Camera opinions?

[SchoolGirlHeart]

My camera stopped working so it's time for a new one (or a couple of new ones).

For my 'big' camera, I'm down to either the Canon Powershot SX20IS or the Canon Rebel XSi. A choice between a powerful point and shoot and the full DSLR with extra lenses, etc. Plus, the Powershot can take video and the SLR can't, but with the SLR you can add the long telephoto lens and I like that for outdoor pictures. Ugh, dilemmas....

I'll still have a second small camera that can fit in my pocket. People seem to like the Panasonics with the Leica lenses. I'm also open to the small Canons.

What do you like (or hate) about your camera? For those of you with DSLRs do you use them as much as you thought your would?

Input please?! Thanks!!!

[JollyMon66]

I can't say enough about or Nikon D300 we have. We get outstanding pictures but there is no video on this SLR. I also have a Nikon CoolPix S630. For a point and shoot I get great pictures under all light settings. The camera as 7x zoom and 12 megapixels. The video feature on the camera seems to work well although I don't use it much.

[SMLCHNG]

I love, love this camera I have.

[C-Dawg]

We have had good luck with Canons.
I use an A-85 as my regular camera and have a housing for it to use as a dive camera. I've had it 5 years and it still works well. Marilyn wanted something smaller that would fit in a pocket, and last year bought another Canon point & shoot. I've taken both to concerts and gotten great video, and they take wonderful pictures. Marilyn's daughter also has a A-95.
The thing we like about the Canons are that they make great cameras and also make our computer printer, so they are compatible without downloading drivers etc. We have Canon software on all our PC's and laptops, so we can print great pictures from any of our cameras, or just use a USB cable to plug the camera directly into the printer.

[SchoolGirlHeart]

SPEW!!! Penny, that's the exact camera that just died on me.

It's been a GREAT camera and I've put it through plenty of abuse, so I can't really complain that it gave up.

[SMLCHNG]

GPHMTA, Jen!!!!

[C-Dawg]

SPEW!!! Penny, that's the exact camera that just died on me.

It's been a GREAT camera and I've put it through plenty of abuse, so I can't really complain that it gave up.

That camera is a newer model of my old A-85...it has the same body.

[SchoolGirlHeart]

I killed an A85 (or maybe an A75) along the way, too.

[gunthermoose]

Hi Jen

I have a Canon 30D for my "Big Camera" and a Canon A470 for my point & shoot...
Love em both for different things...

I guess you gotta decide if you're a Nikon or Canon Person...

[Elrod]

I'm still using a Canon A40 (from 2003).

I'd like to look at a new one, but this still does everything that I ask of it.

[johnson2113]

I love my Canon Digital Rebel XT, my sister has a Digital Rebel XS and it's even better. The new Canon 7D actually shoots HD video now, I would love to have one of those.

[Brown Eyed Girl]

I have the Canon Rebel XTi, which I'm looking to upgrade, and a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 that I got for Christmas for my point and shoot. I use them for 2 completely different things, but sometimes on the same trip. I had them both in my hands when I was at Joshua Tree National Monument last week. I wanted the length of my long lens for birds and wildlife and didn't want to be bothered with switching out lenses, so I used the Panasonic for the scenic shots. Some of my shots are in the photo op thread. I've been pleased with it so far except in the most low light settings, and that is probably due more to operator error than the camera itself. It has so many settings and I haven't taken the time to figure them all out. Love my Rebel, just looking for a little better and bigger body to accommodate that big lens.

[pema]

i have this one:



it's capable of taking good pics, but i HATE the way the controls and menus are layed out



i really wish all the scene presets were under ONE menu, and the scene menu was positioned next to the easy, auto and custom program settings on the dial

i have a memory like swiss cheese, and i just can't remember which scenes have a setting on the dial and which ones are in the 'scn' menu. and trying to click past all the settings in between the easy and scene setting is really frustrating when you just want to shoot a quick pic of something you know that the easy setting won't handle

and it's big and heavy. i haven't had it very long, but i'm already anxious to replace it...

