How to narrow down my search for a digital camera?
Hello,
I'm trying to figure out which digital camera to get after Christmas. I'm looking to buy new, spend somewhere between $100-$200, and I don't really need anything more than a 7 megapixel. I'm looking for this to be the only camera that I'll need to buy for a solid decade or so. I want something with really fast shutter speed (the speed at which the picture is taken) if at all possible.
I have never owned a digital camera before, and there are thousands of options, so I'd appreciate some help getting started! Thanks,
Charles
Comments
At least 10 - 30 times a day someone on YA asks: "Which one is a good camera to buy?"
A quick search would have given you hundreds of replies, but once again here is my 10 cents on the subject:
Point & Shoot cameras are wonderfully handy because of their small size.
When light conditions are ideal, they even take really nice photos - all of them do.
However, they all DO have limitations - they don't do very well in low light situations (i.e. noisy photos, hard to avoid blur, etc). The little onboard flash is very harsh at close range, and doesn't reach very far.
Many of them have no manual functions, so you are limited to only very basic photos, you can't compensate for unusual situations, or do many fun "tricks" and special effects.
P&S's also suffer from frustrating shutterlag and many of them chew through batteries rather quickly.
However, if you're ok with all those limitations, then go ahead and pick one, most of them (the same type and same price range) are rather similar. Personally I would pick either a Canon or a Nikon, and would certainly stay away from Kodak.
A higher end P&S will give you more manual options and better quality. Many of those even give you the option of adding a proper flash (which makes a big difference to your flash photos).
Don't worry too much about megapixels…. there is a limit to how many pixels you can squash into a tiny P&S sensor before you actually LOSE quality rather than gain it.
Don't worry about digital zoom, in fact, don't EVER use it. It simply crops away pixels, i.e. destroys information. The only real zoom is optical.
Decide which features are important to you, and look for cameras that have that feature.
Then go compare a few models on www.dpreview.com .
The very best thing you can do for your success is to borrow some books and learn about photography. A bit of knowledge will make a much bigger difference to your photos than your choice of P&S camera can.
For what it's worth - if I was in the market for a P&S camera right now, my choice would be a Canon Powershot SX20 IS http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=M...
I have the Fuji S5200 at the office and just purchased Cannon PowerShot A710IS for personal use. I'd have to say I would definitely go with the Cannon PowerShot A710IS. Takes fantastic pictures without excessive pixels so storage isn't a problem...However, make sure you buy a SD card, because the one that comes with will only store about 4 pics. Also, only uses two batteries. I bought a charger, so I can charge 2 while the other 2 are in use. Fantastic camera for the money.
At your budget, you would be limited to point-and-shoot models. These tend to have serious shutter lags, delays between the actual picture taking from the moment you press the button. The best would be dSLRs but these start at around $500 and you'll need to learn the basics of photography to be able to use them properly.
The best point-and-shoot models come from Canon for ease of use, Sony for lots of features and Lumix for exceptional glass quality. Just select which you would prioritize more then get the model that maxes out your budget. Get a sturdy strap, use it all the time, read the manual thoroughly and take very good care of the camera, not wetting or dropping it. These will ensure it will last for a very long time.
I have been using a Kodak z712 for about two months now and have shot about 2,000 pics. The camera is capable of excellent pictures, great zoom range, exceptional video, and all at an excellent price in a very small package.
The LCD is very bright, the menu system is very good, The image stabilization is very good. There are a lot of features and manual controls.
The zoom is amazing for so inexpensive a camera. At full zoom I recommend a tripod. I could actually get clearer long distance pictures from the z712 that I could from my Canon 350d with a 300mm lens.
Concluding: for the price -amazing possibilities.
I got it for $140 from here
http://www.dealstudio.com/searchdeals.php?type=id&...