Also after a digital camera

[goofy_canoe]

I have been considering buying a new camera lately, as my current camera is on its last legs and I would like to have a new toy to play with I have been trying to weigh up between a film SLR, digital SLR, and a decent digital non-SLR camera that still has plenty of manual control.

Unfortunately a DSLR may be well out of my price range, and with film seemingly becoming less of a priority (as well as a hassle to develop and so forth), a film SLR may be a liability. So I am beginning to lean toward some kind of compact digital camera. I'd be looking up to about $400, probably. Does anyone have some suggestions I could follow up on? I would appreciate it a lot.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

one thing a point and shoot can never replace dSLR: the virtually no-lag shutter release.

As far as P&S digicam that have lots of manual controls, S2-IS, A620, A610 (all Canons, less than $300) have that feature.

 

[captaincrash]

goofy...

I would ask whether you could define where your interest level is. If your current camera is on it's last legs - what sort is it? Point and shoot - SLR or? Plus have used an SLR before? Your interest level may very well guide you into one or another for the next step.

Even though a DSLR seems out of the range - it is POSSIBLE to get into one. Careful shopping reveals that Canon 350XT KITS can be had under 7 tax and shipping included. Memory is cheap enough that 1 gig can e had for about $50 or less. You only need come up with another 350 and you're in the ball park. If were an option - and your level of passion dictated a DSLR suited your interests and needs best then you will not end up doing what "I" did - start with a top of the line "all in one" then more to an affordable "DSLR" - only to end up with a DSLR that met my real preferred minimum desires - only I spent so much on the 1st 2 that I felt squeezed by the rapid depreciation on the 1st 2 cameras in 5 years. Granted, at the very outset the DSLR I ended up with did not really exist - nor did the existing models perform well enough to suit me 5 years ago - but if I paused just a little then I might have done a little better since value for the dollar has been a tornado in recent years.

New models come out every few years it seems that leap frogged the prior one - and prices dropped smartly. Only now it seems the market is beginning to settle in the point and shoot market - but a little hesitation in the DSLR market might bring you exactly what YOU want if you save a little for it.

Lenses will weigh heavily on you though. I was fortunate - I bought 3 lenses on eBay for about 40-70% off and resold 2 for slight profits on eBay. Then I bought 1 zoom at retail from B&H... a 70-300 f4-5.6 IS zoom. I also had 1 bad eBay purchase where I had paypal and eBay force a refund. So - you do have to be careful. Oh yeah - I sold my digital rebel on eBay for $490 (no lense) and bought a 10D for $590 in roughtly November of 05. The 10D was just selling for $1600 before the 20D came out. And then 22 months prior it debuted at $2100 MSRP (1900 street). So... be careful of getting caught up with the latest and greatest. The drop oin resale is STEEP - I am trying to side step a generation or 2 with my 2nd hand 10D ... and I'm saving $1400 or so by reselling the rebel rather than keeping it as a "back up"... and by getting the used 10D. I am angling for a 30D 6 months after it's replacement comes out - unless they replace the 5D... then I'll angle for the 5D about 6 months after its' replacement comes out. 20Ds are still fetching good money on eBay but they are starting to drop into the 8s on resale... and soon they will fetch 7s! Yeah - nothing holds it's value over time - but the 30D has a shutter assembly rated for 100,000 actuations while everything else is rated (by rumor) to last 25-50K. So a 30D is the minimum step up for me on the secondary market. I don't recall the life rating of the 5D. BUT HECK... either way - even if I stepped up eventually to a 20D and the shutter failed... a new shutter is only $300 or so (provided it also did not need a mirror assembly ~ 200 from Canon). I would also suggest you try a non-canon tech who is totally professional as they won't ram a mirror replacement down your throat.

Aty any rate - you can see how I am thinking. I am tired of watching the prices drop so quickly for what you get. So I am watching for a few years with something that actually has me happy as a "bug in a rug".... a 10D with a 20-35 and 70-300 IS. I am in the market for either a 24-85 or 28-105 canon EF lense... if I can get it at the right price from a reputable seller on eBay. If I get impatient then I'll just snap it up from B&H. Heck, the 28-105 is only $229 there... and the 24-84 is just $309. But the 20-35 sells for 369 while I paid $160 on ebay for mine. All are reasonably well regarded and reviewed by users on fred miranda... and photozone indicates decent if not good to very good performance as "sleepers" in the canon line up.

