Camera recommendations for photography?

Question

I am interested in upgrading from my Sony Cybershot dsc s700 (7.2mpx) camera. <:

The thing is, I am really unsure on with camera to buy, there are so many!

I can't really say that I know much about camera brands so I need help.

People have recommended these:

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL

Canon EOS 350D DIGITAL

Canon Rebel EOS XTi or XSi

Does anyone have any opinions on these? Please share.

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These are basically some things that I like to do when it comes to photography

-I love taking photos of animals, near and far, such as at the zoo

-macro shots! Definately a must have for me, my camera right now just isnt good enough to get the shots I want

-I would really like a camera with changable lenses, ones for far away (such as to get through the cages at the zoo, if that makes sense..) and close up

-a camera with excellent quality and that can shoot images fast as I usually take a lot of pictures

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If you can recommend any other camera/brand that will be helpful.

Answer 1

Well, going from the camera you currently have - I&#039;d say go with the Canon Digital Rebel.  Canons ROCK!  You can do macro and all sorts of other things.

It&#039;s light and takes amazing pictures! (you can put it on rapid fire and it is really fast) :)

Answer 2

All of the cameras on your list are good cameras. You probably can&#039;t afford the first one. It cost about $8,000 for the body only. Even if you can it is way overkill for someone who is just getting their first SLR. I would look at the Canon XTi, XSi or the new Canon XS. I would also look at the Nikon D40 or D60. In order to get the shots that you described there are a couple of lenses you will need.

To get your animal shots I recommend you get a telephoto zoom. A 70-300mm would be good. There are a few models ranging in price from about $200-$600. Any of these would be fine.

For the macro shots you will need a macro lens. A good choice would be the 100mm F2.8 for the Canon and 105mm F2.8 for the Nikon. There is also a 50mm and a 60mm macro lens to choose from. I prefer the 100mm because it gives you a bit more working distance.

Two other things. Go to a camera store and play around with the different models. The one that feels best in your hands and is in your price range is the camera for you. Second I highly recommend you take a class. In order to get the most out of an SLR camera you need to know how to use it properly on the manual settings. Many camera stores offer classes as do community colleges.

Answer 3

If you can afford it then many would consider the EOS-1D Mark III ds as the hand&#039;s down winner. It sells for about 2000 gallons of gasoline or 8 one ounce bars of gold. Not cheap. Keep that in mind. (If you make $20/hr in wages that is about 550 hours of labor after deductions, taxes, and health insurance.)

I like the Nikon D300 because it is very capable, reasonably affordable; about 400 gallons of gasoline, and it is sealed.

Any current dSLR, except for the D40 or D60, are very good choices.

Answer 4

I&#039;d personally recommend the Canon Xti or Xsi. They&#039;re both two very easy to use cameras that are perfect for aspiring photographers.

You said that you want to be able to take pictures from far away as well as macro photography. Keep in mind that this is all dependent upon what lens you use, so if you wish you do macro photography, you need a macro lens... the same with taking pictures from far away.

When selecting a camera to buy, remember that you&#039;ll also need to purchase some lenses too. So keep that in mind when you are considering how much to spend on a camera.

I made a post recently on my blog that may help you out.

http://www.shutterpad.com/gear/2008s-bes...

Answer 5

I have a Nikon D50 and I absolutely love it.  It is a bigger thing to carry around, but it does have interchangeable lenses (one of the lenses that I have goes so close that I can take pictures of hockey players&#039; faces from the highest point in the stadium).  Its really detailed and clear and has many different settings you can work with (such as a setting for taking pictures of softer features, like babies, or when things are moving).  My sister and aunt loved it so much that they bought their own.  Don&#039;t be discouraged by the price either, even though its expensive, its extremely worth it.  It does have macro also and will teach you so much more about digital photography when practicing on it.  Hope this helps!

Answer 6

I just purchased the Canon Rebel EOS XSi which is a fantastic 12 MP camera. So far I have shot about 1,000 pictures with it and the 18-55mm lens that comes with it. I have printed some FANTASTIC 8x10 photos. I just noticed that the camera is now available at Wal-Mart for $899. with the lens. Can&#039;t beat that price....but I am sure it will decrease later this year when canon releases the newest models.