Cameras...help!!! Please!!!

there are also mirrorless designs.

first: how large a camera do you want and what do you plan on doing with it?
second: how much money do you want to spend on it?
Third: actually that's pretty much it.

once you have the size narrowed down, then you want to look at reviews of each - and order it online. partly because of pushy salesmen, and partly because you can see the noise levels before you get it, models make a difference.

i don't know what i'd get it would take a few weeks of research. usually sharp images have more to do with the lens than anything else.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

What will you be using the camera for? Yes, it is overwhelming! Stick with a price point first. Budget?

The camera itself does not make 1/10 as much difference as people think it does.

The camera body is only probably 50% of the make up. The money is spent on good glass, it's the glass that gives you sharp images. Most people make the mistake of counting pixels, the more the better right? Not necessarily, a bigger mp count just means an image can be blown up larger without as much distortion. If you shoot within your equipments parameters then you won't have to worry about distortion. For printing up to A3 all you need is a 4mp camera, the need for 50mp such as medium format or the new Canon 5Dr is when your printing bill board size. I currently shoot with a Canon 1Diii which was £750 the glass in front (600mm) was £5000. What your looking for is anything between 6mp-22mp for your needs and then couple it with quality glass. If I had the money today I would buy a Canon 1Dx

Val,

Best Buy may not be the best place to buy a camera. How much do the sales people REALLY know?

I noticed you are in NJ. I don't know the area but NY has one of the BEST resources for photographers. B&H. If it is feasible, I would suggest going in there and talking to them.

By the way, if you do get to go to the store, know that I will be jealous as you get to visit "nirvana" for many photographers.

I am very happy to note that no one has gotten into a Canon Vs. Nikon war yet. Just another reason I love the FAA community.

There may not be Canon Nikon wars but Adorama RULES over B&H.

(Both in NYC)

Oh, if I could but one camera and lens a Canon 5D original used in E+ condition and a 50mm macro, good tripod and remote trigger. All for under a grand.

I've got a 5D as a spare body, lovely dynamic range but gets a bit noisy over 800 iso

A lot depends on your budget and what you want it for. If you're going for professional photography, I recommend spending more to save you from spending more in the long run. I'm not a fan of smaller pocket camera's but I haven't seen the newer ones quality. I'd recommend something with interchangeable lenses. Paul is right. The lenses are more more important than the body itself. The lens is what takes the photo and you want good glass for clear sharp images. Adorama or B&H would be a great choice if you can go in person. Wish I was close to one of those stores.

Duplicate...

Thank you all so much...

I don't have a clue what I will do with it except the first thing will be to take some still life and learn how the thing works. I know I will be overwhelmed with the operation... and software I have no clue about. That said I want it do whatever I can come up with... The only thing I know for sure is no underwater stuff or bugs :)

I was thinking someone would suggest the city...or online.

Price I hadn't much clue and thought I would need to spend 500 to 1000...obviously less is better but I want the images to be what I want so am willing to fork out the money if need be... I don't want to feel I bought a fancy toy and still need to filter my images for printability.

LOL...the sales people know a LOT about spending my money and what to push any particular week.

Well I guess some things remain the same from film...glass #1. I didn't realize I can go online and see actual picture taken with the different models.

As to the Canon Nikon war...from what I saw in the store Nikons are far pricier.

It's good to go into a store and get a feel for different cameras; how it feels in your hands, viewfinder, the controls, etc. Then purchase it online.
You don't even know whether you will enjoy it. Maybe rent for now.

My little pocket camera finally went on the blink. I scrutinized looked at forum threads, read reviews and was still confused. I decided to go to a good camera shop yesterday and ended up with Sony HX50V. It has a fixed lens does not shoot raw and was $424 out the door which is as much as I wanted to spend. I am not a photographer so I think it will be fine for me. I have not had a chance to use it yet.

