# Good Digital Camera for Picture Taking?



## philipgonzales3 (Dec 4, 2013)

:fish: Anyone have any suggestions? I don't know much about cameras and want something pretty easy to use. I don't really have a price range in mind but I don't want to spend crazy amounts of money on a camera, just want something that is better than a cell phone camera. Thanks.


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## oyster dog (Jul 2, 2013)

There are many, many choices depending on your skill level and budget! I recommend going to a real camera store (not a big box electronics/appliance store) and telling them what you need. They know their stuff!


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## philipgonzales3 (Dec 4, 2013)

My skill level is none. I take many pictures with thumbs in them and heads cut off lol. I'm over exagerating a bit but I know very little about photo taking. I was hoping to spend around $200 or less. I've never been to a camera/photography store, guess I will have to look into that.


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## jeffkro (Feb 13, 2014)

A good smartphone does the trick. In my opinion point and shoots are redundant at this point. So in my opinion if your into photography get something like a cannon rebel, if you snap the occasional photo use your phone.


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## philipgonzales3 (Dec 4, 2013)

Since posting I have done a little research and I am looking into the Cannon PowerShot SX50. It is a "bridge" camera so it is kind of like a hybrid between P&S and DSLR's, of course it is no where near a DSLR but it does have full manual mode, RAW photo saving, 50X optical zoom, support for external flash. Surely this has to be better than a cell phone camera? Any advice before I go pick this bad boy up lol.


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## oyster dog (Jul 2, 2013)

I have an old Canon Powershot SD400 that I keep around, in addition to my DSLR's. You won't be disappointed.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

philipgonzales3 said:


> Since posting I have done a little research and I am looking into the Cannon PowerShot SX50. It is a "bridge" camera so it is kind of like a hybrid between P&S and DSLR's, of course it is no where near a DSLR but it does have full manual mode, RAW photo saving, 50X optical zoom, support for external flash. Surely this has to be better than a cell phone camera? Any advice before I go pick this bad boy up lol.


The lens on this camera is fairly slow. This means that you'll either have to use higher ISO (creating more noise in your images), have limited depth of field or a slow shutter speed. The latter two points mean that it's going to be more challenging to get in focus shots of your fish. The SX50 may not be a bad camera but I wouldn't get it if your main purpose is to take photos of your fish. It's main selling point is the 50X zoom - a feature that's not really all that useful for taking photos of your tank.

Something like the Canon Powershot S120 may work slightly better for you. Better still (because you can use a wider aperture through most of the zoom range) is the Olympus Xz-2. These cameras have faster lenses and are in the same price ballpark as the one you're considering.

Personally, I use a DSLR with prime lenses and my smartphone for all my fishtank photography. Zoom lenses are not worth the sacrifices to image quality to me.


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## philipgonzales3 (Dec 4, 2013)

Yea I asked around and this camera is not the camera for the job because of the shutter speed and aperture and small sensor :-(. Any recommendations on a SLR? I kind of want to get a Rebel T5i but then it would be kind of going overboard, as I have no aspirations to become a pro, although it would be nice to learn a thing or two.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

I would look at some of the mirrorless cameras instead of the Rebel. Some of them are as simple to use as a point and shoot but have much better image quality.


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## philipgonzales3 (Dec 4, 2013)

Well it looks like I will be going with the nikkon D5200 with kit lens and then I will buy a 50mm f1.8 lens to go with it.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

That's a good mid level DSLR with a decent kit lens. The D5300 is the current model. Consider taking a look through Craigslist or other camera specific forums for second hand cameras with a low shutter count, you can save a bundle.


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## philipgonzales3 (Dec 4, 2013)

Yea but I'm a sucker for brand new shiny stuff lol. On my way to pick it up now. I know that it's not going to be easy trying to use manual mode at first but I am a computer technician, so I like anything techie so it will be a fun process learning about how aperture effects the exposure, and shutter speed, and depth of field and what not lol.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

philipgonzales3 said:


> Well it looks like I will be going with the nikkon D5200 with kit lens and then I will buy a 50mm f1.8 lens to go with it.


That lens is a serious bargain for what you get. My wife has one and I've shot with it many times. Great lens and you can definitely get good use of it taking shots of your fish.


