Seeking advice and knowledge

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

from the more experienced DU photogs. What is a good starter camera for someone (me) who has a good idea about composition, color and subject, but doesn't know anything technical? Ideas? Suggestions?
I know more pixels are better but beyond that I'm lost. Also, are pawn shops or Craigs List decent places to find used equipment?

[HappyCynic]

1. Questions for you...

Some additional info would help in giving you an answer:

- What's your experience with cameras? What cameras have you used? (Not necessarily extensively.)
- Are you looking more for a point-and-shoot? Or do you want to be able to fiddle with settings?
- What is your budget?
- Under what kind of lighting will you be taking most of your photographs? Indoor, outdoor, roughly equal?
- Will you be doing much action/motion photography? ("Don't know but I might" is a perfectly acceptable answer.)
- What kind of portability are you looking for? (Slip it into a pocket, carry a small bag, don't mind a larger bag, etc.)

I've probably forgotten a few questions and depending on your answers, there are probably a few additional questions to ask but the above will help narrow things down.

Some general comments:
- The mega-pixel rating of a camera isn't necessarily a solid indication that a camera is better. The sensor size is much more important, generally speaking. There are also a lot of other things (lens quality, focus algorithms, noise reduction, etc.) that are also important.
- I've found that the pawn shops I've been to don't carry anything close to modern cameras (although I haven't been to many) so they're probably not the best place to go if you're looking for a modern camera. I'm not sure about Craig's list, though.

Sorry if this seems like a bit much. It's just that there's no one camera or even camera type that is good for everyone and without knowing a bit more about your needs, it's hard to give good advice. (It's sort of like asking, "What's the best car for me to get?" - Everyone will have an opinion on what they want but not necessarily what would work for *you*.)

[HappyCynic]

2. Dupe

[HappyCynic]

3. Additional question

One additional question (for now):
What photographic equipment, if any, do you own?

I previously had two cameras - an old Minolta film camera with a couple lenses and a point-and-shoot. I wanted to get a digital SLR and because I had the Minolta lenses (and they were good lenses), I went for the Sony Alpha (Sony bought Minolta and the auto-focus lenses are usable on the Alpha series). If I didn't have the Minolta lenses, I'm not sure what I would have chosen - probably a toss-up between a Nikon and Canon. So, if you have some old equipment, it might have an influence on what you should consider purchasing.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

4. Thanks for the questions

they help focus my thoughts. Currently I am using a camera that belongs to my employer, a Sony Cyber Shot 6 Megepixels 12x zoom. I have played with the setting and understand the concept of apature opening and shutter speed. Applying that knowledge however, is something else again. :)
I would use it under all conditions. I see images all the time and am trying to get in the habit of carrying a camera so I can capture what I see. I also have a small, pocket sized one, a Minolta, that does pretty well for still shots.
Budget? Well, that question makes me realize I'm not ready as I don't have the 4/5 hundred I'm sure it would take to get a camera that I'd want.....
Thanks for the input.

[ManiacJoe]

5. some helpful links

The number of pixels is not the important part. Once you get over 5 megapixels, the important parts become the lenses and focus systems and ISO ranges and digital noise.

The following is a nice tutorial on how to use an SLR-type camera. While it is produced by Canon, it is generic enough to work for almost all cameras.
http://www.usa.canon.com/content/rebelxt_tutorial/rebelxtlessons.htm

If you are looking into getting a DSLR, the following is a good read. (Note that it is part 2 of the series.)
http://ronmart.blogspot.com/2009/01/dslr-photography-on-budget-aka-lessons.html

[ConsAreLiars]

6. Within those limits you migfht want to check out the Panasonic Lumix line

for cameras with built-n,non-interchangeable lenses. See http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Panasonic/ for detailed specs on the many models.

Look first for a big lens, a lot of shown glass in the picture of the camera, because that will allow you to shoot under a wider range of lighting conditions.

Then check the specs fot a 10-12X OPTICAL zoom range. Digital zoom numbers are worse than meaningless, since all they mean is that the camera software will just crop out some percentage of the whole image before saving the data. You could claim a 10X digital aoom capability just by cropping away all but 1/10 of the original image. This will let you phot everything from a small distant detail to a wide land/cityscape.

I mention Panasonic DSLRs because they use lenses designed by Leitz which have long been regarded as better than excellent, and so far as I know, still are.

The third is Image Stabilization, which I think all of their more recent DSLRs include.

Tou may also want to look at the specs for Macro (closeup photos of small things). 1:1 is good, 1:4 not so much.

So, look at the pics for those that look like "real" cameras with wide aperture lenses, check the prices, and proceed down the list to find the possibles, and then read the reviews or use the side-by-side comparisons to help.

Also remember that the older ones, even a year old are often available used at half the listed price for new models, so check something like Ebay for anything that looks tempting but a bit pricey.

(edit 2 tiny typos)

[HappyCynic]

7. More thoughts...

If your budget is less than $400, then your options are somewhat limited. The following are your options as I see them:
1. Wait and save up to buy an SLR.
2. Buy a new point-and-shoot.
3. Try to get lucky with garage sales, flea markets, etc.
4. Check out camera shops that sell used cameras and hope you get lucky.

For SLR cameras, you can take some fantastic pictures with a good 6MP camera, often rivaling or exceeding the quality of many higher mega-pixel point-and-shoot cameras. So, if you're after an SLR, keep an eye out for those older models. I haven't checked the prices lately but you might be able to find one within your budget or maybe close enough to consider.

For something that you can carry around all the time and can commit what you see to digital memory, you're probably in a bit of a bind. The point-and-shoot cameras are easy to carry but they're so automated that they'll sometimes do things you don't want them to and can't correct without jumping through a lot of hoops. The SLRs will give you the flexibility but aren't nearly as portable.

So, I guess whatever route you take, think about what features (not just technology, but things like portability as well) you feel you need, which ones you really want, and which ones you're flexible on. Then, if you have time, research your purchase but keep in mind a lot of the reviewers will take it from a seasoned photographer point of view so what they'll dock points for may be features you don't need or care about. After the purchase, don't look at any more reviews - there's always something better and as long as you're happy with the purchase, reviews may just make you needlessly doubt your choice.

I'm far from a pro (or even serious amateur) so others with more experience will probably have some more and/or better advice for you.