Digital Cam suggestions

[sstasiak]

I'm looking to upgrade my point and shoot camera....I have about $600 to spend and am hoping some of you photographers out there can offer some suggestions and/or things to look for when buying. Also, do you guys recommend buying from ebay?

At this point I'm pretty basic but have been reading various books about photography and how to use all the manual features that these cameras are equiped with. I'm looking for something that will shoot in RAW format.

Thanks in advance....

 

[ajfromnj]

It's not a small camera but I really like my Sony Cybershot H50

 

[dcabarle]

Like anything on Ebay, check the users feedback before pressing the bid button. Also, make sure the people leaving the positive feedback aren't all from Istanbul Turkey / Hong Kong / etc...

Even better than Ebay is Craigslist. I purchase my stuff from Craigslist because I can search locally and meet the person and inspect the product. I've been pretty successful with this. Don't send money to someone from Craiglist. If this is your intention, stick with Ebay.

This is a D40x 10.2MP with a lens! $375.00. (***There is a difference between the D40/D40x - X gives you 10.2mp; otherwise I beleive you only get 5).

Nikon D40x 10.2 MP Digital SLR

Here are some Ebay auctions for this camera that have already closed.

http://search-completed.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocus=pf&sbrftog=1&dfsp=1&catref=C6&guest=1&from=R40&satitle=Nikon+D40x&sacat=31388%26catref%3DC6&a25563=-24&a14=25485&a25565=68452&a25564=-24&a10244=-24&alist=a25563%2Ca14%2Ca25565%2Ca25564%2Ca10244&pfmode=1&reqtype=1&gcs=1420&pfid=1721&pf_query=Nikon+D40x&sargn=-1%26saslc%3D2&sadis=200&fpos=07204&sabfmts=1&saobfmts=insif&fis=2&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1%26fsoo%3D2&fgtp=

You can see that the person on Craigslist is asking a very reasonable price. I would email this person and see if they will meet you 1/2 way at a Starbucks or Barns & Noble. If they are hesitant, offer to buy them a cup of coffee.

I like Nikon. Others like Canon. You can't go wrong with either. I don't know Canon products to recommend something in that area. I do know that the D40x got great reviews when it was released so you can't go wrong in this area.

If you NEED to spend your entire $600, I take tips. Just kidding... Here is a Craigslist Nikon D80 with a memory card and other items. Email them to see if it has a lens.

Nikon D80

 

[lufcus]

after many broken cameras, cannot go wrong, you just have to see the under water videos...
best camera ever had.
think about it:
200 pounds pressure resistent
shock proof 6'
water proof 30' salt or fresh water
10MP
400,00


mine is the 10.1 megapixel

 

[Agust]

Recently bought the Olympus Stylus 1030SW camera. Great point and shoot camera that is waterproof (instructions actually say to rinse under the faucet to clean after use. ) Shock resistant and has some pretty good macro and anti shake features.

Does not have all the capabilities of an SLR, but the water proof nature is really nice when fishing. I think it takes really good pictures, I suggest you buy the 2G memory card and a spare battery.

If you buy a package from Amazon you can get it with memory and case for around $400.

 

[sstasiak]

I was a little hesitant about ordering from ebay, so I ended up purchasing from a store in Manhattan. After doing some research, I ended up buying the Olympus e510 with 2 lens kit.

My Pentax point and shoot is waterproof and has taken some really nice shots, but I'm not able to take the kinds of pictures I'd like to be taking. So hopefully my upgrade will be a good one. I'm just starting to learn about aperture, shutter speeds, lenses, and how they all affect the end result in one way or another.

Thanks for the tips guys. Hopefully I'll have something for you guys to critique in a few weeks when I can finally get out and do some fishing.

 

[dcabarle]

Good for you and good luck with the new camera. Although I'm not a pro, I still enjoy taking pictures and experimenting with various techniques. Although it sounds like you picked up a few lenses already, here's a big tip for your next lens... DON'T SKIMP ON YOUR LENS! There is a big difference between a 200mm 2.8 and a 80-200 4.5-5.6. The difference here is getting that shot or getting a bunch of blur.

