Digital camera question time...

[mtnairlover]

I don't have a whole lot of extra $$$ lying around, so I am thinking of saving up for my birthday, which is in 6 months and then buying/upgrading to an SLR. I like my point n'shoot (Kodak M580 (http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_US/pd/M580_Digital_Camera__Silver/baseProductID.169771600/productID.169788900)), but have noticed that the clarity/crispness in the photos lately is not like it used to be when it was brand spankin' new...it's a year old, so I do tend to take a boatload of pix. With that said, which digital camera should I consider upgrading to? I want to be able to take close ups, as well as long-range photos without (necessarily) having to switch from one lens to another...not yet, that is. I want to know that the purchase will last me for a while and that just adding to it with various lenses in the future will be just fine, rather than having to switch from camera, to camera, to camera.

Last December new...
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l12/mtnairlover/CSC%20Forum/late_december_morning1_2010.jpg


Last weekend...
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l12/mtnairlover/CSC%20Forum/mtn_shrouded_cloud.jpg

[birchyboy]

My experience, after buying my wife a Canon t1 something or other, is that a digital SLR is overkill unless you really want to invest in additional lenses. There are lots of better P&S cameras out there that will do probably 90% of what you really want to do.

[mdub]

nikon 1 is where my money would go, but i don't have 6 bills and change for it...

[mtnairlover]

I had read some reviews of this camera...

Cyber-shot Digital Camera HX100V (http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921666297852)

and was wondering how technical and how professional do I honestly want to be? It seems to me that this Sony does everything I want, but without the huge price tag. I'm not a pro, but I do like photography as a hobby and love sharing with family and friends. I tend to dream a lot though, about one day taking the amateur into professional level...like when I retire...lol. Anyway, getting my head out of the clouds, this Sony might not be a bad compromise.

I peeked at the Nikon1. The first thing that came to mind is that, "There's so many choices!" It's almost overwhelming.

[birchyboy]

One of my coworkers has a new Sony dSLR and he swears by it. He had an older one as well that he loved but it broke somehow and he wouldn't look at anything else.

I think it's like anything: some will swear by one brand and others by another brand. The best thing to do is do some research and then go and handle the camera. The best camera optics in the world won't matter if you don't like how it feels.

[asp_125]

Don't buy a DSLR, they are teh debil! They will eat up your tire money, track day money, they will have more accessories and attachments than a Harley. You will spend long days standing in the hot sun at races in the hopes someone will buy your photos. You will put off that new helmet saving for that fast f/2.8 lens. It's a slippery slope, don't do it!

I went there, now you don't see me out on rides anymore do you... .see?

[mdub]

Agree....gonna take my money and buy an after market Taylor Made exhuast fer my Honda. That is my priority. But I will get that Nikon 1. By that time it will be Nikon 2.

[asp_125]

http://www.four-thirds.org/en/microft/body.html

[birchyboy]

I read an article about a new light field camera that seems like it would be pretty cool. Definitely not the average digital camera since it allows funky stuff after the picture was taken. Maybe look at one of those?

[sky_blue]

I went dSLR a year and a half ago. I kick myself for not doing it sooner. Looking at photos out of my old 8.0MP digital camera I can see how much better they would have been with the SLR.

Lenses: I don't do the lens thing. I have 1 lens. Someday I may buy another. I have no desire ot have multiple lenses. I travel and ride and I need just 1 setup that fits in my tankbag or backpack and that's it. If I had a bag of accessories, the whole thing would sit at home and not get used. Totally not the point for me. So I got a big lens with a huge focal range (Nikkor 28-300mm). Works for snapshots at a party, and for huge pseudo-wide shots of Alaskan wilderness. The lens cost almost as much as the camera body.

Filters: Got a UV and a polarizer. Hate the polarizer. UV just to protect the lens.

Camera bag: Got the smallest one possible...still often just wrap it in a hand towel and stuff it in my backpack. Don't care if it breaks in a few years -- I bought it to USE IT.

Picking a brand: I thought I would get Cannon, but at my price point I liked the smaller Nikon (D90) and it fits in my hand best and I like the menus and buttons better. It also shoots (non-autofocusing) video, and that's a fun toy.

