Recommendation DSLR...family/kid pictures

[minniem]

Hi everyone!

I am new to this board and have been searching various posts. We are looking to upgrade our camera from a P&S to a DSLR! My question is: Is there any recommendations if the main thing I will be photographing will be my kids? I need it to be good in low light, natural light situations and also with moving targets. I also need it to be able to take pictures without a significant delay (something I get irritated with my P&S...by the time it takes the picture the kids have moved).

I know it's a personal preference thing and to see which one I like holding better. I plan on going into the stores next week and actually trying some out. I just wanted to do a little bit of preliminary research.

I am looking to spend around $700. I would like it to be pretty easy to use for beginners but have the option to expand as I learn more.

The two that are standing out to me are the Nikon D3100 and the Canon Rebel t2i, but I am open to other suggestions.

Sorry if I am asking a question that's been asked a million times before, after searching these boards for 2-3 hours my eyes are going numb!

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Hi everyone!

I am new to this board and have been searching various posts. We are looking to upgrade our camera from a P&S to a DSLR! My question is: Is there any recommendations if the main thing I will be photographing will be my kids? I need it to be good in low light, natural light situations and also with moving targets. I also need it to be able to take pictures without a significant delay (something I get irritated with my P&S...by the time it takes the picture the kids have moved).

I know it's a personal preference thing and to see which one I like holding better. I plan on going into the stores next week and actually trying some out. I just wanted to do a little bit of preliminary research.

I am looking to spend around $700. I would like it to be pretty easy to use for beginners but have the option to expand as I learn more.

The two that are standing out to me are the Nikon D3100 and the Canon Rebel t2i, but I am open to other suggestions.

Sorry if I am asking a question that's been asked a million times before, after searching these boards for 2-3 hours my eyes are going numb!

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

I took a look around and with a budget of $700 (approx) you are probably looking at the following models (with an 18-55 lens):

Canon T1i- the T2i is currently $800

Nikon D5000

Sony A33

Pentax Kr

I don't know much about the Olympus so someone else can comment on that line.

Remember besides just the camera, you will have to budget for memory cards, extra battery and other accessories as you deem necessary. If $700 is your max budget for everything then you may have to go down a model level. As you have indicated that you have read, it is important to handle the cameras and look at all the options. Also I would recommend to look at the entire line to see if it is going to meet your needs into the future. You are buying into a system and unless you have unlimited funds you don't want to be switching often.

 

[2Tiggies]

Hi, I'm a DSLR newbie so I may need to be corrected here, but if you are choosing a camera based on the type of photography you intend using it for it is going to be the type of lens you use more than the camera. So with this in mind it may be a good idea once you have narrowed down your choices of camera to have a look at the lenses that would be best for you and what they cost.

Is a used DSLR out of the question?

 

[minniem]

Thanks for the advice. No a used DSLR is not out of the question. I am planning on going to the camera store today to actually try some out and see how they feel in my hands.

Thanks again!

 

[boBQuincy]

Afaik no dSLR has a significant shutter delay, the time to focus, meter, and fire is very short for all dSLRs. Of course there is an exception, and that is when using live view on most dSLRs, where a slow focus speed is likely, so plan on using the viewfinder.

Focus speed for moving targets is also controlled by the lens, those with micro USM (a Canon term, other brands call it something different) are often considerably faster to focus than lenses with lesser (less $$$) focusing motors. A larger maximum aperture can also give faster focus in low light by allowing the camera to use the more sensitive cross focus sensor (usually f/2.8 or better).

As for low light the newer cameras usually have higher ISO and better noise control. Either of your two choices would probably work well, especially when coupled with a fast lens (with micro USM).

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Afaik...the time to focus...is very short for all dSLRs.

But not with all lenses. I have one lens (Canon 85mm f/1.2) with an incredibly slow focusing speed. I suspect that it has traded speed for precision. Admittedly, that's a pretty unusual exception.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I took a look around and with a budget of $700 (approx) you are probably looking at the following models (with an 18-55 lens):

Canon T1i- the T2i is currently $800

Nikon D5000

Sony A33

Pentax Kr

I don't know much about the Olympus so someone else can comment on that line.

Remember besides just the camera, you will have to budget for memory cards, extra battery and other accessories as you deem necessary. If $700 is your max budget for everything then you may have to go down a model level. As you have indicated that you have read, it is important to handle the cameras and look at all the options. Also I would recommend to look at the entire line to see if it is going to meet your needs into the future. You are buying into a system and unless you have unlimited funds you don't want to be switching often.

Pea-n-Me sent me a PM and stated the Olympus entry level camera is the E-620 and it is within your budget. That's another option.

 

[GrillMouster]

minnieem,
Both the D3100 and the T2i are fantastic entry-level DSLRs. It really doesn't matter which one you choose. If you have friends or relatives that are really into photography and have a collection of lenes or other brand-specifi accessories that they might let you borrow, then you might want to go with the same brand of camera they're using. Otherwise, flip a coin, throw a dart, draw from a hat -- do whatever you want to just pick a camera. It really doesn't matter; picking a camera is the easy part.

I say it's easy because nearly every camera is better than the person using it. A DSLR will solve the shutter lag problem you described. However, the issue of fast-moving subjects in low light isn't one that's immediately solved by purchasing a DSLR. What a DSLR does is it give you more OPTIONS. How you use those options will determine your success. Your next step should be learning about the "exposure triangle".

The exposure triangle is aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. A fourth thing that I think belongs there is light, but then it would be an exposure square. Triangles are cool, squares are...square. In addition to learning about what each of those points of the triangle do, you need to learn how each of them impact the others and how they all work together to achieve exposure. Once you understand that, you'll not only be able to make "properly" exposed images, but you'll also be empowered to intentionally make creatively exposed images.

The usual recommendation is to pick up a good book like Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure. The stuff in that book is readily available online for free, but a lot of the info online is a bit scattered and it can be tough to learn something when you don't know what to ask and where to find the answers. The benefit of the book is that it's all layed out in a sequence and in a manner that makes it easy to consume and understand. The book is probably available at your local public library, or for just $16 or less you can buy it from Amazon.

Good Luck.

 

[minniem]

Hi OP here, thanks for all the advice. I ended up purchasing the Canon Rebel EOS t2i and I love it. It was a bit more than I had originally planned to spend, but after we went to the camera store and tried out some cameras my DH and I both really liked how the camera felt to us. I just got the kit lens for now, but hope to upgrade sometime in the future. I had a Canon P&S, which I like to, so my DH voted we stay with Canon.

Now I just have to start taking pictures out of auto mode! I have experimented a little bit, but it's still confusing to me. I did purchase the book, Understanding Exposure, so hopefully that will help me understand things a bit more.

Thanks again for all the help!