Posted by HOSTS on 2/28/2008, 11:31 pm, in reply to "SLR VS POINT& SHOOT"
First you need to ask yourself how involved you want to get into photography and what type of photos you wish to take.
Digital SLRs (DSLR for short) generally take much better photos than point-and-shoot models. Their sensors (the chips that capture the image) are larger and take in more detail and light, and you get far less noise (grain) in the images at lower light. The point-and-shoot models use much smaller chips which can't capture the same amount of detail and light, so generally they perform worse in low light. Typically, a 6-8 megapixel DSLR will take images that are much better than a 10-12 megapixel point-and-shoot model for this reason among others as well (DSLRs having larger better lenses, etc). Also keep in mind that point-and-shoot models do tend to be a bit slower as well, meaning it takes a bit longer from the time you press the shutter until the camera actually takes the pic and saves it, getting ready for the next one, etc. DSLRs are much faster in this regard.
If you just want a decent camera to take on vacation or for general day to day shots, and you plan on most of your photos being printed at the 4x6 or 5x7 size with little cropping away of anything in the shot, then many point-and-shoot models will work just fine for you. I hate to take sides, but in the point-and-shoot category, the Canon's are generally better all-around than the Nikon point-and-shoot models, although they're not "bad" by any means. The Canon A-series typically have a very good set of features as well as good image quality though - most of which allow everything from full auto to full manual control and in-between, too. If you're not interested in manual controls and just want to do decent snapshot sized photos, then really, pretty much most major brands today can crank out good 4x6 to 5x7 prints of shots taken in good light conditions.
In terms of DSLR models - they're best if you want something that is ultra fast (such as for taking sports shots, or pics of kids running around, etc), and for shots in lower light conditions, as well as shots you want to blow up to 11x14 or larger on a regular basis. Nikon's D40, D40X and the newer D60 all offer very well price and very good entry-level DSLR choices, with the Canon Digital Rebel series close to it (though costing a bit more). They are more flexible in that you can buy additional lenses to suit your particular needs or types of photos you wish to take (such as zooms,or wide angle lenses, etc). Keep in mind that a DSLR body + basic kit lens is one thing - start adding more lenses and you're talking $$.
What I typically suggest if someone is interested in photography and wants to "learn more about it" and get their feet wet, is that they first buy a starter model point-and-shoot that offers manual controls, too. Such as the above mentioned Canon A-series. Find the online tutorials, web sites, and even check your local book store for how-to books. Learn the difference between shutter speeds and apertures, and what they do to a photo, etc. Experiment with the manual conrols on that camera. Once you advance enough, then sell that one or pass it on to a friend or relative, and move up to a DSLR and go from there.
Hope it helps.
HOST
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