Looks for a tough new Digital SLR: I hope someone is willing to shed a pit of light on the direction I should take. I am looking to purchase a new camera. We are going on a dream...

Camper0414 Loc: Michigan

I hope someone is willing to shed a pit of light on the direction I should take. I am looking to purchase a new camera. We are going on a dream vacation and in addition it is time. Here is a bit of information that might be helpful. I am a person that loves photography and takes 1000(s) of pictures during any trip. I am not often found without my camera in hand. That being said I have never had any formal training and am self-taught. Learning on the fly and making mistakes seem to be my learning style. I love to be able to capture nature from a distance yet zoom in to see their eyelashes when possible, so I have always had a pretty large zoom lens. I am not well versed in the manual setting and at time I feel like I just know enough to get in trouble so the camera must have a selection of pre-set fully automatic modes for those shots that are once in a life time and I do not want to mess up. In addition I often find myself needed a fast lens and the ones I have are not amazingly fast so if it comes to a different brand a new lens with speed would be needed. I am not gentile or kind to my equipment, we are outside all the time. It is across my body on a strap and goes where I go. Exposed to the elements would be an understatement, it never has a lens cap on however, always has a clear filter to protect the glass. We believe as a family you purchase things to be used and if they break using them we hope memories were made and captured. I have often been asked by other travelers about my camera being out and our response is simple. We buy things to use them and camera in a bag does not capture memories when they are being made. All this in consideration a durable camera must be selected.

I have had a Pentax D-SLR for years I have had a K200, and K100 both of which had a sealed body to take on the elements. The lens I shoot with the most is my Tamron 28-300. My Tamron 18-250 was my first love however, it was starting to act funny after many years. I also carry a Pentax 18-55 however, it rarely gets used and when the 19-250 was on the camera it never was used. I am not married to Pentax however, if you all feel they have a good camera that would fit my needs I can then keep my lenses.

I am looking for any recommendation that would help guide my selection. Budget - I would like to stay around $1000 for the body however, I believe sometimes when you creep upwards in price you loos some of the auto features I have requested. So this might be one time under budget is called for. The lens if needed I would like to stay around $800 so total would be under $2000. Thank you in advance for any information you can send my way!

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Per your budget limit, forget it.

You may find some used camera body that will fit it but then you have to add lenses and this where you budget will explode, even if purchasing used.

NMGal Loc: NE NM

Maybe you should look at one of the bridge cameras with a decent zoom.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Camper0414 wrote:

I hope someone is willing to shed a pit of light on the direction I should take. I am looking to purchase a new camera. We are going on a dream vacation and in addition it is time. Here is a bit of information that might be helpful. I am a person that loves photography and takes 1000(s) of pictures during any trip. I am not often found without my camera in hand. That being said I have never had any formal training and am self-taught. Learning on the fly and making mistakes seem to be my learning style. I love to be able to capture nature from a distance yet zoom in to see their eyelashes when possible, so I have always had a pretty large zoom lens. I am not well versed in the manual setting and at time I feel like I just know enough to get in trouble so the camera must have a selection of pre-set fully automatic modes for those shots that are once in a life time and I do not want to mess up. In addition I often find myself needed a fast lens and the ones I have are not amazingly fast so if it comes to a different brand a new lens with speed would be needed. I am not gentile or kind to my equipment, we are outside all the time. It is across my body on a strap and goes where I go. Exposed to the elements would be an understatement, it never has a lens cap on however, always has a clear filter to protect the glass. We believe as a family you purchase things to be used and if they break using them we hope memories were made and captured. I have often been asked by other travelers about my camera being out and our response is simple. We buy things to use them and camera in a bag does not capture memories when they are being made. All this in consideration a durable camera must be selected.

I have had a Pentax D-SLR for years I have had a K200, and K100 both of which had a sealed body to take on the elements. The lens I shoot with the most is my Tamron 28-300. My Tamron 18-250 was my first love however, it was starting to act funny after many years. I also carry a Pentax 18-55 however, it rarely gets used and when the 19-250 was on the camera it never was used. I am not married to Pentax however, if you all feel they have a good camera that would fit my needs I can then keep my lenses.

I am looking for any recommendation that would help guide my selection. Budget - I would like to stay around $1000 for the body however, I believe sometimes when you creep upwards in price you loos some of the auto features I have requested. So this might be one time under budget is called for. The lens if needed I would like to stay around $800 so total would be under $2000. Thank you in advance for any information you can send my way!

