Advice for Newbie...DSLR or Compact?


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ian3105

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Oct 14, 2009
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hello all,
need advice on DSLR and compact.

What's the dif and which is better for capturing kids images?

i am totally new and currently only using canon IXUS 860...

hope to be able to have some advice...:)
 

hello all,
need advice on DSLR and compact.

What's the dif and which is better for capturing kids images?

i am totally new and currently only using canon IXUS 860...

hope to be able to have some advice...:)
I have both a DSLR and a compact. When I go on a holiday, its the compact that I bring. DSLR has all the things you would wish for but the main draw back is the weight and is bulky. Some cameras like the new Fuji FinePix F200 EXR is almost as good as a DSLR in terms of clarity and colour. It is cheap to own and simple to use. The other important thing is cheap enough to replace when it is damaged by kids.

Many others will argue that DSLR is better because it has this and that. But at the end of the day you only wanted to snap some candid shots of the kids. What could be simpler than using a compact? Some would even use a camera phone.

There's a old saying...it's not the camera that takes good photos but the person behind it.

That's my two cents worth.
 

hi hotwork77,

yes, i agree with you...and worse is, i am always the one taking the pics, not my husband..so i cant imagine bringing DSLR and handling, chasing my boy...was actually thinking of canon G10...now looking at Nikon...any other good compact you will reco? not too ex of coz...
 

Buy a DSLR if you are interested and more serious about photography.

I have learnt a lot from my Nikon D50 and D80. It is all about control.

Then when u go back to a consumer level compact, you will realise that the lack of control is stifling.

Either that or go for prosumer compacts like the Sigma D2, Olympus EP 1, Panasonic G1, Ricoh GR III, Canon G11.

Wow, so many choices for u. Spend wisely.
 

hi Moby,

wow...more and more choices...what is prosumer compact? professional compact? sorry, am totally NEW to photography..

just wish to capture good moments for my boy or any event.

but of coz, not too 'deep' for me..
 

I think the main issue here in comparing DLSRs to compacts in relation to taking candid (c/f posed) pictures is not about colour or clarity but speed.

Kids are always moving about, so a compact (PnS) may not be fast enough to capture moving kids especially in low/indoor light situations.

One of the reasons why I ditched my canon G10 because it simply wasn't fast enough in lower light conditions, something a simple entry level DSLR would have little problems with. Ended up with blurry pics.

Plus some (if not most) entry level DSLRs are known to be light and unobtrusive e.g. D40 and cheap too (e.g. a high level PnS around 600-800, around the price of an entry level DSLR)
 

start off with something like panasonic lx3.
it has manual controls as well as auto controls...
also has hotshoe for external flash.
it has a fast len too :)
 

hi Fixie,

thats what my friend told me. and she recommended D40 to me, saying price is not much of dif and faster speed....

but thousand and above is really too much for me ...so the D40 kit will do ? or do i need to keep buying lens ? arrggg...actually, i do not really know why are there so many dif kind of lens..for zooming i assume..
 

hi hotwork77,

yes, i agree with you...and worse is, i am always the one taking the pics, not my husband..so i cant imagine bringing DSLR and handling, chasing my boy...was actually thinking of canon G10...now looking at Nikon...any other good compact you will reco? not too ex of coz...

DO NOT GET THE G10!! sorry for the caps but I cannot emphasize this enough especially if you want to take pics of your boy. I sold mine off for various reasons including those below.

1) It is as heavy if not heavier than entry level DSLRS.
2) It is not fast enough to capture your kids moving/running around unless in bright/outdoor lighting conditions. You will end up with blurry pics.
 

If budget is not a concern, u might wanna consider getting the micro 4/3 dslrs like Olympus E-P1. Its a dslr but having the size of a compact. Very cute too, to see a dslr so small sized lol

Or u can get a beginner dslr like Sony a330. Its one of the lightest dslr around, and it has a very good auto mode as well as guide mode, so beginners can still take stunning pics with it. But they're much bigger sized than compacts though.
 

hi ljnek,

is it a DSLR or compact? so many brands and models...have to drop by electrical shop to feel each of them...
 

haha...Fixie..thanks for your advice...ok, G10 will be out of my list...you are not the only one who say NO! to G10...
 

If budget is not a concern, u might wanna consider getting the micro 4/3 dslrs like Olympus E-P1. Its a dslr but having the size of a compact. Very cute too, to see a dslr so small sized lol

Or u can get a beginner dslr like Sony a330. Its one of the lightest dslr around, and it has a very good auto mode as well as guide mode, so beginners can still take stunning pics with it. But they're much bigger sized than compacts though.

haha...okie...will take a look at the Olympus E-P1. am not very big size..so the smaller the better..haha
 

hi Fixie,

thats what my friend told me. and she recommended D40 to me, saying price is not much of dif and faster speed....

but thousand and above is really too much for me ...so the D40 kit will do ? or do i need to keep buying lens ? arrggg...actually, i do not really know why are there so many dif kind of lens..for zooming i assume..

If you MAINLY want to take pics of your boy, yes D40 kit would be enough. No need to buy any more lenses. Its been discontinued but if I'm not wrong one or two places may still be selling it, check the Nikon thread. Or theres always the internet.

If not fussy about brand:

Pentax K-M ~ $800
Sony a230 ~ $700
 

hi Fixie,

thats what my friend told me. and she recommended D40 to me, saying price is not much of dif and faster speed....

but thousand and above is really too much for me ...so the D40 kit will do ? or do i need to keep buying lens ? arrggg...actually, i do not really know why are there so many dif kind of lens..for zooming i assume..

If you MAINLY want to take pics of your boy, yes D40 kit would be enough. No need to buy any more lenses. Its been discontinued but if I'm not wrong one or two places may still be selling it, check the Nikon thread. Or theres always the internet.

If not fussy about brand:

Pentax K-M ~ $800
Sony a230 ~ $700
 

The Title reminds me of one advertisement

It's not DSLR, It's not Compact, It's a PEN... :D
 

If you MAINLY want to take pics of your boy, yes D40 kit would be enough. No need to buy any more lenses. Its been discontinued but if I'm not wrong one or two places may still be selling it, check the Nikon thread. Or theres always the internet.

If not fussy about brand:

Pentax K-M ~ $800
Sony a230 ~ $700

not fussy about brand..its the quality that matters..will find out about the Pentax K-M ~ $800 and Sony a230 ~ $700
 

if you intend to get the d40, try to at least get the body only and the 18-55mm vr (d60 kit lens).

the vr does help in some ways as in you will get a higher chance of shots worth keeping.
 

The Title reminds me of one advertisement

It's not DSLR, It's not Compact, It's a PEN... :D

yah, was just reading about the EP-1 ...

loooks good.....wonder is it ex?
 

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