"Help Wanted" my wife wants one.

[Jimm]

I have recently gotten my wife interested in photography and now she wants her own camera. I have done a lot of research and read a lot of reviews so now I am more confused than ever. I sure could use some help from all you folks with experience. Things important to her:
Price range under $400
Movie capability not important.
Size, small enough to go in purse.
Simplicity!!!
Good image quality.
Decent zoom capabilities.

I read the forums frequently and have great respect for your opinions and insight, so please share your experience and knowledge on this. Thanks, Jim

[i speak in math]

Originally Posted by Jimm

I have recently gotten my wife interested in photography and now she wants her own camera. I have done a lot of research and read a lot of reviews so now I am more confused than ever. I sure could use some help from all you folks with experience. Things important to her:
Price range under $400
Movie capability not important.
Size, small enough to go in purse.
Simplicity!!!
Good image quality.
Decent zoom capabilities.

I read the forums frequently and have great respect for your opinions and insight, so please share your experience and knowledge on this. Thanks, Jim

Important questions:

*Is she willing to work through the steep learning curve of an SLR or does she want the simplicity of a point and shoot?
*Are you looking for an high quality, interchangable lens system or a simpler, all around, single lens solution?
*What will the camera be used for? That is, what type of subject matter?
*Is auto focus important?
*Are you willing to look at used or refurbed models?

[Zeke Menuar]

Originally Posted by Jimm

I have recently gotten my wife interested in photography and now she wants her own camera. I have done a lot of research and read a lot of reviews so now I am more confused than ever. I sure could use some help from all you folks with experience. Things important to her:
Price range under $400
Movie capability not important.
Size, small enough to go in purse.
Simplicity!!!
Good image quality.
Decent zoom capabilities.

I read the forums frequently and have great respect for your opinions and insight, so please share your experience and knowledge on this. Thanks, Jim

Are you flexible on the purse requirement?

My wife has a PNS and has expressed frustration when faced with the limitations of her camera.

At tax time I'm getting a second Nikon DX body. Either a D7000 body or a second D3100 body.
She'll have her own DSLR and all my gear will work on her camera. She knows the basics of a D3100 so the learning curve isn't so steep.

If you already have a DSLR this may be an option.

[Ambrosia76]

I loved my Fujifilm Finepix Point and shoot, took great pics and also has a manual mode if she wishes to learn that, not really purse size but I believe you can even get the newer model for under $300

This is the newer model of the one I have

FUJIFILM - FinePix S4000 14.0-Megapixel Digital Camera - FinePix S4000

[3bayjunkie]

my wife also wants a better camera than her point and shoot camera. I was reluctant to get her and SLR since she really doesn't care anything about learning how to use a camera properly. I looked at the Nikon P7000 as it is a top of the line point-n-shoot camera. However being a photographer myself I couldn't stoop to such a small sensor. Her sister has a bridge style crossover the Canon XS30 IS. this is pretty much a glorified point and shoot camera with an SLR type body and ridiculous zoom up to 840mm. My wife likes this zoom capability, but the sensor is a mere 1/2.3 9 times smaller than a 1.5 crop sensor...

Here is my wifes interests in a camera:

zoom lens
fully articulated LCD screen ( like on the XS30 IS)
HD video (the XS30 IS) takes 720p video

well that was the extent of what she wanted. You can get all of this with a point and shoot camera sure. But I wasn't going to spend my money on a camera like that with such a small sensor so this is What I decided she is getting for her birthday: Panasonic Lumix G3 ith 14-42mm f/3.5-f/5.6 lens.

Wish List | B&H Photo Video

here is her camera and other optional lenses i could buy for her. It is a compact 4/3 DSLR and can fit in her purse.

[Tzetsin]

The Canon powershot G12 is definetly the GO TO camera for professional / hobbiests when a dslr is not viable, its a little more than a hundred dollars out of your price range, but for the extra hundred an some bucks you'll have THE most capable point an shoot camera available.

if your wife is seriously interested in "photography" and not just taking snaps of kids an cats, getting her anything less than this will be a huge disservice. point and shoot cameras are simply that. point and shoot. no creative license at all. set your mode, point and pray you got something "kinda neat" This camera also shoots in RAW format. Which is absolutely essential for women... women LOVE to edit photos, the ones i've met love this over taking the picture by far. If you edit your photos from a RAW file vs a JPG file you'll have a huge amount of extra creative leeway. The camera has automatic modes, AND manual, so you can have as much creative license as you like, as well as having a hot shoe for a normal flash or radio trigger if you want to dabble in off camera flash (which is alot of fun!!) Its got that articulating screen you were talking about and will record video.

