Another "help me choose my new camera" thread...

[flatNshallow]

In the market for a new camera but am bewildered by the array of options and don't trust the pimple faced geek at the big box store...

My experience is limited to a point & shoot and coaxing some decent shots out of my phone.

Usage: all around with emphasis on action shots and scenics.

Required features:
its gotta turn on fast
Minimal / no? shutter lag
Burst mode or better yet, continuous
Not ready for full manual settings so need the cheater settings
Decent optical zoom
HR video capable
Not a full frame dslr, not a deck of cards point & shoot.
Cold resistant
Rugged (I tend to be rough on my shit)
Ability to swap lenses would be a plus.

I suspect I may need to either sack up for a dslr or compromise on my wish list. If so, which & why?

and if someone can tell me how to post a photobucket pic I can provide a shot or two for you to rip on.

And lastly, searching on my phone is a waste of time; I tried.

Thanks!

[smmokan]

Depending on your budget and your preference between Nikon and Canon, I'd recommend something similar to the Canon 60D or T2i. They both meet your criteria, although I recommend not tossing a DSLR around much unless you want to end up buying a replacement.

Go with a T2i and an all-around zoom like the 18-135mm STM, 15-85mm IS, or 18-200mm super zoom. They're all pretty compact solutions for an easy to carry "kit".

[Tippster]

and if someone can tell me how to post a photobucket pic I can provide a shot or two for you to rip on.

Dude - really?

Go to the picture you want to post here. Copy the "[img]>>>>>>xxxxxxx>>>>>>[/img] code for that picture
paste it into the reply box here and WALLAH.

[supermodel159]

Required features:
its gotta turn on fast

Thank you.

[flatNshallow]

Dude - really?

Go to the picture you want to post here. Copy the "[img]>>>>>>xxxxxxx>>>>>>[/img] code for that picture
paste it into the reply box here and WALLAH.

Forgot to add "from my phone". - for whatever reason - can't even get to the full site page w/ img codes & mobile version doesn't provide them...

[Kai]

Olympus OMD-EM5 ticks all of your boxes, at half the bulk and weight of a DSLR.

[flatNshallow]

Thanks Kai, was begining to think the jongness of my post would net no useful response.

[time2clmb]

Canon 7D and here is why:

Usage: all around with emphasis on action shots and scenics.

Required features:
its gotta turn on fast
yup

Minimal / no? shutter lag
yup

Burst mode or better yet, continuous
8 frames per second continuous at full res. Some of the smaller cameras that can shoot lots of fast bursts reduce the res to acheive this.

Not ready for full manual settings so need the cheater settings
Green box, "P" mode to be able to tweak exposure etc, and "creative auto" which basically is a noob version that lets you make adjustments with a slider, such as move to the left to make more blurry / move right for less blurry. Second slider move left for darker right for brighter plus it has full manual etc to learn and progress on.

Decent optical zoom
HR video capable
Not a full frame dslr, not a deck of cards point & shoot.
Yes to both of the above. Fully high def. It's a 1.6 crop so not full frame but same size.

Cold resistant
Rugged (I tend to be rough on my shit)
Has weather sealing on it and has a magnesium alloy body. Funny vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCT-YMgjm9k

Ability to swap lenses would be a plus.
No need to answer this

__________________________________________________ _________________________
The 7D will be a pretty big learning curve and may or may not be some what overwhelming if you have not used an SLR before. It is fully customizable in every which way. The advantage is you could learn a shit load on it and there are tons of tutorials etc online. Basically you will get back what you put in to it, and there are a bunch of tips on how to make the files come out less noisy at high ISO than people will have you believe by simply bumping exposure a bit to the right. Working with the files shooting RAW also has a bit of a learning curve also, however you can shoot JPEG and use whatever picture style you want and get great out of camera shots also.

It would be a great camera if you want to seriously up your game and have the patience to learn with it. Yeah it's a DSLR which might be larger than you are looking for but it hits every single one of your wants. Pair it up with a quick access side loading pack so you don't need to fish it out of the main compartment ever time you shoot.

If action shots are a priority nothing is going to match the speed and focusing of a DSLR.

The main reasons I chose the 7D were the weather sealing, speed, reach and customizability. It has it's share of detractors by people who don't seem to know how to manage the noise as it is a learning process, but there are tricks to make it a non issue.

[time2clmb]

That Olympus looks pretty slick but there is one thing I don't like about it that makes it's 9 FPS absolutley useless for me.
"nine frames per second, although there's a proviso. To achieve this rate, focus must be locked from the first frame.
If autofocus is enabled between shots, the rate falls to 4.2 frames per second, or still further to 3.5 frames per second if image stabilization is enabled."

