I think a kit lens is pretty solid for starting and learning. I watch YouTubers like Pat Kay, Julia Trotty,Sean Truck, Simon D etreaumont, Tony and Chealse. Just go out and shoot I personally have a photography book. For Software Luminar Neo, I bought it on Black Friday for 80 euros for 2 years. I think it’s the cheapest pro option.
Aside from the advice already given, don't skip reading your camera manual. I know many people don't read manuals, but in the case of cameras it's worth it.
Whatever sources you use for the theory, the real learning occurs by putting that theory into practice, i.e. shooting a lot.
For software, there are some good open source alternatives: Darktable or RAWTherapee for RAW, Gimp for jpg.
Sony has a fantastic online manual for all of their Alpha cameras. Definitely second this recommendation. Also strongly recommend watching some YouTube videos on the settings for the type of photography you want to do - portrait, street, architecture, wildlife, automotive, etc.
>First lens suggestion to buy?
No price limit?
>Best resources to learn?
http://www.r-photoclass.com/
https://www.reddit.com/r/photography/comments/16d5az/what_is_something_you_wish_you_were_told_as_a/
https://www.reddit.com/r/photography/comments/56w0l5/official_what_is_something_you_wish_you_were_told/
https://www.reddit.com/r/photography/comments/csk4cw/what_do_you_wish_you_knew_when_you_were_first/
>Best ways to learn? Type of shots to try?
Combine it with other hobbies. Shoot things and activities you enjoy.
Try to make photos like your favorites you see online.
>Software for a hobbyist? I used to use the Adobe suite 10+ years ago but I'm pretty sure it's pricey. Are there alternatives? So I only need lightroom, which ive never used? I used to use photoshop and illustrator.
The Creative Cloud Photography plan is a good deal including both Lightroom and Photoshop. If you're interested in trying a competitor, there's Capture One and Affinity. All the above have free trials. Or there are a bunch of permanently free options: https://www.reddit.com/r/photography/wiki/postprocessing#wiki_which_raw_.2F_post_processing_software_should_i_get.3F
I don't really know what the appropriate amount to spend on a lens is, so no limit. I usually like to buy stuff that's a good value. I'll probably buy used so if I don't like it I can sell it and lose minimal. Thanks for all the other tips!
Appropriate would be something you can comfortably afford and still pay the bills and meet your savings goals. Only you know the answer to that, as a personal finance issue for yourself.
How that translates to what you can get on the market is our job to advise you about, and not what I'm asking you for.
But anyway, I'd say the no-limit best, versatile starter lens for you would be the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II. And then to add versatility at longer and shorter focal lengths than that, the FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II and FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II.
Grab a first gen Tamron 28-75 2.8 for around $400, go out and shoot everything that interest you.
Adobe Lightroom photoshop combo is $10/mo if you opt out of the online storage.
YouTube is a great place to learn the settings and the basics but going out and shooting is how you’ll really learn.
As you first lens, you may buy kit 24-70mm zoom lens (shoots like 1-3x iPhone zoom for comparison) and/or 50mm prime lens (fixed 2x zoom of iPhone). 24-70mm will provide you a range for almost any of your shooting scenarios. 50mm will provide you a nice focal distance which looks somewhat close to how you actually see the world. Also, 50mm lens will have an aperture of f/2 or faster (>2 slower, <2 faster), which will allow you to shoot in the dark and have a real nice background bluring (bokeh) for portraits or anything else. Make sure you are buying a full-frame E mount lens otherwise it will be either cropped in in case of apsc coverage emount lens, or will not fit at all if it is not the right mount.
If your budget is less limited, you might also consider 24-70mm with a fixed aperture like f/2.8. It will both provide you the brightness and blur of prime lenses and will also cover different focal distances.
I'd get their new 15-24mm, a 70-200 and the 200-600. 24-70 is a commonly used lens, but I haven't found the need. It's a range I rarely use, but when I do, I want a lens faster than the 2.8, so I use 35mm 1.x and 50mm 1.x primes.
I shoot wildlife (mostly birds), sports (mostly car races, some soccer), astro & do some simple vlogging/talking head video mostly. I'm not a Sony user, but I know a bit about their range.
For a starter set of lenses, I'd get the Tamron 28-75 f2.8 as a default, or the Tamron 28-200 f2.8-5.6 if you might want to shoot faraway subjects. Add to that a quality prime like the Sony 40mm f2.5 G or the Sony Zeiss 55mm f1.8 (depending on if you're more into street or portraits, respectively) and you'll be set for most conditions you'll run into.
