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Help me to decide which camera to buy

T

talkamotta

TUG Review Crew: Expert
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Im looking at cameras. Some will say use your smart phone. Sure its very convienent.....you always have your phone with you. The glare from the sun is a big problem for me because half the time I cant see the screen.

I have a Nikon coolpix that I bought about 8 or 10 years ago and it has been great but I think its on its last leg.

I need a camera that will do the following things well:

1. Good action shots, wildlife and my grandchildren playing sports.

2. I blow up some of my best pictures (minimum 8x10) Most of the time I will crop and blow up.

3. I want a camera that will take multi shots fast.

4. Video capability

5. Im more than a point and shoot photographer. I point and shoot most of the time but I want to get into different lenses and options. Never owned a dslr but thats where Im leaning.

6. Under $1000 total.


Im looking at the Nikon d5200. With the 18x55 lense and either the Nikon 70x200 or sigma 70X300 lens. How are sigma lenses? If I got this camera which lens would you get? What other cameras would you suggest?
 
Take a look at the Sony Nex line. They are hybrid mirrorless cameras with DSLR sized cmos. They are small and light and have interchangeable lenses. You can use some signma lenses. I have been very happy with the quality of my pictures with the SONY NEX3. You can stay under $1000 initially with a good quality everyday lens but probably go over with another quality lens. Steve's Digicam liked the NEX3 a great deal. Check it out.
 
I suggest you stick with what works... NIKON. Nikon has been in the lens and photographic business since World War II. Their lenses are some of the best in the world, their cameras are reliable, and you can buy very-reliable refurbished cameras on eBay. For instance, I bought a Nikon D200 in 2009, and also a couple lenses. It is still going strong, taking great photographs!

TS
 
simpsontruckdriver said:
I suggest you stick with what works... NIKON. Nikon has been in the lens and photographic business since World War II. Their lenses are some of the best in the world, their cameras are reliable, and you can buy very-reliable refurbished cameras on eBay. For instance, I bought a Nikon D200 in 2009, and also a couple lenses. It is still going strong, taking great photographs!

TS
Click to expand...

I agree Nikon and their lens are excellent. I am experiencing with a Canon camera and the pictures quality are just ok. This is my opinion only.
 
www.kenrockwell.com

Although I am a big Canon fan you won't go wrong with Nikon either. There are tons of debates over which is better. Either one is fine. I suggest you go to Ken Rockwells site. He is a very straight shooter when it comes to cameras and photography. He has a section of his site dedicated to recommended cameras. His site is easy to read and makes sense.

www.kenrockwell.com
 
Not many people bought them, but I like the mirrorless compact cameras. I bought the Canon EOS M - - picture quality is great, and with the 22mm lens it's small enough to fit on my belt-loop.
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Compact-Systems-Camera-3-0-Inch/dp/B008NENG1A
http://www.amazon.com/Lowepro-LP364...e-Grey/dp/B008OQUZEI/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

It also takes a good quality mid-range zoom lens
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-18-55mm...TF8&qid=1393691065&sr=8-2&keywords=eos+m+lens

Drawbacks are:
1. Those are just about the only lenses that fit on it without an adapter,
2. The camera takes a few seconds to find its focus, although the current firmware is a big improvement over the original firmware that led to bad early reviews, and
3. Recovery time between pictures is also a few seconds (I think #2 and #3 are the main feature that distinguishes higher-end cameras).

There are other manufacturers' mirrorless cameras that cost more and get better reviews. I don't know if their focus/recovery time is any quicker.
http://www.wexphotographic.com/blog/the-most-important-compact-system-cameras-of-2013
 
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As I was reading your post I was thinking - oh you would love the Nikon D5200, and when I got to the end of your post there it was!

My husband has one and takes fabulous photos, I got him a Nikon 40mm f/2.8G AF-S DX lens for Christmas and he is very happy with it.
 
With SLRs, it basically boils down to Nikon vs Canon, which is exactly like "Ford vs Chevy."

Start with the lenses you want first, and then pick the camera. It used to be that a camera was just a light-tight box. Can't say that anymore because of digital. (Megapixels matter.) But there is so little difference, I would still start with the lens and work backwards.

From the sounds of talkamotta's post (let's face it folks, you can't talk him outta anything), he needs a reasonably fast telephoto lens for sports. I would also recommend something in the 10-24mm range. I couldn't get rid of the 18-55mm lens fast enough.
 
