Help a newbie get a first digital camera?

[burbel]

I posted on dpreview.com for some advice, and got a bit - the problem is that I got recommendations for things that I wasn't even considering, so my field of choices has gotten larger, not smaller... What do you guys think?

The advice so far was get a Minolta 7i (which I do prefer the look of to the others I was considering), the Fuji S602, and the Olympus C730/C740. And someone that said that the G3 and the Nikon are both good cameras.

Here's that post :
I am trying to narrow my options and make my final decision (and take the plunge) buying a digital camera. I have been lurking on and off for some 3 years, was originally looking towards a Nikon Coolpix 995 (which has migrated to a Nikon Coolpix 4500) - however now I'm not so sure.

Was hoping I could get some feedback and opinions from folks more experienced than I, and find out if I am looking at more camera than I would know how to use (no reason to buy something that I will never come close to utilizing).
I am :

A complete beginner for taking photos; what little image experience I have is doing manipulation of pre-existing photos in Photoshop.

A little rough on equipment - I try and be careful, and am not reckless, but I am not as careful as some, so want something that is solidly built.

Not concerned with price - I am prepared to spend around $600ish for the camera, plus a $50 256Mb CF card. Saving $$$ is always good, but + or - $200 won't really affect me that much. + $1000 is pushing it, though.

Looking for a camera with a decent amount of heft to it. I checked out a Canon G3 (one of the cameras I am considering) at a local Fry's - I wouldn't want to go smaller, and would prefer larger if it's practical (what's with the "smaller is better" thing in electronics lately???).

For features, I am looking for a quality camera that could take nice quality/color/resultion nature (close-ups and panoramic views) as well as automobile/racing pictures and the occasional person/place/thing.

Not particular about resolution (4MP vs. some other), zoom levels (2x vs. 4x), etc. Am just hoping to get a solid camera that won't cause me any big regrets down the road. Maybe a camera that, if I get into it, can be expanded.
Cameras I have been considering :
Canon G3 @ Amazon - $630.94
Canon G2 @ Amazon - $519.99
Nikon 4500 @ Amazon - $449.99 (649.99 - $200 rebate)

Go Canon? Go Nikon (with the savings)? Something else? I honestly appreciate any info or recommendations that you can give...

Thanks in advance!

 

[PAUL M]

I just bought the olympus 720. I posted some pics of my nsx in the pic forum. so far i am happy with it. I like that it has the 8x optical zoom. that was what i was looking for because i wanted to be able to take pics from far away.I paid 400. for it.
good luck
Paul M

 

[PHOEN$X]

I just went through this exercise. Do you have any specific criteria as far as media/battery type, etc. are concerned? I found the following site to be of great help:

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/cameraList.php

It seems pretty thorough, and allows you to narrow down your choices by several variables. Also, not that this is the final word by any means, but these PC World charts are kind of interesting:

Top 10 sub-$500 digital cameras

Top 10 digital cameras, $500 and over

You can see what I ended up with here.

 

[burbel]

Phoen$x - batteries, don't care one way or the other. Media type - CF. DPReview.com also has a nice comparison tool that does a good job, gives you around 40 options to choose from.

Paul, with the 720, how far away are the things you are taking pictures with? Just wondering, with my digital camcorder I didn't often zoom more than 2x total, and normally kept it at 1x. Was wondering if I would use the 8x zoom (or, rather, how often). I also noticed that the Minolta 7i has 7x zoom.

Question for everyone : what's the difference on lenses between the different measurements? The Minolta 7i is 28mm to 200mm, the others seem to be around 36mm - 150mm. What does that mean? 8P

 

[DocL]

If you are only looking for a camera that will take nice snapshots for your family, friends and car, then a point and shoot digital camera is your best choice. Buy the one with the highest megapixels available, but don't get one that uses a digital zoom. Optical zoom is much better. None of the point and shoot cameras are ones that you can expand too much with. They are limited to what you have in your hand because that is how they are designed. If you are coming from a 35mm SLR camera, and you want to have the same choices, you are going to have to get a digital SLR. I started out with a Nikon Coolpix 950, and wat the time it was the best camera available. As I tried to get more creative with my photography, the camera became the limiting factor. The shutter speed was way too slow, and the camera did way too much processing of the pictures. This is a problem with every digital camera, but with the more expensive digital SLR's, you have more control of the picture taking.

So, go down to your local photography store and hold a camera in your hands. Don't expect the sales person to know too much about the camera, at least that's been my experience, especially at a store like Best Buy or Circuit City. If you like what you see, check out www.bhphoto.com and compare the prices. As for memory cards, Compact Flash cards seem to be the must widely used storage media. Don't buy a cheap card, as the read speed will be around 4x-12x, and what you really need is a 20x-40x card with at least 256MB.

I just put my Coolpix on the shelf and purchased a Canon 10D with a few lenses, flash, and some other goodies, and I paid almost as much as a Basch Boost SC.

-Good Luck.

