Best camera for me within max 800$

Hi Experts

I am totally new in photography world and want to buy a new Digital camera within max 800$. it could be anything a point and shoot or a DSLR what i need is only pic quality. I'll be using it for my trips and family and friends etc. please suggest me something, I am so confuse with reviews and all this, waiting for your soonest reply ( and please everyone do not say stuff like camera is just a tool or an expert can win the contest by a point and shoot camera etc) please please suggest something I have to go for a trip on 5th Feb

Since no one else has responded, will make a suggestion, even though I am no expert. I have a Nikon d40 entry level single lens reflex camera I am very happy with, and find very good for beginners. It is small, quiet, quick, and it produces great pictures. Unfortunately, it is no longer produced, although our local walmart has one for $450. You might look around.

My morning paper has an ad for a current version of this camera, the Nikon d5000, with an 18-55 mm vibration reduction lens for $699. You can ad a 55-200 mm lens for $100 to make your $800 limit, but it would be better if you decided to get the longer lens to get the vr (vibration reduction) version for $150. This camera has scene modes, which might be helpful to a beginner, an articulated screen and live view that allow you to take pictures from the screen on the back rather than looking through the viewfinder. I think it also has a movie mode.

Another option is a newer but less expensive Nikon d3000 which sells for about $600 with the 18-55 vr lens. You have to shoot through the viewfinder rather than use the screen on the back, and the screen cannot be moved. No movie mode either. This camera is smaller than the d5000, closer to the size of my d40, and includes a guide feature designed to help newcomers get the right exposure.

All three of these cameras are highly recommended by DPReview, and all will produce excellent pictures by putting the camera in auto mode and just pointing and shooting, but all allow for more control of the camera if you become interested in more advanced photography.

I do urge you to go to a camera shop to actually handle these cameras before buying to see if the size makes a difference to you. And I urge you to buy a couple of weeks before your trip so you can learn to use the camera to its best advantage before your trip.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Owen Duncan

Your question is pretty general, so the range of cameras that might work is very wide.

Rohit Tripathi said:

what i need is only pic quality

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And what is your idea of quality? 24x36 inch posters, or something much smaller? Pic quality under what conditions? Hardly enough light to see by, or sunlight, or? Pic quality in the camera's most basic Auto mode? Or using all of the camera's manual adjustments?

Anyways, here are links to more discussions on point-and-shoot choices versus DSLR cameras -

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1002&message=32591640

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1018&message=32820981

Kelly Cook

I'm a happy Nikon owner, but if I was starting out right now, I would probably have the Pentax K-x at the top of my list.

--
Patco
A photograph is more than a bunch of pixels

Kx, It is like a tiny D300 with built in stabilization.
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Variance is Evil!

I would start with either a Pany LX3 or CanonS90. Both are classic little cameras and the in the future, would move to micro 4/3rds in a couple of years.

The pentax suggestion is an excellent suggestion as is a canon digital rebel if you want a larger camera.

Hal

Olympus E-620 with the 14-42 and 40-150 dual lens kit.
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Steve in Chapel Hill, NC
Hebrews 11:1

I need pic like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/prashantbhardwaj_ut/2495590177/

so sharp, bful colors, I wont be printing out any of though, "Pic quality in the camera's most basic Auto mode?" yes since m a beginner i wont be using manual controls so much right now coz i dont know how to use, and I dont have much money to spend to would not prefer point and shoot for now and DSLR after some time, I want to buy it for once forever, please helppppppppppppp

Well, based on the tags on that picture, it was taken w/ a Canon 400D, aka Rebel XTi, so that's a starting point. That camera's successor was the XSi on sale now, which you can pick up at Best Buy w/ 18-55 lens for $649. You could probably even find it cheaper perhaps if you shop around. Only thing is that the lens used for that photo cost more than the whole camera kit by quite a bit, but still the std kit is more than enough to start with for now and add to over time.

Rohit Tripathi said:

I need pic like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/prashantbhardwaj_ut/2495590177/

so sharp, bful colors, I wont be printing out any of though, "Pic quality in the camera's most basic Auto mode?" yes since m a beginner i wont be using manual controls so much right now coz i dont know how to use, and I dont have much money to spend to would not prefer point and shoot for now and DSLR after some time, I want to buy it for once forever, please helppppppppppppp

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http://www.emasterphoto.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emasterphoto/

As shown on Flickr that shot is only 500x333 pixels. Technically the only thing exceptional about it is the color saturation. Any point-and-shoot SLR-like ultrazoom could easily duplicate that, at that size. At roughly 1/2 the cost of a DSLR. And the ultrazooms have better success for Auto mode only shooting than a DSLR.

