Camera Resources Thread, Thinking about which camera to get? Click. Options

[Simba]

Welcome to the Camera Resources Thread!

I think it's about time we have a place anyone thinking about buying a camera or need help choosing the right kind of camera for them can go to.

Well here it is! Here, you will be able to find a variety of camera's and resources recommended by createBlog members. Whether you are looking for a digital, single lens reflex, or whatever, you can probably find one suitable for you here!

If you still can't decide on which camera to get, you may also discuss it here, and may be given input from createBlog members. But please try to use the resources listed here already, as the purpose of this thread is to reduce the amount of threads asking about what kind of camera a person should get.

Contribute!
1. To contribute, post it here. Provide a link to the camera (preferably from the manufacturer's website) and the type of camera and it's price range. You can also add a comment if you wish.
2. Make sure your camera isn't already listed here.
3. If a link doesn't work, PM one of the moderators and it'll be taken care of.
2. Please try to provide cameras that you truly recommend.

Cameras:
Cameras are listed by type and price range.
Digital: $200 and Under
Sony Cyber-Shot Point and Shoot Cameras (Very user friendly set of cameras. Optional underwater cases.)

Digital: $200 - $300
Sony Cyber-Shot Point and Shoot Cameras (Very user friendly set of cameras. Optional underwater cases.)
Canon PowerShot SD30 (Really small and cute and comes in 4 colors. Great beginner camera. Battery lasts a really long time too.)
Canon SD1000 ("Sexy.")

Digital: $300 - $400
Nikon Coolpix S6 (Ultraslim camera with a large LCD monitor)
Fujifilm Finepix E900
Kodak Easyshare V570 (Dual lenses, conventional zoom lens and ultrawide lens)
Nikon Coolpix S4 (10x Optical Zoom)
Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-T9 (Image Stabilization)
Olympus Stylus 810 (8.0 megapixel, it has many modes for the type of picture you want to take, plus, the modes are really easy to access, it has its own 'button' for all the modes.)

Digital: $400 - $500
Nikon Coolpix P3 (Performance camera with vibration reduction)

Digital: $500 and Above

DSLR: $600 and Under
Nikon D50 - Body Only (Amazing entry level DSLR for its price)
Nikon D40 - With 18-55mm Lens (Another great entry level DSLR, cheaper than the D50 and easy to use.)
Olympus EVOLT E-500(Go for cheap.)

DSLR: $600 - $900
Nikon D50 - With 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens (Amazing entry level DSLR and lens for its price.)
Canon Digital Rebel XT - With 18-55mm Lens (Lightweight and sufficient camera, especially for its price.)
Olympus E-1(E-1's are more professional out of the E series. Cheap, but only 5 MP.)
Olympus EVOLT E-410(Consumer spin, compact, has live view. "Point & Shoot DSLR."

DSLR: $900 - $1200
Nikon D50 - With 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 & 55-200mm f/4-5.6 Lenses (Amazing entry level DSLR with good lenses.)
Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro (Incredibly cheap professional camera. Also compatible with most Nikon lenses.)
Digital Rebel XTi - With 18-55mm Lens (Lightweight 8.0 Megapixel camera; another great value.)
Olympus EVOLT E-510(More professionally oriented than the E-410)
Olympus EVOLT E-330(Porro mirror and live view)

DSLR: $1200 - $1500
Nikon D80 - Body Only (Awesome price and size while being comparable to the award winning Nikon D200.)

DSLR: $1500 and Above
Nikon D200 - Body Only (Award winning camera.)


Hybrids/EVFs
Fujifilm FinePix S9000 - About $500
Canon Powershot S3 IS - About $350


Camera Reviews
Digital Photography Review

This post has been edited by Cristy: Aug 6 2009, 05:55 PM

[kryogenix]

KRYO PICKS CAMERAS WORK IN f**kING PROGRESS

CHEAP AND SMALL SHIT

This section applies to you if:

• You want a very portable camera
• You don't really care about photography but want decent image quality anyway

Price: $<200-~$400

• Canon Powershot SD series is king here. Look for one with image stabilization to counter your Parkinson's. Also if you're a little more serious, Canon A series works too if you don't want an itty bitty camera, and you get some manual controls with them too in case you want to dabble in more serious photography.
  
• Panasonic DMC-FX/LX series are fine too. Especially if you can get one with image stabilization and a Leica branded lens. You don't get a lens made that's actually made by Leica, but at least you can technically say you use a Leica to impress your friends that watched Eurotrip, even though it's just a rebranded Panasonic.

INTERMEDIATE SHIT

This section applies to you if:

• You want a more "serious" camera while being moderately portable
• You're considering taking photography a little more seriously than taking myspace/pictures, but aren't ready to spent a billion dollars on equipment

Price: $<300-~$600

High end point and shoot. These are pretty much like your regular point and shoot cameras, except that they're usually nicer. Usually bigger sensor, nicer lens and more manual features that give you more creative control over your pictures.

