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View Full Version : What digital camera to buy?



Teufelhunden
08-18-2005, 09:44 AM
My Fuji Finepix digital camera just gave up the ghost. My wife and I take a lot of pictures of the family, house, cars, and events. I'm not up on the new digital cameras and need a shove in the right direction. Budget is around $600 but can go a bit higher for the right camera.

For my reference:
Nikon D50 prices (http://reviews.cnet.com/Nikon_D50_with_18_55mm_Lens/4014-6501_7-31341793.html?tag=pdtl-list)
Nikon D50 w/512MB card (http://www.adorama.com/INKD50KC.html)

jbiscuit
08-18-2005, 10:52 AM
the digital Canon Rebels are nice cameras. Otherwise Nikon came out with a low budget Digital SLR...the Nikon D50. Comes with a lens and everything for $899

even includes a 512mb sandisk memory card

http://www.adorama.com/INKD50KC.html

WilliamZ
08-18-2005, 11:01 AM
http://tinyurl.com/8vm94

Teufelhunden
11-01-2005, 09:30 AM
Haven't got a camera yet. Still trying to convince my wife a SLR is the way to go.

I'm sold on the D50 but have a question? Will 6.1 megapixels be enough for 8x10 sized prints?

Any opinions on this: Canon Powershot Pro 1 Digital Camera 8.0 Megapixel, 7x Optical Zoom, 3.2 Digital Zoom, Refurbished BY Canon USA (http://www.adorama.com/ICAP1R.html)

jbiscuit
11-01-2005, 09:36 AM
Oh yea....6.1 is plenty to get 8 X 10's. I print 12 X 18's and I even have 2 20 X 30's from out of my D70 (6.1 megapixel) hanging on my living room wall! The D50 is a nice camera....I don't know much about that Pro1 but the SLRs like the D50 are the way to go if you want the best possible shots.

Teufelhunden
11-01-2005, 10:07 AM
This comes with no lens. Seemed like a good deal before I noticed that...
eBay D50 kit $752 shipped (http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-D50-SLR-Camera-Body-w-1GB-EN-EL3-Accessory-KIT_W0QQitemZ7556970544QQcategoryZ43456QQssPageNam eZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

jbiscuit
11-01-2005, 10:14 AM
here is a good all around lens for the D50....this is a used lens but KEH.com is a VERY reputable vendor. Their lenses are usually top notch.

$56

http://www.keh.com/shop/SHOWPRODUCT.CFM?CRID=12468364&SKID=NA0799904714904&SID=newused&BID=NA&CID=07&SOID=N&curpic=0&dpsp=0

Teufelhunden
11-01-2005, 10:17 AM
What filter(s) would you suggest as well?

jbiscuit
11-01-2005, 10:20 AM
here is a good deal too Scott....I would stick the Nikon lenses also...they are VERY good. Even the cheaper lenses they make are still very sharp. For the lens, I would get a UV filter right away just to protect it. The circular polarizing filters are really cool too for shooting cars/shooting outdoors. The make the blue sky more vivid etc....

http://www.abesofmaine.com/viewproduct.asp?id=nkd501855k&l=Pricescan

jbiscuit
11-01-2005, 10:23 AM
bhphotovideo.com (a GREAT vendor) has the D50 with the 18-55 Nikon lens for $699 + shipping. They are a GREAT company to deal with. The best in the industry

Teufelhunden
11-01-2005, 10:44 AM
Thanks for all your help. :thumbsup

Silver350
11-01-2005, 10:44 AM
Minolta 5d is a good camera as well. You can get the body plus a lens for $899 as well. It all comes down to preference. I got the 5d Because its easy to use and I already have Minolta lenses that would work on my camera.

theavenger333
11-01-2005, 01:29 PM
the nicest one you can get for the cheapest

Teufelhunden
11-02-2005, 08:12 AM
eBay D50 Kit $899 (http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-D50-D-50-Digital-SLR-Camera-2500-PKG-BRAND-NEW_W0QQitemZ7557610112QQcategoryZ43456QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem)

jbiscuit
11-02-2005, 08:23 AM
I would be REALLY careful buying a camera kit off ebay. There have been a ton of people that get scammed. They buy a camera kit only to find out it is the Euro model or something...and it doesn't have a U.S. warranty etc. Not to mention, a lot of the items in that kit are crap Scott. I play it safe and buy the set up from Abes that I posted

jbiscuit
11-02-2005, 08:23 AM
...or bhphotovideo.com if they have a decent kit

jbiscuit
11-02-2005, 08:26 AM
get the camera and a lens...thats what you should be most concerned about. The other stuff is pretty cheap:

card reader: $15
512MB SD card: $35 (at the most)

thats really all you need to get started. The Nikon SB-600 flash is a GREAT flash...its the one I have. It goes for about $185 new...Don't know much about the Sunpak ones like in that Ebay kit, in fact I thought there was issues associated with using 3rd party flashes on the Nikons....I could be wrong though

Teufelhunden
11-26-2005, 12:06 PM
:) I finally ordered one from ABE's, $639+$8 shipping. American TV wouldn't budge on there price for me ($788).

jbiscuit
11-28-2005, 08:14 AM
nice work scott! which one did you end up ordering?

