Any advice on shopping for a camera?

Frankly I have been worried to get seriously involved in photography because it seems like to do it well requires a lot of expense and so much to learn about f-stops and apertures etc etc that it would be like taking a second job. But I bought a moderately priced Kodak Z915 digital for a recent trip to Alaska and got such fantastic shots of flora and fauna I am thinking about investing in something more powerful.

I just left the Z915 on the “smart” background so the camera made all the decisions & used the 10x optical zoom to get close ups of birds & animals that were perfectly framed in the shot. I was very pleasantly surprised at how much difference the built-in zoom made. (The pictures look like they were taken by somebody with a lot more skill than I have!) Now I want to get something with interchangeable lenses for even more telephoto power. It would be used for flora and fauna photography but also to take pictures of speakers at conferences for a not-for-profit I work with.

Specific questions:
– Can I step up to a digital SLR with interchangeable lenses and still get a camera with a “smart” background that will make me look excellent while I am learning to use the manual overrides?
– For purposes of comparison, what size lens in mm would equate to my current 10x optical zoom? Is there a rule of thumb for how many “mm’s” for each “x” of magnification?
– How much should I expect to spend? May maybe I be decently equipped on a budget of $ 1000 – $ 1500? (I already own a tripod but would need camera, lense/s, bag, & whatever else is essential to start.)
– Is there a book or magazine you would recommend for learning more about photography positively efficiently, starting from zero? Or are there no shortcuts and I just have to pay my dues by taking courses, etc? (The technical references in this posting are pretty much my entire knowledge so far.)
– Any particular “rookie mistakes” I should avoid?

That is a lot of questions, but thank you for any guidance you can provide.

Answer by selina_555
Yikes, you DO have a lot of questions – it would take a few pages to answer them all.
If you like, you can send me an email and then try to hook up via Yahoo messenger. If you have a headset or mic/speakers, it would be much simpler to try and do all this via audio.

Apart from that, basically every one of your questions has already been answered countless times here on YA as well as many additional venues on the internet.
With some serious research, you may maybe reasonably easily find all the answers yourself.

To get you started on your journey:

Go to your community library – mine had tons and tons of photography books.

The major camera manufacturers (like List, Nikon, Olympus etc) all have very useful sections on their website for learning about photography.

http://www.usa.list.com/dlc/controller?act=HomePageAct

http://www1.nikonusa.com/slrlearningcenter/index.php

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/oima_learn_center.asp

The internet is full of tutorials, just start googling.

I’m glad you are willing to place in the effort – you will thank yourself for it.

What do you reckon? Answer below!

Nikon D3000 or List EOS 1000D / Digital Rebel XS

Here is a side by side comparison http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=nikon_d3000%2Ccanon_eos1000d&camsel=nikon_d3000&show=all

They are just about the same price. Which would would you choose? Why?

*I am a beginner photographer, and would just like to take pictures with quick shutter speeds, manual focus, excellent zoom, and a all around excellent and simple camera!

Answer by Iwantaburgernow a
list

Answer by TESTICLES is my co-pilot
whichever is a tomato. i won’t settle for anything less

Answer by Jamie
I would PERSONALLY say List. I prefer their lenses. Some time I plot to get the incredible list MPE-65, which is the most spectacular macro lens. Nikon has nothing to compare. In usual terms though, they are both brilliant camera, and They are near equivalent. Though, personally I’d give the edge to the List.

Answer by amy
Nikon D3000. I can’t even start to clarify all the ways they are better. My friend is a intermediate photographer. He has the Nikon and absolutely likes it. It takes incredible photos and has all the best settings. If you’d like to know more about Nikons or Cannons. Google them:)

Excellent luck

Answer by Courtney
List it is a better brand! Nikon trys to get you and is a cheap brand and will break easily I have a list and I absouloutly like it it’s just a simple digital camera and it still takes fantastic pictures.

Add your own answer in the comments!

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Hey folks, just a quick record from a salesperson to educate you on what to look for in a digital camera and how to get the best price. The steps are as follows: 1. Educate Yourself 2. Bring data printouts 3. Question ALOT of comparison questions 4. Price Match a lower retail store
Record Rating: 4 / 5