Which camera to buy?

[Chakara]

  I'm not much help to the OP on camera's - but have to say that the event they are going to photograph used to be called the Kodak International Balloon Fiesta.

  Just sayin.....

 

[SeilerBird]

Thank you for defending me Larry. I went through Bert's posts and almost everyone of his 24 posts are dedicated to knocking cell phone cameras. He really is paranoid about cell phones taking over.

Sad you insist on limiting yourself and steer others in that direction as well...

I am not trying to steer anyone anyplace. Even though the OP is asking for recommendations I did not mention a cell phone. Every single camera in the world has limitations. Cell phones have different limitations from DSLRs.

Yeah.  That?s why when true capability and quality really count, you see people with cell phones instead of the white lens with the red ring. Oh wait.  That?s right.  You don?t.  Show me a professional or advanced amateur who switched from DSLR/mirrorless to a cell phone and you might be believable.  You can?t.

Watch any professional sports contest like baseball, football, basketball or soccer or presidential press conferences and the number of professionals on the sidelines shooting with cell phones has been increasing every year. I used to be a professional with white lenses and a red ring. Now that I am 70 my back is gone and I can no longer haul it around comfortably for hours on end like I used to. I used to walk 5 to 10 miles a day. Now I would be lucky to go one mile.

Hilarious.  The tiny sensor in a cell phone can?t even compete with a crop body, much less a full frame..

I almost spit my coffee out of my nose when I read this remark. 150 years ago people laughed at the idea of flying a man to the moon. 120 years ago people laughed at the idea of the horseless carriage ever replacing the automobile. 100 years ago people laughed at the idea of transmitting moving pictures over the air wirelessly.  70 years ago they laughed at the idea of a computer ever fitting in your pocket. 50 years ago they laughed at Steve Jobs and the whole idea of a personal computer. 30 years ago they laughed at digital photography ever replacing film. Today some are laughing at the idea of cell phone cameras replacing DSLRs. But what Burt doesn't realize is that technology always marches on. And the people left defending the old technology always have a huge financial interest is seeing that the old technology does not die out. Bert has a huge financial investment in camera gear. No wonder he is so uptight.

If Birt wanted to be helpful he could have made some recommendations to the OP instead he comes here to laugh at me. I went to his Flickr page and he is a really good photographer. Very few of his shots could have been taken with a cell phone with today's technology so it is easy to see why he uses a DSLR. But in a few years any of his shots could have been taken with a cell phone camera. There is an army of Asian engineers working 365/24/7 fighting each other tooth and nail to make a better cell phone camera. They are selling 1.5 billion cell phones a year so it is a gigantic market. They will overcome the tiny sensor problem and the long zoom problems and leave DSLRs in the dust. I can't even remember the last time there was a significant advance in the DSLR market. All they have is larger sensors. But as the older generation dies out so will DSLRs. They are dinosaurs.

 

[Larry Howard]

Without a doubt, if you are going to take the time to shoot and you want good photos, a good expensive camera body and lens(es) is a requirement.  On a limited budget and this appears to be a one time event, go to a professional camera store and rent the equipment.  Also, take a class or two.  Otherwise, you will be wasting your time and be very disappointed in the final results.  As another option, find someone at the event who is taking pictures and ask if they will sell/provide you with some of their images via email or other conduit.

Hope some of this helps.

 

[camperAL]

Greetings,

I won't knock cell phone cameras as they have come a long way. However, I need a DSLR for shooting astrophotography shots of the night time sky. I am guessing that cell phone cameras don't have adapters to attach to telescope eyepieces for photography. Do they have a bulb feature on them? Being able to line up the plain of the camera on a telescope and following your object is essential to getting great astrophotos. Also many shots are taken per object and then combined to make a much better photo rather than one long shot of the past. It's truly amazing what can be done. Guess I am saying right tool for the right job.

I'm thinking of selling my film and paper processing equipment sometime just holding out for top dollar.  : ;D  Having processed thousands of strips of film I appreciate the digital side to photography these days!!

 

[camperAL]

Forgot to mention that I shoot with a Canon EOS 6D. I still use my Canon Rebel for everyday shots.

 

[SeilerBird]

There are ways to shoot astrophotography with a cell phone but I really doubt you would be happy with the results. You will definitely need a DSLR for that. What you really need a telescope with computer tracking on it. They are easy to hook up to DSLR.

 

[TandC]

The OP wants to keep it under 200.  There might be a used higher caliber camera for that, but it will be very, very used.

I've owned many types (film slr's, Medium Format cameras, dslr's),  and currently use Sony mirrorless cameras with various lenses.  I have 5 bodies and many lenses.  Among them are the A5100, A6000, A6500, RX100II, RX10, and RX10IV.  I still use the RX10, and it is  still excellent.  Might find one on ebay for not too much more than 200 or 300  maybe. 

