ok anything wrong with a p/s?

[gokenin]

I love my camera a casio exilim its a point and shoot but i have to say that reading this board i get the feeling that if you dont have a DSLR then you are really a novice. like i said i love my camera but its just how it feels on this board

 

[Miller1412]

I am definitely in the "novice" category too. And I own a DSLR...but that's why I post (and lurk) so that I can learn something. There are a bunch of point and shoot experts on here too that work just as much magic with their cameras as any photos I've seen. Hope you don't feel too frustrated by the DSLR thing...there are lots of great folks on here who give good advice no matter what you're shooting with

 

[DueyDooDah]

I love my camera a casio exilim its a point and shoot but i have to say that reading this board i get the feeling that if you dont have a DSLR then you are really a novice. like i said i love my camera but its just how it feels on this board

No, no, no! If you love your camera and you are happy with the photos you get, then you are missing nothing. A novice is someone that is just starting to use their equipment. If you've mastered your p&s, then you are where you want to be. And, you're saving big bucks in the mean time.

If your happy, don't change a thing.

 

[mikamah]

I love my point and shoot sony cybershot, and I think I take some pretty good pictures with it. It's so convenient and I carry it in my purse all the time. I am new to this section of the disboards and have found bunches of great information and tips here. I am researching buying a new camera, primarily want something with a longer zoom lens now that my son is starting sports. I go back and forth with getting another point and shoot with a 12-15X zoom, or venturing into the dslr world. If I do go with a dslr, I'd like one that has many auto options until I learn how to use it. I don't think I'm a photography novice, but I am a dslr novice. I just started posting pics from my p+s on some of the threads here, and it's fun and addicting.

 

[Master Mason]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a P&S camera if it is providing you with what you need in your camera, then it is perfect. Lots and Lots of people would have no need or desire for a SLR camera.

In the end, it is the pictures that matter, not the equipment used to take them. And I would be willing to bet that the vast majority of the people frequenting this board use a P&S camera, it is just a few of us that own dSLR's that like to talk about them....

 

[Ducky4Disney]

Nothing at all wrong with a P&S! And it does not make you a novice! I loved my Canon G2. It had a reliable auto mode but I could venture into program, TV, AP, and even full manual if I wanted. I got a speedlite for it, a wide angle, and telephoto lens for it. I mastered it and took great shots with it - but it's old and breaking down. Not focusing like it should and I think the flash is off a bit. So we moved up to DSLR - Nikon D200. Now I'm below novice. I can't take pics with the D200 like I could with my G2. There's a big learning curve.

D4D

 

[GrumpyOne]

There's definitely nothing wrong with a point & shoot. I'm of the opinion that in most cases, a good photographer will often take a more pleasing picture with a P&S than a novice will with a DSLR. And in many cases, a DSLR is either inconvenient, unwarranted or just plain not allowed, making the P&S the superior choice.

While there are certain shots that a DSLR will do better at, they tend to be at the extremes. Low-light and fast action, for instance. IMO, the key is knowing what you want to do and ensuring that you have the equipment to do it.

I've decided to make the switch this summer after pushing what I had as far as I was able to, upgrading and still being dissatisfied in some areas and learning more (this board helped) why. The right tool for the job. While a mallet and hammer are both whacking tools, each whacks certain things better than others.

You'll always have camera envy, whether it's "I wish I could take low-light shots like that" or "I wish my gear didn't weigh so much". Knowing what you want to do and having a realistic understanding of your camera's limitations will help a lot.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

While there are certain shots that a DSLR will do better at, they tend to be at the extremes. Low-light and fast action, for instance. IMO, the key is knowing what you want to do and ensuring that you have the equipment to do it.

This is very true. If you spent a few hundred bucks on a decent P&S, you'll get very comparable photos under good conditions. It's when it comes time to take pictures under difficult conditions that the extra capabilities of a more expensive camera come into play.

Remember that a DSLR has plenty of drawbacks as well. They cost more (sometimes much, much more). They are bulkier. They are heavier. They are harder to use well. They often require that you change lenses. They also don't have all of the same capabilities like letting you see what you are going to get a picture of on an LCD before you shoot or recording movies.

You'll also find that DSLR owners tend to talk more about their gear, so you hear more about that stuff. Part of that is because they are complicated and people often have more questions about how to work them. Part of that is also because people interested in talking about camera equipment tend to buy equipment that has lots of features and complexity.

Another cause of perceived bias is that the regulars on this board tend to have a passion for photography. Passionate photographers tend to spend more money on their equipment and they are willing to invest the time and energy into using a DSLR. As a consequence, a lot of the regulars here are most familiar with DSLRs.

The best camera is the one that you are most comfortable with, that you'll actually carry and use, and that you understand.

 

[DueyDooDah]

...The best camera is...

...a Canon.

Just saying what Mark really meant.

 

[ukcatfan]

I believe that there have already been some nice responses, but I would like to add one thing. From what I can tell, most DSLR users also carry a p&s about everywhere they go.

Kevin

 

[jann1033]

i think due to some are more fanatical about photos ( raising my hand here) it might seem like "dslrs are the way to go for everyone" mentality is the rule here. however i really feel most would agree that you should use whatever makes you happy and what ever you want to use.

i've seen great photos from point and shoots and lousy photos from dslrs( again for some reason my hand just won't stay down ) so who really cares what you use? and i really think p&s have gotten to the point where they can do so much more than they used to the normal casual shooter is not really as limited as they once were. naturally you can't do everything a dslr can do but my dslr doesn't do everything Mark's dslr does and you don't hear me crying about it ( well not all the time )

 

[Gdad]

most DSLR users also carry a p&s about everywhere they go.

