Subject: Photographers - Off Topic

Hi,
I could join another site, but I don't want to. Besides I know most of the people on MJ are artsy and have Art type jobs and backgrounds.

I have a question regarding cameras.

I used to do photography for a newspaper and have my own studio. I got out of the business just as digital was coming on. The last Digital Camera I used was a 4MP Canon SLR back around 2002. So, I'm a bit behind the times and out of the loop.

I'd like to get a new point and shoot that OWNS the digital camera world. If you have been around long enough to remember Leica P/S cameras, or my favorite... the Olympus Stylus Epic (No Zoom, 2.8 crystal clear lens), you'd remember that you could drop these cameras off a small building, pick them up and still get spectacular shots without lugging a whole backpack full of gear with you.

I'd like to know if there is a digital camera that took my beloved Stylus' place in the photography world. I'm going to start hiking and exploring and would love to start using digital instead of having my negs scanned to cd's.

Thanks in advance.

Brian

bump

Hey Brian,

I'm not sure what your budget is but check out the Canon Powershot G9:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/518209-REG/Canon_2082B001_PowerShot_G9_Digital_Camera.html

I shoot with Nikon digital SLR's but my Dad has an older Canon Powershot model the G4 and it's a nice camera. From all the reviews I've read the G9 is awesome.

Check out this page on Flickr:

http://flickr.com/cameras/canon/powershot_g9/

On the bottom of the page you can select some different categories of pictures taken with the G9.

And for anybody interested here is a plug for my Flickr page:

http://flickr.com/photos/adam_mcclure_photography/

Hope this helps!

Adam

I'm not an expert on all the stuff that's available, but I recently upgraded to a Nikon D40 digital SLR and it's fantastic. It's one of the cheapest digital SLRs and I mainly chose it because I still had a bag full of old Nikon lenses under the bed from the days when I was a real photography nerd. But I've been seriously impressed with it.

The other day I took a quick snap of a tomato flower in my garden and when I uploaded it to iPhoto I saw there was a tiny aphid sitting on the edge of the petal which hadn't been visible to the naked eye. I zoomed in and I could even see the aphid's eyeball, perfectly in focus.

It has all the artistic controls you'd expect on an SLR, but if you just stick it into Program mode it does brilliantly well as a point-and-shoot. And the battery seems to last forever. You may not need an SLR though. Digital cameras have advanced so far in recent years even a basic compact can take better pictures than my expensive SLRs did in the old days. As has always been the case, it's good lenses rather than good cameras that make crystal clear pictures.

My one tip is not to be seduced by megapixels. The marketing blurbs would have you believe that you need the highest number of megapixels to get the best image quality. That's simply not true, as there's a trade-off between pixel size and sensitivity. More pixels = less sensitive pixels.

I'm sure you won't regret going digital, whatever camera you choose.

Not knowing what budget you're on, it sounds like you would like to have professional quality from your camera.

I'm not an expert in what's out on the marked, but I can tell you a little about my experience and knowledge of the digital world.
I think of my self as a semi pro photographer, and shoot some pictures for my work as a graphic designer, and some portraits and weddings for family and friends.

I have gone from using Hasselblad and Nikon analogue cameras to Nikon's semi professional D200 and now upgraded to D300, and I'm very satisfied with the quality and features. The picture quality is of course also depending on what lenses you choose...

It has a rather heavy weight, and can be a bit unmanageable to take on the road, at least if you carry several lenses... But my experience is that for getting pro quality, with little chroma problems or/and noise from jpeg compression you'll probably have to consider these cameras. At least a camera that offers shooting in RAW format, so you're able to adjust chroma problems and such.

The camera house on the D300 is pretty sturdy, and it will probably take some "normal use" beating without problems. The less costing models aimed at the amateur marked has a more plastic feel than this one.

If I where to buy a new one now, and my budget was rather generous, I'd go for a camera with a large image sensor (FX sensor) like the new Nikon D700:)

If you're going to do pictures for printed media you should keep in mind that the images are printed in 300 dpi optimum, and that your camera should have enough Mpx to support the physical sizes you want them printed in.

I don't have much knowledge of what's out on the marked of good quality smaller cameras, but if you keep this in mind, you have a guideline to follow when looking.

Good luck with finding your new companion!

Hope this was helpful:)

Thanks, MJers, I knew there were some photographers out there. I think that the Canon G9 is exactly what I want. Professional without lugging around a bunch of stupid gear. I'm so over that!

Here's a link to my flikr account, I have a few old pix up from when I used to take lots of pix:
http://flickr.com/photos/bondietti/

a teaser....

Some great pics there... :)