SMS 1
11-28-2005, 08:36 AM
Wish I had seen this sooner to help out but it looks like everyone steered you in the right direction of a DSLR. You're gonna love it :thumbsup Feel free to ask me (or I don't think J would mind) any questions once you decide to go to the darkside of manual shooting ;)

Teufelhunden
11-28-2005, 08:49 AM
nice work scott! which one did you end up ordering?Nikon D50 (http://www.abesofmaine.com/viewproduct.asp?id=nkd501855k)
* Nikkor 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 G ED AF-S Lens
* Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3
* Quick Charger MH-18a
* Video Cable
* USB Cable UC-E4
* Strap
* Body cap
* Eyepiece Cap DK-5
* Rubber Eyecup DK-20
* Accessory shoe cover
* PictureProject CD-ROM

jbiscuit
11-28-2005, 08:55 AM
excellent Scott! I think you will love it! Add to your christmas list a memory card reader (I have a $15 Sandisk one from Best Buy, works awesome) and don't forget you will need a memory card!

newegg.com has a bunch on sale right now in fact. I picked up another 512mb compact flash card for my D70 last week.

Post some pics once you get the camera. I'd love to see what it can do.

J

Teufelhunden
11-28-2005, 10:40 AM
The Nikon uses an "SD" memory card right J?

Cleveland Dave
11-28-2005, 10:59 AM
i think they use compact flash.

i just got a new camera too...welcome to the DSLR world.

jbiscuit
11-28-2005, 11:00 AM
yes the D50 uses an SD card.....

jbiscuit
11-28-2005, 11:01 AM
i think they use compact flash.

i just got a new camera too...welcome to the DSLR world.

no dave....the D70 uses the compact flash but the D50 uses the SD.

Teufelhunden
11-28-2005, 11:06 AM
...once you decide to go to the darkside of manual shooting ;)

This is what I was using (http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?AsahiPentaxSpotmatic.html~mainFrame) until ~1999. Shot some decent Hale Bopp comet pics with it. I'll have to scan them...

jbiscuit
11-28-2005, 11:09 AM
cool...old skool. I have an old skool Minolta X-370 that I haven't used in a few years but still takes photos that are sharp as a tack.

Cryptic
11-28-2005, 02:10 PM
ehh.. shoulda gone Canon :D :goof

Cleveland Dave
11-28-2005, 02:29 PM
ehh.. shoulda gone Canon :D :goof

canon rules :goof

SMS 1
11-28-2005, 02:35 PM
This is what I was using (http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/index-frameset.html?AsahiPentaxSpotmatic.html~mainFrame) until ~1999. Shot some decent Hale Bopp comet pics with it. I'll have to scan them...

Nice :thumbsup I still got a couple of Canon AE-1's I shoot with from time to time but even those are automatic compared to my Argoflex TLR's :stare

http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/collection/argoflexe.jpg

Want_Notch
11-29-2005, 10:08 AM
We just got a D50 SLR. It's a great camera.

One question for you camera buffs. I have 2 Tamron (I think I will have to look tonight) lenses. How good are Tamron lenses?
I also bought two 1GB SD cards. On standard res each card will hold 450+ pictures and on fine res it wil hold about 275 pics.

One more question. I know it will shoot short vids, but does it also capture sound? I haven't had time to read up on it yet.

jbiscuit
11-29-2005, 10:35 AM
sorry, can't tell you about the vid capture features on the D50 since I don't own one. Also, you should be shooting at either the finest setting on the camera or RAW if you are able to process them (Photoshop)

Want_Notch
11-29-2005, 05:12 PM
Don't have Photoshop.....maybe I should "find" a copy

Anakonda69
11-29-2005, 05:20 PM
i just bought a kodak z740....it's great....10x optical zoom.....on the cheaper side too....

scubastang
11-30-2005, 12:50 AM
scott i just bought the Kodak V550

absolutely love it! Great lense, easy to navi shooting modes etc Everything the non professional needs. Its very well built (solid) which is what I like.

Teufelhunden
11-30-2005, 03:26 PM
The D50 should be here tomorrow. Weeeeeeeeeeeee

Reverend Cooper
11-30-2005, 04:58 PM
i get all my camera camcorder stuff from abes of maine they give great service and pricing