I’m thinking about getting myself a digital camera. I want to draw from the pictures I take, so, they will have to be crisp, clear. Also, I will want to take pictures of things in motion, people on scooters and people walking around and whatnot. Now, I know very little about cameras, very is even an understatement but are common compact cameras capable of snapping motion clearly or will i have to look up-market at the SLRs?
Advice please.
Recommendations even.
Photography and Drawing are both Arts. My recommendation is that you permit me to move this Thread to Art & Music where it would be exposed to a wider audience!
…Pretty please?
I’d go with an SLR. I like my Nikon D40. They’re a lot better and cheaper than when I bought mine.
See, the idea was I move it to Art & Music and then you reply to the thread which would prove my point about this thread getting better exposure. (Pun intended, not a bad one, as far as puns go)
I’m ashamed that I didn’t get it the first time.
jr.com/nikon-d40-slr-digital … 40_SL_KIT/
if you can swing it.
Maybe it wasn’t that good…
Puns are lame 99.9% of the time, I guess I’m just the type that likes to try to buck the odds. It can be done, if one can stay focused enough.
It’s all a matter of zooming in on your goals.
…Okay, I’m done.
I think we get the picture.
Nice!
My recollection of the art forum was that it sucked. But, if I can help improve it then ok, move the thread. 
thanks for the recommendation faust i’ll look into it.
It rocks, now! Check it out!
Thank you for helping it rock that much harder.
Never mind.
It depends, the nikon D40 is a good camera and will def do exactly what you want, but you might get more than you need. A decent compact can also grab you clear shots good motion shots: I can still use my old compact for such things when I don’t want to take my DSLR out.
It depends how advanced you really want to get.
Or if you want a really cheap option, pick up a second hand mechanical SLR, they’re really fun to work with 
Anyway, I hesitate to recommend anything since it has been years since I last looked at buying a compact, but have a browse of camera review sites and see what they say.
Yeah, you could get more than you need, but I got more than I needed at first, and then wanted more. Cameras are like boats. AS soon as you get one, you want a better one.
The used mechanical SLR is a very good idea, too. You can usually get them very cheap at a good pawn shop - and extra lenses, too. The lenses are more important than the camera. Be careful of pawn shops, though. Do your research. Some pawn shops aren’t so cheap. But remember that with a digital, you can take a thousand pics and view them at no cost. With film, you gotta develop them just to see them, even if you don’t ultimately use all the shots you take.
That said, I have seen some great pics taken with a cell phone.
I’m not so sure about a used film SLR. Whilst I am extremely fond of my Canon T70 - Tengo isn’t saying she wants to get in to photography. Plus film is expensive to develop, and slow.
Modern day compacts can perform everything that tengo wants them to - if all she wants is to snap things then paint from them. Plus they are a lot eaier to carry which means you can have them about you all of the time - and I guess the whole purpose is to snap random appealing sights to paint later, rather than deliberately go in pursuit of the shoot. DSLRs are bulky and expensive - not that I’d give up my 400d for the world - but it’d be difficult to have one on you all of the time.
For what you need, tengo, I would reccomend a compact camera with anti-shake. Put it in sport mode and it will do all the work for you - you’ll find it remarkably easy to start shooting!
First off I don’t see a mechanical SLR as an option, i don’t want to have to wait to get picture developed before i can begin drawing from them. with the digital i have at least the option of getting something developed if need be but i also have the pictures instantly available. now, in terms of a camera having an excess of capabilities i very much see my needs developing as i get more accustomed to using a camera, that being said i am quite adament that video won’t ever be required, if i can see a bit of cash on not having this option then that’s ideal but i’m not sure how much of a difference that makes nowadays. video seems to come as standard. Basically i want something which is capable of snapping quickly and easily i.e. i don’t want to be having to piss around adjusting lenses and focus and whatnot when i want to take a quick snap. And i want these quick snaps to becoming out as clear as possible.
SLRs are a slight inconvenience in terms of size but it seems i want more than what a typical compact is capable of.
I don’t think you want anything more than even an advanced camera phone is capable of, to be honest. Modern compacts are remarkably advanced - the only major problem you’ll have for your puporses is high noise rates at high ISO levels - but this is quite a small limitation. You’ll be able to get the high shutter speeds you need for capturing motion on a compact no problem due to image stabilisation which gives you a two to three stop advantage (which means you can shoot at high shutter speeds which avoids motion blur). Also,the software on a compact will do all this work for you, including managing your apature and ISO to make sure that you don’t need to do anything at all and make taking snaps a lot faster and easier than on an SLR.
I think you’d do well to look at a Sony Cybershot DSC-T90. I’ve only ever read good reviews, the intelligent auto will make it easy to use and reliable and the sony image stabilsation system is notable (the Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens is a big bonus too). I’m confident it will do everything you need if you can stomach the price tag. The coolpix S60 is worth a glance too.
Personally from what you’ve said, I think an SLR would be a waste of money for you. There doesn’t seem to be anything that you want that an SLR can manage better than a compact. Actually, an SLR would probably be worse.
Thanks for the recommendation Brevel.
I’ve thought of a couple of other requirements too. Is it possible to have a camera that comes with a sort of anti-shake or is this the same as the stabilastion system on the Sony?? (I lack the jargon) And I’d like to have a decent zoom or whatever it takes it to able to snap from a distance i.e. if i want to capture people without their being awares 
Kinda sound like a spy but it’s for arts sake purely. you understand.
Hi,
yes -anti shake and image stanilisation are the same thing (Nikon calls it “anti-vibration” as it happens).
If you want to snap people unaware - the thing that will help you most is a high megapixel count. This will allow you to ‘crop’ the image later - e.g. zoom in on small areas of the photo when you’re at home on your computer. If you zoom manually then you have to follow people with the camera a bit more - which will slow you down and make you a bit more obvious. Also the zoom on compacts is normally mechanical which makes it a bit slow to use. But like I say, a high megapixel count will allow you to zoom in quite a bit at home on your computer anyway.
Go to a good camera shop and you’ll be able to test out some of the techonology on a nearby street so long as a store attendent is with you - which should give you a good idea of what you’re looking at buying.
I too like to snap people discreetly. I have always craved the one tool that photographers use for this - a rangefinder (like a leica). If anyone has a spare Leica lying around - please let me know…
What do I need to know about lenses. for example, the sony you shown me earlier doesn’t have no extensive lense, hence the 3-4x zoom, right? but some cameras have a lense and so have a 10x zoom…good or bad? is a high megapixel 3-4x camera equivalent to a 10x camera? 
Just out of curiosity what is the leica? and a rangefinder?