Camera Recommondations and questions, need a lot of help!

photo28 · Aug 10, 2008

Hi,
I've been looking for a new camera for a while now and it feels like forever.
I'll let you know what I need, I will need macro for small insects and regular pictures of animals and nature... in that general group.
Preferably 10MP.

#1. Do I get an SLR or a P&S?
I've been looking at SLR's but I'm on a very tight budget and I saw some P&S cameras that have great macro.

#2. Who is the best to get from... Canon, Olympus, Nikon, etc.?

#3. What is the cheapest price I could get on a 10MP SLR that is "good"?

#4. Is the Olympus Evolt E-410 a good camera overall?

#5. Are the Canon Powershot cameras good? Do any have good macro?

icassell · Aug 10, 2008

Why 10MP?

photo28 · Aug 10, 2008

The 10MP is just so I can get a nice print and have more flexibility with print sizes, the more and bigger, the better for me. If you know a camera that is lower, maybe 8MP tell me, I just said ten so that I can enlarge pictures more because I would like to get large prints although 8 would be fine as well.

bhoskins · Aug 10, 2008

Whats your budget?

Ben

photo28 · Aug 10, 2008

If an SLR the body alone I would like to be under $400, $350 if possible.

bhoskins · Aug 10, 2008

Found this;

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/371189-REG/Canon_0209B001_EOS_Digital_Rebel_XT.html

Maybe you should have a look at the Nikon D40 also, its 6mp but I have heard that its a great camera for the money.

Ben

photo28 · Aug 10, 2008

I was actually looking at that yesterday, and I have a friend who has the XTi. I found the XT on Buydig for $375.00, I'm not sure if thats a good place to get it from though. I'm keeping that one in mind but I'm going to keep looking.
Thanks for all the help so far! Any more will be appreciated!

bhoskins · Aug 10, 2008

I was also thinking maybe you could buy a used camera? Not sure what your views are but you could potentially get a decent camera for a snip of the retail price

Ben

photo28 · Aug 10, 2008

I was going to do that originally, but I heard "not to waste my time" on that. I'm going to look over that again, but I had trouble finding any that weren't just for parts and that work.

Bifurcator · Aug 11, 2008

With a budget of $500 or so dSLR cameras pretty much suck. The Pentax, Olympus, and Sony cameras aren't bad for about that price but the entry level Nikons and Canons that everyone seems to be brainwashed into hyping are really bad. No cool features, and REALLY low build qualities. The only thing they have over a bridge camera is sensor size and interchangeable lenses. The sensor size means less noise at higher ISO settings and a much flatter DOF but a bridge camera at 40, 50, 64, 80 or 100 ISO is every bit as good as the dSLR when it comes to low noise performance. But even the other makers will get you with additional costs when you find out the kit lens you got your $600 or $700 dSLR with just isn't a good all purpose lens and you find yourself having to spend another $500 or $600 to get one that is. There are exceptions but that's usually the game that's played. Also if you're interested in the DOF of small sensors there was just a thread on this not long ago in which I probably overstated the case but is worth reading if you're interested in the DOF issue.

What bridge cameras have are features! Lots and lots of features! More usually than even the $5000 and $7000 dSLR models from the top makers. So if you want lots of features at a low price that's the forte' of the bridge camera. Most of them also come with a lens which has a zoom range that is great for all-purpose photography - from 1cm 1:1 bug macros to fairly long distance bird photos. A good range is 28 ~ 200mm f/2.8~3.5. (EDIT: Most new bridge cameras are about 28 ~ 400mm !!)

A bridge camera is one that looks like it is a dSLR but in fact the lens is not interchangeable. They usually also have a smaller higher density imaging sensor. During my time here at TPF (this website) I have only uploaded images taken with a bridge camera. The Minolta A2 which shares many technologies in common with the Sony A100, A200, A300, A350 and A700.

Usually bridge cameras are introduced at between $600 and $800 and then drop about $150 a year until they are discontinued. My Minolta for example released at $800 new (at which time I bought 48 of them - long story) and today 4 years later, sells for $200. You can see example images I have taken with this camera here or in my sig link below.

