DSLR vs. Point & Shoot

[ml6467]

Hi,

Its my first time on here...and I am looking for some advice. I have a budget of about $500, and would like to get an entry-level SLR, namely the T3. I have seen and read the reviews for the SX40, and i thought about that one as well. While I am a novice photographer, I need a camer with minimal shutter lag and delay, as I have two small and very fast children, which I dont want to miss a moment. Is a DSLR a better investment, because down the road, I can upgrade and switch out lenses? Also, does the T3 have a decent video capability, again, wanting to capture my babies moments.

Any advice would be so helpful from you photographers out there.

Thanks a bunch,
Michelle

 

[mjhoward]

I think it is going to depend on if/how you plan to upgrade in the future. To get good use of a DSLR will require somewhat of a significant investment. Sure you can upgrade and switch out the lenses, but to get any kind of improvement, you're going to be looking at spending $500+ on a single zoom lens. This is assuming that relatively cheap prime lenses are out of the question since most people want zoom (especially anyone looking into the SX40 which is more of a mega-zoom).

If you're not into investing much, then I might also suggest checking out the Canon G12 camera. As far as point and shoots go, it is an excellent one. It has a much larger sensor than the SX40 you are looking at (1/2.3" vs 1/1.7"), it allows for manual settings, it has a hot-shoe (very desirable allowing bounced and off camera flash with speedlight), and it allows you to shoot RAW.

 

[StandingBear1983]

If you want fast action photos and quick shutter speeds with no lag to shoot your kids, it will be only on an DSLR, you can buy an entry level Canon\Nikon (Nikon D3100\D3200, Canon T2i\T3i) with 500$ with a kit lens, maybe you'll need to add 100$. though you can always go for a used DSLR. a used older DSLR will still be better then a new bridge camera.

The Canon SX40 is a bridge camera, most folks buy it for the zoom, apart from the larger zoom, its like a compact with the same slow lag of a compact, there is no comparison and a huge difference between a proper DSLR and a bridge camera, both in speed and specially in image quality from the larger sensor of the DSLR.