I know almost nothing.... need advice on buying.

[Papa Deuce]

Hello.

Ok, I have bought my wife many a point and shoot digital camera - all in the Coolpix line. Now she has been hinting that she really wants to do more with her camera that what she can get with a Coolpix.

I don't take many photos, but one thing that ALWAYS disappoints me with the Coolpix is that you really don't get much zoom. We go to lots of cool places on vacation and I can never get close enough to many of the things I would like to shoot.

So, our budget to start is $500 - $600. I know that we can buy all the cool lenses later. But I need at least a basic lens to come with it if I spend that much right now.

I also know that Nikon and Canon rule this pricepoint, but someone a while back was tellling me that Panasonic really makes a sweet camera in that range. But then I was wondering about the future.... parts, acccessories.......

Any thoughts on where to start looking?


Thank You.

 

[klissarov ik]

welcome to the forums!

since you're familiar with nikon- i'd suggest you getting a nikon d40 + lens kit (18-55mm) which is around 550$. upgrading from a digital camera to a dslr... you'll find the d40 pretty much friendly and helpful(easy to use).

but one thing i always recommend to everyone that are looking to get their first dslr camera- always go to a local store first and feel them, all the different models, canon 350d, nikon d40, etc...

but one thing to consider with the d40, is that it's not compatible with every nikon lenses. so if you're thinking of getting something that you'll be using in long term, which means buying new lenses and such, then this factor might be against you.

also- if you aren't familiar with this website, feel free to go check out some pictures taken with different cameras... this might help you deciding on your camera.
http://www.flickr.com/cameras/

 

[Papa Deuce]

Thank you! BTW, we use photobucket... and I don't like it much. Seems to be turning somewhat "seedy".... And I am looking for a new place to store images, and hopefully, video clips.... I will check out Flickr. Thanks!

 

[klissarov ik]

here is a 2 websites where you can upload your pictures.

1) Deviant Art, more open and you can get feedbacks from others.
http://www.deviantart.com/

2) Image Shack, which is more personal
http://imageshack.us/

there are surely plenty more- but those are the ones i'm familiar with.
as for your videos- someone else will have to come in for this one, as i don't really know- but hell you could even use YouTube at the limit? No eh?

But make sure to upload some of your work out here once you get your things togheter.

 

[fightheheathens]

dont forget to check out the Pentax and Sony cameras. they are also very good and come with good lenses

 

[Papa Deuce]

dont forget to check out the Pentax and Sony cameras. they are also very good and come with good lenses

I can never buy a Pentax on priciple.... after they declared themselves "The Official Camera of the Internet".....

As decided by who? Does the intenet even want an official camera? How will it use it? I need to check with Al Gore.

Seriously, stuff like that makes me nuts. And maybe I am a nut for caring, but that is just the kind of thing that makes me rebel against a company.

 

[Sc00b3rts]

Have you checked out some of the ultra zoom cameras? I prefer the sony line (H2,H5,H7,H9). The H2/5 are the old model which is available now one clearance at several vendors. Both feature a 10x optical lens, the H2 is 6mp and the H5 is 7. The H7/9 just came out, feature a 15x zoom and also share the Bionz processor that the A100. The cameras all feature manual controls as well as the basic point and shoot presets. Image stabilization and the lens quality is really good ( Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar). The H9 also has a tilt 3" LCD with live preview and historgram, nightshot infrared system, 1/4000 shutter speed, HD output, remote, movie mode, etc.

Of course the lens is fixed, but they do have accessory lenses for them including the wide angle lens, telephoto lens, and macro lens. Typical filters will fit as well.

It is of course a lot easier to carry than a DSLR, but does have its limitations but for the price you get one heck of a camera.

There are many people in another forum that swear by these cameras, many carrying DSLR's.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Have you checked out some of the ultra zoom cameras? I prefer the sony line (H2,H5,H7,H9). The H2/5 are the old model which is available now one clearance at several vendors. Both feature a 10x optical lens, the H2 is 6mp and the H5 is 7. The H7/9 just came out, feature a 15x zoom and also share the Bionz processor that the A100. The cameras all feature manual controls as well as the basic point and shoot presets. Image stabilization and the lens quality is really good ( Carl Zeiss® Vario-Tessar). The H9 also has a tilt 3" LCD with live preview and historgram, nightshot infrared system, 1/4000 shutter speed, HD output, remote, movie mode, etc.

Of course the lens is fixed, but they do have accessory lenses for them including the wide angle lens, telephoto lens, and macro lens. Typical filters will fit as well.

It is of course a lot easier to carry than a DSLR, but does have its limitations but for the price you get one heck of a camera.

There are many people in another forum that swear by these cameras, many carrying DSLR's.

That may be an option. I just know she would like a little more than she gets in the Coolpix line. Thank You.

 

[Don Simon]

I can never buy a Pentax on priciple.... after they declared themselves "The Official Camera of the Internet".....

As decided by who? Does the intenet even want an official camera? How will it use it? I need to check with Al Gore.

Seriously, stuff like that makes me nuts. And maybe I am a nut for caring, but that is just the kind of thing that makes me rebel against a company.

So not at all like Nikon claiming to be "the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of quality photographic technology and peripherals" and thereby completely ignoring the existence of Canon? Advertising is BS most of which makes no logical sense - that's the way of the world. But hey, refusing to buy on the basis of a silly decision by some advertising execs 3 years ago makes more sense than some arguments I've heard

As for what camera to go for, remember that a dSLR system will allow you to buy and use those 'cool lenses' you mentioned... the Panasonics and the Sony H series however are fixed-lens cameras - with these, if you want a wider angle or longer telephoto then at best you will have to use lens attachments which are nowhere near as good as a dedicated lens. dSLRs may be more expensive but in the long run offer more flexibility. Fixed-lens cameras are good however if you don't want to change lenses, ans since they usually have a zoom with great range, they can offer more flexibility for less money in the short term.

 

[zioneffect564]

I just know she would like a little more than she gets in the Coolpix line. Thank You.

The sony's will offer a lot more than the coolpix line. I owned a nikon coolpix s6 and now i have a sony a100 dslr and the h7/9 offers all of the same manual functions as the alpha but its not going to have the same flexability of a dslr. Like it was said above you still get one heck of a camera.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Thanks all...... I still have a week to deicde...

 

[DSLR noob]

A used Pentax *ist line camera with a few pancake lenses! Sorry, I loves teh pancakes.

Seriously though, if you want a cheaper DSLR line that has quality as good as any other, Pentax seems to look good and has HUGE possiblities for upgrades. If you want to go new, look at the Pentax K100D or Pentax K110D.

 

[blatalllic]

Im pretty new here too, and for my first DSLR I bought a Olympus E-500....Comes with two lenses and it was about $100 or so more then the D40 with the lense kit.....I've used both the lenses many times...I have no complaints so far.....Battery life is great too....

 

[Papa Deuce]

Im pretty new here too, and for my first DSLR I bought a Olympus E-500....Comes with two lenses and it was about $100 or so more then the D40 with the lense kit.....I've used both the lenses many times...I have no complaints so far.....Battery life is great too....

Ok, I just checked that out. They sell a 2 lens version and a 1 lens version.... the 1 lens version fits my budget, but the 2 lens is over....

 

[JDP]

So not at all like Nikon claiming to be "the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of quality photographic technology and peripherals" and thereby completely ignoring the existence of Canon?

But Nikon isn't lying.


*Dons fireproof suit and runs away to hide in the closet*