Cameras??? Help Please...

mrbiron

Good Morning All,

So the little lady and I are getting hitched in 17 days and we just realized that the only cameras we have is on our cellphones which are JUNK...(Iphone 4 and Droid X2.....JUNK!). I know there are a few of you that really have a passion for photography and am really looking for some good advise/direction.

We would like to look at a NICER camera for taking on our trip and then to take pictures of the future offspring. The only problem is, we don't know where to start. Point and Shoots are not an option and we understand that the larger SLR's are more to tote around but also produce a much better image. That is what we are looking for. Oh and durability.

So the question is, in the $500-600 range, what is a good camera. Now we don't need interchangeable lenses or any of that stuff (yet i think):idea:. Just a camera, a bag and memory. It can be obtained from any store as long as we get it in time.

Please Advise,
Mark:question::question:

Fireman32

Mark,

Congrats on getting married. for 500-600 dollars I can suggest a few things. On the DSLR side you can pick up the entry level cameras such as the Nikon D3100, D3200 or the D5100 and that will come with the 18-55 kit lens. Or if you like Cannon you can get the T3i.

If you want something a little more compact I would suggest the Nikon J1 mirror less camera. It quite a bit smaller but is just as powerful a camera. I played around with one and I would love to have it as a carry around always camera. It is just a bit bigger than the point and shoots but has interchangeable lenses and the full manual shooting capabilities of the DSLR's.

If you want something more simple you can get some of the higher end point and shoots that take fairly nice pictures.

The best advice I can give you is to go to your local camera store and hold them in your hand and play with them for a bit in the store. I can make my suggestions but what got me decided on a camera was how it felt in my hands the ease to getting to the controls and all the buttons. I am a Nikon shooter but you might like the way the Cannon feels or even Sony.

Good luck with the search and let me know if you have any other questions. I hope I was able to provide some insight.

niente

Congrats!!!

only lifelong hobby I'm more addicted to than audio is photography especially the hardware...

Nikon J1 is a viable choice as Fireman32 notes - YES! try to handle the cameras if at all possible prior to purchase

Hands down winner based on your comments would be the Canon G12 - small enough to always have and GREAT photos - this G series has been around for some years as has been upgraded to the current version--check the reviews!!!!!!!!!

another choice if you still want compact but may want to change lenses - Lumix G2 or equiv - i have one of these as well _ been very pleased - especially since i was able to buy a lens adapter so now my 10+ legacy Minolta manual focus lenses can be used on it __with a double in focal length though


check out B & H .com great store - they carry EVERYTHING ! super fast ship and good prices

good luck!!!

mhardy6647

all Nikon DSLR... all the time :-)

... and congratulations!

mrbiron

Fireman,
This is a good start and i will run with this. Unfortunately, the only place i know of to get my hands on cameras is Best Buy (are going this weekend) and god only knows what numbskulls have been playing with those things. But, at least i can get the whole feel down.
In terms of mega pixels, what should we be looking at? She is going to want to blow these up in larger photos to be framed on walls as oppose to standard table top frames and photo albums.

mrbiron

And we want one of those cameras that when you hit the button, it takes the picture right away!
We hate the point and shoots when you hit the button and then wait.....wait....and by then that spur of the moment instance is gone.

There's a lot of Nikon love here.

Face

Another vote for Nikon DSLR here, check out the D3100/D3200. The kit lens and auto mode should take pictures fast enough for you.

If Best Buy doesn't have any, you could overnight one from Amazon too.

mrbiron

If Best Buy doesn't have any, you could overnight one from Amazon too.

I was just rummaging through B&H as i have bought from them a couple times and appears that all the D3100 are out of stock. Is this an old model or were the deals that good that none are left?

Face

Yes, it's being replaced with the D3200. If you compare the two, the difference is minimal for $200.

mrbiron

the difference is minimal for $200.

I just printed both spec pages from Nikon and found very few differences like you said.
Mainly the 3200 has more pixels and remote options that the 3100 does not have. I couldn't give two S's about a remote but with a 2x jump in pixels, is that worth it. Am i only going to see real image deterioration if i print poster size as oppose to framed pictures?

maximillian

Love SLR's myself. Since I had some Nikon lenses from my 35mm film days it was a no brainer jumping to Nikon DSLR's. I've got an old D80 I bought on the FM here and use it with an 18-105mm "kit" lens that I bought when I only had the D40x. Someday I will upgrade the body, but the D80 does a fine enough job for now. Granted I don't make posters though. I've been drooling over the D7000 but it's too much coin for now. Canon DSLR's are great too. You really can't go wrong with either brand. You could buy used to save some money and get familiar with the brands and/or cameras before you commit to something better.