Val,

If there is a photography club nearby, you may find a great source of information there. Most of those members have probably already been through this process and may have some good recommendations. Last week, our club spent an hour just sharing equipment and demonstrating what we liked (and disliked) about our cameras, lenses, etc. One lady tried my camera and found her hands were just not big enough for that model. She is now checking out smaller camera bodies. Have fun with it!

Cheers,
Jim

Visiting Adorama and B&H online and the prices are all over the place...who knew? Every thing up to 6000 for a body....both places seem to have it all! I could be wrong but Adorama seems to have better prices.

My biggest question now is do you go mirrorless? Something tells me yes...less to collect dust...and part of me says I should just get this:

Ricoh WG-30W Digital Camera

•16MP 1/2.3" Backlit CMOS Sensor
•Ricoh 5x Optical Zoom Lens
•28-140mm f/3.5-5.5 (35mm Equivalent)
•Water, Dust, Crush, Shock, and Coldproof
•2.7" 230k-Dot LCD Monitor
•Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 30 fps
•Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity
•Pixel Track and Digital Shake Reduction
•Digital Microscope Mode & Built-In LEDs
•High-Speed Continuous Shooting: 10 fps

Jessica you are right ...some cameras just don't feel right...that Nikon I looked at was too big to be comfortable. I am ok with making the investment...I used to do a lot with film before it became pretty much obsolete.

JIm...I love pocket cameras for the portability...but haven't found one yet that I get really sharp images out of...

James I did belong to a club a while back but my work schedule was/is always an issue.

stay away form best buy for cameras

You want the mirror to collect dust, it keeps it off your sensor!

Get an entry level dslr, and a 50MM prime lens, and a book or 2 to teach you about exposure.

I'd get a used DSLR if you could, a t2i is a good camera, very similar sensor to like a t5, t5i, the t5 just has more dodads and whimbizzles..if you are into that sort of thing. .

I want to be brief but there are so many variables

A few weeks back there was documentary about Japan's most prolific inventor. He collects cameras. The way he decides which ones are the best are by how they smell :/


The first problem with that Ricoh is it has a dinky sensor. By dinky I mean only about twice the size of a phone sensor. These things don't enlarge well because there's a physical limitation to how small a sensor can really be.

The 1 inch sensor is about the first size to be reasonably useful. Alamy has a list of cameras it won't accept images from. It will accept images from the Sony RX100 (all marks).

It will give you 20 mp, crisp clear photos, alternative places to sell, lightness - the ability to keep it in a handbag. And you can keep it on auto until you've grasped all the creative modes.

And while you're using it NOW, you can still be looking for a larger sensor camera. And still use it as a take anywhere, backup or even primary camera

The next size up is micro 4/3 which is okay and there are a few good cameras from Olympus and Panasonic, but they'll still probably only be stepping stones.

The last to consider is APS-C mirrorless, and Sony NEX or Samsung NX are both good ones: SLR quality images, lenses that reach as far as you want them, and again small and light enough to take anywhere.

The plethora of choices is overwhelming and the guys here have provided some really good advice.

I use an Olympus OMD EM 5. It's a micro four thirds and is mirrorless. Very very light weigh by comparison to other SALEs and a great all round camera. The latest models are even better. Love this camera but my big gripe about it is it can only go as low as ISO 200, and with Olympus somewhat notorious for noise issues this can become problematic at times.

If I lost all my equipment today, I would still stick with Sony-maybe go into their mirrorless line, although the lenses for those are damned expensive.

As others have mentioned, you first have to decide what it will be used for and how often.

A train ride out of Trenton will take you an hour or so to get to Manhattan (Penn Station) and then it's just a few blocks' walk to B&H on 34th St. and 9th Ave.

Check out the used equipment at Calumet - there is likely to be one near you.
You can rent equipment there to and if you buy, they will apply the rental fee to your purchase.

OMG...what a lot of information!!! Thank you so much...Just spent a long time looking at everything online haven't come to any decision....but seem to be getting better acquainted with what is out there and what a lot of choices there are out there! Doesn't take me long to get into the city and then I can look at their giant confusing selection....funny I bought a car when mine died...unseen over the phone from Toyota ...doesn't make sense to have this much confusion over a camera.

