Steve'sDigicams

grace · Nov 16, 2005, 12:52 AM

Right now I own a Nikon Coolpix 4800, but I'm hoping to be able to purchase a new camera after the holidays (unless I get lucky and recieve one as a gift!). The CP works alright, but I really want to be able to do MORE.

I also have an older Minolta SLR camera (XG-A, I believe), which I LOVE. I'm by no means a professional, and can't rattle off what ISO stands for, or a number of other camera terms. I did take a photography course in HS, but, I've forgotten most of what I'd learned since getting my first digital camera.

I do use the SLR every now and then, but, I do a lot of photography of my pets. I own pet rats, and they can be VERY hard to photograph, especially when they don't want to sit still. It's much easier to use a digital than to go through an entire roll of film just to get one decent shot.

What I'm looking for is a camera that is versatile, reasonably easy to use, but something I can "grow" with. A digital SLR is a must, since I want to be able to get more variety in my shots with different lenses. I need something with little shutter lag, a variety of available lenses, etc. What I use the camera for mostly is either indoor shots of my animals (keep in mind they're rats, so they're not going to be sitting still while I try to focus), outdoor shots of scenery/landscapes, and photos of various types of wildlife (moose, birds, etc). I also use it for your everyday snapshots of family, holiday photos, and so on.

As far as price range is concerned, I'd like to remain relatively cheap, hopefully under $700. If I'm forgetting some vital piece of information, just let me know, and I'll answer.

And, just for fun, here's a christmas pic of one of my fur-babies from this year.

mtclimber · Nov 16, 2005, 10:10 AM

Grace-

You two best buys in dSLR cameras right now are the Olympus E-500 two lens outfit, a real bargain. And the Pentax 1st DS or DL. Either would do a fine job for you, although I tend to favor the Oly E-500 because it is the biggest bang for the buck. I own both of my suggested dSLR cameras and am speaking from personal experience.

MT

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Nov 16, 2005, 12:52 AM	#1
grace Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1	Right now I own a Nikon Coolpix 4800, but I'm hoping to be able to purchase a new camera after the holidays (unless I get lucky and recieve one as a gift!). The CP works alright, but I really want to be able to do MORE. I also have an older Minolta SLR camera (XG-A, I believe), which I LOVE. I'm by no means a professional, and can't rattle off what ISO stands for, or a number of other camera terms. I did take a photography course in HS, but, I've forgotten most of what I'd learned since getting my first digital camera. I do use the SLR every now and then, but, I do a lot of photography of my pets. I own pet rats, and they can be VERY hard to photograph, especially when they don't want to sit still. It's much easier to use a digital than to go through an entire roll of film just to get one decent shot. What I'm looking for is a camera that is versatile, reasonably easy to use, but something I can "grow" with. A digital SLR is a must, since I want to be able to get more variety in my shots with different lenses. I need something with little shutter lag, a variety of available lenses, etc. What I use the camera for mostly is either indoor shots of my animals (keep in mind they're rats, so they're not going to be sitting still while I try to focus), outdoor shots of scenery/landscapes, and photos of various types of wildlife (moose, birds, etc). I also use it for your everyday snapshots of family, holiday photos, and so on. As far as price range is concerned, I'd like to remain relatively cheap, hopefully under $700. If I'm forgetting some vital piece of information, just let me know, and I'll answer. And, just for fun, here's a christmas pic of one of my fur-babies from this year.

Nov 16, 2005, 10:10 AM	#2
mtclimber Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Oregon, USA Posts: 18,143	Grace- You two best buys in dSLR cameras right now are the Olympus E-500 two lens outfit, a real bargain. And the Pentax 1st DS or DL. Either would do a fine job for you, although I tend to favor the Oly E-500 because it is the biggest bang for the buck. I own both of my suggested dSLR cameras and am speaking from personal experience. MT