pixels v lenses

[Dylema]

I am in the market for a new camera... My old Fuji Fine Pix 4700 zoom gave me my first taste of digital photography.
I loved the shots I got from it at the time and am into graphics quite a bit. Now I want better quality shots. Size of camera = sturdy in my hands
My budget "for a new camera" is 1,000 Canadian dollars. I am torn between the canon digital Rebel XT or the canon power shot point & shoot series. General use = I want to be able to take close up shots of Animals or Children and puppies playing without disturbing them as well as landscapes - distance shots along with a few low light (sunsets) type shots.
I would like to know if I should go with a top of the line point and shoot or does the Rebel have point and shoot features that I can use (including close up) while I am learning how to use a camera better,(I would like to learn). Dust could be an issue as I am out on the prairies. Image quality = High on my list... Stabilization = yes an asset to me. I like the photos on the photo forum page of the birds, especially the swan and I assume the photographer was quite a bit away. I would like to be able to take those kind of close shots.
Reading quite a few of the posts on this list and other reviews about the rebels poor lens kit ...should I be researching another type of camera like the Nikon in my price range ??? with a view to being able to get better lenses later ??? Yikes Help !!! more Pixels V better lens kits.

[timmciglobal]

Better lens > more pixels.

Simple as that. 6 million crappy megapixels or 8 million crappy megapixels are still crappy megapixels.

Tim

[Dylema]

Thank you tim ... I value your thoughts :o back to my research.

[cdifoto]

I am in the market for a new camera... My old Fuji Fine Pix 4700 zoom gave me my first taste of digital photography.
I loved the shots I got from it at the time and am into graphics quite a bit. Now I want better quality shots. Size of camera = sturdy in my hands
My budget "for a new camera" is 1,000 Canadian dollars. I am torn between the canon digital Rebel XT or the canon power shot point & shoot series. General use = I want to be able to take close up shots of Animals or Children and puppies playing without disturbing them as well as landscapes - distance shots along with a few low light (sunsets) type shots.
I would like to know if I should go with a top of the line point and shoot or does the Rebel have point and shoot features that I can use (including close up) while I am learning how to use a camera better,(I would like to learn). Dust could be an issue as I am out on the prairies. Image quality = High on my list... Stabilization = yes an asset to me. I like the photos on the photo forum page of the birds, especially the swan and I assume the photographer was quite a bit away. I would like to be able to take those kind of close shots.
Reading quite a few of the posts on this list and other reviews about the rebels poor lens kit ...should I be researching another type of camera like the Nikon in my price range ??? with a view to being able to get better lenses later ??? Yikes Help !!! more Pixels V better lens kits.


Close up (ie macro) focusing, distance shooting (ie telephoto), and image stabilization are all features of the lenses you attach to the camera when you're in the dSLR world. The XT, 20D, 30D, 5D, 1D(s) are only as useful for shooting what you want to shoot as the lens you put on it. If you want to get a bird from far away to fill your camera's viewfinder, you'll need something like a 500mm, 600mm, or even 800mm or longer lens (pricey!). If you want to shoot flowers from a distance of less than an inch, you'll need a dedicated macro lens (also sometimes pricey but not nearly as pricey as an 800mm).

The good news is your picture quality would stomp all over the point and shoots. The bad news is unless you're independently wealthy, you might have to live on generic Peanut Butter sammiches like Jamison does, or in my case, Chicken Ramen. :eek: :rolleyes: :D

[Dylema]

Ok lets try another track ... I am very new to all this ... and I am desperatly trying to figure just what is what .... so much information and much of it confusing ... here is the layman in me:D :- In a nut shell I want to know that the camera I choose can be grabbed pointed at the subject and snapped for a great shot - I am a see it and shoot it photographer - >>>>>Then I need that ***same*** camera to be able to help me learn more about photography i.e Pick a subject and select/wait for the best shots and if more equipment is needed for that learning I have that option too. TIA. Thea.

[cdifoto]

Ok lets try another track ... I am very new to all this ... and I am desperatly trying to figure just what is what .... so much information and much of it confusing ... here is the layman in me:D :- In a nut shell I want to know that the camera I choose can be grabbed pointed at the subject and snapped for a great shot - I am a see it and shoot it photographer - >>>>>Then I need that ***same*** camera to be able to help me learn more about photography i.e Pick a subject and select/wait for the best shots and if more equipment is needed for that learning I have that option too. TIA. Thea.


How about a Canon A series Point n Shoot for now? Pretty nice prices, good image quality, and room to grow (ie manual as well as auto controls). You can do the same with a dSLR but you'd have to know what lens(es) you need and the initial investment would be a lot steeper.

Heck you may even find yourself totally satisfied with a $250 camera and not need the higher performance of a dSLR.

[DonSchap]

If all I could handle was using the lens on the camera... without having to juggle lens... ma'am, this camera is the one.

5 megapixals... 12X OPTICAL Zoom... 4X Digital Zoom... has 2 inch LCD screen (this is the current defacto standard of most high-end cameras, this year. It used to be 1.8 inches)

Heck, this camera can also make movies. It shoots pictures at 2 or 3 frames per second! Use a Secure Digital memory card for storage (A good standard in these cameras).

Follow the link and take a look.

http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Panasonic%20Lumix%20DMC-FZ20K%20Digital%20Camera:1991554490;_ylt=AonCu9LdU hhE5L_SHFconOsbFt0A;_ylu=X3oDMTBic2hxMGNhBGx0AzQEc 2VjA3Ny?clink=dmps/lumix_/ctx=mid:6,pid:1991554490,pdid:6,pos:3,spc:14489115 ,date:20060404,srch:kw,x:

[cdifoto]

I suggested an A series because they're relatively cheap. It'd be a good way to get into Manual controls without "wasting" money on a prosumer dSLR wannabe. No camera holds its value so it's best to invest as little as possible while you're new to the game, IMO.

[michael1973]

It depends on how much money you really want to spend...if you don't care about your $1000 buy a dSLR, but you should have also a closer look at The Pana FZ30 (excellent zoom range) and the Fuji S9000 (which is the most versatile non-dSLR)...