Here's the one I ended up with.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentax-k-30/

Been a long time Pentax fan anyway, started with their film cameras 35 years ago. Cheap adapter lets me use rechargeable AA batteries, every lens Pentax ever made fits, including my ancient lenses from 35mm days, everyone loves the ergonomics, including people with big hands, usually smaller than many others too. I've had mine 3 years, still love it.

Go to the main site, DP Review has good info on any camera you want to know about. You can do a little googling and find out almost anything you need to know about photography, the main thing is learning the relationship between Aperture, ISO and Shutter speed, how they affect each other and how to use them to get a good exposure.

What camera to get is a matter of how much you want to spend, and what you want it to do. Some people aren't crazy about the smaller sensor, but the one I got does a good job for what I do with it. I have some good lenses to put on it, and that makes a lot of difference. I checked around before I bought my first Pentax. The entry level Canon I picked up felt like cheap plastic. I put it back down without even looking through it. The Nikon felt better, but large and clunky and I didn't like the menu layout. Both were a little more expensive than the entry level Pentax, (K-x at the time) and didn't offer some features I liked really well with the Pentax...

Best high ISO performance available
Great ergonomics
AA Batteries
Any Pentax lens ever made, cheap adapter also allows older screw on lenses
Anti Shake built into the body, not the lens, so it even works on my 40 year old lens that's on it right now, also don't have to pay for it every time buy a lens
Less expensive
DP Review and every other site I could find said the K-x was the best entry level DSLR going.

That's changed a little since then, they've released several new cameras (everybody), anti shake and high ISO performance have advanced, the K30 I got does well at ISO800, newer models are even better, video is getting better (although I very rarely use it) and when compared to the same level Canon and Nikon, video was the only place the K30 lost, otherwise it was considered the best of the 3. Some of the newer lenses do a very good job, and several of the new Pentax cameras are weather resistant, if a weather resistant lens is attached. With my vintage lenses, I have to be careful, but my camera is pretty safe in heavy fog or a light sprinkle. I wouldn't take the K-x out in weather the K30 can handle with no problem.

http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/ is the Pentax Forums, they also have a lot of very experienced photographers that don't mind answering questions and helping out with people who are learning. Whatever you're looking at, check it out on the DP Review site, they have excellent reviews, www.dpreview.com/. By the way, Ricoh now owns Pentax, so the one you were looking at was made by the same people. I don't know much about the mirrorless cameras, but some people like them really well. If you look around on the Pentax Forums you can find shots taken with just about everything they make, which will give you an idea what they can do. http://www.camera-enthusiast.com/news/site/welcome-to-camera-enthusiast/ doesn't get a lot of traffic these days, but they have a lot of samples of pictures shot with every brand camera out there.

I recommend The Photo Center in Brick Township, NJ - about 1hr 15min from your town but well worth the trip. This is one of the few independent camera stores in the central/southern NJ area. Salespeople are very knowledgeable and very friendly. They will spend whatever time it takes to help you make a selection based on the type of subject matter you prefer and your budget. Many members of the photography club I belong to shop there (myself included) and all speak highly of their service. Prices at The Photo Center are at or very close to NYC stores. Here is their web site:

http://thephotocenter.com/

Email me if you have any questions.

Hope this helps!

What Billy says .... listen to him ... Pentax is what I use and would use again. That is my answer to your question in your OP Val.

I had Nikon film cameras and when I transitioned to digital I went Pentax and haven't looked back.

You should have taken an sd card with you and made a few shots to analzye. I picked Nike over all others just because I liked the images produced that looked better than the rest! I was a loyal Pentax film owner but pretty much discounted them because of their late entry into the digital world. A nice problem to have!

Billy I hadn't thought of Pentax...thank you and a weather resistant model is a good idea for me...I love the light in bad weather.

