Camera reccomendations

G-Dizzle · **on:** December 06, 2017, 03:32:45 AM

I am taking a trip to Quebec City for new years this year and I want a camera. The cell phone photos are fine but I want to take some really nice, sharp looking pictures. I could go out and buy a 500 dollar camera, but there is NO WAY that I can justifiably do that. Is there a such thing as a 100 dollar or less camera that is 1. small, and 2. will take those really sharp, good looking pictures, like the ones that you see on the windows 10 startup screens for example. I am a complete noob when it comes to photography and editing. I do have the new IPhone X though (free upgrade) . Am I better off to just use it's camera (people say it is really good). I want to take some large frame worthy pictures if I can, and frame them as a gift to my girlfriend's mom. This will be a once in a lifetime trip for her. She loves Christmas village type places. I am not sure if it is possible to do that though in my price range for a camera. Any help would be much appreciated. The only camera I have looked at so far is the sony dscw800

kaput · **Reply #1 on:** December 06, 2017, 04:28:15 AM

I'm just starting to look for a camera now too. With cell phones being such good quality now I don't think a $100 camera would be that much better and warrant a purchase.

$500 you're right you can get a nice camera now with good features and great video. You could also get a nice point and shoot for $300 or so.

Are you primarily looking for a camera for the sake of the trip? If so I believe you maybe able to rent cameras and that might be a better route.

They do have some cool sub $100 Polaroid cameras again nowadays

G-Dizzle · **Reply #2 on:** December 06, 2017, 04:35:38 AM

Quote from: kaput on December 06, 2017, 04:28:15 AM

I'm just starting to look for a camera now too. With cell phones being such good quality now I don't think a $100 camera would be that much better and warrant a purchase.

$500 you're right you can get a nice camera now with good features and great video. You could also get a nice point and shoot for $300 or so.

Are you primarily looking for a camera for the sake of the trip? If so I believe you maybe able to rent cameras and that might be a better route.

They do have some cool sub $100 Polaroid cameras again nowadays

Yes it is just for the trip. I will look in to renting a camera or possibly borrowing a friends. That is what I was worried about. I might as well use a phone against a camera for that price. Thanks for your input man!

kaput · **Reply #3 on:** December 06, 2017, 04:55:56 AM

Quote from: gdoolittle on December 06, 2017, 04:35:38 AM

Quote from: kaput on December 06, 2017, 04:28:15 AM
I'm just starting to look for a camera now too. With cell phones being such good quality now I don't think a $100 camera would be that much better and warrant a purchase.

$500 you're right you can get a nice camera now with good features and great video. You could also get a nice point and shoot for $300 or so.

Are you primarily looking for a camera for the sake of the trip? If so I believe you maybe able to rent cameras and that might be a better route.

They do have some cool sub $100 Polaroid cameras again nowadays

Yes it is just for the trip. I will look in to renting a camera or possibly borrowing a friends. That is what I was worried about. I might as well use a phone against a camera for that price. Thanks for your input man!

Of course. I used to be a avid photographer and am wanting to rediscover my passion. Hope you have a fun trip and capture some great moments

As a side note, you can also get a lens type adapter for your phone with options like fisheye, macro, telephoto etc.

mrynnr · **Reply #4 on:** December 06, 2017, 07:41:44 AM

I don’t have an iPhone X but I’ve heard a lot of good things about the camera. I think you’d be ok with just the iPhone X. The only problem you would run into is storage space. Wh

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

pomsbz · **Reply #5 on:** December 06, 2017, 08:04:27 AM

I'm a pro photographer and have taught photography at college level. The camera in your iphone X is excellent. I honestly doubt that you could improve on it at the $100 level. I would recommend, should you want to take professional looking images such as the type you have referenced, that you spend that $100 on a good basic photography course. What you are lacking is far less equipment and far more the necessary training/skill set.

Best of luck!

dks · **Reply #6 on:** December 06, 2017, 06:52:41 PM

The main issue with phone cameras is the lack of zoom. Try and get a canon/nikon etc with optical zoom. Try to avoid paying for things you may not need, like wifi. Or, get a 5,6,7 year old dslr with lens.