ScoopLV said:
With SLRs, it basically boils down to Nikon vs Canon, which is exactly like "Ford vs Chevy."

Start with the lenses you want first, and then pick the camera. It used to be that a camera was just a light-tight box. Can't say that anymore because of digital. (Megapixels matter.) But there is so little difference, I would still start with the lens and work backwards.

From the sounds of talkamotta's post (let's face it folks, you can't talk him outta anything), he needs a reasonably fast telephoto lens for sports. I would also recommend something in the 10-24mm range. I couldn't get rid of the 18-55mm lens fast enough.
Click to expand...

Hey, you giving me a hard time. :D Im LouAnn

Thanks everyone for the advice. It gets a little overwhelming. Im still leaning towards Nikon mainly because thats what Im used to. The 10-24mm lens is new to me. Over the years I have been right there at the right time and my action pictures didnt turn out so well.

My grandaughters got smart phones and are taking more pictures. Its fun to go on hikes with them. I teach them to look at things differently when taking pictures. Notice the details, light, color, etc. Its fun to change pictures to black and white. This year Im going to Maine and Vancouver Island, I think they will be great opportunities to practice on one of things Im passionate about.
 
If you are used yo Nikon thathis a good reason to stick with them.

Canon are also great and make great lenses it's not just pixels but lenses and the camera post processing software. The digic on cannons is great.

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk
 
Check out the Canon SX 50. It zooms to 500mm, has built in flash and Image Stabilization. Has both viewfinder and LCD screen. Gets great reviews. I love mine. I use it as a bridge camera when I'm too lazy to pack my DSLR and all the lenses around.

Suzanne
 
Just make sure it has a viewfinder in addition to LCD. That makes all the difference in the world on a sunny day - especially when you have on sunglasses too! These are harder to find in small cameras - that is why I still use my Canon Power Shot 1100 IS 8MP that we bought in 2009.
 
suzanne said:
Check out the Canon SX 50. It zooms to 500mm, has built in flash and Image Stabilization. Has both viewfinder and LCD screen. Gets great reviews. I love mine. I use it as a bridge camera when I'm too lazy to pack my DSLR and all the lenses around.

Suzanne
Click to expand...

What is the burst shutter speed like?
What is the lag from shutter press to photo?

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk
 
I'll try not to derail this thread but, since this is a timeshare forum, I thought I'd throw this little comment in.

It's amazing how people will research up, down, left, right, and centre, reviews and advice about purchasing a $1000 (or less) camera, but then some will pay tens of thousands of dollars for a timeshare based on a "90-minute" biased sales presentation.:shrug:
 
I shop on the bargain end of the electronics spectrum, my wife loves the Samsung WB250F camera I picked up on Amazon for $125.
 
IMHO, if you're going to use the automatic or semi-automatic settings, stick with a less expensive point and shoot. They do fine and you'll save hundreds (sometimes thousands) by not needing multiple lenses for multiple situations. With point and shoot I like Cannon and Olympus products.

If your going to take the time to adjust your own settings, you almost can't go wrong with either Nikon or Cannon. Cannon appears to have a larger selection of lenses and appears to be less expensive. Nikon seems to be a little more of a niche market but makes outstanding equipment. With DSLR's the real money goes for the glass/lenses. I've spent far more moe y on glass than the camera body. So much so that when my wife inherited an older Cannon body with a couple of nice Cannon lenses, it was less expensive to upgrade the Cannon body than upgrade my wife's selection of Nikon glass.

My 3 main Nikon lenses that I can't live without are the 16-85mm, 70-300mm and the 35mm. Those lenses alone will put you over your $1,000 limit.

If you're set on a DSLR, I'd suggest going to a shop that specializes in photography and is owned by a photographer who takes an interest in what you want to do, helps match equipment with your needs and budget and is willing to help you learn to use it. It can make a HUGE difference in the quality of your shots. Yes you can get it cheaper at Best Buy but, they don't generally have a clue what you need or the ability to explain how to maximize it's potential.
 
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ScoopLV said:
With SLRs, it basically boils down to Nikon vs Canon, which is exactly like "Ford vs Chevy."

Start with the lenses you want first, and then pick the camera. It used to be that a camera was just a light-tight box. Can't say that anymore because of digital. (Megapixels matter.) But there is so little difference, I would still start with the lens and work backwards.

