This isn't crafts but I guess it might qualify as arts! Can anyone advise me on the best sort of camera to get started with landscape photograpy?

[Ormirian]

Having been hunting round flickr in a response to the crap places/beautiful places thread, I am inspired to start taking good pics (not just ones with my kids in!). I spend a lot of time walking in lovely places so I have the material to hand!

What to start with? I beleive we have a bog standard digital camera somewhere around the house but mostly we use our phones . What sort of camera is best to start with?

Hi Ormirian
I think it depends on how much money you want to spend. If you want to take really good photos then I definitely recommend taking the step up from standard digital to a digital SLR.

I've got a Sony A290 which, as a newbie myself, am finding extremely user friendly. It's also much lighter than the canon and nikon SLR so I find It take it just about everywhere with me.

I also got mine as a "factor refurb" so although they retail for about £300 I got mine for £200. My MIL says it's the best thing I ever bought (mainly because I constantly take photos of DS with it!)

Can recommend Panasonic Lumix. So easy to use - great pics.

I've had a lot of fun with my Panasonic Lumix FZ-100

I have a Canon EOS that I've had a few years now. It's easy to use but also quite flexible if you want to do more than standard shots. We've taken some fab shots both close up and landscape, good entry level SLR camera

Brilliant! Thanks so much.

Will have a look.

I am behind with my personal photography challenge but this has some shots which were basically point-and-shoot. My Lumix isnt an SLR but one of the ones that looks like it is and bridges the gap between the little digital cameras and the Big Boys.

Are those your soupy?They are lovely!

A bit ouchy at the price of a decent camera I suspect it will have to be christmas ....

they are mine, thank you :) The best bit is that it was pretty much point and shoot. Nothing fancy and I've not even gone into all the different settings and manual settings yet.

I bought mine as a Christmas present for myself with some money my dad gave me from his brother's estate last year. I felt ill at the cost when I ordered it but have enjoyed it immensely.

I will be asking for money for myself for Christmas I think!

another recommendation for Panasonic Lumix here too - I love mine & so does my DH as he keeps pinching it which kind of speaks volumes for it as a camera as he used to be a professional photographer

My dad is a very keep amateur photographer and he is just as happy with the Lumix which is one model down from mine, and thus a leeeetle cheaper.

happily I have found my iPad camera connection so can clear the SD card on mine and sort through what I've taken recently :)

Thanks hippy.

There are quite a few different models that range fromthis to a whole lot more expensive! Would something like that be OK to start with? I might be able to run to that sooner than Christmas.

Lumix is good.

I have a fujifilm finepix which is a bridge camera - between a compact and a DSLR. It takes great pictures and the ones which aren't great, are my fault!

Don't think you have to spend a lot to take decent photos. In fact, you're probably better spending less and learning how to use it properly before progressing to a more expensive camera.

See if you're local college does courses or get yourself a book.

www.dpreview.com is a website I found really useful when choosing cameras.

mines an Lumix DMC FZ28, (pretty much point & shoot) which I've had a while now, so you might find it cheaper on e-bay etc - I've photos on my profile taken with it if you want to see what it can doo & I've won places in photo contest using it, so

I also used to love my old Olympus & got some lovely photos from it this one mine got smashed so DH bought me one from e-bay very cheaply, as they are an old model now - though think he might have had an ulterior motive - ied nick my Lumix

The reviews for it look good, as do the sample pictures.