Don't excuse PNS cameras. Wife carries one in her purse and thus typically always has a good camera on her whereas mine is at home or in the car. You could always buy both.

Strong Bad

Nikon DSLR's all the way for me as well. I've been using the D700 for a bit, but am saving my pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and numerous dollars for the D4 late this year. I've made a move over to sports photography and plan on progressing mush further with that. The D4 is a dream machine!

Anyway, you mentioned a Point and Shoot as not an option and also said the interchangeable lens thing is not as well. I'm curious...what options are left?

mrbiron

You could always buy both.

I'm not big city folk. Ain't got that kind of moola!! :cheesygrin:

you mentioned a Point and Shoot as not an option and also said the interchangeable lens thing is not as well

Ah ha!...I said not changing of lenses...YET. Meaning i don't need that option right at this current juncture in time but is definitely an option for later. The ms. used to love photography but all of her cameras are old and haven't been used in 10 years. Also, they still use that funny black stuff called film. So getting her back into it with a camera that HAS the capability to change lenses down the road seems to make sense.

As for me, i push the button and make people rubs their eyes.

Face

Framed pictures will be fine, but I've never printed anything poster size with the 3100.

stretchl

Having worked as a visual journalist, advertising photographer and multimedia producer since 1983, including in 40+ states and 51 countries, I'll humbly submit that simpler is always better. Though I use Canon's 5D Mark 2, 7D, and two 1DS Mark 2's on assignment, the iPhone 4 is my personal camera of choice and I love it.

It's always with me, is super simple to use, and depending on how good I AM as I use it, makes great, super sharp images with low noise and great latitude. The HDR feature makes a lot of otherwise impossible technical situations possible.

Again, humbly, I'll suggest learning to make great photos with the simplest tool you have rather than investing money, and time, in new equipment that's never going to make great photos unless you know how to make great photos to begin with.

Some of my work is at http://stretchphotography.com if you're interested.

mrbiron

Framed pictures will be fine, but I've never printed anything poster size with the 3100.

Nah, i was just implying that if i wanted too, the image might look more pixilated on the 3100 vs the 3200.

Reminds me of Dumb and Dumber....
Pretty bird...Pretty bird.

mrbiron

the iPhone 4 is my personal camera of choice and I love it.

Unfortunately for us, the ms is looking to dump her iphone. She's a graphic artist by trade and has all the apple products (iMac, Macbook) but hates the phone so once that is gone, then what?

I would rather learn how to take great photos on a REAL camera as oppose to a cellphone :cheesygrin:
You're website is interesting. I like your ****....button.

littlewoodboats

Congrats on your upcoming wedding. In your price range there are some outstanding point and shoot options. For the future offspring you need to ask yourself what types of photos you want to take. For snapshots you do not need the high megapixel counts and added lens expense of a DSLR. Do you want to print images or are you looking to keep digital galleries? Five megapixel shots will print 5x7 to 8x10 and view on digital photo frames with no issues.

Babies do not move around much but once they get a bit older they are pretty quick making your lens choice more important than the camera body. The majority of the kit lenses are average at best and most are junk. Check epray for the used prices on kit lenses and you will get an idea.

I found taking pics of my grandson to be quite similar to doing sports shots. Look at the multi shot rate (more is better). F 1:2.8 aperture or better, I use a 50mm f 1:1.4 on my Sony for chasing kids around on the carpet. Low light ability and wide open apertures equates to faster focus and frame rate.

A good point and shoot in auto mode will get you better shots than an average DSLR in auto mode. Good DSLR bodies can be quite expensive. Lenses will be your greatest expense.

If you want professional and unbiased reviews and suggestions you might want to google Steve's Digicams. There is a great "what camera should I buy" section. Totally non-commercial site with no adds or sales.

I just looked at the Nikon D3100 kit and think you could find a much better Point and Shoot option. ISO 100-3200 is nothing to get excited about. The kit lenses are on epray used for less than $70.00 (probably a better paperweight than camera lens). Looking at B&H the Nikon 17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX lists at $1,399.00. Three frames per second frame rate is slug slow by modern standards.

I think your money could be spent much better.

mrbiron

I think your money could be spent much better.

