Cameras..........any recommendations?

[TexasTravel]

My wife and I travel alot and have been to many spectalur places. Each time, I look back at my video and still shots and see improving but bad defects (IMO).
This time, in Xiang Gang (Hong Kong), I am looking to step up from my Minolta Maxxum HtSi to a better, digital still shot camera. I am looking to spend somewhere between $600 to $1000. I want to do my best in that category. I am not real sure how SLR makes a difference.
I for a camera that can take very crisp pictures of nature and geographics, something I can use to get good shots of architecture such as Cambodia, Egypt, China, etc. both far and close. It does not need to have a dramatic zoom but something that can get crisp shot of a far away mountain and the person 10 feet away from me, at the same time.
I have missed sooo many great shots in places such as Tibet/Mt. Everest to Machu Pichu to Angkor Wat to Potala. Oh, I have pictures of all of those places, and some are very good, but I want something that I can have developed into film and look great while having great resolution on my computer.
It does not need closeup people picture type stuff, although would not be bad, it does not need to be able to catch extremely fast movement like hummingbird wings, although that would not be bad either. I just want an excellent landscape camera.

A key example is to visit my website and see the places that I have been. You will notice that as time goes on, the pictures get better but I want to get even better.

Anyone know of a camera, in that price range, that would fit my needs?

[Birdbomb]

Dude! let me hook you up with a friend of mine. NO ONE knows more about cameras than he does and he can tell you where to get it too.

[Crazy Monkey]

Hiya Texas

This sounds like my type of subject!!!!

I swear by my Canon Digital SLR, which is the camera I used too take most of the pics in my album (with a few exceptions) I also always carry a small Sony compact in my pocket for an emergency, that way I never miss a picture.

There is a huge amount of difference between my Sony compact and DSLR, it is not until you compare the 2 that you notice how superior my digital SLR is.

An SLR camera is far more flexible in its use and you obviously have the option of interchangable lenses. I have an extremely long lens for wildlife and wideangle for landscapes. The attention to detail is out of this world, I use filters which help to block sunlight therefore enhancing the colours.

But on the otherhand an SLR doesn't come pocket sized so it depends on if you are willing to carry it around, (I use a camera backpack, which takes all my lenses and laptop)

Even if you are just after an excellent landscape camera an SLR would still come out top for me as it has the ability to keep detail and colours even when items are getting out of the field of view, which is where compacts always fail as they lose focus and the colours tend to all blend together.

These are my personal feelings on a comparison, hope this helps

[RobinN]

My Canon EOS digital is also a great camera. Still learning what it can do.

[Crazy Monkey]

Robin - Which Canon Eos do you have? as I use the same series

[TexasTravel]

Thanks Bird and Crazy, any info or help is great.
I will say that size does not matter as I have toted a large Sony video camera and the Minolta around for some time and can handle the load, no problem.

Birdbomb, my wife and I will be going to Hong Kong, Thursday, and I will purchase my camera there as things can be bargained for in Hong Kong and one of my sister-in-laws is extremely good at it. My wife's family is from and lives in Hong Kong so she can help me find a great price but any knowledge that I can gain would be a great help. But, if your friend knows where to go in Hong Kong, it would, definitely, not be a bad suggestion. Thanks! How can I get in touch with your friend?

Any personal opinions on the better SLR cameras Crazy Monkey? I have looked around the internet, checking "Top 10" sites. For most, the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi or Canon EOS-5(450)D are their preferences with some Nikons' and Olympuss' rounding out the top 5.

[Crazy Monkey]

Well my camera is the Canon 450d, which is suitable for what I use it for, I have looked at upgrading but couldn't really see the point as I would only be increasing the number of pixels and my pictures easily blow up to A0 size, if you do go for a DSLR be sure to get a polarising filter for the lens, take a look in my Planet Earth Album at the pictures of the Grand Tetons with the lake in front of it and Ayers Rock in Australia, you will notice how blue the sky is, this filter really makes your pictures stand out from the crowd

[Crazy Monkey]

I have attached a couple of examples of photos that I took earlier this year at the Grand Canyon, both taken about a minute or 2 apart 1 with my Sony compact the other with my Canon SLR, you can see the difference in the depth and colour instantly, this might help you to make your mind up. (click a photo to enlarge)

[TexasTravel]

Wow! What a difference!
I have a lot of filters for my Minolta, also. They definitely do make a difference.
You have a lot of pictures in your collection, are they all taken with your Canon 450D? With or without filters?

