New Camera Suggestions

[whatthe_fuzz]

My budget is below $300USD. I dont like the small compact "coolpix" style cameras. They feel cheap to me. I like the grippage on beefier cameras.

This will mainly be for random shots of who knows what.

Thanks guys

[WoodenMarker]

I don't know much about cameras but can anyone tell me if this is decent for the price? 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1K50YU6524&nm_mc=EMC-GD090213&cm_mmc=EMC-GD090213-_-index-_-Item-_-9SIA1K50YU6524&

[CaptainSi]

I think Nikon's D3100 is the best ~$300 camera you'll come across. You'll have to dig around to get it below $300 but if you can get it, it's a great place to start. Good luck man!

[Hans Christian | Teri]

You will not get a good camera for that kind of money. If you don't like the feel of a cheap camera, you should also realise that you have to spend a bit of money.

[whatthe_fuzz]

I don't know much about cameras but can anyone tell me if this is decent for the price? 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA1K50YU6524&nm_mc=EMC-GD090213&cm_mmc=EMC-GD090213-_-index-_-Item-_-9SIA1K50YU6524&

 

I like it! It reminds me of the samsung smart cameras

 

I think Nikon's D3100 is the best ~$300 camera you'll come across. You'll have to dig around to get it below $300 but if you can get it, it's a great place to start. Good luck man!

 

Its a tad outta my range atm but if it drops down a bit I'll definitely consider one!

 

You will not get a good camera for that kind of money. If you don't like the feel of a cheap camera, you should also realise that you have to spend a bit of money.

Thanks for the advice

[Exotath]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830111474

 

I was looking at this today as a beginner camera. Completely new to 'photography' and this seemed to have good reviews.

Considering the price point and lens it appears to be a good break in. Thoughts?

[CaptainSi]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830111474

 

I was looking at this today as a beginner camera. Completely new to 'photography' and this seemed to have good reviews.

Considering the price point and lens it appears to be a good break in. Thoughts?

Pentax Q is well under $300 on Amazon at the moment, go for that if you can. You'll be forced to think much more creatively and will gain a better appreciation for photography with the Q, especially with the unique range of toy lenses exclusive to it.

http://www.us.ricoh-imaging.com/hybrid/Q_Black

http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-Black-Standard-Zoom-Lens/dp/B007SQB896

[Exotath]

Wow, thank you so much for pointing this out. It looks fantastic.

 

People seem to like it more now than they did in 2011, because of the price drop it seems.

[Exotath]

What do you think of the Samsung NX1000?

http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/samsung_nx1000_review/conclusion/

[whatthe_fuzz]

Pentax Q is well under $300 on Amazon at the moment, go for that if you can. You'll be forced to think much more creatively and will gain a better appreciation for photography with the Q, especially with the unique range of toy lenses exclusive to it.

http://www.us.ricoh-imaging.com/hybrid/Q_Black

http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-Black-Standard-Zoom-Lens/dp/B007SQB896

 

 

what about these?

 

Nikon Coolpix P520

 

Canon PowerShot SX500

 

vs the Samsung NX1000 mentioned? 

 

i was looking at the NX1000 and really like it but i dont know how great it is versus the powershot.  i have fairly large hands so im afraid the NX100 and the SX500 will feel too small.

[CaptainSi]

what about these?

 

Nikon Coolpix P520

 

Canon PowerShot SX500

 

vs the Samsung NX1000 mentioned? 

 

i was looking at the NX1000 and really like it but i dont know how great it is versus the powershot.  i have fairly large hands so im afraid the NX100 and the SX500 will feel too small.

Firstly, it's kind of hard to talk about cameras on a computer forum as cameras aren't parallel in terms of specs to expected performance like computers (i.e. with a computer you can expect that x cpu with x gpu clocked at x speed will give you x results, whereas camera specs are basically worthless, i.e. a higher megapixel count, higher iso sensitivity or higher video bitrate don't at all translate to better images/video), so my first advice is when choosing a camera is look at sample images that each camera spits out and disregard specs completely. Features, however, is a different story. For example, a camera that includes a flash, hotshoe, dual card slots, focus peaking and good burst rates at the same price point is obviously a more entitcing buy than a point and shoot without those features, providing the image quality is where you want it to be. After grasping that, you need to decide what's important to you. If you need a hotshoe, get the NX1000, and if you need a crazy zoom range, get the Nikon, etc.

