Compact or DSLR? (Panasonic TZ7 or Nikon D3000)


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lccwinson

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Nov 5, 2009
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Hi,

I wish to change a new camera for better quality picture. Now in my mind don't know should I need to buy Nikon D3000 DSLR or compact TZ7?
Any comment?

:confused:
 

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What are your other requirements other than better image quality?
What is your budget?
What kind of pictures do you take mostly? What do you shoot?

We can't read your mind. You have to give more info.
 

do u mean...better pictures in terms of composition? haha attend a class/borrow book more useful.

anyway to ans ur question. in terms of IQ dslr will be better than compact as DSLR have larger senor than compact = less noise,etc,etc,etc
 

I mostly snap scenery, portrait, close up, & family(with my kids) photo..
Beside, I like to snap night scenery view.. i prefer the colorful light in my picture...Sometime compact camera will cause the pic look blur if without using tripod.

But with the technology now... like IA the compact camera now become more smarter auto right?
Some more TZ7 provide nice photo without any setting and with video recoding..

I also plan to learn the DSLR camera. I keen want to know more about how the combination of speed and aparture work to produce a great photo.
I know D3000 is good for new extry point.

My budget is around SGD1000

The problem come here is.. TZ7 will bring me easy for using + smaller but can't learn more in deep.
Nikon D3000 no video recording, no live view but can learn the basic knowledge of quality photo....
 

haha...u are in a dilema created by yourself.
consider prosumer la. lx3
 

hmmmm...i own a d3000. it's lightweight enough...i carry it around with a neoprene camera wrap when i'm going out.
being old- fashioned, i prefer not to have live- view, since its a dslr.
being old- fashioned again, i prefer a camera without a video recording capabilities.
the thing is, for dslr, you will tend to buy other lenses other than your kit lens & other accessories...more money spend along the way.

as previously mentioned by wildsoyabean, you can consider a prosumer camera to fulfill all your needs- lightweight, video recording, shutter speed, & aperture...for me, its the canon G11. i take it with me for parties, travel & days when its troublesome to lug a big bag around.
 

I mostly snap scenery, portrait, close up, & family(with my kids) photo..
Beside, I like to snap night scenery view.. i prefer the colorful light in my picture...Sometime compact camera will cause the pic look blur if without using tripod.


Are these the kind of pictures you like to shoot?

3597262583_2718b45ca9.jpg


3597262791_3eca105071.jpg


3623781865_64c3901c7b.jpg



I suggest you learn how to use a proper post processing software like Photoshop or Lightroom first. Then, start to experiment with your current PnS camera. Read sites on composition, and understand about photography. If you do not know the basics, a DSLR will not help as much as you think. You can start reading here: http://photoinf.com/General/KODAK/guidelines_for_better_photographic_composition.html

Once you start to hit a wall, where you get frustrated with the hardware you have, not allowing you to do a setting or get the results you want. You are ready to move to the next step.

The pictures above, by the way, are shot using an almost 5 year old 5MP pocket sized digital camera. It is not one of the best cams available at that time too. I bought it because it was small and the shell is all stainless steel - Fuji finepix F450. And yes, all the pictures you see here are post processed with Lightroom or Photoshop. Let me know if you want to know the techniques I used to shoot the night pics (without tripod).
 

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I mostly snap scenery, portrait, close up, & family(with my kids) photo..
Beside, I like to snap night scenery view.. i prefer the colorful light in my picture...Sometime compact camera will cause the pic look blur if without using tripod.

But with the technology now... like IA the compact camera now become more smarter auto right?
Some more TZ7 provide nice photo without any setting and with video recoding..

I also plan to learn the DSLR camera. I keen want to know more about how the combination of speed and aparture work to produce a great photo.
I know D3000 is good for new extry point.

My budget is around SGD1000

The problem come here is.. TZ7 will bring me easy for using + smaller but can't learn more in deep.
Nikon D3000 no video recording, no live view but can learn the basic knowledge of quality photo....

Compact cameras come with a smaller sensor size as compared to dSLRs, hence if your problem is blur photos, I think a larger sensor size (dSLRs) helps, at least it did for me. :)
 

Compact cameras come with a smaller sensor size as compared to dSLRs, hence if your problem is blur photos, I think a larger sensor size (dSLRs) helps, at least it did for me. :)

There are many reasons to blur pictures.

When taking pictures in low light, blur is usually due to camera shake caused by too slow a shutter speed or bad technique. It is not directly related to sensor size. Actually, the larger sensor helps with lower noise levels, translating to better high iso performance. better iso performance gives you the option to lower the shutter time needed with more sensitivity in the sensor while keep noise lower.

