Digital Camera vs DSLR Camera

[CALMOM]

That would be a good idea. I would do the same thing as well. You already have a very good compact camera. Trading it for another compact won't gain much.

 

Hi Dave, Up late tonight? I am having a hard time trying to tell myself to wait. This Alaska Cruise is very important to me, my Mom and Husband will be taking their first cruise and my DH and I will be celebrating our 20th anniversary so I really want some great pics. My daughter wants a digital camera so maybe I could still but a full size digital and then when I can afford a DSLR then I could give the full size to her. I think I am driving myself crazy:eek: . I just compared the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50K, Sony Cyber-Shot DSH-H9 and Olympus SP-550 UZ. All but the Olympus (lowest rating) came up very close to each other. Have you heard and feedback on any of these? Thanks again, your wonderful!

[JohnQ]

A few more cents worth of experience or opinion!!! I have had Oly cameras for over 25 yrs and have been very happy with them. I switched to Nikon when Oly did not offer autofocus and my eyes weren't as good. A few years ago, I purchased an Oly C-750, 4meg, 10x zoom. I liked the size and it tood decent photos in good light. Not real good in bad light and the shutter delay bugged me. When my first grandson was born last year, my son bought an Oly E500 dslr that came with two lens and was only about $700. I was amazed at the photos and used it quite a bit on our new subject.

 

I ended up buying a NIkon d-50 dslr which cost a little more than the Oly but allowed me to use my existing lens which I haven't used yet. I also bought a Nikon 18-200VR lens which is stablized and cost more than the camera. I am now a fan of digital. Its just amazing how good the photos are. And the lens is fantastic. We are leaving next week on Volendam and can't wait to see how these photos compare with my film shots.

 

It does sound to me like a dslr would be a good match for you and Oly is a good value too. It will be tough to spend less than $1K and get the lenses you need for Alaska. As many on here have stated, the newer stablized 10-12x point and shoots from Canon, Panasonic are good cameras and may be the best way for you to go for this trip. You need to read the manual several times, take it with you and take lots of photos before you leave.

 

I would still take the Oly with you. One thing you might try besides reading the manual some more is to set all defaults back to original settings in case something got pushed by accident. You can reduce shutter lag by presetting the shutter by holding down 1/2 way before you shoot and this will help most of the time.

 

But the larger lense p&s or dslr will be your best bet.

[aggiemom0409]

Hi, Calmom... I am on the same quest as you, except my current compact digital isn't as nice as yours. We leave on Sapphire Princess in early Aug. and I need to buy a camera this week. I do have a Canon Rebel 2000 film camera with a zoom lens, as well. I think I've convinced myself to buy the Canon S5-IS, but the reviews I'm seeing are so mixed and the camera is a little bulky... those are my personal observations. Does anyone have experience with this camera? It just came out, I realize. Anyway, I'd be interested to know what you decide to do. I am also tempted by dslr, but the video mode is SO appealing. :confused:

[photodoodle]

I am having a hard time trying to tell myself to wait. This Alaska Cruise is very important to me, my Mom and Husband will be taking their first cruise and my DH and I will be celebrating our 20th anniversary so I really want some great pics. My daughter wants a digital camera so maybe I could still but a full size digital and then when I can afford a DSLR then I could give the full size to her. I think I am driving myself crazy:eek: . I just compared the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50K, Sony Cyber-Shot DSH-H9 and Olympus SP-550 UZ. All but the Olympus (lowest rating) came up very close to each other. Have you heard and feedback on any of these? Thanks again, your wonderful!

What kind of photos are most important to you? If you want pictures of your family enjoying the cruise (ie, at dinner, on deck, at the glacier, etc) you will do well with what you have, especially if you take a class or practice with it a little. Same for landscape shots, ie glacier, shoreline taken from ship, etc.

 

You probably don't have the zoom needed to get a shot of an eagle in a distant tree, for example. The non dSLR cameras you are considering, with their higher zoom will help you with shots of distant subjects, especially if they are still or slow moving, ie sea lions/perched eagle on shore.

 

These non dSLR digitals (point and shoots) will still limit you with any moving objects, ie breaching whale, flying eagle, active children. This is because of the shutter lag* I mentioned in my previous post. Shutter lag is the time between when you press the shutter and when the camera grabs the image. It's a fraction of a second, but it can make a big difference. You subject can move mostly or completely out of the frame in that time. Sometimes the subject is still in the frame but it has moved from where the camera set the focus, so the image is a little blurry, or 'soft', as photographers like to say. You can still get good shots, but the odds get lower. dSLRs take pictures virtually instantaneously. Keep in mind that getting a dSLR doesn't gaurantee that you will capture moving subjects, but it raises your odds considerably.

