18 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
18 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Photography Experts - Suggest Me a Good Camera

by Joshua Uebergang
16 replies
  • OFF TOPIC
    • |
Hey Warriors.

I'm shopping for a new camera. My old Canon Powershot has gone bonkers.

I've learned a bit about cameras while searching and it seems a digital SLR is ideal, but expensive. I'll be using the camera to take portraits of people for websites and full body shots for myself (professional, not nude ). Other uses of it will probably be close up. If I can get something less than $400 even $300, that is optimal.

What are your recommendations? and why?
#camera #experts #good #photography #suggest
  • Profile picture of the author zerivabella
    Hi, if you are looking for a new camera make sure you buy one with the best lens you can afford so an SLR could be the way to go. You may be able to get a deal with a body and lens, I am sorry but I don't know what the Aussie photo market is like. You can have all the mega pixels in the world, but if it shot through the equivalent of the bottom of a bottle then it doesn't matter. The next thing is how it feels and how easy it comes up to the eye. Finally, can you put a flash on it. This can improve your shots no end.

    Hope this helps.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[628659].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author SteveSki
    If you haven't already purchased a new camera invest in the new Canon Digital Rebel. It has a 15.1MP sensor and comes with a decent kit lens for under $1,000.00

    Cheers,
    Steve Shulenski
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[684131].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
    There's a new one out that I'm looking at, the Canon sx10. Price around here varies from$480 to $376 Cdn. The lowest was at Walmart, unlike the last time I was looking for one.

    It looks like a SLR and one of the sales people I talked to said that it was, but it turns out that you can't change the lens, so Canon was right in having it in their digital camera group.

    But aside from that it does everything I need well. I also do need to take a couple of really close shots and the slrs will only close in to about 10 inches. This one will photo right to 0, which means touching the lens I guess. I don't know why but the slrs don't have the same macro arrangement that the digital cameras use.

    The lens it does come with will most likely be all I ever need, and another thing I like about it is that you can run it on 4 AA batteries.

    best wishes, lloyd
    .......__o
    .......\<,
    ....( )/ ( )...

    Edit: Just noticed your location. You've probably heard of the Ivory's Rock Conference Center which I get to about once a year. Hope to photo a little there soon.
    Signature

    Do something spectacular; be fulfilled. Then you can be your own hero. Prem Rawat

    The KimW WSO

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[684415].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
    Just to add something on the low side of your price point, the Canon a2000 is just around $200 Cdn, and it does everything I need. Close ups down to less than an inch and one very small file size that is probably close to web optimized without even touching it with gimp. It runs on 2 AA batteries which is important to me but doesn't seem to be to most people.

    The advantage of the sx10 is that it has an optical view finder and if you want to look like a professional while take pictures for websites, it will probably fool most people.
    Signature

    Do something spectacular; be fulfilled. Then you can be your own hero. Prem Rawat

    The KimW WSO

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[684815].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author John M Kane
    Canon or Nikon with a Hotshoe so you can use an external/additional flash.

    On camera flash sucks big time for portraits.

    Get some Paul C Buff's AlienBees flash units and a light box and rock the house.

    For closeups, if buying "point and shoot" cameras, double check the closeup range,
    Nikon and Canon allow very close work.

    A hotshoe allows a ring light for closeups or use HI intensity daylight flourescents.
    Tripod of course.

    For $400+ you might find a used Canon Digital SLR on Ebay or Craigslist.
    SLR's are soooo much nicer for manual focusing, better image,lens changes.

    If you are charging and not doing free work get the SLR and bill to pay for it.
    People that pay for photo work would cringe if you showed up with a pocket camera.

    My favorite place to learn is Digital Camera Reviews and News: Digital Photography Review: Forums, Glossary, FAQ

    great site
    AND for a fantabulous site on the artistic side of photography..
    http://www.luminous-landscape.com/
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[685312].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author John M Kane
    Crap! I dream about a 5D Mark II like most guys dream of Playboy.
    I'm old school.
    Darkroom, chemicals, !!!!Film!!!
    Canon 1st choice always, although Nikons D3X $8,000 beast is the nutz.
    That said I will rather have a good photographer pix done with a pinhole cam than
    Joe clueless with the best toys.
    The best photo tool is your Knoggin'
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[689665].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author LordXenu
    If you're looking at getting a D-SLR, let me recommend Canon's EOS line, they make some great camera for a decent price.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[690000].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author solardave
    Sony has some really good cameras in that range. Ijust bought a Cybershot. It's a DSC-S950 and I got it cheap.$170.00.It takes real good pictures. If you want a good zoom though you'll have to get one of their other models.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[691388].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author myeasybiz
      G'day,

      I bought a Panasonic DMC FZ7 because it was the choice magazine pick for quality digitals.

      I think it has been upgraded since, but I have found it produces great photos from close up to 12x optical zoom. Not quite the quality of a good SLR, but not the same price either
      Signature

      Enjoy Life in Darwin
      www.enjoy-darwin.com

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[691497].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author RB
        go Cannon all the way. I converted from film to digital in '98. I've been shooting Cannon ever since. The EOS line- I've had 10d, 20d, 5d and Mark II multiples of each to run a high volume portrait studio.

