My new baby

[OU812]

I use a Nikon D40. It takes great pictures and it is very durable. Every time I get home it is covered in dust. I think it is one of the more full featured DSLR in its price range. You can find them on Amazon for about $400.

[Geebo]

Scott is the camera ya use a point and shoot? I think I,m going to get one, like in the mid 200.00,s or at most 300.00 I,ve been pricing them and as Chuck says if I go for one with 8 to 10 megapixel,however ya spell it!! I ,ll be ok I,m most likely going that route...

[nwoods]

Okay, camera's. A study in compromise.

Its a given fact that a body and lens, SLR style camera is going to give you the best images, best performance, highest percentage of "keepers". The negatives are that it delivers these qualities at significant expense combined with a bit of a learning curve (software, hardware, and camera), and that they are a commitment in terms of physical space to lug around.

You will get the shot you are looking for in a SLR camera, but ONLY if you decide to lug it around with you. Also, with a dSLR, you need to consider lenses, flashes, and editing software. The lens quality makes a HUGE difference in getting the shot. A good camera body mated to a mediocre lens will dissapoint you. A mediocre camera body, mated to a high quality lens, can produce amazing images. In the SLR world, the camera body is not terribly important, nor is it the expensive part. Its all about the lenses.

In the Point and Shoot world things are altogether different. Compactness, convenience, speed from off to shutter click, speed between shutter clicks, flash range, low light compensation, LCD screen size, menu ease of use, etc... These are driving factors. Ironically, image quality is really not a driving point when it comes to choosing a PNS camera.

There is a middle ground, there is a newer range of cameras that offer SLR like functions and image quality, in a slightly oversized PNS package. My wife uses a Canon G10. It's a solid chuck of metal, slightly larger than her previous little toy PNS camera. But the image sensor, and full range of controls are amazing. the facial recognition feature is awesome. The camera's metering and lighting compensation are stellar, and the fact that we can control the strength of the flash is wonderful in evening or certain indoor photos where a standard flash washes out the subject in the foreground.


The numbers game. Megapixels sell cameras, but they do not make better photos. I shoot with a Canon 20D. It's now considered to be an older dSLR model, and the new G10 my wife has shoots at twice the resolution (15 megapixels!). Considering that the G10 is one of the best pocket cameras on the market, my old 20D, with a high quality (expensive) lens out shoots it nearly every time. Why? its all about the lens.

A point and shoot lens will never compare to the dedicated lens you can attach to an SLR, but few lenses are good for all scenarios, so your lens selection is always going to be a compromise. You need to chose high quality wide, or zoom. Or medium quality wide AND zoom, but you can't have high quality wide AND high quality zoom in one single lens. So you tend to have to lug a few lenses around, and they are not cheap. Plus, when you add a decent lens, an on-body flash is no longer very effective, so you need to add a real flash attachment, which adds cost and more gear to lug around.

Here are some image samples to look at:

You will remember this setting I'm sure. I really don't think a PNS camera can capture the range of light in this photo. Its too much for the built in computer to handle. I shot this with my 20D SLR:


Now, here is a compelling photo demonstrating the strength of having a PNS. I shot this with the G10, because I did not lug my 20D along this side spur trail with me. If I did not have a PNS, I would have never gotten this shot.


Here is another G10 shot. This is an excellent camera:


Here is an example of good flash performance on the G10. I definitely would not have had this shot with the 20D, because no one would have acted quite this way in front of a "serious camera"...probalby :-)


However, I can capture "bigger" images with creative lens selection on my 20D, and more detail also, again, with a proper lens choice. Here are two images with my 20D that I don't think the G10 could have captured:



Then there is software. There is a lot you can do with PhotoShop style software, be it Elements, CS4, or freeware like GIMP. The key is to spend the time learning. Here is a great example of before and after "post-processing", ie: processing the image after the shutter is clicked. In this scenario, I had a particular look in mind, but was lazy, and didn't want to lay down on the salty mud, so I just bent over, held the camera by my ankles, and shot an un-aimed photo. Using PhotoShop, I "fixed" the image to match what I had in mind when I took the shot.

Before:


After:


Video. Unless you get one of the newest SLR's, such as the Canon 5D MkII or the Nikon D90, an SLR cannot take video. Most PNS camera's can. The G10 is no exception. In addition to frame rate, video resolution, and audio (microphone), and important consideration is if you can manipulate the zoom controls while taking video. Many PNS cameras will NOT allow you to zoom while taking video. This is something to definitely consider. I can't post a G10 video sample because the files are HUGE (over 100mb each usually), and I don't know how to make movies and stuff yet.

[Geebo]

Nathan & Chuck, Thanks for all the info..although I only really was able to comprehend about half of it..lol..it was useful, still leaning toward the point and shoot though...:

[dirtman13]

Geebo, I think you will be very happy with a good quality PNS. It's doesn't need to be as complicated as Nathan is making it sound (no offense Nathan).

Just make sure we get to see your photos.

[sarah]

Holy cow Chuck! That's sweet! Can't wait for your photos.

[RAT]

Finally stepping up to a higher level. Score a sweet deal on this plus it's splash and dust proof. Just what I need for the outdoors.

Dude! Did that hurt coming out? :bonk:
Can't wait to see it in person and see what comes out of it! So, are you just going to open your own camera store soon?

[dirtman13]

It hurt a little but not as bad as it could have been. Another reason I like Olympus. Whats going to hurt is the lenses. Nathan's statement about the lenses is so true. I'm putting the penny's away for this. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._Zuiko_ED.html

[nwoods]

I'm putting the penny's away for this. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._Zuiko_ED.html

Wow, 7mm! That would be a very fun lens. I have a 12mm, and you can almost see your toes.

[Geebo]

Wellll, I went ahead and stayed under 200.00 bucks we will see how good the pic,s come out..I,ll post them as soon as I take some..I bought a Nikon-Coolpix-L20, Thanks guys for the info...

[Geebo]

New Nikon





Well here are a few , had to throw the jeep in.. really crappy weather and the camera is really new to me I,ll get better...Thanks..Geeb

[nwoods]

Upload an uncompressed image so we can check out the quality. Photobucket is the toilet-hole of image galleries because they over-compress their images so badly it ruins the quality

[Geebo]

Ok Nathan,I will but I,m not sure what it is or how to do it?? Explain it to me and I,ll upload the same ones to see the difference..Thanks

[OU812]

Gebo what kind of doors are those?

[Geebo]

They are the stock half doors ..I have the slider window,s that drop in..I painted them about a month or so ago..just for poops & puddles..