[Arno]

if you can bear to step away from Canikon, Pentax DSLRs are worth a look. The K30 ticks most of your boxes and (happy to be corrected on this) is probably the cheapest weather sealed body out there

https://www.thecamerastore.com/blog/...nds-field-test

it is also much smaller than its competitors (and as for something like a 7D...) so good for carrying outdoors

the usual argument against Pentax is lack of dealer support (guess that depends on where you are) and smaller lens choice than Canikon. The lens point is certainly true but ask yourself how many lenses you will really buy before you get too hung up on this. there is a decent choice from, say, 10mm up to 300mm

[flatNshallow]

Welcome to reality...

The Oly looked like the ticket... Until I got to the price. @around $1large it's out of my range... Hoping to find something in the $500 range... Maybe I can find a used Pixie. . (dating myself)

[smmokan]

Canon 7D and here is why:

Usage: all around with emphasis on action shots and scenics.

Required features:
its gotta turn on fast
yup

Minimal / no? shutter lag
yup

Burst mode or better yet, continuous
8 frames per second continuous at full res. Some of the smaller cameras that can shoot lots of fast bursts reduce the res to acheive this.

Not ready for full manual settings so need the cheater settings
Green box, "P" mode to be able to tweak exposure etc, and "creative auto" which basically is a noob version that lets you make adjustments with a slider, such as move to the left to make more blurry / move right for less blurry. Second slider move left for darker right for brighter plus it has full manual etc to learn and progress on.

Decent optical zoom
HR video capable
Not a full frame dslr, not a deck of cards point & shoot.
Yes to both of the above. Fully high def. It's a 1.6 crop so not full frame but same size.

Cold resistant
Rugged (I tend to be rough on my shit)
Has weather sealing on it and has a magnesium alloy body. Funny vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCT-YMgjm9k

Ability to swap lenses would be a plus.
No need to answer this

__________________________________________________ _________________________
The 7D will be a pretty big learning curve and may or may not be some what overwhelming if you have not used an SLR before. It is fully customizable in every which way. The advantage is you could learn a shit load on it and there are tons of tutorials etc online. Basically you will get back what you put in to it, and there are a bunch of tips on how to make the files come out less noisy at high ISO than people will have you believe by simply bumping exposure a bit to the right. Working with the files shooting RAW also has a bit of a learning curve also, however you can shoot JPEG and use whatever picture style you want and get great out of camera shots also.

It would be a great camera if you want to seriously up your game and have the patience to learn with it. Yeah it's a DSLR which might be larger than you are looking for but it hits every single one of your wants. Pair it up with a quick access side loading pack so you don't need to fish it out of the main compartment ever time you shoot.

If action shots are a priority nothing is going to match the speed and focusing of a DSLR.

The main reasons I chose the 7D were the weather sealing, speed, reach and customizability. It has it's share of detractors by people who don't seem to know how to manage the noise as it is a learning process, but there are tricks to make it a non issue.

Save yourself $500-700 (used 50Ds can be had around $500) and get 95% of the performance of the 7D with a 50D. No weather sealing and "only" 6.5fps compared to the 7D's 8fps, but those aren't deal breakers for most. The 50D's AF system is easier to use and just as efficient, and the image quality is just as good. Plus, that gives you extra cash to spend on what counts, which is glass.

[splitter]

nikon d3100 is a pretty great little camera for the price...

If you can't take a good picture with that, you can't take a good picture...

Great resolution, cheater settings, low price.

Some lenses won't focus since it doesn't have an internal focus motor, but those are down the line, when you likely want to upgrade anyway.

A 16-85mm and a 35mm 1.8 will give you a lot of fun for a while.

[Edgnar]

Save yourself $500-700 (used 50Ds can be had around $500) and get 95% of the performance of the 7D with a 50D. No weather sealing and "only" 6.5fps compared to the 7D's 8fps, but those aren't deal breakers for most. The 50D's AF system is easier to use and just as efficient, and the image quality is just as good. Plus, that gives you extra cash to spend on what counts, which is glass.

No video with the 50D though. Pretty sure you only get that with the 60D and up.

[robbo]

My advice would be to get the best body you can afford and 1 REALLY good lens. Even if you can't cover a huge focal range you at least you can take amazing quality photos while you learn composition, manual mode, using light etc..

[smmokan]

No video with the 50D though. Pretty sure you only get that with the 60D and up.

