Camera Recommendations??...

[WDWFUN]

I currently have a Sony CyberShot DSC-P200 which I purchased last year, I love it and it does take very nice pictures but not the quality I am looking for.

I love to take pics, from a distance and at night, problem is that I would like a good(but affordable) camera that has real good zoom and can take good pics at night.

Any recommendations? Advice?...I would like to purchase a new one before my December trip.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

Long zoom + good at night really narrows the field down to a DSLR or a Fuji (with the SuperCCD). That is, assuming you mean night pics of moving subjects. If your subjects aren't moving, then just about any superzoom camera can take a nice night pic (with a tripod) using a long shutter time (or, for that matter, any camera with manual controls that you can set the shutter speed with -- but you mentioned zoom).

But, if your subjects are moving, you need to be able to take good pics at high ISO ... which is what some of the Fuji's are best at.

If you don't want to spent the $$$ for a DSLR, you might want to look at the Fuji S6000fd. Also, Fuji just released the S8000fd, which will probably mean that the 6000's will be coming down in price. However, the 8000 doesn't have the same larger "SuperCCD" sensor as the 6000 so it probably isn't as good at high ISO.

 

[ukcatfan]

I currently have a Sony CyberShot DSC-P200 which I purchased last year, I love it and it does take very nice pictures but not the quality I am looking for.

I love to take pics, from a distance and at night, problem is that I would like a good(but affordable) camera that has real good zoom and can take good pics at night.

Any recommendations? Advice?...I would like to purchase a new one before my December trip.

It all depends on what you consider affordable and how large of a camera you want. For example, if you do not care about the size and ~$400 is alright, then you can get a DSLR that would be better at night shots without a tripod, but you would have to spend more to get a longer focal length lens and it would put you closer to $600. I do not think this is what you are looking for though.

You are probably looking more towards the bridge cameras (also called super zooms) that have long zoom lenses. A couple popular examples are the Canon S3 and Fuji S6000fd. There are many other models though. Many offer image stabilization, which helps you take a shot in low light without a tripod. It does not help if the subject is moving though. The Fuji benefits from having a larger image sensor than the others (1/1.7" vs. 1/2.5") so it will have less image noise at higher ISO levels. With this you can take low light shots of moving subjects better, but the Fuji does not offer IS. Note that almost all of these models are on the larger side. For something a little smaller, but still having some zoom, check out the Canon TX1. It is not going to be as powerful in terms of manual controls and stuff like that, but it is much smaller.

Kevin

 

[jenseib]

What price range are you considering? Affordable to one person is expoensive to another.

 

[WDWFUN]

thank you all for the advice, i am looking into all the models given...I'm ranging into $400-$500 on a new camera.

I just love to take pics but never can get a nice night pic of Cinderella's Castle at night or of the night parade...On my sony cybershot, either it was to dark or the movement made the pics look fuzzy.

 

[Groucho]

For that range, you're probably looking at an entry-level DSLR. Personally, I wouldn't recommend that anyone pay more than $300 (if that) for any point-n-shoot camera. The most affordable DSLR is the Pentax K110D which is just under $400 including kit lens. They have a rebate on the K100D (which adds image stabilization) that ends in, oh, 15 minutes or so, which brings it to $409 after rebate (Beach Camera just lowered their price $10), but there'll probably be another rebate starting soon.

Other options including the Nikon D40, Canon Rebel XT, maybe an Olympus E500... the Sony A100 is probably going to be slightly over your budget.

However, any of these are going to have a fairly short zoom lens as the "kit" lens. You can add a lens with longer reach, but it will add to the total cost, of course. You can also buy the DSLR with no lens and add a single lens that has a very long zoom range, but generally as the zoom range increases, the optical quality decreases.

If zoom is more important than low-light, then you might be able to get buy with a point-n-shoot, but they all have issues in low-light. The Fujis with the SuperCCD HR (not the "plain" SuperCCD) are head and shoulders about the rest in low-light ability.

Oh, and for things like the castle at night, your best friend is a tripod, this will allow most any camera to get great night shots of static objects. As for SpectroMagic, that's very difficult and if you want satisfactory shots without a flash, you're pretty much doomed with a point-n-shoot, and even with a DSLR, you'll want a lens that works especially well in low-light, more so than the kit lens.