# looking to buy a camera. Need suggestions



## Dach (Dec 12, 2007)

With thanksgiving just around the corner I'm looking to save enough money to buy a camera on black friday.

I'm looking for a camera that I can use to take some nice pics of my fish and tank. My knowledge of cameras very poor. I'm not sure what features I should look for in a camera that would help me take good pictures of my fish.

My budget is very limited. Maybe less than $200 (hopefully it will be something on sale).

Looking forward to some suggestions and thanks for your time.


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## bertolli (Aug 18, 2009)

I wouldn't go for something with all the bells and whistles, an average digital camera with macro mode does fine you just have to be patient. 200$ on black friday will get you a more than decent camera.


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## gtxjoe (Oct 23, 2009)

Stick with the name brands, Nikon, Canon, Sony and you should be fine. Pick out 2-3 in your price range and look for reviews on them to help make your decision. I prefer the Canon Elph line.


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## Dach (Dec 12, 2007)

Thanks for the tips.

I have been looking at reviews and such and now I'm more confused . Now I'm trying to figure out if I should get a new megazoom camera or a used DSLR. There are a few that are <$200.

Are the new megazoom equivalent to the old DSLRs?


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## Dach (Dec 12, 2007)

I decided to stick to the mega/ultra zoom type cameras.

These are the ones I'm looking at currently.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20/B 10.1 MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Zoom
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t..._shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A1J7WSBJHTGUFA&v=glance

Fujifilm Finepix F70EXR 10MP Super CCD Digital Camera with 10x Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...t_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

Canon PowerShot SX120IS 10MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Images Stabilized Zoom
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...t_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

Kodak EasyShare Z950 12MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t..._shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A3SPLR0MSOYZ8O&v=glance

Kodak Easyshare Z915 10MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t..._shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A13BNE3P7C8THK&v=glance

Samsung HZ10W 10MP Digital Camera with 10x Schneider Wide Angle Dual Image Stabilized Zoom
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...t_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

Have any of you owed any these cameras? I would appreciate some feedback based on your experience with these cameras. I'm hoping one of these cameras will be able to take good pictures of my fish. I'm also open to suggestion not on the above list.


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## Kloyd Niel (Oct 13, 2010)

Hi,

Some aquarists find that an exciting and enticing sub-hobby of keeping a beautiful tropical aquarium is that of taking pictures (and video) of the tank and it's inhabitants. Many find, (like certain other criteria for keeping fish tanks) that this is not easy to do. In fact, it takes equal as much patience and practice as keeping the aquarium itself.

Often, the relatively dim lighting conditions, reflective and refractive light issues involving the tank itself, and the constant movement common to the life of most aquariums, makes the art of aquarium photography also one of planning, precision, timing, and sometimes even luck.

Even the best photo equipment is virtually useless, except when there is a good subject to photo, and area to photo in, especially if the intent is to capture a unique moment. Sometimes, indeed, the equipment can make a difference, but I've found that it's hard to beat the good-old virtues of patience and practice, especially when it comes to the art of "aquatography".

Thanks a lot. God Bless

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## jrf (Nov 10, 2009)

Dach said:


> Are the new megazoom equivalent to the old DSLRs?


I think it depends on how deep into the photography part of the hobby you want to go. With either option, the knowledge and ability of the person behind the camera will play a huge role in the quality of the final photos.

A new point and shoot camera will have some advantages over a used DSLR (more megapixels, faster zooming, etc.). But youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re typically stuck with limited control over some of the settings and you have no option to use specialized lenses (macro lenses). With some practice, youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ll still get some very good pictures, but your high end potential is limited to what the camera initially offers. If photography isnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t your thing, these may be acceptable tradeoffs given the ease of use and the lower costs.

With the DSLR, you have a ton of freedom and you can expand your list of photography equipment as your budget allows. YouÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ll hold on to your lenses even when you move on to a bigger, better camera body. The quality of your photography is only limited by your capabilities and the technical challenges of shooting fish in a tank. The downside is that additional lenses, flashes, etc. can be EXTREEMLY expensive, and the learning curve for photography is steep if youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re not all that interested in the topic. At the very least, a DLSR, along with all of the peripheral equipment, is a lot less convenient to haul around for things like birthday parties or vacations.


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## 3kgtchic (Apr 16, 2010)

You can get a good used Nikon D40 DSLR for cheap. :thumb:


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I had a high-quality Canon point and shoot ($400 range) and was disappointed because the shutter lag made it really hard to shoot good pics of fast moving fish like mbuna.

I got a DSLR (Nikon) last year and it's fabulous. Not what you are looking for, but my point is that low shutter-lag is a key feature to look for in fish photography. Also an off-camera overhead flash unit, which I am still experimenting with. Thus I can't really show you any pics.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

Agree 100% with DJ. The shutter lag is a problem with any kind of motion shot, not just fish.


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