prazes4him
I'm looking around at all the reviews on whats available and would love anyones opinion on this as well. I am looking to buy a digital camera that will give me quality pictures... But I'm a bit confused on what I actually need... Optical zoom, MP etc... What's needed and whats just a waste of money.. Camera size does not matter to me, just quality and speed. I've been looking at the Canon Rebel XTi 10.1MP... but again, I'm confused, any help is greatly appreciated.
Answer
Thanks for mentioning the XTi, because at least we know what market you are in. You might be interested in this article I wrote:
The February 2007 issue of Popular Photography has an article where they compared the top 10 MP DSLR's. I took the scores and ranked the cameras similar to the way Formula 1 gives championship points. I just gave 5 for 1st place down to 1 for last place, splitting the difference when cameras tied in their catagories.
They evaluated Image Quality (giving this twice as much weight as anything else), Ease of Use, Control, and System Flexibility.
The final order and my scores are:
Nikon D80 - 17.5 points
- BEST in Image Quality, Control and System Flexibility
Canon Rebel XTi (400D) - 13.5 points
- Tied for best in System Flexibility
Pentax K10D - 11 points
- Tied for best in Ease of Use
Samsung GX10 - 11 points
- Tied for best in Ease of Use
Sony Alpha 100 - 7 points
- LAST in Image Quality, Ease of Use and System Flexibility."
Then again, this is the same magazine that put the Sony Alpha 100 dead last in this comparison named it the camera of the year in the previous issue! (In a follow-up to this seeming error, Pop Photo published the explanation that only the D80 and the Sony had been tested by the end-of-year deadline for choosing the Camera of the Year. Sony won on the strength of low price and built-in image stabilization. The other 3 that beat Sony in shoot-out were not tested until after the Camera of the Year was selected, because they were not yet available.)
Go to the original question and read the responses for more opinions.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiG00eHyd0oq5b.X7J.jiULzy6IX?qid=20070113133139AAHWJY0
If you want to get the "best" for the real world, consider the Nikon D200 or Canon 30D if you can afford it. For about $300-500 less, look at the results of the recent PopPhoto test and choose from that list according to your taste.
Personally, I use a Nikon D200 and would recommend it without hesitation to someone who has some knowledge of photography. For someone who wants the "best," but is starting with somewhat of an "entry level" knowledge base, I'd suggest the Nikon D80.
There are people out there who will state their preference for the Canon cameras and I will not argue with them. The Canon 30D and 400D are excellent cameras as well. You would have to visit a camera store or camera department and pick them up and see what you think.
This review is available online at:
http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3569/10mp-dslr-shootout.html
Here's another reference from outside the photographic press. Consumer reports compared the Nikon D80, Canon Rebel XTi and Sony Alpha. Personally, I'd say that the Nikon came out on top here, also. It beats the Sony in "noise-free ISO" with an acceptable rating at ISO 1600 (kind of optimistic, I think...) compared to the Sony's ISO 400. It beats the Canon (in my opinion) by having a spot meter that the Canon does not offer.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/news-electronics-computers/november-2006/shootout-10-megapixel-digital-slr-cameras-11-06/overview/0611_digital-slr-shoot-out.htm
Here's another comparison of interest:
http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/content/Canon-Rebel-XTi-vs-Nikon-D80-vs-Sony-Alpha-A100-Head-to-Head-to-Head-Digital-Camera-Review-.htm
[Note the navigation menu near the top of the review]
The next thing to consider is what lens to start with and where you go from there. If you are new to this, I'd say to just get the "kit" lens, which seems to be the 18-135 lens for the D80, and get started. Once you know where you really want to go with your photography, Nikon has an almost unlimited family of lenses to choose from.
Thanks for mentioning the XTi, because at least we know what market you are in. You might be interested in this article I wrote:
The February 2007 issue of Popular Photography has an article where they compared the top 10 MP DSLR's. I took the scores and ranked the cameras similar to the way Formula 1 gives championship points. I just gave 5 for 1st place down to 1 for last place, splitting the difference when cameras tied in their catagories.
They evaluated Image Quality (giving this twice as much weight as anything else), Ease of Use, Control, and System Flexibility.
The final order and my scores are:
Nikon D80 - 17.5 points
- BEST in Image Quality, Control and System Flexibility
Canon Rebel XTi (400D) - 13.5 points
- Tied for best in System Flexibility
Pentax K10D - 11 points
- Tied for best in Ease of Use
Samsung GX10 - 11 points
- Tied for best in Ease of Use
Sony Alpha 100 - 7 points
- LAST in Image Quality, Ease of Use and System Flexibility."
Then again, this is the same magazine that put the Sony Alpha 100 dead last in this comparison named it the camera of the year in the previous issue! (In a follow-up to this seeming error, Pop Photo published the explanation that only the D80 and the Sony had been tested by the end-of-year deadline for choosing the Camera of the Year. Sony won on the strength of low price and built-in image stabilization. The other 3 that beat Sony in shoot-out were not tested until after the Camera of the Year was selected, because they were not yet available.)
