Best digital camera for $1000?

[isagreg]

I wanna buy a 6-8 Mp digital camera, what is the best camera to your opinion?

Budget 1000 USD max.

Thanks in advance.

[Elliot]

Greg,

 

This is a sensitive subject. Some people love their Canons, some love their Fuji's. I am biased I have always like Nikon.

 

It seems everybody is recomending the Nikon D70. Around Feb of this year it was selling around $1,299.00 with the basic lanes made for the camera. (Most likely, you will need this lens). Now I have seen them at NY for around $900.00. Be aware some of those discount houses in NY are selling gray market cameras. They are perfectly new, but their are comming from their distribution network in the Far East and have no warranty support in the US. Another trick they do is that they will sell you a barebones camera without batteries or some of the other needed accesories. You will need a compact flash disk. I have a Hitachi micro drive 4gb and it can hold a lot of pictures.....

 

Look at the reviews.... there is many.....

 

 

Good Luck

Elliot

[isagreg]

Thanks for the reply Elliot

 

I am total newbie in photography. All I want is a nice a camera with decent resolution (6-8 Mp) decent image quality (minimum noise) capable of doing nice day/night shots, close-ups, indoor shots (low light conditions).

Besides I heard that if the camera has manual exposure control then it is possible to take the same picture with different exposures and make HDRI out of those images (may be I am wrong here)

I went to CompUSA the other day and there were these 4 cameras:

Sony Cyber-shot Pro DSC-F828

Nikon CoolPix 8700

Canon PowerShot Pro1

Olympus Camedia C-8080

They're all 8Mp, non-SLR (although in some reviews they're called SLR-like, prosumer, semi-professional)

Also I heard a lot of good thigs about Nikon D70 and Canon EOS Digital Rebel (they are 6 Mp but true SLR cameras and often can be purchased with basic lenses - I know nothing about lenses) But they're more expensive than I want to spend (not interested in gray market).

I am totally lost here... Should I go with one of those cameras from CompUSA, or sould I get a SLR camera?

Thanks.

[kainoa]

It helps to know what kind of photographer you are and how this camera will be used.

 

• If it's primarily for work and you know the basic operations of an SLR; and also if you are a very creative photographer and know how light works, than a digital SLR is perfect.
  
• If it's just to take snapshots here and there or for travel, than just get the most expensive Canon Digital Elph you can find - Canon S500.
  
• If it's a combination of both, than I'd suggest getting what the market refers to as an "Advanced Digital Camera". These are my recommendations (in order): Canon Pro1, Nikon 8700, Fuji S20 Pro.
  

 

As you've probably noticed I'm bias to Canon. But it's not to say that others are krap, it's just that I've had nothing but outstanding experience with them. I do however suggest staying away from Sony - overpriced, under-featured, and median quality pics.

 

I do own a Canon Digital Rebel SLR and a Canon S400. Both are the best I've ever had. The Rebel is basically the Canon 10D, but with a plastic body. You also have access to a host of lens and accessory options. The Nikon D70 is also very good, it can shoot 144 continuous shots (Rebel can do 8). My S400 has never taken a bad shot. It combines a solid/slick/compact body, with good battery life, terrific optics, great features, and easy price.

 

Note: If the $1000 is a maximum, than perhaps a digital SLR will put you over. The bodies alone will run you $800+. Then you'll have to buy a lens, and other accessories (bag, compact flash card, ext. flash, etc.). The only complete sub-$1k slr is the Canon digital rebel $900.

 

Hope this helps, Cheers!

[isagreg]

Thank you for very informative reply.

What can you say about HDRI making? Is it possible to do it with those cameras?

I narrowed my choices to these cameras:

 

"SLR-like"

Nikon CoolPix 8700 ($999 - $200 Rebate = $799)

Canon PowerShot Pro1 ($999)

 

True SLR:

Nikon D70

Canon EOS Digital Rebel ($689 http://www.expresscameras.com/cart/prodetails.asp?prodid=10169&up=8845&start=1 )- is it a good deal? Hope not gray one...

 

But most likely I'll go with "semi-SLR", although Digital Rebel's price is very close to "semi-SLR"s... Still confused.

[kainoa]

After reading your replies I would definitely opt for the Nikon 8700, especially with that deal ! It'll give you a good combo of advanced features and ease of use.

 

As for HDRI images, I dont have any first-hand experience but from what i know is you use a digital camera (any type) in combination with a light probe.

 

light probe - A highly-reflective silver ball used to create High Dynamic Range Images. A light probe is typically photographed from two directions at ninety-degree angles from one another, creating two images that, when combined using a special piece of software, create an HDR Image.

 

Than you use software like HDRShop to convert it to an HDRI.

[isagreg]

Thank you very much.

[LivinOnTheEdge]

just got a nikon d50. pretty similar to d70 just missing a few of the features. not quite as big or bulky either. the d50 is sweet camera. great photos, for about $850 w/ lens, case, tripod, mem card, etc. slr rules!

[Geoffc]

Seconds on the D50. We're picking one up this Christmas. In some ways it takes superior pics to the D70, simply due to rapidly advancing technology.

 

Check here: http://www.kenrockwell.com

[DennisB]

Might want to check out the new Sony DSC-R1. $1000 x 10.3 megapixel. 5x optical zoom. Zeiss lens. APS size CMOS sensor.

 

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydscr1/

 

Would be high on my list, although it does have a some feature shortcomings too.

[karankundra]

I would say the Nikon 3100 is one good one..