What Camera Should I Buy?

[phuketbound]

I'm in the market for a new professional camera. My current camera has been good, but my cat has dropped it on the floor a few times, and it seems to take dark images now. My camera is not really a professional one, it is a Kodak Easyshare C875, 5X optical zoom. I seriously need an upgrade.

Does Kodak make any high quality digital cameras?


I was looking at the Canon D400 models, but I really need something that is easy to use, and not too heavy so I can travel with it. Any suggestions?

For someone that takes so many pics, I need something that takes sharp, colourful, and close-up photos.

Thanks for any tips.

[ChiangMai noon]

i want one of these, don't care about the size.

quality of pictures it takes is amazing.




even i've produced some beautiful stuff using Bustak's and my brother in laws cameras.

they both have very expensive lenses though.

[mrsquirrel]

^ canon and Nikon, over liked and overpriced by the label concious fools.

If you are after an entry level DSLR then look at Minolta, Pentax and Olympus.

if you are wanting to spend big money on lenses look at Nikon and Canon.

olympus do nice entry level kits with decent lenses as does the other two.

ikon and Canon - not so good on the kits but there extra lenses are very nice, albeit expensive.

[mediamanbkk]

I work in the world of Digital Media, all the pro photographers I know shoot on Canon or Nikon there must be reasons for it. Your excellent photo submissions could be further enhanced with a semi pro DSLR from the Canon EOS range or Nikon D series. The benefit of interchangeable lenses alone would make it worthwhile.

An excellent site for reviewing digital cameras (Been going 10 years) can be found here

[phuketbound]

Thanks for the replies. I will look into that digital camera review, mediaman.

So many decision to be made. I need something that isn't too complicated to learn how to use. Are there prices on that website too.

Something within a reasonable price such as $500-$1000 dollars.

[ChiangMai noon]

^
if you click on the link, you'll find out.

[jandajoy]

If you are after an entry level DSLR then look at Minolta, Pentax and Olympus.

I got one. It's good. Pentax that is.

[EmperorTud]

I was looking at the Canon D400 models

The 400D has been replaced by the 1000D.

1000D has live view, 400D didn't.

[mediamanbkk]

The 1000D is a small camera with a big name. I think it is also only for the european market. The Canon 50D has live view and you could set one of the built in modes and just point and shoot, however it is targeted at serious photo enthusiasts and has a heavy technical spec. Although I don't know the price in Thailand I think the launch price was 1400 USD. The Canon 450D kit sells at around 28,000 baht so it is within your budget. I've had a 300D for about 4 years and it has served me very well and I've never had a problem.

[EmperorTud]

The 1000D is a small camera with a big name. I think it is also only for the european market.

The Canon 450D kit sells at around 28,000 baht

Canon 1000D kit is 17,900thb. 450D kit is 22,000thb

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[mediamanbkk]

Canon 1000D kit is 17,900thb. 450D kit is 22,000thb

The 1000D is a lower spec camera hence its lower price and if you do happen to go to the Thai site in tud's link, there are various 1000D kits with equally varying pricing and in true Thai style varying pricing for the same kit!. Personally I would buy the best I possibly could within my budget.

[EmperorTud]

Here's another good value camera site.

http://www.camera-station.com/

The Canon 1000D is the replacement entry level model for the 400D which has now been discontinued. All Canon DSLRs now have live view including the 1000D.

[mediamanbkk]

Tud, the site is in Thai and the English section doesn't work

[phuketbound]

Thanks, I wonder if it would be cheaper to buy the camera in Thailand or Korea? I'd have to look more into that. That Canon 450D EOS, looks amazing. Do you have any examples with this camera, CMN?

[0bsidian]

the red one.

[friscofrankie]

If you are after an entry level DSLR then look at Minolta, Pentax and Olympus.

