# Cameras used



## trsmth (Jun 21, 2007)

I am really new to this and am having problems getting pics anything even close to what has been posted here.  I am wondering... what cameras are you all using?  I am looking to possibly get a new camera anyhow, so I would like input from people who use them regularly.
Thanks,
Tom


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## gketell (Jun 21, 2007)

How much do you want to spend?  I use the canon 20d which is available as a kit for just below $1000.  The nikon d80 kit is also a great camera in the same range.  The new nikon d40 is a decent camera but doesn't accept any of the existing nikon lenses so you are very limited in what you can get for it.  The canon rebel is the equivalent of the d40 and takes wonderful pictures.

For around $300 you could get any number of point and shoots that take great pictures.  I like the casio line and have the ex-s500 and the ex-v7 and both are wonderful pocket cameras.

GK


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## woodmarc (Jun 21, 2007)

I just purchased the FujiFilm S6000fd.  It's a SuperZoom 6MP SLR-Like.  Check out the site dpreveiws.com.  

It does everything that the more expensive cameras do, plus it has a better CCD for low light situations (3200ISO).
I needed it to do the following
1. Fit my budget &lt;$400
2. Be able to take great indoor pictures (Dance Recitals)
3. Take fast action pics (soccer games)
4. Good Macro (Pen Photography)
5. Lots of tweaks. (old 35mm SLR guy who still like a light meter)
6. Manual White balance.

the only thing it doesn't have is Image Stabilization.  But for me it was no big deal.  I learned photography long before Digital photography was a concept, and know how to hold a camera still and how to use a monopod.


Just my 2 cents worth.


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## trsmth (Jun 21, 2007)

Well, I don't know much about cameras or pieces and parts to them.  I have always had a point and shoot one.  I think that is more of what I would be looking for at this point too.  Probably &lt;$500 or so would be best.
Thanks,
Tom


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## ahoiberg (Jun 21, 2007)

i've got a canon powershot SI, cost me right around $500 about 4 years or so ago. probably not the best anymore, but i'd recommend a canon in the price range you're shooting for (no pun intended)...


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## Dario (Jun 21, 2007)

I am using a Panasonic DMC-FZ5 (an older 2005 model). I do love it since it is very compact (compared to its rivals of same features) and takes descent pictures. Price is right too...you can find it new as close to $300.00 if you look hard enough. Here is good 12 page review on it.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfz5/

From there:
Review based on a production Panasonic DMC-FZ5

Announced just before PMA in February 2005, the DMC-FZ5 is one of two direct sucessors to the popular (and dpreview Highly Recommended) DMC-FZ3. Like its predecessor the FZ5 sports a Leica-branded DC Vario-Elmarit zoom with a whopping 12x optical range (35-420mm equiv), though the larger sensor has resulted in a slightly slower F2.8-F3.3 aperture range. It also boasts the same newly-improved optical image stabilization system and the Venus II engine, which, according to Panasonic's documentation, is now equivalent to shooting at 3 or 4 shutter speed steps faster - (the figure for the FZ20 was quoted as 2 or 3 shutter speed steps).

Aside from the boost from 3 to 5 million pixels (bringing it in line with the high-end DMC-FZ20), the FZ5 has a range of relatively minor changes over the FZ3, including longer battery life, a repositioned shutter release and improved grip design, larger LCD screen, orientation sensor and a new fast focus mode, which Panasonic claims gives a 30% improvement on the previous model.

* 5.0 million effective pixels
* 36 - 432mm (equiv.) F2.8-3.3, 12x Leica DC VARIO-ELMARIT Zoom Lens
* Mega O.I.S (optical image stabilisation)
* 1.8-inch colour screen
* New fast focus mode
* Improved battery life
* New orientation sensor
* Venus II image processing engine
* 9 scene modes and full photographic control
* TIFF mode
* Ultra-fast startup, focus, shutter lag and shot-to-shot time
* 'Simple' mode for novice photographers


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## Tanner (Jun 22, 2007)

I have a Sony DSC-H5.  It works great. Stevej72 just got a Sony DSC-H9. He has shown some recent pictures in the Photography section.  There are many great cameras out there to choose from.  The review sites can help you narrow your search.  Good luck!!

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/H5/H5A.HTM
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/H5/H5A.HTM


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## Rifleman1776 (Jun 22, 2007)

Tom, do get as close to that $500.00 mark as your budget will allow. I have the Sony DSC-H2 and love it. Price was well below your limit. Newer versions are now out. These, and similar other makes, are a mid-range between point and shoot and high end SLRs. You will see articles that say don't sweat how much megapixels. I do reccomend getting as much as you can afford, not less than 5. This allows you do enlarge smaller images and still retain detail. You might want to check the newer Kodak models as they have come out with a new image retention screen that functions in low light situations better than what has been previously available. Do look for a 'macro' setting. And a 'steady mode' can be a great help. BTW, if you consider a Sony, know that they do not accept the standard SD card. I didn't know this when I bought mine. That information wasn't revealed until I was reading the owners manual. It is not on product literature.


