questions → dslr or point and shoot?

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DSLR or point and shoot?

I will be going to Asia and my Canon point and shoot is dead (had my PowerShot SD750 for like 6 yrs). I am in the market for a new camera and have been on the fence about which route to go...

Approximate Budget- $500

P.S. Contrary to what some may believe, electronics in Asia can be more expensive than here in the US. Let me rephrase... GOOD QUALITY electronics can be more expensive.

by underinsomnia
asked 8 months ago

11 Answers answer

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This summer my buddy came with me on an expedition through India, Nepal, and China. He had just bought a new Nikon DSLR, while I had my 5 month old Nikon Coolpix (point and shoot).

I felt that having mine would be better while trekking, but, honestly, we never ran into a situation where I really needed to get a shot off 2 seconds faster (his camera took about 2 seconds longer from off to shot). That in mind, the quality of his pictures were without a doubt, noticeably better. The Taj Mahal, and not to mention the greens and colors of the Nepali jungle were captured so much better on his DSLR. If you've got 500 bucks, I'd say go that route :)

P.S. Your last comment is absolutely true. Being a resident of China, I can say that the average price for ANY electronic (even the ones I consider "cheaply made"), are usually at least 10% higher than the average price in America. Haha I was definitely surprised. iPhone 4's are weighing in right now at around 5,000 RMB ($782) :S

dmaz
8 months ago

vote-for6vote-against

DSLR for sure. I got a entry level Canon Rebel XS as a wedding gift. I was amazed at the clarity difference from my previous point and shoot(Panasonic Lumix). I enjoyed taking photos with my point and shoot but the DSLR gave me more functionality.

You can get the XS model between $400 and $500 depending on whatever sale is going on.

neolithicx
8 months ago

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@dmaz: Thank you! Yea, a cousin of mine says you can't get a 32" LCD TV out there for the price here in America. When my uncle was looking for a new laptop, we looked at how much Apple charged...

MacBook Pro 13" 2.3 Ghz (base model)

Apple US - $1199 USD + 8.875% sales tax = $1,305.41 USD
Apple China - $8,998 RMB / 6.3933 conversion rate = $1,407.41 USD
Apple Taiwan - $37,900 NT / 29 conversion rate = $1,306.90 USD

underinsomnia
8 months ago

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@neolithicx: I have been eyeing the Rebel as my DSLR choice. It looks like a good beginner DSLR.

underinsomnia
8 months ago

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@underinsomnia: it's a great beginner dslr.

Definitely go for it if pictures are a passion of yours. Quite honestly, smart phones are starting to be just-as-if-not-more-functional than point and shoots. My inspire 4g has 8mp...WTF

zarfus
8 months ago

vote-for2vote-against

Check out the Panasonic DMC and Olympus PEN Micro Four Thirds systems. Good compromise between P&S and DSLR cameras.

thefenst
8 months ago

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If you go the DSLR route, be mindful of the lens(es) you choose to take with you. If you just use the lens that comes with the DSLR (kit lens), will give you good optics at no extra cost, but you may want to look into different focal lengths (better, more expensive)can can give you wider perspective or better magnification (more reach).

chalion
8 months ago

vote-for1vote-against

@underinsomnia: There's absolutely nothing wrong with Canon, and their Rebels are quite good as beginner cameras. I still regularly use my 20D, which is a couple of steps above the Rebel line, but similar. However, I'd also suggest looking into trying a Nikon - that's where I would go if I were to start afresh today. There have been countless discussions about good DSLRs for beginners, and now is definitely the best time to do your homework - before you've bought into a specific product line, since lenses and accessories aren't cheap.

As to the Nikons, I like the way they handle colour and white balance (and ISO) a lot better. And their control schemes are infinitely more intuitive; very important for making any adjustment on-the-fly, and especially if you don't want to have to pull away and navigate menus. Give the D3100 and D5100 a look and see what you think.

Or you could compromise between DSLR and P&S - ILC (Interchangeable Lens Cameras) are coming out: V1 or J1

arosiriak
8 months ago

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I personally always carry a point-and-shoot wherever I go, and bring my DSLR when I actually plan on taking pictures.

They both have their advantages, but in order to fully utilize the DSLR you'll need to invest more money in lenses.

kawatecchan
8 months ago

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Thanks wooters! I will probably head to a few stores this weekend and see if I can play around with some of the cameras. I am leaning more towards the DSLR but need to feel it out and make sure it works for me.

underinsomnia
8 months ago

vote-for2vote-against

@arosiriak: I picked up a Nikon D3100 today at Best Buy for $520. I like the bigger LCD and the layout of the buttons seem more user friendly. Like you said, I don't need to go through menus to make on the fly adjustments. Thanks!

Thank you all, fellow wooters! (@dmaz @Neolithicx @Zarfus @thefenst @chalion @kawatecchan)

underinsomnia
8 months ago

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