Camera Advice?

Mar 29, 2008 at 6:12 AM
11 comments

What kind of camera do you have?

I'm going to buy a digital SLR and am leaning towards the Nikon D80, but then I saw a review for the D200 that says it is a much better camera (why?) for just a few hundred dollars more.

This will be my first SLR camera ever, even back in film days, I always used a point and shoot. I want to learn more, to delve deeper into photography now, and I think a SLR will take me where I want to go.

Any advice from my friends will be greatly appreciated.

11 comments

Comments

Do you use your current digital camera in manual? If not, I say stay with that, learn those things, and then you will have a much better idea of what makes a camera better for you.

I have two point and shoot digital cameras, no SLR. I am starting to get to the point where I have pretty well stretched them to the limit of their capablities, though. I still prefer them to the dSLR cameras I can afford, for the following reasons:

* I would have to buy at least three lenses to get the same range of shots my current camera has. That means a lot of lens changing and extra expense.

* The more expensive of the two current cameras I have costs $400 - and it's not even the better camera! I got it because it looks more impressive, because appearances do count when trying to break into professional photography. Because it costs way less than a dSLR (though still nothing to sneeze at), I take more risks with it in terms of exposing it to cold and taking it on rainy hikes.

My cameras both have manual settings, and I was able to learn everything I needed to know on them. The differences are about more subtle things, like how sharp the image is when I take it (sharper on a dSLR, mostly) and so I need to sharpen them a bit more in editing.

The things that make a really good photograph are more about composition than equipment. You can also see how far you can stretch yourself in this way.

So my advice would be to get a Panasonic DMC-FZ7 if you feel the need to move on from your current camera. At our farewell party last night I was playing with one, and it had an awesome range of settings! :)

Sorry if this was a bit blunt. I am just taking a break from packing. *rolls eyes at boxes laying around her*

Muah. Hope your knee is feeling much better.

Hey BabY, i saw your post turn up in my hood pages and i wanted to let you about disenchantedaisy.vox.com - she has just bought a new DSLR and is staring to shoot with it already. It may be worth discussing this issue with her because the more homework and feedback you get the more confident you will be about spending $ on anything new. I share a Panasonic DMC-LZ3 with Karlos, in fact we share most tech equipment because it's much more economic but we are both finding the limits of the POS a bit frustrating. Like Little Old Me has already said, we have to sharpen the image in editing all the time and the point and shoot is forever altering the focus after the click, it also makes up it's own mind to add unwanted flash and backlighting even when these options have been turned off in the settings, these shooters have a mind of their own at times and they're very naughty. Anyway, daisy will be worth a visit to see how she is getting on and at least you can find out how she compares her old POS with the new DLSR and she can tell you what model she has. Karlos is going to borrow his mothers DLSR soon to see what that can do so we will pass on some info on that camera as well. Hope you doing ok curly ; )

I bought the nikon d80, it was between that and the d40, the d80 just felt good in my hands. I have not had mine for long, but am liking it so far. Go to the local camera shop and fondle the cameras, see what feels good. I am not that knowledgeable about cameras, yet, so My only advice is to touch them. ;-) Good Luck!

We bought the Nikon D40 6 months ago. I did not want to spend a lot of money. Photography is a hobby, and it will take me quite a while before I master even this little baby. I considered the D40X, the D80, and the Canon digital rebel series, but felt this camera would provide me with plenty of room to experiment and learn without spending too much. There is a website that I will send you the link for if I can find it. It compares the top cameras and gives tips to first time SLR buyers. Good luck!

This Cnet review has good information, and lets you decide which camera would best fit your personal needs. Its also a good idea to go to a store and feel the cameras in your hands. The fit makes all the difference..people tend to really favor a particular fit. Then, come back home and buy it online. :)

Thank you so much for this link! What a great lot of information all in one place! Hey P, do you remember the link for the short hairdo's? I must have forgotten to bookmark it. (almost ready for a trim!) :))

Karen replied to Little Odd Me’s comment:
Mar 30, 2008
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This is definitely an "I want it" purchase I'm going to make, rather than a "I need it". I have been wanting a Dslr for years now, and settling every year for a new version of a POS. This year I'm getting what I really want, as soon as I can figure out what it is exactly that I want!

[this is good]

Thanks so much for the link to disenchantedaisy.vox.com! I'm off to catch up with her. :))

Karen replied to LaidOutInLavender’s comment:
Mar 30, 2008
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Thank you gf,. I got my hands on the D80 for the first time last Sunday and it was love at first touch. My daughter Nikki got one a few weeks ago and brought it over. I was wondering which dslr you ended up getting, thank you :))

Do you love it so far? I really enjoyed playing with Nik's...I see that this camera is going to take me places I want to go. The price isn't too bad for a first Dslr is it? The kits on ebay run about 1k for the camera, lenses, filters, memory cards, etc, I thought that seems like a bargain.

I bought a Pentax K100D for my first SLR - in fact, I just got it a couple weeks ago. I made the choice based in part on conversations that I had with a couple professional photographers who raved about Pentax quality and the quality of the lenses in particular. Now I seem to run into a Pentax user on pretty much every photo outing that I go on. It's not the K10 or the new K20, of course, but it was an affordable option for me and since it's my first dslr was a practical and affordable choice.

I love the range of options that I have with this camera compared to my P&S. I love the control I have over the settings - my P&S had a manual control setting but did not actually let me have full control. I have so much more to learn now with the slr, but I am really enjoying it, and learn something new each time I go out to shoot.

I'm not knocking P&S cameras - that's how I wound up hooked on photography, after all! And I will never get rid of mine. But dslr cameras rock.