The best bridge camera right now is probably the new Casio. It sells for whopping $1000 right now (it just releases a few weeks ago) but next year it should be available for around $850. Here is a list of bridge cameras that are pretty good: http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1320337&postcount=11 Your don't really want a "P&S" unless it's terribly important to you that the camera fits into your pocket.

photo28 · Aug 11, 2008

I thought that SLRs were in some cases overpriced and overrated. When I say/said "P&S" I mean Bridge camera, I honestly could careless if it fits in my pocket and want the most I could get out of a non-SLR. I see a 50/50 on the poll, anyone want to suggest more cameras or SLRs/Bridge cameras? I like the ones you recommended in th other thread, Bifurcator, I'm going to have to do some research and search for more!
Are the cameras cheaper in Japan, is that where they're made?
Also, nice pictures with your bridge camera! :thumbup:...
Those have put some positive thoughts about the Bridge cameras, but I'm still so confused!!! :drool:

:x
Would the SLR's be better, maybe the less-expensive ones... Nikon D60, Rebel XT, Olympus Evolt E-410?

photo28 · Aug 12, 2008

How much different is the image quality between a bridge camera and SLR? Maybe compoare the Olympus SP-570 UZ image quality to the Nikon D40. Is the D40's image quality that much better if it is 6MP and the SP-570 is 10MP?

photo28 · Aug 12, 2008

Would a lens around $100-$150 still give a nice picture? Originally I was looking at the Sigma 70-300mm zoom telephoto, 1:2 macro capability for $140. Is something like that good? I remember you saying that a good lens would be $500+, I think? Really I just need a very nice picture and good macro.

Bifurcator · Aug 12, 2008

photo28 said:
I thought that SLRs were in some cases overpriced and overrated.

They are! Entry level Nikon's and Canons that I know of for sure. Maybe some others.

Are the cameras cheaper in Japan, is that where they're made?

Yes, generally cheaper here. And with the recent MEGA-Devaluation of the US dollar I expect the differences to widen.

Also, nice pictures with your bridge camera! :thumbup:...
Those have put some positive thoughts about the Bridge cameras, but I'm still so confused!!!:x
Would the SLR's be better, maybe the less-expensive ones... Nikon D60, Rebel XT, Olympus Evolt E-410?

Probably sites like DP review and Steve's etc. would be better suited to ask these things. I dunno the D60 that well and people here tend to recommend either what they've seen recommended here before or what they own. Not everyone does that but how do tell which is which?

This is really no way to select a camera. I think you should hit the review sites, read all the reviews after using the camera comparison and interest tables like:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare.asp
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/stats.asp
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sidebyside.asp

Then pick the ones that have the features you think you're interested in and go to the shops and spend an hour with each and see if you can operate it, how easy it is to operate, and which ones make the most sense to you. Then with your grain of salt firmly planted under your tongue scour around for user reports - mostly you're looking for common problems and warnings. But do hang on to that grain. For example one camera I purchased was said by a very large number of people, to have AF focusing errors and problems. People were even sending their cameras back to the manufacturer. About a year later it came out that these people were retards that couldn't read a camera manual and the camera was actually doing what it was supposed to do for the mode it was in. Grain of salt.

photo28 said:
How much different is the image quality between a bridge camera and SLR? Maybe compoare the Olympus SP-570 UZ image quality to the Nikon D40. Is the D40's image quality that much better if it is 6MP and the SP-570 is 10MP?

Ooo, you said a dirty word. You said D40.

uke-rig:

Did you see the comparison images I posted in the other thread? You can get those and many others for just about every camera from any of various review sites.

photo28 said:
Would a lens around $100-$150 still give a nice picture? Originally I was looking at the Sigma 70-300mm zoom telephoto, 1:2 macro capability for $140. Is something like that good? I remember you saying that a good lens would be $500+, I think? Really I just need a very nice picture and good macro.

Yeah, lenses are weird. Some low cost lenses are tack sharp and awesome and some expensive lenses are soft, slow, loud, and have lots of aberrations. Generally you do seem to get what you pay for though. I think Pentax has a great line-up of reasonably priced, top quality lenses with no losers. I wish there were more lens review sites!! I subscribe to a cinema magazine (in Japanese) and they do an annual catalogue of every 35mm and movie camera lens (still) in production each year. It's over 1400 pages this year.

They review all the new lenses that come out as they are released too - in the monthly rag. The testing is all scientific with zero opinion, feeling, or jibber-jabber. I wish there was a site like that. There probably is and I just haven't found it yet. <shrug>

photo28 · Aug 12, 2008

Bifurcator said:
Yes, generally cheaper here. And with the recent MEGA-Devaluation of the US dollar I expect the differences to widen.

Do you think it would be just as cheap in Hong Kong?

Sorry,
I'm not really sure how that chart works, I have an idea....I think. Is it the more of the lines and the more clearer lines better?