budget for picking up photography as a hobby

[Mark2024]

Not FIRED yet but planning.

Gardening and going to the gym would probably my first go to activities in retirement.

Reading many of the posts here and seem that photography is a very popular hobby among retired people. And the works posted are very impressive.

How much $ should I budget if I want to pick up photography as a hobby? Is there a list of basic items to get it started? I would assume one would need more than just a phone.

 

[MarieIG]

Not a photographer - DH is.

There is a huge range of prices. Why don't you start with something inexpensive such as a point and shoot. As you get to know fellow photographers, and learn what you like to photograph, you will have the opportunity to muse about different cameras, lenses, tripods, (paper if you want to print) etc. (You can start your hobby first, and then develop your budget.)

DH's expenditures are not stable. Some years he spends next to nothing, this year he bought a 2k lens and is eyeballing cameras in the 4-5k range. He has photographer buddies who drop north of 16k just on the lens and travel around the country chasing after various birds/ animals/ scenery. I go with DH once in a while and, if there is a nest of interest some of the photographers vie for position with tripods, cameras and lenses (the latter of which look like cannons from the Civil War) aimed at said nest.

 

[DektolMan]

former professional photographer here and here's what I'd do.
Join a local camera club where you can talk with other photographers and pick their brains on cameras, software, seminars etc. You'll find someone to mentor you as you get started.



YouTube has thousands of videos that you would benefit from started with the basics to advanced techniques.


On budgeting.... that's where you could spend $1000 or go all out and spend $10k.


Have fun, you'll enjoy the journey!

 

[OldShooter]

Here is something to remember: Just as owning a violin does not make you a musician, owning a camera does not make you a photographer

You'll need something to get started, of course, and a used camera bought via the local club will probably be fine. Above all, photography is about light with composition probably next. You can study these aspects for years using your cell phone camera. You can also study both the advertising and the editorial work in good quality publications. For a starter, Google "Karsh Ottawa" to see what can be done with equipment that is arguably inadequate by today's standards. Have fun.

 

[Route246]

I'm a Canon guy. Picked it because some colleagues did. Photography hardware is a lock-in affair if you go pro-grade gear like I did. Your glass (lenses) is going to last you a lifetime but camera bodies come and go. Just beware that Canon and Nikon dominate the pro space with Sony a distant 3rd.

DSLR is mostly dead now in terms of new product offerings. Mirrorless is all the rage. I have on mirrorless body (Sony) with an adapter that mates to my substantial Canon glass collection (through the years spent over $50K for lenses). Used to travel with a gear bag but it gets too heavy and confining as I grow older so the hobby is not as active these days.

The iPhone with Sony sensor is pulling the rug out of the high-end consumer grade offerings.

I'm a little different. I acquired a lot of my most expensive gear when I secured a consulting gig that required technical documentation with detailed photos. I spent a great deal of the consulting income on photography gear and reduced my tax burden considerably as I did not need the income to live and it was an opportunity to legally acquire some really nice gear and reduce my tax bills accordingly. CPA took care of everything tax-wise.

I don't recommend you go this route unless you have "that much" extra money lying around.

If you want to get serious I recommend Fuji, only because I have some inside information on their JPG intellectual property which is far superior to Canon, Nikon and Sony. I've been waitlisted at multiple places for an X100V which is one of their great offerings for a "point-and-shoot" pro-quality prime (no zoom) lens camera. On par with Leica (my opinion) but 1/5 the price. No zoom so you have to work for creating shots but the hardware is amazing. There is a long waiting list because of limited production and an update is scheduled for early next year.

Long story short, it is all about your budget, time commitment and goals. One other consideration is post-processing. You've probably heard of Photoshop which can consume you like a career. If you want to start with a modest budget I would search for a higher-end consumer-grade camera, Panasonic, Sony, Fuji but be aware that most of the manufacturers are exiting the market, as you can thank iPhone for that.

 

[braumeister]

I would assume one would need more than just a phone.

When you're just starting out, the cameras in today's high end phones can give you phenomenal photos.

 

[Walt34]

If you like reading about it, Scott Kelby has written an excellent series of books on photography, including several about the most-used software of Lightroom and Photoshop. There is of course other software, some of it excellent, but you'll find the most aftermarket documentation about Lightroom and Photoshop since those are pretty much the industry standards. To me starting out that was a huge plus.

 

[Major Tom]

My one piece of advice about starting out in photography would be to avoid falling into the equipment trap, unless you have plenty of money to blow. In around 2005, when digital photography was really beginning to take hold, I decided to renew my interest, and try to get better at it. I had some extra money to burn, and ended up spending $10-15K on a camera body, several different lenses, studio lighting gear, etc etc. Having all this gear taught me what I needed and what I didn't, so I started shedding the gear I wasn't using, and eventually ended up with a very minimal set-up.

