Ping: People Who Know Cameras

[Coffee Warlord]

Want to get a new camera for the wife this year. Doesn't need to be anything spectacular, but it does require one feature: rapid speed between hitting the button and actually taking the picture. Basically, it's an attempt to get better pics of our kid. As anyone with children knows, the delay between hitting 'shoot the photo' and a camera actually taking a photo often causes the cute smiles/expressions to vanish.

There any suggestions on that front?

[AnalBumCover]

Most point and shoot cameras will suffer from shutter lag. If you have the budget, I'd suggest getting a DSLR camera.

With the new baby, I think the DSLR would be a good investment in the long run - speaking on my own experience, of course. :)

Along those lines, I recommend the Canon Eos Rebel T2i (or the newer T3i) which also records HD video.

[stevew]

I would just grab one of the budget DSLR cameras. Also, you can adjust settings on your current camera to reduce the amount of lag. This would include shooting in the sports mode, and/or turning off the flash. Generally, if you don't want a DSLR, you want to look for something with a multi-burst mode. Sony and Canon tend to make really good cameras once you get a few levels above the entry level ones. The 200 retail price range is where the point and shoot cameras generally become pretty good.

[Coffee Warlord]

Yeah, now I'm curious as to whether or not her current camera can be tuned a bit to cut down on the lag.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Most point and shoot cameras will suffer from shutter lag. If you have the budget, I'd suggest getting a DSLR camera.

With the new baby, I think the DSLR would be a good investment in the long run - speaking on my own experience, of course. :)

Along those lines, I recommend the Canon Eos Rebel T2i (or the newer T3i) which also records HD video.

Yeah, we bought the baseline Canon Rebel camera for the same reason. Lots of moving kids. Haven't had a blurry picture since. I'd suggest using slickdeals.net or the low price finder on techbargains.com to find some good deals, as they're readily available this time of year.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Yeah, now I'm curious as to whether or not her current camera can be tuned a bit to cut down on the lag.

Don't waste your time. Pick up a quality camera and you'll be thankful you did.

[stevew]

I'd say it is still worth a shot to mess around with the modes on the current camera in order to see if it can be workable. Excessive and unnecessary processing can potentially cause a ton of lag.

And also, even though a DSLR is the ideal fit here, the intended user may not wish to carry around a camera larger than a Softball.

Pretty much any SLR> any other point and shoot camera. But I have found that you generally get your money's worth by spending more money on a camera.

[AnalBumCover]

As a first time parent, I can say that one can never have enough cameras around the house, especially those that can also record video. I've got the DSLR for my high quality photos and videos, the older point and shoot, and my wife and I each have our cellphones set for a quick switch to camera/camcorder mode.

And now I'm thinking of buying the Flip Video camera for my wife for xmas. Initially I wanted to get her the Kindle Fire, but she commented that it doesn't have a camera for photo and video... hinting that she probably wants to be able to capture more baby moments.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

And now I'm thinking of buying the Flip Video camera for my wife for xmas.

The HD Flip cameras are really nice. They're regularly available on Woot.

[Ryan S]

What is the general opinion of compact system cameras?

(if they go by a different name in the US, I mean cameras like this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirrorless_interchangeable-lens_camera))

[gstelmack]

We bought the Canon Rebel, I think it was the T2i, during Black Friday sales last year, and have not regretted it. It takes infinitely better low-light photos than the Canon Elph pocket camera we also have, plus with a decent lens is better for those long-range shots. The sports mode on it is great for getting a string of shots when the kids are active. And it takes pretty good video. If you want a picture of the Christmas play from the back row in low light, this is your camera.

Can't recommend one of the consumer-level DSLRs enough for shots of the kids.

[dave731]

Try a High Speed camera card as well...A lot of the lag is the picture writing itself to the memory card. That is significantly reduced with the higher speed cards....

[Bonegavel]

The DSLRs are bulky and you will feel like a tool the first few times you lug it around with you but once you get home and see the moments that you've captured and what is possible with "instant on" and no lag pictures you will not regret it. At least I haven't. I hear a lot of people complain about the size of these cameras and it is a legit issue. I lugged my Nikon D70s bag with 3 lenses around Disney and got a lot of great shots but I was constantly aware of the camera bag and its bulk.

With that said, no more kids walking out of frame type pics ever again (unless you are just slow in general :) and, depending on the model, you can just hold down the button and take a shit-load of pics per second and almost guarantee that you capture at least one good shot of action.

Get a portrait lens! Get full use of the DSLRs ability to swap lenses.

[AnalBumCover]

Get a portrait lens! Get full use of the DSLRs ability to swap lenses.
Of course, this is where the costs start to skyrocket. :eek: Though you can get the "Nifty Fifty" - 50mm f/1.8 lens - for about $100.

[stevew]

http://sellout.woot.com/

The panasonic today seems like it would be worth doing a bit of research on. 16x zoom. Refurbed, but about 50% off of its normal 350 retail price.