Spend away...
I just need to be lead in the right direction. That is all that i ask. I just need to stay relatively close to that budget as well. Open bars aren't cheap for 220 guests if you catch my drift.

nguyendot

Man go to Best Buy and see if they have the D90 kit in stock still..or can order one. It's $599 at certain stores and comes with a great lens to start with (18-105mm VR). It's a YMMV but hey, if you can get it, it's one hell of a camera.

maximillian

One of the biggest aspects in photography is lighting. When possible I try not to use a flash, but they do have their place. You may need to budget in some decent lights depending on what you want to take pictures of. Outdoor reflectors may be enough of what you need, again it matters what you are shooting. For me, I made sure to buy a flash with bounce abilities so I got the Nikon SB-600. I hate the built-in camera flash and prefer to bounce the flash when taking photos of the family indoors. Also, the SB-600 can be triggered off camera too.

+1 on the D90 kit. I bought one for work and it's in constant use. I sometimes prefer to bring my D80 in to work so I don't have the wrestle with people for the D90. BTW, the D90 is bigger than some of the amateur oriented DSLR's so you really should try to get some cameras in your hands to see what you like.

littlewoodboats

mrbiron wrote: »

Spend away...
I just need to be lead in the right direction. That is all that i ask. I just need to stay relatively close to that budget as well. Open bars aren't cheap for 220 guests if you catch my drift.

I get the idea. Trust me I do. Open bars are expensive when it is just me.:redface: Check over at Steve's. There are users over there that live with a camera in their hands and can guide you. (and happy to help) I have not shopped cameras in four years so could only guess and would not do that to you.

The reason I think you could do better is my Sony A-550 is a dinosaur by digital standards and meets or beats the Nikon mentioned on pretty much every level. To be fair it was over your budget at the time of purchase. I am no huge fan of one brand over another for general use. I went Sony because I had a bag full of Minolta AF lenses

I wish I could be more help but would be guessing based on specs alone

littlewoodboats

maximillian wrote: »

One of the biggest aspects in photography is lighting. When possible I try not to use a flash, but they do have their place. You may need to budget in some decent lights depending on what you want to take pictures of. Outdoor reflectors may be enough of what you need, again it matters what you are shooting. For me, I made sure to buy a flash with bounce abilities so I got the Nikon SB-600. I hate the built-in camera flash and prefer to bounce the flash when taking photos of the family indoors. Also, the SB-600 can be triggered off camera too.

I am with you on the built in flash. I think they are included because people expect them to be there. I find they are included just to screw up my shots. Gary Fong has a on board flash diffuser called the Puffer that works great. When I do not have my off camera flash this is in my pocket at all times.

http://www.garyfongestore.com/puffer-pop-up-flash-diffuser.html#.UBAQWKhGRnE

mrbiron

One of the biggest aspects in photography is lighting. When possible I try not to use a flash, but they do have their place. You may need to budget in some decent lights depending on what you want to take pictures of. Outdoor reflectors may be enough of what you need, again it matters what you are shooting. For me, I made sure to buy a flash with bounce abilities so I got the Nikon SB-600. I hate the built-in camera flash and prefer to bounce the flash when taking photos of the family indoors. Also, the SB-600 can be triggered off camera too.

We are mainly looking at taking pictures on our trip, taking pictures around the house, maybe picture over at Purgatory. Not really into the staging aspect but things change. If she gets back into it, then it's a win win.

TNHNDYMAN

For best of both worlds, I LOVE my Canon SX30is. 35X optical zoom, sharp optics, excellent image stabilization, HD video, can use seperate off camera flash, good metering capability, and snaps pretty quick when button pushed. Too big to put in a pocket, but the zoom ability without buying multiple expensive lens makes it a great comprimise for me. It has plenty of auto modes, scence selection program modes, and the ability to shoot apt priority, shutter priority, or full manual. A novice can take very good pictures with it, and a photographer can get great images with it. The only negative I see is no RAW ability. YMMV

cstmar01

niente wrote: »

Congrats!!!

only lifelong hobby I'm more addicted to than audio is photography especially the hardware...

Nikon J1 is a viable choice as Fireman32 notes - YES! try to handle the cameras if at all possible prior to purchase

Hands down winner based on your comments would be the Canon G12 - small enough to always have and GREAT photos - this G series has been around for some years as has been upgraded to the current version--check the reviews!!!!!!!!!

another choice if you still want compact but may want to change lenses - Lumix G2 or equiv - i have one of these as well _ been very pleased - especially since i was able to buy a lens adapter so now my 10+ legacy Minolta manual focus lenses can be used on it __with a double in focal length though


check out B & H .com great store - they carry EVERYTHING ! super fast ship and good prices

good luck!!!