If you have a camera mounted to a stable tripod or set on a stable surface, large or small sensor will both give you sharp pictures.
 

Are these the kind of pictures you like to shoot?
The pictures above, by the way, are shot using an almost 5 year old 5MP pocket sized digital camera. It is not one of the best cams available at that time too. I bought it because it was small and the shell is all stainless steel - Fuji finepix F450. And yes, all the pictures you see here are post processed with Lightroom or Photoshop. Let me know if you want to know the techniques I used to shoot the night pics (without tripod).

Daredevil, thank for you comment and useful link. For the beginner start, I need to read more book relates and useful tutorial in WWW.
Yes, I like to take this kind of view. I normally will use the tripod. Sometime when lazy bring along the tripod I will use my both hand as tripod but I need to try a few times to get the clear view. Too bad for my skill.. :embrass:

Can share your technique shooting night view without using your tripod? Very appreciate...
Thanks....
 

Go ahead to buy the D3000. You get good pictures and you learn photography.

If you are still not sure, buy a 2nd hand D40 with a 18-55mm kit lens at around $500 or less. You will not be lonely with this camera. There are many articles on D40 and a large community sharing experience. You will learn very fast.
 

Go ahead to buy the D3000. You get good pictures and you learn photography.

If you are still not sure, buy a 2nd hand D40 with a 18-55mm kit lens at around $500 or less. You will not be lonely with this camera. There are many articles on D40 and a large community sharing experience. You will learn very fast.

Ya, After think twice .. My final decision is choose DSLR Camera.
Now come across choosing the DSLR Camera.

Nikon D3000 & Canon EOS D1000, both DSLR pricing very near. Cost around 860 -900.
Which one is better? :embrass:
 

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I had make a final decision. I will go into DSLR.
Now in my mind have 2 type DSLR is under my budget $1000 (Canon EOS D1000 & Nikon D3000) Which one is good?

The pricing is very near... around SGD 860 -900
 

Daredevil, thank for you comment and useful link. For the beginner start, I need to read more book relates and useful tutorial in WWW.
Yes, I like to take this kind of view. I normally will use the tripod. Sometime when lazy bring along the tripod I will use my both hand as tripod but I need to try a few times to get the clear view. Too bad for my skill.. :embrass:

Can share your technique shooting night view without using your tripod? Very appreciate...
Thanks....

This is the camera I used for these shots:
A0389399.jpg


For pic #1, I was at the bund in shanghai. I did not have a tripod and the weather is a little fog and very cold (winter). I selected the landscape mode (so aperture will be small). Then I found a small flat brick ledge/wall. I balanced the camera on the flat side. Then I adjusted the view using 2 10cent coins as props. Once the angle is ok, I make sure the camera sits stable. I then set timer mode to 10s. Hit the shutter. After 10 seconds, the camera fire off and after a few seconds, the picture is taken. Long exposure with no tripod and no shake.

For pic #2 and #3, I switched to ISO400, since anything above that will be extremely noisy. Select "Portrait mode" to make the aperture bigger. Use 2 hands to hold the camera, elbows tuck into body, hold very still, hold my breadth and shot the picture.

All the pics I run through Photoshop, crop a little to ASP-C ratio size, adujsted curves for better contrast, boost vibrance (saturation) a little, and run noise reduction. After that, I resize to a small size, and apply "unsharp mask" filter to sharpen the pics. And the posted pics are the results you see. (I added in a signature logo in as well too).

Just know this, if you want pics not to be blur, you must try to achieve 2 things:
1. Camera must be as stable as possible. Better posture, or put on a solid surface or tripod.
2. Shutter speed must be as fast as possible. You want the aperture to be bigger, ISO to be higher.

If you are sure your camera is very stable (on a tripod or on a rock solid surface), you can go for long exposure to get good night lights effect. But make sure you use your camera timer so the camera shake caused by your finger hitting the shutter button is negated.

I also have one of these kind of mini tripods that fit into my pocket. It is the size of 3 ball point pens. Works very well. Better than nothing. Cost a few dollars, and I got mine for free.
TRIPOD-MINI.jpg
 

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yes good choice

a dslr is faster overall and will help in shooting kids
as to which dslr to choose, only you can answer that

go to the shops and hold them in your hands, one will feel right
all are capable cameras.
 

I had make a final decision. I will go into DSLR.
Now in my mind have 2 type DSLR is under my budget $1000 (Canon EOS D1000 & Nikon D3000) Which one is good?

The pricing is very near... around SGD 860 -900

Look at the Sony A230 DSLR kit. RRP is SGD 699. Price drop recently. Very very worth it.

And don't forget the new Pentax K-m. And the Olympus too.
 

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