What's a good, cheap camera?

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A

arcitech2

Member
Apr 1, 2003
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Do you want a professional grade camera? Something light and portable? Does it need to shoot video too? Are high resolution pictures important? Do you do a lot of action shots? (fast moving objects).

If you are looking for something better than an iPhone, which iPhone? 3,4,4S,5,5C,6,6S????

The Canon Rebel is a decent camera that is far better than any phone, but there are a lot of cameras between that and your phone (no matter the model). What is important are the uses that you need a camera for, and the features that you want to have available. If you are wanting better pictures at family reunions, then something less expensive with at least a 10MP sensor would probably work just fine. If you want to do professional style work, or need to have the ability to swap lenses, then a DSLR is your best bet.

Tell me what you want to do and I can give you my suggestions for a good camera.
 
A

artemicion

Golden Member
Jun 9, 2004
1,006
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If you're talking full body DSLR, I'd go with a Pentax K-50 over the Canon T5 you linked. Both are around the same price. I believe the K-50 has a better sensor and is weather sealed.

If you want something smaller and more portable, but still performs way better than a cellphone, you can get a Sony RX 100 m2 for about the same price. There was a deal for $330 at newegg earlier today, but they sold out.
 
Rakehellion

Rakehellion

Lifer
Jan 15, 2013
12,181
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arcitech2 said:
Do you want a professional grade camera? Something light and portable? Does it need to shoot video too? Are high resolution pictures important? Do you do a lot of action shots? (fast moving objects).
Click to expand...

I don't know what professional grade is, so no.
Doesn't need to be portable. I have my phone for that.

I thought they all took action shots and video? What counts as high resolution?
 
zCypher

zCypher

Diamond Member
Aug 18, 2002
6,115
171
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The video capabilities and features vary greatly from camera to camera. The same for its capability of taking good pictures under demanding circumstances such as is the case in poor lighting and or moving subjects.

If you don't require those things, then you might be able to get away with looking at cheaper cameras, or other models that offer just as good picture quality but don't necessarily have the best video/action capabilities.

An iphone will take great pics under good conditions, so it's good to get an idea for what type of pictures will be taken / what the goal is in order to select the best choice of camera.
 
D

darckhart

Senior member
Jul 6, 2004
517
2
81
This is a great website I use to learn about cameras in general: http://www.dpreview.com/

They also have a buying guide that is categorized like compact, dslr, etc, and a pretty good compare function.

I prefer the high end pocketable compacts myself because there's no hassle of swapping lenses and the quality and control is close to the DSLRs. For example, for your price range, you may be able to find the 1st gen Sony RX100 which will do everything you probably want. Canon S120 is also great, as is the Fujifilm X10. The going rate for the mid-high end of this segment is around 399-499, with the top enthusiast end reaching into the 899 range.
 
CuriousMike

CuriousMike

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2001
3,044
544
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They all take action shots and video - but in different degrees for each.
If video matters - mirrorless.
If action matters - DSLR.

Some will say mirrorless focus as fast as DSLR.
Some will say DSLR has video as good as mirrorless.

My generalizations are valid-ish.

I think the Canon you've linked or the Nikon I've linked are good options - they're both solid bodies with decent lenses.

You've already said you don't care (much) about portability... so you would need other reasons to consider mirrorless.

Whatever you end up with, come back and let us know. Bring your questions. Post your blurry photos. Post your cat photos. Post your photos with telephone poles growing out of your kids head.
 
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paperwastage

Golden Member
May 25, 2010
1,848
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Rakehellion said:
I don't know what professional grade is, so no.
Doesn't need to be portable. I have my phone for that.

I thought they all took action shots and video? What counts as high resolution?
Click to expand...

professional grade = ability to control all aspects of the camera...

zoom would be an aspect of the camera, used by professionals and novices... ISO, aperture, shutter speed, white balance are more "advanced" ones

do you want to just point at something and shoot a photo, similar to how your iPhone works?

If that's the case, you'll be using the automatic mode on a dSLR/point and shoot.... you get the option of playing with the more 'advanced' options if you want to down the road




Because you have no idea what you want to do and unclear about the different options are, except for "something better than an iPhone", I'd recommend you to go to a local store (eg: B&H, Adorama, Frys, Best Buy), and take a look at the different camera sizes...

"Best camera is the one you have with you" - no point in buying a bigger size if it's a hassle to carry around, and you switch back to using your iPhone 6 only (just because you have it with you). Would recommend something like a RX100 P&S or bridge camera
 
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Rakehellion

Rakehellion

Lifer
Jan 15, 2013
12,181
35
91
CuriousMike said:
They all take action shots and video - but in different degrees for each.
If video matters - mirrorless.
If action matters - DSLR.

Some will say mirrorless focus as fast as DSLR.
Some will say DSLR has video as good as mirrorless.

My generalizations are valid-ish.

I think the Canon you've linked or the Nikon I've linked are good options - they're both solid bodies with decent lenses.

You've already said you don't care (much) about portability... so you would need other reasons to consider mirrorless.

Whatever you end up with, come back and let us know. Bring your questions. Post your blurry photos. Post your cat photos. Post your photos with telephone poles growing out of your kids head.
Click to expand...

Why does DSLR not shoot good video?

paperwastage said:
professional grade = ability to control all aspects of the camera...

zoom would be an aspect of the camera, used by professionals and novices... ISO, aperture, shutter speed, white balance are more "advanced" ones

do you want to just point at something and shoot a photo, similar to how your iPhone works?

