So I have started aviation photography as a hobby a few months ago on my phone and well, no photo from me comes past the jetphotos acceptance wall so I started looking for good cameras (I have a camera but it’s a 9,2mp one from 2003) and the Nikon d3400 is a very good camera apparently, so that’s on the bucket list.
Instead of spending 500 bucks on a new one I looked for Nikons on eBay and I decided get one soon for 150€ with a 50-200mm lens and I got recommendations from analogue cameras like the Canon t60 or Olympus OM10 and as a kit they are only 75 or 80€ and according to YouTube reviews they are better than a iPhone camera.
I don’t know anything about cameras as I am new to that hobby but it’s interesting If those old cameras are too bad for JP or if they are actually good when you have the right film and correct lighting.
Film (or analogue) cameras are not worth it nowadays if your goal is to upload good quality photos to the internet. You have to develop the film and scan them before being able to upload them and it is not guaranteed that the photos will be of good enough quality for JP’s modern standards. Then there’s also the need to constantly buy film, so in the long run you end up spending more money than if you were to go digital.
The nikon D3400 is a very capable camera for its used pricepoint and together with something something like a 55-300 or 70-300 lens you can easily take photos that can be accepted to JP
I currently own a nikon d3400, which i need to upgrade at some point. if you are just starting out, it is a great versatile camera that does quite well in many situations. during the day, it does very well on stills, but with panning shots it tends to struggle to keep the photo sharp, but with enough patience you can get a clear image with panning. for sunsets, it can get some incredible photos with minimal noise. im assuming not, but if you are looking to shoot photos at night, unless you are doing a long exposure, then the camera is just not made for that. i would say to try to snag a deal on a nikon d3400, you can find some great deals from $150-200 for a like new condition used model. i would also like to add, try using MPB.com for purchasing a used camera. they take great photos in high detail showing the exact product you get.
Be careful with very cheap film cameras on eBay, they’ve potentially been sat unused in someone’s attic or basement gathering dust for longer than you’ve been alive, and may be riddled with faults that cost more than the camera is worth to put right. The same applies to lenses, which can sometimes become hazy, infected with fungus (seriously!) or have sticky aperture blades.
This is a false economy. Cheap colour film nowadays costs roughly €10 per roll. Development and scanning/printing will easily double that number.
That’s €20 to take just 36 photos. If you can afford that then you can afford to buy equipment that is well made and guaranteed to work.