Buying a new camera. Suggestions?

[Scranton Tiger]

I'm going to buy a new digital camera before the season starts. I would like to get one that can zoom in on the field from the stands so I can take decent photos of the players in action during the game or cars on the track/pits when I go to the races. I would also like to keep the cost below $300.00 if possible. I'm looking for suggestions from camera folks on which model is the best for what I want to do. Thanks.

 

[Kevinicus]

Well, the P90 has pretty good zoom at 24x optical, and it has 15 fps action setting, but it's going to be closer to $400 than $300.

 

[Yeagermeister]

http://img.***BLOCKED***/albums/v316/Yeagermeister/camera.jpg

 

[Jon88]

I used to sell cameras at Best Buy. I'm not familiar with what's out now, but I would go with the highest megapixel and most optical zoom for the lowest price. From what I remember Cannon was bad at taking shots in motion. They were always blurry. Sony was my favorite. The more megapixels let you crop pictures better, and the optical zoom is much better than digital zoom, which is the secondary zoom. It's a lot more blurry.

 

[theogt]

Bump your price range up to 500-600 and get a Rebel Xsi.

Don't take Jon88's advice (no offense, Jon).

 

[CliffnDallas]

I just bought a Canon Power shot A1000 is so I wouldnt have to lug around the DSLR every where. It's a 10MP with image stabilizer and 4x optical zoom. I like it.

 

[theogt]

I just bought a Canon Power shot A1000 is so I wouldnt have to lug around the DSLR every where. It's a 10MP with image stabilizer and 4x optical zoom. I like it.

I have the SD1100 IS. Great little camera. For just point and click on the go it can be hard to tell the difference between it and something from a DSLR.

 

[vta]

I favor Nikon. I worked with Canon at Comstock/Jupiter Images and it's a fine camera, but I still favor Nikon. The Nikon D40 is more expensive than your price, but it's a good camera. 6.1 megapixel, which despite the advertising of trying to get people to buy based on megapixel, is ample.

Regardless of the body, the real investment is in the lenses. It's going to cost no matter what. The body will eventually pass, but the lenses are the real investment, which will pay off.

I buy used from B&H and Adorama. The thing I like about B&H is they don't charge me tax, because they are out of state for me. Adorama has a presence in Jersey so I pay tax. These are things to consider.

If you want fixed lens the Canon Power Shot is perfect, but you're limited to what it is, i.e. not as much control as SLR interchangeable lenses. I bought one for my wife and it takes great pix. You're not going to get too powerful a zoom, based on where you're sitting and might need an SLR.

You can buy a 70-300 for Nikon from B&H used for about $200. to go with a Nikon SLR if you go that way. 300 is pretty good. Getting longer (400-600) is very expensive.

 

[kmp77]

I have have Nikon D90 but my pocket camera is a Canon Powershot A570IS.

You can get the newer A2100IS 12mp for $200 ish. It shoots 640x480 30fps video also. Just get a couple 4GB sdhc cards and some good rechargable AA batteries and you're good to go.

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerSh...5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1248053510&sr=8-5

 

[Bob Sacamano]

whatev you do, stay away from Kodak

 

[Jon88]

Bump your price range up to 500-600 and get a Rebel Xsi.

Don't take Jon88's advice (no offense, Jon).

Nice of you to recomend the Mercedes when I was suggesting the lower price models within $300. No offense though.

 

[Kevinicus]

Here's the P90:

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Coolpix-P90-Vibration-Reduction/dp/B001PKEJZQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1248054159&sr=1-1

You can probably find it a little cheaper on sale somewhere. It's pretty good if you just want a point and shoot and not a big DSLR. If you want a DSLR, I'd recommend the D90 as a good value, but definitely more than your budget. I posted some pictures from the 49ers game last year that we took with the D90 from basically the very top row.

You can see them here.

 

[theogt]

The "new" Rebel T1i (about $900) takes HD video as well. Wish that one was available when I bought my XSi.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Bump your price range up to 500-600 and get a Rebel Xsi.

Don't take Jon88's advice (no offense, Jon).

don't you think this guy has a budget? which is why he's asking for something around 300 beaners or less

 

[Scranton Tiger]

Here's the P90:

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Coolpix...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1248054159&sr=1-1

You can probably find it a little cheaper on sale somewhere. It's pretty good if you just want a point and shoot and not a big DSLR. If you want a DSLR, I'd recommend the D90 as a good value, but definitely more than your budget. I posted some pictures from the 49ers game last year that we took with the D90 from basically the very top row.

You can see them here.

Those look really nice. It looks like that camera would also work very nicely at High School games. One of my best friends has a son on the local team that is being VERY highly recruited. I'll be trying to take some shots at those games as well.

Does anyone else have pics taken with another camera they can post for comparison?

 

[Scranton Tiger]

don't you think this guy has a budget? which is why he's asking for something around 300 beaners or less

No, no budget. I'm just an amateur as far as photography goes though so I don't want to spend too much.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I like Canon and Nikon cameras. Though Canon pisses me off in how they are extremely proprietary in many cases. Though, they make very good cameras.

 

[Scranton Tiger]

Well, I made my choice. It's a Nikon D40. Came with something called a **-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II. I have no idea how to work it yet so I'll have to watch the video to learn. It was also alot more than I wanted to spend.

So what do you guys think? Is this a good choice?

 

[theogt]

Eh...I'm a Canon guy, but it's a great camera.

 

[Kevinicus]

Well, I made my choice. It's a Nikon D40. Came with something called a **-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II. I have no idea how to work it yet so I'll have to watch the video to learn. It was also alot more than I wanted to spend.

So what do you guys think? Is this a good choice?

Define "a lot." The D40 is a good starting DSLR.