The Best P&s? Under $700.00 For Wdw?

[mike_r]

I am looking for a fast picture and one that isn't blurry. Ok, let me explain, I have kids in swim team, ice hockey and we have lots of inside family gatherings. When I take photos inside my home, they tend to be slightly blurry sometimes and grainy. I have a kodak 740 with a 10x optical zoom. It DOESN'T have image stabilization - could be the problem . I love the way a DSLR takes a fast photo (lag time, I mean?) And it seems much clearer on the screen. I do take alot of photos in somewhat low light.

Only way you are going to be able to take quicker photos is with a DSLR, xti does 3 frames per second and an S5 IS and a G9 do 1.5 frames per second,
If your old canon camera used EF lenses you may be able to use them on your xti to start then you look into some other lenses to suite your needs. From what your saying the things you would like to take pictures of are pretty fast paced and probably not the best lighting in those places and you will need some faster low light lenses which can be pretty expensive.

 

[Groucho]

Why oh why can't they make a p & s work like a DSLR?

This was said in jest, but there's a very real reason - because the cameras are just too small. To get the low-light ability and fast response you crave, you need a larger sensor and larger lenses. That means a larger camera. People will grump and groan about the poor quality of indoor or low-light photos from their camera, but they'll still keeping buying tiny cameras, so manufacturers will keep churning them out.

Image stabilization is great but it doesn't make a whit of difference if what you're photographing is moving - it just helps counteract hand shake.

IMHO, to get really good home photos that aren't blurry or grainy/noisy and look natural (no red-eyes, no overbright subjects and pitch-black backgrounds), you need a DSLR and either a fast lens or a DSLR and an external flash which you can bounce off the ceiling.

 

[SharonLowe]

I am looking for a fast picture and one that isn't blurry. Ok, let me explain, I have kids in swim team, ice hockey and we have lots of inside family gatherings. When I take photos inside my home, they tend to be slightly blurry sometimes and grainy. I have a kodak 740 with a 10x optical zoom. It DOESN'T have image stabilization - could be the problem . I love the way a DSLR takes a fast photo (lag time, I mean?) And it seems much clearer on the screen. I do take alot of photos in somewhat low light.

To get the best shots, you are looking at a dSLR with a fast lens (or 2), which will be hard to do under $700.

I shoot my daughter's swim team with my 1DsMkII and either a 70-200mm f/2.8 IS lens or a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. I still have to up the ISO to at least 800 but I know that isn't a problem re: noise. You'll need to know how to use the camera too- you can't just set it on auto or P and expect good results. For swim team images, I set mine on shutter priority with a shutter speed of 1/125 or 1/250. You do not want or need a flash in those situations - you won't be close enough for it to make a difference.

Your images are noisy because you are having to shoot at a higher ISO than your camera can really manage. Your images are blurry because either the shutter speed is too slow to stop the movement or it is too slow for you the handhold. If you are just using the camera on auto or P, that is what will happen.

My G9 will stand up against most people's dSLR images because I know how to use it and adjust the settings to make it work right. But, I won't use it for swim team images because I know I can't get the ISO high enough without getting too much noise.

 

[emmabelle]

Thanks for the great comparisons! My husband and I were flipping back and forth between them! I have read on another thread that you were also considering buying the D40 and then you bought it! It's great that you were able to take both different cameras for the shots! Thanks for your input also!

Your welcome. I know when I was deciding on whether or not to buy the Nikon D40, I was wondering if it would really improve the pictures I was taking. I do think the pictures come out better, but I don't know if someone who isn't a camera buff would see the difference, most of my family and friends aren't camera buffs.

I do take alot of still pictures, but I do think that a D SLR would make a big difference if you're taking alot of pictures of sporting events.

 

[LETSGOFAM]

To get the best shots, you are looking at a dSLR with a fast lens (or 2), which will be hard to do under $700.

I shoot my daughter's swim team with my 1DsMkII and either a 70-200mm f/2.8 IS lens or a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. I still have to up the ISO to at least 800 but I know that isn't a problem re: noise. You'll need to know how to use the camera too- you can't just set it on auto or P and expect good results. For swim team images, I set mine on shutter priority with a shutter speed of 1/125 or 1/250. You do not want or need a flash in those situations - you won't be close enough for it to make a difference.

Your images are noisy because you are having to shoot at a higher ISO than your camera can really manage. Your images are blurry because either the shutter speed is too slow to stop the movement or it is too slow for you the handhold. If you are just using the camera on auto or P, that is what will happen.

My G9 will stand up against most people's dSLR images because I know how to use it and adjust the settings to make it work right. But, I won't use it for swim team images because I know I can't get the ISO high enough without getting too much noise.

Well now we have decided to get the Nikon D40 or the Nikon D60. According to Ken's website, he wrote that the Nikon D40 is a better buy. The several upgrades sound good and I like that it comes with 2 vr lenses. The Nikon D40 wouldn't come with a vr lense, I would have to buy that seperately. I priced out several lenses just to see cost in the future - ouch - and I will definately take a few classes to learn more on camera use since I WAS one who always used auto. But I can change!!! Thank you everyone for your input! I have learned so much and it was nice to hear personal opinions rather that a sales pitch! Now I just need to decide between the two and go shopping! Then practice, practice practice. We leave end of May!