What camera do you recommend?

[Berk987]

I'm in desperate need of a new one. My current one is a Sony, about 5 years old and giving me problems. I'm not a techy, need something simple, nice focus and can capture my little kids running around. Nothing fancy but I like to try one of those that goes click, click, click really fast. I'm a basic look and shot type of gal. Under $500 possible? Don't need a lot of fancy lenses. Light and portable. Light being the key since I hate lugging things around with me. With kids I've got to carry the snacks, water bottles, crayons, workbooks, suntan location, hand gel etc. (you get the picture). Won't take it to the park or the beach much but for vacations would be good. I'll keep the small one for the parks, beaches and field trips. Thanks.

[pgphoto]

Hi Berk987,

I'm a pro photographer and I can definitely help you out. Firstly, you've got two choices - "point & shoot" or "SLR". Point & shoot cameras have built-in-lenses, and are going to be less expensive, lighter, and more portable, but, no point & shoot camera will go "click, click, click"...you'd have to buy a SLR if you want that. Every point & shoot has at least a little bit of a shutter lag. However, many point & shoot cameras have "image stabilization" (Canon) or "vibration reduction" (Nikon) now. This should allow you to capture better images of people in motion than the point & shoots without this technology. You can definitely get a good point & shoot for under $500. SLR's start around $500, and they are going to be bigger. But you will get the click, click, click :-) Let me know what you think!

-Patience

[jtl513]

Did you know there's a camera discussion forum where you can get the opinions of cruisers on all lines?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=118

[Berk987]

Thanks guys. Wow, there is a board on camera stuff. That's going to be way too much information but I'll check it out tonight. Guess I won't be sleeping - hahahaha. click click click to all.

 

I've spent a few mins reading that board and it makes my head spin.

 

What about Nikon D3100. More money than I want to spend but it is for me? Is it too difficult for a beginner?

[pgphoto]

The Nikon D3100 is going to be Nikon's most inexpensive SLR. Check out the Canon Rebel XS, too. Both of those cameras can be used in "Automatic" mode. Where are you looking?

[DrTee]

I think a DSLR is probably bigger than what you are looking for. If you want a good camera that is fully automatic and small enough to slip in your pocket, I'd recommend the Nikon CoolPix. I've been very happy with mine.

[cruisinggranmama]

Use a Nikon D60 and love it. It click, click, clicks just fine. I get great photos of the g-kids and it was great for recent safari. With an even larger (heavier) lens than the ones that come with the camera for that trip, it was still light enough.

 

And, my adult children have the D40 and DX40 and my BIL and brother both have the D60. BIL is a real non-photographer and he got some great photos on his Alaska cruise.

[pgphoto]

Every point & shoot is fully automatic, and most of them are small enough to fit into your pocket. If she was checking out the Nikon D3100, I'm sure she knows that it's bigger than a point & shoot. Even after I told her a SLR would be bigger, she still asked about the Nikon D3100. She's considering a SLR b/c she might want something that will shoot multiple frames per second.

 

Berk987 - The great thing about consumer-level SLR's (like the NikonD3100) is that they're actually geared towards beginners - you can shoot in automatic mode.

 

Btw, the Canon Rebel XS is $499.00. I shoot Canon :-)

[pgphoto]

I believe the Nikon D60 has been discontinued. And I know the D40 and D40x have been discontinued :-)

[VermeulT]

I love my Canon D10... it's about $250... small, lightweight and Waterproof!

It takes great point and shoot pictures and has that image stabilization built in - so even low light isn't impossible to get a decent picture.

[cruisinggranmama]

I believe the Nikon D60 has been discontinued. And I know the D40 and D40x have been discontinued :-)

 

 

They seem to be discontinued right after they sell well. The good news is there is always one to take their place.

[bonsarsam]

We have the Canon Rebel SLR something like that. It does the click,click, click. It has automatic function which I like. I have a 2.5year old, the point and shoot does not click very fast, there is a delay. Being, you having kids and wanting to take pictures of them in action, you need to get a SLR type of camera with image stabilizer. That is my opinion:):):)

[amunhbuu]

A third alternative are the Micro 4/3 cameras (multiple brands) and Sony NEX.

 

They have a sensor (the thing that does the image capture) closer to the size of a DSLR compared to a P&S. They also have removable lenses. They do not have the mirror that DSLRs have which make them much smaller.

[Vantony]

If you don't mind the size of DSLR, I'd certainly recommend it. The biggest advantage is indoor shot. With the rapid advancement of sensor technology for DSLR in the last few years, you can use a late model DSLR indoor without the need of flash. And because of that the color comes out so naturally, and no grain in the picture. D3100 is perfect, but if you are a Canon guy, I'm sure you can find a similar priced Canon model as well.

 

I also own a D10 and it is a EXCEPTIONAL under water camera. Great for carrying to beach/pool. The "over water" performace is relatively soft, even for a p&s standard.

 

Hope this helps.

[slabeaume]

Another option for the dslr starter camera----go to a camera shop and buy a used one.

[Berk987]

you guys have all been so supportive. thanks so much. will do serious research and go to a few stores this week to check it all out. the camera lingo is foreign to me but I'm trying. the choices out there are mind boggling. amazon.com has the D3100 for close to $700. I'm sure I can shop around and get it a bit cheaper but running out of time. cruise is 12/5 and I need to get it and start practicing. click click click to all and good night. Will report back with a few more questions later this week. thanks again.

