Djacks1 Loc: Edmond Oklahoma

Hello All! Just found this website and decided to join. Looking to gain as much knowledge as i can from the forums. I'm an amateur looking to learn more about photography. Trying to decide which camera to obtain right now. Currently have an Olympus E-500 and thinking it might be time to upgrade a bit. Seems to be between Nikon and Canon but guess there's not a perfect pick. Anyone know anything about the Nikon D3300? Good, Bad? Thanks all!

Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Welcome to the forum!!!
Pat

lightcatcher Loc: Farmington, NM (4 corners)

Welcome to UHH. You're on the right site to learn.

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

Welcome to the Hog, Djacks1. You'll find lots of friends & plenty of good advice here. Would recommend the book "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. It's available in a couple of electronic versions and in print. The best camera is the 1 that feels natural to you and fits your budget.

I used to live in Mustang down on the southwest side of OKC. There is a good camera store on N. May called Bedford Camera & Video. Haven't been there for a couple of years but their predecessor had a very good staff. Check out their offerings and don't be afraid to ask questions. You'll pay a little more but, you'll be able to go back & ask questions later.

Whether you buy Canon, Nikon, Sony, etc. don't let somebody else make your decision for you. You'll regret it.

If you hang around the Hog long enough, you'll find there are some of us who think their system is the only 1 to use. I've carried Minolta/Sony for the last 26 years. When I switched to Minolta I was working in a Camera store and had my choice of systems. The Nikon 8008 didn't have a spot meter, the Canon EOS 620 felt clunky. The Maxxum 7000i had a spot meter & felt right. I haven't regretted my decision. Good luck & hope to see some of your shots soon.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Welcome to the family!

Sometimes, how a camera model feels in your hands is just as important as minor differences in best selling models of "Canon vs. Nikon."

Djacks1 Loc: Edmond Oklahoma

Thanks! Yes, i used to go to Epperson Photo when they owned the store, but haven't been there since Bedford bought them. Guess i'll go snoop around and see what they have to offer. I appreciate all the great responses i have already gotten from this forum. Glad i found it! Sounds like i'm in for a learning experience!!!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Welcome to our forum!

This is a great place to learn technique and what you simply have to buy. :D

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Snapsort.com is good for comparing features. Dpreview.com can also compare features.

http://snapsort.com/compare/Nikon-D3300-vs-Olympus_E-500

Djacks1 Loc: Edmond Oklahoma

Awesome! Thanks for info!

ebbote Loc: Hockley, Texas

Welcome to the Hog Djacks.

oldtool2 Loc: South Jersey

Welcome to UHH. Before we can recommend a camera for you we need to have some answers to some questions.

I normally recommend once you have done your research and decided on certain models you try to find one so you could handle it yourself. Canon and Nikon, as well as other manufacturers, make some excellent cameras but if they don't fill right in your hands you may regret buying it.

A lot depends on what you were going to use the camera for. Do you do a lot of landscape shooting, or a lot of nature photography, or shoot a lot of birds in flight? Or do you just do family photography? What you were going to use the camera for will determine whether you need a full frame or crop sensor camera. After you have picked a few models to pick from, you need to be able to handle them to see how they fit your hands. Most any of the newer cameras will have more features than you know what to do with at this point. Don't worry so much about that, you will grow into them if you need them.

Jim D

Elliern Loc: Myrtle Beach, SC

Welcome!
Once you have checked out the reviews on various cameras in your price range (check both user reviews and online ratings/reviews/comparisons sites) and you have narrowed it down to one or two, you can check out out the best place to buy.

Some choices for purchase are your local camera store, Best Buy, online stores such as B&H and Amazon but also don't forget Costco and Sam's Club. Costco and Sams usually have very competitive prices but a big advantage is that you can use the camera for up to 90 days and if it is not exactly what you thought it would be, you can return it for a full refund. They also may include extra lens, bag, memory card, etc. In addition they often include an extra year warranty as well.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

A few things to keep in mind:

What do wish you could have shot for which the E-500 was inadequate?

What do you enjoy shooting?

What is your budget?

What have you been shooting with the E-500?

Obvioulsly if the answer to the first question was nothing, you would not be here now, but knowing what you wish you could do will help in choosing a camera system.

pappy0352 Loc: Oregon

Welcome to the site.

Pappy

minniev Loc: MIssissippi

Another question in addition to those above: do you have any high quality lenses for the E500? If so, you might want to look in the Olympus OMD line. Unless you really hate Olympus and need to get away? (I went through that once too, but went back).

I'm sure any new interchangeable lens camera by any of the major makers would do a fine job for you, if you are careful to match your needs and wants to the strengths of that particular camera model and make sure it fits comfortably in your hands.