i joined photography club. i need a digital camera. the good ones r so exspensive. what kind should i buy?

Question

help! i need one fast! the next meeting is on tuesday.

Answer 1

Do some research and figure out which camera best fits your needs, then take a look at the used equipment market. You can usually find some good buys.

I like using KEH Camera Brokers. They have fair prices and a rating system that gives you a good idea what condition the equipment is in.

http://www.keh.com/onlinestore/home.aspx

Answer 2

This may seem silly, but buy the best camera you can afford. New models of point and shoot digital cameras are put out frequently and so you won't get much later if you want to resell and buy another (digital SLRs hold their value better). Next you should determine how involved in photography do you plan to get? Will you shoot for fun and as a hobby or do you hope to do more? If you buy a point and shoot, you will have very little control over your photography. The camera will make the choice of settings based on lighting or what scene mode you choose. If you want to really learn photography, then you need a camera where you can control your aperture, shutter speed, etc. An SLR is best, but the most expensive. An SLR gives you the choice to shoot in auto mode, too, as you learn. Also there are cameras now that I would call semi-SLRs. They allow you more control over your photography, but I am not familiar with what you can and cannot control with these. You could research models online at Dpreview or other sites and narrow it down to several which you could then go see in person at a camera shop. What brand is better? That varies according to who you ask, so I would make that choice after reviewing them on an online site and then actually seeing and holding the camera to see how it fits in your hand. Another thing that is very important is how easy it is to access the various settings. Are there many buttons on the camera that you can access to change settings without having to wade through the menu? Nothing is more frustrating than to have a great opportunity to photograph something but you cannot quickly change settings, and you have forgotten how to find it in the menu.

I would generally highly recommend a digital SLR, especially if you plan to shoot frequently because you can practice more w/o worry of film and procesing costs. Because they are the most expensive though, if you cannot afford one, I would say to at least think about a film SLR (especially over an automatic/point and shoot type). If you don't plan to shoot often, this might be a good idea. You can pick up 35mm (film) SLR cameras cheaper (especially used, not sure on prices of new ones, but I would think they have went down considerably since digital) as more people go digital. If you choose a reputable brand, you can later buy a digital SLR of the same brand and continue to use the lens from the other camera.

You can choose a point and shoot if you are quite sure you will just use the camera for fun. When digitals really began getting popular, I bought a small point and shoot because I never thought I would get so involved in photography. I didn't buy the very latest model, but it still cost $250. I would have went with an older model that was less expensive, but as the newer ones come out, the older models become much harder to find (at least new) because the stores don't have tons of room, and they stock the newer models. Anyway, before a year was over, I outgrew my point and shoot. I wanted control over the settings to produce more creative images. So I had to wait until I could get the money to buy a digital SLR. I couldn't sell my old camera for even half of what I paid for it, so I gave it to my 11 yr old son. That was a lot of money spent to only use the camera for such a short time. Hope this helps, and if you have any more questions, let me know!

Answer 3

if you are a novice i would start with a cheapish digital around about 50-150 pounds pixel amount is not really necessary as that only allows larger print outs try one about 5 million pixels and try to buy a camera from ebay there are a lot of cameras on there or at least look there to gauge an idea of what you want in a digital camera

Answer 4

Visit your local real camera store - one that only sells cameras, not 10,001 other items and cameras. Tell the salesperson how much you have to spend and what features you'd like. A good salesperson* will show you cameras in your price range and be able to explain the differences. Choose the one you like best and buy it from that store. Ask if they offer instruction on using it. Some stores do but you have to ask.

Don't be led into over-buying. Set a budget and stick to it. IMO you should start with a mid-range digicam. Why? Because you may decide that your involvement with photography is going to be limited. Its very easy to get caught up in all the DSLR's and their accessories. Its easier to upgrade later, after you decide what you want to do with your photography. Your digicam can be your back-up or just one to carry around for fun.

* Unfortunately, there are salespeople who are more interested in making a big sale than in actually taking care of the customer. If your salesperson starts showing you cameras beyond your budget, tell him that's not what you want. If he/she persists, ask to speak to the owner or the manager. Quietly explain the problem and ask for him/her to help you.

Answer 5

Well, I can relate to not having money to buy a digital camera. We go quite often to a pawn shop. The manager there has gotten to know us and helps us out a lot. We got our two daughters digital cameras for Christmas and they are really nice. They have bigger screens that most of our friends "retail" cameras because they couldn't afford the nicer ones. You might try it.

Answer 6

You will want one that has manual control over Shutter and Aperture and hopefully ISO. If you find a decent one with manual control over those three you will be good to go. Heres one that would work http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/495623-REG/Canon_2077B001_Powershot_S5_IS_Digital.html or http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/484783-REG/Canon_1773B001_PowerShot_A570_IS_Digital.html
Both have manual control and automatic settings.
I have refferenced Canon here but other major brands make good cameras too, I just know Canon more.

Answer 7

I like the Canon A570IS. Its good for an everyday photographer. Here's the link from Newegg.com:

Answer 8

Sony or Canon is your best bet. I prefer Sony tho. Pay about $300-$400 for a good one.

Answer 9

Give us your price range and I'll give you some tips.