Buying my first digital camera...?

Question

I'm thinking about buying a half-decent digital camera, so i can develop photography, as part of my interest in art. However, I dont know very much about them and would appreciate some advice.

I would like to be able to take clear, good-quality shots when im out and about (both close-ups of people and longer distance views) but, as im inexperienced, id probably need something which doesnt take too much adjusting.

Im also unsure whether it's worth investing in a more pricey one, or sticking to a basic, general use one, for now.

I would also be very grateful if someone could give me a few hints on how different settings and lens sizes affect a camera shot (like i said, im a beginner).

Thank you : )

Answer 1

The all time winner bargain compact digital camera is the Canon 7.1 megapixel PowerShot SD1000 [not the IS] 7.1 with an added 2- gig memory card which when set in the manual mode for "Vivid" colors and videos at 30 fps in 320 dpi format provides killer images and videos under low light conditions. It currently sells for $140 at Fotoconnection.com:

http://www.fotoconnection.com/p67816-can...

Good luck!

Answer 2

I recommend a Canon PowerShot A590. ($199.99) I own one and it takes great indoor and outdoor shots. It also has Macro which means you can take clear close up shots. There is also a 2.5" LCD display so you can see your photos clearly after you take them. There is also an AUTO mode where the camera adjusts the settings according to your shooting environment which is great for beginners.

http://www.thesource.ca/estore/Product.a...

Hope this helped.

Answer 3

I am/was in the same situation. I take a lot of wildlife shots and needed a camera that could keep up but had little experience with SLRs apart from playing around with one of my dad's old ones for a while. One thing was sure though, the small digi cams were not working anymore.

I bought a Canon Rebel XTi as it was recommended to me by a friend and have not regretted it!

It is easy to use and you get decent pictures on the automatic settings but it allows you to go completely manual or design your own setting which is brilliant if you want to have a go at playing around with it- though I would recommend testing it out before going in for crucial shots.... The manual is decent as well and gives you some idea of how to cope with all the different settings and options. Though I am still getting to know the camera I've gotten some pretty decent pictures out of it and I certainly don't regret buying it one bit!

I would recommend having a look around Amazon, they have some great sets on offer that include extra lenses, memory cards etc. which makes it a lot cheaper to start up than buying it all from a shop, delivery was really fast as well and they are very good with returns and all that, so have a nose around.An example of sets they offer:

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Silver-Digit...

And some pics I took with the camera if you want to have a look:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26040656@N0...

Answer 4

To be honest i think you should spend £250 on a panasonic.

Answer 5

Get a New Nikon D90.If you get bored of taking pictures,you can also shoot movies in  this DSLR camera first time ever.If you don't wanna say that i paid too much.or i bought a trash camera and waste my money,New D90 is just for you.Its in  middle of everything but Movie mode is First of its kind....Good luck...

Answer 6

If you can afford it I would recommend a DSLR. This stands for digital single lens reflex. With a single lens reflex you actually look through the lens so what you see in the viewfinder is almost exactly what you get in frame. The entry level versions of these cameras can be set in auto and program modes similar to those on point and shoots So you do not have to do alot of adjusting but as you learn and grow you can take more control of your photography by adjusting the settings yourself. What you will get for the price is a sensor that is many many times the size of a sensor in a point and shoot. Larger sensors equal more light to each pixel which gives us better sharpness and color. It also give you better metering a usable speedlight and enough of an ISO ( the rating of how sensitive a sensor is to light) range to allow you to get better shots in a wider range of lighting conditions. The entry DSLR will come with an kit lens that will work for most common situations where you take pictures. The optics on these lenses are better than the optics on point and shoot. With a DSLR if you want a longer lens or a wider angle one you can buy different lenses and change which one is on your camera. Most entry level DSLR have optional remotes so you can set the camera on a tripod and take the picture with you standing away or even in the photo. They also have timers for this ( as do the point and shoot ) but the remote gives you muck more control than a timer ( and for the Nikon D40/D60  the remote is only about 15 US dollar)

As to which DSLR there are many good ones on the market Nikon, Canon and Sony are a few brands. I am a Nikon person and feel that cost for product there is no better buy than the Nikon D40. If you have a few more dollars the D60 is the way to go to gain things like dust control and active D lighting and a VR lens.  the D40/D60 have the added advantage of being some of the smallest and lightest  DSLR on the market You can read up on the D40 here

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40.htm

Do not get hung up on the lower megapixel count than on some other cameras. Unless you are doing very very large prints you will never notice the difference. Sensor size, quality and image processing within the camera are play as much or more of a role than megapixel count..

As to lens numbers smaller numbers will give you wider field of view and less magnification. Larger numbers will give you narrower field of view and more magnification. Some camera manufacturers will talk optical zoom vs digital zoom. Always look at optical zoom and even with that realize unless its corrected for sensor size you are not comparing apples to apples. Most DSLR lenses are in the 18-55 range. The other number you will see on lenses is the aperature number. It will be preceeded with an f ( from f stop ) the smaller the number the more light it lets in but at that setting the shallower the depth of field ( area in focus ) the larger the number the less light but the greater the depth of field.  If you shoot low light you want wider aperatures. but again most kit lenses give you a usable range.

Good luck and enjoy the new camera. When you get it feel free to email me for questions on settings and controls