OK so I've played with the Nikon J1 and thought it was terrible. Just the feel of the lens for me was cheap and didn't like the feel in my hand. Personally I would choose the Sony NEX5 over that (however would be past the OP's price point) The Panasonic and Olympus 4/3's are also nice and should check them out.

The G12 is a great camera. The only thing I don't like is the view finder is terrible. Also for the same price you can pick up a T3 normally so it would be switching to a DSLR. Few downsides to the T3 but its depending on the user.

mrbiron wrote: »

Fireman,
This is a good start and i will run with this. Unfortunately, the only place i know of to get my hands on cameras is Best Buy (are going this weekend) and god only knows what numbskulls have been playing with those things. But, at least i can get the whole feel down.
In terms of mega pixels, what should we be looking at? She is going to want to blow these up in larger photos to be framed on walls as oppose to standard table top frames and photo albums.

Mega pixels isn't the end all be all. Shooting in RAW will help get you a better picture quaility over JPEG however will use up a lot more storage.

Personally I'm a Nikon guy and would look at the 3100 or 3200 or even if you could do it the 5100. The kit lens is all the same for these and will do well in most close range shooting. Also see if you know any friends with a Nikon or Canon DSLR so that way you could try out different lens etc. Memory card won't be included so you will want to get something with decent storage, so if you do shoot RAW you don't have be afraid of filling it up quick.

Also if you shoot Hi Def video remember a 4 gig card will only get you about an hour worth of video. They all have internal buffers that will only shoot around 15-25 mins at a time for video but normally most people don't need anything more.

Also I should note, you will need to be comfortable taking the camera out of AUTO mode. It takes time and practice to get the feel for them but the preset modes do help. Also in the end the lens can make a huge difference for what you are shooting than the body itself. Macro lens, Prime lens etc.

littlewoodboats

One thought on memory cards is the data transfer rate. Think class 10 for SD. Transfer rate is everything when it comes to cards.

My memory stick HG Pro Duo 32 gig was a $120 dollar card. The camera buffer never outruns the card giving fast shot rates.

For the kiddie you will be shooting in burst mode. Frame, Focus, shoot, and do your best to keep them in frame. Sort it out later. Out of 50 or 60 shots I would get 10 that would be good enough for the refrigerator. Grandma likes them all

mrbiron

Personally I'm a Nikon guy and would look at the 3100 or 3200 or even if you could do it the 5100.

There they are again!...It almost seems unanimous as to what i should be looking at in the entry level. Still going to make the Best Buy run in the next couple days.

Can anyone tell me the real difference between the 3200 and 5100. To my untrained eye, they look almost identical??

Wow Class 10 cards are much more expensive than standard. 2-3 times more expensive but if guess you get what you pay for!!

EndersShadow

I personally use a older Canon XTi DSLR and like it. Thing is the viewfinder doesnt show what your shooting, it just shows your settings. Personally never too much of a problem with me.

I havent gotten any additional lenses yet, but plan to.

I also suggest getting yourself a filter kit with if nothing else a UV filter for regular shooting. You will be glad you did.

That and spend money on a nice pack for it, suggest one thats got 2 straps like a backpack.

stretchl

mrbiron wrote: »

I would rather learn how to take great photos on a REAL camera as oppose to a cellphone.

Tell that to this Pulitzer Prize winning photographer who used his iPhone under fire in Iraq -

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/finding-the-right-tool-to-tell-a-war-story/

"it happens that Mr. Winter quickly realized — after trying a few shots — that his iPhone would be an effective way to capture the day-to-day trials of the First Battalion, 87th Infantry of the 10th Mountain Division in northern Afghanistan.

If you're looking to buy a camera, I encourage you to do so. If you're looking to make photographs, I encourage you to do so. But don't for a minute believe anyone who tells you that the latter depends on the former.

nguyendot

EndersShadow wrote: »

I personally use a older Canon XTi DSLR and like it. Thing is the viewfinder doesnt show what your shooting, it just shows your settings. Personally never too much of a problem with me.

I havent gotten any additional lenses yet, but plan to.

I also suggest getting yourself a filter kit with if nothing else a UV filter for regular shooting. You will be glad you did.

That and spend money on a nice pack for it, suggest one thats got 2 straps like a backpack.

Confused what you mean by that... my XTi viewfinder showed about 85% optically of what I was shooting....isn't that the point of the viewfinder? I wonder if you meant LCD display?