Go to the original question and read the responses for more opinions.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiG00eHyd0oq5b.X7J.jiULzy6IX?qid=20070113133139AAHWJY0
If you want to get the "best" for the real world, consider the Nikon D200 or Canon 30D if you can afford it. For about $300-500 less, look at the results of the recent PopPhoto test and choose from that list according to your taste.
Personally, I use a Nikon D200 and would recommend it without hesitation to someone who has some knowledge of photography. For someone who wants the "best," but is starting with somewhat of an "entry level" knowledge base, I'd suggest the Nikon D80.
There are people out there who will state their preference for the Canon cameras and I will not argue with them. The Canon 30D and 400D are excellent cameras as well. You would have to visit a camera store or camera department and pick them up and see what you think.
This review is available online at:
http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3569/10mp-dslr-shootout.html
Here's another reference from outside the photographic press. Consumer reports compared the Nikon D80, Canon Rebel XTi and Sony Alpha. Personally, I'd say that the Nikon came out on top here, also. It beats the Sony in "noise-free ISO" with an acceptable rating at ISO 1600 (kind of optimistic, I think...) compared to the Sony's ISO 400. It beats the Canon (in my opinion) by having a spot meter that the Canon does not offer.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/news-electronics-computers/november-2006/shootout-10-megapixel-digital-slr-cameras-11-06/overview/0611_digital-slr-shoot-out.htm
Here's another comparison of interest:
http://www.digitalcamerainfo.com/content/Canon-Rebel-XTi-vs-Nikon-D80-vs-Sony-Alpha-A100-Head-to-Head-to-Head-Digital-Camera-Review-.htm
[Note the navigation menu near the top of the review]
The next thing to consider is what lens to start with and where you go from there. If you are new to this, I'd say to just get the "kit" lens, which seems to be the 18-135 lens for the D80, and get started. Once you know where you really want to go with your photography, Nikon has an almost unlimited family of lenses to choose from.
looking for a suitable digital camera?
Daliah
I'm wanting to buy a digital camera that take really good quality photos. One that is good to take pictures on day light and especially at night!! I don't know much about cameras, that is why I am asking and I don't want to walk in a store and be dissatisfied :(
I'm interested in the cameras that most photographers use you know the ones with the big lenses?? But my budget can't go further than $600. It would be nice if you guys are familiar with a specific type of camera that you can suggest and it would be even greater if your a photographer! Please comment and id like to get some really good and detailed feedback! Please and thank you!
Question
Additional Details
Okayyy ... The comment from the old hag was unnecessary and ignorant since I mentioned that I don't know CR*P about cameras compared to professionals! I am "awfully sorry" if I'm not as "smart" like you to know the freaking appropriate terms for photography. But I thank you b/c I leaned something new . Geeh thanks! (not).. You knew what I was trying to say ok so quit trying to sit behind a screen trying to act like your something scum . Its not rocket science sherlock it's not going to take me years to lean how to work one, I learn fast! Jerk! Kick rocks!
Answer
Ignore Jim A. His arrogant answers are often annoying, pedantic and unhelpful. Everybody has to start somewhere and you aren't trying to pretend that you know what you don't. It's a very reasonable question for somebody who wants to find out more. You don't need 30 years of photographic experience to buy a good camera, no matter what he thinks.
Just about any good camera will give you reasonably high quality shots in bright daylight. Where cheap compacts really show their weakness is in low light, and particularly at night time.
Basically, the larger the sensor, the bigger the individual "pixels" are, so each pixel gathers more light. When light levels are high, that doesn't matter. When light levels drop, you have 3 choices, which are:
1. Decrease the shutter speed, which means it takes much longer to take the picture, but you soon reach the point where either you shake the camera or the subject moves.
2. Increase the aperture - that is the opening at the front of the lens - but as you do that you get less in focus, and you soon hit the maximum aperture limit
3. Increase the ISO setting, so you ask the camera to cope with less light coming in, but that means the sensor has less light information, so the picture becomes more "noisy" which means they look more "grainy" and they can have more colour fringing effects.
With a larger sensor, you get more light coming in to each pixel, so you get less noisy or grainy images. What that means to you is that ANY large sensor camera will give you higher quality images. In practice that means getting a Digital SLR (DSLR) or an Electronic Viewfinder Interchangable Lens (EVIL) camera like the Sony NEX series.
More megapixels do not necessarily mean better performance in low light, because again you are making each individual pixel smaller. So megapixels don't matter. Anything over 10 Megapixels is enough for a great quality 20"x16" enlargement - and that's as high as most people ever go.
The good news is that ANY DSLR will give you great quality results. The DSLR sensors are all similar sizes. Take a look at the Nikon D3100 and the Canon 1100D, which are the cheapest on the market. Either will give you great pictures with their large sensors. Or try a Sony NEX camera if you aren't worried about the viewfinder. Personally I do find the viewfinder a much better tool for taking photos than the LCD screen, but I can understand why some people prefer the smaller more convenient EVIL design.
