N00b (me) needs a new camera, and I don't even know where to begin!

[dorsiflector]

So sorry for the n00b post but I don't really know what I'm doing, and I hardly know where to start.

My last camera was a cheap Canon that some guy sold me at Circuit City... before they went bankrupt... and so I really need help.

I assume that posting my plans for use will enable you to make a better recommendation... so here goes... I'm sorta all over the place here...

- Photographing wildlife up close; specifically, close-ups of mushrooms used for online identification
- Taking nice pictures of friends and family.
- Recording videos of dance competitions
- Recording training videos of me teaching stuff for posting on YouTube

Is it possible to keep the cost below $1000?

tyvm for both your help and patience.

 

[KmH]

Begin here - Everything you need to know about buying a camera | The Verge

 

[brunerww]

Hi dorsiflector - as a noob, even after you read that great Verge article, you will still want a simple camera. I recommend you get a hybrid still/video camera that is easy to use.

My wife shoots stills and video with a relatively simple $499 Panasonic FZ150 "bridge" camera with a long zoom and macro for closeups of plants and wildlife, "high frame rate" 1080/60p for capturing fast action such as dance, and a microphone input for getting actor/talent voices onto the soundtrack more clearly - important for training videos. It does very well indoors and outdoors for both stills and video. Its replacement, the $549 FZ200, performs even better in low light conditions due to a "faster" (wider aperture) lens when fully zoomed in.

Here are some FZ150 stills: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1777759@N24/pool/
And some from the FZ200: http://www.flickr.com/groups/fz_200/pool/

Here is an FZ150 video: https://vimeo.com/48214926
This was shot with the FZ200: https://vimeo.com/53306573

Yes, there are cameras that will give you higher quality stills and video - but they generally have a steeper learning curve.

Hope this is helpful,

Bill

 

[Solarflare]

This doesnt sound like high demands, no autofocus / high ISO / shallow depth of field / etc demands anywhere.

Thus, a cheap compact camera could manage this stuff. They all have 1080p/30 video mode now.

 

[brunerww]

This doesnt sound like high demands, no autofocus / high ISO / shallow depth of field / etc demands anywhere.

Thus, a cheap compact camera could manage this stuff. They all have 1080p/30 video mode now.

Solarflare - I would agree, but dorsiflector's video needs are more demanding than his or her still needs - 1080/30p will not be as smooth for capturing dance as 1080/60p - and not many cheap compact cameras have mic inputs - essential for getting the mic close enough for decent audio in training videos. Sound is just as important as image quality when you're trying to convey information.

External mic jacks are very rare in the compact "point and shoot" and "bridge" camera world. As far as I know, only the $427 Nikon P7700 and the Panasonic FZ150/FZ200 have one. The Nikon is limited to 1080/30p at its highest frame rate, so I recommend one of the Panasonics.

Sadly, none of these cameras are cheap.

Cheers

Bill

 

[dorsiflector]

tyvm!!! Good points about the video demands exceeding the still shots, and the audio; I hadn't considered audio demands, but they're important--especially for dance!