There are specific types of photography that require specific types of gear. However, if you have a good eye for composition and framing, and a good sense of timing, you can make good photos with almost any camera, including a phone. My advice would be to work on your "eye", and learn to look out for potential subjects. You can even do that without a camera. A photo taken by someone with good artistic sense that has mediocre technical merit will (in my opinion) beat a photo with high technical merit and no artistic inspiration every time.

 

[Ronstar]

IMO, it's best to start small and inexpensive until you get some experience and know what gear you need to fit the type of photography you want to get into. Ie - wildlife photography takes a different set of equipment than landscape photography.

I started out small in 2012 or 2013, maybe spent $800 to do landscape photography on vacations. Then sold cameras and lenses, upgrading through 2020 to do some wildlife photography.

 

[Aerides]

Before you think about equipment beyond a decent P&S:

Get an idea of what you want to photograph. Landscapes? Wildlife? People? Still? Architecture? Cities? All different equipment when you get serious. Saying you want to start running is the same - cross country, long road, short distances - the shoes are all different. You might get up to 5 miles and then realize you actually kind of hate it.

Get good - at composition and basic image capture. No camera can make a lame wonky picture look great. The exact same person can take a shot with $10k of stuff, or a phone, but if phone-guy knows know the best way to frame, the angles, the way the natural light and shadows fall, the phone-guy will have a better picture. Far better to learn these things, and what you like to capture, before you invest in the wrong products.

You'll also want to learn basic editing, photoshop and the like, regardless of which physical stuff you end up with. AdobePS is not fun or easy....(for me anyway).

 

[Route246]

Rethinking this, if you get into post-processing you will want a camera that shoots raw. Many point-and-shoot have this capability. The best is if they shoot raw+jpg so you get the best of both worlds as raw photos generally need a certain amount of care and feeding to get dialed in while jpg is what it is.

I use my iPhone 14 for most of my snapshots these days. It has rich features and matches dedicated cameras in many aspects.

Also, pay attention to f-stop, the lower the number the better the glass (and the price will reflect this). This is basically a measure of how much light the glass will pass when the shutter is open. I have two Canon f/1.2 lenses, a 50mm and 85mm and both of them shoot unbelievably great frames but they are extremely heavy and even more extremely expensive. I rarely use them these days unless I'm on a dedicated shoot as my iPhone is sufficient.

 

[OldShooter]

IMO, it's best to start small and inexpensive until you get some experience and know what gear you need to fit the type of photography you want to get into. ...

Yes, this.

Remember, too that the best camera for the shot is the one you have with you. The giant, expensive, and heavy cameras will almost certainly still be at home.

Take a look at the Canon "G" Powershot line. For example https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canong12 and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_PowerShot_G. I used to have a G8 and for its size and cost it was an impressive little tool. You can shop eBay for anything from a G7 to a G12 and get something that will give your photographic journey a good launch. The first thing you buy often just teaches you what you really want; mastering one of these little guys will teach you a lot.

Oh, and don't start playing with post-processing software until you have become a photographer. It is just a rabbit hole that will keep you from learning the important stuff.

 

[Mark2024]

This sounds way too complicated. May be I should try to develop a system to win the lottory instead.

 

[easysurfer]

I think first thing is to narrow down what type of camera and general amount you are willing to spend, plus keeping in mind your current skill level.

You don't want to go splurging on a really expensive system then not end up using. That would be like buying a sportscar but never taking out the garage.

For me, years ago I had an SLR with a few lenses. Then I was happy to get rid of all the bulk and went point and shoot, phone and now bride cameras. I've been tempted to get a higher level with interchangeable lenses but the like to keep things simple part of me has stayed with bridge cameras (and some pocket ones). A trade off between convenience and more fancy. I'm learning but don't know if I'll ever grow to the point to interchangeables.

 

[Mark2024]

when you see a photo posted in the forum. How could you tell what type of camera was used to take that photo?

 

[Ronstar]

when you see a photo posted in the forum. How could you tell what type of camera was used to take that photo?

I don't think you can unless there is exif data attached to the photo. Then you would need an exif reader to see the details of the photo.

 

[2017ish]

Start off affordable, to see if you like it. DW got a nice DSLR pre-retirement, but not a full-frame; this saved a few bucks. But... She also got state-of-the-art underwater housing. (Ouch!). Turned out that the housing was not conducive to diving in currents for her and she downgraded a few years later to an underwater camera system that gave her 95% of the quality with much less hassle. (So, $7-8K housing was no longer used.)

Now, she'll soon be upgrading for land-based photography from the DSLR to a full-frame mirrorless, along with the 400mm lens that she finds best for wildlife. Another chunk of change, but we know that she is ready for it now.

 

[skyking1]

you can go quite a while learning composition with your phone. @Oldshooter mentioned that in reply #4.
I can get the roomie's DSLR when I want it, but I learned about lighting and composition on simpler cameras and the phones.