If that's the case, you'll be using the automatic mode on a dSLR/point and shoot.... you get the option of playing with the more 'advanced' options if you want to down the road




Because you have no idea what you want to do and unclear about the different options are, except for "something better than an iPhone", I'd recommend you to go to a local store (eg: B&H, Adorama, Frys, Best Buy), and take a look at the different camera sizes...

"Best camera is the one you have with you" - no point in buying a bigger size if it's a hassle to carry around, and you switch back to using your iPhone 6 only (just because you have it with you). Would recommend something like a RX100 P&S or bridge camera
Click to expand...

Extra options would be nice, but every camera lets you adjust ISO and focus, right?

I'm probably not going to be that picky about quality, I just want to take pics that weren't obviously shot on a cell phone. I think any point-and-shoot might do that, but I'm asking here because I don't want any surprises down the road.

I have a "professional" Nikon from 10 years ago a decent Canon compact from 3 years ago and they both take awful pictures compared to my phone.

I know that cameras can get big and I want all of the advantages that a bigger lens offers.

I have the iPhone 6 and it's good enough for 90% of the pictures I take.
 
E

EOM

Senior member
Mar 20, 2015
479
14
81
Rakehellion said:
Why does DSLR not shoot good video?



Extra options would be nice, but every camera lets you adjust ISO and focus, right?

I'm probably not going to be that picky about quality, I just want to take pics that weren't obviously shot on a cell phone. I think any point-and-shoot might do that, but I'm asking here because I don't want any surprises down the road.

I have a "professional" Nikon from 10 years ago a decent Canon compact from 3 years ago and they both take awful pictures compared to my phone.

I know that cameras can get big and I want all of the advantages that a bigger lens offers.

I have the iPhone 6 and it's good enough for 90% of the pictures I take.
Click to expand...

I'll echo what CM said... 90% is a lot.
The Iphone6 boasts 8MP f/2.2 at approx 29mm (35mm EFL) .. (and a lot of technology on the backend to deal with color, faces, etc)

When you say a "bigger lens" what does that mean?
I think the first step to improvement you'll get over an iphone is to improve sensor size.



relative sensor sizes:
sensor_sizes_overlaid_inside_-_updated.svg-100056836-orig.png


I reread the thread and you didn't specify what you wanted to shoot, other than "better than iphone".
 
Rakehellion

Rakehellion

Lifer
Jan 15, 2013
12,181
35
91
CuriousMike said:
90% is a lot.
Click to expand...

But for the remaining 10%, good enough isn't good enough. iPhone pics aren't pretty enough to publish.

EOM said:
I reread the thread and you didn't specify what you wanted to shoot, other than "better than iphone".
Click to expand...

Well, everything. People, places, and things.

I have a not-that-old Canon and it takes awful pics so I don't want to make that mistake again. So I probably do want an SLR?
 
CuriousMike

CuriousMike

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2001
3,044
544
136
If you want awesome quality, yes, you want probably want a DSLR or a high-end mirrorless.

The body counts a lot, but the lens counts even more.

So then you're talking price range.

The $400 Canon you posted initially will produce very good photos - assuming you learn how to use it.

If you add another $200 onto the Canon and buy a nice 50mm prime lens, and you will take sharper photos in lower light or with a more pleasing dof.

And on and on.
 
E

EOM

Senior member
Mar 20, 2015
479
14
81
CuriousMike said:
If you want awesome quality, yes, you want probably want a DSLR or a high-end mirrorless.

The body counts a lot, but the lens counts even more.

So then you're talking price range.

The $400 Canon you posted initially will produce very good photos - assuming you learn how to use it.

If you add another $200 onto the Canon and buy a nice 50mm prime lens, and you will take sharper photos in lower light or with a more pleasing dof.

And on and on.
Click to expand...

$260 used like new
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Rebel-D...&sr=1-3&keywords=Canon+EOS+Rebel+T5+body+only

$90 used like new
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...sr=1-2&keywords=Canon+50mm+1.8&condition=used

so for $350 you can get the body and a nifty fifty. :wub:
 
P

paperwastage

Golden Member
May 25, 2010
1,848
2
76
Rakehellion said:
Extra options would be nice, but every camera lets you adjust ISO and focus, right?
Click to expand...

Most cameras allow you to adjust ISO and focus (to some degree)

Some cameras don't allow for aperture(which can give you the bokeh effect), or shutter speed, or flash options (my rx100 has a rear sync mode which allows for effects like this)


I know that cameras can get big and I want all of the advantages that a bigger lens offers.

I have the iPhone 6 and it's good enough for 90% of the pictures I take.
Click to expand...

then a RX100 compact will be good enough for the 90-95% (anything close up/wide angle, even low light)

Then you want need a dSLR/something larger with a longer lens for the next 95-98% (anything telephoto beyond the reach of a RX100, super low light) <-this is probably the level you want

Then you want a full frame 35mm for the last 98-100%

Then you find out rather have a great video camera, where you can actually extract full frame photos from each frame(24 frames per second 1920x1080 still camera)... and you get a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema micro 4/3




if you want to figure out why your photos were bad, go to a professional camera shop and try out the different cameras. Go to a photography class and learn to maximize your camera gear. Rent different types of cameras to test them out

IPhone 6 does pics well because of apple(they offer the best experience with no tweaking...) It'll be hard to find an advanced camera that does everything automatically like apple... The manufacture expects you to use those advanced options to get what you want
 
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