need camera advice

[jlf3668]

I'm looking for either a dslr or point and shoot that is fast enough to catch photos of children playing sports, but simple enough for a beginner to use. We currently have a canon point and shoot that is way too slow and we miss the shots.
Thank you.

[zona5101]

Hi and welcome. There are a ton of cameras that should fit that bill. Do you see yourself wanting to get different lenes and all that sort of stuff? If so then the dslr is the way to go.
Almost all have a "green" auto-everything mode making it essentially a big point and shoot.
There are also a number of beefy point and shoots with nice built in zooms. Some give you the ability to shoot in "green" mode but also aperture or shutter priority and full manual. (Canon G12, Nikon Coolpix7000)
Take a trip to the camera store and touch and feel some of the different models out there...

[High_Speed]

If your primary concern is catching quick shots of kids (AND them playing sports)...be careful about point-n-shoots, as many still suffer from "shutter lag," which is what you're already experiencing (although they are getting better). You could get a cheap DSLR and usually be much happier, as their "auto modes" make them a bigger/faster point-n-shoot.

I don't know how much money you're looking to spend, but this should give you an idea: Buy DSLR CamerasDigital Cameras | Adorama, the Photography People

You could get a new Canon or Nikon entry level DSLR for about $400 (with a starter lens), and I'll guarantee you won't have anymore shutter lag problems.

[jlf3668]

Thank you. I was thinking of spending $400-600 on the camera. Is it possible to get a decent entry level dslr for that price? Which one would you recommend?

[private]

Originally Posted by jlf3668

Thank you. I was thinking of spending $400-600 on the camera. Is it possible to get a decent entry level dslr for that price? Which one would you recommend?

you can but even the big cameras wil have the lag time if you let the computer think for you. My point and shoot camera is the g11 (canon) and I love it b/c its light enough and I can shoot in manual. In auto, you will get some lag - BUT if you can anticipate the "money shot" hold the shutter 1/2 way and then press right when the adorable moment comes - it should be a lot faster for you - based on lighting conditions....

[High_Speed]

Originally Posted by jlf3668

Thank you. I was thinking of spending $400-600 on the camera. Is it possible to get a decent entry level dslr for that price? Which one would you recommend?

For that kind of money, just get you a Canon XS or XSi, or a Nikon D3000 or D5000 (all four of those are between $480 and $510. They range from 10.1 to 12.3 megapixel (which is plenty), and you'll never have to worry about "shutter lag." All have "auto modes," but will also have full manual modes for down the road when you want to "experiment" a little. Personally, I'd go with the Xsi or the D5000, since the price is so close, and they will give you larger LCDs, and slightly better performance and features in general.

At that point, it just comes down to personal preference between Canon and Nikon (ie, some like the feel and control navigation of one over the other, etc). There are other brands also, like Sony and Pentax...but Canon and Nikon are obviously the big dogs in the game of photography (especially when it comes to Professional Photography). The others put out nice stuff too, but with Canon and Nikon you have more of a comfort in knowing they will be in business 20 years from now. Plus with one of those two, finding other people that can offer you advice on this or that setting, etc is a lot easier.

Again, if you are willing to spend that kind of money on a camera, I wouldn't get a "point-n-shoot," because of the lag time. A little over a year ago I made the mistake of buying my fiance a $400 point-n-shoot (she's no photog by all means so I just wanted something as simple as possible for her), and the shutter lag is still horrible. She can forget about capturing the kids ballgames, because when she presses the shutter button, it's a second later the picture starts exposing, and the play is over by then. With an (D)SLR, the shutter is mechanical, and so as soon as you press the shutter button, the shutter opens and begins exposing. And even entry level DSLRs can snap up to 3 frames per second (considering it's good light and a fast enough shutter speed can be used). I doubt you'll find any point and shoot that can take 3 pictures a second (although I've been known to be wrong a time or two!).

The other drawback to a point-n-shoot is that down the road if you decide you need more zoom...well you buy another camera. With a DSLR, you just buy a longer lens.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out. And by the way, welcome to the forum!

PS: Upon further investigation, right now Canon has a rebate that will get you the Canon T3 for $549, and that will even give you the ability to do 720p HD video recording. That would be my new "personal recommendation" for this thread.

[inkista]

This is just me, but any sports shooting is not ever going to be a simple point'n'shoot affair, even if you get a fast SLR and an appropriate lens for shooting sports (which is probably going to cost as much or more than the camera). You still have issues of timing and focus and technique to learn. If you really want to do sports photography of your children, be prepared to practice a lot, learn a lot, and probably spend a lot on gear.

[High_Speed]

Originally Posted by inkista

This is just me, but any sports shooting is not ever going to be a simple point'n'shoot affair, even if you get a fast SLR and an appropriate lens for shooting sports (which is probably going to cost as much or more than the camera). You still have issues of timing and focus and technique to learn. If you really want to do sports photography of your children, be prepared to practice a lot, learn a lot, and probably spend a lot on gear.

"Basic" sports photography (ie, parents wanting some snapshots of their kids) can be done just fine with any DSLR on the market today and a run of the mill telephoto lens, assuming there's fairly decent light and you don't mind some slight noise (ie don't plan on printing posters from the shots). I can put my Canon 55-250 IS lens on my T2i, turn up the ISO to 1600 and get all the snaps I want of a gymnasium basketball game. If it's an outdoor sport, I don't even have to turn up the ISO.

Now composition and learning to anticipate "the shot" is....well that has NO bearing on the camera whatsoever.