The big quandry - what camera to buy next!

[Lazy Photographer]

Boy it must be getting old having all these newbes like me asking for camera buying advice. I'll try to keep it concise.

WHAT I SHOOT:
I mostly shoot art type stuff. Landscape, wide panoramic views, interesting and odd stuff, things that lend well to tweaking in photoshop. At the moment I don't see making money at it, but maybe down the road.

WHAT I'VE GOT NOW:
I'm shooting with a 5 meg Panny p & s that's 3+ years old

WHAT I WANT:
I want to move up to a better camera with more manual controls.

CAMERA OPTIONS:

1. Another p & s, like the Panny LX3K, which is 10.1 megs, has a remarkable sensor for a p & s, and many of the manual controls of a dSLR ($569)
2. A Olympus E-620 - Is a 4/3rds camera. Sounds very user friendly, but has smaller sensor than dSLR, also has smaller body. Probably better photos than the p & s, but likely not as good as a better dSLR ($749)
3. Nikon D5000 - Sounds like a good entry level dSLR. I'm concerned about the learning curve. I like the articulating display. Not too expensive. Same sensor as the D90, but lacks some important D90 features. ($989)
4. Nikon D90 - Cat's ass, but probably big learning curve. Also big camera. Not great for carrying around everywhere. Intimidating to me. Expensive. But, it would be the best for growing into. ($1,349)

FINAL THOUGHTS:
I like the idea of being able to carry around a small camera that I can simply point and shoot whenever, but also get into manual settings when need be. But I also like the idea of something I can grow into without having to spend more money a year or two from now. I'm just starting out so the more camera I buy today, the bigger the learning curve. Also, something like a D90 costs a small fortune for someone like me, so that's a bit of a concern too. If I was 100% certain my new hobby wasn't just a passing fad, maybe I'd be more open to spending a lot now.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?:
I'm sure many of you have been in the same shoes at one time or another. What do you think? Any advice or comments are welcome.

 

[Samanax]

What kind of budget are you working with? What is the most you'd want to spend now?

How serious are you about photography? The more serious you are/will be, the more camera you should get to start with.

 

[KmH]

I don't know what a Panny is. I've never owned a p&s digital camera.

At $570 you could get a D40 DSLR or for a few dollars more a D60 at 10MP.

Your final thoughts convince me you should stay with a p&s though.

 

[c0ps]

If you can get your hands on a panasonic lumix lx2, I can tell ya that it is an awsome P&S with almost as much manual controlls as d60. Takes breathtaking pictures at low ISO. mettering controlls. I Purchased one of these for my wife and I find I use it more than her lol.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasoniclx2/

 

[newrmdmike]

kmh offered great advice i think . . .

and perhaps the lumix lx3 or the canon g10?

 

[Josh66]

I say go for an entry level dSLR.

Don't worry about the learning curve - it's not that bad. Plus, unless you're about to drop $5-7K on a body, they all still have the auto modes.

Portability is going to be the only downside, but hey - you have a P&S, that's what they're for.

If it does turn out to just be a passing fad, you could sell it or keep it and have really nice snapshots.

 

[einsamflicks]

I say go for an entry level dSLR.

Don't worry about the learning curve - it's not that bad. Plus, unless you're about to drop $5-7K on a body, they all still have the auto modes.

Portability is going to be the only downside, but hey - you have a P&S, that's what they're for.

If it does turn out to just be a passing fad, you could sell it or keep it and have really nice snapshots.

I agree, the learning curve really isn't that bad. Plus if you want to progress quickly shooting in manual settings is a lot easier and faster to do on a d90 or d80, you don't have to go into the cameras display to change your aperture and shutter. as opposed to a d40 where you have to fumble around menus to change most the settings.

my d80 is alot easier to use then my friends d40.

 

[F1RacerRR]

Going by what you have said, it seems a no-brainer to me. Nikon D60
Its an entry level DSLR with which you can quickly learn the basics (you'll be glad you did.)
You say you want a small, light one to carry around, then the D60 is perfect for that.
It takes superb shots, isnt overwhelming to the newcomer and is Nikons smallest lightest DSLR.

D90 if you can afford it, but it does have more features to learn in order to get the best from it.

If you have the D60 and decide that it is more than a passing fad, you can always sell it and upgrade to a D90 (I did).

 

[Lazy Photographer]

I don't know what a Panny is. I've never owned a p&s digital camera.

At $570 you could get a D40 DSLR or for a few dollars more a D60 at 10MP.

Your final thoughts convince me you should stay with a p&s though.

Panny = Panasonic
P & S = Point & Shoot

Thanks for your input.

 

[Lazy Photographer]

What kind of budget are you working with? What is the most you'd want to spend now?

How serious are you about photography? The more serious you are/will be, the more camera you should get to start with.

A 1.
Ideally I'd like to stay on this side of a grand.

A 2.
Good question. Right now I feel pretty serious, but being relatively new to it, I don't know if the feeling will eventually subside. The last thing I can afford is a $1,200 dust collector. On the other hand, I see the value in buying something that will carry me through a few years. Plus, most of the digital photography night school courses I've come across require a dSLR camera.

 

[Lazy Photographer]

I say go for an entry level dSLR.

Don't worry about the learning curve - it's not that bad. Plus, unless you're about to drop $5-7K on a body, they all still have the auto modes.

Portability is going to be the only downside, but hey - you have a P&S, that's what they're for.

If it does turn out to just be a passing fad, you could sell it or keep it and have really nice snapshots.

Good point. That avenue probably puts me into either a Nikon D5000, Canon T1i or Olympus E-620 (micro 4/3rds). All can be had for under $1,000 here in Toronto. I'm not sure which of the bunch of most "user friendly" though. I should mention that live view is pretty important to me. I also like AF built into the camera, for the sake of less expensive lenses and more variety, which is a knock against the D5000, if I recall.

 

[Josh66]

What kind of budget are you working with? What is the most you'd want to spend now?

How serious are you about photography? The more serious you are/will be, the more camera you should get to start with.

A 1.
Ideally I'd like to stay on this side of a grand.

A 2.
Good question. Right now I feel pretty serious, but being relatively new to it, I don't know if the feeling will eventually subside. The last thing I can afford is a $1,200 dust collector. On the other hand, I see the value in buying something that will carry me through a few years.

Keep in mind that you'll be buying into a system too, not just a new camera.

You may go through a couple bodies over the years, but properly cared for lenses will last (damn near) a lifetime. They will also hold their value fairly well if you ever decide to sell.

 

[KmH]

Any used digital camera equipment you have will be easily re-sellabe so you won't be stuck with an expensive dust collector. It may cost you a few hundred dollars to own it for a year but that is all.

You may also want to consider refurbished or used gear.

 

[Josh66]

I'm not sure which of the bunch of most "user friendly" though.

Go to the camera shop and play around with them. Find out which one feels the best to you.

There really is no "wrong" choice - it all comes down to what feels the best to you.

They all have pretty much the same features, the differences aren't anything to loose sleep over.

 

[Lazy Photographer]

Good advice, everyone, thanks. I've checked out all the cameras mentioned already, but am still on the fence. You know how it is, the higher the sticker price the more one agonizes over making a savvy purchase decision, one that's good for today and for the future too.

If I can ask a camera specific question: If you had to choose between the Nikon D5000 or the Olympus E-620, which would it be and why. I'm asking about these two because I like the idea of an articulating screen.

Thanks for taking the time to help me figure this out.