New here & traveling soon...need camera

HVACMD

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Hi, I'm new here. And very much a beginner when it comes to photography.

I'll be traveling to the Philippines soon, and will be staying for 3 weeks. Having traveled there several times before, I'm never happy with the pictures I come home with. My pictures are probably 70% street pictures, lots and lots of people pictures. 30% are landscapes, beaches, mountains, etc.

I recently used a Canon S2IS there. Lots of the pictures I take are in low light, and they come out blurry or grainy, even after tweaking the settings, ISO, shutter, aperature, etc, because I really try to avoid the flash if possible. I know I'm beyond what the camera is designed for, but I really want photos with natural light. Maybe the camera is fine for my needs and what I really need is a photography class.

So, now I'm looking for something better. I've looked at some of the Nikon SLRs, like the D60, but then I wonder what I'd need to take for lenses to equal the 12x zoom I have with the S2IS, and also have the abilty to take low light portraits.

I've researched back and forth on the web, and am even more confused than when I started.

I've been into a few camera stores, and get the feeling they just want to sell me something....anything.

Help please!
 
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Well, what's your budget?
 
Canon S2IS specs:
1/2.5" size sensor.
6-72mm (36-432mm 35mm equiv.)
aperture = F2.7/3.5 - F8

The aperture is not bad, so I would say that your problem is with noise at higher ISO and camera shake at low shutter speeds.

Look for a DSLR with some sort of anti-shake mechanism, with low noise at the higher ISO range.
Depending on the focal range you use for the street shots ... you can get some very bright fixed focal length lenses for a DSLR (ie 50mm f1.4 or 100mm f1.8).
Note that most DSLR's sensor will change the lens focal length by 1.5x
 
Well, what's your budget?

Oh...sorry. :)

Well, to start I'd like to keep it under $1000. I'd like to add something like a 100-400 zoom next spring to photograph my kids' soccer games.
 
Many good deals to be had out there right now. I saw an XSi kit for $850 that included the 18-55IS lens and the 55-250 IS lens. This would keep you with a image stabilized shots. Then for low light the 50mm 1.8 for less than $100. With tax you'd be just a hair over $1000 and have the DSLR equivalent to your P&S (13.8x zoom range and IS) + a fast lens for lower light situations.

Best of luck and safe travels....
 
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Note that most DSLR's sensor will change the lens focal length by 1.5x

I made the same mistake in the past and was corrected by BigMike (Thanks ;))

Actually, the lens focal length did not change at all. If it is a 50mm focal length lens, it will be 50mm focal length lens when it is used in a D60, D90, D700 or D3.

The crop factor actually means the image will be cropped in the smaller sensor camera such as the D60 when compare with the full frame sensor or regular 35mm film camera. As a result, the field of view of image produced by the smaller sensor body is smaller.

So, the only different is the field of view.
 
You are correct ... it is just sometimes easier to explain as a lens that is 1.5x larger.
 
Many good deals to be had out there right now. I saw an XSi kit for $850 that included the 18-55IS lens and the 55-250 IS lens. This would keep you with a image stabilized shots. Then for low light the 50mm 1.8 for less than $100. With tax you'd be just a hair over $1000 and have the DSLR equivalent to your P&S (13.8x zoom range and IS) + a fast lens for lower light situations.

Best of luck and safe travels....



Where is this deal at?? I haven't seen the XSi paired with two lenses that were IS. Are you sure they're not the cheaper kit lenses with the same focal length??
 
Not a bad deal. The short lens should be pretty decent, don't know much about the longer one. I'm going to just forget about this deal, having just bought this body a few months ago. Should have waited for this time of the season, but I've already taken some cool pictures that I wouldn't trade for anything.
 
Thanks for the help. I'm closer to making a decision. I'd really like to keep it down to one, maybe 2 lenses for the trip. I like to travel light and keep a low profile. Hate to look too out of place and wind up face down on some dusty street in the Philippines.

So, with that in mind....lets say I'm leaning towards the Rebel XSi...I want people pics...and some scenery...beaches, etc. Which 1 or 2 lenses would you bring?
 

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