New Camera Suggestions

[Str8linespeed]

I've been wanting a new camera for sometime now. All I've ever used is a point and shoot, and ours is at least 20 years old. We have a 16 day trip to Costa Rica next year, and I would love to have a camera that I can zoom up to a tree and see a monkey, sloth, bird or what not, with out it being a black blob in the picture. Even the wife mentioned we need to get a new camera, because of this trip.

What I would like to be able to do with it... Really take pics like those in the daily pic thread.. They are amazing, and I know that is from years of photography, but I want to be able to learn how to do that.

Can someone recommend specific cameras, that wont break the bank (under $1000, maybe closer to $750).

 

[Misled]

So the big thing is how far do you want to go and how much money do you want to spend. Point and shoots have come a long way. My wife carries this one. It's a great camera.

 

[Str8linespeed]

I'd like to keep it under $1000.

I dont necessarily want to carry 20 AA batteries with me on a vacation, so rechargeable would be nice also.

That camera you posted looks very nice, I didnt look at it too close but does it have lens that can change out?

Like I said I would like to be able to zoom into a tree top and be able to make out definition of the animals or zoom in super close and get that detail.

 

[IPT]

DP review dot com is a good resource with reviews and comparisons. usually if you get a long telephoto lens you lose out on the wide end of things for landscapes. it's all about compromises. For my point and shoot I use a G7xII. it goes wide, but not a huge telephoto. That said it has enough megapixels that I can crop (think digital zoom) and still get great images for small prints or posting online. There are lots of options, you're gonna need to do some research. For me being able to shoot RAW was mandatory. That narrowed the field down some.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Just picked up a Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS70 for our safari.
Recommended by a camera store. Came in about $500 with a few extras.
A camera with a zoom of @ least 200 mm was recommended by the tour group.
This will do 3X that.

 

[Str8linespeed]

Thank you both for the info... Its tough there are so many out there to choose from.

 

[Misled]

I just bought this lens.

If you want interchangeable lenses, you should know, that lens alone busts your budget. Stick with a good quality p&s. Go to B&H dot com, and look around.

 

[IPT]

Thank you both for the info... Its tough there are so many out there to choose from.

For sure. So, what i did initially was made a list of features I knew I wanted. That helped me wean it down. if you are getting something with an interchangeable lens then the lenses available (focal length, cost, 3rd party, and image quality) will also come into play. Not an issue with Point and Shoot.

Lastly, another thing for me was familiarity. Sticking with the same system (Canon) allowed me to move from one camera to another with a lot less difficulty since I was familiar with the interface.

 

[cody6766]

I know it's not being pushed hard here because of your budget, but realize that when you go down the DSLR path, the better camera doesn't always take better pictures. Unless you learn how to use it, a DSLR in Auto mode is basically a big point and shoot. There are some advantages in sensor size and low light capes, but the camera alone won't give you astounding pics.

That said, I really like Canon's DSLRs. There is nothing wrong with Nikon and the others. I just prefer the interface on a Canon. You might be able to find a good deal on a used T5i, or possibly one of the older models (look for Txi, where the X is a number). The kit lens only zooms out to 55mm, so you'll want another lens. Some of the Amazon or ebay sellers sell kit packages that come with the stock 18-55mm and 55-250 lenses. They might even come in right below $1000. If you can find one with the 18-135mm and another that reaches out to 250-300mm, I think you'll be happy. WHen you look at the long lens, make sure it has IS in the lens name. That stands for Image Stabilization and you'll want it when zoomed out, especially in the lower forest light. Look for 55-250mm IS, or 75-300mm IS in the kit.

All that said, if you don't want to deal with swapping lenses or the bulk, I know people get great results with the cameras between P&S and DSLRs. Plus you'll likely get a better zoom for the buck. Don't rely on digital zoom. Pretend it's not there. That basically uses the camera to crop the pic for you and you end up with a more grainy pic. Stick with optical zoom when you're shooting.

If you want to double your budget, get a Canon T6i with the stock 18-135mm lens, the buy a Tamron 150-600mm lens for your long shots. It looks like the beast Jesse posted and weighs about 5lbs. It sure does let me get up close and personal to critters in the woods. I know this is unreasonable, though. THat's about $2k in gear, if you shop around. I like DSLRs because of the versatility I get with different lenses. That's the only reason I mentioned my hiking kit (except I own a T5i, not the 6).

Good luck and don't get so caught up in taking pictures that you forget to look around with the ol' eyeballs!