Getting into amateur photography

Had the sudden urge to start taking pictures. Been taking a lot on my shitty phone but of course they don't look that great. Looking for a standard digital camera that gets the job done.

Been looking at this for a while and it looks fairly promising. Don't know much about specs, do you guys have any input? Much appreciated

PowerShot ELPH 300 HS

nikon

Invest in an entry-level DSLR.

A Canon 550D perhaps. Not all that expensive and a proper camera for its price. The video is great as well (if that matters to you).

I started off with a Nikon D40. No idea how much those are now.

  On 4/16/2012 at 1:30 AM, Hasselbalch said:

Invest in an entry-level DSLR.

A Canon 550D perhaps. Not all that expensive and a proper camera for its price. The video is great as well (if that matters to you).

I started off with a Nikon D40. No idea how much those are now.

This is what you want to do. You will only ever end up being frustrated with point'n'click cameras (like the one in your opening post), which are good for portrait pictures, but not much else really.

Get a second hand DSLR with a lens and you will have a much more enjoyable time.

go for a canon. tons of movies being shot with 7D's these days. my wife recently sold her old rebel for like two or three hundred $, so there are good deals out there.

or consider getting an old pentax K1000, which is film. its SLR and you can find lenses for them. i have one and it is magic.

Also, is it a good idea to get a refurbished camera straight through Canon? They are some really great deals, knocking off $90 on the Powershot

  On 4/16/2012 at 4:02 AM, Danny O Flannagin said:

Also, is it a good idea to get a refurbished camera straight through Canon? They are some really great deals, knocking off $90 on the Powershot

yeah i don't think there is anything wrong that, or using a powershot for that matter. there are way to many people walking around with 5D's, a bad credit score, and nothing much to show for it.

i love my ipod touch for taking quick candid photographs . i do have a nikon d40 though, i've got to buy a better lens for it

  On 4/16/2012 at 4:20 AM, sheatheman said:

  On 4/16/2012 at 4:02 AM, Danny O Flannagin said:

Also, is it a good idea to get a refurbished camera straight through Canon? They are some really great deals, knocking off $90 on the Powershot

 

yeah i don't think there is anything wrong that, or using a powershot for that matter. there are way to many people walking around with 5D's, a bad credit score, and nothing much to show for it.

yeah I'm going to second this, the powershots are great and you can even step up to a G12 which will give you more manual options without having to lug a brick around

I feel like the DSLR's are a little out of my price range. Seeing some high end digital cameras that have great specs but they use AA batteries, aren't these cameras just going to eat up batteries?

  On 4/16/2012 at 4:50 AM, Danny O Flannagin said:

I feel like the DSLR's are a little out of my price range. Seeing some high end digital cameras that have great specs but they use AA batteries, aren't these cameras just going to eat up batteries?

Weird, I didn't think digital cameras still use AAs, definitely don't waste your time one one that does

  On 4/16/2012 at 4:50 AM, Danny O Flannagin said:

I feel like the DSLR's are a little out of my price range. Seeing some high end digital cameras that have great specs but they use AA batteries, aren't these cameras just going to eat up batteries?

IMO, you should just wait and save for a used dslr + lens like others have said. i hate to say that you'll have to make more of an investment than you want, but you'll benefit a lot more from waiting and buying a real camera. in the mean time there is a practically infinite amount of knowledge to be absorbed regarding how to use a dslr when you get your hands on one on this fantastic interwebs thing.

What is your maximum budget? I highly recommend a dslr though. Everything else is just a toy imho!

You can get a second hand nikon d40 with a kit for prox. 300 Dollars. It is only 6.1mp, but the noise performance and dynamic (+raw format) are far better the every compact cam sensor.