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## philipgonzales3 (Dec 4, 2013)

SO I indeed did pick up the D5200 today with the 18-55 VR kit lens and also picked up a 55-300 f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens for 100$ as well. I am going to get the 50mm f/1.8 as soon as my amazon gift card comes in lol. So far I have learned how to use auto mode (well not learned but you know lol), learned how to use manual mode a bit and figured out how to adjust the aperture, shutter speed, ISO, manual zoom and what not. It's going to be a while before I get good at using manual mode but at least I know the basic concepts for now. :dancing:


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## jeffkro (Feb 13, 2014)

Nice camera, you get the thumbs up from me.


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## spotmonster (Nov 23, 2006)

Good choice, I have the exact similar set up with an older D80. I picked up the 1.8 50mm for 50.00 off of Craigslist. Try using either Aperture and Shutter Priority modes instead of going full auto at first. You can get great shots a little easier that way. Make sure you clean the glass, and don't plan on taking pics after feeding...the water will not be crystal clear.


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## philipgonzales3 (Dec 4, 2013)

Thanks, check out the pics I posted in the lake Malawi section. They are just what I managed to snap very easily with little effort and probably incorrectly. I am definitely still learning the camera, but I am definitely impressed with it.

If I can take these pics, I can only imagine what it could do with someone who knows how to actually handle this bad boy lol.


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## MizOre (Sep 20, 2013)

philipgonzales3 said:


> Since posting I have done a little research and I am looking into the Cannon PowerShot SX50. It is a "bridge" camera so it is kind of like a hybrid between P&S and DSLR's, of course it is no where near a DSLR but it does have full manual mode, RAW photo saving, 50X optical zoom, support for external flash. Surely this has to be better than a cell phone camera? Any advice before I go pick this bad boy up lol.


I'd step up to a DSLR, or micro 4/3rds or a Sony A3000 which is a mirrorless camera with some mediocre features but also with an excellent image sensor and a couple of good lenses, including a trio of Sigma primes that get high marks from the testing services. Micro 4/3rds has some fast primes but not quite as cheap as the Sigmas. Canon and Nikon have lots of available gear.

A lot of very nice cameras in every line show up used the day after a newer model is released. Find out how to check the shutter activations and you'll find something with less than 1,000 shutter activations at a considerable discount over new (both my last DSLR and my current Micro 4/3rds body had less than 600 shutter activations). Google for how to check shutter activations on any given model and brand. Avoid anything with more than 20,000 shutter activations -- mean shutter death is 100,000 to 150,000 for non-pro models. Think future use of the lenses -- bodies are consumables.

The A3000 is insanely cheap, but takes quite nice pictures (same APS-C sized sensor as the enthusiast DSLRs). The kit lens is hit or miss, but mine and some others of the current manufacturing run seem to be decent lenses. It's under $300 a lot of places in the US and is available world-wide in the most unlikely of places (like a chain electronics and kitchen appliances store in Jinotega, Nicaragua). Buy the 55-210mm lens and you've got a basic outfit for most things.

If you're looking at putting $600 or $700 into a camera, Canon and Nikon have good entry level kits that probably would be a better camera for anything that moves fast (focus tracking on the mirrorless cameras is still a work in progress, but the Sony A6000 may have solved that problem. I like mirrorless because it's lighter weight than most DSLRs, but I'm not a fan girl for any brand or system.

Fish have a lot of small details. The bigger the imaging sensor, the more of those details your camera will be able to register. Unless you enlarge or crop a lot, any camera from M43rds up will be fine.


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## philipgonzales3 (Dec 4, 2013)

I purchased the D5200


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## MizOre (Sep 20, 2013)

You'll have fun with that. My first DSLR was a D50, sort of the ancestor of that.


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## ozman (Sep 7, 2012)

well i wish i had read this post earlier....i said to my wife i want some close up good pics of my babies, that's what i call them.
so she got our point and shoot, stood on a chair stuck her head and the camera in the top of the tank and totally stuffed it up.

no picks as it's not water proof, and i said to her you idiot that camera is supposed to be fool proof not water proof... :-?

just a light hearted joke,i love her really :wink:


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