Good digital SLR camera?

[EddieWalker]

I enjoyed SLR cameras back in the film days, but don't want to mess with lenses anymore. I have to digital cameras.

My thrasher that I keep in my truck and use on jobsites is a $99 Cannon Powershot A470 from Walmart. It's small enough to fit in my back pocket, but big enough for a 3.4X optical zoom and AA batteries. While no powerhouse for picture taking, they are clear and it's proven to be both reliable and sturdy.

My nice camera is a Cannon PowerShot SX20 with a 20X optical zoom. This camera is truly amazing in what it can do, and how well it does it. Just on auto, it's takes better pictures than I'm capable of with anything I've had before. It has so many features that I bought a laminated cheat sheet on Ebay just to play around with some of the settings. For $400, it's not cheap, but with the massive lens built in to it, and all the features it has, there's nothing in the SLR world that can compare to it. Again, that lense is amazing and you never have to mess with changing lenses, or carrying around a bunch of extra lenses.

Eddie

 

[crusty 1]

sigarms,check out the pentax kx dslr abount 550.00 with two lens.I,m ordering one and based on reviews a very good camera and deal.Check amazon:thumbsupave

 

[Redneck in training]

I do what Eddie does. I used to own several high-end film and digital cameras. In fact I still own one digital SLR. I don't even remember when I used it last time. It just sits in the office. Now I use two "shureshot" cameras. One cheapo that I carry to work and replace it when it gets too beat up and one better camera with good zoom for everything else. The biggest advantage is compact size while quality of picture beats anything film cameras ever produced.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I want a new digital also, but have decided the DSLR's are just too big for me. I like the small pocket sized digitals. I have an old SLR, I don't miss carrying the big thing around my neck and the whole bag of accessories to go with it. I have had good luck with canon cameras.

 

[arrabil]

The SLR body isn't nearly as important as the lens for taking good pictures. The body lets you do creative things, the lens takes the brilliant photos.

 

[aczlan]

I want a new digital also, but have decided the DSLR's are just too big for me. I like the small pocket sized digitals. I have an old SLR, I don't miss carrying the big thing around my neck and the whole bag of accessories to go with it. I have had good luck with canon cameras.

I agree, we have a Canon Rebel XTI with 3 lenses and while it is nice, it is too big and bulky for MOST things. There are places where it excels (such as the attached pictures which I took out our doorway on Sunday afternoon), but for day to day pictures, our Canon A1100IS takes pictures that are almost as good and it fits in your pocket.

Fox who was ~30 feet away trying to get a meal from a burrow under the sidewalk.


After I went in to change lenses (I swapped the 80mm lens for the 300mm lens) I came back out and he gave me this look (as if to say, I am trying to hunt here).



Aaron Z

 

[hitekcountry]

Here's a picture I took from over a 100' away, hand held, D90 Nikon with a Nikkor 18 -200mm.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Those are great pictures, I sure won't argue against the quality of a good DSLR. I'm leaning towards the Canon SX20 that Eddie recommended. I really like canon cameras, and I like the fact it uses AA batteries. I have an old Nikon digital, that uses a unique shaped rechargeable. That's a pain when you are traveling and the battery goes. I can buy AA batteries anywhere in the world if need be.

 

[crusty 1]

for a small easy camera canon sx120 is,gets rave reviews and has a very good long range lens,if you,re looking for simple but good this is the one hands down.:thumbsupave

 

[RobertN]

This is a good point. Another thing that makes good pictures, is taking a second and composing. Leading lines, rule of thirds ect. Depth of field.

You can do a lot of that with point and shoot camera's. Whether a Kodak Brownie, a 110 Instamatic, or the latest digital point and shoots. Just a couple seconds thought can be the difference between a snapshot and a good picture.

You can not beat a SLR for great pictures though. Good body, good lenses; glass(lenses) can make or break as hot, both for image quality, and for light gathering ability. You can capture shots in low light that you just can't with other camera's. And you can do composition work. Depth of field, freezing action for example.

I do not generally care for a SLR for point and shooting though; I have always had a point and shoot camera for just being handy.

The SLR body isn't nearly as important as the lens for taking good pictures. The body lets you do creative things, the lens takes the brilliant photos.