SLR digital camera

[poltroon]

I have a Canon S3IS. It's not a DSLR, but a middle step between a point and shoot and a DSLR, with a 12x zoom. I quite like it and have used it to get decent shots of not just chickens, but also Black-crowned Night Herons, Red-shouldered Hawks, a Peregrine Falcon and even a Bald Eagle.

It's not as good as a DSLR, but it's a very nice camera and will take fantastic shots of a domestic chicken. It also takes very good shots of moving horses far away. And, it cost $350 with batteries, a charger, and a memory card. Since it is now discontinued, you can get either that camera for a bit less or the next model.

I lust for a DSLR with a serious lens, but I couldn't swing the $$. This camera has the other advantage of being more portable.

I also recommend http://www.dpreview.com for a great indepth comparison between models.

 

[Trollkiller]

I will also steer clear of anything that uses proprietary memory cards.

 

[aiwetir]

i should mention that a new camera isn't just going to fix all your photos for you, raw files can look pretty bland sometimes

but the good news is you are perhaps starting on a journey of learning new stuff (photoshop maybe) and there is a lot to learn

original

fix-em-upped

now that i look at it on a different monitor, the highlights on this look a bit hot

 

[MichiganWoods]

I'm a Canon user. I have a 20D and a PowerShot A640. I want to/hope to upgrade next year to a newer Canon.

 

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
Me, too. Got it last year on Amazon for a ridiculously low price.

 

[birdnutz]

I just bought a Nikkon D40. Still playing with it and reading the book. It got great reviews on Amazon though. I'm a lazy photographer,I like that it has a point and shoot option. It came with a 15mm-55mm vr lens,I'm also going to get the 55mm-200mm vr lens for it. I really enjoy taking wildlife photos.

 

[tomcio]

My suggestion is to go either Nikon (my preference) or Cannon.

Here is something most people wouldn't know:

1. Even the smallest of dSLR bodies have a rich feature-set that will satisfy you until you turn pro (aka shoot for hire). So don't overspend on the body! A D40 or D60 is more than you need.
2. Don't buy the kit lens. They are plastic and do not produce as sharp an output as you can get from a glass lens. Spend the extra ~$100 and get a Sigma lens (18-55 or 18-70). If you can try to buy with as low an f-stop as possible.
3. Buy a flash-gun. The poster above that was showing the hen photo (pre- and post fix-up) could have had the post-fix up quality if a diffused off-center flash was used when taking the photo.

And most importantly. Whatever you pick -> have fun and experiment! Oh, and don't be afraid of the manual modes! They make the whole hobby fun.

Tom

P.S. PM me if you want some help or pointers.

 

[Badhbh]

I'm the odd man out I guess. I have one of these..

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1192

 

[reallemons1]

Thanks everyone for all the great advice!

Canon seens to ba a fav all around.. So... Get a good camera body and a great lens, not the lens kit? I have used an old Minolta 102 with a couple Sigma lenses for 20 something years for my good shooting. It takes great pictures. But it is, of coarse 35mm. I've had a few point and shoots for inside or 'people' shots. Now I have a Fuji 5100, and a Panasonic TZ3. Both are good point and shoots. I want something compariable to the old Minolta only digital (and automatic!). The Minolta gets great depth of field, and stop action (whatever the term is for that) and detail. I use Photo Impact Pro and Picture It. Is Photo Shop or something else better? Easier? I am not too good at learning how to do computer stuff

.

 

[BearSwampChick]

If you would like to see what can be done with a Nikon D40, look at this blog: http://flying.my-expressions.com/. She is a wonderful photographer and mostly uses the Auto setting on the camera. I have a D50, which they no longer make, and I love it! These cameras make you look like a pro.