Which camera to buy that will make me to use it more :)

[zura]

Hi everyone,

Sorry in advance if my questions will be to vague but even general feedback would be useful.

Two reasons why I started looking. First, next month I'm going to Nepal for two weeks and definitely want to document the trip. So I might need something better then my old Canon Powershot S450 (which I used last time 3 years ago when it fell 150 feet with my backpack).

And the second reason is the very problem that I don't take pictures that often. So I'm thinking, is there a way that if I buy a nice camera then I'll be more interested to lean, start enjoying the process, which in turn make me use it more?
(my favorite example is a friend who didn't like an idea of biking but when he decided to try, he jumped directly to a nice, carbon-frame road bike. And since then riding almost every day)...

So to give you more details, I'm looking at Nikon d80... what people think, is it realistic to assume a good camera will make me a good photographer or I'll be regretting wasting 1000 bucks or so (including nice lens)? is there a better trajectory to getting into this hobby?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Zura

[KCook]

Just to confuse things, I would take a different route. Blow most of the budget on a nice camcorder, for snapshots also pack a point-and-shoot ($250 tops for that).

Kelly Cook

[tizeye]

Well, you hit 2 of my hobbies - cycling and photography. In cycling, we talk about rule #1 - FIT. If the bike doesn't fit, you won't ride it. Advise people to avoid the big box stores with "one size fits all" bikes and go to a local bike shop for better equipted bikes in multiple sizes with personnel that will fit you to the bike. You see how your friend likes it - and probably think nothing of a 50 mile ride as every non-cyclist groans.

Photography is very similar. You need to feel comfortable with the camera and you will take more pictures. The camera needs to fit you. Plus, while there is overlap it needs to be designed for it's intended purpose - P&S, DSLR, medium formats and others, just as a mountain bike and road bike have differing and overlapping capabilities. Now the bad new - the camera won't make you a better photographer as you hoped, just a a decent bike didn't make your friend ready for the Tour deFrance. The good new is that pixels are cheap and the delete button handy compared to film so the cost of improving your photographic skills is essentially time.

You mentioned the Nikon D80. Very nice intermediate level DSLR with the price dropping due to the imminent release of the D90. Go to the stores, feel it as well as others, both within the Nikon line and competing Canon, Pentax, Sony etc. Play with their controls. Which one feels best, Which one feels more intuitive. Which one is talking to you. Thats the camera!

To get ideas and improve skills, definately check a book or two out of the lirbrary on landscape and travel photography. Also, visit the "pic of the day" threads im manufacturer areas of this forum. Look and learn from the feedback - and even post one that you are proud of.

[AndyfromVA]

Remember that if you buy the Nikon D80, you'll need to buy a couple of lenses, which means more expense and a large camera bag/backpack. An alternative is to buy a high quality point and shoot, such as the Canon A650IS or G9, which are small but take nice pictures and have full manual controls.

[David Metsky]

If you want to get involved in photography I would hesitate to jump into an SLR. It'll end up on the back shelf somewhere because it's too much to carry and too much to learn.

I good compact camera with manual controls would be my choice. You'll carry it with you all the time (especially important when trekking) and have it available when the time is right.

[tizeye]

As others are directing you to the smaller compact, I do have an SLR bias since I have been using them since 1969. Look closely at a D40 (or D60) vs a high end compact. It is smaller and ligter than the D80 yet provides the flexability beyonf that of an advanced compact.

Funny story - My wife's old Sony P-72 3mp P&S finally died last Sept and I bought her a Canon SD850IS (great sub-compact!) for Christmas as a replacement. During the interum, she used my D40 and liked it so much made me take the Canon back. Now she consider the D40 "hers" and allows me the privlidge of using my own camera.

[raven15]

The strategy of getting a nice camera to make yourself take more pictures worked for me, but I had a pretty decent idea of what I was getting in to. But DSLR's are definitely more involving and satisfying than fixed-lens cameras, I would never be able to go back to even a G9 now that I know. As someone said, it is really about finding the camera that "fits" best. Get your hands on the widest selection possible before getting anything, from small point-and-shoot cameras to the D80. I personally recommend examining the Olympus E-420 because it is the smallest, lightest DSLR, so you can get the DSLR feel without the large size and expense (useful for backpacking).

But, it is pretty important to get your hands on the greatest selection of cameras possible. I was very surprised at how much my perceived preferences changed from my original intents by actually handling them. That is especially important if you are buying a camera specifically so that you will enjoy it so much that you will always want to take pictures.

[zura]

Thanks to all for replies,

tizeye, neither me or my friend will ever do a Tour de France but still, doing 60 miles yesturday felt great :) so if I have simmilar level of satisfaction with a camera I guess I won't mind not winning a photography contest :)

Somehow I don't want to buy a compact camera, I have an old 4mp canon, every year new models come out that have little more pixels, larger lsd, IS etc, more frames for video (I read reviews on this site for a long time :) ) but to me these proved to be not important to upgrade (am I wrong?) I'd rather jump up to a completly different level of DSLRs or, if you guys think that's also useless and unrealistic, not buy anything at all :) ...

[tizeye]

More megapixels are not necessary - but they will be forced on you by what is available. More megapixels only means you can make a bad picture larger.

Definately upgrade to what you are comfortable with. IS and larger LCD absolutely. No DSLR will take video that I am aware of.

Ideally, both a P&S and a DSLR - partly why I got the sub-compact for my wife that she made me return. I envisioned tucking it in my jersey for various rides or day hikes. Now I take the DSLR with me. Is a DSLR bulky - yes, but I am use to it. Those Canon film cameras in my signature - both bodies were transported all over Europe, one with color the other wiht B&W.

While it is another forum, here are a few pic I took with the D40 to dispell the myth the Florida was flat. While most were stop-shoot, some are action. Love the action shots documenting 20mph uphill and 29 mph downhill.
http://forums.bicycling.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/632104717/m/5381011143?r=8361041143#8361041143

I have a friend with a D40 that travels all over Europe on a touring bike with it. He also did a mountain bike Telluride to Moab from hut to hut over 6 days with it. Unbelievable pics.

[Ken.]

On the simple to carry end of things the high end Canon A's are easy to carry and have some creative controls. They also take AA batteries making them good for travel. You can get AA's everywhere when you can't charge a battery. A G9 would be a sweet travel companion.

For a bit more depth, look at bridge cameras. Some are quite easy to carry, like the FZ8 or FZ18. The RAW capture is very good and the lens is very sharp.

[zura]

Nice pics tizeye, I'm wandering how many readers of the bicycling forum got your comment about pics being "just jpeg not raws" :)

I guess I'm narrowing down my options (or justifying my initial post) ultra-compacts like canon SDs are nice but I don't like the idea of them being too cell-phone like, really great option would be G9 or A series ... but SLRs look really cool (sorry to say I'm picking something based on "looks") so I guess I'm leaning towards the D60 ...

So now another question is, with what lens I should start, something with wide-enough uses, for everyday purposes until I learn to distinguish between needs for different lenses, but same times, not too basic to outgrow it quickly ... any suggestions please?

[zura]

I decided to get that D60, just ordered the 2-lens kit (18-55 /55-200) let's see how it goes and if you hear my name on "best picture of the day" pages :)

Thanks a lot to all for very useful comments/ suggestions