I think it is time to invest in a new camera. I bought my current camera in 2004, so it's done me very well, but it's starting to get a bit old. The battery goes flat very quickly and I'm finding my photos limited by what I'm able to make it do (particularly inside shots). So, I am asking for some advise or suggestions when it comes to cameras these days.
The only problem is, I have no idea what I want, I just know I want to take better pictures. My current camera is VERY limited in low light situations and taking photos outside, and the flash really washes things out. Most of my photos are taken for my blog, so photos of finished garments and quilts, and detail and in progress shots. Realistically a lot of the photos will be taken inside, which I know isn't ideal but is the way things are. I'd also like to take more photos of other things too though, which having a nicer camera might help with.
What camera do you have? Do you like it? Would you recommend it? Do you know of another one you'd recommend? Any advice gratefully recieved!
I have a Canon Powershot-something or other (I bought it in 2007), and I really like it, although mine is also getting old and I'm thinking about an upgrade. It's still pretty small and portable (fits in a jacket pocket or small handbag), although bigger than your current one, but what I like about it is that it has quite a bit of manual control - you can adjust the ISO/aperture/shutter speed, which makes photos in poor light conditions easier to take. It doesn't have the capabilities of an SLR, but it's also not nearly as bulky (or expensive!). So if you're not ready for a full-on SLR, but want something that you can control a bit better than a simple point-and-shoot, then I think it's a good choice.
ReplyDeleteI did buy mine quite a while ago though, so I don't know what the current models are like. And I also know very little about photography, so I don't know how the actual picture quality holds up compared to others (I do see a bit of graininess in very low light photos, but I think that's pretty common for high ISO pics), but I've always been happy with mine...
Oh, and feel free to come and play with it sometime if you want :)
ReplyDeleteI have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 megazoom. I think it's a good cross between a compact point-and-shoot and a DSLR. I certainly haven't done much to learn how to be a great photographer so I haven't maximized the camera's potential, but I think it's a huge improvement from the old compact Nikon Coolpix or whatever I used to have. It lets you dabble in manual settings without jumping completely into the complexity of SLRs and lenses, etc. It has 12 megapixels so the photos are clear and bright in the right light (and good lighting is always key for good photos, no matter the camera!). The "close-up" setting has taken decent detail photos of my projects. One downside of the camera for blogging purposes is that the self-timer can only take a max of 3 photos in a row, so I'm always running back and forth to take my outfit shots. Not sure if that's the norm or not, but it's annoying!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I think it retails for over $400 but I bought a "like new" version on Amazon for $250 or so, which I thought was a pretty good deal.
DeleteI'd personally recommend getting a basic DSLR with a nice 50 mm lens that goes down to at least f/2.8. The lower the f, the more light the lens lets in, allowing you to take really nice pictures in low light. (It does reduce depth of field though, so your images will have very blurry backgrounds.) My 50 mm f/2.8 lens cost $100, so while it's not cheap, but it's also not super expensive.
ReplyDeleteOops! I meant to say my lens goes down to f/1.8. I typically use it at 2.8 since it gives a nice balance between fuzzy background and lots of light, but it can go down to 1.8. The fancy, expensive ones go down to f/1.4. Imagine the amount of light those let in!
DeleteA bit late to the party but who cares? I just got (like in the last few hours) a Canon IXUS230 mainly because of the quality of the low light pictures the reviews indicated it would give. It's basic point and shoot but I don't have the photographic skills for SLR or the budget. The powershots have a few more manual options and someone mentioned above but I tend not to have used those options in the past when I've had them (those lack of skills again) so the extra money on those models didn't make much sense. I'll bring the new one with me Sunday and you can have a play.
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