Kelly

I am from India and i think 400d is somewhat around 1100$ here and I think is not available also. what do you think about Canon d500? or nikon d5000 for a beginner like me?

I want to learn photography and at the same time cannot spend so much money on it. do you think it would be a good idea to buy a point and shoot first and then go for a SLR? what are the chances for a DSLR with a beginner?

The problem with point-and-shoot cameras is that they're generally dead ends. Whatever lens it has, that's all---it's permanently attached. Some allow for auxiliary lenses but the image quality usually isn't that good. A few may allow a more powerful flash to be added but otherwise, you're stuck with that. And the equipment that works on your ps probably won't work on the DSLR when you upgrade.

Another thing about ps cameras is that very often, they automate everything. Sometimes you can manually focus or choose other settings; if you go the route of a ps, you want that for sure.

One point in favor of point and shoots is that they often make video, which is a lot more expensive on DSLRs.

The least expensive Olympus DSLR would be an E420 or E450. Very often it's packaged with one or two pretty good kit lenses. An E520 or E620 are steps up from the 4xx series. You can probably get an E420 here with one lens for $400 or so.

One thing to make sure of is what you want on the camera. Example is some of the older DSLR's do not have live view. So make sure when looking you get all the features you want.
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Karen

If it pleases you then to hell what everyone else thinks!

manthasfamily said:

One thing to make sure of is what you want on the camera. Example is some of the older DSLR's do not have live view.

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Not just older - Nikon's newest consumer DSLR, the D3000, has no live view.

--
Patco
A photograph is more than a bunch of pixels

Patco said:

manthasfamily said:

One thing to make sure of is what you want on the camera. Example is some of the older DSLR's do not have live view.

Click to expand...

Not just older - Nikon's newest consumer DSLR, the D3000, has no live view.

--
Patco
A photograph is more than a bunch of pixels

Click to expand...

In Live View, the AF is not as fast and one is not as steady either. I have the Kx and do not use the live view nor video.
--
Variance is Evil!

There are some awful point-and-shoot cameras. But they aren't all that bad, by any means. Here is a link to another discussion on the P&S versus DSLR question -

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1018&message=33440516

Kelly

Of course people will respond, like me, from their own brand experience(s).

From what you have said/shown and with your budget, the E-620 would be a great system. Of course the prices may be different in your country.

Most users seem more than happy with the colour and results of the out-of-camera (ooc) jpegs, so RAW shooting is not necessary. Great for beginners with no computer and post-processing experience.

You can put it on full-auto mode and treat it like a P&S, and learn more as you go.

Small, light, articulated LCD, good quality kit lenses and built in image stabilisation, and you can let your system grow in the future, which you can't do with a p&s.

But, you should really try these cameras in a shop and see how they feel. Personally, I love the compact size/weight of the Olympus 4/3rds system. I have to travel a lot and the system needs to be light.

Good luck in your choice, and have a nice trip!

DavidJ.

Triumph Steve said:

Olympus E-620 with the 14-42 and 40-150 dual lens kit.
--
Steve in Chapel Hill, NC
Hebrews 11:1

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--
If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.

JoeDaBassPlayer said:

Patco said:

manthasfamily said:

One thing to make sure of is what you want on the camera. Example is some of the older DSLR's do not have live view.

Click to expand...

Not just older - Nikon's newest consumer DSLR, the D3000, has no live view.

--
Patco
A photograph is more than a bunch of pixels

Click to expand...

In Live View, the AF is not as fast and one is not as steady either. I have the Kx and do not use the live view nor video.
--

Click to expand...

That could very well be true, and I myself prefer to look through a viewfinder, but on the other had live view does come in handy at times, so I think someone really needs to be aware if a camera doesn't have it.

--

Karen

If it pleases you then to hell what everyone else thinks!

Rohit Tripathi said:

I am totally new in photography world and want to buy a new Digital camera within max 800$. it could be anything a point and shoot or a DSLR what i need is only pic quality.

Click to expand...

Saw your blog. Nice pics. They are not taken by you? Also, you mentioned acquiring a new Sony W210 in the blog. Don't like it?

That Sony is an equivalent 30-120 mm compact with no IS. If I were upgrading from it, I'd be looking for a wider zoom for landscape and image stabilization to get better stills in dimmer light. You can get that with another pocket camera, a bigger compact, or a DSLR. But you have to decide how much camera you want to carry.