Do not get suckered into buying a "bridge" camera. They are the worst of all worlds. They have a cheap, huge zoom, which is rarely good news for quality, matched with a small, compact sensor. They are particularly bad at night time photography because of the small sensors combined with relatively small apertures on the large zooms.
All DSLR and EVIL cameras in your price range have a green "fully auto" mode, so it's easy to get started. Switching on to "P" is a good first step as that usually stops the flash from popping up automatically when you don't want it, which can be useful if you are interested in night time photography. The other thing that P often does is switch off automatic control of ISO, so you will need to learn about ISO control.
The other thing you should know is that cameras do not come with a memory card or case. The cameras in your price range will almost certainly take an SDHC card. I recommend buying a Sandisk 16GB SDHC Class 10 "Extreme" 45MB/s card from Amazon. They are less than £15 or $25. Don't buy memory cards from a store. The in-store prices are usually completely ripoff.
If your PC or Mac does not already have an SDHC card reader I would recommend you buy a cheap USB one from Amazon like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0047T6XWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358338069&sr=8-1 That will make it much easier to transfer pictures to a PC or Mac than trying to connect the camera up.
For night photography you may find that you need a tripod, but you don't need to buy that straight away. Get used to how your new camera works and then buy a tripod in a couple of months when you've got a bit more cash.
Ignore Jim A. His arrogant answers are often annoying, pedantic and unhelpful. Everybody has to start somewhere and you aren't trying to pretend that you know what you don't. It's a very reasonable question for somebody who wants to find out more. You don't need 30 years of photographic experience to buy a good camera, no matter what he thinks.
Just about any good camera will give you reasonably high quality shots in bright daylight. Where cheap compacts really show their weakness is in low light, and particularly at night time.
Basically, the larger the sensor, the bigger the individual "pixels" are, so each pixel gathers more light. When light levels are high, that doesn't matter. When light levels drop, you have 3 choices, which are:
1. Decrease the shutter speed, which means it takes much longer to take the picture, but you soon reach the point where either you shake the camera or the subject moves.
2. Increase the aperture - that is the opening at the front of the lens - but as you do that you get less in focus, and you soon hit the maximum aperture limit
3. Increase the ISO setting, so you ask the camera to cope with less light coming in, but that means the sensor has less light information, so the picture becomes more "noisy" which means they look more "grainy" and they can have more colour fringing effects.
With a larger sensor, you get more light coming in to each pixel, so you get less noisy or grainy images. What that means to you is that ANY large sensor camera will give you higher quality images. In practice that means getting a Digital SLR (DSLR) or an Electronic Viewfinder Interchangable Lens (EVIL) camera like the Sony NEX series.
More megapixels do not necessarily mean better performance in low light, because again you are making each individual pixel smaller. So megapixels don't matter. Anything over 10 Megapixels is enough for a great quality 20"x16" enlargement - and that's as high as most people ever go.
The good news is that ANY DSLR will give you great quality results. The DSLR sensors are all similar sizes. Take a look at the Nikon D3100 and the Canon 1100D, which are the cheapest on the market. Either will give you great pictures with their large sensors. Or try a Sony NEX camera if you aren't worried about the viewfinder. Personally I do find the viewfinder a much better tool for taking photos than the LCD screen, but I can understand why some people prefer the smaller more convenient EVIL design.
Do not get suckered into buying a "bridge" camera. They are the worst of all worlds. They have a cheap, huge zoom, which is rarely good news for quality, matched with a small, compact sensor. They are particularly bad at night time photography because of the small sensors combined with relatively small apertures on the large zooms.
All DSLR and EVIL cameras in your price range have a green "fully auto" mode, so it's easy to get started. Switching on to "P" is a good first step as that usually stops the flash from popping up automatically when you don't want it, which can be useful if you are interested in night time photography. The other thing that P often does is switch off automatic control of ISO, so you will need to learn about ISO control.
The other thing you should know is that cameras do not come with a memory card or case. The cameras in your price range will almost certainly take an SDHC card. I recommend buying a Sandisk 16GB SDHC Class 10 "Extreme" 45MB/s card from Amazon. They are less than £15 or $25. Don't buy memory cards from a store. The in-store prices are usually completely ripoff.
If your PC or Mac does not already have an SDHC card reader I would recommend you buy a cheap USB one from Amazon like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0047T6XWY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358338069&sr=8-1 That will make it much easier to transfer pictures to a PC or Mac than trying to connect the camera up.
For night photography you may find that you need a tripod, but you don't need to buy that straight away. Get used to how your new camera works and then buy a tripod in a couple of months when you've got a bit more cash.
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Title Post: I am looking for a good digital camera that produces high quality pictures..?
Rating: 92% based on 9788 ratings. 5 user reviews.
Author: Yukie
Thanks For Coming To My Blog
Rating: 92% based on 9788 ratings. 5 user reviews.
Author: Yukie
Thanks For Coming To My Blog
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