What kind should i buy...? PLEASE READ!

Question

i am 13 and im saving up all of my money to buy a really good digital camera, like a professional one.

i should have close to 800 dollars by the end of the year, but i dont know which camera to buy, can you guys reccomend some good ones that are in my budget?

and if it helps, i really like to take nature pictures like moving streams and leaves blowing, stuff like that.

what kind of camera would be best for moving pictures?

thank you guys sooooo much!

( ~ 8*

Answer 1

Oh my!  If you're into nature photos then you're going to want to check out Olympus' newest in their E line.  It's the E-3 and it is a bit out of your price range, but you know, by the end of the year it should drop in price a bit and maybe you'll save just a little more.

It will so be worth the time and money.  It has the fastest AF system known to man!  lol, I know that sounded like a joke, but it's true and for nature... well you never know what's going to happen right?  You need to be able to focus right away.  It's also got this killer sensor cleaning system!  Oh my, every time you turn the camera on the sensor gets a vibration burst cleaning it from dust and stuff.  EVERY TIME you turn it on!

I'd also seriously look at Nikon if I were you.  I've been shooting with nikon my whole life so far and their incredible machines.  I've been photoging for...six, almost seven years and I've only had two cameras.  That's saying something for the quality of nikon.  You know how new stuff is now, you've got to replace computers and digi cams every year?  Well, not if you buy a quality product you don't, and nikon really knows what they're doing in that regard.  So does olympus.

So there's my suggestions.  There are lots of other brands out there, and the person that commented before me was right... research, research, research.  You're about to drop a big hunk o' change on this, so make sure it's a keeper.

The biggest help I found when I was shopping for my camera was online reviews.  And I don't mean like the reviews you see on the best buy website, but serious in depth reviews.  Say you're seriously considering the nikon d300.  Google "Nikon D300 reviews" and get into one of those... very helpful.

I'm excited for you!  Good luck, and have fun!!

Answer 2

If you are looking for a professional camera, the first thing you need to do is research, research, research. Especially if this is your first camera. For $800 you wont get your hands on a truly 'professional' camera(such as the canon 1ds Mark III - do a google search, they run $8000+), however, you can walk away with a very good digital SLR that, if used correctly, can take just as good of pictures as a professional SLR. I would personally recommend buying a cheaper body and then buying some good lenses to go with it, as optics are often just as or more expensive than the body itself. Look into the Canon Rebel XSi, XS, XTi, or XT (listed in tier order). They are all great bodies that are excellent for learning photography on, plus, Canon has some of the best lenses of almost any manufacturer .Only Nikon and Zuiko(olympus) can really rival them in terms of quality, and Zuiko doesn't have near the selection of either company, which is why most people buying an SLR go with Canon or Nikon. If you'd rather go with Nikon, look into the d80, d40X, or d40 (again, in tier order). Again, these are great cameras to get into photography and learn all the basics. If you really want a professional body, get on eBay and look for a used Canon EOS 1d (not a Mark II or Mark III, they'll be too expensive) or a used Nikon D1x. You can pick up the bodies for around $500-$400 most of the time. These are older professional bodies that many pros still use. They have just become dated as technology progresses. Just remember, whatever you spend on the camera body, expect to pay about $150-$300 on a good lens. And before you buy, do your homework. Read reviews, get second opinions, price compare, etc. Its usually a good idea to go to a camera store (not a generic electronics store like Best Buy or Circuit City, their salesmen have no idea what they're talking about a lot of the time) and ask the guy there for a recommendation. Ask to hold the camera, shoot a few test shots, etc. to see how it feels and make sure you can live with your choice. some cameras offer excellent features but are hard to shoot from an ergonomic standpoint (Olympus e-300 and e-330, I'm looking at you). I've cited a couple sites that are very reputable camera review sites that publish very exhaustive reviews of almost every camera made by a lot of manufacturers. Read through them, and you can get a general feel of what kind of camera you are looking for and what you can afford.