Camera buying guide

[duncanp]

great thread duncanp,ive been looking for an upgrade in cam im currently using a bog standard olympus x-715 digital cam,i am thinking of going for the cannon EOS 350D rebelXT,so could you please give me some details on it.thanks

ITs a good camera... the only thing it has ever been marked down on is handling, due to its small size.

Features

• 8.0 MP
• 3 fps with up to 14 image burst
• E-TTL II flash system
• DIGIC II
• 7-point AF
• DPP RAW image processing software
• Separate RAW/JPEG image recording
• USB 2.0 Hi-speed/Video Out
• Compatible with EF/EF-S lenses/EX Speedlite flashes
• PictBridge compatible

 

[Cades83898]

I've been taking pics for a long time. I loved my russian Zenit 35mm that was built in 1975 and my digital Kodak DX6340 was good for starting out in digital photos. However, now I want to step up and regain some of the manual controls I lost when I switched from the Zenit to the Kodak. No, I can't go back to the Zenit as the light meter no longer works and I need something digital. So, I need advice on a new camera. It will be for play and work. I like to take architecture, landscape, and wildlife photos. I am also launching a new website (www.reefallure.com) were I'll be selling live corals so I need manual focus and good macro capability with a wide depth of field so I can get all of the organism in focus. This is what I want:

BIG ZOOM
good macro
Manual focus (for taking pics of things inside aquariums)
Manual f-stop for control over my depth of field
Option for additional lenses
High quality pics

These are the cameras I'm looking at so far:
Canon Powershot S3 IS
Sony DSC-H2 or H5
Kodak P712
Kodak P880

Basically, Iwant to get as close to a DSLR as I can without the bulk (lugging around multiple lenses on vacation) or the expense. Any advice or recomendations or other suggestions would be highly valued by me!
Thanks

 

[Rob]

Basically, Iwant to get as close to a DSLR as I can without the bulk (lugging around multiple lenses on vacation) or the expense. Any advice or recomendations or other suggestions would be highly valued by me! Thanks

In my opinion, a Ricoh KR Digital will do what you want perfectly. It does not have manual focus or zoom(!), but from what you've suggested I would honestly recommend it. Have a look on www.dpreview.com and do a side-by-side compare on different models to look at features.

BTW, this post would probably be better being moved into General from this thread!

Rob

 

[Tolyk]

Good idea! I'm surprised there isn't already such a thread, given how many times people ask the questions you've addressed here. The only thing I'd really question is the bit about resolution. There are so many factors involved that the whole issue of resolution in film and digital is a pretty grey area. One thing to remember is that you can have the best glass available, on the most expensive camera there is, and it won't do you much good if you're printing from your DSLR with cheap ink and the wrong kind of paper in the wrong printer, or handing your films over to a lab whose staff don't know or care what they're doing. The one other thing I'd add is that compact or zoom digitals do have one specific advantage over DSLRs - you can compose the shot using the LCD screen. Anyway those are just some minor issues, I agree this post should be stickied and with updates and input from some of the various experts here we could have a pretty comprehensive guide. Great job!

Well, the new-ish Olympus E-Volt 400 allows you to view on the LCD screen, but I don't really find it to be a perk, as you can't really use it with hand held photography, you get a lot more camera shake, so I always end up putting my camera up to my eye anyways. With my little digital point and shoot, it has a viewfinder, so what I'm seeing through it quite what I'm shooting.. I find it's more of a negative..

However, the the E-Volt, having the feature available but still being able to see through the lens is definitely a perk. Up to the eye for hand held, through the viewfinder for tripod work.

Well, my opinion on it at least

 

[duncanp]

this has 1000 views now

 

[John_Dean]

Hello Duncanp. Great guide. I do a lot of nature photography. And I am painter.I use Fujifilm S5600, and I am happy with it.

Good Luck !

 

[loves_guitar]

Hey Duncanp, could you do an edit with your top post and include in brackets some North American prices for those of us on this side of the pond.

Thanks.

 

[Mad_Gnome]

The initial section of the post referenced the EOS 1V and the EOS 1DS MkII. The EOS 1V currently retailes for around $1,700 USD, and the 1DS MkII is roughly $6,800 USD. Both of these prices are body only.

