible lens.

But you'll learn more with an older manual focus lens. Buy a cheapo Chinese adapter from Ebay. Old Olympus lenses are nice and small and usually pretty cheap.

 

wim

 

Edit:

Do you have an iPhone or an iPad? Then you could try Stockimo.

It's an Alamy offshoot.

Yup, I use a NEX with a motley collection of old manual lenses, mainly Pentax, but also Olympus.

 

I bought my Olympus 50mm f1.8 for £10 with an as new film camera attached, and it is superb, far better than the standard Sony zoom at that focal length.

 

However a better starting point is an old 28 mm, which is equivalent to a 42mm lens on full frame. All of the big camera companies made them in quantity, so they are cheap secondhand. I currently use a Pentax f2.8 M, which is better than the Olympus 28s that I also possess.

 

Perhaps I should add that I also own a full frame Canon DSLR with a collection of zoom lenses, but my weapon of choice forstock is normally the little lightweight NEX.

 

You don't have to spend a fortune on kit to be successful with stock photography, although I guess that depends on your definition of "successful".

[John Mitchell]

 

+1 for the Sony Nex. Cheap enough on Ebay. It's easier with a compatible lens.

But you'll learn more with an older manual focus lens. Buy a cheapo Chinese adapter from Ebay. Old Olympus lenses are nice and small and usually pretty cheap.

 

wim

 

Edit:

Do you have an iPhone or an iPad? Then you could try Stockimo.

It's an Alamy offshoot.

Yup, I use a NEX with a motley collection of old manual lenses, mainly Pentax, but also Olympus.

 

I bought my Olympus 50mm f1.8 for £10 with an as new film camera attached, and it is superb, far better than the standard Sony zoom at that focal length.

 

However a better starting point is an old 28 mm, which is equivalent to a 42mm lens on full frame. All of the big camera companies made them so they are as cheap as chips secondhand. I currently use a Pentax f2.8 M, which is better than the Olympus 28s that I also possess.

 

You don't have to spend a fortune on kit to be successful with stock photography, although I guess that depends on your definition of "successful".

 

 

I'd agree. 28mm is the most useful, all-around focal length. I have a legacy Minolta 28mm f/2.8 manual focus that I keep attached to my NEX-3. Great fun to use, but I have to admit that I'm seriously addicted to zooms and AF, perhaps even beyond rehab.

 

Chromatic aberration (CA) can be an issue with these old lenses, but it's usually fairly easy to clean it up in post-processing.

[naughtygoat]

 

Thank you all for your answers.  I had perused the forum and seen those cameras mentioned.  The camera will obviously be a starter one, for practice and to get feedback.  That's why I submitted to Alamy.  I enjoy taking photos, then looking at my lovely results on lap top!  Don't expect to be on any magazines any time soon.  I don't want a very complicated camera to start with.

 

I can't work out one thing though:  does Alamy accept ANY photos if the quality is good enough?

 

Thanks again.

 

Alamy, has, for better or worse, a no editting policy. Which means... yes, they accept any photos if the quality is good enough. There are some area's which dont get through ... so-called glamour is one.

 

It might be worth remembering that this is a business and your images will be competing with images from professionals who make a living out of it. I am not saying that your images wont be as good as... but if when you start, you place images which have no chance of selling compared to the competition then it will effect your ranking. And once you have a low rank it can be very hard to get it back.

 

With regards the camera, for many years I used a D200 which I think can be picked up for about that amount... if you can also pick up a cheap nikon 50mm then you may be on your way. Christmas and birthdays may be useful.

 

BTW you dont necessarily have to have a camera to make images.

 

 

 

Ahh.  Thanks for that info. about ratings.  I would say I'm a serious amateur.  Want remotely decent camera to enjoy hobby and try my hand at stock images for now.  Most people have said the Sony rx100 so i'll search for one of those.  

[bobdabiulder]

"Alamy, has, for better or worse, a no editting policy"

 

A no editing policy?  What do you mean?  I've submitted 20 photos to date, and all have passed QC and the first four made it into selling stage with digitally modified set to "yes".  So no editing pertains to... What?

[chrumu]

"Alamy, has, for better or worse, a no editting policy"

 

A no editing policy?  What do you mean?  I've submitted 20 photos to date, and all have passed QC and the first four made it into selling stage with digitally modified set to "yes".  So no editing pertains to... What?

 

 

Maybe you should quote with context instead of just one sentence out of context. The answer was right there, as Funkyworm wrote "Alamy, has, for better or worse, a no editting policy. Which means... yes, they accept any photos if the quality is good enough. There are some area's which dont get through ... so-called glamour is one."

 

 

Alamy does not edit its collection for content. All photos which are technically deemed good enough (or not checked during QC) make it into the collection. 

 

 

BTW: In the meantime I'm pretty sure you're not deliberately trolling or to trying to upset anyone, but as you can see from the massive number of red arrow votes you got, many of your posts are conveying a subliminal negative message or inappropriate wording. I suggest you re-read what you're writing before posting it, thinking about whether your post might be perceived in a different way than intended by you.

 

 

Christoph