If I can help you in any way, just ask.

I was a little hesitant about ordering from ebay, so I ended up purchasing from a store in Manhattan. After doing some research, I ended up buying the Olympus e510 with 2 lens kit.

My Pentax point and shoot is waterproof and has taken some really nice shots, but I'm not able to take the kinds of pictures I'd like to be taking. So hopefully my upgrade will be a good one. I'm just starting to learn about aperture, shutter speeds, lenses, and how they all affect the end result in one way or another.

Thanks for the tips guys. Hopefully I'll have something for you guys to critique in a few weeks when I can finally get out and do some fishing.

 

[sstasiak]

Good for you and good luck with the new camera. Although I'm not a pro, I still enjoy taking pictures and experimenting with various techniques. Although it sounds like you picked up a few lenses already, here's a big tip for your next lens... DON'T SKIMP ON YOUR LENS! There is a big difference between a 200mm 2.8 and a 80-200 4.5-5.6. The difference here is getting that shot or getting a bunch of blur.

If I can help you in any way, just ask.

Thanks Dennis

As for the lenses, if I have a 200mm 2.8, that'll allow me to use a faster shutter speed without sacrificing the amount of light I would be losing with a 4.5 right?

 

[dcabarle]

Thanks Dennis

As for the lenses, if I have a 200mm 2.8, that'll allow me to use a faster shutter speed without sacrificing the amount of light I would be losing with a 4.5 right?

Yep. So if you have an 80 - 200mm 2.8 and your buddy is fishing across a stream at dusk, you'll get a much better image than you would with an 80 - 200mm at 5.6 (at 5.6, you will probably get a nice fuzzy outline of the subject). Some lens's simply suck.

 

[sstasiak]

I'm gonna have to start saving for a better lens then.

What do you use for your macro shots?

Also, I was playing with the long lens and small aperture today to try to get that fuzzy background effect with my dog....it's not fishing related, but will be shortly...what do you think?

 

[dcabarle]

I'm gonna have to start saving for a better lens then.

What do you use for your macro shots?

Also, I was playing with the long lens and small aperture today to try to get that fuzzy background effect with my dog....it's not fishing related, but will be shortly...what do you think?

The lens is more important than the camera. You can have the best camera on the planet but if you couple it up with an el'cheapo lens, you'll get not so great shots. So yes, start saving.

I use a few different lens's for Macro stuff. My latest lens is a 60mm 2.8 Micro and is very nice but I also use a 70-180 4.5-5.6 Micro which is amazing. My problem is that I have used and abused this lens without a filter and now it's a bit scratched up. It still takes incredible shots though (see attachments) I doubt even a pro could see the imperfections... I can't.

Both shots were taken with similar settings but different lenses. I didn't go adjusting settings for these two shots because I wanted to see what the differences were. I did make sure the aperature was identicle.

As far as your dog shot. I looked at it and your levels are all out of whack. A few things you really should consider... Adjust your White Balance according to each and every situation. Your photo's will come out more true. I think with your lens, you will be better off using Shutter priority rather than aperature priority. Adjust your shutter according to the lighting conditions.

Your photo's will look different on every single monitor you view them on. You can calibrate your monitor but it's still going to look different on non-calibrated monitors.

Just my opinions!

 

[A Polinger]

Thanks Dennis

As for the lenses, if I have a 200mm 2.8, that'll allow me to use a faster shutter speed without sacrificing the amount of light I would be losing with a 4.5 right?

A quick leason on camera lenses, when you look at a lens you see numbers 200mm f/2.8.

The 200mm in the mangafacation,
The f/2.8 is the f stop. The smaller the f stop number the larger the opening in the lens. f/2.8 lets in twice the amount of light as f/4.
Same with your shutter speed.
Whe I was shooting sports for a paper, I was using a 300mm f/2.8 lens with shutter of at least 400.
You dont want your shutter any slower the 60 125 is better for hand hold.

