Hi from Portland, OR

[Theresse]

Hello -

I just registered and am looking for advice about what digital camera to buy. I have an old Canon A80 which just died and which served us well, besides the shutter lag issues (which weren't always a problem but sometimes it just wasn't fast enough).

As I mention in my profile, years ago I bought a Canon A1 film camera, used, because i wanted to learn photography. I got it professionally tuned up and then never used it! I took a beginner's photography class at a community college and much of it went over my head - it seemed everyone there had already been using SLR's for years and pretty much already knew what they were doing so the teacher taught in a way that accommodated them more than the very few clueless of us so I gave up.

Anyway, here I am years later, now with small, very FAST children and I just want a camera that can keep up as well as take good pics which is why I'm considering - yikes - getting an entry level D-SLR...but only cause they're known to have very little shutter lag (by the way, what is the correct terminology for the opposite of shutter lag? You can't say "fast" cause that means something else in photography so I don't know what to call it. Fast shutter speed?).

The only problem I'm finding is that I'm spoiled by the hybrid, point and shoot cameras - especially the Canons with all those live view swiveling LCD screens and the video capabilities and the good built-in zooms with IS and all in a package that isn't obnoxiously heavy. I am having a really hard time understanding why on earth the D-SLR's of today still lack some really handy, family-friendly features such as those I just mentioned (w/ the exception of built-in lenses of course). I'm really irritated by the snobby, elitist, traditionalist photographers who believe a good-quality camera (i.e. SLR) has to have no bells & whistles in order for the person behind the camera to deserve respect - and that they seem to think some of the incredibly useful features that could be offered are "gimmicky." The fact is so many of these "gimmicks" are really family-friendly and a parent has every right to want a FAST camera (you know what I mean) that takes excellent image-quality photos, for crying out loud!!!

Ok that said, I will now go start a specific thread in the appropriate place, asking advice about which of the cameras I'm considering would be most appropriate...and I just hope that after this rant, someone will write me back!

Thank you!

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[matt-l]

Welcome!

[Doug]

Hello and Welcome to the forum.

[Mitica100]

Welcome aboard.