Point and shoot and SLR recommendations for beginners?

[m-tinkerbelle]

hi you all!

I'd love it if you could recommend me a good brand for a point-and-shoot camera. I live in Europe and we might have different models but I'll try to see if I can find the exact models you mention or something quite similar.
A recommendation of a nice SLR camera for beginners would be great too.

My goal is to find cameras that will do a fairly good job at disney parks at vacations, specially nighttime photos and fireworks. Of course we have to have in mind that I don't know much about photography and a camera that's too good or expensive would be a waste of money because I wouldn't know how to use it properly.

What are your favorite brands for both kinds of cameras to use at Disney?

I know that probably this has been asked before, but there's a limited offer at our local electronics store near us and it ends soon, so I'd really appreciate it if you could help me to at least choose a brand.

Thanks a lot in advance!!!

 

[photo_chick]

The camera doesn't make the shot, the photographer does. Nearly any camera out right now is capable of producing good shots if you know a little bit about photography. As far as DSLR's go, if you get one and intend to leave it on Auto permanently you can save yourself some cash and get a high end point and shoot and will probably be happier with the results.

I've personally been very happy with the Fuji point and shoots we've had. For DSLR's all the brands have solid entry level models, it's just a matter of finding what fits you. Right now you get the most for your money with Pentax DSLR's.

 

[m-tinkerbelle]

The camera doesn't make the shot, the photographer does. Nearly any camera out right now is capable of producing good shots if you know a little bit about photography. As far as DSLR's go, if you get one and intend to leave it on Auto permanently you can save yourself some cash and get a high end point and shoot and will probably be happier with the results.

I've personally been very happy with the Fuji point and shoots we've had. For DSLR's all the brands have solid entry level models, it's just a matter of finding what fits you. Right now you get the most for your money with Pentax DSLR's.

thank you Danielle!
I have two Sony point-and-shoot but one of them doesn't have a "sports mode" and the other one (newer) doesn't work well at night, and the flash is too poor. I know that good photographing skills are a must for getting nice pictures but if the camera is not good enough then there's nothing you can do to make it better.
I'll take a look at those point-and-shoot from Fuji then
I saw some Nikon DSLR on sale last week and they include a short photography course for beginners but I thought the price was too good for such a good brand (or so I was told). Maybe I should give it a second chance and check them out before they're all gone .

thanks again!

PS: I almost forgot. Thanks for recommending the Pentax ones, I didn't know that was a good brand! I'll definitely check them out

 

[zackiedawg]

I think what Danielle is saying is that brand doesn't have anything to do with it (and I agree). If you have a Sony model without a sports mode, or another that doesn't have a good flash, then you can always find a different Sony model that does. As much as you'll find a Canon, Fuji, Panasonic, or Nikon model that has a poor flash or another missing mode. All of the brands make many different models, and all have a cheapo, a compact, an ultrazoom, a fancy P&S, etc. Find the right camera with the right features for your needs, and one you're comfortable with, but keep the brand name out of it.

For DSLRs, Nikon is a fine brand, but no better or worse than Canon, Sony, Pentax, or Olympus. Nikon makes cheap, slightly stripped down entry-level DSLRs and seriously big, solid professional models, and lots of things in between. Canon does too. Sony, Pentax, and Olympus don't offer the professional gear, but all have entry-level and mid-level models. Some of them have special or unique features that may appeal to you, or be something you are looking for. Nikon and Canon have the biggest lens collections available to them, Sony, Pentax, and Olympus all have stabilization built into the camera body, Pentax offers a ton of customization even to their entry-level cams, Sony has the only usable fast live view system...and so on. Each also has different ergonomics - what feels good in one person's hands might feel awful to another. Some folks swear by the design and grip of Canon's entry level models, and some swear by Nikon's. Some prefer Pentax's lighter and smaller units, or Sony's bigger and deeper gripped units.

Shop the whole market. Shop features and prices, not brands. Shop ergonomics and personal preferences, not someone else's recommendations. And be very very careful about adhering too closely to what others on message boards tell you is best for you - because there is no way they could possibly know that which only you can know!

 

[m-tinkerbelle]

I think what Danielle is saying is that brand doesn't have anything to do with it (and I agree). If you have a Sony model without a sports mode, or another that doesn't have a good flash, then you can always find a different Sony model that does. As much as you'll find a Canon, Fuji, Panasonic, or Nikon model that has a poor flash or another missing mode. All of the brands make many different models, and all have a cheapo, a compact, an ultrazoom, a fancy P&S, etc. Find the right camera with the right features for your needs, and one you're comfortable with, but keep the brand name out of it.

For DSLRs, Nikon is a fine brand, but no better or worse than Canon, Sony, Pentax, or Olympus. Nikon makes cheap, slightly stripped down entry-level DSLRs and seriously big, solid professional models, and lots of things in between. Canon does too. Sony, Pentax, and Olympus don't offer the professional gear, but all have entry-level and mid-level models. Some of them have special or unique features that may appeal to you, or be something you are looking for. Nikon and Canon have the biggest lens collections available to them, Sony, Pentax, and Olympus all have stabilization built into the camera body, Pentax offers a ton of customization even to their entry-level cams, Sony has the only usable fast live view system...and so on. Each also has different ergonomics - what feels good in one person's hands might feel awful to another. Some folks swear by the design and grip of Canon's entry level models, and some swear by Nikon's. Some prefer Pentax's lighter and smaller units, or Sony's bigger and deeper gripped units.

Shop the whole market. Shop features and prices, not brands. Shop ergonomics and personal preferences, not someone else's recommendations. And be very very careful about adhering too closely to what others on message boards tell you is best for you - because there is no way they could possibly know that which only you can know!

thank you! I definitely have everything clearer now. Now I see where Danielle was going, too. thanks! I find that some friends of mine are "married" to Canon or Nikon and was definitely blind-folded by their comments .
Thanks again, really. It's very dissapointing to come back from the holidays and see that all the indoor or nighttime pictures didn't came out as I expected with one of the cameras. I don't want that to happen at Disney.

