I have been thinking about getting into photography with more than just my cell camera.
I plan to use it for things like birding, hiking, nature, old or historic structures. I’d also like to do a little video recording as well, mostly of old, dilapidated structures, cemeteries etc.
I’m hoping to spend between $200-$500, but most of the cameras I see online that have good ratings are closer to $1000. So I thought I’d see if anyone had any personal recommendations I can look into. Thanks.
What’s your size/weight tolerance likely to be for carrying the thing around? Are you happy to have an SLR-sized camera in a bag or on a strap around you neck, or are you looking for something more pocket-sized?
Something like the NIkon B500 should fit your bill. It’s bigger than a pocket camera, has most of the options of a DSLR and included a 40 times zoom. I used something similar about 10 years ago and have since graduated to DSLR camera and way too many lenses.
Cameras aren’t expensive. Well some are. But lenses are where you really sink your money. That’s for cameras with interchangeable lenses, like DSLRs and Mirrorless models. Those are camera systems, and you’re buying into a whole lot. I’m not sure it makes too much sense to jump from a cell phone camera to a full kit just yet.
However, you can explore photography with a pretty basic camera. You can do a lot with a compact (no interchangeable lens) camera; some are quite high end and expensive but there’s no reason to go there yet. You can do an awful lot with cameras like the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II, Panasonic Lumix ZS100 / TZ100, or Panasonic Lumix LX10 / LX15. They retail for around $600, have relatively short zoom lenses, and take excellent quality shots. You’ll miss out on an optical viewfinder, but if you’ve never used one coming from a cell phone you may not miss it. I find these cameras to be great for learning how exposure and composition work, and the image quality is quite a bit above your camera phone, especially at low light.
BTW, when learning about photography, big zoom is usually something to avoid. It’s much better IMO to learn how to compose shots with your feet and develop your eye, before resorting to a big zoom lens to bring you close to every subject.
None of the point and shoot style cams mentioned will do much for you birdwise. I make do with a Canon T4i and a 55-250mm zoom. Any of the Rebel bodies will do, and you can get a certified refurb for ~$300, the lens is $150.
Don’t be tempted by the 50-300mm, it’s a much worse lens overall.
You could also consider secondhand gear, there’s usually plenty of entry-level DSLRs on craigslist, tips here.
This used to be a requirement for any decent intro to photography class (not sure if it still is), along with manual focus and manual exposure control. Black-and-white film, too but I’m sure that ship has sailed…
I missed that you’re into birding. That changes things a lot, because birding is very demanding in terms of equipment.
Any compact camera with enough zoom (you’ll want 300-500mm equiv) will have problems with image quality for a variety of reasons, especially in low light. And frankly, they’re pretty poor cameras for composing images. For birding you’re really looking at DSLRs or mirrorless systems with a fairly large lens - actual focal length will depend on your crop factor. You will probably end up with a dedicated birding lens, and a (set of) walk around lens(es).
I’d separate the birding from the rest of your requirements and get a quality compact. Or jump in with both feet and get and SLR and two good lenses. But that’s going to set you back more than your current budget.
I took a class with a professional photographer who also taught at Univ. TX and he recommended KEH for buying used equipment on line. That’s how I got my Cannon SL1 at a very good price that I paid out over a period of time.
I’m not a great photographer, so I’ll leave the equipment to those much better than I at using it. I am, however, a professional shopper so I’ll share that resource.
I’ll second the Canon, but I think the body I’m using is outside your price point. It took me time to work up to it. Start with the Rebel bodies as suggested. CostCo sometimes has nice body and lens packages that are worth looking at.
I have also had good luck with KEH - 4 or 5 purchases, plus sold them some old stuff. I am however a Nikon fan.
And if by birding to mean closeups of birds in the wild, better add a zero to the right side of your budget. Your other goals are achievable for much less.
My sister was in the same situation as the OP - she was enjoying shooting birds and nature with her cell phone, and wanted something that was a step up, but not too technical or expensive. After much searching, she ended up with this “bridge” type camera, and is very happy with it:
For all the other goals, I recommend at good wide-angle high-end compact camera. You can learn a lot about exposure and composition and take really nice photos, without having to worry about the mechanical issues (and the weight and bulk) of an SLR.
I have the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV, which, WOW! seems to cost even more than I paid for it, and is above your price range. (the newer Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V is supposed to be even better, but presumably costs even more.) Looking at what’s available now, and current prices, I would second the recommendation for the Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II. I’ve had a few compact Canons, and they have a very nice user interface, as well as taking good photos. The user interface matters, because the easier it is to fiddle with the exposure, the more likely you are to do that, and the more you will learn.
For good photos of birds in the wild, you will need an SLR and a decent telephoto lens, and you will likely need to spend more than you’ve budgeted. If you want to also shoot “hiking, nature, old or historic structures”, you’ll want another lens, too.
There are lots of sites that talk about cameras, but one that has excellent forums and some really good tools to find decent reviews is:
I’ve used it before most of my camera purchases, and afterwards, when I wanted to talk to people about how to best take advantage of my new camera, and I’ve found it consistently helpful.
Actually, if you will only shoot in bright light, and will only shoot birds that are standing still, the ultra-zoom compacts will probably be fine. Certainly much better than your cell phone. Still, check out the suggestions at dpreview.
I third the Canon Powershot series of cameras. I have an S95 that I bought years ago as a sidekick camera and it’s still going strong. Zoom, video, many of the features of an SLR but at a decent price. You’ll likely end up shooting most all of your photos on the “auto” setting, but manual settings are also available. If you move to DSLR, it’s a really good idea to find a class or course on using your digital camera. They can be quite complex if you want to use manual settings.
I have an old Canon Powershot A710 that I use for underwater photography (Canon made a very nice, inexpensive underwater housing for it). I rarely use it for regular photography since there is a slight delay between when I press the shutter button and when the photo is taken. Makes it very difficult for me (who grew up with film SLRs) to get any sort of accurate action shot. Maybe newer models have solved this lag problem, but you might want to compare various models and types of cameras to see.
Of course, back in the day people who shot Leicas or other rangefinder cameras used to complain about the lag in SLRs…