Nikon or Canon...

[R/C Voodoo]

Looking at buying a new camera, what brand is user friendly for a novice?
What pixel would be best and so on. Thanks Jody

[spacegrrrl]

Re: Nikon or Canon...

What type of camera are you thinking?

I was going to go for a lower end digital SLR but in the end I opted for the high end Sony all in one "megazoom" when I really analyzed what I was going to use it for (for now it is fantastic, If I get more serious I'll move up to something better).

My new Sony Camera

I posted a link to all the photos I took at Reno. None were in the native format which is better but I am very pleased with it so far.

My Reno Photos

Spacegrrrl

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Nikon or Canon...

Looking at buying a new camera, what brand is user friendly for a novice?
What pixel would be best and so on. Thanks Jody

Hi Jody, im sure the other photog's like victor and wingman could chime in too, but from a sellers point of view, they say more pixels are better, but in reality, Pixels dont mean squat, you could have a 20 million pixel sensor but if the lens isnt a good one, then your pictures wont be good.
My advice as a seller of photographic equipment is go try cameras, work out what you are going to use the camera for, if you want a big zoom all in one or interchangable lenses. go put them in your hand and find what works for you.
Me i use a Sony SLR, it had the specs i wanted, in my price range and felt and worked the best for me.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Nikon or Canon...

I recommend spending at least $400 or more (sale price). Below that the lenses just aren't that great.

Though nice and acceptable, the pics from my $200 8-mp Canon A1000IS do not impress me as my old A-1 SLR film cam did. I plan on getting a Canon Rebel digital SLR someday. I've seen them as low as $500

HOWEVER, for really user friendly photography, you can't beat a quality pocket cam like one of the Canon Powershot units. Nikon has similar offerings, so it's just camera-type preference and price range to decide upon, not a brand nor megapixel issue. They all have plenty of the latter nowadays.

[RAD2LTR]

Re: Nikon or Canon...

I bought a Nikon D7000 back in February. 16.2 mp and I've shot some really good shots with it. I was really looking forward to using it at Reno this year. I think I've shot close to 10K frames since I bought it. Here is a pretty good review of the camera. To make a statement like " The D7000 is Nikons best DSLR ever" is a pretty bold statement. http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d7000.htm

I can use some of my old manual focus lenses with it, as well as anything new.

Will

[V1670]

Re: Nikon or Canon...

Blond or brunette, inline or radial. Mustang or Bearcat? Me, I'm a Nikon-guy, but I really think ANYTHING in a moderate price range will do well.
As suggested, try different models and see whch one suits your needs best. And, as mentioned, pixels won't do any good if you don't have the optics to capture it. Attached were shot with 200mm...I need more lens!

I've had Canon stuff in the past as well as Minolta and each had their own strong/weak points. Another point is the operator has a lot to do with capturing the image....technique counts for a lot.

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Nikon or Canon...

One other thing i forgot to mention, try and find the mom n pop photo store in your area, the big box stores with a 'photo department' will try to pigeon hole you into a brand of the month... ive seen it here in NZ, i went into one for a laugh at the end of the month, and got recommended one brand, 3 days later at the start of the new month i got the same sales guy, with the same list of what i wanted in a cam, and he pulled out a different brand first with the same line of "id go for this one, i have one of these cameras myself"
The other thing about mom n pop stores, is they want you to come back if you have problems and love to help you out with things, the box stores want you out the door and only want to see you again when you buy a new one

[R/C Voodoo]

Re: Nikon or Canon...

Thanks for all the info. I am looking to spend about 500 to 700 dollars. Jody

[arcticrail]

Re: Nikon or Canon...

Whatever it is...do your homework. Whether its a couple hundred or the $500-$700 you're considering, all little research goes a long way. There are too many websites to list that are objective in thier reviews and very useful. Steve's Digicam is just one of them.

Spend what you can and consider whether you want to swap lenses or stick with a high end point and shoot. That begins pointing you down a path.

As V1670 says, the good ones all have benefits...you just needs to find the one that works for you. I've shot Pentax, Olympus and Nikon film and currently use two Nikon digital SLR bodies. I like them but it's preference. The others are just as good.

Good Luck and post some photos up here when you have some!

Kenny

[RBriscoe]

Re: Nikon or Canon...

Your budget will determine what choices are realistic. Not that many of us, as amateurs, can afford to plop down the cash for a Nikon D3s or a Canon 1D MKIII.

In my experience, it is difficult to get decent action pix at an airshow with a point and shoot camera that does not have a viewfinder. In bright light the image on most LCDs on the back of the camera simply disappears. Framing at arm's length is difficult as well. And then there is the matter of frame rates. Very few P&S cameras have a frame rate that is desirable to catch the right image of an aircraft making a high speed pass. Static displays are a different matter though.

Some DSLRs, even though nice little cameras (e.g. Nikon's D40) lack the frame rate to do the things I wanted.

Like one of the other posters, I have a Nikon D7k and like it, though it has some limitations due to a small buffer capacity when shooting in RAW. I do not have experience with Canon's current offerings, though I have seen the work done with them and they are fine cameras as well. It seems that there is a Chevy vs. Ford type of divide between many Nikon and Canon users. Personal preference plays a large role. What fits my hands may not fit yours and so on. You need to spend some time going to various shops and trying them to see what fits you and which menu/control system makes more sense to you.

Please be aware that there is a steep learning curve with any of the DSLRs to gain sufficient familiarity with them to fully exploit their capabilities. That said, many of them do remarkably well when set to the program mode where the camera makes the decisions about shutter speed and aperture. But be aware that prop driven aircraft require a slower shutter speed to keep some blur to the prop.

I would suggest trying to select the lenses you prefer and go from there. There is also the complication these days about the organizers of airshows having different implementations of TSA regulations about the prohibition of backpacks at airshows. Some just want to look in your camera bag and don't worry a lot about whether it hangs from one should or two and some others are really quite picky.

You might do some looking on the various photography web sites, such as DPReview and others which have reviews of a wide variety of cameras.

[TomL]

Re: Nikon or Canon...

Just one other thing to add. If you can, hold at least the camera body in your hands (it's better if you also have a lens on it that is close to the size/weight that you want to use in the case of an SLR).
I find that some of the bodies don't fit my hand well. I was just using a friends new Nikon this weekend and my palm kept hitting the 4-way switch and changing the focus points. The newest Canon Rebel is too 'short' and my pinky and ring finger are both off the body and it's uncomfortable to hold for very long. I prefer the slightly heavier and larger bodies just for the feel and fit.
Since everyone's hands are different, it's really a personal issue that you just have to try for youself to see if it's an issue or not.
Tom