Need help choosing a camera (dslr content)

[Joeytpg]

Hello guys, I need some advice.

Me and my girlfriend are looking for a new camera. She wants a dslr type of camera, or at least a camera that has a big lens so that she can take god pictures of landscapes, outdoor photography (since she's an architec specialized in landscape). She also takes a lot of macro pics (very zoomed pics of flowers, trees, etc.

Now, she's no expert, far from it, neither am I. We cannot even call ourselves amateour photographers, because we're not. we're just two people wanting to move upward and leave the digital camera world.

We won't be printing any of those pictures (maybe print a few for an album or whatnot), we will mostly see them in the computer, share them with friends, facebook, online photo albums, and the ocassional print for one of my girlfriend's jobs.

Video: we make a lot of "fun 5 to 10 minute videos when we go out partying and to the beach etc... so we want it to have decent video recording capabilities.

We need something "cheap" and by cheap, I mean less than $500.

We saw the Canon Eos Rebel K2, but we don't know anything about dslr cameras, so we need some guidance.

We like Canon and Nikon as our prefered brands.

What do you guys recommend?

 

[Father Jack]

Ask twenty people and you will probably get as many different suggestions.

Canon and Nikon are the top two. Make a short list and make sure you handle the ones you have short listed at your local camera store.

I would suggest Canon, but then I biased, I've used Canon cameras for fifty years ..

 

[Joeytpg]

Which Canon would you recommend?

 

[ChrisA]

Me and my girlfriend are looking for a new camera. She wants a dslr type of camera, o......

What do you guys recommend?

None of the SLR camera will do video. Get a video camera for that

Second. To make an informed decision you will need to learn a little bit about
lenses. And SLR system is more then just an SLR body. You need a lens and from what you are saying likely two of them. You said "big lens" but then "architecture" which implies a wide angle lens. Macro photography means another type of lens. That the whloe point of an SLR system you can use the correct lens for the job. For most beginners I'd say just buy the "kit lens" but you seem to have some very specific shots in mind that are mildly specialized. So you really do need to learn just a bit about lenses if you want those shots.

Yes Canon and Nikon are the two leaders. First step is to design on the kit of equipment you might want in one to five years then look at which company has it and maybe add up the prices of a body a few lenses and a flash. Decide if you care about long term cost or the cost go the first step. Next set a budget. Once you have a brand and a budget your decision is made.

 

[miloblithe]

I don't think you should buy a DSLR. Keep in mind, no DSLR can shoot video, and none record audio. The Canon EOS Rebel K2 is also a film camera, which clearly isn't what you want.

What do you think of a camera like this:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfz50/

It's a "bridge" camera. If offers some of the manual control and features of a DSLR, but it's "all-in-one" like a point-and-shoot (although it has a flash hot shoe).

 

[timnosenzo]

We saw the Canon Eos Rebel K2, but we don't know anything about dslr cameras, so we need some guidance.

Well, the Rebel K2 is actually a 35mm FILM camera, not a digital camera.

That said, you may not need a DSLR for what you want to do. Many smaller cameras do Macro photography very well without having to buy additional lenses or anything. Also, many higher end point & shoot camera do their best work outside with plenty of light, which sounds like what you're going to be doing, so it may be plenty for you.

I'd check out a Canon G9--nice camera, lots of features, under $500.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/518209-REG/Canon_2082B001_PowerShot_G9_Digital_Camera.html

 

[Father Jack]

A good point and shoot compact will give you video / audio as well as a macro facility and will take decent photos as well. Consider the Leica or Panasonic Lumix. Canon and Nikon also have a good range of compacts at reasonable prices.

 

[squeeks]

Which Canon would you recommend?

new canons are coming in a couple of months