Upgrading from a point and shoot

[CloverMom]

Hi. I am an ameture looking to upgrade my point and shoot. I came here looking for information to assist me in making an informed decision in doing so. I have been doing some research on my own through good ol Google and I ended up here seeking more than what I could find with that. I am a Mom with four children. So, obviously the majority of my photos will be of the kids and their activities. I also have a dog so I'm sure she'll be in some pictures as well I live in the country and am surrounded by beautiful scenery. I've been wanting to learn more about photography as a hobby but just haven't done much about it. I can't tell you much about the camera I already have except it's a Sony, I bought it 5 or 6 years ago, and it was in the $400-$500 price range. It's about the size of a DSLR. I have been heavily researching the Olympus E PL5 and I think I may get one soon, like next week soon. Any recommendations on what I should get or anyone who can give more insight on the Olympus, it would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

PS I'd like to keep it under $1000

 

[2fastlx]

I had an EPL 1 a while back. I really liked it. There are a great selection of lenses for the micro 4/3rds system. Panasonic makes some nice primes for it.

 

[CloverMom]

Thank you. I'm looking at an Olympus PEN E-PL5 16.1MP Camera with 14-42mm Lens - Silver, Extra 40-150mm Lens for $699. Then adding a Panasonic LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 Aspherical Pancake Lens for around $360. Are these good starter lenses? I honestly know nothing about them, it's just what has been recommended in my Google search. And it keeps me right at or maybe a smidge over my budget. I went and looked at my current camera and I have a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2. I'm going for what I think is quite an upgrade. I obviously won't know how to use the camera or know what the different lenses do but I guess with some trial and error, Google, YouTube, and this forum, I'll figure it out? Lol. I'm not a complete moron and I learn fairly quick so I think I will be able to get what I want out of it.....with a little, ok a lotta help

I like this particular model because of its higher quality than a point and shoot but with about the same portability of one. A friend recommended an Olympus so that's what I've been looking at.

 

[2fastlx]

I know the 20mm Panasonic is a great lens. I had the kit lens with mine and it worked well for me. I can't really speak for the body though as the one I had was many generations older. I'm guessing its pretty good though. I liked the portability of it the most. I used to carry it in the tank bag of my bike.

 

[2fastlx]

I almost forgot but if you search around you can get the 40-150 a lot cheaper. Be patient and they will go on sell or check the Olympus site for refurbs.

 

[CloverMom]

Thanks again. Patience is one thing I have an abundance of. I'm not one to impulse buy and my husband tells me I tend to "over do it on the research". I just want to make sure I have an idea of what I'm getting into before I leap. My hubby was going to buy me a camera for Christmas and I'm glad he didn't because it's something I need to pick out for myself. He was going to get me a Canon T3i. We were even standing in the store and he told me to get it if I wanted it. Me being the crazy freak that I am who can't buy something without researching it to death and talking myself out of buying it at least 3 times, I just couldn't do it. I'm sure the T3i is a fine entry level camera that is budget friendly but I just don't think it's for me. IDK I could be totally wrong on that...

May I ask, do you still have your Olympus? What do you use now?

 

[2fastlx]

I sold the Olympus for something smaller. I replaced it with a Fuji X10. My main bodies are the Sony A65 and A77.

 

[CloverMom]

What do the numbers on the lens mean? What is 14-42mm? And 40-150mm?

 

[jim84]

That's the focal length of the lens, Nikon | Imaging Products | Digital SLR Camera Basics | Focal Length and Angle of view

 

[CloverMom]

Thank you, Jim. I thought that was what it meant but wasn't 100% sure.

 

[weepete]

Hi CloverMom, I'd suggest before you buy a dslr look into lots of things.

find out how to properly expose a photo, and about the exposure triangle
Find out what depth of field is and what effect it will have on your photo
Find out about focus, and their planes
Find out about focal lengths
Find out how to prevent camera shake
Find out about how and when to use a flash

If you like to research stuff these are all basics that can be done with a point and shoot camera, most can even be done in auto mode (though a point and shoot with a decent manual mode can help you play about a bit more)

And finally learn how to compose a photo. the latter takes life long learning but a good composition beats any camera you can take it with hands down. also if you learn the other stuff, and then find you want to take photos that yous point and shoot cant, then upgrade.

 

[CloverMom]

Thank you weepete. That gives me lots of stuff to look up. I found a few articles on how to take landscape photos, photo lingo and slang, and some basic know how's. I oddly can't find too much on very basic things like the numbers on the lens. I guess maybe that's common sense? I have also seen the words aperture, shutter speed, and ISO which I'm sure I need to learn. I'm assuming shutter speed is how fast or slow the camera takes the picture and I think ISO has something to do with the light that gets let in..... but you're correct, there is much I need to learn and much more research I can do. I've taken good pictures with previous cameras, very good ones IMO. But I cannot tell you why or how they turned out great just that they did. Maybe luck I suppose. That is my goal, to take very nice quality photos and know why they turned out that way and know why the bad ones turned out bad. Also to recognize the difference. I know it's not going to happen over night but I have to start somewhere

 

[jim84]

This article might help you out Understanding ISO, Shutter Speed and Aperture - A Beginner's Guide

 

[CloverMom]

Hey who knew I already knew the exposure triangle thanks again, I'm learning so much just by looking up Exposure, Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO. Now I can go back and read some articles and understand some of what they said haha!

 

[skyy38]

First of all, lets get something straight about so-called "Point and Shoot" cameras.

Most photographers hold them in high disdain, merely because of the name.

THEY think that Point and Shoot cameras are soooo "simple" when, in fact, they are *not*.

Nothing has ever been "simple" about photography, whether you are talking about Matthew Brady or the Polaroid Land Camera.

A point and shoot camera does not come flying out of the box, just ready for YOU to take an award winning photograph-Nor does purchasing a $3,000 rig turn you into Ansel Adams. If Ansel Adams had known about the future of photography, back in HIS time, he would have had purple cows!!! But Mr. Adams was a pioneer in his field, using the tools available to him at the time.

P+S need to be adjusted, from the date/time stamp, to white balance, to image size and quality and so on.

You need to know how to use a camera of this sort, especially in this DIGITAL AGE, because digital has some telling differences from film cameras.

Yeah, you can put your camera on "auto", such as exposure and white balance, but that does NOT guarantee a "perfect" picture-it doesn't even guarantee a "mediocre" picture.

Some advanced "point and shoots" have THREE settings for flourescent lights, when there only used to be one. But even in an ancient P+S, there was STILL a way you could calibrate your white balance, on a custom level-this function exists even now, because there are times when you don't want to depend solely on the "presets".

LOTS of good things can be achieved on gear that won't drive you to the poorhouse:

Duality 1024 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Opinions abound, but in the end, it's your own judgement that counts....