I hope someone is willing to shed a pit of light o... (show quote)

Welcome to the forum. For a budget of $1800, you can get many good brand new crop sensor cameras with 2 lenses. And have money leftover. You can buy used and refurbished too. You picked the right time to have $1800 available, especially with Black Friday and Cyber Monday upcoming soon. I own Nikon gear, but I will not exclusively tell you to buy Nikon gear. Knowing photographers who own different brands of cameras, I've discovered that all brands make good cameras. Good luck, and I hope you find a camera that suits your needs.

BebuLamar

Camper0414 wrote:

I hope someone is willing to shed a pit of light on the direction I should take. I am looking to purchase a new camera. We are going on a dream vacation and in addition it is time. Here is a bit of information that might be helpful. I am a person that loves photography and takes 1000(s) of pictures during any trip. I am not often found without my camera in hand. That being said I have never had any formal training and am self-taught. Learning on the fly and making mistakes seem to be my learning style. I love to be able to capture nature from a distance yet zoom in to see their eyelashes when possible, so I have always had a pretty large zoom lens. I am not well versed in the manual setting and at time I feel like I just know enough to get in trouble so the camera must have a selection of pre-set fully automatic modes for those shots that are once in a life time and I do not want to mess up. In addition I often find myself needed a fast lens and the ones I have are not amazingly fast so if it comes to a different brand a new lens with speed would be needed. I am not gentile or kind to my equipment, we are outside all the time. It is across my body on a strap and goes where I go. Exposed to the elements would be an understatement, it never has a lens cap on however, always has a clear filter to protect the glass. We believe as a family you purchase things to be used and if they break using them we hope memories were made and captured. I have often been asked by other travelers about my camera being out and our response is simple. We buy things to use them and camera in a bag does not capture memories when they are being made. All this in consideration a durable camera must be selected.

I have had a Pentax D-SLR for years I have had a K200, and K100 both of which had a sealed body to take on the elements. The lens I shoot with the most is my Tamron 28-300. My Tamron 18-250 was my first love however, it was starting to act funny after many years. I also carry a Pentax 18-55 however, it rarely gets used and when the 19-250 was on the camera it never was used. I am not married to Pentax however, if you all feel they have a good camera that would fit my needs I can then keep my lenses.

I am looking for any recommendation that would help guide my selection. Budget - I would like to stay around $1000 for the body however, I believe sometimes when you creep upwards in price you loos some of the auto features I have requested. So this might be one time under budget is called for. The lens if needed I would like to stay around $800 so total would be under $2000. Thank you in advance for any information you can send my way!

I hope someone is willing to shed a pit of light o... (show quote)

Did any of your cameras break? If not keep using them until they break before thinking of buying another.

SS319

I suggest you spend the $1000 to rent the equipment you believe you need to capture this trip. It sounds like you are in search of Canon L lenses or Nikon equivalent and a body to support those lenses. lenses with that much glass in them are so far outside a budget around $1000 that I don't even walk by the case when visiting my local camera store (Norman's Camera, Kalamazoo).

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

Stick a 12-100 f4 (24-200mm ff equiv) on a used em1 and you have a lightweight weather sealed combo. You’ll need extra batteries and I’d suggest the RRS Boem-1 camera plate for better ergonomics.

sergiohm

Nikon D7200, lens 18-140 or 28-300
or
Sony RX-10IV (it is a bridge camera and comes with a non-detachable lens which goes from 24 to 600).

Good luck!

hangman45 Loc: Hueytown Alabama

You can get a Pentax K-3II for less than 900.00 new from B&H and that leaves you 1100.00 for lens I am sure you can find something you like

Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room

NMGal wrote:

Maybe you should look at one of the bridge cameras with a decent zoom.

I frequently leave my Nikon D7500 in the bag and shoot with my Nikon Coolpix P900. With a 24-2000mm range, it's definitely a "super zoom." For what you get, it's got some pretty good glass. Good ISO, shoots video, flexible view screen. A number of nice features. Comes with a charger, but will also charge when plugged into USB.

Downside is that it only shoots JPEG.

$499 at B&H. $579 at Amazon. $579.95 at Adorama. Chances are every one of those sites will have discounts or "sweeteners." Either way, you could get two for the cost of your budget!