Just so you know I shot for a newspaper for two years, worked in a studio for 3 and was teaching a a college for 3 years.
Any questions send me a pm.

AP
Zenfolio | Adam Polinger Photography

 

[sstasiak]

As far as your dog shot. I looked at it and your levels are all out of whack. A few things you really should consider... Adjust your White Balance according to each and every situation. Your photo's will come out more true. I think with your lens, you will be better off using Shutter priority rather than aperature priority. Adjust your shutter according to the lighting conditions.

Just my opinions!

Is it better to use the white balance presets on the camera or set it manually? Also, I read about using a method in which you fill the frame with a white object and set the white balance while focusing on it....how does that work?

Do you guys have any good exercises for this?

 

[dcabarle]

Is it better to use the white balance presets on the camera or set it manually? Also, I read about using a method in which you fill the frame with a white object and set the white balance while focusing on it....how does that work?

Do you guys have any good exercises for this?

Absolutely set it manually.

Let's say it's "Magic Hour"... and you have your WB set to the "sun" position rather than the low lighting position... Your camera will compensate accordingly and give you a sunny photograph. Now there's nothing wrong with this if that's the shot you're looking to get... But, if you're looking to get that golden look with the fall folliage, you want to make sure you set your WB to the dusk or even night-time position; this will capture that golden tone that you often see in some pictures.

You can experiment with the white or gray card but I wouldn't bother. You're not taking wedding photo's or portraits right now. Just fool around with the white balance dial. Setup a scene and take the same shot but switch the white balance to a different setting with each picture. Then view them on your monitor.

 

[jphardy]

I think what you would want to use if you went that route is an 18% gray card. Do a Google search on that phrase and you will get all the information you need.

Although I agree with the advice given before hand. I am going to give some specific advise on the camera you have.

Don't be super concern about the lenses you have right now. Yes they are not pro 2.8 lenses and suffer in low light situations. But..you camera compensates for that with its built in image stabilization.

While I completely agree that lenses are more important that the camera, what's between your ears is way more important than the lenses.

Keep working on your skills and not think that a better lens or camera will get you a better picture.

Knowing the set up that you bought you are probably not going to run out anytime soon to buy an Olympus pro lens that will cost 3 times as much as you whole set up. But if you do get into it and you are a gear wh*re, you will eventually want to make those jumps to better equipment.

Disclosure:

I'm constantly telling my wife that I need to buy better lenses to get the best possible pictures of our daughter. Do as I say not as I do.

Best of luck, look forward to seeing your pictures.

JP

 

[sstasiak]

Any thoughts on this pic?

I set the camera to shutter priority and played with the white balance a little bit.

 

[klg neighbor]

I think it is a awesome picture. Let's see what some of the better informed people think.

 

[dcabarle]

It's a good shot. Focus is good, but my only complaint is that it's a little bit on the boring side. Just my opinion. Good work though. Hows the camera coming along? Learn anything new yet? Keep the pics coming, I want to see more.

Any thoughts on this pic?

I set the camera to shutter priority and played with the white balance a little bit.

 

[sstasiak]

It's a good shot. Focus is good, but my only complaint is that it's a little bit on the boring side. Just my opinion. Good work though. Hows the camera coming along? Learn anything new yet? Keep the pics coming, I want to see more.

I've been taking photos of really random stuff to find out how to tune the camera to get a proper exposure in different situations.

I should be able to get it out on a fishing trip next week, so I'll get the chance to take some good pictures.

Here's some random things I took pictures of trying to get proper white balance with different settings:

 

[sstasiak]

For some reason I can't add this photo to the main page. Not sure why, but it says there's a picture in my upload queue, but doesn't do anything when I try to process it. I'd like to get it there so I can put a better quality version up.

Anyway, here's a shot I took this past weekend

 

[jcstikfish]

Beautiful shots sstasiak!


~James

 

[NJDrew]

I like the last one. Good exposure and positioning. Nice shot