Gary you found me an actual store outside the city....that's not that far for me...I get out that way here and there...the city is always an entire day trip. Thank you so much!

Craig I never thought of that... what a good idea! I am guessing that is the little chip thing that has the memory data on it? and they are interchangeable between all cameras? I feel like I am in school and I don't know a darn thing. I used to shoot with film and stopped for awhile and next thing I knew it was all digital. I sure am hoping that what I knew of film photography still applies in some way.

I

Frank, was this taken on a Pentax?

Frank you vote for Pentax too? Thinking back I can remember a lot of people that did like Pentax a lot!

Thanks Justin...that is a beautiful shot Frank...exactly the quality I want!

Justin -- Yes. Pentax K-10D. Shot with the kit lens .... 18-55 f/4.5. known as The plastic fantastic. My standard now is the 35mm f/2.4 .... known as The plastic wonder.

I agree Val, I am really taken by that shot. Frank also has a monochrome version. Granted Chicago is a photogenic city but if the Pentax was in fact the culprit I may just be swayed.

By the way, Val, the K-10D is no longer made but if you can find one used buy it. It's one of the last made with the CCD sensor. I have a K-r as well, but if I ever replace the K-10D it would be the K-5IIs ... the sensor is close to the CCD.

The K-10D sensor collects the image as analog then converts it to digital. The images look like film to me and I usually in post edit don't do more that a slight tweak.

Frank I like the idea of little processing...I don't really want to need to do much...can I assume it comes with it's own software for editing?

Yes, it comes with it's own software produced by Silky Pix .... little bit of a learning curve. I use Apple Aperture 2. I am presently transitioning to edit on the iPad ... as Aperture is discontinued. So, when you get your camera, if it is a Pentax, drop me a note and I'll get you up to speed to decide what works best for you.

The Silky Pix I've heard on the new cameras is a partial version and you purchase the full version if you want to do more than the basics. I don't know, but that is what I hear. Pentax Forums website should have something on it.


Keep in mind the little editing I do is mostly because I learned on film cameras so every shot had to count. The rest is, yes, the camera processor as I now shoot most in JPEG. Everything in my FAA gallery is shot in JPEG.

I would have to second what Thomas said, with the exception that I wold go with a medium zoom lens rather than the 50, the 50 is a great lens but not very versatile, the zoom would keep you from having to buy another lens in a month. And maybe look at the t3i.

TL Mair
tlmair.com

I was assuming a used camera would have a kit lens as a medium zoom, and I suggested adding a 50 1.8 because its some really good glass for really cheap and fast.

Its a good way to start.

Just looked on KEH..you can get the camera I started with for $85. What a steal, I payed like 600.

That's true if it came with the kit zoom, the 50 would be a great addition, the plastic fantastic is the sharpest lens Canon makes, and as Thomas said cheap to buy!!!

TL Mair
tlmair.com

Wow you guys are awesome...

I hadn't even considered used...but with a savings like that ...why not? When I get home today I will check out KEH...whatever that is. I can't believe I have waited so long to purchase a new camera... I am so excited wish I didn't have to work all weekend.

The 50 sounds like a good idea too...from what I do remember about film...I remember some but not that much... I had a 50mm that I used all the time and used it a lot with a doubler...can't remember what make it was but my favorite shots usually were with that combo.

If you're looking at used try http://shopgoodwill.com/ the price is right but, unlike KEH, you don't know what you're getting.

