Beginners camera - needs suggestions

[Lessen]

MP ratings are getting out of control. Manufacturers know that people look at that when shopping and because technology is continually getting cheaper and easier to cram info into smaller packages they are now using it as a marketing tool. Our SLR is like 6mp or something and it takes beautiful pictures. There's a point where you just do not need anymore detail. With 15mp you could blow up a photo to something stupid big like 24" inches and lose no detail, but really who's gonna do that outside of professional photographers?

 

[WoodiE]

With 15mp you could blow up a photo to something stupid big like 24" inches and lose no detail, but really who's gonna do that...?

Have you met my pony?

 

[WoodiE]

Well it sounded a little to good to be true and in this case it was to good to be true at least here in Lexington. The Canon T1i with two lenses and case combo was $849.99 at Sams. Sams also had the Canon Rebel XS combo for $599.

 

[Rolex]

What? Wow, that's just not right. I'll see if I can take a run to Sam's later today to double check. I thought for sure this was the same model they have on the shelf.
The catalog ad did not post a price, so it might be a different model.

 

[Rolex]

Well, I was at Sam's, and you're right. They looked the same and there was no price in the catalog.
The Rebel XS is 10MP, more than you'll ever need for good photos.

 

[WoodiE]

I agree. I was sold on the XS but when I heard about possibly getting the T1i for $100 more I was drooling, funny thing is I almost went to Sams last night at 7 just to go check.

Sams still might be the better deal. The package as sams includes the camera, two lenses, a case and looks like a memory card. I need to check with NewEgg, but the case and memory card isn't listed in their combo for $579.


-Michael

 

[Rolex]

I priced that camera around a couple of months ago, and no one had it for less than Sam's. I went there to buy one, but left with a 47" Hi Def TV instead.

 

[ImBroken]

If your a Sams Club Plus member, you get an additional year replacement warranty. Gotta love the buyers clubs for good deals...

 

[frickenjoey]

The MP rating of a camera is very subjective. The MP is not the largest governing factor of the picture quality. The size of the CMOS sensor is much more important. You can think of the CMOS as the digital film. It's what records the image....so say we have a point and click camera that has 20MP. My Canon 40D only has 10.8 MP but the point an click has a CMOS the size of a postage stamp. Since you have to pack a boat ton of pixles into a smaller area. So lets look at the camera as a greenhouse with a large roof that can open and close real fast (that would be your shutter). The rain that would come in would be the light. The more light drawn in and captured the better detailed the picture will be. Anyway lets put out 1 million shot glasses on the floor (this will be the CMOS for the point and click camera). Open the roof then measure the amount of water in all the glasses. Probably going to be a decent amount right? Ok....now we will put out one million five gallon buckets and open the roof again for the same amount of time then measure the water collected. The buckets are going to collect a lot more because it's over a larger area. I short the MP rating is kinda important but it is not everything. I think it is kinda over-rated because most people don't really understand it.

 

[Rolex]

EXCELLENT info, frig. Excellent!
My current Olympus is 7.1, and it's hard to imagine anything giving me a better picture. I'm just looking for a more versatile camera with interchangeable lenses and a hot shoe.

That's true about the additional year as a plus member. My card was due for renewal on the day I bought the TV, and the cashier asked if I wanted the $59.95 additional coverage. Then she said that after the original $60 dues, another 40 would get me the same coverage.
Simple math. I went for the plus card.

 

[10 Gauge]

I concur completely with the above. I'm a professional photographer and keep up with the new gear. Most people don't know what megapixel rating actually defines. It solely represents the physical size of the image after it had been taken. Typically a photographer will buy a high megapixel camera if they are doing enlargements over say 20x30in or 30x40in prints. Medium format digital cameras go up to about 60mp and cost roughly $1,000 per megapixel. These cameras are used for doing ultra pro photography such as fashion model shoots for billboards and advertisements, etc. Don't let megapixel rating sway your decision! I only shoot with Canon equipment, primarily a 5DmkII and 7D and both take amazing photos coupled with the right lens and photographer pulling the trigger.

Happy shooting!

PS. Excuse any typos. Posting from my phone.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[frickenjoey]

10 Gauge thanks for the back up...you are correct 100%. I am a avid amateur so the 40D I have although slightly dated is an amazing camera. Oh how I long for a 5D but I just can't justify the cost for what I do. Glad to hear some else shooting with Canon. I think they just have so much better color rendering than Nikon and better priced.

 

[10 Gauge]

Nikon makes great cameras and lenses, the only reason I don't use them is that I started with Canon many years ago when I originally purchased my 35mm Canon A-1 which I still take with me to every photo shoot to this day to shoot black & white and I just decided to stick with Canon equipment from that point on.

I have a very close friend that shoots all Nikon equipment and he gets nothing short of stunning results from his equipment. IMHO if one just sticks with either Canon or Nikon, they will get a good professional grade product.

I still have a few old Canon digital cameras as backups to include a 1DmkII which is only an 8.2mp camera but it takes absolutely stunning photos and I will drag it out every now and again just to keep the shutter loose if I'm taking shots of something that I don't plan on enlarging, it's a pretty amazing piece of kit for it's age.

To the OP looking for a camera, I haven't read the entire thread so I'm not sure if you designated whether or not you wanted a dSLR or a point and shoot. If you are looking for a prosumer level point and shoot there are only two options (my opinion of course), those options would be the Canon G12 or the Nikon P7000. If you're looking for a good entry level dSLR then you can't beat the priceerformance ratio of the Canon Rebel T1i or Nikon D3100.

Cheers!