Newb with no knowledge Intrested in photograpy..

[Spencer]

Well Im looking for a camera but don't know what to look for...

Budget

<500

Size

I always liked big cameras, with the huge lenses..

How many megapixels will suffice for you?

No Idea....

* What optical zoom will you need?
More the better probably..

* How important is “image quality” to you?

10

Do you care for manual controls?

Yes

General Usage

Im really just looking to take pictures of nature, I would love to be able to take huge pictures of vast distances.

Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos?

No, actually maby at a few gigs 'band related.

Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos?

No

Are there particular brands you like or hate?

No clue

Are there particular models you already have in mind?

nada

(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD)

Im not sure exactly what wide angle is but I guess it means.. WIDE? if so YES. Image Stabilization? I am bad at holding camera's guns still.. Weather proof? YES and if possible waterproof.

Hotshoe?

Rotating LCD?

Im looking for something rugged, I love the look of SLR's and my dad has one but it uses film.. Im not sure what all the lenses are for [would love to have them].

[griptape]

That's a whole lot to ask for an under $500 budget. Take a look at the Pentax K100D. It's the only thing in your price range with interchangeable lenses.

[Rooz]

Budget <500. I always liked big cameras, with the huge lenses..

unfortunately those big cams with big lens are about 10 times your budget.

Im really just looking to take pictures of nature, I would love to be able to take huge pictures of vast distances.

not sure what you mean by this. pics of vast distances could mean a wide angle lens or do you mean being able to zoom into a subject over a vast distance ? i suspect it may be the latter in which case i think a dslr is well outside your budget.

Im looking for something rugged, I love the look of SLR's and my dad has one but it uses film.. Im not sure what all the lenses are for [would love to have them].

perhaps find out what lens' and system your dad has and ask him if you buy a camera if its ok to use his lens'. almost all film lens' are transferable to a dslr. eg: if your dad has a canon camera it makes sense to buy a canon dslr IF you are able to use his lens'. this could save you ALOT of money and may even bring a dslr into your price range

in saying all that, i think you may be better suited to something like a canon s5. extremely long zoom. pretty hard wearing, some manual control, built in IS, great movie mode and a very good ultrazoom camera all round.

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/canon/powershot_s5-review/

[Spencer]

Sorry guys I guess I should have explained my self better,

Im not looking for a bunch of lenses, as I said I don't even know what they do.. I just said they were cool..

As for SLR thats another thing! Sorry, I knew I couldnt afford one, I just meant the size, Im not looking for a pocket camera I prefer bigger ones, that look like "SLR"'s,

All I want really is a camera that has clear pictures that I will be useing mostly just for outdoors stuff, and can capture fine detail at long distances [not zoomed] bare with me I really don't know much at all, but I do need your help..

[Spencer]

or do you mean being able to zoom into a subject over a vast distance ?


What im trying to say is not so much that I want zoom, just clearity at far distances... Don't know how else to put it,

Im not sure if I would need to zoom really, but Im guessing it couldn't hurt to have..

[Spencer]

Rooz that link you sent me is what pretty much what Im looking for [that type of camera] now I just want to make sure I get one like it that suits my needs.

[David Metsky]

What you are looking for is called an Ultrazoom.

The Canon S5 is a good choice for what you've described. If you don't need the extra MP and the hot shoe you can pick up an S3 for a bit less.

Also, the Panasonic FZ-50 deserves a good long look.

[Spencer]

I have learned alot so far just by looking around, I didn't know you could get so many lenses for cheap cameras like the Cannon S5, plus its only like 350, anyways I just learned what a mega pixle was so Im guessing more is better = clearer..

[Paradox]

More Megapixels isn't always clearer no. On small sensors like those in the S5 and FZ50, large numbers of megapixels can make your images noisy and low quality. Megapixels just allow you to print bigger images, basically.

I'd say if you want a fixed lens compact, the FZ50 is a good choice. It doesn't have the best wide-angle, and low-light isn't great. But I find it a brilliant all-rounder. Have a look at it, see what it's like.

[Spencer]

any other options? What should I look for? Isn't objective lens size a big factor? The panasonic has more MP but it seems harder to find + harder to find accesories for it, in which the canon seems all over the place..

Any more recs?

[speaklightly]

Spencer-

Learning good photographic techniques is rather easy. Take a look at what your local Community College is offering in the way of digital cameras. You would be amazed at the many, and very interesting courses that are being offered (at least in my Community College) anyway.

Then get a simple ultrazoom such as the Sony H-2 that can be had on e-bay for less than $200 and start taking great photos while you enjoy your Community College course. You will be amazed at how much you can learn. Here is a photo that one of my students (yes, I am Community College Instructor!) took with a Sony H-2 Camera. I think the photo speaks for itself.

http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x192/anchor99/A-13Crocus083007H-1.jpg

Sarah Joyce