• Canon G series. Like a point and shoot, except you have a flash hotshoe on top and more manual controls.
• There are others like the Ricoh GR Digital series and Sigma DP-1, but they're expensive/specialized cameras that most likely would not be of interest to people here. Also the DP-1 kinda sucks.

Bridge cameras. People often confuse these for SLRs. The difference is they are usually smaller, do not use a mirror reflex system (which is why they are smaller), have a smaller sensor, and have a fixed lens. These are cool if you want a camera that looks and feels like an SLR. They usually have long zoom ranges that stretch to very long focal lengths.

• Canon S*IS series. S5IS has a hotshoe for a flash, previous Canon S series don't have it.
• Fujifilim S series. S100FS has a nice lens with 14.3x zoom. Improved dynamic range for better colors too.
• Panasonic FZ series. Monster 18x zoom range, and again, Leica badged lens so you can brag the next time you watch Eurotrip.

SLRs

SLR cameras are the "professional" looking cameras that people drool over. The biggest advantage is that they use a mirror reflex system to allow you to see through the lens. There are plenty of advantages to this. Instead of a separate viewfinder that introduces parralax error on non SLR cameras, you see what the lens sees. You can fine tune focus and see depth of field. If you don't know what any of this means, you're in the wrong section. Seriously, save your money and buy a cheaper camera if you're too lazy to read about the topic.

I'm too lazy to do this section in depth. If you have no idea what you're looking for, chances are you probably aren't ready for an SLR.

This section applies to you if:

• You wanna be a cool kid with an SLR
• You want a lot of manual control over your images
• You've used a camera before, understand things like aperture, shutter speed
• You've got money to blow on lenses and other equipment

DO NOT BUY AN SLR IF:

• You're expecting it to be cheap
• You're a clumsy f**k who drops their stuff all the time
• You're just going to keep it in automatic mode all the time
• You're a pussy and are dependent on composing an image on a rear LCD screen. Learn to use the viewfinder f****t. DSLR viewfinders are usually smaller and darker than their film counterparts as well. Deal with it.

UNDERSTAND THIS:Every major SLR (even Olympus and Sony) is a big step up from the cameras in the categories listed before here. The choice of camera here becomes less important, in comparison to your technique and choice of lens. A nice camera is useless if you don't understand how to use the creative control functions. And a cheap camera with nice lenses will take better pictures than an expensive camera with bad lenses.


CHEAP CONSUMER SLRS

• Pentax K200D series. Nice camera, KAF mount accepts pretty much all Pentax lenses, so you can use a lot of old equipment with it. Built in image stabilization. Low price and plenty of bang for the buck. Pentax is a small company with not a lot of new glass coming out very often, so if you're poor, want a full featured SLR and don't plan on many lenses, this is a good camera for you. If you're too poor, there's always the K100D Super/K100D/K110D (in decreasing order of quality).
• Canon Rebel Series (or 3 digit series). XSi just announced, meaning XTi and XT are going to drop in price. These cameras are tiny, so if you have big hands, you might want to buy a battery grip or find a bigger camera instead of these.
• Nikon D40/x. Can use old Nikon lenses, but won't be able to use automatic features with them. Honestly, I don't like it (Nikon higher end cameras are much better, it just seems to me like this one cut too many corners), but some people like how it fits in their hands better than the Canon Rebel series (it's hard to take good picture if you're uncomfortable holding the camera), so I'm including it here. I think you're better off seeing if you can get your hands on a D50 instead, but good luck since it's discontinued. I suppose a D70 is fine too.

SEMI PRO SLRs

• Pentax K10D/Samsung GX-10. This camera is often overlooked and underrated, and I'm not sure why. Relatively inexpensive. Awesome camera for the price. Not as good as Canon or Nikon mid range, but it is better in some ways. And it's definitely better than Canon/Nikon's low end consumer cameras, without being much more expensive (sometimes, for a lower price). It has built in image stabilization. The camera body is weather sealed, so you can take it to a dusty or wet environment if you have a weather sealed lens to go with it. All in all, highly recommended if you want a cheap, good camera to get into SLRs with that will last you a while before you outgrow it. Also, K20D/GX-20 is coming out soon.
• Nikon D80. Don't take my word for it. Ask the guy who started this thread. Very robust features. Or if you have more money, buy the D200 or D300.
• Canon 40D. I really don't know what to say other than it's a good camera that is a minor improvement over the 30D, which was also a great camera. Has live preview on the LCD, which is probably the biggest upgrade from the 30/20D cameras.

There are other SLRs out there, like the D300 (which is pure sex), Canon 5D (full frame sex) and the pro range D1/D2 and EOS-1D series, but chances are, if you're looking at this post for advice, you don't want those cameras.

Good game, f****t.

[Simba]

There are other SLRs out there, like the D300 (which is pure sex), Canon 5D (full frame sex) and the pro range D1/D2 and EOS-1D series, but chances are, if you're looking at this post for advice, you don't want those cameras.

Nicely put, Kryo.