Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Any models you can recommend? I want to be able to control shutter speed, but it would be nice to have auto controls available on the camera as well when I'm not in the mood for manually setting.
I would go to a store and hold the different brands. There should be one that will "fit" your hands better than others. I tried Nikon, Canon, Sony, etc... I fiddled with all of the buttons and that made my decision for me. Especially when I held the Sony and tried to set aperture and every stinkin' time I did that, I'd turn the camera off.
For me, it was a no brainer, the Nikon made sense to my hands. A Canon may made sense to you. Try them!
Some of the non-SLR digitals give the user aperture- and shutter-priority settings, as well as manual focusing. I'm considering the Panasonic (Lumix) FZ35. It's got an 18x zoom lens and can be had for just a bit over $300. It's gotten very good reviews. The only thing it won't do is very long exposures, but it'll go to 60 sec. It also can't be used as a camera body for astrophotography, but not too many users would care.
Any entry level camera will do you but I usually recommend either Nikon or Canon - other brands may have quality products but I don't think their lens selection is as big. But without knowing your budget, it's difficult to narrow it down more. The Canon Rebel T2i for example is a great camera but it's $900. If that's too expensive and you're okay not having video, check out one of these instead:
Canon EOS Rebel XS ($500)
Canon EOS Rebel XSi ($600)
Canon EOS Rebel T1i ($680) - (does have video)
I'm not as familiar with Nikon's entry level line - I don't really understand their naming or pricing methods and I've even seen Nikon users confused by them too.
I researched this several years ago before getting a DSLR. Nikon and Canon are generally considered to be the best consumer or "pro-sumer" models. If you have any plans for upgrading lenses (low-light, macro, super telephoto), then either will work. At the pro end of the scale, Cannon's "L" lenses are supposed to be better than Nikons high-end lenses, but lenses in this range cost many thousands of dollars each. On the other hand, Nikon's mid-range lenses were rated higher than Canon's. I knew I could never afford the pro stuff, so I went with Nikon.
If you're not planning on upgrading lenses, then you should also look at Sony, Pentax, or Olympus DSLRs. You'll get more features for the buck.
One thing to keep in mind when going from a P&S to a SLR... size and weight. I liked the ability to quickly change settings with exterior wheels and buttons (with a P&S you have to go through menus) and I LOVED the rapid shooting. So I kept upgrading to larger and faster. I started with a Nikon D40 then upgraded to a D200, with an 18-200mm optically stabilized lens. I have some excellent shots of my son that I would have missed with a slow P&S. Unfortunately, while this system took excellent pictures outside during the day, it was a brick hanging around my neck. More and more I found myself missing shots because the camera was back in the truck, or secure in my backpack, or completely left at home.
I now have a rugged P&S for taking pictures around water, and that will fit in a pocket; and my cell-phone camera for pictures I want to immediately upload to Facebook or email. I only bring out the DSLR for my son's sporting events, where it still excels because of speed. It never did take good pictures in low light, but that's because of its technology level. My next DSLR camera body upgrade (budgeted for this Christmas) will be a downgrade in camera size, and possibly a downgrade in shutter speed, because I just don't want the extra weight around my neck.
And something else... You could invest in a good film SLR and keep it for years. My parents still have a good manual Pentax film SLR they bought when I was a kid. But a DSLR isn't like that; the technology keeps improving by leaps and bounds every year. My D200 won awards and was considered the best camera of its time; now even a cheap entry level DSLR can take MUCH better pictures in low light. The point is, don't blow all your money on a single system. Get an entry level model then upgrade the body in a few years.
That's good advice. Expensive electronics aren't a very good investment, because equivalent performance gets cheaper all the time.
I have several film SLRs that I dearly love, but their time has passed, I'm afraid. I have quite a few Olympus lenses, so when I get a DSLR, it will probably be a Canon because an adapter is available so that I can use those lenses on it!
Thank you everyone. I looked at some over the weekend and the weight factor is really significant. I kept thinking "would I really want to carry this thing around with me?"
I appreciate all the input. I need to do some more thinking and looking at the options.
OP-I made the switch from a P&S to a DSLR. I went with a Canon XTI last year. Yes I am a bit disappointed that it is now 600 bucks when I paid 800, but I digress. My previous camera was a Canon G6. It had a very limited lens selection but it had a lot of the controls the DLSR's had (well budget ones anyway). It was a good upgrade from a simple point and shoot without the weight. Now that I have my DSLR I love it BUT it is heavy. On my last vacation I started to think that maybe I should keep my point n shoot in the bag as well because after a while I simply got tired of lugging the thing around my neck. So far I have only been able to purchase one lens. Its an expensive hobby.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