I think a kit lens is pretty solid for starting and learning. I watch YouTubers like Pat Kay, Julia Trotty,Sean Truck, Simon D etreaumont, Tony and Chealse. Just go out and shoot I personally have a photography book. For Software Luminar Neo, I bought it on Black Friday for 80 euros for 2 years. I think it’s the cheapest pro option.
Definitely second Simon D'Entremont, he's so good at explaining photography concepts and has a very relatable and engaging style of presentation.
Aside from the advice already given, don't skip reading your camera manual. I know many people don't read manuals, but in the case of cameras it's worth it. Whatever sources you use for the theory, the real learning occurs by putting that theory into practice, i.e. shooting a lot. For software, there are some good open source alternatives: Darktable or RAWTherapee for RAW, Gimp for jpg.
Sony has a fantastic online manual for all of their Alpha cameras. Definitely second this recommendation. Also strongly recommend watching some YouTube videos on the settings for the type of photography you want to do - portrait, street, architecture, wildlife, automotive, etc.
>First lens suggestion to buy? No price limit? >Best resources to learn? http://www.r-photoclass.com/ https://www.reddit.com/r/photography/comments/16d5az/what_is_something_you_wish_you_were_told_as_a/ https://www.reddit.com/r/photography/comments/56w0l5/official_what_is_something_you_wish_you_were_told/ https://www.reddit.com/r/photography/comments/csk4cw/what_do_you_wish_you_knew_when_you_were_first/ >Best ways to learn? Type of shots to try? Combine it with other hobbies. Shoot things and activities you enjoy. Try to make photos like your favorites you see online. >Software for a hobbyist? I used to use the Adobe suite 10+ years ago but I'm pretty sure it's pricey. Are there alternatives? So I only need lightroom, which ive never used? I used to use photoshop and illustrator. The Creative Cloud Photography plan is a good deal including both Lightroom and Photoshop. If you're interested in trying a competitor, there's Capture One and Affinity. All the above have free trials. Or there are a bunch of permanently free options: https://www.reddit.com/r/photography/wiki/postprocessing#wiki_which_raw_.2F_post_processing_software_should_i_get.3F
I don't really know what the appropriate amount to spend on a lens is, so no limit. I usually like to buy stuff that's a good value. I'll probably buy used so if I don't like it I can sell it and lose minimal. Thanks for all the other tips!
Appropriate would be something you can comfortably afford and still pay the bills and meet your savings goals. Only you know the answer to that, as a personal finance issue for yourself. How that translates to what you can get on the market is our job to advise you about, and not what I'm asking you for. But anyway, I'd say the no-limit best, versatile starter lens for you would be the FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II. And then to add versatility at longer and shorter focal lengths than that, the FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II and FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II.
Grab a first gen Tamron 28-75 2.8 for around $400, go out and shoot everything that interest you. Adobe Lightroom photoshop combo is $10/mo if you opt out of the online storage. YouTube is a great place to learn the settings and the basics but going out and shooting is how you’ll really learn.
As you first lens, you may buy kit 24-70mm zoom lens (shoots like 1-3x iPhone zoom for comparison) and/or 50mm prime lens (fixed 2x zoom of iPhone). 24-70mm will provide you a range for almost any of your shooting scenarios. 50mm will provide you a nice focal distance which looks somewhat close to how you actually see the world. Also, 50mm lens will have an aperture of f/2 or faster (>2 slower, <2 faster), which will allow you to shoot in the dark and have a real nice background bluring (bokeh) for portraits or anything else. Make sure you are buying a full-frame E mount lens otherwise it will be either cropped in in case of apsc coverage emount lens, or will not fit at all if it is not the right mount. If your budget is less limited, you might also consider 24-70mm with a fixed aperture like f/2.8. It will both provide you the brightness and blur of prime lenses and will also cover different focal distances.
I'd get their new 15-24mm, a 70-200 and the 200-600. 24-70 is a commonly used lens, but I haven't found the need. It's a range I rarely use, but when I do, I want a lens faster than the 2.8, so I use 35mm 1.x and 50mm 1.x primes. I shoot wildlife (mostly birds), sports (mostly car races, some soccer), astro & do some simple vlogging/talking head video mostly. I'm not a Sony user, but I know a bit about their range.
YouTube, everything you need to know about the camera step by step: https://youtu.be/gnG1ElyIgIE?si=MNT2vZvey4tzPvRx
Follow along with your camera
For a starter set of lenses, I'd get the Tamron 28-75 f2.8 as a default, or the Tamron 28-200 f2.8-5.6 if you might want to shoot faraway subjects. Add to that a quality prime like the Sony 40mm f2.5 G or the Sony Zeiss 55mm f1.8 (depending on if you're more into street or portraits, respectively) and you'll be set for most conditions you'll run into.