In my opinion, the extra 100 some bucks is WELL worth the cost because not only will you have a camera that will fit in a purse, and that she can grow into, but you'll have a small handy camera that YOU will enjoy using as well when the big ol' dslr will be a bit of a pain in the butt.

Canon Powershot G12 at Mcbain Camera (Canada)

I wont even suggest anything less than this. The reason is because if your wife actually wants to "learn" "photography" she wont be able to learn anything more than composition with any camera less than this.

I just want to add here that there may be other cameras "similar" to this for more or less money from other manufactures, but i follow canon so that is about all i can give an informed opinion about. Suffice to say that if it can shoot in RAW format, and it has a MANUAL mode, then it is probably sufficient. if it doesnt do either of these, your wasting your money. just buy a coolpix for a hundred bucks and forget it.

[3bayjunkie]

Originally Posted by Tzetsin

The Canon powershot G12 is definetly the GO TO camera for professional / hobbiests when a dslr is not viable, its a little more than a hundred dollars out of your price range, but for the extra hundred an some bucks you'll have THE most capable point an shoot camera available.

if your wife is seriously interested in "photography" and not just taking snaps of kids an cats, getting her anything less than this will be a huge disservice. point and shoot cameras are simply that. point and shoot. no creative license at all. set your mode, point and pray you got something "kinda neat" This camera also shoots in RAW format. Which is absolutely essential for women... women LOVE to edit photos, the ones i've met love this over taking the picture by far. If you edit your photos from a RAW file vs a JPG file you'll have a huge amount of extra creative leeway. The camera has automatic modes, AND manual, so you can have as much creative license as you like, as well as having a hot shoe for a normal flash or radio trigger if you want to dabble in off camera flash (which is alot of fun!!) Its got that articulating screen you were talking about and will record video.

In my opinion, the extra 100 some bucks is WELL worth the cost because not only will you have a camera that will fit in a purse, and that she can grow into, but you'll have a small handy camera that YOU will enjoy using as well when the big ol' dslr will be a bit of a pain in the butt.

Canon Powershot G12 at Mcbain Camera (Canada)

I wont even suggest anything less than this. The reason is because if your wife actually wants to "learn" "photography" she wont be able to learn anything more than composition with any camera less than this.

I just want to add here that there may be other cameras "similar" to this for more or less money from other manufactures, but i follow canon so that is about all i can give an informed opinion about. Suffice to say that if it can shoot in RAW format, and it has a MANUAL mode, then it is probably sufficient. if it doesnt do either of these, your wasting your money. just buy a coolpix for a hundred bucks and forget it.

I've looked at the G12 and I'm gonna have to argue that the Nikon P7000 is a better choice.
Here is a direct comparison:

Side by Side Comparison: Digital Photography Review

If you take note it has a larger zoom - a larger screen with twice the resolution - 60 second compared to the 15 second shutter speed of the G12 - more exposure compensation -

It exceeds or matches the G12 in every catagory plus it costs a tiny bit less. And its a Nikon

[Jimm]

Single lens is better. No learning curve. Price somewhat flexible. Auto-focus very important. I should have added originally that we are both retired and while accompanying me she has decided to get involved. It needs to be simple but good quality. She shoots about anything she finds interesting from plants and animals to landscape. Thanks for your help. Jimm

[3bayjunkie]

Originally Posted by Jimm

Single lens is better. No learning curve. Price somewhat flexible. Auto-focus very important. I should have added originally that we are both retired and while accompanying me she has decided to get involved. It needs to be simple but good quality. She shoots about anything she finds interesting from plants and animals to landscape. Thanks for your help. Jimm

You will get an incredibly better depth of field if you get the compact DSLR like the Panasonic Lumix DMC G3 4/3 style camera. you don't have to get the Lumix, that is just the one i found that i liked the best as far as price wise. Its small so it fits good in a womans small hands, and it has great depth of field compared to a point - n - shoot.

[Jimm]

Originally Posted by Zeke Menuar

Are you flexible on the purse requirement?

My wife has a PNS and has expressed frustration when faced with the limitations of her camera.

At tax time I'm getting a second Nikon DX body. Either a D7000 body or a second D3100 body.
She'll have her own DSLR and all my gear will work on her camera. She knows the basics of a D3100 so the learning curve isn't so steep.

If you already have a DSLR this may be an option.

I have a D40 that I told her she could use but she thinks its a little complicated.