 

I shot with a 3x zoom point and shoot for years. I loved it. It took me a while to grow into it to the point where the camera was the limitation, not me. I realized that what I really loved to shoot was birds and wildlife, so a dSLR became necessary. I'm still learning how to use it. For the forseeable future, the limitation will be me, not the camera! :o But I find that I enjoy learning about it. Not everybody does.

 

I don't know if this helps... but I wish you well with your decision and your cruise. You sound like you have a visual sense, so I can understand why this is important to you.

 

*shutter lag, sometimes called shutter delay, is not the same as the maximum shutter speed.

[bjksgk]

Calmom - I just returned from my trip, and after lots of research bought a Canon S3. Now that the S5 is out, the prices are going down on the S3 and you can pick one up for well under $300 which is a steal for this camera.

 

I am not tech savy enough for the Rebel nor did I want to spent $1000 plus on a camera, and thought the new Canon S5 is great, it was released too late for my trip and was a little more then I really wanted to spend anyway. The S3 has a 12X zoom which the most important thing for Alaska, and though its only 6 megapixel it should be fine for you needs unless you intend to blow up prints to poster size! The S5 now has face recognition and more megapixels, and I think a larger LCD screen, but in the S3 you've got all the important features like image stabilization, video quality was excellent, and though it has loads of manual control adjustments I just left everything on automatic since I had no idea how to work any of that stuff and my pictures came out pretty amazing. For a price difference of $200, I'd say the S3 is a great value right now (I paid almist $400 for mine) I was so pleased with this camera and have to tell you walking around in Alaska I saw so many people with the same camera!!!

[qiangf2]

Hi Dave, Up late tonight? I am having a hard time trying to tell myself to wait. This Alaska Cruise is very important to me, my Mom and Husband will be taking their first cruise and my DH and I will be celebrating our 20th anniversary so I really want some great pics. My daughter wants a digital camera so maybe I could still but a full size digital and then when I can afford a DSLR then I could give the full size to her. I think I am driving myself crazy:eek: . I just compared the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50K, Sony Cyber-Shot DSH-H9 and Olympus SP-550 UZ. All but the Olympus (lowest rating) came up very close to each other. Have you heard and feedback on any of these? Thanks again, your wonderful!

 

Calmom, I know it is a hard decision to make. I don't have any experience with those cameras you just mentioned. I wish I could be of a better help. :( In fact, it is so hard to keep up the fast pace of innovation in the digital photography world. As photodoodle nicely put it, you need to find out which one is the limiter: the camera or the person behind the camera (that will be you. :)) I have my Canon 20D for a little more than 2 years. Although newer model like 30D, 5D came out in subsequent years, I knew I haven't utilized more than 50% capcability that my 20D offers. I will keep shooting it until the shutter gives out.

[ddonalds]

I have Canon equipment (LOVE it) - both 35 MM (EOS 3 with a whole bunch of lenses - lots of IS ones), then the Digital EOS type camera (which takes all my lenses) and the small 7.1 Meg IS one. They're all good. IS to me is the key - and one of the reasons I went with Canon when I started photography. You just have to really learn to relax, determine what you want to take a picture of, focus on it (you can step down on the button and it'll focus, then snap). The IS greatly enhances a novice camera persons photos, and it makes it so fun. I was driving in a truck in Liberia on dirt roads, and took great pictures with my little compact one as the truck was bouncing. You'd push the button, and I just held the camera still, and the camera would work at finding a shot - and it usually did. I was lucky in that a camera store I used (I used to shoot over 40 rolls of film a week - yes, they LOVED me) had a professional photographer working there, and he took me on photo shoots a few times - that was GREAT! Plus, when I started, I kept a notebook and tried all the different settings on my camera, and he would critique my photos, and I could see what settings I used for good/bad results - very helpful. There's also an online course available that was quite good - www.schoolofphotography.com. Figure out how much work you're really going to put into it. My 35MM is a pro-camera, and I took just as many photos in the auto mode as I did on manual. As I get older, I'm afraid I don't really see clearly enough to differentiate some of the things I used to be able to handle. I do have big lenses (LOVE them - especially the IS ones), and since I was doing bird photography, I got really familiar with them. Really consider the IS lenses (regardless of what kind of camera) because remember that as you're on the ship, the ship is moving - as well as the coast you're passing. ALOT easier to let the camera deal with keeping things level....:D It sounds like the camera you have is perfect - as long as you slow down when you're using it. For anything else, take a look at the website photo.net. They critique everything (and some of these people are RABID fans of one type of camera or another - some reviews are very entertaining...), and lots and lots of photographers use the site (lots of "how to" information on there as well). Whatever you do - just have fun!!!!!;)