Frank, even though Apple is discontinuing aperture I am considering buying it today,,,I really like IPHOTO,.,,,,but just want a program that functions like it without all the mish mash overkill!
If they would just expand iPhoto and include a paint tool and a few more features I would be in heaven! I really like the features in the Preview function of IPhoto, You can add signatures, text boxes,use the lasso. Preview comes up automatically when you select a photo which makes is so accessible ,,,,

Val, just a note regarding cameras, f you are primarily going to use it to photograph artwork,,,then sony is #1 in compact and sub compact cameras, Nothing comes close , Take a look at the RX 100 series (m2 and M3) they are P&S with carl zeiss lens and have pro options if you want to expand beyond, In the mid compact if you want to get outside and photograph then don't rule out the sony slc a6000 with 16-50 kit lens, (mirrorless) I buy at Best Buy and get the cameras no interest . They have different promos, 6 most 12 most and sometimes 18 months, no interest.

http://www.adorama.com/ISODSCRX100.html This is the m3 but you can get the m2 which is less, The camera gets 4.5 to 5 star ratings everywhere with no exception,

sony a6000 http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/sony-a6000/sony-a6000A.HTM 5 star rating too,,,you can b uy just the body or with the kit 16 50
I also got the 55-210 telephoto lens,

Judy -- Yes, I just read on Yahoo! Tech that Aperture and iPhoto will be around for a long time .... just not supported as much.

Frank I was advised by apple that they are merging the two,,,which seems so ideal to me,,,, I have been holding off hoping it will finalize, I really love the functionality with the apple editing, They seen to be on my wave length ,,,I really hope they take the best features of both programs and integrate them into one,

Yes, I believe that will be their new "Photos" platform .... come this Spring I hear they will add features combined from Aperture and iPhoto. Have you heard something else?

Who I have just spent a few hours looking at stuff online....Thank you all for giving me direction...all of your suggestions are so highly rated!

Jessica I think I will follow your advice and look at all my top pics...

Louise you are right I will get into the city to do my looking...as soon as the temp gets up a little bit! Was 5 degrees this am...not fun!

And if all else fails I will just sniff at them all....LOL Mark...I just got that :0

If anyone wants to post pics of their sharpest images and tell us what you used...that would be cool!

Judy....Now I want an IPhone and all that I Apple stuff too :)

Thank you for posting and linking me to this discussion, Val Arie!

Val, you would love Apple!
Frank..here is a link that describes the new photos app that apple is releasing in Spring, I may buy aperture and not wait, The article is vague about the new feature offerings, http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/5/7982517/apple-photos-mac-iphoto-replacement-explainer-faq

Read the Canon 6D reviews. Buy a fast stabilized lens. Take some photography courses.
Have fun!

Nikon 5100 with 18-55 Kit Lens

If I were buying a camera today I would look at these:

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-20-3MP-Interchangeable-Digital-18-55mm/dp/B00HV6KGNM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1423926939&sr=8-2&keywords=samsung+dslr

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-D810-FX-format-Digital-Camera/dp/B00LAJQVR6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423927042&sr=8-1&keywords=Nikon+810

http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-K-S2-Weatherized-50-200mm-White/dp/B00SYK178W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423927074&sr=8-1&keywords=Pentax

Nope. The most expensive camera bodies only right now is the Leica-S2 and the Canon EOS 1D C, runs into tens of thousands of bucks. You don't need those. Why don't you just go for a Sony or sort of half-dslr, half-format, saves you money and you can practice with that, then when you're ready you can step up to a camera with interchangeable optics.

Looking at my own gear list here in the studio and I feel suicidal! Hasselblad HD5, 60 MP backs, 3 Canon bodies about 15 lenses, large-format, Sinars and old Deardorffs.
Its an endless cost! Wifes? I am on my third one, the other two left because of playing second fiddle to camera gear and photography. Add to this the arty-farty life of being in every single Pub throughout the entire UK, Scotland and Wales, getting stupid and the years in Paris, Montmartre, bars, wine, Absinth, getting even more stupid.

Just trying to tell you in a nice and civil way. Don't, just don't become a photographer. Life will never be the same.

That's like asking what's the best car to buy.

Personal preferences vary immensely as well as experience and knowledge about applying to what the intended use is for.

Spend some time learning and educating your self. Know precisely what you are trying to accomplish too.You will be glad you did.

Basically if know EXACTLY what it is you want to accomplish with the camera and what lens will provide the required results.,...then you can seek out those features to select several model cameras from,....then narrow your selection by applying your research as best you can.

