Camera Buying Help

[Iamchris]

My anniversary is coming up and my wife mentioned buying a new camera, so I think I might go this route for an anniversary gift. We are headed to Hawaii next month and our old camera just isn't up to the task, it still operates but a good camera will be nice.
I was looking around at lists of "top travel cameras" and the Canon Rebel T6 has my attention. It is around 550$ with a nice set of accessories, ect.
We aren't photographers, we are just looking for something functional that we can take with us on trips, and use for normal use for life events.

If anyone has any advice, I'd appreciate it... going to make a move on this very soon.

 

[Iamchris]

https://www.amazon.com/75-300mm-Fib...F8&qid=1505355525&sr=1-5&keywords=canon+rebel

This is what I am looking at.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...le-20&linkId=2c2d2a1bb46ddca7450c376f71e3ef9b

Nikon beat it in a review I read, but I also read that Canon is generally better quality.

 

[Steve@TF]

https://www.amazon.com/75-300mm-Fib...F8&qid=1505355525&sr=1-5&keywords=canon+rebel

This is what I am looking at.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...le-20&linkId=2c2d2a1bb46ddca7450c376f71e3ef9b

Nikon beat it in a review I read, but I also read that Canon is generally better quality.

you cant go wrong with either. both make quality cameras. theyre like ford and chevy. you have serious fanboys.

thats a good camera. i have one like it (canon). theyre kind big and cumberbsome though. unless you plan to get a little serious, you can save a lot of $ by buying something cheaper, and smaller/more portable.

 

[black92]

As Steve said, you can't go wrong with either. I bought my Nikon D3300 off of eBay last year (then 2 months later the D3400 came out) and I the one I got came with a ton of extras. Half of the stuff I do not use.

Here's an example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-D3400...421704?hash=item28268c5088:g:LasAAOSwqVBZaDac

 

[08mojo]

I'm partial to Canon, but both are great cameras. The Nikon bodies typically out perform the equivalent Canon, but I think Canon makes much nicer lenses. Regardless of what anyone tells you, lenses are more important than the body and will end up being your biggest investment!

To add a bit:

I'd look for lenses that range from 18-150mm. That is where you will spend most of your time shooting pictures. I'd only consider above 150mm if you plan on taking pictures of wildlife--if that's the case, the longer the better!

My main lens is 24-70mm--and it covers me for 90% of the time. I have an 18-35mm, it gets used 9% of the time and the remaining 1% of my shots are with a 70-300mm lens.

 

[Iamchris]

After a bit of reading, and I am ready to pull the trigger... but I have a little doubt. It seems that smaller mirrorless cameras are gaining in popularity for their convenience.
As I said, this camera will be used on vacations, events, maybe car photos, ect...
Should I be considering a mirrorless camera, or are people just trying to justify the new mirrorless systems over the DSLR?

Is the mirrorless camera really so much less bulky that it matters? I'm not trying to stuff it in my pocket, but I also don't want to lug a backpack of gear on a hike just to bring my camera.

For my use, what would be best?

 

[AustinSN]

When we bought our camera, we asked a lot of different hobby photographers and they all said they exact same thing, don't buy camera kits where the lenses are included.

We ended up buying a body only for like $250 and a nice lens separate.

Other than that, I don't have a lot to say. We have a T5 and like it a lot, that's about the extent of my knowledge on the subject.

 

[Uncle Meat]

I got rid of my Canon T1i and replaced it with a P&S Canon G7X MKII. Every now and then I wish I had the option for more telephoto, but the simplification of moving to a high end P&S from a DSLR for vacation shots was a no brainer. Smaller, lighter, less accessories.

U.M.

 

[08mojo]

After a bit of reading, and I am ready to pull the trigger... but I have a little doubt. It seems that smaller mirrorless cameras are gaining in popularity for their convenience.
As I said, this camera will be used on vacations, events, maybe car photos, ect...
Should I be considering a mirrorless camera, or are people just trying to justify the new mirrorless systems over the DSLR?

Is the mirrorless camera really so much less bulky that it matters? I'm not trying to stuff it in my pocket, but I also don't want to lug a backpack of gear on a hike just to bring my camera.

For my use, what would be best?

Got to the store and try both mirrored and mirrorless cameras. The mirrorless cameras are definitely smaller and lighter, but you're pointing and shooting off of a screen--and that seemed odd to me. You can get the same quality pictures from either, but to me it is a lot easier to frame a scene and easier to control a picture from the cameras with a mirror.

Have you ever used the flickr site? It is an awesome tool for comparing cameras, lenses, etc solely based on the pictures taken by the equipment.

For example, you are looking at a canon t6. These photos are all taken by a canon t6: https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=canon t6

These photos were taken with a nikon d3400: https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=Nikon D3400

These were taken with a mirrorless Sony alpha a6000: https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=sony alpha a6000

Dig around Flickr, find the photos you like. Click on the photos to view the EXIF data--this shows the camera, lens and settings used by the photographer (if they chose to share that information, most do). Pay attention to the lens data and focal length first. From this, you will start to see a range of focal lengths that you like and be able to determine which lens suits you best. As I said before, lenses are more important than the camera.

