Good digital? (not too spendy)

[ShutterBug4_4]

Hey guys, I really need your help here. Since I'm a total noob when it comes to digital photography, I need some suggestions. I'm gettin a digital camera, just cuz I'm sick of spending so much on developing uke-rig: The problem is that my price limit is about $400-$500, but I want a good quality camera.

Any suggestions? Tips?

 

[ksmattfish]

I have a buddy who normally shoots 4x5 Velvia, until he had a kid, and large format became too much for dealing with while watching a toddler. He swears by his Canon G5 which should be in your price range.

 

[mentos_007]

I suggest fuji s5000 or s7000 but they have very short exposure time (I know that s5000 ha only 2 secs)

 

[Alison]

I have a buddy who normally shoots 4x5 Velvia, until he had a kid, and large format became too much for dealing with while watching a toddler. He swears by his Canon G5 which should be in your price range.

The G1 was my first digital and they've come a long way in just a few years. My SIL shoots with a G3 and really likes it.

 

[DocFrankenstein]

What are you gonna be using the cam for? :?

 

[ShutterBug4_4]

Well, i'm going to France this winter, and I know that i'm gonna take tons of pictures. I just don't wanna spend a ton of money on developing film.

Truthfully, I really don't know much about digital cameras at all. I would like to have a camera that has a wide range of ISO settings, shutter speeds, and aperture settings. Otherwise, I'm not really sure what else would be good to have.

 

[DocFrankenstein]

I would like to have a camera that has a wide range of ISO settings, shutter speeds, and aperture settings. Otherwise, I'm not really sure what else would be good to have.

And you'd also wouldn't want it to be big and you'd like nice quality pics, right?

 

[Galaxy_Stranger]

Can you even find a digital SLR for that price? We bought a Canon A80 last feb. and it's great. Has a lot of manual control, but it's a point and shoot - no interchangable lenses.

 

[Ant]

You don't need an SLR for manual controls. My Olympus C750 has full manual settings and only cost me £240 ($430)

The picture quality is excellent too. In fact I was quite surprised when I compared it to my D70 at first glance on a PC monitor it looks just as good.

ShutterBug4_4 I'd seriously recommend taking a look at the Olympus C7xx series. They should be in your price range, have full manual controls and produce very good images.

 

[Galaxy_Stranger]

Hi, Ant. I have a response for you - but PLEEEZE don't take it as a nasty reply. It's just my experience.

Well, the proof is in the print. I own a CanonA80 that goes manual as well - but it won't tell me how far away my subject is and it won't tell me where my depth of field is. And, on the whole, your lighting options are rather limited. On top of that, as I mentioned above, point and shoots won't let you change out your lenses.

It all depends on what's important to you. In my opinion, the A80 is a kick ass little camera for it's class.

Again - this is not intended to be a flame, just an explanation of my perspective.

 

[Ant]

Hi, Ant. I have a response for you - but PLEEEZE don't take it as a nasty reply. It's just my experience.

Well, the proof is in the print. I own a CanonA80 that goes manual as well - but it won't tell me how far away my subject is and it won't tell me where my depth of field is. And, on the whole, your lighting options are rather limited. On top of that, as I mentioned above, point and shoots won't let you change out your lenses.

It all depends on what's important to you. In my opinion, the A80 is a kick ass little camera for it's class.

Again - this is not intended to be a flame, just an explanation of my perspective.

Hey, no problem. Everybody is entitled to an opinion and I've got a very thick skin

As for what you're saying about your camera not telling you how far away your subject is though. My Nikon D70 doesn't either. The subject is either in focus or not. Although in manual focus my little Olympus will :? go figure

Of course I agree that you won't get SLR functionality out of a P&S, but then you need to spend money to do that, and the OP stated that he's limited in the amount he can spend. In my experience my Olympus C750 is a pretty good compromise and I'm sure there are other $400 P&S that are too.

I've never used the Canon A80 but I've heard very good things about it and I'm sure it performs very well given the restrictions of it's class

 

[jadin]

There is an SLR just out of your range, (about $600 on ebay). It's the Nikon D1. It's 2.7 mp, but the sensor size is gigantic.

Full review http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond1/

I'd recommend this over any point and shoot, since I found it very boring to use a point and shoot that wasn't as "manual" as an SLR. (holding down two buttons to focus is not my idea of manual)

 

[Scurra]

I recently spoke to a neighbour of mine who I found out recently is a professional photographer who has sold numerous landscape shots to all kinds of people including the makers of the older bond movies who used them as backdrops. And he says that if I really want to consider photography as a method of making my living when I leave university next year that I would be best off having either a digital slr or a large format transparency camera. I am obviously tempted by the digital SLR and have seen the Canon EOS 300D advertised in several of my local photography shops for about £700. Has anyone had any experience with this camera or have an opinion on it that they would like to share?

 

[BrettG]

When I was shopping around for a digital camera (I didn't end up getting one but I did a lot of research) I found a VERY useful website, I believe it's www.thedigitalreview.com (at least, I hope it is, because if it's not I honestly have no idea what the address was). There was one guy who seemed very experienced in photography sampling every digital camera out there in quite extensive detail. It might help you make your decision.

EDIT: okay, that's a DVD reviews website so that's obviously not it. I'll do a little searching and see if I can find it again for you.

 

[BrettG]

http://www.imaging-resource.com/INDEX.HTM

Okay, that's the website. I found it extremely helpful when trying to pick one (it helped me to decide I didn't want one )