So Many Cameras, So Little Money

w98seeng · Jul 1, 2009

Hello all, nice forum you have here.

I want to buy a camera (new or used) and I have no idea what to get. I am not a person who takes a lot of pics, but I do want a camera that will do the job when asked. I want everything in a camera. I want a mega zoom lens, HD video, image stabilization, large LCD monitor (2.5" / 3"), comfortable grip, good night pictures, easy to hold with my big hands, built-in coffee machine.

My budget is about $450 CDN.

I have read quite a bit on different cameras in the past few days and everyone likes a different camera. One site likes the SX10 IS and another likes the Kodak Easyshare Z980 .

I was thinking abut a DSLR, but since I want a large zoom, I would need to buy a zoom lens as well. I would also have to carry it around, this is why I decided on a P&S.

This is the list of cameras (incl. the prices I have found them for) I have narrowed my search down to. Any suggestions and feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Front runner
Panasonic Lumix DMCFZ28K - $389.95 - Vistek

Canon PowerShot SX10 IS - $456.63 incl. shipping and taxes
Kodak Easyshare Z980 - $446 incl. shipping and taxes
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50 - $389.97

Any suggestions on another camera or why one of these is better than the other is welcome.

Thanks,
Ian

w98seeng · Jul 4, 2009

I can't believe no one responded with any information. Thanks

JerryPH · Jul 4, 2009

Well you will find that there is no such thing as a camera that "does it all", just like you cannot find a vehicle that does it all (like carry vegetables, a few trees and win NASCAR races and carry people to the hospital).

If you want a camera that does HD video and pictures, already there you are forced to compromise. Budget is your biggest factor. 3 digits ($$$) in the camera/video world is basically extremely limiting for what you are looking for. I have just a setup for photos and am well into 5 digits in equipment and looking to spend several thousand more.

On this forum, you will find very few people who are video/photo in one device users. It *is* a photography forum after all.

Good luck in your search.

Phranquey · Jul 4, 2009

JerryPH said:
Well you will find that there is no such thing as a camera that "does it all", just like you cannot find a vehicle that does it all (like carry vegetables, a few trees and win NASCAR races and carry people to the hospital).

If you want a camera that does HD video and pictures, already there you are forced to compromise. Budget is your biggest factor. 3 digits ($$$) in the camera/video world is basically extremely limiting for what you are looking for. I have just a setup for photos and am well into 5 digits in equipment and looking to spend several thousand more.

On this forum, you will find very few people who are video/photo in one device users. It *is* a photography forum after all.

Good luck in your search.

:thumbup:

This is the reason DSlr's have interchangeable lenses. There is no camera that can do it all well, so there are different lenses that have unique qualities for varying purposes.

As far as budget for "doing it all", I am only a serious amateur, and I am well into 5 digits ($10,000+) in equipment as well. Not saying spending this kind of money is a necessity, but it is very easy to do once the hobby becomes a bug.

DScience · Jul 4, 2009

Phranquey said:
As far as budget for "doing it all", I am only a serious amateur, and I am well into 5 digits ($10,000+) in equipment as well. Not saying spending this kind of money is a necessity, but it is very easy to do once the hobby becomes a bug.

Don't lie to this persons face! LOL

the hobby become an ADDICTION, don't let anyone else tell you different.

Phranquey · Jul 4, 2009

DScience said:
Don't lie to this persons face! LOL

the hobby become an ADDICTION, don't let anyone else tell you different.

Ease 'em into it.......

Josh66 · Jul 4, 2009

The HD video, with your budget is going to be tough.

Any dSLR with video will be well outside of your budget.

If video is really important to you, I would definitely look into a good P&S.
You may also consider a video camera (in addition to a p&S)...though I don't know enough about them to recommend a specific model.

GreenSlime89 · Jul 5, 2009

O|||||||O said:
Any dSLR with video will be well outside of your budget.

I didn't think D-SLRs were capable of taking videos. I could be wrong though. It's been a looooong time since I used my camera

Phranquey · Jul 5, 2009

GreenSlime89 said:
I didn't think D-SLRs were capable of taking videos.

D90 from Nikon

usayit · Jul 5, 2009

The Canon 5DMII is also capable of HD videos.

I want to buy a camera (new or used) and I have no idea what to get. I am not a person who takes a lot of pics, but I do want a camera that will do the job when asked. I want everything in a camera. I want a mega zoom lens, HD video, image stabilization, large LCD monitor (2.5" / 3"), comfortable grip, good night pictures, easy to hold with my big hands, built-in coffee machine. My budget is about $450 CDN.

I noticed that good Image Quality is not listed..... Is that important?

If so... sorry... no single camera meets all those needs AND provides good IQ within that budget. If such a camera existed, there would be a lot more of TPF members with a whole lot more in the bank.

w98seeng · Jul 5, 2009

Thanks for the info. I know that there isn't such thing as a "Do it all" anything. I wanted the most features in a P&S that I could get for the money.

I bought the Canon SX10 IS. It is a very nice camera and I am very happy with it so far. The camera does not do HD video, but I realized I do not need HD video.

Here are a couple of pics I took the first day I got it. I had not read anything about the camera in the manual, I just shot on auto.

This is my bird I took in the kitchen from about 12 feet away.

This was taken from about 75 feet away in a heavy rain.

Considering I don't know much about the camera, I am happy with the quality of the pics.

Kondro86 · Jul 5, 2009

Canon just dropped the Rebel T1i in the past couple months. Its shoots full HD and something like 15 mp cmos sensor. I think it retails at $800 with the 18-55mm kit lens. You could check it out at canon.com

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=139&modelid=18385