Digital Camera

[woodelf]

For someone wanting to start digital photography, which would be the best digital camera for a beginner...also keeping price in mind? Ta Muchly.

[Old_Geezer]

Not an expert, but I'd say it depended on what you can afford (taking into account how much use it will get).

I think I'd avoid buying less than 4 megapixels since you may not see much difference with the original "print" but more pixel means less problems if you enlarge later. But don't get seduced by massive numbers of pixels. One needs to consider a good lens too. And be aware digital zoom is not as good as the real thing. You can always zoom digitally on your PC later; the best digital zoom gives you is smaller picture files, which, if you have a large memory card installed, isn't such a big deal.

[woodelf]

Thank You Both for thought-provoking ideas...but any chance of a camera name as an indicator?

[gsr600]

i like my Fuji -as another option

[mjwman]

The question was about starting digital photography. The cameras reccommended are about taking snaps digitally.

If you want to do "Photography" you need a camera that can be manually controlled or overridden. This means a camera with interchangeable lenses or at least a bridge camera with a large range zoom.

Enthusiast photographers often trade up to a newer model without wearing the old one out by any means. Therefore these are a bargain secondhand especially on eBay.

Look for a Nikon D70 for instance. 6 million pixels, half of what a new compact has but they are larger and work better with an amazing tonal range. No worries at all about cropping and blow ups!

I have used a D70 for professional party work these last 4 Christmases taking about 700 shots a night for 3 weeks! It had done 13000 exposures when I got it. Nobody usuallu uses their camera like tht!

[lslowry]

Try a Lumix fz28 Woodelf, it's quite cheap, got a good zoom, movie with sound. I bought one last year, it gives me good pictures. Being just a snapper I keep it on intelligent auto, but if you want to experiment it has other settings

[magicmerlin]

It would be easier to answer if you were to indicate what your budget is for the camera.

[woodelf]

Absolutely Brilliant feedback guys, Thanks Very Much and as the budget isn't that high ...I'm asking on behalf of someone else...there's more than enough info you've given to help sort out the issue. Many Thanks Again.

[ailsa1]

Well, i have a bookmark that about Digital SLR Cameras Buying Guide.
Here is the link:
http://www.macworld.c....html?lsrc=nl_mw_tout
Hope this is useful for all!

[Slapshot]

Woodelf, Before you buy look at Canon. I'm not paid by them or connected to them in any way other than using their cameras for 25 years. I'm not a pro but shoot around 10,000 images a year all on Canon.

If you want an SLR (big camera, interchangeable lenses) look at the EOS 1000 or the 500 as a starter, around £400 though there are good deals around. If not then look at the Powershot range, there is something in there for all budgets.

www.dpreview.com is the best digital camera/photography site on the net, give it a try

[woodelf]

OK slapshot, the budget is around £100 and slowly rising and I've looked at a few in the Canon Powershot range but, as ever, there are many, so could you perhaps give a bit more precise inkling to one or two in this range; the person who's going to be the user is totaly new to digital cameras and will concentrate on landscapes, with the odd portrait here and there.

[woodelf]

what the heck does that mean *answer removed*?...and why?

[mjwman]

It was an ad on ebay for a Nikon D70. It is not me selling it and I have no connection in any way with it. It was intended to show what could be had for that money compared with a tattty little new compact at a low price.

Look it up