Camera users wanted

Darkewolfe

So... I've been personal camera free for a few years now. This is mostly out of laziness/stinginess, as I do enjoy photography. At work I shoot a Canon EOS 20D. (I also do video with a Canon XHA1.) Therefore, most of my experience has been with Canons, but I've been repeatedly told that I need to shoot Nikon to really enjoy myself.

I'm coming up on one of those "this might be a once in a lifetime" trips, and I think I really need to finally pick up some kind of newfangled picture thingamijiggy. Therein is my conundrum.

I'm torn between a pocket camera and real glass. It's not like SLR's are new to me in any way, nor are the benefits of taking real shots lost on me. However, I also know what a pain it is sometimes to lug camera gear around, and I might enjoy the ability to slip something like the Sony Cybershot DSC-T700 in my pocket and whip it out to snap an opportunity shot in a restaurant or something.

On the other hand, going to an amazingly beautiful place with gorgeous landscapes just begging to be photographed really might make my hands itch for a Nikon D40 or D60.

It's been so long since I've had a camera of my own that I'm just not sure which way to go. Versatility and having the camera with me at all times, or the satisfaction of taking great shots. Both is not an option, if I end up buying another camera it won't be for a couple years, probably.

Help!

Cauld

I know this is kind of unrelated to the questions you asked, but I'm curious. Where are you going?

Szechuanosaurus

It's worth considering how versatile modern digital compacts are. A lot of them have independent manual, aperture and/or film speed control settings as well as the usual point-and-shoot presets. Some of them, such as some of the models in the Cannon Powershot range, even have swappable lenses, so you can fit a wide-angle or whatever takes your fancy on there.

Obviously, they aren't as flexible or as powerful as a proper, bulky Digital SLR, but they make pretty good inbetweeners if you want to be able to take photographs while site-seeing rather than doing a bit of site-seeing whilst on a photoshoot.

stratslinger

The location and potential vistas are key in your choice here. My wife and I went to Alaska earlier this year. My little Fuji FinePix was great for close up work and for large landscapes and such, plus it was very convenient to slip in and out of the pocket at will. However, we had a couple sightseeing tours - specifically in Denali Nat'l Park - when I would've killed for something with a real zoom. The 6x zoom on the Fuji really only goes so far, and I could've gotten some amazing shots of the local wildlife.

If something like that's your bag (good photos of smallish stuff you can cannot get close to), I'd say go for the SLR. If a great zoom isn't a necessity for you, I'd say the convenience of a smaller device wins out.

Djeet

Since it sounds like you're in visual media professionally and it's one of those once in a lifetime places, I'd say pick up a DSLR. And I'd go Canon if I were you b/c you're familiar with the control layout already and maybe you could borrow some glass from work?

When I first got a DSLR it took me a few weeks to get used to the controls, and when you're on vacation you're going to want to spend minimal time learning how to shoot with the gear and focus on enjoying yourself. It could be that Nikon and Canon don't have such dissimilar control layouts (dunno, never shot Nikon) perhaps someone with experience shooting both can weigh in.

If it's one of those breathtakingly beautiful places, I'd definitely lug around DSLR as IMO P&S's just doesn't cut it. I think this has largely to do with the size of the imaging sensor and pixel density.

illig

i'd get a really compact point and shoot digital rather than bring a full DSLR

also do your research and get one that charges with just a wire, rather than a dock... docks are a PITA to carry around and set up whenever you want to recharge the battery

Darkewolfe

Point and shoots have more customizability than ever these days. I almost wonder if there aren't some point and shoots that would let me get near the equivalent of setting my aperture and shutter speed myself. The primary advantage I'd be missing without an SLR, IMO, is the glass. This brings me back to my dilemma. I also do a fair bit of backpacking, and I'd like a camera I could take with me. A point and shoot would save me on weight, but a lot of nature shots really call for playing with your setup. A point and shoot wouldn't buy me the ability to take those long range shots.

Argh.

I'm leaning point and shoot, though, for the versatility. Maybe someday I can afford to set myself up with a good SLR rig, but I think I'd lose out on more possibilities if I didn't have a pocket camera.

Still thinking.

Are there any pocket sized cameras that you can extend with different lenses?

Djeet

Some P&S's have threaded barrels (not sure if that's the right terminology) that let you screw on a multiplier lens (0.3x or 0.5x for wide, or 1.5x or 2x for tele) but it may impinge on the zoom so make sure to test out at the store. They can also affect the light fall and focussing (you might get vignetting or it may blur particularly at the long end). Also the glass used on these aren't the greatest, it's just to allow a P&S/vidcam that doesn't really have wide to go wide.

Monoxide

There are plenty of P&S cameras that give you a variety of manual mode settings, aperture and exposure included, but most are limited in some way. I'd look at Canon's Powershots if you want a P&S.

It's still no replacement for an SLR, but you could always pick up a powerful yet inexpensive one to complement a DSLR, in case you're going somewhere that you don't want to drag around a bunch of lenses, or your expensive and bulky DSLR.

Bryse Eayo

There are other down sides to P&S cameras beyond their limited control.

While the camera may say it can do wide apertures, but due to their sizes P&S apertures generally equate to something insane like f/64 or f/128 making for very flat and non-dynamic shots.

Pheezer

If you're used to shooting Canon, try to borrow or rent a Nikon before you buy one. The interface is somewhat different and I know a lot of people find the Canons to be more intuitive. If you can't borrow/rent, go to a store that will let you spend at least 15 minutes with the thing in your hands, taking pictures.