My final suggestion... are youa costco memer? Buy a digicam from them and putz around with it for a few months and then return it once you ascertain your "need level". On the other hand you may find the point and shoot serves you "just right". In which case ... keep it til it dies! Costco has a very liberal return policy - and as a result they get ALL MY BUSINESS as I can buy with confidence from they at fair prices!

elow is a collage of our kids dancing on a Mexican cruise from 2/2006 ~ and on the right was from the Disney Magic cruise - the lion king segment of a stage show. Available light from a dozen rows back, hand held no flash (of course).

Hope this seems encouraging and or helpful...

Below is a photo of an Alaskan glacial flow taken through the plexiglas of a fixed wing tour we took a couple of years ago. Digital rebel.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

captaincrash beat me to it.

 

[Greg K.]

If you're in the market for something compact, I'd suggest either the Canon A620, or the brand spanking new Canon SD700 with image stabilization.

The 620 is arguably the best compact out there right now, with a wealth of manual control features that rival some SLRs. And, of course, the sparkling Canon quality.

But the SD700 does have the all-important IS, which can give you a lot more usable shots in lower light, or without a flash. It's also pocketable, and is winning raves on the 'net. The downside: the price. It's now listed at $499, and you'd be hard pressed to find places offering it for much less than that.

 

[goofy_canoe]

Thanks for the hints guys. I have a fairly rubbish Kodak 3MP camera which is all plastic, and I have managed to beat it up pretty badly. It's taken some nice photos but I feel ready for a step up. However, I've been warned not to overspend on a camera (i.e DSLR) so at the moment I am in the market for something about half the price. With lenses and all that jazz for an SLR, I would pretty quickly end up spending too much, so for the time being I will try and aim for one of the better point and shoots. It's not my heart's desire but there are other priorities which take precedence.

I have used an SLR before - a used Pentax bought off ebay. It broke after about a month I was getting the hang of it though. For the time being, so long as I can find something P&S with plenty of manual control I'll be happy, until priorities change and I can begin to think about something like a DSLR and lenses.

 

[captaincrash]

Goofy...

Try to stick with the slightly larger sensors 1/1.8" sensors. The A620 looks to be about $300 +/- $40. You can read an exhaustive review at http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canona620/ and it looks like:

What is not so hot is that for a point and shoot - it is a little bulky and will not fit into a pocket. I have a small and thin SD400 but the 1/2.5" sensor produces images that are a notch down from the 1/1.8 sensor digicams. I rarely use it for photos deliberately - and use it more for shooting MPEG video clips! Plus the tiny SD really is almost too small. A slightly larger physical format is actually preferred by us - but we have it (it was a gift of sorts) and we'll use it til it gets lost or breaks. Another aspect that is not so impressive is that it only has a 7 step focusing system - which may not be all that bad since the final output is actually quite good.

Here is what DP review summarized in their review:

Overall conclusion
The PowerShot A95 was one of the most successful 5MP compacts due to its compelling combination of features, image quality and value for money. But it was not a camera without problems - mainly performance and speed issues, most of which we - and all the people who bought it - put down to the inevitable compromise involved in getting so many features at such a keen price. The PowerShot A620, though externally pretty similar, is a very different kettle of fish. Not only does it boast a much better sensor, but the use of the latest DIGIC II processor means it's a lot, lot faster in operation too. There is very little here to suggest a 'budget' model at all; image quality is excellent, it's very well built, it handles well and it has a real wealth of photographic features that make it suitable for everyone from the absolute beginner to the more experienced photographer wanting lots of control over the picture taking process. And like the A95 it's a great first camera for anyone wanting to learn the craft of photography, being both affordable and well-specified enough to grow with you as your knowledge and experience increases.

Of course it's not perfect; there are some exposure issues (though these are fairly rare), it's fairly chunky and hardly lightweight, and there's still no way to change ISO or white balance without using the FUNC menu (even the most basic Ixus model now has an ISO button). But what it lacks in sex-appeal it more than makes up for in sheer value for money. Like the A95 before it, the A620 is one of those rare cameras that takes virtually every shooting situation you throw at it in its stride, with only the highlight clipping issue preventing an almost perfect hit rate.

Although there are litterally a dozen comparable models of similar competance and capability - I am a Canon enthusiast who feels Canon generates better output. The images are slightly muted and less likely to be over saturated - as some manufacturers deliberatly preset their output to look more punchy and "pleasing" to the eye. And in so doing you tend to lose more of the high-lights and detail. I prefer to have images that can be worked with post camera. Of course, this may be a non-essential consideration for you. If so - just grab something that appeals to you from Costco - keep the receipt and if you're not happy for any reason then return it. I like Costco for things that may have any uncertainty attached.

Hope this didn't muddle the waters further...

What I like most is the flip out and rotatable LCD monitor.