[sterlingice]

If you're looking for something a little cheaper and smaller (it's kid pictures, still- not safari), I'd check out the Canon SX series (110, 120, 130, etc).

Amazon.com: Canon PowerShot SX130IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom with 3.0-Inch LCD: Camera & Photo (www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-SX130IS-Stabilized-3-0-Inch/dp/B003ZSHNG8)
Amazon.com: Canon PowerShot SX120IS 10MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Images Stabilized Zoom and 3-inch LCD: Camera & Photo (www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-SX120IS-Digital-Stabilized/dp/B002LITT3S/)

They're under $200, pretty small (not ultra portable but fairly small), and have similar quality digital processors to larger "megazoom" point-and-shoot cameras. The Canons have a mode (the little running person) where you hold down the button and it will take a lot of pictures quickly. The standard pics take quickly unless you are using flash and are just using it for the first time. Like most point and shoots, it suffers a little bit with motion and, in particular, with low light. You can change the ISO and you'll capture good pictures in low light, but you'll get speckling.

My dad has the 110 and I've played with it before- he took it to Kenya this year and got some really nice pictures. I mean, I get wanting to have a DSLR- I've been looking into getting one for a couple of years now. But that's an awfully expensive toy to cart around to places you could easily break it and wouldn't want to be burdened down by a large camera.

As with anything of this sort, go to Best Buy, tell the annoying dude who sells cameras to leave you alone and just try to take some shots for 30 minutes with different cameras to see what you like and compare.

SI

[sabotai]

The DSLRs are bulky and you will feel like a tool the first few times you lug it around with you

Pretty much. I just got a Nikon D3100 and felt like a...."phoney", basically, while I was at a park using it. I'm not a photographer, I don't really know anything about photography, I just like to take pictures of parks and nature, so what the hell am doing doing carrying around this big ass camera that needs a small backpack for it? But when I got home and looked at the pics I took, they were 10 times better than what I would get on my point-and-shoot, and that was with bad lighting (around sunset and very cloudy) and with me not even really knowing how to use the camera. I was very happy I bought it after that.

[spleen1015]

I was looking at getting my wife a camera this year as well and ended up buying the Canon Eos Rebel T3i today on sale at Bestbuy.com.

Good stuff.

[AnalBumCover]

For those new to digital photography, I've found a cool website and forum dedicated to folks like you.

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/

[sterlingice]

I was looking at getting my wife a camera this year as well and ended up buying the Canon Eos Rebel T3i today on sale at Bestbuy.com.

Good stuff.

How much did that set you back? I've been considering one for a while now but I think it still stays in considering until next year

SI

[spleen1015]

How much did that set you back? I've been considering one for a while now but I think it still stays in considering until next year

SI

After taxes, a 2 year warranty plan from Best Buy, it was right at $1000. The camera was on sale for $799.

[AnalBumCover]

FOR TRADE: My Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens for a Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR Di LD Asp (Canon mount)

The 70-300mm came bundled with my T2i, but I don't really use it.

I'd like to trade it for a better everyday use lens to take better pics of my baby.

[stevew]

Solid Canon XS(I think) SLR on woot for 405 shipped. Seems like a really good price, especially with no tax.

[terpkristin]

Anybody know offhand if they ever released a newer version of the Panasonic Lumix LX3? I'm hoping to use a wide-angle camera to shoot the holidays this year, and was contemplating the LX3.

Going to make a run to my local camera shop when I get home from London.

/tk

[terpkristin]

Well, I'm very close to buying myself a new camera. Would have done it today, but I felt pretty run down this afternoon. I'd probably get a better price if I order online, but there is a pretty good camera shop about 5 miles from my house, and I'd like to hold the camera before I actually buy it. I think I'm going to go with a Nikon D7000.

Anybody have tips on a good lens for holiday shooting? I'm thinking something with a pretty short focal length for family activities.

/tk

[AnalBumCover]

Well, I'm very close to buying myself a new camera. Would have done it today, but I felt pretty run down this afternoon. I'd probably get a better price if I order online, but there is a pretty good camera shop about 5 miles from my house, and I'd like to hold the camera before I actually buy it. I think I'm going to go with a Nikon D7000.

Anybody have tips on a good lens for holiday shooting? I'm thinking something with a pretty short focal length for family activities.

/tk
The lens I mentioned earler - Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 - is a fine everyday use lens and should be good for indoor/evening use as well.

You might also consider the Nikkor 50mm 1.8 or the 35mm 1.8

Even the 50mm 1.4 or the 28mm 1.4

Don't limit yourself to Nikon brand lenses. There are plenty of affordable third party lenses at your disposal.

[Comey]

I have the Sony HX9V, which is an amazing little device. I've actually been totally surprised by Sony cameras...they are outstanding. I'm hoping to get the HX100 as a Christmas present, and will likely get the mirrorless HEX7 at some point next year (that thing is a frickin beast...want to wait for the price to come down, though).