I keep mine right in my pocket where my money use to be.

 

[gokenin]

Thanks for the encouragement I will continue to use my casio as said I enjoy it and I do think its a good camera but have to admit I dont know if at some point I may upgrade but for now I will stick with my point and shoot

 

[YEKCIM]

I keep mine right in my pocket where my money use to be.

Lots more room in there, post-dSLR gear, right?

~YEKCIM

 

[Dan Murphy]

.....The best camera is the one that you are most comfortable with, that you'll actually carry and use, and that you understand.

So very true words.

P&S'er here.

 

[MICKEY88]

So very true words.

P&S'er here.

and a darn good P&S'er at that...one of the best..

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I think I understand what you mean - I started a similar thread when I first started hanging out here. But I've come to think it's a kind of self-imposed thing, because nobody here looks down on anyone who doesn't own a DSLR - we can all post here together and share the fun that comes with taking good pictures - especially of Disney - regardless of the type of camera we own. (There are some who also rejoice in having a point and shoot and taking great pictures - like Dan and 2angelsinheaven, makinorlando, and many others.)

I do think there are some here who are "masters" and as said above, are so passionate about photography they've probably forgotten more about it than many of us will ever know. I feel like we're kind of lucky to have them here on our little Disney board because we can learn so much from them and enjoy seeing all their beautiful photos. They've started some interesting threads which pique our curiosity and get us out using our own cameras so we can learn and enjoy as well. My whole family enjoys looking at everyone's weekly contest photos and Picture a Day threads on the other boards. Fun for everyone!

With that said, my own interest in photography as a hobby is growing now that I have time in my life to work at it more than I ever did previously. I've "moved up" from a point and shoot (which I was very happy with for many years) to a "bridge" camera, and I do have my eye on a DSLR which I will probably purchase once we get through some home renovations. But that's an indication of where I'm going as a photographer and how much of a hobby it's become for me, not that I see a pns as less - just what's right for me now.

 

[YEKCIM]

I've "moved up" from a point and shoot (which I was very happy with for many years) to a "bridge" camera, and I do have my eye on a DSLR...

Same for me. I started out with (please don't laugh, guys) the 2MP still imager on my Canon camcorder and was surprised at how good some of the pix were, *if* the lighting conditions were right. When I made the move from film SLR to digital, I knew I eventually wanted to go dSLR, but was not financially able to do so at the time, so "settled for" the Fuji S5200, which proved to be a wonderful camera, and a good tool for learning digital photography. At $225, it was a bargain, if only for the pix I took at WDW last July. As I said, I wanted to move up to a dSLR all along, and finally was able to do so early this year. I have great hopes that the D50 will allow me to capture some images in difficult lighting situations that were just not possible with the Fuji and also believe that the overall image quality will be superior. That said, though, I don't expect to see much, if any difference between 4X6's of comparable well lit scenes taken with both cameras. 8X10's and beyond should be a different story; we'll see. I do know that after a few hours in the Central FL July heat, I will definitely miss the size and weight factor of the Fuji, and the 38-380mm equivalent "all in one" zoom lens is great for most outdoor (and some indoor) WDW photo ops.

The great thing about digital cameras is that there is a diversity of models so that each of us can choose the camera that best suits our needs. And, as others have said, it's not the camera that makes good pictures, it is the person using the camera that does so. There are plenty of examples on these boards and elsewhere that prove that a good eye combined with a good quality PnS can produce *outstanding* photographs (as opposed to "snapshots"). Give me a good photographer with a good PnS over a mediocre photographer with a $$$$ dSLR anytime.

~YEKCIM

 

[Amy]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a P&S camera if it is providing you with what you need in your camera, then it is perfect. Lots and Lots of people would have no need or desire for a SLR camera.

In the end, it is the pictures that matter, not the equipment used to take them. And I would be willing to bet that the vast majority of the people frequenting this board use a P&S camera, it is just a few of us that own dSLR's that like to talk about them....

I totally agree! I'm on my 2nd P&S camera, first a Canon A70 and now the Canon S3 IS.

There's definitely nothing wrong with a point & shoot. I'm of the opinion that in most cases, a good photographer will often take a more pleasing picture with a P&S than a novice will with a DSLR. And in many cases, a DSLR is either inconvenient, unwarranted or just plain not allowed, making the P&S the superior choice.

While there are certain shots that a DSLR will do better at, they tend to be at the extremes. Low-light and fast action, for instance. IMO, the key is knowing what you want to do and ensuring that you have the equipment to do it.

Yep! And while I love some of the shots that the dSLR users post here, I just don't do much of that kind of photography to justify (to myself) the cost of the equipment and lugging all that equipment around.

The great thing about digital cameras is that there is a diversity of models so that each of us can choose the camera that best suits our needs. And, as others have said, it's not the camera that makes good pictures, it is the person using the camera that does so. There are plenty of examples on these boards and elsewhere that prove that a good eye combined with a good quality PnS can produce *outstanding* photographs (as opposed to "snapshots"). Give me a good photographer with a good PnS over a mediocre photographer with a $$$$ dSLR anytime.

 

[PoohJen]

I loved the pictures I got with my first P&S; it was a cheapo ($150 at the time, probably $25 now!) THREE MP Kodak!!! Great color!

I really needed to upgrade though to get the sports shots I wanted; the Kodak couldn't meet my particular needs there.

Unfortunately, DS lost my Kodak, so I am in the market for another P&S! The dSLR gets certain shots that I can't get with my P&S, it gives me a chance to learn more about photography (read: lots of opportunities for mistakes and bad shots!), and it helps me to part with my money on endless accessories. Apart from those things, my P&S beautifully fit most of my needs, and I have many great memories preserved on my P&S photos!