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KimO
Joined: 06 Feb 2007
Posts: 1395
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 Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 8:24 pm Post subject: Camera advice |
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| I need to get a new camera but I'm on a tight budget so would like some advice on what will give me the most bang for my buck! I presently have a kodak easyshare 3 megapixel & need to upgrade. Want to be able to take good pictures of paintings with large files that can be printed clearly in a large size. Any recommendations appreciated. |
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gggraph
Joined: 25 Jan 2007
Posts: 1192
Location: In front of the Computer.
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:55 am Post subject: Re - Camera advice |
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Hi Kim - how big were you thinking of blowing it up to?
I'm not up to speed on the latest cameras (having bought one, I immediately stopped looking...) but there are some factors they all have in common.
If all you are going to do is shoot paintings, you can control the environment, so a zoom lens in not important. The resolution (no of megapixels) is, because that determines how big you can blow something up. For instance, to print out an A3 @ 100dpi (probably the minimum) takes 1.9MP and makes a 5.8M file. To go to 200dpi, which would be better, takes roughly 8MP and takes up 22M.
In realistic terms, if you have a 1m x 1m painting, to shoot it at minimum acceptable resolution for a same-size print requires 22MP and creates a 63M file.
Check what the compression settings are - many cameras default to using less than the full resolution and use very high compression to get as many shots as possible on the small memory cards they come with. You'll need to shoot on 'maximum quality/minimum compression' or 'no compression' if possible - count on buying a bigger memory card as well.
Cheers
Grant |
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KimO
Joined: 06 Feb 2007
Posts: 1395
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:37 am Post subject: Re: Re - Camera advice |
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| gggraph wrote: | Hi Kim - how big were you thinking of blowing it up to?
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Hi Grant, thanks for your help. Not more than A3 & really, I mostly want good enough quality to print say a pamphlet or bus. card and also to do good A4 photo prints for my portfolio. |
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heartco
Joined: 18 Jan 2008
Posts: 210
Location: Near Latrobe Valley, Vic.
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:08 pm Post subject: Re - Camera advice |
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personally I dont think you can go past the canons. I have a Canon Ixus 700, paid nearly $800 for it when they first came out (about 3 years ago) They have updated that same camera and now it costs about $260. Its a 7.1 mp and will print A3 easy. My Mum has just got a Canon Ixus 90? or 900? Its a 10mp camera. Dont know much about it. Its around $450 - $500. They are small cameras, easy to carry in a handbag or coat pocket. The software that comes with them is great and easy to use. When I update, don't know when as my little Ixus 700 is still going strong, it will be with another Canon  |
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KimO
Joined: 06 Feb 2007
Posts: 1395
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:21 pm Post subject: Re - Camera advice |
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| Thanks Heartco - will check the out the Cannons. |
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Stephen
Joined: 05 Jul 2005
Posts: 338
Location: Brisbane, Queensland
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:09 pm Post subject: Re - Camera advice |
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best thing to do is workout how much you want to spend.
You can get an entry level DSLR for $1000 |
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Dug
Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Posts: 3866
Location: Maroochydore
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:00 pm Post subject: Re - Camera advice |
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First question is how much can you afford ?
Second question do you want a handy compact or a DSLR?
Don't worry to much about megapixels there is a huge amount of bunk talked about them 
third question where are you do you want to buy on the internet or do you want to hold the camera first and check it out?
cheers doug |
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KimO
Joined: 06 Feb 2007
Posts: 1395
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:00 pm Post subject: Re - Camera advice |
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| Definately out of my price range Stephen. I just want the cheapest camera that will do what I want. |
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Dug
Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Posts: 3866
Location: Maroochydore
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:11 pm Post subject: Re - Camera advice |
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As much as I am loathed to recommend canon
http://www.d-d-photographics.com.au/canon400d.htm
If that is to expensive something in the compact range Sony or Panasonic lumix would be my first pick at the moment but they are all pretty much the same. |
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KimO
Joined: 06 Feb 2007
Posts: 1395
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:19 pm Post subject: Re - Camera advice |
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| I'm ok buying off the internet & just a compact. The cheaper cameras Dug - like I saw an 8mp pentax camera for about $119 - are they any good for what I want? |
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Dug
Joined: 04 Jul 2005
Posts: 3866
Location: Maroochydore
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:37 pm Post subject: Re - Camera advice |
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Check the "shutter lag" that is what I find most annoying about compact cameras. When you push the shutter button they take a short time to take the photo. Make sure you check this before you buy. Sony and Panasonic are traditionally slightly faster response times than others but this may have changed. Also it may not bother you but it annoys the hell out of me
Anything over 5 MP is more than adequate don't let them sell you something on the basis of more megapixels being better. If they tell you more is better walk out or ask for someone who knows what they are talking about
Often the image from a huge number of pixels crammed into a tiny area is worse than sensors with les pixels. for compact cameras 5 is about optimum.
