Help me select a camera on this budget

512detail

512detail

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I`m over this cell phone photo crap- my camera is shot and leaves a yellow film on half the pics now

This is another step in growing my business by being able to actually show the good work I do properly.

$500 is my camera budget (which could grow to around 700 by the holidays)

I know ABSOLUTELY nothing about cameras except that I`d like a nice one for taking photo`s and vids of my work and other cars at car shows, etc.

To avoid any lengthy discussion on the mechanics of these cameras...

I`m kind of feeling like I need a DSLR but my mind says Point and Click would be easier.

If I need to save a little more, I can--probably can find better deals around XMAS anyways...

Thanks in advance

-Brandt K.
 
I really like my rebel. I would recommend buying the camera alone and supplementing with a fixed lens. I can type more when im off mobile too.
 
My wife loves her old rebel till it no longer worked with her iMac and we are looking to get her a new one now and I`m hoping her old will still work with my pic laptop


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check amazon "used" camera section. sometimes can find some great deals if you dont mind open box items. i think i seen canon t6i for 500-600 the other day
 
Great topic! I have been looking for a easier camera to use. I have a Canon Rebel t1i but sometimes its a pain to set up and carry around.
Are you going to use the camera for anything else outside of taking pictures of cars you have detailed?

If you have a Costco membership this is a great price and a top editors choice on pcmag for a point and click:
Panasonic LUMIX ZS50 Travel Camera Bundle
 
Save up a bump up to the Canon 70d or 80d. Very good for both video and photos. Canon T6i is a good camera too. I`ve got the older version of the T6i, which is a T2i. The T2i is 6-7 years old and still works perfect. Wife and I spent way more money than we should have on a full frame Canon 6d. We love the 6d, but for 1/2 the price the 70d, 80d, and T6i can do almost as good as the 6D. Spend some time on the photography forums and you will get a lot of good information.

I stopped taking out our Canon on a regular basis due to smartphones. When I do take out the DSLR`s I remember why I bought a nice camera. Buy a tripod for shooting cars. It will allow you to take long exposure in low light.
 
I don`t think you should spend a couple thousand bucks (or more) on a DSLR-lens combo. Life has mostly moved on in the camera world, for most peoples` needs?

Newer point n` shoot cams can be quite good. Despite the extensive/expensive photo gear that I have amassed within my lifetime, both "professionally and personally", you should be able to produce some pretty nice pics with something as simple as a CanonSX720 HS. The tiny camera, with a 40x OPTICAL zoom (why I chose the camera) should be able to give you some pretty nice shots. The downsides?: Any pic at the "widest angle" will be distorted. Shots at 40x can be very difficult to shoot without a tripod (or a post,car, etc to eliminate "shake"). You can slip this cam in your shirt pocket, and take it anywhere. Since I shoot mainly in a very dusty clime, I am careful to protect the small cam within a good pouch when not in use.

For your purposes, try taking pics around 100 mm, which is a standard "portrait mode". You might have to play with the zoom to get a "perspective" that suits your needs. There are several "programmed Auto Modes" that you can also use to get the picture you want, including "close-up" macro shots.

My iPhone 6s plus does a good job of capturing pics until light levels are slim. The "onboard " photo editing features are also fairly good. Any post-shoot software editing program can make your pics even better. The Canon SX720 HS is fatter than my smartphone, but smaller, and does take better pics.

I would highly recommend reading customer reviews of cameras at B & H PhotoVideo to help narrow your personal choice (NO, I have zero affiliation with either Canon, or B &H).

I would always take my much bigger/much pricier Canon-with-lenses to Bryce Canyon, etc. But one of the modern point n`shoots can be pretty doggone good for most shots. And a helluva lot less gear to drag around. I am "pro-Canon" though. Hope, this helps....
 
I was in the same boat you were in Brandt and thought I solved the problem when I upgraded to an LG G4 cell phone last year. At the time, it had (arguably) the best camera in a cell phone. It worked pretty good but just recently I was given a Canon EOS Rebel T3i (by a generous and great friend) and it blows my G4 out of the water.

It`s a lot more camera than I`ve ever had and the pics are amazing.

LG G4 (point and shoot)

kF2SVBU.jpg


Canon EOS Rebel T3i (after resizing, original image looks even better)

RCLojfK.jpg


I have 18-55 mm and 55-250 mm lenses that I`ve been having fun learning to use. I don`t think I could do any better with a fancier brand new camera, sort of how a new motorcycle rider can`t utilize the benefits of a more powerful motorcycle. My vote is to look for a generation older or used camera to save some $ unless you plan on going pro.

I`ve taken the camera to a few family events recently too and everyone has been loving the quality of photos I`m able to capture now.
 
I have a Nikon d3000 that I bought a few years ago and still use it. Wish I would of bought the d5000 at the time. It had HD video capabilities, which the d3000 doesn`t. If I were to do it all over again I would buy a used DSLR off eBay. Why? Because you can usually get a good deal on a year old camera that is pretty much identical to the newer version.
 
Brandt, I recommend you to pick up some DSLRs on display (Bestbuy/Walmart) and hold it for a while. See if the weight and size is ideal to what you usually shoot.

I had Sony RX100M2 (point and shoot), Nikon D3200 (DSLR), and kept my Sony A6000 (mirrorless). The Sony A6000 (now there is A6300) was ideal for me since I wanted better quality than point and shoot, and the manual controls of a DSLR without the extra bulk. Lens option I`m very limited to Sony`s expensive lens however.

I think you will be happy with anything that produces better quality than a phone camera
 
thanks for all the replies. i am hoping i can find something on a hot sale coming up.

still unsure if I am ready to go dslr but I think its the best bet long run.

i will mostly be taking pics of my work but i could see myself getting interested in photography in general while learning how to use a nice camera.

id definitely like to start taking my model mopars and taking outside shots at perspective. i think i saw a thread on that on this forum. that was really awesome stuff.


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Another vote for the Sony A6000! GREAT camera.

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sony-alpha-a6000

It`s what I`ve been using for the last 2 years and love it. Great compact mirrorless camera with wifi for super fast image transfer from the camera to your phone or tablet. Whatever camera you get - make sure it has either wifi or NFC for photo transferring between devices. I can`t even begin to tell you how crazy useful that single feature is. In fact, the only time I ever remove the memory card from the camera is when I`m uploading a photo for printing and want the highest resolution possible.

I also agree with the suggestion of skipping the kit lens and going for a fast prime lens for better photos, nicer bokeh, and lower F stops.

For my A6000 I use my 35mm Prime lens for 90% of the photos I take = you see in my reviews. Here`s a really good article on why fixed / prime lenses are better and more closely match what the human eye sees:

The First Sony E-Mount Lenses You Should Buy | The Wirecutter

I`ll snap a photo later showing the difference between the A6000`s 16-50mm kit lens vs the 35mm prime.
 
Sony A6000 is an incredible bang for the buck, one of the best apc setups out there.

For me it was either a used Sony A7 or an A6300 new. I wound up with the A7 an LOVE it. It all comes down to how much and what you use it for and if it can even pay for itself.

A good camera with some decent skills can yield business both for detailing and some extra side money.
 
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