Google your narrowed model selections followed by the words "reviews,...and or,...pros and cons,....evaluate carefully before deciding.

We really all do the same thing,.......different.

Bone up on research as much as you can,...try to understand the the details on your intended use,...you will soon be able to make an educated choice based on your research,....rather than someone elses choice about your needs.

Good luck and enjoy the learning experience this is providing you before you buy.

I can rave about what I use and how I use it,......but we all feel that way about our equipment we have elected.

Marty has a good point, personal preferences differ greatly. I've used the Goodwill site quite a bit, but don't often find DSLR cameras there, loads of point and shoot, and most are older ones. Great for lenses though, since the Pentax can handle the older ones, I've bought several lenses there.

Yes the SD card is the memory card that stores pictures until you transfer them to computer, and most cameras use the same ones. Some newer models will handle more than one type. Check when you get them, they have a number inside a circle printed on front. That is the transfer speed rating, 10 being fastest, 1 being slowest. Go for at least a 6. I was surprised how much difference between 4 and 6...A 2 is sloooooowwwww.....

I've seen some great shots on here and some of the photography forums taken with Pentax, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, even scans from film Minoltas...at this point, even most reviewers are starting to place less emphasis on picture quality, the newer offerings from all the "big three", Pentax, Canon and Nikon, makes very little difference. In a review comparing the K30 with Canon and Nikon same price range cameras, the reviewer said image quality of all 3 was about the same, all very good. Same for most of the cameras in similar price ranges, don't expect one brand to get a better picture than the other. Camera settings and post processing will make a lot more difference than the camera itself.

I'm the same as Frank, I learned on film and the idea was to make every shot count, so I try to get the shot to begin with and minimize post processing. Usually all I do is crop, and for those I post on photography forums and such, resize and add a watermark. Those posted on here are just cropped, I think 2 or 3 might have gotten a minor tweak in contrast and saturation, that's about it. I normally use Irfan View for 99% of my editing, occasionally Gimp..

K30 and Makinon 135mm manual focus lens:



K30 and Vivitar 200mm M42 lens



K30 and macro rig, I think this was the 135mm Makinon with 100mm extension tubes Dragonflies usually don't let me get close enough for the 50mm



K30 and 50mm f1.7 lens around 40 years old. Lens came on one of my film cameras used 30 years ago.



Keep in mind there's 35 years experience at work here, it's not just a good camera... The camera makes little difference, the lens is more important than camera too. I have 5 or 6 other 50mm lenses, only one can match the 50mm used for the Sunflowers. I got shots that good with the entry level K-x too, probably half of my uploads on FAA were taken with it, including the one with more comments and views than anything else...this one...

K-x and vivitar 200mm M42 lens

Spend a little time reading photo forums. People are quite open about the pros and cons of their equipment. I spend a lot of time on fredmiranda.com, which has people using a very wide range of photo styles, equipment, and also skill level.

And, just an FYI, if you end up with Nikon, make sure that you buy a Nikon USA model, not a "gray market" product. There is actually no difference between the two, but Nikon will not service gray market equipment in the US. Gray market simply means that the item was meant to be sold in another country. I shoot Nikon and am very happy with my equipment.

Other people have already stated this, but I will reiterate. Good quality images are very dependent on good quality lenses. It is a worthwhile investment in time to research the best lens that you can get for the type of shooting that you plan to do.

Take a look at the Sony A6000 camera that uses Sony's E-Mount lens on DPReview, it got a Gold Award. http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-alpha-a6000
The lens are not as expensive as DSLR lens and the quality is excellent.

I just saw that you had requested that people post sharp images and provide info on the equipment. So, here is an example of mine. Camera is Nikon D800e and lens is Zeiss Makro-Planar 50mm f/2.

Adding a few more thought here with regard to your last question. People will often choose to buy, if they had to start over again, the same brand that they are already familiar with and have experience with. Not everybody would do that, but I think that many people would.