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## bjackman (Jun 22, 2007)

Tom,
I'm going to slightly disagree with some who are telling you you should and need to spend as much as you can on a camera. I think your budget of &lt;$500 is smart, but I think you could easily cut your budget just about in half.
Two sites you could easily go spend days on are, as mentioned before, www.dpreview.com and another is http://www.imaging-resource.com/ 
Both great sites with great reviews, content and links. I think I find a few more price options on imaging resource.
Just a little background on my opinion. I AM NOT A PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERT. Wanna talk pens? Along with MANY here, I could be called an expert. Wanna talk turning in general? I know just enough to get myself in trouble. In fact when it comes to manual photography I know almost nothing. When I was looking for a new camera a few months back I asked a current business partner for advise. I gave him details on what I wanted to be able to do and what I wanted to spend. This partner knows his stuff. Google Scott Breen Photography and you'll get over 150k hits on this guy. 
I was seriously looking at a couple Kodak models because they were going to save me about $50 and seemed to have very near the same features of other brands. He said no, never, don't even think about it. 
He said look at Canon first, then others, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, but not  kodak. He says Canon is the actual oem manufacturer for the sensors used in most digital cameras made today, so why not go with the standard.

Ok, on to some suggestions. 
#1 Suggestion Canon S3 IS
This is the camera I ended up buying. It's an amazing camera that for me bridges the gap between big, expensive, technical digital SLR vs pocket size handheld point and shoot cameras
For pens you have a great macro as well as a super macro setting that can take photos of things literally touching the lens. It's easy to do some manual white balance adjustment and more manual control in various modes than I will probably ever use. 
But, get this thing away from your light tent and it's a joy to use with the super zoom and image stabilization. Great candid shots of family when they have NO idea you're shooting them from clear across the yard, etc.
A bonus to this camera is it's ability to take decent video. I have not taken out my camcorder since we got this camera. Digital video a decent resoloution, stereo sound and it zooms and focuses during video shooting. One touch button to start video in whatever mode you are in. Really cool feature, and the reviewers say it's the best or very near the best video from a still camera out there, I believe them.
Canon is just now coming out with a S5 IS that is a few more megapixels, but basicly the same camera. I can't see how more than the 6.something the s3 has will improve it much. I don't really agree with the "more megapixels is better" thought. I lived with a 2mp camera for years and this 6 is a great size for me right now. So, with the new model coming out, the s3 may be dropping even more in price in just a few weeks. I got mine around September for about $260 and you can pretty much get the same deal, maybe a little better now.
Oh, and I almost forgot the flip out, articulating lcd screen on this. I use it all the time for overhead shots and sideways shots. Again, you turn the sound off and no one even knows you're clicking away at them which for me usually means great real life shots, not posed.

Suggestion #2 Whatever deal you might be able to find in the Canon powershot sd xxx line.
We have an sd600 that Scott got us for work to take videos of customers and it takes nearly as good video as my s3 does,amazing for a little point and shoot camera. It has quite a bit of possibility for manual adjustment and a decent macro setting. An amazing camera for the size. I just looked up some prices on the sd600 we have, which is a model or two behind whatever is out now, (meaning it's 4 months old ) [] You might get a better deal with a few more bells and gadgets on a current model. But I'd consier anything back to the sd420 model. You basically get the same unit with ramped up or down MP.

So, for about half your proposed budget you can get either an amazing zoom camera with great macro and image stabilization or a pocket size camera with average zoom, good macro that still takes great pictures.
There you have far more than my 2 cents worth.
good luck and have fun deciding.
PS, don't forget you will need a bigger sd card. I use a 2 gig in my s3 you can get one online for under $20


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## kevin_f (Jun 22, 2007)

I just went through the questions you are asking.  My old digital broke awhile back, so my problem was to get a good point and shoot that was easy to use, so my wife would use it.  Or buy something like the Canon XTi and my wife never touch it (Which sounds good, except I'd go broke with her buying disposible camera's and developing the film).  

Finally decided to get a point and shoot and save up to get a good SLR later.  After alot of internet research and talking to some camera bugs at work, I got the Canon SD850, just released a couple of months ago.  There were not alot of reviews since it was so new, but CNET, http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-sd850-is/4505-6501_7-32441340.html, gave it a 8.0 rating and said "Great performance and image quality; solid image stabilization; face detection.  The Canon PowerShot SD 850 IS has just about everything you'd want in a point-and-shoot."  Since the Canon was recommended by a couple of people above, it would be worth looking into.  I bought mine at Amazon for  $350.  Wish I could tell you how good the pictures are, but I just got it yesterday.  Plan to using it this weekend.   

Good luck with your decision.  I'm glad mine is over for now.


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## toolcrazy (Jun 23, 2007)

With a lot of research. I went with the Pentax K100D DSLR. I had a nice point and shoot, but it was getting old and it was a pain to adjust for manual shots. I do all my pens on manual now. And they are getting better and better. So look at a camera that makes it easy to make manual adjustments.


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## RogerGarrett (Jun 23, 2007)

I really love my Cannon XTi.  I have the longer lense to go with it that came from my film camera - a Cannon Rebel 2000.

Best,
Roger Garrett


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## Doghouse (Jun 23, 2007)

As a side note, The d40 accepts all of the nikon lenses, they will just have to be manualy focused.  So if you already have lenses, they still fit.  

The only problem is that they use a propritary format for their "raw" files, that most programs do not recognize.  Picasa works well.


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