Good Camera choice

[NaClH20NMYVEIN]

Well its getting close, about 3 months until I get married. We keep going to places to register, boring! I keep asking if we can go register at the LFS, I dont get much of a response, back to acting interested in shopping at Macy's for the registery. She keeps telling me to try to think of something that we can register for besides fish and cars. Well I thought of something even she likes! A camera! I keep seeing pictures on here that look great very clear and tons of color, my digital camera cant focus when I try to take a close picture of a fish or coral. Can you guy reccommend something for me? It would be a huge bonus if it was underwater also, I know that may be pushing it but I love to snorkel and scuba. Thanks for you help!

 

[Sk8r]

I'd say if your relatives can swing it, an slr digital would be a bonus: that way you can have the lens that lets you capture the far vistas on your trips together, do great portraits, and switch out the lens to a macro for really close work, like a bee on a flower. [And your relatives have something to give you for other occasions.] I use a Canon EOS and love it, but you need a pack mule to carry it: that's the downside. Your current camera for whims and an slr for serious photography is probably the best combination.

 

[NaClH20NMYVEIN]

Can they go underwater? . Average price?

 

[clkwrk]

I have been playing with a few high zoom cameras .

The canon s2IS and the sony H-1

I perfered the sony . This canon is a PITA to get good shots with .

Although I still think my Sony w-5 takes the sharpest pics.

 

[Senn]

I've been looking at the Nikon D70 and D200. Right now I'm using a Canon S2, takes ok pictures but I want to take better ones.

 

[rljlll]

i have heard that the Canon D and the Rebel are a couple a very nice cameras but run close to a grand each

 

[clkwrk]

I was going to get the rebel xt but the S2 didn't impress me enough.

 

[chetm2]

I have the Canon Rebel 350-D and love it. And Ikelite makes a housing for it too. Here's a link.

http://www.ikelite.com/web_pages/2dslr_350d.html

 

[grenaria]

We just got a Sony DSC-R1 on Friday. It's not an SLR camera, but it beats the DSLR kits in the same price range with it's lens. It has a huge sensor and a very rapidly updated LCD for the view finder and the display, which IMHO is better than a DSLR. For example in the zebra pattern mode, overexposed areas are replaced with a zebra pattern, or when using the manual focus ring, the LCD zooms in so you can focus on detail, then returns to the framing view when you stop focusing. Here's a quick page I threw together from my first 2 days of playing with it, WARNING very very image intense.

If you want I can bring it by when I pick up some more rock.

 

[clkwrk]

Some of those pics look good but I see a grainy look . Or is it just me ?

BTW I am in the market for a new camera but its got to take better pics than my w-5 with high res.

I will post some pics if you want from the Sony w-5 ,Sony H-1, and cannon S2IS.

 

[Satori]

I'm really liking our Canon Digital Rebel SLR (thanks Fliger), but I think the kit lens is holding it back. After my new 180 is up and running I want to get a 100mm macro lens.

 

[clkwrk]

Thats what is holding me back with the Rebel Xt . Spend 950 and then still need to spend another 200+ to take good closeups and macros . I was so close to taking it home just to play with it though.

 

[grenaria]

Some of those pics look good but I see a grainy look . Or is it just me ?

Don't blame the camera for the operator. Like I said, it was from my first few hours with the camera. I don't think I had the settings right for a single one of those pictures, so they are all heavily post processed which caused the graniness. Also I did all of the processing on the compressed image, since the only computer I had available for the weekend couldn't manipulate the monstrous 20M raw images. I will be posting more images as soon as I have some spare time to work on it.

This camera is a huge upgrade for me from my Nikon Coolpix 995, and the learning curve for all the manual features is more than I expected.

 

[CA]

I use a Minolta A2, which doesn't have removable lenses, but has a good zoom range and macro built in. It does a very good job with most things. I was debating the SLR myself, but decided that the disadvantages of an SLR weren't worth the small benefits. The image stabilizer is great for aquarium shots. These were taken handheld, with just the actinic lights on:

 

[NaClH20NMYVEIN]

What is an average cost on a camera like this? I assume none of these can go underwater correct.

 

[dgin]

These days you can pick up a nice point and shoot digital camera that can take decent macros for around $250+. For a few of these, an optional underwater enclosure can be purchased.

For a digital slr, you should expect to pay $750+. There are probably water resistant enclosures for some of these as well.

The digital slr route gives you a lot more lens options, features, and control than the point and shoots but they are much larger and costly.

 

[NaClH20NMYVEIN]

Thanks Durwin, and everyone else. It shopping time!

 

[Philwd]

I have the Canon rebel xt. I also didn't want the kit lens so I went to one of the NY camera dealers, got a body and then added then lenses I wanted. Got a very good package deal. Still cost well over a grand but I got what I wanted.

One point I feel needs to be made is you can buy the best camera and take the worst pics. The photographer matters more than the camera. Out of the box you may not see much difference. When you know how to change white balance, iso setting, lighting angles, shooting RAW etc then the features on the better cameras will show through. I like the DSLRs because I can choose the right lens for the shot and not have to compromise.

In our family I know the camera better and my wife took Photoshop classes so she knows the software end better...for now

 

[Fliger]

Damn everything drops in price after I buy it. I just checked the Canon Rebel and its now $699 w/out the lens kit at www.bhphotovideo.com which of course is much less than I paid.

I love the DSLR cameras. We have a few lenses now and it is super fun. It goes from the fish room to the boat to soccer games to vacations.

Check the photography forum for more advice that is more geared towards aquarium, but still great info. Also here is a good site for info on bodies and lenses.

http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/

 

[NaClH20NMYVEIN]

Thanks guys, I'm a little dissapointed to hear that I have to know what i"m doing when I take the picture. Oh well I guess I will have to pratice, at least thats fun though!