You are correct. I missed that requirement in his laundry list of must-haves.

Since it's your first DSLR, I personally recommend getting something a little "lower level" and learning with that. A T2i or T3i is a perfectly capable camera, and they're both nice and compact. Get a lens like the Canon 15-85mm IS, and you're on your way.

[time2clmb]

A T2i or T3i is a perfectly capable camera, and they're both nice and compact. Get a lens like the Canon 15-85mm IS, and you're on your way.

^^Listen to this man he knows what he's talking about. Good advice at your price range. I learned on the Rebel XT and am really glad I did before moving up to the 7D. When I sold my Rebel I thought, holy fuck I didn't remember it being this small comparitively.

[sklar]

i'd rather have a t2i and better glass than a 7d and bad glass
T2i can use magic lantern, 7d can't
they have the same sensor
yea, the 7d is faster if FPS are THAT important to you
7d handles noise pretty poorly

You can get a used t2i for about $450 nowadays
tamron 17-50 2.8 non vc for about $350,
that's $800, still $100-$300 less than a 7d body, which lets you buy other things

[jm2e]

I got a GX1 kit from Adorama for $530. I am pleased. If it turns out that this gets me back into a desire to take more pictures, I have many very nice lens options to grow with.
1000% more likely to have it with me anywhere outside of my house than I would with any DSLR.

[smmokan]

I got a GX1 kit from Adorama for $530. I am pleased. If it turns out that this gets me back into a desire to take more pictures, I have many very nice lens options to grow with.
1000% more likely to have it with me anywhere outside of my house than I would with any DSLR.

I'd like to hear what you think (and see some examples) of the G1X for action shots... specifically skiing and biking. Post up a review once you've had some time with it.

[time2clmb]

7d handles noise pretty poorly

It may not be as good as what you would get in the full frames but to say it handles noise poorly is b.s. Plenty of tips out there to keep it virtually noise free. Bigger learning curve though for sure to keep it minimal. You can get some outstanding shots at 6400 and 12000 with good exposure technique and careful pp. 160, 320, 640 etc seems to cope with noise better than the in between settings. Not sure why.

T2i can use magic lantern, 7d can't
they have the same sensor
yea, the 7d is faster if FPS are THAT important to you

Some other differences 7d has some weather sealing, T2i doesn't. Better build. Better AF system (9vs 19 AF points). Off camera flash control in camera. RAW 3.7 frames for 6 shots vs 8fps for 15 in Raw is a pretty big difference, for me at least. 3 custom dial slots and way more customizability. 7D kills it.

But yeah as I already said above in his price range the T2I would be a good choice for sure and definately better to have that with good glass than a more expensive camera with shitty glass for sure. T2I is also noticably more compact if space is tight already.

[justcuz]

I'd like to hear what you think (and see some examples) of the G1X for action shots... specifically skiing and biking. Post up a review once you've had some time with it.

Me thinks he's talking about the Panny Gx1...not the G1x. I've had the G1x for the summer and have a few action shots. I'll post a biking one in a couple days if I remember, but in the meantime I have these from just mulling around the yard:





Both pics unedited, but also taken in good light. The biking pics I took were very un-creative, heavy shadows, dust, etc...but still turned out to my liking. I'll never understand the heavy criticism this camera gets for action shots. I'd happily take skiing pictures with it. If you're looking for fast bursts, this is not the camera, but if you can set the shot up and grab it in one snap, it's a great camera.

[hafilax]

Welcome to reality...

The Oly looked like the ticket... Until I got to the price. @around $1large it's out of my range... Hoping to find something in the $500 range... Maybe I can find a used Pixie. . (dating myself)

I got into the micro-four-thirds format with the Oly PEN E-PM1 (mini) which is the cheapest and smallest. I got mine for about $370 all in with the kit lens. I have spent an additional $600 on a telephoto and a wide angle prime. Eventually I think I'll upgrade to something like the OM-D body.

I much prefer the small size compared to the full DSLRs. I mostly use the pancake lens when hiking which makes the setup very small and light. The biggest shortcoming of the micro-four-thirds is the auto-focus which isn't so great for following things that are moving towards you in sequences. I haven't tried it skiing yet but there is at least one pro out there that uses it for skiing (I forget who it is). He uses a 14-150mm (28-300mm equiv.) lens for everything.

Check out http://smallcamerabigpicture.com for some examples of what the pros are doing with the format.

[flatNshallow]

Went with a Lumix G5 w/ 18-42. Should be here in time for Christmas.

Thanks for the comments, helped a lot.