$600 - 700. range... Retiring and would love to learn how to operate a good camera. The Nikon P7700 was mentioned but I have no idea why. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Interested in purchasing a GOOD camera.
(17 posts) (10 voices)-
Posted 5 months ago #
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Does it need to be new Mama D? I'm not in the US, but in the UK your budget would stretch to a new D3200 or 5100 kit, (are you looking at DSLR's, or Compacts?). Used, you could get a nice D7000. Let us know a bit more info about your intended use, and we'll be able to fine tune our advise. Welcome to the forum.
Posted 5 months ago # -
Actually, I might suggest something like this: http://www.adorama.com/INKD3100K.html?utm_term=Other&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=Other&utm_source=rflAID021866 For less than $500 this is a great camera/lens to start with in photography. It has a simple auto settings, a guide mode, and all the advanced modes and feature you will need to learn all the basic and intermediate parts of photography. Learn some digital processing and printing from your inkjet printer and you will be amazed at the photos this camera/lens can take for you. Once you feel you have outgrown this camera (it should take years) you will be much more knowledgeable about how you want to spend more money than these first $500.
The camera's SkintBrit recommends are all good. I just think you are not going to need or use the additional features they offer for years and by then they will have been replaced by newer versions you will want to purchase. So I recommend paying $500 now, learning and then in a few years pay more when you know what more you want.
Posted 5 months ago # -
Here is a good camera which will give good pictures and still leave money for related 'stuff':
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/823590-REG/Nikon_27504_Nikon_1_V1_Mirrorless.html
If you are new to digital photography it may be better to go in this direction as a full DSLR and kit may intimidate you.
Posted 5 months ago # -
spraynpray said:
Here is a good camera which will give good pictures and still leave money for related 'stuff':http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/823590-REG/Nikon_27504_Nikon_1_V1_Mirrorless.html
If you are new to digital photography it may be better to go in this direction as a full DSLR and kit may intimidate you.
Very very good advise! Well done spraynpray, I'd forgotten about the 1V1. Nikon are doing some amazing (and I mean amazing) deals on them right now. You obviously will be tying yourself in to the "1" system, but from what I read, that's not such a bad thing.
Posted 5 months ago # -
Yes, the V1 would be a good option also; especially if you are interested mainly in family snapshot photos. But it will be more limiting ultimately (for close ups of flowers, wildlife, larger size prints for example) than starting off in Nikon's DSLR line. We need to know how the original poster defines "good" and what type of photos they want to produce.
Posted 5 months ago # -
spraynpray said:
Here is a good camera which will give good pictures and still leave money for related 'stuff':http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/823590-REG/Nikon_27504_Nikon_1_V1_Mirrorless.html
If you are new to digital photography it may be better to go in this direction as a full DSLR and kit may intimidate you.
+1
Posted 5 months ago # -
donaldejose said:
Yes, the V1 would be a good option also; especially if you are interested mainly in family snapshot photos. But it will be more limiting ultimately (for close ups of flowers, wildlife, larger size prints for example) than starting off in Nikon's DSLR line. We need to know how the original poster defines "good" and what type of photos they want to produce.Given that the OP mentioned a P7700, I didn't immediately think of a D800!
Posted 5 months ago # -
Yes, we often recommend far too much capacity and far too high cost compared to the actual use or need involved. We become "equipment freaks" who get excited about the latest and greatest gear for everyone. My goodness, just a few years ago you had to pay $8,000 to get 24mp (D3x) and now you can get 24mp for less than $1,000 (D3200, D5200). Surely, the "bottom of the line" Nikon DSLR range offers enough IQ for all but those with very specialized needs.
Posted 5 months ago # -
will-i-am said:
Ok, so I am new to photography. I'm looking to invest in a long term durable dslr camera. I heard d7000 is the best in the market right now, but rumors says the d7100 is bound to release. Cost can be a bit daunting, but I don't mind spending a few extra bucks if you give me a good reason to select one over the other. Many would argue spend little money on the body & more money on the lenses. I don't really understand this notion because if that were the case, why do they make some cameras more expensive than others? After all, they all have similar functions & take similar shots, etc.What are the essentials in a camera? If you could explain Low noise at high ISO, Wide dynamic range, High true resolution,Many focus points,Large sensor, built in flash, etc that'll be great.
Posted 5 months ago # -
thank you ^
Posted 5 months ago # -
My opinion is the P7700 would be an awesome camera. Unlike Canon's advance digital's, the P7700 shoots in raw. Also, Nikon's ViewNX2 editing software which is free, edits raw files.
All of us that shoot DSLRs have an advance digital and/or point and shoot. So you're not wasting money if you would decide to go to a DSLR later.
Also, if you're wanting to just shoot in Auto or Scene modes, the P7700 would be a great choice. If you wish to shoot in the manual modes I would suggest moving up into the DSLRs.
Anyways, just saying you'll be very impressed with the powers of the P7700 and if you ever want to move up to the DSLRs, you'll never regret getting the P7700 first.
Posted 5 months ago # -
Will-l-am.......
(where to start?) First......you need to forget about this camera being "better" than that camera; there's a very old adage which says, "great photographs are made by great photographers, NOT great cameras"; (or something like that) you have already indicated that you read a lot; that's good; very good in fact; because anyone desiring to "learn about photography" is going to be obliged to do a tremendous amount of reading; it's one of the two best ways to gain knowledge. (which is what you need right now, more than a particular camera)
Here's my very best advice, based on what you have told us; Don't buy a D 7000 right now; don't buy ANY camera body right now; until you read more about photography, study the differences between different types of cameras, there is no possible way for you or anyone else to make a reasonable, informed buying decision, relative to which camera you need to buy. Yes, the D 7000 is a very capable camera, and will take GREAT pictures, but ONLY if you understand how to use it !
