I'm partial to Canon myself, I have an SLR and a regular digital camera. They both work great.
I've had Nikon, Olympus, Minolta, Kodak, Fuji, etc...and I found the Canon the most reliable, due to the amount of pictures my wife takes.
All the other cameras lasted just over a year, before the zoom lenses started to lock up, due to wear, the Canon more then tripled that.

But most digital cameras today, take amazing pictures.

-- Edited by Gazoo on Monday 7th of April 2014 04:38:24 PM

There are a few photographers out there. I was all Olympus from my old OM-10 film camera to the last two D-SLRs, but recently switched to Nikon on both the D-SLR and the point and shoot which you've seen, that I would highly recommend. Mine is a 3500S which is outstanding on the end of a stick! Expect to pay right around $100 for that model, but shop around and if you want some more details and direction feel free to PM me.

What more do you REALLY need

 

Don't overlook upgrading your lenses if its a dslr body. Minolta crosses over to sony also. You don't need huge mp's for non critical work.

 

sony's nex system is pretty cool to if you want dslr controls in a small size

-- Edited by Shop_Rat on Monday 7th of April 2014 05:24:23 PM

Fordys absolutely right about the low light aspect and processors .

Thanks for the help !!

When I went shopping a couple of years ago, I was set on a mid-range non-dsl camera. I ended up with the Olympus EPL-1. Shoots great pics and HD video.

I think they are up to epl-5 now. Its allows lens changes if you get more into it, but the base has been great for me so far. I have bought a couple other lens, but sold them off after a bit of use.

They run in the $300-$500 range, but if you catch them on sale they drop about $200. If you pick up the "old" model even cheaper.

I have been extremely happy with this camera and do not see me buying another any time soon.

Shop_Rat wrote:

---

Fordy Acres Car Farm wrote:

---

I should point out that cameras used to be all about the lens and how fast it was, and although the lens is still important, it's the digital processor that is the game changer now. The processor can compensate for a lot of lighting shortfalls that are out of your hands like in indoor car shows where most of the challenges are. Any of today's camera should be able to take a decent shot outdoors with lots of light.

---

 Very true, but the quality of the glass is still of huge importance. For snapshots any $80 digi will suffice nowadays. Digi's with high quality lenses can do almost anything a DSLR can now, but not always. Sony/Zeiss combos are unbeatable for P&S's 

---

 " Digi's with high quality lenses can do almost anything a DSLR can now, but not always. Sony/Zeiss combos are unbeatable for P&S's" 

Most P&S cameras DON'T have the options of a DSLR on purpose. All these companies sell both examples, but don't add every bell and whistle to keep costs down on a point and shoot, but also to 'upsell' the more expensive DSLR to you to get that option that you are missing on the P&S.

hemi43 wrote:

---

My neighbour has a "Sony H50" that he's had for a while but never uses it. He's willing to sell it at a good price, but I'm a little reluctant because it's used, and I'm not sure if they're a good camera or not. I'm in no rush anyway.

---

 The H50 is a fantastic camera for a non dslr. Big zoom is hard on batteries but that Ziess lens is worth it. Equiv of a 435mm or so. uses same batt as most other Sony point & shoots

Fordy Acres Car Farm wrote:

---

Shop_Rat wrote:

---

Fordy Acres Car Farm wrote:

---

I should point out that cameras used to be all about the lens and how fast it was, and although the lens is still important, it's the digital processor that is the game changer now. The processor can compensate for a lot of lighting shortfalls that are out of your hands like in indoor car shows where most of the challenges are. Any of today's camera should be able to take a decent shot outdoors with lots of light.

---

 Very true, but the quality of the glass is still of huge importance. For snapshots any $80 digi will suffice nowadays. Digi's with high quality lenses can do almost anything a DSLR can now, but not always. Sony/Zeiss combos are unbeatable for P&S's 

---

 " Digi's with high quality lenses can do almost anything a DSLR can now, but not always. Sony/Zeiss combos are unbeatable for P&S's" 

Most P&S cameras DON'T have the options of a DSLR on purpose. All these companies sell both examples, but don't add every bell and whistle to keep costs down on a point and shoot, but also to 'upsell' the more expensive DSLR to you to get that option that you are missing on the P&S.