Robert1 Loc: Davie, FL

You already have the lenses. Take a look at the Pentax K-3 II, or the Pentax KP. They are solid, weather and dust resistant. Your learning curve for the camera will be a lot less than by going with another brand. You'll get all the auto programs you'll need. Both ars under $1000 US.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Camper0414 wrote:

I hope someone is willing to shed a pit of light on the direction I should take. I am looking to purchase a new camera. We are going on a dream vacation and in addition it is time. Here is a bit of information that might be helpful. I am a person that loves photography and takes 1000(s) of pictures during any trip. I am not often found without my camera in hand. That being said I have never had any formal training and am self-taught. Learning on the fly and making mistakes seem to be my learning style. I love to be able to capture nature from a distance yet zoom in to see their eyelashes when possible, so I have always had a pretty large zoom lens. I am not well versed in the manual setting and at time I feel like I just know enough to get in trouble so the camera must have a selection of pre-set fully automatic modes for those shots that are once in a life time and I do not want to mess up. In addition I often find myself needed a fast lens and the ones I have are not amazingly fast so if it comes to a different brand a new lens with speed would be needed. I am not gentile or kind to my equipment, we are outside all the time. It is across my body on a strap and goes where I go. Exposed to the elements would be an understatement, it never has a lens cap on however, always has a clear filter to protect the glass. We believe as a family you purchase things to be used and if they break using them we hope memories were made and captured. I have often been asked by other travelers about my camera being out and our response is simple. We buy things to use them and camera in a bag does not capture memories when they are being made. All this in consideration a durable camera must be selected.

I have had a Pentax D-SLR for years I have had a K200, and K100 both of which had a sealed body to take on the elements. The lens I shoot with the most is my Tamron 28-300. My Tamron 18-250 was my first love however, it was starting to act funny after many years. I also carry a Pentax 18-55 however, it rarely gets used and when the 19-250 was on the camera it never was used. I am not married to Pentax however, if you all feel they have a good camera that would fit my needs I can then keep my lenses.

I am looking for any recommendation that would help guide my selection. Budget - I would like to stay around $1000 for the body however, I believe sometimes when you creep upwards in price you loos some of the auto features I have requested. So this might be one time under budget is called for. The lens if needed I would like to stay around $800 so total would be under $2000. Thank you in advance for any information you can send my way!

I hope someone is willing to shed a pit of light o... (show quote)

Well, this is probably not what you want to hear, but if I would be in your situation, with a budget of about $2000, then I would splurge on the body! Pentax 's K1 is an awesome camera, that probably would stay with you for the rest of your life! It's tough, weather sealed and it lets you use your current lenses (you can buy better glass at a later point, when your budget has recovered and allows you to do another purchase). Like I said, that is what I would do!

Camper0414 Loc: Michigan

Perhaps I need to understand this forum better as I might be in over my head and if I am, I am sorry for wasting your time and knowledge. I thought I was pretty honest about my needs as I will never be a professional but I like what I take and love the fact capturing memories does not stop my time with my family. I am not a top of the line customer so should just not get anything? If that is the case I am in the wrong place and I am sorry for wasting your time. Now, I might be miss understanding some of the comments, however,. I would think everyone must start somewhere.

I felt $2000 was a pretty good chunk of change for an entry level Digital SLR and if in today's world that is not even worth looking at cameras I am wondering if I should just go get a point and shoot and forget it. There are many amazing point and shoot cameras with tons of options.

Overlooking some of the suggestions I am guessing Pentax should not be explored? I know nothing about the other brands so I had looked into what they have now and my research lead me to the Pentax K-3 II. It is weather sealed and within budget and I have lenses. I know they are not top of the line but is there something I should be learning about Pentax as to why I should not shoot their cameras?

Some of you have mentioned a bridge camera. I will have to look in to one of those. I am not sure what exactly it is, nor do I know the pros and cons to moving into something like that. Is it a huge learning curve? Some mentioned it would be cheaper, however, am I just asking for trouble going cheaper?

To answer a questions: No my camera is fine it is just getting older and I would have thought new technology would be better.

Just Fred Loc: Darwin's Waiting Room

Camper0414 wrote:

Perhaps I need to understand this forum better as ... (show quote)

Camper0414, you will find the range of camera expertise on this forum as wide and as myriad as possible. And opinions, like bellybuttons--everybody's got one.

I like to point folks to a couple of websites for doing their own research. Neither requires heavy knowledge of technology, but lets you plug in what's important to YOU.

http://www.snapsort.com

http://www.cameradecision.com

In the final analysis, only YOU can determine what the right camera for you is.

Robert1 Loc: Davie, FL

Camper: no one said not to consider the Pentax cameras. The K-1 was suggested, but it is not for what you want. But the K-3 II and the KP are both under $ 1000 US. You can use then just as you would with a point and shoot or you can experiment with their settings for creativity. Of course every major manufacturer has equivalent at the price point, but the thing is you already have Pentax lenses that can be used and you still have around another $1000 for the better lens that you want with low light capabilities; said, a f 2.8 or f4?