looking for a better camera - advice?

[dumbo_buddy]

hi all!

i'm thinking about getting a new camera. i currently have a little cannon powershot sd1100 IS. i do like it very much because it's easy to use. however, the quality of the shots i get are only ok. and forget it if i want to zoom. i am working on a trip report below where you can see some pics (the first few were taken on my iphone so might be a good idea to scroll through to day 2 or something).

anyway, some of the pictures i see on here are gorgeous and wonderful quality. are they all taken on really expensive cameras? is there such a camera out there that's more "professional" but not thousands of dollars?

now that i have a son, i want to take good pictures! i enjoy taking pictures of him and like the ease of my digi camera now. it's just that if it's not perfect lighting, the pictures come out...meh, not like, WOW! great photo!

the quality of the photopass pictures are so awesome but i'm sure those cameras are $$$$. that, and bulky. i also want something that doesn't require a BA in photography

advice?
thanks!
nancy

 

[boBQuincy]

Not all (or even the majority) of the photos seen on this board are taken with really expensive cameras. Entry level dSLRs are available for under $500 (with lens) and these cameras are capable of taking almost any of the photos we see here. The entry level dSLRs are also user-friendly, with many of the same automagic settings as on your SD1100. True, the cameras will work better as we learn more about them but a degree in photography is not required, just a little time invested in learning a few basics.

The one thing you will have to accept is that the better cameras are larger and heavier than a SD1100 but even so some of the dSLRs are smaller & lighter than you might expect.

 

[disneyboy2003]

A great majority of the stunning pictures you see on this message board (and from Photopass photographers) come from dSLR cameras.

For a variety of reasons, photos from dSLR cameras are often "better-looking" than those from point-and-shoot cameras. However, it's also just as easy to get bad-looking photos using a dSLR camera, as well.

dSLR cameras are lots faster, with a negligible shutter lag, which is perfect for taking photos of your boy and he learns to crawl, walk, and run away. dSLR cameras are also better at lower-light photography than point-and-shoot cameras.

Entry-level dSLR cameras, like the Canon Rebel T1i, provide a nice, lower-cost way to get into dSLR photography. The Canon T1i currently costs about $750, and includes 1 "kit" lens. A newer version of this camera, the Canon T2i, was just announced and will be available shortly, so the price of the Canon T1i should be coming down, as well.

There are also older models of the Canon Rebel series (ex. Canon XS, Canon XSi) that are also cheaper than the current model.

My personal bias is toward Canon cameras only because I own a Canon camera. But honestly, you really can't go wrong with any other brand's entry-level dSLR, such as Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olympus, etc.

All these camera companies have put a lot of work into making these dSLRs easy to use, especially in "Auto" mode. You can certainly start with "Auto" mode and get pretty good pictures compared to your point-and-shoot camera.

However, to make your photos really shine, you should also invest in an Intro to Digital Photography book, which should teach you the basics of photography and getting proper exposures for your pictures. There are dozens of such books at your local bookstore, so take a moment to browse through them to see which one fits your learning style.

I would recommend going to Best Buy (or better yet, go to an actual camera store) and hold these cameras yourself to see which brand's camera gives you the best "fit" and is most intuitive for you.

Hope that helps! Let us know what you end up doing (buy Canon).

 

[dumbo_buddy]

this is excellent information. thank you both! i certainly am willing to do some legwork in learning how to properly use these better cameras! i'm just nervous about spending the money and not being able to use it. i don't really have an eye for taking pictures unfortunately but i'd like to try!

i'm off to google dSLR cameras!

 

[mabas9395]

Better photos come from better photographers, not better cameras. So while a BA in photography is not required, an understanding of basic photography concepts will help a lot.

 

[Kim&Chris]

I'm glad I found this thread. I have a sd1200is, and I am now getting frustrated with the pictures. I want to upgrade to a dslr, but I admit feeling a little overwhelmed at the thought of not having a clue about lenses and such.

Walmart has a canon rebel on sale for less than $500, so I think I'm going to take the plunge.

 

[DVC Mike]

Take a look at the Nikon D3000 and D5000 as well.

 

[photo_chick]

Better photos come from better photographers, not better cameras. So while a BA in photography is not required, an understanding of basic photography concepts will help a lot.