[TexasTravel]

I looked back through some of your pictures again. You have a lot of excellent photos from closeup to far away landscape to night shots to even action like the waterfalls. Do you use different lenses for each of those?

[TexasTravel]

That picture of the Grand Tetons is overwhelming! It is awe inspiring! Man, I would like to take one like that someday. I wish I had pictures like that when we were in Tibet. One like that when we were standing beside the Chinese guard station at the second base camp of Mt. Everest would have been tremendous also but all I had was a junky Sony tape video camera. Oh well, the views will always be in my wife's and my head.

[TexasTravel]

Here are some samples of my travel pictures. They are good but not near as good as yours.



These were taken with my Minolta.

[Birdbomb]

My friend says...

40D / 28-135mm is a nice combo, at about $1100. If he isn't going anywhere soon, then wait for the 50D, which might have better low light performance.

Honestly, however, having two lenses would be the best. On most of those trips, the majority of your frames are close up. A 17-40mm f/4L is a nice lens for this sort of work, especially on a crop body. Use a longer lens, like a 70-200mm f/4L for the distance shots. 40D + those two lenses runs closer to $2500, though... but the lenses are the bulk of the price.

Just don't go with XSi or any other consumer-type body. They don't fit in the hand very well and are quite disappointing, when you consider that $250 can buy twice as much capability.

EOS XTi is 400D, XSi is 450D. 5D is nice, and would compare well to film as it is full frame, but the body alone is way out of his price range. Sony Alpha series cameras will mount Minolta lenses, if he already has a good variety of lenses for his Maxxum.

[alivenwell]

Great photos! Thanks for sharing them.

I've heard that the Cannon brand is great with the SLR features. They're high in the price range. But, they usually have all kinds of stuff like the DVD read/write, memory chip capability and USB port. SLR really helps clarity in shots.

I bought a Sony Handycam which has separate chip in it. The chip can hold several hours of stuff. It also writes to DVDs and can transfer that to a PC with a USB cable. There's one thing I know about Sony camcorders---their memory stick (wish I had one for each ear!) is specifically made only by Sony.

If I get my hand on it, I'll start to play with it. My kid snatched it up and took videos of our dog. We are 'lending' it to him for an art course. I seriously doubt it will come out of his room now.

Personally, I'd go for the Cannon. It's worth it.

[Crazy Monkey]

After Birdbombs reply I had a look at my camera when I got up this morning and it looks like I told a little white lie, my ex Boyfriends camera is a Canon 450d mine this has more pixels, mine is a 400d which has a silver body, this camera is no longer available as it is a couple of years out of date.

In reply to your question most of my photos were taken with my digital SLR (and not his) which I have now established to be a 400d. There are a few that were taken with my Sony Cybershot, like the polar bear and a few others which I can point out later if you are interested.

Sorry for the confusion, it was me being a dumbo.

[RobinN]

Robin - Which Canon Eos do you have? as I use the same series

I have the Rebel XT

[dfwtexas]

My friend is a photographer and she is getting me into it. She recommended the Rebel XTi. It retails for about $850-900....I found one on craigslist for $600. I love it!

[Crazy Monkey]

I looked back through some of your pictures again. You have a lot of excellent photos from closeup to far away landscape to night shots to even action like the waterfalls. Do you use different lenses for each of those?

I have 3 lenses which I use, small, medium and large ranging from 18mm - 500mm, but it is also to do with making use of the settings you have on your camera. For example - When I have photographed an orca breaching I had to change the shutter speed to very fast, which is different to when I am photographing the moon. (just thought, I shall have to add a pic of the moon into my album)

Let me know if you have anymore questions and I will do my best to answer them.

[TexasTravel]

Sounds like everyone likes the Canon Digital SLR's. I am currently looking at the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT and XTi. I will have to see what kind of prices I can get for them in Hong Kong.

[TexasTravel]

I looked around at several HK malls today and talked to a salesman about his personal preferences, why, etc., and got some info on things. In his opinion, Sony's are a piece of junk, the Canon 40D is the best in his store and the best in that category.
Asia claims to have no idea what a Digital Rebel, or anything like that, is.

I am seriously considering the 40D but, being a 10 mp camera, I would prefer one in, at least, the 12 mp category so I am still looking, for now. I might end up settling for the 40D in the end though.