Size of the sensor is far more important for image quality than number of megapixels! |
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Simon
Joined: 08 Dec 2005
Posts: 1856
Location: Sydney
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 11:26 pm Post subject: Re - Camera advice |
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You can buy a Nikon d40 (DSLR) new with a Lens for $600. Thats what I got and I love it. Dug's advice re mp is good, 6mp will do me fine. Why cram your computer and cards with 10mb photos when you don't need to, they are only marginally bigger pictures? And it is super fast for an entry level DSLR, I read faster than D60 (more light sensitive), I'm sure it would do everything you want Kim. Happy to PM you about where I got it.
Here's a bit from a really good review site, the D60 page
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The Nikon D60 is a "sucker" camera sold mostly to people who are not professional photographers, but who are impressed by meaningless megapixels. Megapixels have nothing to do with picture quality. The less expensive D40 is the same thing as the D60, but better. The D40 is the professional's vacation camera. It's what I take when I'm on vacation or with family, too.
The D60 exists to allow Nikon to sell a camera in the $750 price range to less experienced people who feel better spending $750 on a camera than spending $470 on the superior D40. If you're smart enough to be researching cameras from people like me who are here to help you instead of trying to sell you an expensive camera, just get the D40.
If you want to spend $750, get a D40 and more lenses or flash. For instance, for sports, get a D40 and the excellent 70-300mm VR, or get the less expensive, and also excellent, 55-200mm VR for general telephoto use.
I wouldn't buy a D60 or a D40x. I would buy, and actually did buy, the superior and least expensive D40, which today sells for only about $470 complete with an absolutely excellent non-VR lens. The least expensive D40 has twice the sensitivity to light (ISO 200 base vs. ISO 100 base) and over twice the flash sync speed (1/500 vs. 1/200). The other features, like pixels and dust reduction, are just fluff. I've never had a dirt problem with my D40, and I change lenses a lot and have made 25,000 shots on my D40.
Pixels are a pain. Do you know that I own a $5,000 D3, and usually shoot it set down to 6 MP, not its native 12 MP?
If you have $5,000, get the $5,000 D3.
If you have $4,000 or less, get an $1,800 D300.
If you have less than $1,800, skip the D80, D60 and D40x and head straight for the superior D40 for only about $470, with lens.
If you have $1,000 you may want to look at the D80 if it's going to be your only camera, but honestly, I use cameras all day, every day, and when I go on vacation, I prefer my D40, not the D80.
PS: Canon was six years ahead of Nikon: Canon made the original D60 from 2002 - 2003. It had 6MP, ran at 3FPS, had a 1.8" LCD, can't use any of the modern Canon EF-S lenses, and people lined up for months to pay $2,300 for it back in 2002! It was ground-breaking because it had 6MP, up from 3MP of the Canon's first DSLR, the Canon D30. Today the Canon D60 sells used for about $300 - 400 - see why it's better to buy lenses than cameras. |
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KimO
Joined: 06 Feb 2007
Posts: 1395
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| Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 11:57 pm Post subject: Re - Camera advice |
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| Thanks Simon - I can't manage that at the moment but it sounds great - will keep it in mind for the future. Thats interesting about the megapixels Dug, I thought that would improve the quality. I don't really understand much about cameras, I'm afraid. Are the cheapies just rubbish? |
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sunday
Joined: 06 Oct 2005
Posts: 3980
Location: Victoria
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:28 am Post subject: Re: Re - Camera advice |
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| Dug wrote: | Check the "shutter lag" that is what I find most annoying about compact cameras. When you push the shutter button they take a short time to take the photo. Make sure you check this before you buy. Sony and Panasonic are traditionally slightly faster response times than others but this may have changed. Also it may not bother you but it annoys the hell out of me
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Agree totally - so are the DSLRs faster Dug - this is really important when you're taking pics at night.
Simon, you've sparked my interest with the Nikon d40 (DSLR). I've become increasingly frustrated with my Canon Powershot; is the Nikon going to help me capture more definition in my nocturnes when I go wandering the streets at dusk? |
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Simon
Joined: 08 Dec 2005
Posts: 1856
Location: Sydney
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:41 am Post subject: Re - Camera advice |
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| Sure will. Someone you are catching up with soon has a d40x, (kinda same but 10mp) I'm sure she'll let you have a play. |
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