[dbh62ark]

We have a Canon Digital Rebel XTi that is taking spectacular photos (I just sold some that we took in Italy last month to a national publication), so I highly recommend. Nikon and Sony have comparable models, but I went with the one that fit my hand the best and got really good lenses too (the standard kit lens sold with the Digital Rebel XTi is not very good). The new Sony has anti-shake in the camera, but I have taken over 4,000 shots with our new Canon with no shake issues. I'm very picky about color, so that is my first priority in selecting a camera. You can adjust settings manually with the Digital Rebel XTi, but you can also use it fully automatic to take great shots, so it's a camera that can grow with your skills. If you anticipate taking photos of whales breaching and the like, a high-speed camera and memory card will serve you well. But most passengers just want nice travel shots to show to friends and family, so you have a lot of options. Here's a good site for some professional advice: http://www.imaging-resource.com/WB/WB.HTM?view=dp_travel.

 

Have a great cruise,

Donna

[deadzone1003]

Hi Dave, Up late tonight? I am having a hard time trying to tell myself to wait. This Alaska Cruise is very important to me, my Mom and Husband will be taking their first cruise and my DH and I will be celebrating our 20th anniversary so I really want some great pics. My daughter wants a digital camera so maybe I could still but a full size digital and then when I can afford a DSLR then I could give the full size to her. I think I am driving myself crazy:eek: . I just compared the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50K, Sony Cyber-Shot DSH-H9 and Olympus SP-550 UZ. All but the Olympus (lowest rating) came up very close to each other. Have you heard and feedback on any of these? Thanks again, your wonderful!

 

Do not buy the Olympus SP-550UZ, amazing camera but it suffers from shutter lag, probably due to its slow focusing system. The Sony DSH-H9 is surprisingly not as good as the prior model, DSH-H5, just more features. The DMC-FZ50K is probably the best of the 3 and the closest to a DSLR. Have you considered its little brother, DMC-FZ8? These 3 cameras (actually 4) are all ultra-zooms. Coming from the 810, you will be happy with any of them with the possible exception of the SP-550UZ due to its shutter lag. None of them are as fast as the slowest DSLR (that are currently on the market).

Their limitations are you won't be able to take pictures of fast moving objects that are close to you, (i.e. birds ) or take pictures in low light, but then DSLR's can't take videos.

 

Remember, with a dslr, you will be carrying a camera with an additional lenses. None of these will be light. You will have to worry about keeping it clean. All these factors you will have to weight.

[CALMOM]

Thank you all for your wonderful experience and advise. I just found out this a.m. that a friend of mine has a BIL who is a Canon Rep and he has several of their full-size compact and DSLR cameras. He had agreed to go with me this weekend and let me try each of them to see what I will be happy with for results and ease. How lucky can I get? I will let you know what I decided on. Thank you again, I truly appreciate it.

[photodoodle]

Thank you all for your wonderful experience and advise. I just found out this a.m. that a friend of mine has a BIL who is a Canon Rep and he has several of their full-size compact and DSLR cameras. He had agreed to go with me this weekend and let me try each of them to see what I will be happy with for results and ease. How lucky can I get? I will let you know what I decided on. Thank you again, I truly appreciate it.

That is so cool! You may want to take your own memory card so you can look at the results at home on your computer.

[CALMOM]

We have a Canon Digital Rebel XTi that is taking spectacular photos (I just sold some that we took in Italy last month to a national publication), so I highly recommend. Nikon and Sony have comparable models, but I went with the one that fit my hand the best and got really good lenses too (the standard kit lens sold with the Digital Rebel XTi is not very good). The new Sony has anti-shake in the camera, but I have taken over 4,000 shots with our new Canon with no shake issues. I'm very picky about color, so that is my first priority in selecting a camera. You can adjust settings manually with the Digital Rebel XTi, but you can also use it fully automatic to take great shots, so it's a camera that can grow with your skills. If you anticipate taking photos of whales breaching and the like, a high-speed camera and memory card will serve you well. But most passengers just want nice travel shots to show to friends and family, so you have a lot of options. Here's a good site for some professional advice: http://www.imaging-resource.com/WB/WB.HTM?view=dp_travel.

