Looking For A Good Digital Camera ?????

[alfsauve]

Wow, 5 pages of posts in 2 days.   Just saw this.

I'm no camera expert, and do maybe passable amateur stuff.  When we went on our Italy trip I wanted a compact PnS to make travel and picture taking easy.    I've a preference for Canon, and I got the PowerShot SX520 HS.  It's been surpassed by more current models, but this little point and shoot has a 42X zoom. 

Here's the Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence shot from a mile away, hand held.



I've shot most of the pictures you've seen on here in the last couple of years with this camera.  My current favorite closeups:

[PegLeg45]

You can set the "film speed" manually or have the camera set it automatically.   Just like film, the higher ISO will give you more grain (noise in digital) in your image.  In program mode with auto ISO the camera will set all three variables (shutter, aperture, and ISO) for you.  Most cameras give you the ability to customize some of the settings, like telling it to not go above 3200 ISO, for example.  Must go back to work now.

Yep.


I've talked with several local photographers that hire out and freelance and they all pretty much agree that for most casual users, the AUTO setting on a quality camera will fill the bill usually.

Most have custom settings that are easy to use as well, for example "portrait" or "action" and some have indoor/outdoor and day/night easy settings that are separate from the standard "program" or "manual" settings. These are usually as simple as turning a dial. They tell the camera what you want to do and it adjusts certain settings to compensate.

[BAC]

Heading to a camera store in Cleveland today to get my sensor cleaned (not a euphemism) and check out the latest cameras I can't afford.  Any luck on the search?

[billt]

The more I look, the more confused I get. 

[BAC]

The more I look, the more confused I get. 

That happens.  I'm here if you have any questions.  I used to teach people how to use those things for a living.

[Sponsor]

[billt]

Thanks Brian. I'll keep that in mind before I start cussing and throwing things. 

[BAC]

Got to play with a $33,000 digital camera today.   

[Rastus]

Buy anything yet?

[billt]

Buy anything yet?

Not yet. I'm most likely going to wait until the Fall. In the meantime, I need to educate myself as to what's out there, along with prices.

[PegLeg45]

Not yet. I'm most likely going to wait until the Fall. In the meantime, I need to educate myself as to what's out there, along with prices.

If you wait until around Thanksgiving, you can get some incredible deals. I priced out the package we bought as individual items and the total fell in the area of $1400 or so depending on where you bought from. We paid $550 via Amazon.