Absolutely and totally, wholeheartedly agree here. You can spend all you want on cameras but if you don't know how to use it then you won't see most the benefits a DSLR has to offer. 90% of what makes a good shot is the photographer.

There are some high end point and shoots that have outstanding image quality. There are many great reasons to purchase an entry level DSLR but image quality is not one of them these days. A few years ago, maybe, but not now.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

Absolutely and totally, wholeheartedly agree here. You can spend all you want on cameras but if you don't know how to use it then you won't see most the benefits a DSLR has to offer. 90% of what makes a good shot is the photographer.

There are some high end point and shoots that have outstanding image quality. There are many great reasons to purchase an entry level DSLR but image quality is not one of them these days. A few years ago, maybe, but not now.

understood. so then do you know of any books or sites that would help someone like me who wants to be able to take good photos on a dslr?

 

[disneyboy2003]

I'm glad I found this thread. I have a sd1200is, and I am now getting frustrated with the pictures. I want to upgrade to a dslr, but I admit feeling a little overwhelmed at the thought of not having a clue about lenses and such.

Any "Intro to Digital Photography" book will already have an entire section or chapter dedicated to lenses.

As you start using your camera with the included "kit lens", you'll start to think to yourself, "I wish I could take a picture of ______." The fill-in-the-blank might be:

• a subject that's far far away (telephoto zoom lens)
• a subject that's really really small, like a bug or a flower (macro lens)
• a child participating in sports (a fast lens = large aperture = small f/number)
• low-light photography, or a child participating in theater (large aperture / small f-number lens)

...and the list goes on and on and on and on and on. You can see how the $500 initial investment you make in a dSLR can very quickly balloon into several thousands of dollars.

understood. so then do you know of any books or sites that would help someone like me who wants to be able to take good photos on a dslr?

The one book that's very highly recommended on this message board is Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson (link to Amazon). You can find this book at your local bookstore, too. This concise book will give you all the basic principles of photography, regardless of what brand camera you have.

If you like the "Dummies" series, you can try any of the Dummies books on digital photography, such as Digital SLR Cameras and Photography For Dummies (link to Amazon). It's written in an easy-to-understand language and it's in color. As I mentioned earlier, there are literally dozens of different Intro to Digital Photography books at your local bookstore, so take a moment to browse through them and see which one fits your reading / learning style the best.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

Any "Intro to Digital Photography" book will already have an entire section or chapter dedicated to lenses.

As you start using your camera with the included "kit lens", you'll start to think to yourself, "I wish I could take a picture of ______." The fill-in-the-blank might be:

• a subject that's far far away (telephoto zoom lens)
• a subject that's really really small, like a bug or a flower (macro lens)
• a child participating in sports (a fast lens = large aperture = small f/number)
• low-light photography, or a child participating in theater (large aperture / small f-number lens)

...and the list goes on and on and on and on and on. You can see how the $500 initial investment you make in a dSLR can very quickly balloon into several thousands of dollars.



The one book that's very highly recommended on this message board is Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson (link to Amazon). You can find this book at your local bookstore, too. This concise book will give you all the basic principles of photography, regardless of what brand camera you have.

If you like the "Dummies" series, you can try any of the Dummies books on digital photography, such as Digital SLR Cameras and Photography For Dummies (link to Amazon). It's written in an easy-to-understand language and it's in color. As I mentioned earlier, there are literally dozens of different Intro to Digital Photography books at your local bookstore, so take a moment to browse through them and see which one fits your reading / learning style the best.

this is excellent information...thank you! i'm off to amazon right now

 

[DW2010]

It really depends on your price range AND how portable you want your camera to be. Do you want a camera you can take everywhere with you easily? I'm in the process of selling my Nikon D90 and Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 lens because it's just too much for what I need. I rarely use it. Also, I've seen not so great pictures come from DSLR's. If the person behind the camera doesn't know what he's doing, the picture will usually reflect that .

I'm looking at getting either a Sony Cyber-shot TX7 or HX5V because I want a take everywhere type camera and not a DSLR. The TX7 retails for about $400 and the HX5V for about $350. If you go on Flickr, you can type in a camera type and pictures will pop up from those people that tagged it as being taken with that camera. It's pretty cool and will give you an idea of what the picture quality looks like. GL.