What to look for in a Camera

[txgoose]

I'm a Pentax guy, or was before Ricoh merged with them. I'm looking seriously at the Nikon D3200 right now. I think it's only pre-order right now but has some really nice features including a "guide" mode for beginners. 24M CMOS, 15-55mm (I think) lens all for right under $700.

[newb]

Originally Posted by txgoose

I'm a Pentax guy, or was before Ricoh merged with them. I'm looking seriously at the Nikon D3200 right now. I think it's only pre-order right now but has some really nice features including a "guide" mode for beginners. 24M CMOS, 15-55mm (I think) lens all for right under $700.

I know the d3100 can be found for less. And from experience, the guide mode usually only directs you to a shooting mode. It will not help you if you need anything more than that. With that said it can be useful when first starting out.

[007s 'Vert]

Originally Posted by txgoose

I'm a Pentax guy, or was before Ricoh merged with them. I'm looking seriously at the Nikon D3200 right now. I think it's only pre-order right now but has some really nice features including a "guide" mode for beginners. 24M CMOS, 15-55mm (I think) lens all for right under $700.

I too am a Pentax shooter, and now more so since Ricoh took over, because they are starting to announce and develop new camera bodies(most likely a full frame here soon)
If I was to change systems I would definitely go Nikon for the quality and reliability. However I have always shot with Pentax most of my life since the eighties, I never had any problems with their equipment, and since the new digital cameras they make now can shoot every single Pentax lens in existence, it is a no brainer, I am having no trouble finding good quality lenses from the past and present. Pentax has in body stabilization which makes EVERY lens that is attached to it STABILIZED, unlike the Canons and Nikons which you have to go and make sure you buy lenses that have the image stabilizers built into them, which from what I have seen cost more $$$
I have two bags full of lenses I can use confidently and I found most of them on the internet for pennies on the dollar.
Most or all of the cameras and equipment made these days are good, it is just a matter of personal preference, heck my cell phone does a sweet job at taking pictures!
I have found that the most important part of a camera system is the ten inches behind the viewfinder, meaning the area you put your head!
Ya the photographer is the most important part of a camera system, I have learned (and seen) where an awesome photographer can turn out some award winning shots with one of those throw away single use cameras, and I also have seen MANY TIMES where some idiot who thinks it is the camera equipment that makes the good shots, has taken an expensive system and got worse shots then a 4 year old would with one of those Playschool toy cameras, and the majority of these fools who spent gobs of money thinking they got the best camera will just about every time have the dang thing set on "AUTO"! If you do that all the time then you basically are using one hell of an expensive "point and shoot" camera.
Don't waste your time worrying what is the best system, you will just go broke doing that and will never be satisfied. Instead invest a little money for books/tutorials/information on photography and learn it first, that will better prepare you for choosing what will be best for you to shoot with.
I have been a hobby photographer most of my life, and just two years ago I got back into it via the digital era, I bought an entry level camera (Pentax K-x) and shot with it for a couple of years, I have been using all my old lenses and buying many different lenses off Craigs list and the likes, and have been restudying photography (still have lots to learn) and have taken a Digital Design Course through Art Institute. Now I am realizing my dream of going more professional, I went ahead and recently bought a Pentax K-5, this camera has all the bells and whistles especially water resistance body. I love using this body, it has 16 mega pixels (4 over the K-x) and awesome Dynamic range.
But even though this is by far a way more superior camera than the K-x, I still take the same quality images as I did with the K-x, the main difference though is I have more resolution with the K-5 and it is easier to use and more robust and flexible. I still have the K-x and use it just as much as the K-5, but when I want to get in areas where there is a lot of water everywhere, or raining, etc... there is no substitute for my K-5.
If you buy for higher resolution(ie:more megapixels) then you are fighting a never ending battle there. I have found that with my K-5 at 16 MPs it slows down my computer a lot more than the files from my K-x because I shoot in larger RAW file formats(a whole other can of worms there)
I really have no use for more Megapixels ever since they got above 10 MPs in fact I didn't buy the K-5 for the 4 more MPs I bought it for the other conveniences and improvements.
All the DSLR makers make awesome systems, and ALL the entry level models have more than enough for you to get started with, do your homework and then determine what is best for you. I just told you what works best for me (Pentax) but there are all kinda of brands that you should consider-Nikon,Canon,Sony,Samsung,Fugi,Olympus,Ricoh, etc....
and keep in mind that through advertising they are ALL going to be trying to get you to buy into their systems.
There is no PERFECT camera out there, just get what is going to work for you, just like the Camaro model differences, get what fills your needs.

[007s 'Vert]

Originally Posted by txgoose

I'm a Pentax guy, or was before Ricoh merged with them. I'm looking seriously at the Nikon D3200 right now. I think it's only pre-order right now but has some really nice features including a "guide" mode for beginners. 24M CMOS, 15-55mm (I think) lens all for right under $700.