---

 The h50 hemi mentioned is a perfect inbetween

flatblack55delivery wrote:

---

Hey, Hemi, I think I still have one of those cameras in the yellow box ,you know the kind you take to Shoppers and leave the whole thing to be developed. Just not sure of the best before date. I'll check the top of the fridge at the shop if you want. Ed

---

 Thanks Ed !! But how are you going to be able to get to the fridge? 

flatblack55delivery wrote:

---

Maybe I'll send the cat in. Ed

---

 How will you ever find the cat again?

hemi43 wrote:

---

Shop_Rat wrote:

---

hemi43 wrote:

---

My neighbour has a "Sony H50" that he's had for a while but never uses it. He's willing to sell it at a good price, but I'm a little reluctant because it's used, and I'm not sure if they're a good camera or not. I'm in no rush anyway.

---

 The H50 is a fantastic camera for a non dslr. Big zoom is hard on batteries but that Ziess lens is worth it. Equiv of a 435mm or so. uses same batt as most other Sony point & shoots

---

 It's not a very popular camera from what I'm finding. Have you ever used one?

---

 A buddy of mine who is a sony die hard lent me his when I needed a backup. I was traveling light and didn't feel like lugging all my lenses or switching them out constantly. I admit I scoffed at it being a Nikon guy, but he insisted. He laughed at me and told me my Nikon likely had Sony guts inside So I took the challenge. I was totally surprised with that little camera could do aside from anything manual. It really doesn't surprise me seeing a Sony is the world's best electronics R&D company. They're the ones the world follow, camera companies not excluded except for maybe Canon 

Meh, The composition seems to be there but there's not much sense of personal style. Work isnt as moody as I like.

Shop_Rat wrote:

---

Meh, The composition seems to be there but there's not much sense of personal style. Work isnt as moody as I like.

---

 I figured you would have like those , Scott !! 

Got any pics with this beast yet? Anything that doesn't require a good photo editor?

hemi43 wrote:

---

Looked at the Sony Alpha tonight at Costco. Seems to have good reviews. I'm in no rush as long as I have one by the time I go to SEMA

---

 As long as you have it all figured out, before Syracuse.

10mp is enough, I have a 12.1, and it's rated as "HD". How much do you need to zoom in to a picture, LOL.

I know, but now have to figure what I need for lower light quality. I just figure the larger diameter the lens, the better.

I'm not a digital camera expert but I would say the higher ISO values will mean better performance in low light conditions.

I think the ISO rating on the Sony I was looking at was 200-16000 if I recall.

hemi43 wrote:

---

I think the ISO rating on the Sony I was looking at was 200-16000 if I recall.

---

 Really! Do you actually want satellite image rez from your camera?

Don't fall to the high MP hype. Even 10mp is plenty. If you shoot raw or high mp jpeg you will not only fill your hard drive for no reason but also make your post processing cumbersome. High ISO is only needed in dim or indoor light. All new cams have excellent ISO capabilities now. Both lens size and aperture are where it's its important for indoor, handheld shots without a flash, though most cams new ISO capabilities can overcome most situs now. A kit lens will be more than adequate at outdoor shows. 

-- Edited by Shop_Rat on Saturday 12th of April 2014 11:30:50 AM

You'll do just fine with that camera Hemi.

The higher ISO numbers are very usefull when taking multiple shots of a Formula one car at full speed on a straighaway or a drag car at the finishline - lots of light is required, but most still work is better done at the lowest ISO on a tripod. It allows more time to gather the information needed for a very high resolution image. Any of these ratings you see on a camera are described as "Up to" 16.1 Mega Pixel - ever notice how the size of your pictures is different from frame to frame? ...even though the settings on the camera were the same?

One other point I'd like to make is regarding memory cards. On higher end cameras there is a built in memory that is like a buffer - it allows the user to hold down the shutter and click off a few dozen photos in seconds. There is no way the memory card can write the information fast enough so it stores it in the camera until the card catches up, kind of like "short term memory". Most of the smaller cheaper cameras don't have this feature, so you need to buy a high perfomance card with a fast write speed, measured in Mb/sec. The read speed is not really important, but they usually go hand in hand. I've heard many people complain about how slow and unresponsive their camera is, and I ask to see the memory card - it's usually a dollar store card