Camera questions

hemigremmy

hemigremmy

New Member
#1
#1
Kind of looking at cameras, is the Nikon D3000 a good camera? It is 10.2MP and comes with 18-55mm lens an a 55-200mm lens, 8GB memory card and the bag for $399 at Sam's club. I know some of the smaller cameras are a lot more mega pixels but I have heard of a lot of people buy this camera but don't know much about it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
Spyderdregg

Spyderdregg

Active Member
#3
#3
Forget the Nikon and go with a Cannon.Nikon quality just aint what it used to be.I know quite a few photographers that have switched to Cannon after using Nikons for years.
Yeah,Cannons tend to be more expensive(mostly) but when it comes to cameras you really do get what you pay for.
 
Tom S.

Tom S.

#4
#4
This is an entry level DSLR, and a 4-year-old design. Beginner-type cameras aren't going to have a lot of features. I think maybe the biggest drawback to this one for all-around use is its inability to shoot video. It just seems kind of obsolete. The Sam's Club price does look pretty good, though, for what you get. The best I could find on Amazon was $398 for a single lens kit.

If there's any way you can come up w/another fifty bucks, this two-lens Canon T3 kit at Walmart seems like a much better way to get started.

Canon Black EOS Rebel T3 12.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with Two Lenses, SD Card, Bag & Bonus Coupon for 2 11"x14" Faux Canvas Prints: Digital Cameras : Walmart.com

Here's a comparison from 2 years ago.

Canon T3 vs Nikon D3000 - Our Analysis
 
TANKSAREUS

TANKSAREUS

#9
#9
I have the Nikon D5000 - same lens bundle.

I love my camera, but like all things you get Fffffoooxx fans and Rupp fans it all boils to to preference.
GS Biker is into cameras he should have some good input.

Pixels are not allways the measure of a good camera - for the price the D3000 is an awesome package
 
GSbiker

GSbiker

Active Member
#10
#10
I don't want to get in the middle of a Canon vs Nikon pissing match here. They both make excellent cameras. The key is to look at what you need the camera for and pick the one that meets those needs.

Why do you want a DSLR? I have known many people that think they want one and end up selling it and buying a good point and shoot. Changing lenses is a pain for most and carrying them is even more of a pain. They are fragile and expensive to replace/repair when dropped.

If you have your mind set on a DSLR then the Nikon D3000 for $400 is a pretty good place to start. It might be missing some features that you might need. For me the lack of wired remote capability is a major negative. I like taking pictures at night so a good tripod and remote are a must.

Right now Nikon has a special on the D3200 for $499. It is a current production model and will probably be around for another year or so. The D3000 is on its way out. But no matter what you buy it will be obsolete in a few months anyway. Take a look at the Nikon refurbished cameras on the web site. Usually a good deal for less money and same warranty.

Another camera to look at is the Rebel series by Canon. Excellent starter DSLRs. Additional lenses are cheaper than Nikon and the selection is excellent.

As was mentioned earlier megapixels aren't everything. Unless you are going to print poster size images more megapixels aren't necessary.

Go to your local camera store. Not Walmart, K-mart, etc but an actual camera store. They usually will listen to what you want to use the camera for and give you some free advice.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your decision.
 
Tom S.

Tom S.

#11
#11
GSbiker said:
I don't want to get in the middle of a Canon vs Nikon pissing match here. They both make excellent cameras. The key is to look at what you need the camera for and pick the one that meets those needs.

Why do you want a DSLR? I have known many people that think they want one and end up selling it and buying a good point and shoot. Changing lenses is a pain for most and carrying them is even more of a pain. They are fragile and expensive to replace/repair when dropped....

Go to your local camera store. Not Walmart, K-mart, etc but an actual camera store. They usually will listen to what you want to use the camera for and give you some free advice.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your decision.
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Great points. :thumbsup: Here are three very nice point & shoot cameras that will perform nearly as well or even better in some areas than the DSLRs mentioned above, and are easier for a beginner to use. I own two of these, the Lumix and the Canon, and always carry one with me on my dirt bike. Some of the shine gets rubbed off after awhile of bouncing around in the tank bag (dirt bike tank bag - boy, that was a neat find), but I've never had a failure, and won't be out a fortune if it gets dropped or run over. The Lumix is my favorite, and usually rated as the most versatile because of its fast, f2.8 lens.

Amazon.com: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 12.1 MP Digital Camera with CMOS Sensor and 24x Optical Zoom - Black: PANASONIC: Camera & Photo

Amazon.com: Canon PowerShot SX50 HS 12MP Digital Camera with 2.8-Inch LCD (Black): CANON: Camera & Photo

Amazon.com: Nikon COOLPIX P520 18.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 42x Zoom Lens and Full HD 1080p Video (Black): NIKON: Camera & Photo

I have a DSLR body, an older Canon, but no lenses. I only use it to shoot motorcycle races and I rent lenses for those events. For $30/weekend, I can rent a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II that has a retail price of about $2,500.
 
zombiewoof

zombiewoof

New Member
#12
#12
We use a Cannon Rebel as well. Great Camera. We also have a little Nikon pocket cam that does pretty well, but is not near as good as the Cannon.
 
Phil1958

Phil1958

#14
#14
i've had this pentax KD10 since 2006 when it was
first introduced. not a bad mid level dslr in its day.
i use it mainly for astrophotography on a 2000mm
schmitt cassegrain and 100mm maksutov cassegrain
for lunar stuff.

it came with a so-so 50mm lense. i ended up getting
aftermarket lenses for lunar, terrestrial and regular use.
i haven't looked but you could probably pick one up for
chump change now.

now it's probably old tech, but it still gets used!

 
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GSbiker

GSbiker

Active Member
#16
#16
Tom S. said:
Great points. :thumbsup: Here are three very nice point & shoot cameras that will perform nearly as well or even better in some areas than the DSLRs mentioned above, and are easier for a beginner to use. I own two of these, the Lumix and the Canon, and always carry one with me on my dirt bike. Some of the shine gets rubbed off after awhile of bouncing around in the tank bag (dirt bike tank bag - boy, that was a neat find), but I've never had a failure, and won't be out a fortune if it gets dropped or run over. The Lumix is my favorite, and usually rated as the most versatile because of its fast, f2.8 lens.

Amazon.com: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 12.1 MP Digital Camera with CMOS Sensor and 24x Optical Zoom - Black: PANASONIC: Camera & Photo

Amazon.com: Canon PowerShot SX50 HS 12MP Digital Camera with 2.8-Inch LCD (Black): CANON: Camera & Photo

Amazon.com: Nikon COOLPIX P520 18.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 42x Zoom Lens and Full HD 1080p Video (Black): NIKON: Camera & Photo

I have a DSLR body, an older Canon, but no lenses. I only use it to shoot motorcycle races and I rent lenses for those events. For $30/weekend, I can rent a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II that has a retail price of about $2,500.
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I go through a lot of cameras but right now the models I use the most are the Nikon Coolpix AW110. It's waterproof, shockproof, has GPS tagging of the images and WiFi. This goes with me everywhere. Then there is the Canon G15. Fantastic camera. I use it in a scuba housing for underwater photos and carry it when I don't want to carry a DSLR. For DSLRs its the Nikon D600 full frame with a Nikkor 28-300mm lens. It's used for landscapes and wildlife. Different tools for different situations.
 
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