 

[DrRoy]

Before you think about equipment beyond a decent P&S:

Get an idea of what you want to photograph. Landscapes? Wildlife? People? Still? Architecture? Cities? All different equipment when you get serious. Saying you want to start running is the same - cross country, long road, short distances - the shoes are all different. You might get up to 5 miles and then realize you actually kind of hate it.

Get good - at composition and basic image capture. No camera can make a lame wonky picture look great. The exact same person can take a shot with $10k of stuff, or a phone, but if phone-guy knows know the best way to frame, the angles, the way the natural light and shadows fall, the phone-guy will have a better picture. Far better to learn these things, and what you like to capture, before you invest in the wrong products.

You'll also want to learn basic editing, photoshop and the like, regardless of which physical stuff you end up with. AdobePS is not fun or easy....(for me anyway).

Good advice here.

This sounds way too complicated. May be I should try to develop a system to win the lottory instead.

It seems like it but still a very worthy hobby. Don't give up.

when you see a photo posted in the forum. How could you tell what type of camera was used to take that photo?

You can't. Figure out what you think you want to shoot, decide what you can afford, then come back for recommendations on what is good for that budget.
.

 

[OldShooter]

when you see a photo posted in the forum. How could you tell what type of camera was used to take that photo?

As a novice photographer, the camera is the last thing you should be worried about. If you are looking at a photo that you like, try to figure out why you like it. Is it the lighting? Is it the composition? Did the photographer capture something that is interesting to you?

As you study photographs, you may find yourself drawn to certain categories. Landscape. Sports. People. Close-ups. ... Again, try to understand why you like these categories and consider whether they might be the categories that you want to be photographing as your skills develop.

Lots to learn here!

 

[OldShooter]

Here's a little exercise for you: Tom Harris is a friend of mine. His website is here: https://www.tom-harris.net/ There is a common element to virtually all of Tom's photographs. What is it?

 

[Ronstar]

As a novice photographer, the camera is the last thing you should be worried about. If you are looking at a photo that you like, try to figure out why you like it. Is it the lighting? Is it the composition? Did the photographer capture something that is interesting to you?

As you study photographs, you may find yourself drawn to certain categories. Landscape. Sports. People. Close-ups. ... Again, try to understand why you like these categories and consider whether they might be the categories that you want to be photographing as your skills develop.

Lots to learn here!

Well said! For me, I very seldom shoot anything but landscape and wildlife. I enjoy the thrill of the hunt more than the photography. Since hiking is my favorite hobby, I always bring my dslr along to capture anything interesting.

 

[pacergal]

OP--do you take many pictures now with your phone or a stand alone camera? If so, is there specific subject you prefer?
DH "got into" photography many years ago, started buying equipment, camera, various lenses, bags, tripods, etc. Spent some hard earned serious $$, took some great photos, many we still have framed and on walls. But interest waned.
Now he gets better photos with his iPhone.

My point being, as with any interest, you can spend a little or a lot. You may stick with it or not. If you are interested, go to some camera shops to price various cameras, take some photography classes at a nearby community college. See what piques your interest.

 

[Cat-parents]

I took up photography about 10 years ago, when I was about 50. A few things I learned along the way:

1. Take a good, hands-on (or virtual hands-on) photography class at the outset so that you can learn manual settings etc.

2. Start with a used mirrorless or DSLR body and a few basic and inexpensive lenses: a zoom lens (e.g. 18-55 and a 55-300, or one that covers 18 to at least 200mm) and one fixed focal length lens (50 mm f/1.8 lenses are often quite inexpensive but also be on the lookout out for an inexpensive macro lens).

With the kit above, you can experiment with subjects and styles of photography for a year or so.

3. Join a photography meet-up group and go exploring. Learn about what you like photographing before investing in other gear.

4. Join the online forum for the brand of camera you use. I'm familiar with the very active Pentax forum (since that's what I use) but I expect there are similar forums for Canon, Nikon and Sony.

 

[Mark2024]

I took up photography about 10 years ago, when I was about 50. A few things I learned along the way:

1. Take a good, hands-on (or virtual hands-on) photography class at the outset so that you can learn manual settings etc.

2. Start with a used mirrorless or DSLR body and a few basic and inexpensive lenses: a zoom lens (e.g. 18-55 and a 55-300, or one that covers 18 to at least 200mm) and one fixed focal length lens (50 mm f/1.8 lenses are often quite inexpensive but also be on the lookout out for an inexpensive macro lens).

With the kit above, you can experiment with subjects and styles of photography for a year or so.

3. Join a photography meet-up group and go exploring. Learn about what you like photographing before investing in other gear.

4. Join the online forum for the brand of camera you use. I'm familiar with the very active Pentax forum (since that's what I use) but I expect there are similar forums for Canon, Nikon and Sony.

Did join two local meetup groups of photography. The advices I got is to get the equipment you will dream to use. They said if you started with lower grades, you will need to sell them at a lost. Each upgrade cycle will cost you more money. You would end up with fancy equipment anyway. Buy them in one step instead of multiple costly upgrades.