 

[burbel]

Thanks, Dr. Lane. I guess I'm not too sure what type of camera I am looking for - I was interested in photography a number of years ago, but, at the time, the costs associated with it were enough to keep me from getting into it much. What is special about a digital SLR vs. a camera such as the Minolta 7i?

From holding the Canon G3 and some other cameras, I know that I distrinctly don't like the small and rectangular cameras, I would prefer something more like the old Canon that my mother had when I was growing up. Also, I checked bhphoto.com, and their price for the Minolta was $699, $100 under Amazon. Just wondering if that camera would come with a full warranty, etc.?

Heh, I don't think that I'll be going that expensive with this for the meantime, as I would still like to get "boosted" at some point in the future!

Thanks again, all, for the advice!

 

[DocL]

If B&H photo has it cheaper, definitely order from them. They are a legit company and everything they sell has a full warranty, and their customer service is very good.

The differences between a digital SLR and a point and shoot is like comparing apples to oranges. The biggest difference is how the image is viewed and captured. When you look through the viewfinder of a slr camera, you see exactly what the camera see's because you are looking directly through the lens. Whereas with a point and shoot camera, the image in the viewfinder is not the same as what the lens see's because there is no direct line of sight between the two. That's the simplest way that I can describe it, although probably not easy to understand. Sorry!

Any camera that you end up getting will be good enough for now. And remember, it's not the camera that takes the picture, it's the person holding it that takes the picture. A good camera will take shitty pictures if the person using it doesn't understand the basic principles of photography. I also suggest that you pick up a photography book so you can understand how to compose pictures.

Now go online and order the camera so you can take and post pictures of your car this weekend.

 

[burbel]

Heh, thanks for the explanation - it makes a lot of sense. I wish I could find explanations like these at some of the sites I have been to.

A question on the memory cards - orignally I was just looking at price and brand, but after checking on B&H Photo's site, they have a Sandisk "256MB Ultra CompactFlash (Type I) Memory Card" - could you look and tell me if that seems fast enough? Should I consider getting two?

Do you have any photography books that you would recommend, out of the thousands available at Amazon?

Yeah, that was the plan, unfortunately, what was intended as an "OK, let me just check a bit before I order the Canon G3" became a full-fledged starting-from-nowhere digital camera hunt. But I'll be getting pictures (taken by me, no less) of my car up on Prime soon!

 

[burbel]

One more question - what accessories would be good to consider with a first purchase? A carrying case? Do they make protective carrying cases for most cameras? Anything else?

 

[DocL]

I'm glad that you're starting to understand things a little better.

You should get a camera bag that has a few pockets. Any brand will do. I got my last one at Best Buy, but now that I have much more equipment I need a bigger one. As for the flash card, Snadisk, Lexar, and Transcend are god choices. Get the largest memory that you can afford. Instead of geting two 256MB cards, why not get one 512MB. I have been using Sandisk cards and have been very pleased with them, but the next one I'm getting is going to be a Lexar 40x. You'll also need a card reader. They are quicker than using the camera, and they don't suck up batteries like the camera. If your using a laptop, then a PCMIA card is the best choice, no wires to pack up. Otherwise a USB reader/writer will do just fine. The other good thing about flash cards is that you can download information to them other than pictures and just carry it around with you. I have gone to other doctors offices with just my CF card and reader and downloaded things onto their computeres for them.

If the camera takes AA batteries, get the highest mawa rechargable batteries, or get an extra factory rechargable battery. You don't want to be somewhere with a dead battery.

That's all I can think of for now. If you order it all at the same time you'll save on tax and shipping.

Oh yeah...one more item, a tripod with a detachable quick change mounting plate. You'll be very surprised at how much better your pictures come out using a tripod.

 

[nsxxtreme]

I can't contribute much to this topic but if you need rechargeable AA's the PowerEx brand sold here are the best I have found. They last much longer than normal rechargeables.

 

[gene '96 #178]

I have recently received a Canon PowerShot A40 that I think is GREAT. It does everything I need it to do and it gives me some awesome pictures. I am a true fan of the Canon Company.

 

[burbel]

Thanks again, everyone. I've already got a pretty decent Velbon tripod that I used with my digital camcorder; I hope that would work well with this new camera.

After going to Fry's last night and trying out the different cameras that they have, I think I found the one that I like (looks and feels like I want a camera to look and feel).

Time to plan out the order and get moving on this!

 

[PHOEN$X]

After going to Fry's last night and trying out the different cameras that they have, I think I found the one that I like (looks and feels like I want a camera to look and feel).

Well, don't keep us in suspense. What did you get?

 

[burbel]

Heh, haven't placed the order yet, but the Minolta 7i is the right size, I like the buttons, etc. The Canon G3 just felt very "busy" to me.

Another question - can someone recommend a good intro to photography book? Got an order at Amazon coming, too.

 

[PHOEN$X]

Minolta DiMAGE 7i

Wow, pricey but what a first digital camera! Be careful with it (don't drop it like I did with mine!).

 

[POWERED by HONDA]

I didn't read the full thread yet, but don't get Sandisk. It is usually the slowest of Compact Flash cards.