Good luck on me actually answering that one to your satisfaction! Recently though, I have taken it upon myself to begin shopping for what camera my brother should buy for his needs, even though he has not chosen to buy a new camera just yet. So, maybe a few of my own thoughts into what camera my brother needs will help some of you out there.
My brother has a run-of-the-mill compact camera (aka point-and-shoot). He is frustrated with the camera’s lag time in actually taking a photo. You know the story: kid makes a cute face, picture taking button is pushed, camera calculates the velocity of an unlaiden swallow, child moves on in life at a child’s pace, and camera finally records some image…albeit a kiddy version of some over-drugged 1960s album cover. I would be frustrated too. So, I started convincing him to buy a new camera (and phone/handheld too, but that is a different story).
I am not a gadget guy. I do not like having loads of tech toys just for the joy of having the newest and coolest. I want a few essentials that perform the functions I really need. So, you are not going to hear some extravagant, break the bank kind of answer.
I have already gabbed elsewhere about some simple ways to begin to help compact cameras (and SLRs for that matter) react more quickly to the photo we want to shoot. So, I will not repeat that. This present gab is if those suggestions still do not not work to your satisfaction and you really think buying a new camera is the best option.
In the years long quest to find a camera that does what he wants, my brother has bought (if I remember correctly) an entry level film SLR, a cheapo digital compact, and a nicer compact (“pro-sumer”) camera. The film never really saw much action before the digitals came on the scene, and neither of the digitals, even the “pro-sumer” camera, have done their job to his satisfaction.
“So basically,” as he puts it, “I could have used the money I spent on all those cameras to buy one that does what I want, and probably in a package about the same size as my current camera?” Right, with money left over.
I am suggesting the Nikon D40. Buy the entry level Canon DSLR if you must, though it is older and less user friendly than the D40 for a similar price. And buy a Canon pro-sumer camera for slightly less money and far less dexterity if you wish. I still stick with the Nikon D40.
I would not suggest the larger megapixel D40x because my brother is never going to need those extra megapixels anyway. The D40 can print very high quality 8×10 prints without breaking a sweat. So, why would you want the extra resolution for a “family cam”? Megapixel envy is the only reason.
With the kit lens, the D40 will be slightly longer than my brother’s current pro-sumer camera—”pro-sumer” just means really big compact camera with features that barely distinguish it from a normal compact. So, size is not really a problem since he is already shooting with a not-so-small camera.
Money? Well, the SLR D40 will be one half-step up the price scale. Pro-sumers, to my knowledge, are in the $400-$500 range. I think Nikon wisely stopped making their pro-sumer cameras and answered the problem instead with a real camera for just $50 more. You can buy a Nikon D40 for about $550 (I just saw a $50 rebate at Target, making it $500) and have a camera that takes excellent quality photos.
The Nikon D40, 6 megapixel, digital SLR is the best “bang for your buck”, in my eyes. It does not solve the problem of catching children in that perfect moment, but I think it keeps us from trying our best to make a compact camera accomplish a task for which it is so poorly suited. My brother will still need to learn to be patient and wait for that right moment, but now, he can shoot off several shots near the right moment and choose the best one. Or better yet, anticipate that moment and take the one shot that is just right…which is possible, but incredibly hard to do with a point and shoot.
I would totally agree with you choice of recommending the D40! Despite lacking some features, its a great camera to begin learning on!
Yet again, just today, I was reading in Consumer Reports on their review of the 2007 camera line ups, and the D40 shines! Though the price is small, the quality is high.
Additionally, they had a line up of some of the lenses available from different companies for their cameras, and the D40s kit lens rated at the very top! I do not know if this is true, but it sure seems to be: Canon makes cheapo (price and quality) lenses and nice lenses, and Nikon puts the quality even in their simple cheapo lenses.