looking to buy a decent camera

[snakeblitz33]

my old one broke
any suggestions for one that ranges between 200-300$?
brand names?
here is what im doing with it:
family photos
tank photos
family gatherings
vacations

 

[elrodg]

Do you want a point n shoot? Or an slr?

 

[elrodg]

If you want an slr camera I would look for a used Nikon d60 or d80 on eBay.
As far as brand names in slr there are really only two major ones (nikon and canon) with a few honorable mentions. (Sony, Fuji, and Kodak)
Nikon is for professionals. Whereas canon is more amateur use.
Nikon and Sony has developed a mirror less camera. (The Ashton kutcher commercials.) stay away from these. The technology isn't exactly what it should be just yet.
If you want a nice point n shoot the nikon cool pix line isn't bad but I would look into a Fuji. They have a better sensor for a pns and their blur is minimal at higher motion.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Cool. Ill look into those. The d60 and d80.
Whats the difference between point and shoot and slr??
I mainly want to photograph my family and my tank. Is slr better for the tank pics?

 

[elrodg]

An slr is has a removable lens.

 

[elrodg]

It's more for the amateur to professional photographer. It's big. It's bulky. But man what a pic

 

[snakeblitz33]

So slr for tank pics?

 

[elrodg]

Yes. By far an slr is the better choice. But you pay for it. Better quality and you can interchange Nikon lenses to achieve better results. Like a macro lens for up close tank shots. Or a zoom for distance or landscape shots.
But for compact carry, on-the-go type pics I would choose a p-n-s.

 

[snakeblitz33]

A p-n-s huh?
Eh, If I am going to buy a camera, I want to buy quality. Even if that means saving up a couple of extra hundred to get one. My little girl is growing up quick - and it only seems like we are getting iPhone pictures of her as she grows up. I have a decent HD 1080p video camera that I film her with every now and then, but I want to start taking more decent quality pictures of her with a better camera. So, it's not just for the tank.
I'll look into the SLR Nikon cameras.
Does anyone else have any opinions before I do too much research?

 

[elrodg]

P-n-s= point and shoot.
The little pocket cameras and the likes.
I have seen some really nice pns cameras. But just because it looks like an slr. Does not mean it equals the quality of a good solid bodied slr. Slr=simultaneous lens release.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elrodg http:///t/394057/looking-to-buy-a-decent-camera#post_3506933
P-n-s= point and shoot.
The little pocket cameras and the likes.
I have seen some really nice pns cameras. But just because it looks like an slr. Does not mean it equals the quality of a good solid bodied slr. Slr=simultaneous lens release.
p-n-s looks like it is missing two letters. I was making a joke. lol
I am actually looking at the Nikon D80 right now. It looks like it is within my price range.
I am starting to get on the ball with typing up my marine reefkeeping book and I am needing photographs to fill in certain pages. I was going to take some of mine, and then put an ad out to see if I could take some pictures in my local area. I'm also always looking for photographs to be sent to me personally, if someone is willing to fax a photo release paper to me.

 

[elrodg]

Ok well remember this.... Especially if its for print! Always always always shoot in the highest quality you can. In Nikons case it's raw. But you will need photoshop to edit them. If you don't have pshop then save in fine.
(If you want pshop we can always do some bartering.).

 

[elrodg]

And if you need help with anything print let me know. I am well versed in ink on paper. Lol.
I realized your joke like two mins after posting.
A d80 is a solid starter camera. Not too easy. Not too hard. Plus it's got some weight to it. It will prolly come with a kit lens. But if you want to take tank pics. Look into a polarizing filter go as to not get extreme tank glare when using a flash. Thereby getting some amazing color from the fish you are shooting. . Shooting fish. Heh.

 

[snakeblitz33]

I was just told by my photography friend that i should look into buying the d80 because it has an internal motor and auto focus capability. Sounds like it is worth the extra cost.
He also said not to spend the extra money on Nikkor lenses and to go with Tamrin brand lenses. He really knows his stuff! I trust what he is saying too, but was wondering if you could back up some of his statements?
Photoshop seems like a good idea but i dont have the time to learn a new program - especially since my education and family come first.

 

[elrodg]

Well I've spent the last decade working with the adobe suite.
It's not something you can just jump into
If you just want to do basic color adjustments the. I would recommend using Lightroom. It's a lot easier to use than photoshop and is also cheaper and smaller in program size
Yes. The d80 is a good choice. The reason I like the nikkor lenses is their reliability. Plus if you buy new you get an outstanding warranty service.
But a lens is a lens really. Doesn't matter the brand. They all have the same function.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Thanks for the tip!

 

[fattytwobyfour]

I'm a huge fan of the Canon 7D. I haven't taken any fish photography yet, but another hobby of mine is photography. I have a website of images that were all taken with a Canon 7D.
http://www.allan-candler.com

 

[fattytwobyfour]

I just seen the $200-$300 range... Whoops. Do you shoot photos in manual mode or automatic mode? I am a fan of the Canon manual mode. I've tried it on the Nikon brand, but didn't really care for the way their controls are setup.

 

[snakeblitz33]

LOL. Ebay has some decent cameras for under $300, but it looks like I will have to purchase a separate lens for what I want to do. I'm thinking of buying the Nikon D80 because it has an auto focus capability and an "internal motor" ... whatever that means. My photography buddy recommended it over the D60 because of those two reasons.
I really don't know what kind of "mode" or person I am when it comes to photography - I haven't really done a whole lot with it my entire life. I have taken a few snap shots and digital pics with a exilim camera over the years but nothing more than that. I would really just like a good starter camera for some amateur to semi-professional photography. Like I said earlier, I would love to start taking some pics of the corals and equipment so that I have some original photos for my book that I have resolved to finish this year.

 

[elrodg]

Yea eBay will be good for a used camera. You can get a basic kit lens for dirt cheap. The internal motor controls the functionality of the auto focus in camera. This will allow you to get a lens that is not a vr that have their own focus motor.