I'll be reading the threads on this photography section, I'm sure I'll learn A LOT. I have a photography book my husband gave me for Christmas but I still have to find some time to read it and practice.

Thanks for your patience with this newbie
You're all great!

 

[zackiedawg]

No problem. By the way, you may even be able to get much better results from whatever two cameras you have now - knowledgeable folks here might be able to help with some suggestions on settings you got right/wrong, how best to set up the camera for the types of shots you wanted, techniques to use, etc. And books, tutorials, etc can all help learn better skills and techniques to get the most out of your current cameras - if you find yourself growing addicted like the rest of us, then you can start hunting for ideas to step up to for your next camera.

 

[manning]

As a starting point learn the rule of thirds.

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds

http://www.silverlight.co.uk/tutorials/compose_expose/thirds.html

http://photoinf.com/General/KODAK/guidelines_for_better_photographic_composition_rule_of_thirds.html


Google "rule of thirds"

 

[m-tinkerbelle]

thank you!
yes, I knew about that rule of thirds . I don't always remember to apply it, but I always try to keep it in mind

As for my current cameras, I don't think it's worth to even keep them. While on vacations I used to have them with me without their case and all of them suffered continuous crashes XD specially on trips. I was too lazy to care for them well... I have my bad habits completely changed by now so I know I'll be more careful with future cameras . I'll see if I can practice with the newest camera and I'll let you know if there are settings that I can't properly set ( Still, I'm hoping to get a new one, at least a point and shoot. Maybe even with HD video)

The thing that disappoints me the most is that the automatic function is way worse than the automatic function of other cameras. I had a friend with a Canon point-and-shoot on our last trip and his pictures came out perfect with the automatic mode, and ours all were grainy and underexposed. The automatic mode should be satisfactory on all cameras, right? I mean, under the same lighting conditions (daytime), pictures taken at exactly the same time, standing still and waiting for the focus to work and the auto mode to "study" the scene properly and finally shoot. I don't know, results should be a bit similar! Well, enough with the rant there

Thank you very much for offering to help me! you're all very kind! I'll see what I can learn first, I don't want to frustrate you with newbie questions that might get easily answered in the book I have or in tutorials I can find online.

I'd love to get to reach a level that allows me to take nice family pictures and of course, acceptable WDW pics for our album. We might be going back in a year or two so I want to learn as much as possible before we go.

You guys are such artists with photography! I've been taking a look at Danielle's gallery and WOW!!! I have to check the rest of the blogs/galleries. I'm amazed at what you're able to do with a camera! and how well you choose those special "kodak" moments and capture emotions and atmosphere in people and places

Thanks again!

 

[zackiedawg]

The thing that disappoints me the most is that the automatic function is way worse than the automatic function of other cameras. I had a friend with a Canon point-and-shoot on our last trip and his pictures came out perfect with the automatic mode, and ours all were grainy and underexposed. The automatic mode should be satisfactory on all cameras, right? I mean, under the same lighting conditions (daytime), pictures taken at exactly the same time, standing still and waiting for the focus to work and the auto mode to "study" the scene properly and finally shoot. I don't know, results should be a bit similar!

Well, the limitation usually isn't the auto mode as much as it is the camera. An auto mode on a basic, el-cheapo, 4-year old P&S camera won't match the auto mode of a top-end, larger sensor, newer P&S camera...not because of the auto mode itself, but because the auto mode has less tools to work with to deliver the good shot. Likely your models of camera are just not up to some of the better models or newer models. But Canon's auto mode is not better or worse than Sony's, or Panasonic's, or Fuji's. It's all dependent on which specific model, and what features and specifications that camera has.

It might be worth your while to look at some of the travelzoom classes of camera, which incorporate some amazing abilities in their auto modes, using multistacking, high ISO, automatic HDR, and more. They also usually have some more manual modes for when you get more brave, but they'll be able to be more intelligent and have more tools to bring you to get the shots in Auto. Check out the Sony HX7V or HX9V, or the larger HX100V, recently announced...check out the Panasonic ZS10 and ZS8 recently announced...check out the Canon SX30, and the Fuji F550 EXR. Others too - but that will give you a few to consider - all should be much more flexible and capable compared to your current cams, and come full of some amazing and fun features.

 

[m-tinkerbelle]

Well, the limitation usually isn't the auto mode as much as it is the camera. An auto mode on a basic, el-cheapo, 4-year old P&S camera won't match the auto mode of a top-end, larger sensor, newer P&S camera...not because of the auto mode itself, but because the auto mode has less tools to work with to deliver the good shot. Likely your models of camera are just not up to some of the better models or newer models. But Canon's auto mode is not better or worse than Sony's, or Panasonic's, or Fuji's. It's all dependent on which specific model, and what features and specifications that camera has.

It might be worth your while to look at some of the travelzoom classes of camera, which incorporate some amazing abilities in their auto modes, using multistacking, high ISO, automatic HDR, and more. They also usually have some more manual modes for when you get more brave, but they'll be able to be more intelligent and have more tools to bring you to get the shots in Auto. Check out the Sony HX7V or HX9V, or the larger HX100V, recently announced...check out the Panasonic ZS10 and ZS8 recently announced...check out the Canon SX30, and the Fuji F550 EXR. Others too - but that will give you a few to consider - all should be much more flexible and capable compared to your current cams, and come full of some amazing and fun features.

great! thanks for pointing those out. I'll make sure to check them out. I'll let you know what I find more suitable for my budget and I'll ask for your opinions