Since finding this board....

[Pea-n-Me]

Yes. I daresay Ann is a bad influence. (So is Gdad for that matter.)

 

[ColleenG]

Maybe we can go together! What part of Jersey are you in? I'm sure I can find something I need.

 

[ColleenG]

Jeff (GDad) has a lot of cool toys, that I don't even know what they are, but they make great pictures!

 

[raysnkaysmom]

I can tell from all of you this is going to become one expensive habit. My guess is, I wont' get a DSLR until probably Christmas, at least thats my hope
But, this will probably be my favorite expensive habit (well, aside from Disney trips)
With 4 kids, I NEED a good camera

I'm checking prices online... do you think Nikon D200 is good?

and, I saw on this page
http://www.buy-digital-camera.org/cheap_samsung_l700/price_compare.html

that a Nikon D90 sold for $29.70 on a bid!!

If I want a camera under $500 to start with without having to buy lenses to add right away, where should I look? And...is a dslr possible in that range?
I really am clueless on anything but cheaper digitals, yet I've loved photography my whole life

 

[ColleenG]

Tracy, you sound just like me. I have 4 kids also and the SLR is great for getting wonderful shots of the kids. You'll need atleast one lense. If you get a kit they usually come with a standard zoom lens, 18-55mm. I also have a 55-250mm zoom for sports and the long distance stuff. As far as price shop around. But as many others will tell you also go and hold the camera and play with the settings. If you have one near you go to a local camera shop where they will know how to use the camera. Get a feel for how it's set up and go with what is comfortable for you and feels right. I ended up with a Canon because it felt "right" in my hand and where the buttons for certain things were just seemed more logical to me. But I looked at them all and changed my mind about a 100 times before I finally made a decision. Stick around on here and you'll learn a ton. I actually took a photography class this last spring and the guy was an amazing photographer, just couldn't teach. I come home and start asking questions here and everyone was so helpful. Check the stickies at the top of the photo board. There are some great tutorials that Mark has done on there and they really help explain everything.

Also if your P&S has a manual "M" mode play around with that just to see what happens and you'll start to get an idea. I didn't get my SLR till after I had learned a few things. It made using it a little easier right out of the box without using auto all the time.

Share some of the pictures you take now. They don't have to be with an SLR. Just have fun experimenting.

 

[spinetnglr]

I can tell from all of you this is going to become one expensive habit. My guess is, I wont' get a DSLR until probably Christmas, at least thats my hope
But, this will probably be my favorite expensive habit (well, aside from Disney trips)
With 4 kids, I NEED a good camera

I'm checking prices online... do you think Nikon D200 is good?

and, I saw on this page
http://www.buy-digital-camera.org/cheap_samsung_l700/price_compare.html

that a Nikon D90 sold for $29.70 on a bid!!

If I want a camera under $500 to start with without having to buy lenses to add right away, where should I look? And...is a dslr possible in that range?
I really am clueless on anything but cheaper digitals, yet I've loved photography my whole life

Since you mentioned Nikon in your post you might want to look at the D40 kits with 2 lenses. There are some pretty good deals out there and its an excellent entry level dslr. I own and used a D40 and I loved it and still use it (although not alot since I got the D300). Compare prices and offerings with all the usual reputable online retailers ( B&H, Adorama, Amazon, Beach). If you can go hold one and play with the menus and buttons and see how it feels in your hands. There are some really good prices out there on the D200 but even with a really good price you are paying good money for basically "old" technology. They are doing away with the D200 and trying to move stock. If your budget allows maybe even take a peek at Nikon's D5000. Its their latest entry into the dslr market. Good luck whatever direction you take!!

 

[YesDear]

Ann......... Don't you know I only pick on those I like?

 

[raysnkaysmom]

Also if your P&S has a manual "M" mode play around with that just to see what happens and you'll start to get an idea. I didn't get my SLR till after I had learned a few things. It made using it a little easier right out of the box without using auto all the time.

Share some of the pictures you take now. They don't have to be with an SLR. Just have fun experimenting.

I haven't found an *M* mode yet, but I just realized I can do real close ups, so I"m pretty excited about that. They are kinda dark and grainy (nothing now will look as good as I see the clarity of pictures taken on this board), but here's a couple I took today, using my zoom (again, just a nikon coolpix L18)... the one of my almost dead flowers turned out pretty I thought

and my 2 youngest

 

[ColleenG]

Those are great Tracy!

 

[raysnkaysmom]

Those are great Tracy!

Thanks

Here's a couple I took just walking down the street, without my zoom on of course...