New Dad Needs New Camera Please Help a Newb out

[NewDaddyMark]

Guys, I'm a new father and want to take pictures of my new little bundle with my wife. I'm completely new to photography but want a camera that is capable of taking amazing pictures and grow with me as my experience increases. I dont like to buy poor quality items so need your help. I'm basically looking for a camera to take photos with such as portraits, of the family, possibly use in the woods on hunting trips, etc. Possibly make this a hobby for the future that my wife and I can do together. I'm currently borrowing a friends Nikon D80 to do some initial tinkering and it seems pretty easy to use but I'm not sure what capabilities it does or does not have that I should look for. I've read some posts and they recommended a Nikon d40 for a $500 price range and a Nikon d90 for a $1000 price range...others also mentioned some canon camera's as well. When i went to the nikon site i was overwelmed with d40 d90 d70 d5000 d5100 etc etc etc...I have no clue what the difference is...anyone please help a guy out

 

[NewDaddyMark]

i should mention i'm looking to spend around $500-800 but will go higher if quality warrants. I dont mind buying used to get the best quality available

 

[NewDaddyMark]

ok from other readings i should also mention i'd like the picture quality to be high enough to blow the picture up

 

[cbrown222]

A camera capable of taking very good pictures doesn't make much sense because it's more about the photographer. I wouldn't get a d40 just because there are a few lenses that won't autofocus properly on it.

I got a like-new D90 off of this website's buy and sell forum for $550. That was just for the body. I also got a Nikon 50 mm f/1.8 for $120 off of B&H photo. It's a fantastic lens for people photography so it seems like it would work for you. It's also very good in low light. The 35mm f/1.8 is a little wider but about $80 more expensive but if you have $800 to spend it might be worth while to get that instead just because 50mm can be too close in some situations. A D80 is a small step down from the D90, but it's definitely worth a look. If you're interested at all in getting a film camera, you can get one much cheaper and just have the film scanned into digital versions at Costco.

I would look at this page too:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/recommended-cameras.htm
That website has tons of good information on beginner gear.

Good luck with your decision let me know what you end up getting.

 

[cbrown222]

Just saw your other post about picture quality. 6MP is enough for a 12"x18" print and 12mp is enough for about anything other than huge prints

 

[NewDaddyMark]

so because i may want a larger print than 12x18 i should side for the d90 over the d80 due to the mp count over 12? Not really interested in a film camera.

 

[Futurelight]

It's all about the eye of the photographer (along with the camera to some degree [a crap camera produces a crap photo]). I will siggest that almost anything by either Canon or Nikon will give you the image satisfaction you want as long as you take the time to learn the basic rules of composition, ISO and F-stop. Good luck

 

[Futurelight]

Oh, and DON'T buy Sony! Colours are always flat and make photoshop too much of a requirement.

 

[cbrown222]

so because i may want a larger print than 12x18 i should side for the d90 over the d80 due to the mp count over 12? Not really interested in a film camera.

Don't worry about mp as much. 12 should be plenty. I have a D90 and my dad has a D80 and there are no noticeable differences in picture quality.

 

[cbrown222]

I'm taking this from that website I referenced in my original post. Ken Rockwell is by no means an amateur and this is what he says:

Resolution, expressed in megapixels, is no longer relevant. Forget it when comparing cameras. I've made great 12 x 18" (30x45cm) prints from a 3MP camera and 40x60" (100x 150cm) prints from a 6MP camera. 6 Megapixels is all anyone needs for anything, and every camera here has two or three times that.

 

[memento]

a camera is a box with a hole in it. Don't read too much into the latest greatest gizmo.

this might help you out, Frequently asked digital camera questions | DigicamGuides.com

 

[Bob in GV]

so because i may want a larger print than 12x18 i should side for the d90 over the d80 due to the mp count over 12? Not really interested in a film camera.

A fairly standard mat for a 12x18 print with 2" margins will result in an 16x22 frame size. A more standard 16x20 which either of these cameras is quite capable of producing assuming you use good quality lens is usually matted and framed at 20x24. Suggest you go to a frame shop and have a look at how big that really is.

 

[nickzou]

I keep hearing that. But at the same time every time I go to the printers or just look online for print prep, they say 300dpi! 300dpi! Or no less than 180dpi! Which means that megapixels are very relevant. At 180dpi, the largest print you can get with 12mp is 23x14 (roughly). Which exceeds your 12x18 requirement but at optimal printing resolution 300dpi, which everyone tells me is crucial, a 12mp camera can only give you 14x8.

 

[NewDaddyMark]

read it...thanks that clears alot up...that said then lets say I'm ok with a 10mp camera that is of good quality...there are just so many out there...from what i'm getting basically any nikon or canon would work find that is 10mp or better...is that accurate? what type of lens should i be looking for?

 

[NewDaddyMark]

i found a Nikon D90 with a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 wide angle lens and a Nikon 50mm f/1.8D lens for sale locally for $1300. The buyer is willing to sell only one lense if i want...recommendation on body and lense and price offer?