Minolta = Sony (limited choice of lenses)Old Minolta A and AF lenses are still out there but getting rare. New lenses for the Sony I've never seen one on the shelf in any camera shop I've been to I recently found a spare battery for mine and snapped it up just because it was the first accessory for the Sony I found on a shelf, anywhere. it's a good camera and the anti shake built into the sensor rather than lens should make lenses cheaper I guess with lens manufacturers tooled up to make anti shake lenses gearing to make completely different internals might be slowing things down but hell they've been for quite a while now.

Pentax = Shit (in my experience) I have owned two film cameras by pentax and I will never buy another pentax product in this lifetime.

Olympus; agreed a very good camera with reasonable & available lenses. I think the Zuiko Lenses by Olympus are good quality. Not sure how easy it is to pick up accessories though.

Canon and Nikon are good choices simply because there are so many of them being bought a wide range of lenses & accessories are readily available.

If I had it to do over again I would buy an Olympus and was in fact looking at one when I got my head turned by the Sony. Considering selling the Sony and buying an Olympus as I type this.

[mrsquirrel]

^ II have an Olypmus E300, Good camera, compact but takes nice snaps.

Lots of lenses available for them, most are reasonablypriced, some are extortionate but then they are high end lenses.

[phuketbound]

Cheers for the website Emperor Tud. There are some good specs on each camera.

Good tips Frisko Frankie, and MsSquirrel. I am leaning towards a Nikon or Canon, just because I know so many people that have them.
I think i'll head to Yongsan market where they have decent prices on equipment.

The Canon 1000D is the replacement entry level model for the 400D which has now been discontinued. All Canon DSLRs now have live view including the 1000D.

What does live view mean? Why has the 400D been discontinued?

[friscofrankie]

LIve view means you can use teh LCD on the back of he camera as a viewfinder. I've never liked using it, but you see so many folks holding their cameras at arms length trying to frame a shot, you just know it's a popular feature.

[Bobcock]

My new Canon has live view, I haven't even turned it on.

Only reason to use it my opinion is when you cannot look through the viewfinder.

[BigRed]

LIve view means you can use teh LCD on the back of he camera as a viewfinder. I've never liked using it

A vastly overrated feature which has taken a long time to filter through to DSLRs because the manufacturers correctly thought that serious photographers would use the viewfinder but people upgrading from compacts have come to expect it.

Look for features such as low ISO and high shutter speed to give you a chance to use differential focusing, failing that you might need to invest in an ND filter or a polariser in bright conditions. A high flash synch speed is useful for fill in flash, full manual control is the easiest way to learn what you are doing.

On the subject of Pentax, I have to disagree with FF. I have used Pentax for 30 years now and owned 6 bodies without any trouble from them. They can be half the price of a Canon/Nikon with equivalent features and just lack the robustness of the true professional cameras but you are unlikely to see a problem. In this digital age I would expect the desirability of any given model to reduce rapidly as the megapixels shoot up and things like shake reduction come in. I would expect to want the latest model at least every 5 years and I am not a technofreak by any means.

[mrsquirrel]

Are you out in kimchistan as well Phuketbound?

[phuketbound]

^Yes, I am. You as well? Yongsan electronics market is the place to look, so I've heard.

[Loombucket]

I have a Sony DSC-H1 with all sorts of twiddly bits that I don't often use, mostly because the Auto knows better than me. It has a 12X optical zoom and a nice 2.5 inch screen. It's rated at 5.1 Mp and holds plentys of stuff on a 1Gig stick. I find it easy to hold and shoot with and the editing is ok without being too complicated. Apart from a few downloads, every picture of mine, on this forum, has come from that camera and it cost about £275, a few years ago.

My camera replaced an Olympus trip, that I had for years and that replaced the Kodak 126, I got when I was very young. I think a lot of 'photography' is not so much how big ,or how expensive, your camera is. It's more a case of, where you point it and when you push the button.

People who do it for a living will tell you it's a bit of both, but then they usually have more money to spend than I do. Best of luck with your purchase.

[EmperorTud]

Why has the 400D been discontinued?

Because it has been replaced by the 1000D!