        Yep, the new mark III ($4500ish) would be orgasmic and would spank the Playboy issue right off the shelf war284767. I'm with you on that one. Cannon is also fast with repair if there ever is a problem.

        But with the type of work and volume you probably do there really is no need to worry about that. A $200-300 camera would be obsolete before it had a problem. Sounds kinda disposable to me, but I'm not in your shoes.

        Just be glad you're not in my shoes though. My first camera and a computer system cost me $10 in "98. The next camera in "99 (Cannon dcs560) cost me $27K over 5 years, and of course I needed two of them.

        Come to think of it, I think I still have one of those around. I've been avoiding putting it on ebay. I think I saw one there for $750ish.

        Today, prices have come back in line. I shoot cannon 5d's that cannon sells in best buy for probably $2k. And consumers are buying them.

        You could go to best buy, take an image card with you, have the dude put an on camera flash on whatever camera you want to try, insert your card, and take a photo of the sales dude, take the card home and view or print the results.

        Also, you can review any digital camera or digital item at Digital Camera Reviews and News: Digital Photography Review: Forums, Glossary, FAQ I have no affiliation with them although they may have an affiliate program. They will even find the lowest price for you.

        The days of polaroid are long gone, hope you have fun with your gear.
        RB
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[699463].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author jimbo3891
    We purchased a Nikon D40x when that model first came out. I've wanted a Nikon since I was a teenager over 20 years ago. Finally got one. Should have researched them more. In the Nikon line, I would not recommend going with the D40x - not that I don't like ours - it's just that the D40 is a little better camera for a lot less money. The processor speed is a little faster in the D40 as well.

    However, several of my pro photography buddies and I would recommend the Canon EOS models. It seems that most pros are moving away from Nikon and towards the Canon lines. In the DSLR market, it seems that Canon is "winning the race" and producing a product with a bit of an edge.

    Also, in the DSLR market, I would only consider Nikon and Canon. Accessories for both of these are readily available and both companies are long standing names in photography. If you're buying local, then of course, consider availability of the camers, accessories, and service - above all service.

    If you're wanting a very simple "point and shoot" camera that has video capability, then Dave Lakhani recommends the Canon SD1100. It shoots video at TV speeds, so it produces a decent quality video for use on the web - if that's important to you. He keeps it in his coat pocket all the time and uses it to capture video testimonials at a moment's notice. I don't own one personally, but a friend of my daughter put one in my hand Friday night to take some prom pictures of she and her boyfriend and it was easy to operate, very small, but weighty enough to feel decent in my hands.

    Hope this is helpful to you.
    Signature

    James Dunn
    Athens, GA
    http://wpmu.org/author/jamesdunn

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[710897].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author jzhao168
    Originally Posted by Joshua Uebergang View Post

    Hey Warriors.

    I'm shopping for a new camera. My old Canon Powershot has gone bonkers.

    I've learned a bit about cameras while searching and it seems a digital SLR is ideal, but expensive. I'll be using the camera to take portraits of people for websites and full body shots for myself (professional, not nude ). Other uses of it will probably be close up. If I can get something less than $400 even $300, that is optimal.

    What are your recommendations? and why?

    As a working photographer there is absolutely no way you can get a brand new proper DSLR camera kit with lens for $300USD-$400USD unless secondhand. I've done some research you and came up with the following recommendations.

    1. Canon Rebel T2i with 18-55mm IS for $849.99USD
    2. Canon Rebel XS with 18-55mm IS and 75-300mm lens for $599.98USD

    Can be purchased through B&H Photo.

    As working photographer I'd not suggest you Canon 5D Mark II for beginners, because it's an overkill for what you need to do and the cost is approximately $2500USD.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2892103].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Virtualghost
      My daughter does both still and videos for her school and adds video to schools own cable tv channels.We bought her the Sony Cybershot and is fantastic little camera for around 250.00 Canadian.She's done some amazing videos for her school and family get togethers.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2892982].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author PhotogJohn
      Originally Posted by jzhao168 View Post

      As a working photographer there is absolutely no way you can get a brand new proper DSLR camera kit with lens for $300USD-$400USD unless secondhand. I've done some research you and came up with the following recommendations.

      1. Canon Rebel T2i with 18-55mm IS for $849.99USD
      2. Canon Rebel XS with 18-55mm IS and 75-300mm lens for $599.98USD

      Can be purchased through B&H Photo.

      As working photographer I'd not suggest you Canon 5D Mark II for beginners, because it's an overkill for what you need to do and the cost is approximately $2500USD.
      Good advice.

      If anyone finds this thread and is interested in inexpensive cameras like the OP was, one way to get a bargain is by finding a good used camera. I'm not in the market so I don't check ebay all the time, but there are people unloading their used cameras at good prices.

      I wouldn't be surprised if you could find a used Rebel in good condition for around $300 or less. You could probably even find great cameras like a 20D or 30D for $500 or less when they originally sold for $1,500.

      I wonder what the original poster ended up doing?
      Signature
      How to Stop Procrastination

      Mind Secrets Exposed
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3136495].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author perryrussell
        Sony has some very good units in this range. I just bought a Cybershot. This is a DSC-S950 and It takes real good pictures. If you want a good zoom, but you'll get one of their other models...
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3136562].message }}

Trending Topics