Camera's

[UnderWaterParadise]

Ok all you Pro pic takers, What is the best camera I can get with a nice Macro lens for around $1300-1500? Digital of course. Thanks

[reefrunner]

For that kind of money, you can enter the dslr field. The digital rebel has come down in price considerable, less than 850 bucks with kit lens and you should be able to pick up a good macro lens for it for about 500. Although you may want to wait a couple of weeks if your going to go that route. Rumor has it that a new digital rebel will be released at PMA in a couple of weeks which should drive down prices on the older rebel, so they will go fast.

[Craig Manoukian]

Good stuff Kevin. I love the Canon 10D I got from Travis and he has the new Cannon 20D FYI Rob.

[Travis]

Well, IMO you have two options. You can go DSLR, or you can get a top-of-the-line digicam.

If you want to get serious about photography, definitely go for the DSLR. However, know that there's going to be a fair learning curve, and you WILL want to drop a lot of cash on additional lenses/equipment. When you learn how to use it, you'll enjoy many benefits over digicams.

On the other hand, if you want to be able to pick up the camera, fire off a few shots and have them be as good as possible with minimum hassle, a nice digicam is the way to go. Using an SLR can be a production, with set-up and post-processing not to mention oeprating it. If good "snapshots" or somewhat serious but easy shots are what you want, you'll be happier with a digicam.

HTH

Travis

[Spooda420]

Research it first here.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/

[reefrunner]

Which ever way you go, I'd wait till after PMA and see what latest greatest thing is announced, on the digicam side or see if a dslr will drives prices down on an older model.

Travis makes a good point on the additional equipment on a dslr, lens lust is a marriage breaker

[UnderWaterParadise]

Thanks everyone. I don't want to get too professional. Like T said something I can pick up and snap a nice macro and the wife can use to take the Millions of pics she loves to take of our son

[mps9506]

FWIW, I had the opportunity to purchase a Canon 10D for REAL cheap recently. I decdied not to go for it, just because I REALLY didn't want to get caught up in another expensive hobby. After seeing how much some of these true shutterbugs spend on equipment, I knew the camera was just the start.
Plus I've seen plenty of folks take GREAT pic's with point and shoot cameras.
T used to take awesome pics with a regular digi cam. I've managed to take one or two good shots with a $200 camera.
Maybe some day when I have more time (to learn) and money (to spend) I will buy myself a top of the line DSLR and lenses, but for now, the point and shoot can do the job for me.

[NHLblues44]

Hey Rob,
FWIW I use the canon powershot pro 1, it is 8MP so you get huge crystal clear files, it has a great 7X optical zoom lens which used in macro and super macro mode can really pull you in close. It has all dslr functions as well as the standard auto mode for our wives. It also has a grat looking flip out lcd and movie mode. The only complaint I have is the digital view finder, I would prefer an optical one so I think I may move up to the 10 D myself in the future. But IMO, you can't go wrong with a Canon.

[Cougra]

I'm currently looking for a camera as well and I think the best advise I was given was to write down what you want to use the camera for, then write down the features that you are looking for to do what you want. For example, the main reason I want a new camera is for landscape and nature photography, then I would like to have something that will take good pictures of my tank. So for the applications I want to use the camera for are something as folllows:
Full manual abilities - automatic point and shoot doesn't cut it for me anymore
high Zoom - so I can get some close ups of birds and small animals
ISO 100
Large Megapixels
Macro mode - for those closeups of flowers, bugs and corals
Hotshoe - for an external flash to better illuminate the tank without getting those annoying glares
Large memory abilities - I hate having to constantly download or switch memory cards
Ability to take short videoclips - so I can document the progress of my fish as they grow
etc

Then once I get a list of features that I want, I can start going through the cameras that best matches what I want to do. Naturally the list of priorities can change as I get to know more about photography and cameras. This process has illiminated a lot of cameras from the list and gave me the foundations to ask more specific questions.

I have found that simply asking, "What's the best camera for the money I have?" is a great way to part with all the money I have and not get a camera that does what I want it to do. Sales clerks seem to love tailoring the camera to your budget rather then your needs.