Need Camera suggestions ~ night, zoom, action shots

[kerafaith]

Hello there. I am a newbie to the site but love taking pictures. We are big NASCAR fans. We usually attend the NASCAR Nationwide & Cup races in Daytona of the 4th & Atlanta over Labor Day weekend. All 4 races are night races. I currently have a Kodak Z760 & V803. They're ok for the day shots. And for the point & click while walking shots. But for the cars going around the track & especially at night they kinda suck.

So I am looking for a digital camera that takes good action shots, at night, and from a distance. I am contemplating the dslr cameras but know little to nothing about them. I am willing to learn though. I took a digital photography class at my community college about 6 years ago & loved it so I am defiently willing to learn. I am also looking to spend around $300 or less, I know I probably can't find a dslr for that but I can try. I've also been kinda browseing on ebay. That's where I got my V803 becuase I wanted something slimmer to keep in my purse all the time.

So anyway, any and all suggestions or opinions are welcomed and much appraciated. Thanks guys.

[eyalg]

I'm sorry to disappoint you, but there's absolutely no way you will get good
photographs of race cars at night from a distance using a $300 camera.

Since you will not be using a flash from a distance, you will have
to use a large zoom lens with a wide aperture at its long end.
You would have to spend closer to a $1000 on a DSLR body,
and another $1000 on a good wide aperture tele or zoom lens.
Otherwise you will get heavilly noisy or blurred photos.

Buying a compact zoom for $300 will only get you frustrated at NASCAR.

So, my first suggestions is to set your expectations straight.
Only then you can, perhaps, opt for a high-end, low-light compact,
but that too will cost you $400-$500 and it will not include a large zoom range.

[OsmosisStudios]

It should also be noted that you may or may not be able to take DSLRs into the stands at a NASCAR event.

[kerafaith]

What about a regular digital camera with a 15 or higher optical zoom? They've got those for as little as $200 right now. Aren't they like a step or 2 below the dslr's but better than the regular compact point & shoots? I mean I'm not looking for professional pictures from the stands. But I am looking for better than I can take now. And our next race won't be until July when we go to Daytona so I may have more money to spend on one.

And I'm not worried about getting one in the stands.You can take pretty much any camera you want into the stands. I've even taken my video camera to the first few races we went to with no problems.

[inkista]

Those superzoom P&S cameras aren't any better at low light than the compacts--they mostly use the exact same sensors as the compacts. They have more reach, yes, but they are actually worse for night shooting, since that long reach also requires a faster shutter speed.

To get unblurred photos, you have to have a faster shutter speed, which means you need to get more light from either your ISO or your aperture. P&S cameras, compact or bridge/superzoom, tend to limit both the iso and aperture to ones that are mostly only usable in the daytime or with a flash.

There are a few compacts that have lower-light capability, but I really don't think they're going to completely solve your problem. You might want to take a look at the Canon SD4000IS, and the Fuji Finepix F300EXR (which supposedly autofocuses faster). But I'm skeptical that any small-sensor digicam is going to work.

[Chris Weller]

As you suggested, I would try to pick up a used DSLR on ebay for around $300 (try looking at the Canon Rebel XT for example). A DSLR will give you better auto focus as well as better ISO performance. I think you will be happier with a DSLR rather than a P&S when it comes to racing.

Good luck.

Chris