I personally would get the Pentax Q above any of these cameras if you can get it at the ~$240 price point (50% off retail) on Amazon at the moment. Because it has full manual controls and interchangable lenses you'll learn more about how cameras work, and how changes you make before image capture effect the end result. It also doesn't have the horrible muddy look that point and shoots like the three above have. When you can grasp photography on a technical level you'll appreciate it much more, and hopefully realise it can be used for more than documentation.

Also, disregard the size thing. It's a camera, not a computer mouse - you only handle it for minutes at a time and then sling it over your shoulder or whatever and move to your next shot.

[Exotath]

I understand now, just hard deciphering what is still a point and shoot....and what isn't. NX1000 looked like it wasn't. Appreciate the help.

[whatthe_fuzz]

Firstly, it's kind of hard to talk about cameras on a computer forum as cameras aren't parallel in terms of specs to expected performance like computers (i.e. with a computer you can expect that x cpu with x gpu clocked at x speed will give you x results, whereas camera specs are basically worthless, i.e. a higher megapixel count, higher iso sensitivity or higher video bitrate don't at all translate to better images/video), so my first advice is when choosing a camera is look at sample images that each camera spits out and disregard specs completely. Features, however, is a different story. For example, a camera that includes a flash, hotshoe, dual card slots, focus peaking and good burst rates at the same price point is obviously a more entitcing buy than a point and shoot without those features, providing the image quality is where you want it to be. After grasping that, you need to decide what's important to you. If you need a hotshoe, get the NX1000, and if you need a crazy zoom range, get the Nikon, etc.

I personally would get the Pentax Q above any of these cameras if you can get it at the ~$240 price point (50% off retail) on Amazon at the moment. Because it has full manual controls and interchangable lenses you'll learn more about how cameras work, and how changes you make before image capture effect the end result. It also doesn't have the horrible muddy look that point and shoots like the three above have. When you can grasp photography on a technical level you'll appreciate it much more, and hopefully realise it can be used for more than documentation.

Also, disregard the size thing. It's a camera, not a computer mouse - you only handle it for minutes at a time and then sling it over your shoulder or whatever and move to your next shot.

 

thank you this was pretty darn helpful! do you have the pentax?

 

 

EDIT: CaptainSi, i went in to BestBuy today to paroose and get a feel and test out the picture quality of a few cameras and the Canon P520 struck my eye. so i started looking around and then came across the D3100. really love the D3100 but it definitely changed my choices.

 

i figured if i can get a pretty darn good DSLR in the $400 range i'd be happy

 

i was looking at this (D3200 off eBay) and this (D3100 from B&H)

 

i really like the option of 1080p @ 30FPS on the D3200. thats what drew me away from the Rebel T3. 

 

what are your thoughts?

[CaptainSi]

thank you this was pretty darn helpful! do you have the pentax?

 

 

EDIT: CaptainSi, i went in to BestBuy today to paroose and get a feel and test out the picture quality of a few cameras and the Canon P520 struck my eye. so i started looking around and then came across the D3100. really love the D3100 but it definitely changed my choices.

 

i figured if i can get a pretty darn good DSLR in the $400 range i'd be happy

 

i was looking at this (D3200 off eBay) and this (D3100 from B&H)

 

i really like the option of 1080p @ 30FPS on the D3200. thats what drew me away from the Rebel T3. 

 

what are your thoughts?

I think this -

 

I think Nikon's D3100 is the best ~$300 camera you'll come across. You'll have to dig around to get it below $300 but if you can get it, it's a great place to start. Good luck man!

Yes, I have the Pentax. I carry it with me everywhere and it is my favourite camera. Sure, I have a proper camera rig for professional use but I'm not hipster enough to lug that around my neck all day long. Still, it's not fair to call the Pentax the "best" camera, as the D3100 is leagues ahead of it for image quality, which is the only fair judgement I can make in a camera suggestion thread.

Get the D3100, learn it, and enjoy it man. I think Canon's 1100D's and 600D's are absolute garbage so I'm glad you've settled with these entry level Nikon DSLRs instead. I also don't think the D3200 is worth the extra cost. I would use the saved money and invest in a nice prime lens down the road, or spend it on extra batteries, memory cards, filters, all that fun stuff.