Need experts opinion

jumbofrank · Jan 10, 2015

My wife is very adventurous and loves to travel and capture every second of it. If it were in her ability she would travel around the world to every country only packing a tent and ramen. I want to make sure I don't quench that fire so Im surprising her with a trip to go camping in puerto rico but money is tight and I want her to be able to do what she loves and capture those moments. I was wondering if someone could give me a list of a couple of cameras or just one camera idea that I could get for her that would be good for huge mountain view pics and up close pics. I want to keep it around $350 but I am a NEWB when it comes to this so I know that may not be realistic lol. I would really appreciate yalls help in this. Thank you!

tirediron · Jan 10, 2015

The Canon Powershot G12 runs around $250 - 300 (used), and is, IMO, an excellent 'all-rounder', with full manual controls as well as program modes. It lacks the ability to change lenses, but the lens it has coves a wide range. If you want to get into interchangeable lenses, than look to something like a used Nikon D3000 or Canon Rebel T3i. You may have to bump your budget a bit to get the range of focal lengths desired however.

KmH · Jan 10, 2015

If her cell phone has a camera she could use that.

407370 · Jan 10, 2015

FUJI HS 20 - 50. is a great camera I have had mine for about 3 years and love it.
Great for macro, landscape and has a big zoom range in one package.

soufiej · Jan 10, 2015

jumbofrank said:
My wife is very adventurous and loves to travel and capture every second of it. If it were in her ability she would travel around the world to every country only packing a tent and ramen. I want to make sure I don't quench that fire so Im surprising her with a trip to go camping in puerto rico but money is tight and I want her to be able to do what she loves and capture those moments. I was wondering if someone could give me a list of a couple of cameras or just one camera idea that I could get for her that would be good for huge mountain view pics and up close pics. I want to keep it around $350 but I am a NEWB when it comes to this so I know that may not be realistic lol. I would really appreciate yalls help in this. Thank you!

That's very nice of you. I take it you don't use photographic gear. My suggestion then would be to, first, look at your wife's collection of photos. Is she using a zoom lens in most shots? Is she shooting landscapes and urban arenas? Does she do a lot of candid shots where she is using available subjects and available light? Get your best idea of what she will do, how she will use it and what she'll want to photograph, with a new camera. And, of course, has she expressed any desires for how she would make those shots - or the ones she missed - any better? Get an idea of what she does with the camera. Or ask her outright if she has been thinking of a new camera. It's always best to buy someone something they would like to have rather than what you think is best.

Then take that information and maybe a few sample shots down to your local independent camera shop. Call ahead and make an appointment through the store owner or manager to talk to the best salesperson they have who can deal with your basic questions. You'll probably want someone who can patiently spend some time just talking with you. Try to make your appointment on a slow weekday AM or afternoon. If you do this on a weekend, the shop is likely to be busy and you won't have the time to really discuss the subject. Go once, then think. Make a call to again meet with the same salesperson and present your next set of questions.

Do not go to a big box store. Not only will the salespeople have very little knowledge of the cameras in your price range, they aren't allowed by the policies of the store to really learn much about individual cameras. If you see a better price on the camera suggested by the local store, discuss pricing with them and they'll probably work with you. Remember, at the local shop, you're paying for their knowledge and assistance and probably some after the sale service which you won't get by ordering on line.

vintagesnaps · Jan 10, 2015

If you're considering used you might look at The Smarter Way to Buy and Sell New & Used Cameras – Canon, Nikon, Hasselblad, Leica & More - KEH Camera . I've bought quite a bit from Adorama, and B&H has a good reputation too; both have Used departments with listings on their websites.

If you're not familiar with cameras yourself you might want to go with a reputable dealer online (if there isn't a camera store in your area) so you have the option of a return/exchange or support if needed.

Light Guru · Jan 10, 2015

KmH said:
If her cell phone has a camera she could use that.

My thoughts exactly. If you don't want to go to a DSLR then just use a cell phone. There are lots of nice photography apps and you can even get external lenses that attach to the cell phone.

Jay Vee · Jan 16, 2015

If you don't object to buying used I would highly recommend the Sony RX100 (~$330). Superb picture quality from its 1" type sensor (twice as large as most compacts). Its lens is bright at f1.8-2.8 with a decent range of 28-100mm.