 

Have a great cruise,

Donna

 

Thanks Donna, wonderful web site, very informative!

[CALMOM]

That is so cool! You may want to take your own memory card so you can look at the results at home on your computer.

 

Absolutely, I can't wait. I just hope I don't fall in love with the DSLR:rolleyes:

[usavvy2]

since you already have lenses from previous SLR, transition back to dSLR will be less painful than starting from scratch. I often found myself drooling over a new set of lens all the time. It is endless.

 

thanks for the suggestion ... that's what I thought too but the guy at the camera store told me that my manual lenses wouldn't work. bummer :mad:

[usavvy2]

What kind of photos are most important to you? If you want pictures of your family enjoying the cruise (ie, at dinner, on deck, at the glacier, etc) you will do well with what you have, especially if you take a class or practice with it a little. Same for landscape shots, ie glacier, shoreline taken from ship, etc.

 

]These non dSLR digitals (point and shoots) will still limit you with any moving objects, ie breaching whale, flying eagle, active children. This is because of the shutter lag* I mentioned in my previous post. Shutter lag is the time between when you press the shutter and when the camera grabs the image. It's a fraction of a second, but it can make a big difference. You subject can move mostly or completely out of the frame in that time. Sometimes the subject is still in the frame but it has moved from where the camera set the focus, so the image is a little blurry, or 'soft', as photographers like to say. *shutter lag, sometimes called shutter delay, is not the same as the maximum shutter speed.

 

so true, so true. When I bought the SP-510UZ, I tried it out in the store, shooting shelves and people looking at stuff on shelves - not action shots. So I had no idea just how slow - SLOW - can be until I took it to a party the next day and missed the surprise b'day girl's entrance by 5'!!! :eek: Make sure you understand - and are comfortable with - the shutter lag of the camera you buy (if you buy a new one). (I'm talking myself right into a dSLR - reading the manual on the plane on Saturday LOL.)

 

I agree that I don't need a dSLR for good shots of the Matterhorn in the Alps but to get those glaciers calving in Prince William Sound... (perhaps I can just rent one for the day - LOL).

[kehlx2]

Fuji FinePix S700 Digital Camera

 

 

The S700 gives you not only a powerful 10X zoom lens, but Picture Stabilization for sharper hand-held shots and many other SLR-style features, all for a point & shoot price. FEATURES INCLUDE: 7.1 megapixel sensor; 10X optical zoom lens equal to 38-380mm; macro focus as close as 0.5"; multi-zone autofocus with manual override; multi-mode exposure control including auto, manual and scene modes; JPEG and RAW file modes; accepts both XD and Secure Digital cards; continuous shooting modes so you capture action at the peak; electronic viewfinder for accurate TTL viewing; 30 fps movie mode w/sound. Supplied with 16MB XD card, (4) AA batteries, USB and AV cables, shoulder strap and Mac/Windows software.

 

What I want over the camera I have which is also a Fuji (I seem to be able to work their buttons.) I want faster shots--just incase of breaching whales or calving glaciers...also I would like a camera that WILL take decent evening indoor pics--the camera I have now doesn't like them. I WOULD like to stay with the XD cards as that is what I have for the camera I have now & they are the larger ones..also after Alaska I'd like the camera for Aus & NZ cruise.

[photodoodle]

Fuji FinePix S700 Digital Camera

 

 

 

 

 

The S700 gives you not only a powerful 10X zoom lens, but Picture Stabilization for sharper hand-held shots and many other SLR-style features, all for a point & shoot price. FEATURES INCLUDE: 7.1 megapixel sensor; 10X optical zoom lens equal to 38-380mm; macro focus as close as 0.5"; multi-zone autofocus with manual override; multi-mode exposure control including auto, manual and scene modes; JPEG and RAW file modes; accepts both XD and Secure Digital cards; continuous shooting modes so you capture action at the peak; electronic viewfinder for accurate TTL viewing; 30 fps movie mode w/sound. Supplied with 16MB XD card, (4) AA batteries, USB and AV cables, shoulder strap and Mac/Windows software.