Another very important part of all of this: get a copy of lightroom and learn to edit your photos. Post editing is very important and it is better to learn it early!

 

[mammothcar1]

I'm an avid amateur and I've been using a Fuji Xt2 with various lenses.
Fuji's cameras are mirrorless which also is reflected in their size, a bit smaller and more compact.
I also use Lightroom to edit all my images before I post them.

With that being said, I would consider asking yourself what your plans are after buying the camera.

Yes, using a DSLR or mirrorless will provide you better picture quality among other benefits, but these qualities won't truly be realized unless you use an editing software such as Lightroom.

Depending on your phone and if it is one of the latest Android or Apple products, you should be able to get very good pictures that can be posted to social media and shared with friends and family immediately.

If you have a chance, download the app Snapseed. It's a photo editor that was originally developed by the same guy the developed Nik Effects, a very good product that was eventually bought by Google.

Give Snapseed a try. I think you'll find that the photo's that you take with your phone will come alive and pop after a few simple tweaks with Snapseed.

Snapseed essentially does what I do with Lightroom, the bonus is that I can edit right on my phone instead of importing pictures to my computer and then editing.

I guess what I'm trying to say is this, the quality of pictures taken with a very good phone vs a DSLR or mirroless camera has become very close, especially if the picture is for social media, friends and family.
And after some minor editing in phone, the picture can be outstanding.

 

[mammothcar1]

If you are more interested in the actual process for taking a picture rather than using a phone, check out the Fuji Line.
The X-T20 is essentially the same as the X-T2, but just doesn't have weather sealed capabilities.
Fuji is known for making outstanding lenses, and they've incorporated their film emulations into their cameras as well.

 

[mammothcar1]

Another very important part of all of this: get a copy of lightroom and learn to edit your photos. Post editing is very important and it is better to learn it early!

This ^^^

 

[Iamchris]

All great advice. As far as phone photos, I use a Motorola something... it isn't up to the task of taking vacation photos. I'm not into fancy phones that cost a fortune and need to be replaced every new season.

The photos are for personal use. I bought a nice collage photo frame and will give that to my wife as well with the camera, with the intent of getting some nice photos to fill it while on vacation.
My wife wants to have kids after this trip, it is kind of the deadline she set... so this camera in a way is also for us moving forward as a family, something to capture the moments with.

The photo taking "process" isn't high on my list. I have edited photos I took on my old camera to increase quality and I enjoyed it for the end product. I wouldn't say it is a hobby of mine but I might enjoy taking nice photos and grow a bit.

Im still on the fence, looking at Sony A6300 and Nikon D3400 as the leading picks now. The convenience of the 6300 is nice, but the 3400 is much cheaper, does the same thing and seems to do better in some departments with only a bit more in bulk.

 

[08mojo]

If you're on the fence, my advice is to go with the Nikon 3400. I'm not into the mirrorless cameras.

 

[Black2010]

We aren't photographers, we are just looking for something functional that we can take with us on trips, and use for normal use for life events.

I'm sure I'm in the minority here but making that comment pushes me to tell you to just get a nice camera phone. I bought a nice camera and it was the biggest waste of money for my use as I was getting for the same reason you are. It's big and bulky so taking it places is a pain in the butt and the pictures really aren't that much better than my wifes camera phone since we don't know how to "tweak" things with the settings.

 

[HillbillyHotRod]

If you are just using it recreationly a good point and shoot should do fine. I have an older Nikon D200 so cannot comment on the newer models.

 

[Iamchris]

After quite a bit of research, I am leaning toward the Canon T6S.

I hear you all suggesting the point and shoot, but my wife seems to really like her parents DSLR camera so I wanted to get something more capable, which is what has me looking at SLR and MILC cameras.

 

[CobraBob]

Chris, has your wife ever used a DSLR camera? I hope so, because if not, she might be disappointed that she leaves in on Auto. I made that mistake when I bought a Nikon DSLR a few years ago. Had it for about a month and was very frustrated that I couldn't take advantage of its features, and I didn't have the time to learn how to use it. Ended up selling it.

 

[08mojo]

I'm partial to canon. Photography is a fun hobby. I've really enjoyed learning over the past few years, and I have a lot more to learn. I started with a Canon 60d and currently have a 5DMarkIII. Get the T6 (or the Nikon, can't go wrong with either) and enjoy!

 

[quad]

When we bought our camera, we asked a lot of different hobby photographers and they all said they exact same thing, don't buy camera kits where the lenses are included.

We ended up buying a body only for like $250 and a nice lens separate.

Other than that, I don't have a lot to say. We have a T5 and like it a lot, that's about the extent of my knowledge on the subject.

Did they explain why? I've been looking at camera kits on Amazon and it seems you get a better deal with the body and lenses included along with a bag, memory card, cleaning equipment etc.