And seriously, aside from which brand's interface and ergonomics suit you personally, there's really very little difference in brands, with the exception that the D40 AND D60 DO NOT have internal autofocus. Meaning that if the lens doesn't have an onboard AF motor, you're shooting it in full manual. This makes lens shopping more expensive.

If you're on a vacation of this nature, you might really want to pick a platform that you know your way around, too. You don't want to have to stop and look at the camera to manipulate f-stop during that critical moment.

I would also suggest that if you get a DSLR, that you buy a fast lens to go with the kit lens. Most of the current models come with okay kit lenses, but none of them work very good in low light. You might want to pause and take a moment to get a really great shot at night that's outside of flash range (or you might agree with me that the built-in flash looks awful).

To this end both manufactures offer cheap, fast 50mm lenses, but 50mm is 80mm on a DSLR and that's kind of a tight focus, not typically ideal to scenery. Though I've found mine to work nicely, I've had to adjust what I look for when I'm out taking photos. So your late night shots will have to be with a relatively tight focus, but that tends to work nicely too. Late night shots without a camera are usually of light sources or containing light sources and really wide shots with multiple light sources tend to look confused or busy. Something to think about anyhow.


Finally, for a point and shoot, nothing beats Canon's Powershot A series cameras for price vs. features & performance. Get the most expensive one you can afford.

Monoxide

Finally, for a point and shoot, nothing beats Canon's Powershot A series cameras for price vs. features & performance. Get the most expensive one you can afford.

get one that supports the CHDK firmware if you can

adding the ability to shoot in RAW alone really adds a lot to the camera

Fallingman

D80's are beiing replaced - you might find that they are affordable... the stock lense is good too and size-wise, closed to the DSLR you are used to.

Darkewolfe

Monoxide wrote: »

Finally, for a point and shoot, nothing beats Canon's Powershot A series cameras for price vs. features & performance. Get the most expensive one you can afford.

get one that supports the CHDK firmware if you can

adding the ability to shoot in RAW alone really adds a lot to the camera

How difficult is it to upgrade the firmware on a camera?

Edit: I have no experience with point and shoots anymore. What's the difference between the Powershot A's and the Powershot SD/SX's?

Double Edit: So I'm looking at the Powershot A series, and it seems that what I'm getting from the camera (increased interaction essentially) while losing other things (size and portability) puts the camera between an SLR and a compact. What about just going with the Cyber-shot or something? I think if I don't pony up for a full SLR, the Powershot A cameras are like half-assing it for me. They're still pretty large.

Monoxide

Powershot A series are really not large. They're not as thin as the SD's, but they're still smaller and lighter than an SLR, especially considering the lack of glass.

And CHDK isn't a firmware replacement, it's a hook. It doesn't touch your camera's firmware at all, it just loads in on top of it. You just put the file on your memory card, and on some cameras, make the card bootable. There's a tool for this out for each OS that you can get from the CHDK site.

Pheezer

Well, the cybershot is like an overpriced Powershot SD and has the bonus of requiring you to use MemoryStick. Which is overpriced and proprietary and won't help you if you ever switch to a non-Sony camera, whereas Canon's hardware all uses SD or CF cards, which are cheaper and in use by a hundred other companies.

Darkewolfe

Ok, I've spent some time looking at the powershots. The A series is, as best I can tell, a generally cheaper alternative to the SD (elph) line, and doesn't come in quite as compact. Since the two benefits I was looking at, compact vs. quality SLR shots, were the basis for my indecision, I've mostly discounted the A series since it doesn't reach the same level of "compact" as the Elph line.

I think I've knocked the Elph line down to three cameras. Does anyone own any of these/have some insight or opinions on one vs. the others?

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-sd770-is/4505-6501_7-32896597.html

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-sd1100-is/4505-6501_7-32826179.html

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/canon-powershot-sd790-is/4505-6501_7-32896595.html?tag=mncol;lst

Hobbit0815

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-SD790IS-Digital-Stabilized/dp/B0011ZK6OS/ref=pd_bbs_7?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1224009473&sr=8-7

This is what I use. Hasn't ever failed, really..

Darkewolfe

Hobbit0815 wrote: »

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-SD790IS-Digital-Stabilized/dp/B0011ZK6OS/ref=pd_bbs_7?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1224009473&sr=8-7

This is what I use. Hasn't ever failed, really..

The SD790 was one of the ones I was looking at. Have you ever had trouble with the watermark from the Pegasus Imaging encoder on videos? Similarly, since it doesn't give you much exposure control, what do you think of the color settings it offers? Lastly, it's one of the largest of the most recent Elphs, what do you think of the size? Do you ever keep it in your pocket?

Edit: largest of the "most recent" Elphs. The older ones are bigger, certainly.

Hobbit0815

No, I've never seen a watermark on the videos I've taken. I've also never had to fiddle with any color adjustments or anything like that, it seemed to take perfect pictures as is. About size? If it's the LARGEST I'd be amazed to see the SMALLEST! You could easily carry it in your pocket (although I advise against it), but I would be afraid of scratching the picture screen. I got this case: http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PSC-1000-Deluxe-Leather-Digital/dp/B000NSFLM6/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=apparel&qid=1224010836&sr=8-3

although the part where you would fit the strap through is too small, it could be modifyed. I don't use the strap, though. I keep the camera in it's case in my purse, and when I want to take a shot, I unzip my purse, flip the case open and start shooting.. It's really convient for taking quick, beautiful pictures.