For what the OP wants to do with the camera, the RX10 would do nicely. 

(Oops....  I just realized that the Balloon festival is over already...I think.    Maybe too late for suggestions)

 

[camperAL]

There are ways to shoot astrophotography with a cell phone but I really doubt you would be happy with the results. You will definitely need a DSLR for that. What you really need a telescope with computer tracking on it. They are easy to hook up to DSLR.

Hi SeilerBird and all,

Agree you need a scope and be able to track. I'm pretty old fashion when it comes to computerized telescopes. I just use the CPU in my head to find objects (that CPU is sometimes highly flawed  ;D ). My scopes are old and have the simple (but effective) clock drives on them. I do have an electronic unit that helps to slow and speed up tracking as you need it.

I am amazed at the great/high quality photos you have taken with your cell phone camera. I need to take mine out and do some photography and see what I can do. I once took a photo in a museum of an object with a 3.5 disk camera I had. One of the best photos I have ever took under low light levels. I have seen the object photographed by others and still didn't compare to my shot (which may have been more luck than skill).

I'm guessing there are still camera shows that the OP might go to in order to look for a good used unit at the price he wants to spend. I use to go to a lot of them.

 

[SeilerBird]

Actually there are some inexpensive used DSLRs on Amazon starting with a 20D for only $80.

https://www.amazon.com/Canon-DSLR-Camera-Body-MODEL/dp/B0002XQI2E?keywords=dslr&qid=1540615696&sr=8-1&ref=sr_1_1

Actually if I were the OP I would get a used Sony A55. Best SLR I ever owned:

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-DSLR-Camera-18-55mm-zoom/dp/B0043DKBTK?keywords=a55&qid=1540618163&sr=8-5&ref=sr_1_5

 

[jymbee]

Actually there are some inexpensive used DSLRs on Amazon starting with a 20D for only $80.

I have an old Canon D60 & a 20D stored away that I'd sell for half that. 

 

[SeilerBird]

Never mind.

 

[Hammster]

Nikon made the D60 not Canon. So which one do you have?

Huh.

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneosd60

 

[jymbee]

Huh.

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneosd60

I was a Nikon shooter in the film days then switched to Canon when I went to digital DSLR. Very first digi camera was something like 640x480 px. I was jealous of a friend who had a Sony Mavica which used interchangeable floppies. Just imagine, up to 1.4 MB (mega) of storage on one disc!  :

 

[SeilerBird]

I was a Nikon shooter in the film days then switched to Canon when I went to digital DSLR. Very first digi camera was something like 640x480 px. I was jealous of a friend who had a Sony Mavica which used interchangeable floppies. Just imagine, up to 1.4 MB (mega) of storage on one disc!  :

I too was a Nikon shooter when I switched to digital in 1997. It was a killer Kodak DC20.

It features a fixed focus lens which has a range of 0.5m to infinity. Photos can be captured in 320 x 240 pixels or a higher resolution 493 x 373 pixels. There is 1MB of internal storage which can store 16 standard or 8 high resolution photos.

It had a serial port on the bottom which hooked up to the computer and it could empty all 8 hi rez photos in less than twenty minutes.  I even still have some of my images. Here is one of Winston, my African Grey:

 

[8Muddypaws]

And now THIS!

https://www.techradar.com/au/news/a-full-featured-android-powered-mirrorless-camera-is-coming?utm_content=buffer4a92d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=buffer-trfb

 

[Larry N.]

And now THIS!

https://www.techradar.com/au/news/a-full-featured-android-powered-mirrorless-camera-is-coming?utm_content=buffer4a92d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=buffer-trfb

And no optical viewfinder -- wow! Hard to see in sunlight. And harder to stabilize, since you can't hold it to your face. I know, people do it all the time on their pocket computers, er, excuse me, phones, but...

 

[Howard R]

I'm with you Larry ... others may be able to do without, but I need the optical viewfinder

Howard

 

[8Muddypaws]

After using mostly SLRs with optical viewfinders for over 50 years  I?m finding that the camera I reach for most often is the Canon mirrorless.  Even in bright lighting it?s not a problem.  But while wearing polarizing sunglasses can be a problem.  IMHO for someone who wears glasses it?s actually easier than a viewfinder.

 

[SeilerBird]

After using mostly SLRs with optical viewfinders for over 50 years  I?m finding that the camera I reach for most often is the Canon mirrorless.  Even in bright lighting it?s not a problem.  But while wearing polarizing sunglasses can be a problem.  IMHO for someone who wears glasses it?s actually easier than a viewfinder.

I feel exactly the same way. I have been using cell phones for the last few years I don't miss an optical viewfinder one bit.