Here's something else to ask yourself; assuming you read, study, investigate, gain knowledge, then buy that first camera.........what are you going to DO with the pictures you take ? Does that sound like a dumb question ? It's not, really; are you going to post them on face book ? if so, the dinky camera in most cell phones is all you need for that ! Are you going to make wallet size prints ? 4 x 5 prints ? even 8 X 10 prints ? you STILL don't need the capability offered by the D 7000 for that. As a matter of fact, I think the "least wise" thing you could do at this point in time, would be to buy any camera until you have learned enough about what different cameras are capable of doing; Think about this; digital camera technology is moving ahead at a very rapid pace; any camera you buy today, will be "technologically behind" a camera in the same general price range, in a year from now. Also, because cameras "evolve" so rapidly, they become "out-dated" just as rapidly; but guess what......it really doesn't matter; here's why; to the people who really understand photography, who really know exactly what kind of things they want to photograph, they already know exactly how much "camera" they need, for what they want to do. Asking questions is fine; it is one off the many ways to gain knowledge; and right now, you need to cram in a whole bunch of knowledge, and when you do, you will realize that what I'm telling you is very sound advice.
I hear people using the term "best camera" about 139 times a day......I'll tell you the answer to the "best camera" question; it's the least expensive camera on the market that is capable of doing what YOU want to do !
I'm going to take just a little more time to give you one example of what I'm attempting to explain about "buying that first D SLR";
I have been taking pictures and reading about cameras since before I enlisted in the Navy; ( we were "at war" in Korea at the time )
I used up quite a few rolls of 35mm film until about 3 or 4 yrs ago, so I knew a fair bit about the basics of photography 3 or 4 yrs ago; but I knew exactly "squat" about digital photography, or digital cameras; I thought a lot about it, asked a few questions, read a few books.........and THEN......bought my very first digital camera; at Wal-Mart; ( I still have it ) guess what it cost; $189 ! A dinky little Fuji "FinePix 1000; Was it "good enough" ? That's kinda hard to answer; see, for the 5 or 6 years prior to "going digital" I was shooting with my Nikon F-5, which in my considered opinion, STILL has the finest view finder of any camera I have ever looked through ! (but alas, it uses film) I "did" essentially what I'm advising you to do; I started out at the bottom; now...about the Fuji; well, it does take pictures; I must say though, after the F-5, the view finder on the Fuji is a joke; it has a sensor probably not much bigger than the nail on my little finger; but it does take pictures; I learned quite a bit while I was using it; and as to "was it good enough"........consider this; I had an "unusual" and very fortunate opportunity, and at the time, that little Fuji was all I had; I had the opportunity to visit a certain airport where a "big event" was about to take place; I also had the opportunity to be right out on the ramp, (with a personal "guide") and take some pictures that now have great historical significance; one of those pictures (that I took with this dinky little Fuji) I made an 18" X 24" print of (for free), on a friend's 48" commercial Mutoh ink jet printer, and that one photo now hangs on a wall in the corporate HQ of a very large airline. Is it a "great" picture ? No, not really, but it was "good enough" that when the fellow whose office it now hangs in saw it, he wanted it on his wall ! Obviously, I could make a much better print now, with my D 300s, but the "first ever" event in that picture can never be repeated. Photography is all about being in the right place at the right time, and hopefully, with the right equipment; ( I was lucky on the first two, not so much on the last); but it was still "good enough".Learn all you can; after a certain amount of time, you'll KNOW which camera is capable of doing what you are capable of doing with it.
Posted 5 months ago # -
Nikon D70 or D70s with a Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 lens.
You can find them on Craig's List for about $250.
They play well with most Nikon lenses, have unlimited flash sync speed, play well with all modern Nikon speedlights, and are durable and comfortable.
It will allow you to learn all of the essentials. Then later, you can give it to a relative when you upgrade. (if you still have the bug)
If you don't think it's a good enough camera, then do a Google or Flickr image search for images taken with one.
Posted 5 months ago # -
Or: Nikon D200. I've seen them for less than $300.
Posted 5 months ago # -
No to the D70 or D70s or D200 in my honest opinion. I have one but seldom use it anymore because I find its image quality disappointing and too limited these days. If you are going to go old I would recommend not going older than the D90 which (with lens) will cost somewhere around $600 to $800. Reason? It has a feature called Picture Controls which allows you to fine tune the color, sharpness, contrast, etc of the photo in the camera. It's predecessor (the D80) didn't allow this fine tuning (and the D70 was the predecessor to the D80). Personally, I find this feature enormously helpful as I switch between sports, portraits, landscapes, product photography, etc for which I want quite different characteristics in the photo. It saves me a lot of time in post processing. Also, the D90 has Active Dynamic Lighing which improves photos by darkening overexposed light areas a bit and lightening shadows a bit. BUT for the price of a used D90 (which has been replaced by the D7000 which itself will soon be replaced by the D7200 in a few months) you can get a new D3100, D5100, D3200, or D5200 and be working with new technology.
Posted 5 months ago # -
http://www.flickr.com/groups/d70/
Many fantastic pics in this group. You can take amazing pics for less than $300. Just sayin.
Posted 5 months ago #
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