Best camera for candid shots of children?

lissylove · Feb 20, 2012

Hi friends,

I am a toddler teacher at an early education center and I have recently taken to photographing the kids. I'm really enjoying it and would like to get my own camera instead of having to use the school's each time. I've been using a 16 MP Canon Powershot, which is pretty decent, but I'd like one that's a little bit more adequate for photographing children. If you all could recommend a camera that suits my wants and needs, which are as follows, that would be great:

1) Fast response time. This is VITAL. I am so tired of getting useless shots that could have been great had they been taken a second earlier.
2) Kid mode. I don't know exactly what this means but I'm assuming good focus despite fast movement.
3) High-ish MP to facilitate ease of editing in Photoshop. At least 14 would be great but I can go lower if someone convinces me that it's okay.
4) Good quality in indoor light.

One thing I DON'T need are settings that make a pictures fish eye or black and white or sepia or whatever. I can go back and do that in Photoshop. Looking to spend no more than $300, obviously preferably less

.

I tried to post a sample but for some reason it's not working.

Thanks, all!

DiskoJoe · Feb 20, 2012

get a used entry level dslr.

nikon - 3100
canon - xs
sony alpha 200

This is about all you could afford but they would not be much faster then what you have unless you get a better lens then the kit which would cost you an extra $100 at least. I would recommend adding a 50mm f1.8. There is a buy/sell section on here you could browse.

luvmyfamily · Feb 20, 2012

DiskoJoe said:
get a used entry level dslr.

nikon - 3100
canon - xs
sony alpha 200

This is about all you could afford but they would not be much faster then what you have unless you get a better lens then the kit which would cost you an extra $100 at least. I would recommend adding a 50mm f1.8. There is a buy/sell section on here you could browse.

If you can go just a couple hundred dollars more, you can get an entry level DSLR, or check Amamzon or ebay or Craigslist for a steal. Are you mainly doing portraits, or just random shots. Another option would be to purchase an entry level DSLR body only and get a lens for what you are trying to achieve. If your budget is $300, I would seriously try to add a couple hundred to it, IMHO.

cgipson1 · Feb 20, 2012

You have two choices.......

#1 Spend a lot more money.. get a DSLR and a decent lens... and then invest several hundred hours minimum in learning to use it properly. Leaving it on Auto or Program might be better than the point and shoot you have... but not by much.

#2 Spend a little more money and get the best Bridge (high end point and shoot) camera you can find .. and then spend a few hours learning to use it.

Your call!

Scuba · Feb 20, 2012

That is a tight budget and I think you need a DSLR so you don't have the shutter lag and miss the moments you are trying to capture. I think you can get a entry level that is used for your price point. You can probably find a Canon Xsi or Nikon d3000 with a kit lens for $300-350 on craigslist or ebay. I don't know a ton about the nikon but the Canon is 12.2 MP and that is plenty of MP. I think the best thing would to just get the body and then get a 50mm f/1.8 lens. That would be good in lower light and a good focal length oh yeah and it is only about $80 for the lens new.

enzodm · Feb 20, 2012

lissylove said:
1) Fast response time. This is VITAL. I am so tired of getting useless shots that could have been great had they been taken a second earlier.

this calls for dSLR. One of the reasons I switched from P&S. Entry level dSLR typically have also the same automatic controls of P&S.

lissylove said:
2) Kid mode. I don't know exactly what this means but I'm assuming good focus despite fast movement.

Sports photographers use cameras with autofocus made for that, but with your budget, you just take what you can.

lissylove said:
3) High-ish MP to facilitate ease of editing in Photoshop. At least 14 would be great but I can go lower if someone convinces me that it's okay.

actually, more MP means more difficulties in processing, unless for processing you mean just cropping.

lissylove said:
4) Good quality in indoor light.

as before, with your budget you take what you can. The lens may play some role - whatever camera you buy, buy also a 50/1.8.

lissylove said:
One thing I DON'T need are settings that make a pictures fish eye or black and white or sepia or whatever. I can go back and do that in Photoshop.

those settings are typical of P&S, and less of dSLR. Mostly they cost nothing.

lissylove said:
Looking to spend no more than $300, obviously preferably less .

good luck

Maybe you may just find a slightly faster P&S, check here: Digital Camera Shutter Lag Comparison Table

Bossy · Feb 20, 2012

What are you doing with these pics? Printing them? Just for facebook?

2WheelPhoto · Feb 20, 2012

don't settle for second best, do it right

ph0enix · Feb 21, 2012

lissylove said:
Hi friends,

I am a toddler teacher at an early education center and I have recently taken to photographing the kids. I'm really enjoying it and would like to get my own camera instead of having to use the school's each time. I've been using a 16 MP Canon Powershot, which is pretty decent, but I'd like one that's a little bit more adequate for photographing children. If you all could recommend a camera that suits my wants and needs, which are as follows, that would be great:

1) Fast response time. This is VITAL. I am so tired of getting useless shots that could have been great had they been taken a second earlier.
2) Kid mode. I don't know exactly what this means but I'm assuming good focus despite fast movement.
3) High-ish MP to facilitate ease of editing in Photoshop. At least 14 would be great but I can go lower if someone convinces me that it's okay.
4) Good quality in indoor light.

One thing I DON'T need are settings that make a pictures fish eye or black and white or sepia or whatever. I can go back and do that in Photoshop. Looking to spend no more than $300, obviously preferably less .

I tried to post a sample but for some reason it's not working.

Thanks, all!

A typical newbie mistake is thinking that a good camera equates to taking good photos. That couldn't be further from the truth. I don't know how good your Canon Powershot is but some of the issues you're currently running into are probably related to your technique (or lack there of). Most, if not all, cameras in your price range (even entry level DSLRs) will come with the useless 'in camera effect' features (ie: fisheye, sepia, etc...) you're describing because of their target market. $300 is a pretty low budget for someone looking to get into photography.

1. Kids are difficult to shoot. They move a million miles a second (yes, literally - I took physics in college) so you have to anticipate the action and plan accordingly.
2. If cameras had a kid mode that would allow for taking great action shots every time automatically, most photographers would be out of business.
4. Great low light performance comes with a great price tag.

There is a sticky thread on top of the forum explaining how to post photos.