- Joined
- Feb 27, 2006
- Messages
- 201
Hi. I'm going on a trip at the end of June that may be once in a life time and I've been having fears of my digital point and shoot which I really love dieing on me. That and I think I want something with a good telephoto (going on an Alaskan cruise) I have a film slr and have been thinking about a digital one for some time now.
but I can't find anything that makes sense. My point in shoot does GREAT MACRO shots - but everything I've seen for dSLRs has the min focus (at widest lens setting) at 9" which isn't a macro shot IMHO.
Now I want to preface this by saying I don't want people to go "oh hey canon or nikon make great cameras" or something like that. I KNOW that already. I'm looking for a specific camera model recommendation - one that you have used or are currently using - so you KNOW that the camera does what I'm looking for.
Trust me I've done the google searches and looked at camera specs online. My next step is to go to a camera store - but I wanted to ask non-biased people because camera stores will push their fav brands that they want to sell you.
Here is what I'm looking for:
* price range, under 1k if possible - will go up to 1500 if needed to get options I want. Not a pro camera but not a cheapy one either.
*Camera kit with two lens - wide angle (18-20 to about 50-55 and a 50-200 or so telephoto).
* MUST: when camera is at widest angle and MACRO is on - can put camera 3-4 INCHS away from subject and take in focus picture. I see wonderful pics from cameras of flowers etc that look like they are that close, but then when I look at the specs it says the closest it can focus is 9" (unless - they aren't considering turning the "macro" function on when they make those specs?)
* Must - want a telephoto for long shots. Good optical zoom . I'd LOVE digital zoom as well - after all these are supposed to be digital cameras. But the one's I've looked at don't have it. ??? Maybe because it's SLR and not a built in lens? - so good zoom is must but digital zoom would be a nice to have.
* Must have a separate viewfinder other then the LCD screen. sometimes when your outside you can't see SQUAT in the screen. Also -I want the view finder to be THROUGH THE LENS like my film camera is. so no cutting part of the picture off because what I'm seeing is not really what the camera is taking. I know many dSLRs have this - BUT some I've tried in the past seem to do an either or. That is, I can use the LCD screen, but see nothing in the viewfinder. then I hit a button and it switches it. and the view finder is obviously just a mini lcd screen! (ie digital display)
NO I want something like my film camera. I think a few digital ones have this. This means if the camera is OFF and - I don't have a lens cap on... I can look through the view finder.
* MUST - A bulb setting. yes I know with digital leaving the bulb open for extended lengths of time will cause visual "noise" - but I want to have that option. not just settings that change the shutter speed (though that's a GIVEN with a SLR) - but a hold the shutter open as long as you want to bulb setting (you know for catching lightning, metors etc.)
note, certian things are assumed to be true of all SLRs digital or otherwise, if not, let me know.
* full manual and full auto controls, easy switch between the two. include auto focus if you want or manual focus.
* partial manual - that is camera pics app. opening, you pick speed or vice versa.
* ability to add a AC adapter
* ability to add various filters to lens.
* an area to plug in a remote shutter relise. If it's capible of wireless shutter release then it must have the option to do wired if the shooter wants that.
* macro (the flower)/portrate and landscape settings.
* panoramic.
would be nice if it was capable of small sizes as well. Seems like these big megapixil cams have lost the ability to shoot in web format (640 x 800 I think)
would be nice if it had video but not necc. If it does - it would be nice if you could take a video and edit it (with the camera) to make part of the video a printable picture. - (ie video lightning)
Ok that's all I can think of. Let me know what your camera(s) can do!
thanks!
- Sharon
but I can't find anything that makes sense. My point in shoot does GREAT MACRO shots - but everything I've seen for dSLRs has the min focus (at widest lens setting) at 9" which isn't a macro shot IMHO.
Now I want to preface this by saying I don't want people to go "oh hey canon or nikon make great cameras" or something like that. I KNOW that already. I'm looking for a specific camera model recommendation - one that you have used or are currently using - so you KNOW that the camera does what I'm looking for.
Trust me I've done the google searches and looked at camera specs online. My next step is to go to a camera store - but I wanted to ask non-biased people because camera stores will push their fav brands that they want to sell you.
Here is what I'm looking for:
* price range, under 1k if possible - will go up to 1500 if needed to get options I want. Not a pro camera but not a cheapy one either.
*Camera kit with two lens - wide angle (18-20 to about 50-55 and a 50-200 or so telephoto).
* MUST: when camera is at widest angle and MACRO is on - can put camera 3-4 INCHS away from subject and take in focus picture. I see wonderful pics from cameras of flowers etc that look like they are that close, but then when I look at the specs it says the closest it can focus is 9" (unless - they aren't considering turning the "macro" function on when they make those specs?)
* Must - want a telephoto for long shots. Good optical zoom . I'd LOVE digital zoom as well - after all these are supposed to be digital cameras. But the one's I've looked at don't have it. ??? Maybe because it's SLR and not a built in lens? - so good zoom is must but digital zoom would be a nice to have.
* Must have a separate viewfinder other then the LCD screen. sometimes when your outside you can't see SQUAT in the screen. Also -I want the view finder to be THROUGH THE LENS like my film camera is. so no cutting part of the picture off because what I'm seeing is not really what the camera is taking. I know many dSLRs have this - BUT some I've tried in the past seem to do an either or. That is, I can use the LCD screen, but see nothing in the viewfinder. then I hit a button and it switches it. and the view finder is obviously just a mini lcd screen! (ie digital display)
NO I want something like my film camera. I think a few digital ones have this. This means if the camera is OFF and - I don't have a lens cap on... I can look through the view finder.
* MUST - A bulb setting. yes I know with digital leaving the bulb open for extended lengths of time will cause visual "noise" - but I want to have that option. not just settings that change the shutter speed (though that's a GIVEN with a SLR) - but a hold the shutter open as long as you want to bulb setting (you know for catching lightning, metors etc.)
note, certian things are assumed to be true of all SLRs digital or otherwise, if not, let me know.
* full manual and full auto controls, easy switch between the two. include auto focus if you want or manual focus.
* partial manual - that is camera pics app. opening, you pick speed or vice versa.
* ability to add a AC adapter
* ability to add various filters to lens.
* an area to plug in a remote shutter relise. If it's capible of wireless shutter release then it must have the option to do wired if the shooter wants that.
* macro (the flower)/portrate and landscape settings.
* panoramic.
would be nice if it was capable of small sizes as well. Seems like these big megapixil cams have lost the ability to shoot in web format (640 x 800 I think)
would be nice if it had video but not necc. If it does - it would be nice if you could take a video and edit it (with the camera) to make part of the video a printable picture. - (ie video lightning)
Ok that's all I can think of. Let me know what your camera(s) can do!
thanks!
- Sharon