Picking a model: besides price, size was a big thing for me. The next cameras up from mine also jumped in size. Got the most-fanciest, closest-to-professional one I could get in the size I wanted.

What I can't do: Super-super macro. Like I can do flowers, but not like individual pollen grains. Also, no super close stuff with flash, as my giant lens casts a shadow where it blocks the flash. A seperate, fancier flash or a smaller lens would cure this, but again, I don't want extra parts.

What I still carry: A waterproof digital point-and shoot for the non-epic snapshots.

What a pro photographer might just shake their head at: sometimes I just turn the SLR down to 5MP and shoot JPG only for snapshots or stuff I know I will never ever post-process.

The one accessory I couldn't live without: Adobe Lightroom. For organizing, tagging, editing stuff shot in RAW, and for exporting to smaller formats and junk. Also, most SLRs (I think) don't do half of the fun photo-editing tricks that some of the newer digital ones are doing in-camera. So you need software. Oh, and more hard drive space.

One accessory I do still want to buy: The remote shutter release. For ultra low-light, long exposure. Mmmmmmaurora. And some software for HDR.

[TinkerinWstuff]

did we just do a long detailed discussion on this three or four months ago?

trying to remember who was asking the question and where to find the thread.....

[asp_125]

did we just do a long detailed discussion on this three or four months ago?

trying to remember who was asking the question and where to find the thread.....

This thread?
http://www.cosportbikeclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=40420&highlight=DSLR

[TinkerinWstuff]

yea, that's the one. Lots of good info in that thread.

btw, what's the best oil?

[CYCLE_MONKEY]

I don't have a whole lot of extra $$$ lying around, so I am thinking of saving up for my birthday, which is in 6 months and then buying/upgrading to an SLR. I like my point n'shoot (Kodak M580 (http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_US/pd/M580_Digital_Camera__Silver/baseProductID.169771600/productID.169788900)), but have noticed that the clarity/crispness in the photos lately is not like it used to be when it was brand spankin' new...it's a year old, so I do tend to take a boatload of pix. With that said, which digital camera should I consider upgrading to? I want to be able to take close ups, as well as long-range photos without (necessarily) having to switch from one lens to another...not yet, that is. I want to know that the purchase will last me for a while and that just adding to it with various lenses in the future will be just fine, rather than having to switch from camera, to camera, to camera.

Last December new...
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l12/mtnairlover/CSC%20Forum/late_december_morning1_2010.jpg


Last weekend...
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l12/mtnairlover/CSC%20Forum/mtn_shrouded_cloud.jpg
I liked mine too.....until this happened, then it went into the trash bin. This, after only a year? I'll never buy another. I got my Canon S5 IS with a nice case, for just under $500, and I take a TON of pics too (especially of Carina), and it works like brand new. It's definately bulkier than a little point-n-shoot, but it's worth it.

[mtnairlover]

Good thing for me is that my Kodak has a 2 year replacement plan attached to it and yes, I do plan on replacing it. I still love the little camera. It's easy to use, has some special manual features and shoots at 16MP.

I'm the kind of person who when she goes shopping for something big...like a house, a car, a motorcycle...camera...I take a very long time to make up my mind. So, I don't always take anyone with me because I know it tries their patience. Aside from that, this is all very good info for me.

I have a feeling that I might end up taking another small step before going really big. So, maybe something like the Sony I linked in my other post might do me some good....and I just checked the website again and the camera is now on sale...down to 379 now.

Anyhoo...thanks a bunch!

[JonnyD]

I bought a digital rebel XT years ago and took about 11k shots with it. A year ago I upgraded to a 60D, with an 18-200mm lens, and have taken about 10k shots with it. Once you see how good your shots come out with a REALLY good camera you won't go back.

From what I've seen: My new camera has more MP/features, but the old Rebel XT body would still work great for my prints. Get a really good lens that you'll use, maybe pick up a used body. But if you want video too, I might think more seriously about the Sony Alpha series. Really interesting how your shot is always in focus with their transparent mirror...