Needing Advice on DSLR Camera

I have a Nikon Coolpix P80 and love it. It is slightly larger than the usual point and shoot cameras but it is awesome. The battery has a really long life too and it shoots up to 30 minutes of video when necessary. We went to a live steam engine festival and the video and photos were incredible with little effort. Of all the cameras I have had, my Nikons were the best - even in the ancient days of film :)

I have a big one that I've had for several years. I love it, it takes GREAT pictures. (It's a Sony). Last year for Christmas, my husband got me an Olympus Stylus 1030W. It fits in my pocket. It is water proof to 30ft (so I can take it in the pool and take underwater photos with flash!), it is shock proof to 6.6 feet. It takes great pictures too! It's a 10 mp. I am very picky about the quality of photo's - I want it to be as good as my good 35MM camera took - otherwise, I consider it a bad camera!! I still use my Sony some - it's the powerhouse. But, gosh, I have a lot more photo ops because my little camera is always in my purse and often in my pocket, it's at the pool, in the pool, the lake.... I think you would really like that... This camera is full of features, it has all kinds of lighting selections, selections of where you are (indoor, outdoor, snow, beach, fireworks, etc, etc), it has a great macro. It helps you take a panoramic photo grouping (or compress into one). I NEVER thought I'd find a small camera that I liked or loved. Well...this is it! (Our friends had one that they brought everyone, often emailed us pictures or printed us pictures and I used many times - so he knew I'd like it before he bought it - but what a great surprise!!!). Good luck! I understand your feeling and questions about all of this!!

I love my Canon Rebel XTI! It takes fantastic photos and is very user friendly. Not something you can just throw in your pocket, but I did get a neoprene case, called a Zing ( here is a link to one http://www.tiffen.com/products.html?tablename=zing) so I can just throw it in my diaper bag and not worry about it. I also upgraded my flash and got a portrait lens on ebay. I got them both for about 1/2 off and use them all the time, well worth it!

I have a Sony A300 (DSLR) and I absolutely love it. I did months of research before I bought it last year about this time and it always seemed to come out on top. Yes, it can be a pain to lug around, but it is SOOOO worth it. We keep our small PowerShot around for the video feature, but when it comes to taking really good pictures, my Sony is awesome.

Hi R. - we have the rebel and my husband loves it, and he takes most of the pics, but it's easy enough that I don't have to know a lot to use it too. I just don't play around with shutter speed, etc. With a case, it's not too bad to lug around. We've taken it on all of our vacations because it does take better pics than the point and shoot. I have a point and shoot to keep in my purse so we usually have a camera with us where ever we go. I'd recommend the rebel...I think you'll take many great pics with it. Good luck!

I had a powershot (still do), but as it got older and slower (after several years of heavy use) I did some research and decided to get a Rebel. I thought I would still use my powershot since it is so much smaller, but I have found that the Rebel does so much better and isn't as much of a pain as I thought it would be. I use it much more than the powershot. I think the only time we've used the powershot for pictures since we got the rebel (we use it for videos still since we don't have a video camera and didn't get a rebel that has video) was once when we went on a horseback ride right after we got it and didn't want to worry about breaking our new camera. That said, I have loved my powershot too, they're both fairly quick and take good pics. Enjoy!

K.

Hi R.,
I shoot with a DSLR and take them wherever I go and love every minute of it! However, they are heavy.

As for your pocket camera, I think you will need something with interchangeable lens'. You may be able to buy something with a fast shutter and then buy filters for the few times you will shoot macro.

My favorite store is B and H in New York. I suggest you call them and explain exactly what you are after, letting them know how serious you really are about photography. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

Happy shooting! www.carlastephens.com

Hi. I have a cannon powershot, SD1100 IS. I've never gotten into the bigger DSLRs, but I love my little camera! It's the size of a deck of cards. I've taken it on 2 trips to central america and have many great pics of my boys, even action shots taken while they were body boarding in Panama came out great! My only gripe would be that it whites out the sky sometimes, but that is fixed by adjusting the angle of the camera when shooting, or pretty easily in photoshop. Europe's next and I intend to take a slave flash with me for indoor shots-most little camera's don't have much of a flash on them. Mine works to about 8 feet. But normal indoor lighting such as in a house I've had no trouble with.

I have the canon rebel XS.
I LOVE IT !
worth every penny!

yes it is kinda big and bulky. I have a sony cybershot that I throw in my pocket sometimes, if I want something small.
But your best moments are going to be from home anyways.... birthdays, christmas,bathtup etc