 

What I want over the camera I have which is also a Fuji (I seem to be able to work their buttons.) I want faster shots--just incase of breaching whales or calving glaciers...also I would like a camera that WILL take decent evening indoor pics--the camera I have now doesn't like them. I WOULD like to stay with the XD cards as that is what I have for the camera I have now & they are the larger ones..also after Alaska I'd like the camera for Aus & NZ cruise.

I don't know this particular camera, but just a comment on memory cards. I would not be too concerned with finding a camera that uses the same cards as your old camera (XD). It will limit your options too much. Memory cards have gotten so inexpensive. You should get the camera you want, you'll be able to find good deals on memory cards.

[qiangf2]

thanks for the suggestion ... that's what I thought too but the guy at the camera store told me that my manual lenses wouldn't work. bummer :mad:

 

what a bummer! For Canon, their EF lenses are compatible with many non-digital and digital SLRs. But watch out for EF-S lenses that work with digital Rebel and 20D (30D as well?). They are not comptabible with non digital SLR and full frame dSLR, like 5D.

[piper28]

What I want over the camera I have which is also a Fuji (I seem to be able to work their buttons.) I want faster shots--just incase of breaching whales or calving glaciers...also I would like a camera that WILL take decent evening indoor pics--the camera I have now doesn't like them. I WOULD like to stay with the XD cards as that is what I have for the camera I have now & they are the larger ones..also after Alaska I'd like the camera for Aus & NZ cruise.

 

I don't *think* think S700 is really going to be any faster than the other Fuji's when it comes to shutter lag. Although I did find one review that said it was fairly low (.6 seconds, which I'm not sure sounds real low), the same review also said that the focusing mechanism could take a while, which is probably a bigger issue.

 

Fuji also quite frankly IMHO is very misleading when it advertises picture stabilization. Their picture stabilization mode is basically to increase the gain on the sensor, and shorten the exposure time. (This is basically what's done in any camera that isn't using an optical image stabilization, so they're hardly the only ones at fault). Having used a Fuji camera with the "option", I'd say you're better off setting the manual settings to something appropriate rather than rely on it.

 

Also looks like the S700 doesn't use their Super-CCD sensor, which is where I think the fuji's really shine (Those that have it that is). Those that have the sensor actually do fairly decently taking indoor, darker pictures compared to most compact cameras. From what I can see, the S700 doesn't perform any better than most other compact cameras at low light levels.

 

You might try seeing if you can find a fuji S6000fd. It's a little older than the S700, and a little bigger I think (which might be an issue), but it pairs up the longer zoom with the better Super-CCD sensor. Doesn't have the image stabilization, but like I said, that's debatable how good it really is on these cameras anyways. These days it's probably also cheaper.

[deadzone1003]

Per a review on dcresource.com, there is a lcd/evf lag on the Fujifilm S700 which will cause lots of problems if you taking pictures with moving objects. The S6000fd is not recommended for beginners. The rule for this camera is never use automatic which means you use P,A,S,M and all other scene modes. If you plan to use the telephototic end of the lens alot, this camera doesn't have image stabilization. If your camera holding techniques are not very good, this is not the camera for you. However, this camera does have the equivalent of a 28mm wide-angle lens which is great for panoramic photos. It is one of the fastest cameras in terms of shutter lag for non-dslr, but it is still slower than the slowest dslr that is available. I have a S6000fd, but I wouldn't recommend it to CALMOM unless she wants to spend a few months learning how to use it. However, the price is right. I picked one up on the Internet for around $300 less $50 rebate. Anyway, something tells me she will pick up the S5IS or even S3IS, if available at the right price.

[calbob]

Calmom - I just returned from my trip, and after lots of research bought a Canon S3. Now that the S5 is out, the prices are going down on the S3 and you can pick one up for well under $300 which is a steal for this camera.

 

I am not tech savy enough for the Rebel nor did I want to spent $1000 plus on a camera, and thought the new Canon S5 is great, it was released too late for my trip and was a little more then I really wanted to spend anyway. The S3 has a 12X zoom which the most important thing for Alaska, and though its only 6 megapixel it should be fine for you needs unless you intend to blow up prints to poster size! The S5 now has face recognition and more megapixels, and I think a larger LCD screen, but in the S3 you've got all the important features like image stabilization, video quality was excellent, and though it has loads of manual control adjustments I just left everything on automatic since I had no idea how to work any of that stuff and my pictures came out pretty amazing. For a price difference of $200, I'd say the S3 is a great value right now (I paid almist $400 for mine) I was so pleased with this camera and have to tell you walking around in Alaska I saw so many people with the same camera!!!

