New camera

Hey all i am looking to get a new digital camera. I currenly have a cannon i belive it's like a l4 or something but im not to sure as im sitting in school.. It's a nice camera but i am looking for something a little less point and shoot. The reason being is that i am really getting into taking pictures of cars and other objects that attract my interest. And it being that i can get around a bit more now that im almost 17. I have a job but only make about 50 dollars a week 75 at the most and i have around 100 dollars saved up so far. What i really want is a nice camera no something huge but i dont want it to be so small that i lose it. also i would like that it can have interchangable lensses(sp?). So please give me your recommendations of what I should be saving up for and also please keep in mind my teenage budget. Thanks in advance.

Neil. M

Hi Neil - Your description of having interchangeable lenses and "less point and shoot" sounds like you're looking for a consumer-grade DLSR. Canon has the Rebel XTi, which was the follow-up to the Rebel. Both are excellent cameras. They will be over your budget, but you can get good deals on ebay. You'll be able to find better deals on the Rebel. New it's running about $700 in retail stores.

Hope that helps!

Well thank you for the quick response. Am i right in thinking then that DSLR is the top of the line cream of the crop camera. If so maybe im aiming to high as i still need to teach myself how to use a camera properly. But please keep the ideas coming

You might not need an dSLR. My first camera is a Canon S2 IS. Its a SLR type, but its point and shoot. It has full manual controls, 12x zoom, and excellent macro mode. I like to shoot cars too, and you can see some of my photos on my blog, gallery page. The link is in my sig.

The current model of my camera has been updated, the S3 IS, but its pretty much the same camera. I'm actually looking to sell my camera, if you are interested, details are here

StretchR is right - The S2 and S3 are also good cameras - you won't be able to change lenses, but if that's ok, then this would be a good next step. I had the S3, but I needed the zoom for baseball games, and there was a lot of noise in the photos at the high end. The XTi just works best for me.

The best way to learn how to use a camera is to use an SLR/DSLR. You can find really good deals on used dSLR's on fredmiranda.com in the buy and sell forum. You have to be registered to view buy/sell forum. I would suggest a Canon D60, 10D or Rebel XT. I saw a XT for $400 on the site, probably get a D60 or 10D for a little less than that.

Starting out with dSLR's requires a little more investment than a point and shoot, including purchasing a lens (unless the camera you buy comes with a lens - usually the kit lens, which would be good for a beginner). I would suggest buying a 50mm 1.8, they're cheap and sharp.

Save up some money and get a DSLR, it'll be worth it.

I got a Pentax K110d in January for less than $400, kit lens included, it is a great machine. If you are just starting it is a great option, if you want to keep using Canon, then you may want to check Adorama (www.adorama.com), they have some previous Revel models for less than $500. The Nikon D40 has also got great reviews and should cost you less than $600. Remember that if you get a dSLR you have to think a little ahead because of the lenses.

If you don't want to spend too much money you should look for a dSLR-like model, my personal favorite at that level is the Fujifilm S6000fd, with includes nice features like a 10x optical zoom, face detection and macro as close as 5cm.

If you want to get serious about photography your next camera MUST have an aperture priority, speed priority and manual modes. Check Photo.net for great tutorials and check Steve's Digicams for reviews and selections in each level.

Forget DSLR unless you can devote some decent funds to it.

Cheap lenses produce poor results for the most part. DSLR's are all about having good glass, building up a good set of lenses and then swapping camera bodies as and when you feel like an upgrade.

The cheapest way of learning DSLR would be something like a Canon 350d new or second hand, maybe a 300d and the firmware hack (makes it like a 10d). Then a 50mm f1.8 prime and later a 85mm f1.8 prime. Good zooms cost a fortune, you're better off with primes when you have no money to spend. Not having zoom makes you think more about composure and your legs are good for zooming

You can learn the basics of depth of field, aperture, shutter speed etc.. with a compact that has full manual control. The Fuji F30 is a good camera for low light and low noise at high ISO.

I agree with gilesjuk. If you don't have the money to go that route, dSLR are a disappointment when you can't afford decent lenses.

I made the mistake of buying a cheap 75-300mm lens and the colour aberation was very bad, not even editable in Photoshop (unless there are some tedious workarounds, the lens correction filter never really worked with the problem I had) and the softness was so bad, I found it difficult to view images at a bigger size than 33%, let alone print them on 8"x10" paper.

I saved my money for over a year to be able to afford the Canon 70-300mm IS lens and, while this one is much better than the previous one I used, it's still a far cry from an L series lens which I can't afford now and probably never will.

So if a good intermediary point&shoot meets your needs now, go for it. Some of them, like Stretch's model has manual settings and you can tinker with those and experiment. Learn how to shoot make mistakes and correct them and once you have a good grasp of photography and a decent amount of cash, then you can think of upgrading to dSLR. With dSLRs you really DO get what you pay for.

Yes you can buy used, but a very good lens will always cost a lot, used or not.

Not to mention the weight penalty of a DSLR, when you get up to the high end lenses they're expensive and heavy. That's ok for some, but the cumbersome nature means I rarely carry a camera unless I've planned to go shooting pics.

I've seen the results of a Fuji F30 vs a Canon 1Ds MK2, the Fuji was pretty fine given its measly size and megapixel count. Noise is the big problem with compacts and only Fuji appears to be winning the war against high ISO noise in the compact market.

well after looking at most of the camera's here it kinda looks like the best bet for me would be the canon s3 is.. ive looked it up and it looks about great and i agree with gilesjuk said.. my legs can be my zoom. Well if there are any more suggestions please let them come in

I am a novice photographer and have been teaching myself on a Canon S3. It is a great camera and also takes great video, which has come in handy, a bunch of times. it is great as a point and shoot at social gatherings or when I want to get a little "artsy" in my spare time. It also fits in a coat pocket so I can bring it most places. I would highly recommend this camera until taking the plunge into the world of DSLR's.

If low light performance is important I would go with the F30, flash photography always looks amateurish and harsh.

Check out the low noise at high ISO:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilmf30/page6.asp

Fuji make their own sensors (much like Canon do in their DSLRs).

I wasn't going to post anything in here, but what. If you're serious about getting into photography and sticking with it:

Nikon D40, used D50, or use Rebel or XT. There are some DSLR lenses that are fairly cheap in comparison and do a good job. If you're serious about getting into photography and sticking with it, this may be the way to go, because when you outgrow the next P&S you get and still want to get into photography, you're just going to be spending more money on a camera.

Canon 50mm f/1.8 $70
70-300mm f/5 about $150

with those two and a kit lens, you'll have a great kit and can do everything from sports to portrait to what ever...It is an investment, but that's also what's good about it.

Plus if you find a better job down the road, you'll have even more money to blow.

You can find a used Digital Rebel for $200-$300

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=279280&highlight=rebel
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=289425&highlight=rebel

i agree with gilesjuk. i started off buying a used canon 10D and i have spent more than $1000 in lenses, tripod, filters, and cleaning kits. i haven't invested in an 'L' lens or external flash yet but i plan to in the future. start off with a basic point and shoot camera and mess with the settings in manual, aperture priority, and shutter priority. play around with the shutter speed and aperture in manual mode. sure you are limited in zoom but so are most slr lenses... but most importantly if you want to learn, read more about it and practice.