Pages

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Picturing My ECI831 Project

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been struggling to nail down an idea for the project in this class. There are unlimited options and possibilities. I asked myself, do I want to do something that involves my students? Do I want to do something for my own personal learning? What about learning how to play the guitar? How about learning Spanish? What about a social justice project? These questions mulled over and over in my mind. Then, I woke up this morning (at 6:31 on a Saturday right when my alarm normally goes off) and could not fall back asleep as my mind began to race again. This time, an idea came to my mind that I am really excited about! I have always loved the art of photography but have never learned the techniques to go beyond the regular "point and shoot". AND what a great excuse to buy a new camera! So I am going to jump in and learn all about photography.

Now it seems that there will be two main parts to this task. One, is the technical part. I will need to learn how to operate all of the features and functions of my new camera. Two, is the artistic part. What makes a photo beautiful? What "rules" do I need to follow? I am going to see if I can find a MOOC that will teach me some of the things I wish to learn. Also, I am sure that there are message boards about photography which I could join to learn more and to gain support from other budding and/or experienced photographers.

Here's where I need some help please! I was originally going to buy the Canon T3i Rebel. It is one of the more "affordable" SLR cameras (some can be around $3000!!!). I have always enjoyed Canon cameras and have felt them to be very user-friendly and of good quality. Best Buy has them on sale this weekend for $529. While I was at Best Buy, I noticed a different camera that caught my eye. It is the Samsung NX1000. This is a more affordable option at $399. But would it offer the same features that I will most likely need when exploring photography? I have created a chart of pros vs. cons of both cameras below. What do you think? Has anyone owned one of these cameras? The sale is over tomorrow (Sunday) so please share your suggestions with me!



Pros
Cons
Canon
- trusted brand
- offers supreme quality photos (my brother owns one)
- more costly
- heavy and bulky
- less megapixels at 18
Samsung
- more affordable
- lighter and sleek
- more megapixels at 20.3
- WiFi connection for ease of downloading
- less trusted brand
- doesn’t seem to offer as many features

5 comments:

  1. I think it is a great idea to pursue photography! This is something you will be able to use for the rest of your life!
    As for the cameras - I love Canon! I looked at a review of the Samsung NX1000. It had really good reviews, however it said that the camera had no flash, so you would have to purchase on (as an accessory). When you add in that expense, how different are the prices? Just a question to consider. If the flash is not a lot, then I would say go for it.
    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Isn't it awesome when you wake up and you have an epiphany. Sounds like photography is a passion of yours. Sorry I can't help you out with what camera to buy. I used a Panasonic point and shoot up to about 9 months ago when I got my iphone 5. Now I use it to take pictures and videos of everything. Much more compact and easy to use. But, not good for professional style pictures. If I was to buy a point and shoot again it would probably be a Canon. Good luck with your project. I am sure we will see some pics taken with whatever camera you decide to buy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Awesome. I thought about doing something with photography, as well! I have had a Nikon SLR for about seven years now, and I really love it. It is the baseline of Nikon SLRs, and perfect for beginners. I'm sure that the baseline Canon would be quite similar. Enjoy the journey!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for the tips everyone. I ended up purchasing the Canon today. I think it'll be the right choice in the end.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love my Canon! When I travel, it takes amazing pictures and people always complement me on them ... But it's not me! It's the camera :)
    I look forward to being part of your visual learning journey ~ @jadeballek

    ReplyDelete