I hear those are nice cameras, the only drawback is when you take a bunch of shots and then decide to load them up onto your computer with those huge 24 megapixel files and try to work on them. If I had that camera I would have to really invest in a kick arse computer to be able to handle the file size coming out of this camera.
I notice Nikon is pushing the megapixel war, (more is better theory) and the untrained entry enthusiast photographer will most likely jump on those cameras, then Nikon will anounce a 36 MP camera and the these same folks will sell their 3200s and get the new fangled camera at higher MPs........where does it all end lol.........keep on chasing the mega pixels.
I know several folks that shoot awesome images on 5 year old 6 MP cameras that would just knock your sox off, even when the the images are enlarged they still look awesome.
You can play the Megapixel war, it's your money. I would rather just turn my attention to photography in general and get the basics down such as composure, lighting, depth of field, then worry about what the next big thing is in camera technology.
However the new 3200 is fairly priced when it comes to DSLRs and to me that would make the deal.
But Pentax has recently released the K-30 and even though it has only 16 MPs, it has several things that make it more attractive than the Nikon 3200-
1)weather sealing(ya ~take your camera where others fear to tread)
2)in body image stabilization (any and ALL lenses are stabilized)
3)Backwards compatibility with every legendary lens that has been made with a k or a screw mount(lots of them out there for minimum $$$)
4) Actual glass Pentaprizm in the viewfinder(ya~ actually see what you are photographing)Nikon has penta mirrors.
And many other advantages make the Pentax K-30 a more viable option over a camera that boasts 24 megapixels as a selling point.

[cam62]

My .02 - Personally I'm a nikon guy. That being said. If your gf wants as much flexibility as she can get, go with a dslr. As others have said though, if she doesn't want, or have the patience to learn about f-stop, shutter speeds, different lenses and all that, there are many great point and shoot digital cameras out there that are more compact and much simpler to use than a dslr.

[menendez1293]

I do also prefer Nikon since that is what my father has had so that is what I am used to and really only will stick with it since I would be able to steal his nice lenses and other stuff. But I personally would tell a beginner to side with cannon. Cannon makes great products just like Nikon does but there is one major diffrence between the two I have seen. Nikon tends to price their lenses a lot more than cannon has in the past. Maybe this has changed with the times as I rarely look at cannon but it was in the past.

A good camaera to begin with might be a cannon rebel T1i, T2i, or a T3i. Personally I would choose a T2i. Yes it's already outdated but in the technology world you can't let that bother you. If I were to purchase it I would purchase body only and buy a better lens that the supplied one. They generaly are pretty crapy. With an dslr it itsnt always the megapixels but really how good your lenses are. My dad has a Nikon D100. One of the first dslr on the market from Nikon it's a 6MP camaera and it still takes amazing pictures that can still be edited and made larger without compromising on quality. That's all because he has some very expensive lenses as he has been in the hobby for quite some time now.

[txgoose]

Originally Posted by newb

I know the d3100 can be found for less. And from experience, the guide mode usually only directs you to a shooting mode. It will not help you if you need anything more than that. With that said it can be useful when first starting out.

That's what I've heard. Once you've become acquainted with the camera (or if you have experience already) the guide mode is useless, but since the camera is an entry to amateur level, I reckon it might be a good place to start and grow. I've a preference for the CMOS sensors. Seem to be truer color and better performance in lower light.

[1hotchevy]

i LOVE my Nikon DX40, takes great pics dont cost an arm and leg and u can find lenses and acc. everywhere...

[txgoose]