[Vantony]

Nikon D3100 just came out a month ago, and supply is tight. You might be able to get a Best Buy 10% off coupon from Post Office flyers, but that's pretty much it, specially you need it by Dec 5. If that's out of your budget, then you should start looking for alternatives.

 

It's a very very nice entry level DSLR camera pack with latest sensor technology. Extremely light in DSLR standard, fast and accurate focus, relatively cheap, and can taking stunning indoor pictures (quality of those pics rivials the D5000 I just sold, which I paid over $800 a year ago ). But I don't have to tell you all this, the fact that you mentioned this model means you probably have done some research already.

 

Good luck with your camera search.

[MATHA531]

I'm going to leave it at this....you'd be shocked how good modern point and shoot cameras are today and they're getting better by the day. I have tried a couple recdently and most have burst shooting settings...many are lightning fast. My Panasonic ZS7 even has a GPS and a Leica lens! Tjere are a;; sprts of settings possible but you can set many of the settings once you get used to them...it's is very small and can be stuck in your pocket and you would be shocked how good many of the pictures are...I know this is a top of the line point and shoot but panasonic has many cheaper models that have fewer bells and whstles but are almost as good....canon has some too.

 

The nice thing about modern pont and shoot cameras is they take larger and larger memory cards...I know this is a matter of preference but you can now put an affordable 32 gb. card in many of these new cameras (I use 16gb myself and with my little notebook computer, I can download the pictures every night...the notebook computers now come with slots so you don't even need a cable or card reader anymore)and more and more of these cameras can now shot HD videos (that's why you need larger and larger memory cards).

 

Now I don't question for a serious photographer a DSLR is the way to go (incidentally my Panasonic has a 10x optical zoom with almost no denigration of the image) and can shoot up to 12megapixels.

 

To me, the op seems like basically a point and shoot person or seerms to have p&s needs, I might be misreading, but as I say in somany other things, technology today is getting better and better.

 

Why it's not so many years ago before I went off on a trip I would have to stock up with 10 rolls of 36 exposure kodachrome and wait for a couple of days when I got back to see the pictures. Now I see them right on the spot and can run through 100 pictures in a day and see them that very evening and get rid of the ones I don't like. I can also, if I like, date stamp them (with panasonic I have th eoption of adding the date stamp later so I can have both an uncluttered copy and one with the time and place which to me is nice, others might disagree). So, suggestion is to take a look at the pansonic ine of p&s cameras.

 

And I'm sure in the near future something even better will come out making the current crop even cheaper.

[xr650rider]

I have a Panasonic DMC-LX3 and under most conditions, the photos out of that rival what I get out of my Nikon D300 and a $500 lens. The LX3 has been replaced by the LX5 which was just picked as camera of the year - http://www.wired.com/reviews/2010/11/pr_panasonic_lumix_dmclx5/

[crusinbanjo]

Hi Berk987,

no point & shoot camera will go "click, click, click"...

 

HI guys, Nikon has just come out with a new Point & shoot that will take 3 frames per second.

 

Normally I carry a Nikon D-300 and a Sony Point & shoot, and like you said the Point & shoot is a lot slower, so I am going to replace the Sony with the new Nikon. Good luck with your search.

[pgphoto]

HI guys, Nikon has just come out with a new Point & shoot that will take 3 frames per second.

 

Normally I carry a Nikon D-300 and a Sony Point & shoot, and like you said the Point & shoot is a lot slower, so I am going to replace the Sony with the new Nikon. Good luck with your search.

What's the name of the camera? If that's true, that would be really cool! I was just going off what B&H Photo told me :-) I shoot Canon, but I've heard the Nikon D300 is a great camera!

[pgphoto]

you guys have all been so supportive. thanks so much. will do serious research and go to a few stores this week to check it all out. the camera lingo is foreign to me but I'm trying. the choices out there are mind boggling. amazon.com has the D3100 for close to $700. I'm sure I can shop around and get it a bit cheaper but running out of time. cruise is 12/5 and I need to get it and start practicing. click click click to all and good night. Will report back with a few more questions later this week. thanks again.

Berk987 - PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE consider using B&H Photo (http://www.bhphotovideo.com) rather than amazon.com. B&H photo is a trusted vendor used by professional photographers across the country. Most of the pro photographers I know use them. They're selling the Nikon D3100 w/18-55mm for $644.95 w/free shipping. They also offer great support and customer service. If you ordered through amazon.com, and there was a problem, or something wrong w/ the camera, I don't know what kind of support or service you'd get. Also, if you order through B&H, you'd always have that resource if you ever had a question about how to use your camera :-)

[MATHA531]

Well I have one problem with ordering from B & H since I live in New York...you can guess what it is. At least I don't have that problem with stuff I order from Amazon (and from other vendors as long as they are not located in NY)..

[Berk987]

Well I have one problem with ordering from B & H since I live in New York...you can guess what it is. At least I don't have that problem with stuff I order from Amazon (and from other vendors as long as they are not located in NY)..

 

Sorry, can't guess what the problem would be since you live in NY. Could it be higher taxes? That would be my only guess.

[Berk987]

Berk987 - PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE consider using B&H Photo (www.bhphotovideo.com) rather than amazon.com. B&H photo is a trusted vendor used by professional photographers across the country. Most of the pro photographers I know use them. They're selling the Nikon D3100 w/18-55mm for $644.95 w/free shipping. They also offer great support and customer service. If you ordered through amazon.com, and there was a problem, or something wrong w/ the camera, I don't know what kind of support or service you'd get. Also, if you order through B&H, you'd always have that resource if you ever had a question about how to use your camera :-)

 

Thank you. Will definitely check it out.