You can get the S3 for 286.00.....I have been looking at cameras as well, and it looks like this one is the way to go....

 

CALBOB

[CALMOM]

Hello, my great advising CC friends. I went out this a.m. before sunrise and tested the following Digital cameras. I took picture right at sunrise and after sunrise. I also went down to the beach, took some pictures of the surfers and over to seal beach to catch some pictures. I have been driving myself crazy :eek: trying to decide which camera I wanted for my first trip to Alaska. Unfortunately, I do have a budget and keeping in mind I just bought a Olympus 810 June 2006. I was very fortunate to have a person that had the following camera for me to try out.

 

Canon S3 IS

Good camera, 2.0 LCD screen, 6 pixel, continuous shooting took a little longer than the S5 IS, Optical 12X, price $350

 

Canon S5 IS

Good camera, 2.5 LCD screen, 8 pixel, more options for light

sensitivity, easy video button, Optical 12X, price $500

 

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50K

Good camera, 2.0 LCD, 8 pixel, Optical 12X, Heavier camera 1.5 lbs., Price $500

 

Sony Cyber Shot DSC-H9

O.K. camera, 8 pixel, digital is only 3X, but Optical 15X, a little clumbsy for me to handle

 

Canon EOS ID MARK III

WOW! When I hit the lottery, I want one of these. Price $5500, need I say more!

 

Canon EOS 30D

Great camera for dSLR but at a price range of $1,200 it is still out of my price range, still need more camera knowledge than I have

 

Canon EOS Rebel XTI

Good camera for dSLR but still out of my price range since body starts at $650. I didn't think the printed pictures were much better than the Canon E5 IS but it did shoot pictures faster

 

So, I came home after shooting with each of these cameras and printed 4x6, 5x7 & 8x10 and downloaded the video. I think overall for my budget, the handling of the camera, the results of the action shots (surfers), user-freindliness, results of the sunrise shots and continuious shooting, I am leaning towards the Canon S5 IS.

 

This is only my opinion and please keep in mind (if you have read my previous posts) that I have very little camera or photography knowledge. I am however, a big scrapbooker so on a average vacation, I will shoot a minimum of 1,000 pictures. Any feedback would be very much appreciated.

[JohnQ]

It sounds like you have pretty much worked it out. That series of Canons have been very popular. Since I already have Nikon dslr system, I went with a Canon A700 with 6x zoom for a pocket camera and backup. You could always check the reviews and prices thru Steve's digicams or dpreview. Otherwise, I think you are ready to get and play with it before your trip and posting all your photos for us to enjoy. Good luck.

[photodoodle]

Hello, my great advising CC friends. I went out this a.m. before sunrise and tested the following Digital cameras. I took picture right at sunrise and after sunrise. I also went down to the beach, took some pictures of the surfers and over to seal beach to catch some pictures. I have been driving myself crazy :eek: trying to decide which camera I wanted for my first trip to Alaska. Unfortunately, I do have a budget and keeping in mind I just bought a Olympus 810 June 2006. I was very fortunate to have a person that had the following camera for me to try out.

 

So, I came home after shooting with each of these cameras and printed 4x6, 5x7 & 8x10 and downloaded the video. I think overall for my budget, the handling of the camera, the results of the action shots (surfers), user-freindliness, results of the sunrise shots and continuious shooting, I am leaning towards the Canon S5 IS.

Wow! That sounds like a great morning no matter what camera you choose! Can I go shooting with your friend - even just to be his sherpa? I'll carry the 1D Mark 3 :D .

[piper28]

Hello, my great advising CC friends. I went out this a.m. before sunrise and tested the following Digital cameras. I took picture right at sunrise and after sunrise. I also went down to the beach, took some pictures of the surfers and over to seal beach to catch some pictures. I have been driving myself crazy :eek: trying to decide which camera I wanted for my first trip to Alaska. Unfortunately, I do have a budget and keeping in mind I just bought a Olympus 810 June 2006. I was very fortunate to have a person that had the following camera for me to try out.

 

You've now done more research than about 95% of people buying a digital camera :). And going out and trying them is great, because you can also decide what feels best in your hand. A camera that you find uncomfortable to use is a camera you're not going to carry around and use.