[Coconuts]

We have a 3 year old Panasonic Lumix FX01 that won't die. It's been dropped from our hands several times, pulled off the coffee table many times (sometimes it was cushioned by bouncing off the head of a cat on the way down though) and had a tumbler of water dumped on it (that did kill the battery). It's dented in a few spots, but it's still good. If we ever have to replace this one, we'll definitely go with another Panasonic.

[pema]

so, this thread seems to be dominated by canon folks (and ones that post GREAT pics in the Photo OP thread), so it's hard to argue that canons are not good. but someone mentioned Nikon? are they considered comparable to canon in picture quality? i've had my eye on their touchscreen camera

[nutmeg]

My last camera was a Nikon coolpix and I really liked it. It was tiny and easy to carry.

I now have an Oympus 850SW which you can take into the water. It is also shock resistant. (I knocked it off a table onto a tile floor with no damage) We have a tendency to use our cameras a lot in tropical areas where it can rain or, on a boat, splash water and so a camera that was OK with water seemed like a good idea.

I like the camera. It doesn't have much zoom capabilitiy and I'd really like to get a "big" camera for taking pictures of the wildlife at the cabin. I'd still take the Olympus on vacations since it is so convenient and so far sorta bulletproof. (I have taken it snorkeling with no ill effects)

Jen I was also looking at the Canon you mentioned. It was on sale at Renee's fav place last week.

[SuperTrooper]

Since you plan on having a pocket P&S, I would step up a little further and get the new Canon T2i *drool*. 1080p video and super low light performance. I also prefer rechargable batts over the 4 AA used in the 201, so a spare batt is essential.

For the P&S I'd be severely tempted by the Canon SD3500IS. My SIL just got one and I love it. The big touch screen menu is probably the best and easiest digital camera interface I've ever seen. For something a little less $$$, my daughter has the SD780IS and loves it. It is very compact, tough as hell, and does all the things you'd need a camera to do in this range, including 720p video.

[C-Dawg]

Since you plan on having a pocket P&S, I would step up a little further and get the new Canon T2i *drool*. 1080p video and super low light performance. I also prefer rechargable batts over the 4 AA used in the 201, so a spare batt is essential.

For the P&S I'd be severely tempted by the Canon SD3500IS. My SIL just got one and I love it. The big touch screen menu is probably the best and easiest digital camera interface I've ever seen. For something a little less $$$, my daughter has the SD780IS and loves it. It is very compact, tough as hell, and does all the things you'd need a camera to do in this range, including 720p video.

One reason I chose my Canon is due to the batteries. I'd much rather have one that uses common batteries than one that you have to have a special battery for, and carry a spare. I normally carry spares batteries, but it's nice knowing any convenience store could sell them to me.

[SharkOnLand]

We've got one of these:



And one of these:


(except mine is silver)

Both are good cameras. Small one is easily pocketable, when we don't want to lug the bigger Canon around.

Both also take normal AA batteries, so it's much easier to find replacements, and you can buy rechargable AAs for much less than you can buy camera-specific batteries, and if your batteries die, any store will sell them.

[SchoolGirlHeart]

One reason I chose my Canon is due to the batteries. I'd much rather have one that uses common batteries than one that you have to have a special battery for, and carry a spare. I normally carry spares batteries, but it's nice knowing any convenience store could sell them to me.

Both also take normal AA batteries, so it's much easier to find replacements, and you can buy rechargable AAs for much less than you can buy camera-specific batteries, and if your batteries die, any store will sell them.

This is *really* important to me. I bought my current Canon partly because it takes AA batteries. If you forget to charge your batteries you're not SOL (no pun intended ). Or if you shoot hundreds of pics a day like I sometimes do, you can just carry AAs or pick some up at the store.