In my case, I would buy another Nikon body, a D800e or D810, probably the D810 since Nikon has made some nice updates over the D800/D800e. For lenses, I would go with Nikon's pro lenses for zooms (love my 24-70mm), and Zeiss for primes for 135mm and under (135mm is the max focal length that they make in Nikon mount). The Zeiss lenses are seriously tack sharp. The ones made for Nikon (or Canon) don't have autofocus though, so that might be something to consider if AF is important to you.

Iphone has great cameras and handy and always there with you . not that I use one.. My son told me about it.. he takes all his photos with it and sends me some from time to time and says they are incredible and the images do seem to be huge and very beautiful.. just a thought lol..personally I use a cannon but it isn't a pocket camera

This would be an example of a 100% crop from a 3/4 body shot of a model shot with my 5dMkIII and a 24-70 F2.8 L at 50mm F13. This was shot with what I consider to be my 5th sharpest lens. My lenses all have their own sweet spot in regards to apertures where they are their sharpest too.

My lenses in order of sharpest to less sharp

Canon 50mm F1.4
Canon 85mm F1.8
Canon 70-200 F2.8 L II
Canon 17-40 F4 L
Canon 24-70 F2.8 L

Look at the Canon EOS Rebel SL1. Its the smallest DSLR on the market. It does some amazing things, fun to use, and is on sale a lot.

Here is some valuable info for you when you shop. I was a Canon rep for a while but love all types including Nikon. Best Buy will honor any others stores sale price, even a sale from Amazon. The only catch with an Amazon sale is, the item has to be shipped from Amazon in order for them to give you the price. In other words, they wont give you an Amazon sale price if the camera ships from a different company.

Judy -- Finally got to reading your link about Apple Photos. Considering it wont feature the tools from Aperture I'm liking the Flickr Camera Roll better and the new Mac Uploader. The edit software is Aviary now with most of the tools I used in Aperture.

http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/13/8037443/flickr-camera-roll-redesign-beta-yahoo


EDIT: Val you might want to consider this in place to Silky Pix ( the included software ) if you buy a Pentax.

Shot with my DSLR Pentax K-20 (five years old) with my father's 1960's Pentax film SLR box lens 55mm (example of an old Pentax lens fitting a newer Pentax camera). This image is right out of the camera with no processing. I recommend the Pentax K-V (slightly better sensor than mine and higher ISO, one year before the K-II). I know it is about the operator but the eqiupment is the other half of the equation. I am considering buying it, it's cheaper than the K-II (sells for aprox $500). All of these models are semi-pro top of the line high ISO. You want bells and whistles because more buttons in the right places can make your shooting a lot easier and more flexibility down the road when you learn how the capabilities can help you with lighting and other stuff.

Most Pentax DSLR cameras have professional metal bodies, trust me if you shoot even moderately you will drop it within a year and it will cost you $$$. I am used to my heavy camera and love the fact that I don't have to worry too much if I drop it, the quality image also makes up for the weight. These cameras cost 1/3 less than Nikon and have high quality sensors like Nikon and Canon. DSLRs have larger sensors and more color information which makes for an almost HD effect. Unless you have back problems and need to carry a camera for long periods of time then you may want to consider a mirror-less camera.

I would buy from Pentaxforum.com Market Place because the members sell their cameras here and they have to be registered as a member in order to sell equipment. They will answer any of your questions and give actuations (number of clicks) of the camera. You pay a little more than other used websites but you know what you are getting. http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/24-photographic-equipment-sale/

Pentax is the way to go if you are going to take pictures outside of a studio environment.
Two reasons.
1: The durability of the brand. We have a K7. In the last 6 years, I can not count how many times my husband and I have had the camera hit the ground. If I showed you the body, you would be shocked, it is dented/scratched/chipped/loving used and it still works great!! We have also had it out in a normal rain storm with no problems. We are now debating on a second body...wondering if we should wait for the full frame they are taking about releasing next year or getting a used K3.
2: The ability to change lenses is a huge plus, saves money in the long run.