From the sounds of talkamotta's post (let's face it folks, you can't talk him outta anything), he needs a reasonably fast telephoto lens for sports. I would also recommend something in the 10-24mm range. I couldn't get rid of the 18-55mm lens fast enough.
Click to expand...

The nicest thing about the 18-55mm lens is it's cheap and reliable. It's a throw away lens but, you can still get some nice shots with it and, when it breaks (or gets broken) no one is going to cry. I still keep them hanging around although I prefer my 16-85mm (Nikon) as a all purpose walk around lens.
 
LannyPC said:
I'll try not to derail this thread but, since this is a timeshare forum, I thought I'd throw this little comment in.

It's amazing how people will research up, down, left, right, and centre, reviews and advice about purchasing a $1000 (or less) camera, but then some will pay tens of thousands of dollars for a timeshare based on a "90-minute" biased sales presentation.:shrug:
Click to expand...

Thats funny but oh so true.

Its because of my timeshares and the places I go that I want a good camera. The pictures of the places Ive visited are hanging on my walls in my house. On crappy dreary cloudy days I look at my pictures and Im there, remembering.... Thats why they have to be my pictures.

When Im taking pictures I pay more attention to the details, I get lost in the moment. You see something so beautiful it almost makes you cry. Thats why you want great landscape pictures. The action pictures of a waterfall or my grandchildren and children playing sports, I want them to come out clear. When I look at my pictures I want to remember the feelings that go with the picture. I dont want to forget.
 
LouAnn, if you haven't yet made up your mind, go to Costco and seriously look at the Nikon P520 super zoom camera. It doesn't have interchangeable lenses, but you may not need them. It is a great camera system, all in one unit. Easy to pack and carry anywhere. I own the P500 from a couple of years ago, and it's excellent. More camera than I'll ever need, and it doesn't need a bunch of extra lenses to achieve some great results. With the very high MP count, and extra length zoom, you can get a LOT of picture information into every picture. Edits and crops at home still deliver a great image for printing and framing. Plus video. :)

Best of all, it's Costco - so if you don't care for it, you can return it within 90 days for any reason. You can't get a better "try it to see if you like it" experience. You may end up saving yourself a LOT of money.

Dave
 
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talkamotta said:
Hey, you giving me a hard time. :D Im LouAnn

Thanks everyone for the advice. It gets a little overwhelming. Im still leaning towards Nikon mainly because thats what Im used to. The 10-24mm lens is new to me. Over the years I have been right there at the right time and my action pictures didnt turn out so well.
Click to expand...

You've seen "History of the World," right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEOV0O7k9YU


If you go the SLR route, your camera will likely come with an 18-55 lens. They're cheap and reliable, as mentioned. But 18 isn't nearly wide enough, and 55 isn't all that useful, either. 10-24 takes care of 95% of my vacation pictures. In fact, for most trips, it's the only lens that I bring. (I'd bring a telephoto on a safari, though.)

For sports, there is almost no limit to what you can spend on a telephoto lens. Most people will have the $150 70-300 zoom. But you can spend thousands and thousands on telephoto lenses. The price increases based on the light-gathering power of the lens. Faster lenses (necessary for higher shutter speeds to capture the action for sports) cost orders of magnitude more than the $150 telephoto special.
 
I'm sorry I don't really know the answer to your question on Burst Shutter Speed, as I have never used it. I don't really notice any lag time when I'm shooting. I know some folks on Ugly Hedge Hog photo website use Shutter Burst Speed and really like it. They also post some beautiful wildlife shots with this camera. Price is very good as well. I paid $349.00 for mine on Amazon.

Suzanne

SMHarman said:
What is the burst shutter speed like?
What is the lag from shutter press to photo?

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
 
Another vote for checking at Costco. We purchased the Nikon D3200 package there last fall. It came with 2 lenses, case, WIFI connector, and was a very good price, at least compared to similar cameras we looked at. It was for our daughter's birthday, but we borrowed it for a recent trip. Our other daughter used it on the trip and despite being a real novice ended up with some great photos. So we ended up buying a second one for her as well.
 
Having just bought a camcorder that has only a flip out screen to show you what you are shooting...they are as useless as an iPad in bright sunlight...you can't even see what you have in the frame. So try to get a camera with a viewfinder.
 
I picked up a Nikon D7000 for right at $ 1000 right before they came out with its replacement (D7100 I think) which sells for about $ 1750. It's as much camera as I will ever need, I love it!
 
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