Originally Posted by Lil'BlueCoupe

I too am a Pentax shooter, and now more so since Ricoh took over, because they are starting to announce and develop new camera bodies(most likely a full frame here soon)
If I was to change systems I would definitely go Nikon for the quality and reliability. However I have always shot with Pentax most of my life since the eighties, I never had any problems with their equipment, and since the new digital cameras they make now can shoot every single Pentax lens in existence, it is a no brainer, I am having no trouble finding good quality lenses from the past and present. Pentax has in body stabilization which makes EVERY lens that is attached to it STABILIZED, unlike the Canons and Nikons which you have to go and make sure you buy lenses that have the image stabilizers built into them, which from what I have seen cost more $$$
I have two bags full of lenses I can use confidently and I found most of them on the internet for pennies on the dollar.
Most or all of the cameras and equipment made these days are good, it is just a matter of personal preference, heck my cell phone does a sweet job at taking pictures!
I have found that the most important part of a camera system is the ten inches behind the viewfinder, meaning the area you put your head!
Ya the photographer is the most important part of a camera system, I have learned (and seen) where an awesome photographer can turn out some award winning shots with one of those throw away single use cameras, and I also have seen MANY TIMES where some idiot who thinks it is the camera equipment that makes the good shots, has taken an expensive system and got worse shots then a 4 year old would with one of those Playschool toy cameras, and the majority of these fools who spent gobs of money thinking they got the best camera will just about every time have the dang thing set on "AUTO"! If you do that all the time then you basically are using one hell of an expensive "point and shoot" camera.
Don't waste your time worrying what is the best system, you will just go broke doing that and will never be satisfied. Instead invest a little money for books/tutorials/information on photography and learn it first, that will better prepare you for choosing what will be best for you to shoot with.
I have been a hobby photographer most of my life, and just two years ago I got back into it via the digital era, I bought an entry level camera (Pentax K-x) and shot with it for a couple of years, I have been using all my old lenses and buying many different lenses off Craigs list and the likes, and have been restudying photography (still have lots to learn) and have taken a Digital Design Course through Art Institute. Now I am realizing my dream of going more professional, I went ahead and recently bought a Pentax K-5, this camera has all the bells and whistles especially water resistance body. I love using this body, it has 16 mega pixels (4 over the K-x) and awesome Dynamic range.
But even though this is by far a way more superior camera than the K-x, I still take the same quality images as I did with the K-x, the main difference though is I have more resolution with the K-5 and it is easier to use and more robust and flexible. I still have the K-x and use it just as much as the K-5, but when I want to get in areas where there is a lot of water everywhere, or raining, etc... there is no substitute for my K-5.
If you buy for higher resolution(ie:more megapixels) then you are fighting a never ending battle there. I have found that with my K-5 at 16 MPs it slows down my computer a lot more than the files from my K-x because I shoot in larger RAW file formats(a whole other can of worms there)
I really have no use for more Megapixels ever since they got above 10 MPs in fact I didn't buy the K-5 for the 4 more MPs I bought it for the other conveniences and improvements.
All the DSLR makers make awesome systems, and ALL the entry level models have more than enough for you to get started with, do your homework and then determine what is best for you. I just told you what works best for me (Pentax) but there are all kinda of brands that you should consider-Nikon,Canon,Sony,Samsung,Fugi,Olympus,Ricoh, etc....
and keep in mind that through advertising they are ALL going to be trying to get you to buy into their systems.
There is no PERFECT camera out there, just get what is going to work for you, just like the Camaro model differences, get what fills your needs.

I hear what your saying. I've been using SLRs since about 1977. Needless to say most my experience is with film. My Pentax experience goes from the K1000 to the LX. I've had maybe 5 Pentax digital cameras up to the K-r. For some reason, I have just not been able to get the "quality" of picture I was able to turn out with my film camera. I know it just me. My darkroom experience is useless in the digital world and my Photoshop experience, well... lets say is limited. I've always loved photography and computers. I just can't put them together well. I still (even with Ricoh) believe Pentax is the superior camera (even though, like you said) it's just a box, but unless you shoot RAW you have to deal with the rendering engine in the camera. I think Canon and Nikon may excel there. Not sure, but I do need and excuse to give my wife so I can buy a new camera.

[stare284]

Nikon
I shoot D90 with a "nifty fifty".

[ATLNole]

I shoot Nikon. Any DLSR will work fine.

[007s 'Vert]

Originally Posted by txgoose

I hear what your saying. I've been using SLRs since about 1977. Needless to say most my experience is with film. My Pentax experience goes from the K1000 to the LX. I've had maybe 5 Pentax digital cameras up to the K-r. For some reason, I have just not been able to get the "quality" of picture I was able to turn out with my film camera. I know it just me. My darkroom experience is useless in the digital world and my Photoshop experience, well... lets say is limited. I've always loved photography and computers. I just can't put them together well. I still (even with Ricoh) believe Pentax is the superior camera (even though, like you said) it's just a box, but unless you shoot RAW you have to deal with the rendering engine in the camera. I think Canon and Nikon may excel there. Not sure, but I do need and excuse to give my wife so I can buy a new camera.

RAW is all I shoot because I like to have total control of how my images turn out and not let some camera make that decision for me, I dont even shoot RAW+JPEG because it takes too much room in my memory stick, slows down the camera buffer(just love my 7 frames per second that my K-5 puts out) and ultimately I just dont like the JPEGs that ANY camera puts out......but that's just me. Most serious shooters I know shoot RAW only and so do I

[AtotheJ]

i just ordered a Canon t3i on adorama.com for $750. Its a bundle, comes with everything, body, lens, bag, memory card, extra battery, lens cleaning kit and photo editing software.

I start a digital photography class on Monday, and i was told that was a really good deal by my friend who is a professional photographer

[arod55]

Talking about cameras, I just ordered the Canon T3i because my old one does not have the video feature. I own a XTi which is a great camera with no problems. All the Canon lenses are compatible so I orders body only and will be selling my XTi. Canon or Nikon are both great cameras, you can't go wrong with either. Enjoy.