Digital Compact:

A small amount of suggested models for a range of prices:

Nikon Coolpix L4 - $115 – 4mp, 3x: 38-114mm
Nikon Coolpix L3 - $120 – 5mp, 3x: 38-116mm
Canon PowerShot A540 – $170 – 6mp 4x: 35-140mm
Fujifilm F30 - $260 – 6mp, 3x: 36-108mm, Huge ISO range: 100-3200
Sony DSCT30 - $420 – 7mp, 3x: 38-114mm
Canon IXUS 800 IS (SD700 in the US) - $290 – 6mp, 4x: 35-140mm, Image Stabiliser

SLR Style or Super zoom:

A few of the best SLR styles:

Fuji FinePix S6500/S6000fd - $395 – 5mp, 10x: 38-380mm
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2 - $310 – 6mp, 12x: 36-432mm
PowerShot S3 IS - £299 – 6mp, 12x: 36-432mm
Fuji FinePix S9500 - $380 – 9mp, 10.7x: 28-300mm
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 - $439 – 10mp, 5x: 24-120mm

Digital Single Lens Reflex:

Beginner DSLRs (Body only):

Nikon D50 - $500 – 6mp.
Pentax K110D - $450 – 6mp NEW!!
Canon EOS 350D (Digital Rebel XT) - $540 – 8mp


Amateur / Enthusiast (Body only)

Canon EOS 400D - $740 – 10mp NEW!!
Nikon D80 - $950 – 10mp NEW!!
Canon EOS 30D – £749 – 8mp
Nikon D200 - $1500 – 10mp
Canon EOS 5D - $2820 – 12mp, Full frame
Sony DLSR A100 - $700 - 10mp NEW!!
Pentax K10D - $920 - 10mp NEW!!

 

[robodupre]

Thanks for the information, it helped me out tremendously. My friend passed this other link to me and I thought I would pass it on. The website discusses photography, and the gentleman in the video offers great tips that have helped me as well. Check it out:

http://homegarden.expertvillage.com/interviews/photography.htmhttp://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1025&message=21041310

 

[RSdreamphotos]

I, too, have to thank you for the information. I'm looking to upgrade to an SLR very soon. But I have to make a reccomendation for people who can't quite afford the step up to the SLR.
For the past 2 months I've been using a Kodak P880 zoom camera. I've been amazed by the quality of photo that it takes. I believe being on sale and after rebates, it came out to $299 USD.
Great little camera with all the manual features.

Here's the stats that I can remember off hand while at work:

8MP
24-140mm (35mm equiv) Schneider-Kreuznach Lense
f/2.8-4.1,
wide-angle lens,
Manual zoom,
Extra 2x Digital Zoom
Manual focus ring,
Flash Hot Shoe
Shutter speeds of 16 sec - 1/4000 sec


My only dislike is that the body is pretty small and there's 16 buttons on the body that don't accomodate large hands very well. Other than that, it's a great camera for those who don't want to step up to the SLR yet, and for me it's been a great learning tool or "stepping stone" to the digital SLR.

Rob

 

[Emma14]

This christmas im getting a Samsung 'Digimax S600' Digital Camera with 6 million pixels 3x optical zoom , 5x Digital Zoom and 20Mb internal memory-SD compatible upto 1GB... Any good? Anyone used it before? i have no idea what it will be like. but for £149 i guess it should be okay

 

[Groupcaptainbonzo]

Digital zooms are not worth a light ( it is just like cutting the middle out of a picture and just using that bit. But of course that means that your 6 mega pixle camera is now a 3 Mega pixel or 1 mega pixel or what ever you are cutting out. If you get the choice use OPTICAL zoom . then you are still using all 6million pixels).so forget that bit. The rest is a really good camera that will allow you to print sharp pictures at A4 at least. and with a little luck you may get away with A3. (Handy if you want to make an image A3 and just print the middle (A4) bit... You should enjoy this and get some good results

 

[redtree84]

I adore landscape photography,and really want to pursue this passion! Im looking to purchase the Canon EOS 350D as at the moment the bog standard digi cam doesnt cut it,even though ive made some nice shots. Just wondered if some peeps could foward some tips for what camera to purchase? Im fairly sure itll be a DSLR,but as to which im not positive! So all recommendations welcome!

 

[Nefertiti]

Hi..I've recently bought a Canon Powershot A630. Though I've been doing photography for quite some time now, but never used a digital camera before. So if anybody used it, please share your opinions.

 

[IMD_McHugh]

Okay so im under the impression that Caon are better that Fuji, but heres the deal. I'm not a pro photographer, I'm not trying to be, But I am looking to take photography more seriously, and was contemplating a cheaper model that most serious photographers.

So I found a Fuji s5600 for £137 and a Canon SS IS for £170, and was wondering what to go for here?

Any help/advice is appreciated.