Good luck!

One thing I neglected before, and it needs to be considered. The Pentax entry level cameras, K-x and K-r, (I don't know if they've released a newer one since the K-r) don't have a standard prism viewfinder, it's a cheaper plastic job that only covers something like 89% of the actual view. So you have to take that into account when shooting, the final picture will be slightly more than you actually see when taking it.

I didn't have too much trouble with that using my K-x, what did bother me was 2 things. That viewfinder wasn't as good as the standard prism type I'd been using for 30 years, harder to see and focus, and after a while it started to develop very fine scratches, making it look foggy. I finally killed the camera trying to replace the viewfinder, which is why I ended up with a K30, which has been a fabulous camera and does have a prism viewfinder, and it's excellent. So if you get the entry level model, keep in mind the viewfinder is a little lower quality than the more expensive cameras, and you have to be careful cleaning the viewfinder, it can be scratched. It's still a good and usable camera, just doesn't give you quite the view you get from the prism style viewfinder, and after using film for a long time I noticed it right away.

Aside from those couple of considerations, the entry level cameras do a very good job, good enough loads of the pictures I've uploaded to FAA were taken with mine.

I agree with the durability of their camera bodies that Suzanne mentioned, that's common knowledge among dedicated Pentax fans. The first thing I noticed when I took my K30 out of the box was that my instant 1st impression was "this thing is BUILT". It felt really good, you'd have to pick one up to really understand what I mean, but you notice instantly it feels really good. You know it's a quality camera immediately. Totally different from when I picked up the Canon entry level model, I put it down in less than 10 seconds, it felt like cheap plastic. And yes I realize their more expensive models are better built. But Canon lost me instantly with the el cheapo entry level plastic job. Not even in the same class with the also entry level Pentax K-x. And the Pentax was about $30 to $50 cheaper, used any Pentax lens, AA batteries, built in shake reduction, great ergonomics, good menu layout, better high ISO performance (best in the business at that time)...to me it was basically a no brainer. Especially once I saw the difference in build quality at the same basic price level. I don't use auto focus much, but the few occasions I have it seems to work very well, and with the "kit" lens (18-55mm) it's pretty quick and accurate. You also have 10 presets so you can fine tune the auto focus for different lenses and the camera will "remember" each one.

That's one thing to note, all camera brands have some lenses that will focus slightly in front of or behind where they actually should. They all also have a means to fine tune that, I don't know how many Canon or Nikon can save, but the K30 can handle 10 lenses, and has 2 user modes as well, that you can preset for specific circumstances. (not related to just the lens focus) For example, if you want to use a specific lens just for sunsets, you can set up a user profile specifically the way you like it for that set up, assign it to U1 or U2, and when you go out to shoot sunsets, mount that lens, switch the Mode knob to that user setting and it's set exactly the way you want it for that situation. I shoot fog a lot, so I've been thinking about setting one for fog shots, so far I've just been doing it manually. Not that hard, bu tit would save me some trouble...

I'll also vouch for the marketplace on Pentax Forums, they have a good reputation. Prices may be a bit higher, but the people there have a good reputation, and if you hang around the forums a while you'll be able to get a lot of good info, and as Wicked already noted, you can also contact the seller directly and ask questions, and in some cases see pictures taken with the equipment being sold. I've met the requirements to sell there, but don't have anything so far I'm really interested in selling so all I've done is look around a bit. Been thinking about posting a couple of my older zoom lenses I never use, haven't made up my mind yet. I switched to all primes a couple of years ago...better image quality.

Frank just now seeing your post about the Flickr Beta Camera roll, I don't want to take over Val's thread so I basically responded in your Flickr thread !

You can check out comparisons on dpreview.com. Price will limit your choices. Check out Fuji, Sony, and Panasonic and i bet you'll find one that works for you. Yes, look at mirrorless. You don't need expensive dslr.