Ron Who · **Reply #7 on:** December 06, 2017, 07:35:01 PM

I´m using a Sony DSC-HX200V supercompact, essentially a compact camera with powerful zoom options and manual control, if you want it. Cameras like these are in the E 300 category.

What I find convenient is the one size fits all idea. Lightweight and no extra lenses to lug around. I photograph SAKs, dragonflies, landscapes, portraits. It´s a real EDC camera. A DSLR camera with full size processor and bigger lens(es) yields better pictures.

I agree that some theoretical background helps. There are many internet sites about basic principles.

G-Dizzle · **Reply #8 on:** December 06, 2017, 07:36:30 PM

Thanksfor all the input! I will definitely consider taking an online course

Don Pablo · **Reply #9 on:** December 06, 2017, 09:16:18 PM

Quote from: Ronald Schröder on December 06, 2017, 07:35:01 PM

I´m using a Sony DSC-HX200V supercompact, essentially a compact camera with powerful zoom options and manual control, if you want it. Cameras like these are in the E 300 category.

What I find convenient is the one size fits all idea. Lightweight and no extra lenses to lug around. I photograph SAKs, dragonflies, landscapes, portraits. It´s a real EDC camera. A DSLR camera with full size processor and bigger lens(es) yields better pictures.

I agree that some theoretical background helps. There are many internet sites about basic principles.

I love the pic!

Another pic for the U-Boat RoShrö cult?

kaput · **Reply #10 on:** December 07, 2017, 01:57:49 AM

Quote from: gdoolittle on December 06, 2017, 07:36:30 PM

Thanksfor all the input! I will definitely consider taking an online course

Bookstore my friend. Good content, quick and easy. Also specific to shooting style/subject etc.

pomsbz · **Reply #11 on:** December 07, 2017, 06:19:55 AM

Quote from: kaput on December 07, 2017, 01:57:49 AM

Quote from: gdoolittle on December 06, 2017, 07:36:30 PM
Thanksfor all the input! I will definitely consider taking an online course
Bookstore my friend. Good content, quick and easy. Also specific to shooting style/subject etc.

Or even better, the old fashioned way with a teacher and going out to do the stuff with someone you can ask questions to while you do it. I'm self taught but I didn't begin to really learn anything until I apprenticed for 6 months. The ability to talk to an experienced pro is invaluable. In any case any kind of self teaching requires a mentor.

I'm actually a fan of not having a zoom at the beginning. Doesn't do anything for teaching about 'seeing'. A single or even a couple of focal lengths like you get on the new iphone will do wonders for teaching how a specific focal length 'draws' a scene so that you can learn how best to use it, to anticipate it and what its strengths and weaknesses are. For example, by learning about the effects of perspective distortion through seeing how awful people look when photographed close up and off centre with the wide angle lens on a phone, you will also learn that if you want that elongated exaggerated look, so often used in landscape photography for added 'wow', you now know how to achieve it.

I know this might be too much 'real photography' but the requirements of the OP were to match professional stock photography and create large framed prints for the walls on an extremely tight budget. That's is going to require learning how to do 'real photography'. I could do the above with an iphone because I'm a photographer. I could hand my modern pro cameras and zoom lenses to a beginner and they still wouldn't be able to come close. It's the knowledge that is lacking, not the gear when you already have as great a beginner camera as the new iphone provides. Learn about light, composition and your lens and you can do incredible work regardless of the tool.

I'll give an MTO analogy. Hand my Leatherman Charge to a bushcraft master and they will provide an entire youtube channel worth of incredible feats out there in the woods using just that tool. Hand me the proper axes, saws, knives, firekits and spoon carving tools and I would still barely manage not walking into the trees and accidentally amputating my own bottom.

Ron Who · **Reply #12 on:** December 07, 2017, 06:41:48 AM

My father started mentoring me when I was 6 years old. I learned photography the old way, with celluloid and a dark room. Everything´s easier today!

Alan K. · **Reply #13 on:** December 07, 2017, 06:45:25 PM

I use a Panasonic Lumix that is several generations old and does everything I need it to do, day or night. The new models must be even better and should be in your price range. It is compact so it fits easily in a shirt pocket or in your EDC bag with the rest of your gear. I do agree about taking a course though. You'll take much better pictures when you learn about perspective and framing. I had a year of photography in high school but that was a long, long time ago.