What inexpensive/beginner camera do you recommend?

[Brucie Kibbutz]

I'm on a tight budget so I'm looking to spend around $100-$150. My main use would be to take some close up photos of my knives. Some of it would be outdoors and some would be in a light tent I'm going to make. This is the sort of image quality I'm hoping to get:






BTW, you guys sure do take some great looking photos. :applause:

[Stevenmarc]

1. You might want to look at the Canon PowerShot A590

http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=3348

[Brucie Kibbutz]

4. I've read some good reviews on that one.

It might be what I end up buying.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

2. why not let me take the photos

and you replace the spyderco military I just lost yesterday... possibly permanently?

[Brucie Kibbutz]

5. ouch

Man...I hate to hear you lost such an expensive knife! The Native has the same S30V blade steel for less than half the price of the Military.

http://yourcornerstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=703_2119_2163&products_id=16582

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

7. and it was a gift

boy, I hope it finds it's way back

[Mira]

3. I felt bad you did not get an answer, but waited til someone with some knowledge

came in. I think your question is a bit vague, you don't divulge your history with digital cameras, and your budget is a bit short. Love the knife photos, scary blades though.

I have had a number of canon powershots, or elphs, over the years. My current one is SD 790 IS and cost just a hair under 200, bought it from Dell the PC people.
I have liked them all. Wore them out, passed them on, dropped and broke them on dangerous rocks, stuff like that.
I would never want to be without one in my pocket. Get one with 10 megapixels or so, look into getting it on ebay. considering that with a Point and Shoot digital camera the camera itself is your main expense, that's not a lot of money.

In the old days I would spend that much money in 3 months at the Photo Shop or in the Drug Store's photo corner.

I think just because you did not get much response you should give up on us. The more specific you will be asking, the better, I bet, we answer.

[Adsos Letter]

6. I agree about the CanonPowershot series Mira...

We have had a couple of them, and have had very satisfying results. And they're small.

[Brucie Kibbutz]

8. I have an old Powershot A40.

I think "ancient" might be a better way to describe it.

Is this the camera you have? http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Digital_Point_Shoot/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&sku=A1555336

If it is $60 better than something like the A590, I wouldn't mind paying a bit more for it.

I would prefer to have something that gives me the option to change the settings so I'm not looking for a camera that does everything automatically.

[Mira]

9. Yes - that is my current Powershot. I suggest you read about user's comments

which are available on line wherever it is sold, i. e. Amazon etc. - as I'm sure you know.
I think it takes good pictures, I do not like not having a view finder, that's a first for me in my long picture taking life, and I still every now and then smack it against my forehead trying to look through it. There is a wheel to set your options with, which are the normal ones, and I'm not that adept at handling that, either.

If you want more than the ordinary settings and options, you have to spend more money and go to a SLR camera but I am so out of my league talking about this here I am getting out of this thread.

:)

[Brucie Kibbutz]

11. OK thanks for the advice.

I do want the option to turn off the screen and use the view finder. I think the A590 will be OK to get started with. After I've got some experience, I can pick out a better camera.

Thanks for the help everybody. :hi:

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

10. digital or film

I forgot to ask before

[Brucie Kibbutz]

12. New camera today.

I noticed a box on the porch when I got home today. Turns out my camera (A590IS) finally showed up. :woohoo:

There wasn't much daylight left but I managed to take a few pics using auto mode. As you can see, I have a lot to learn but I'm looking forward to it and I think the 590 will be just fine to get started with.

[Mira]

13. Big congratulations ! Your pictures are totally hot (IMO) I bet you are pleased !

[Brucie Kibbutz]

14. Thanks... It's a big difference in resolution

from my old A40 at 2mp to this camera at 8mp. I hated to see the sun going down. I wanted to keep shooting more pics!

[dbmk]

15. Lighttent for when the sun is away :)

Guide to making an inexpensive light tent here:
http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent

[Brucie Kibbutz]

17. That is a great idea.

I'm definitely going to do that. Got a big box for it last night at the grocery. It will help having that link as a guide so thanks. :fistbump:

[Fumesucker]

16. Your shots with your new camera are nice..

Good job..

But your old shots could have been tweaked to be much better..



Send me a couple of your old original pics in unaltered form and I think you'd be surprised what can be done even with ones you think are bad. I'm an old amateur astrophotographer and getting the most from a meager set of pixels and a pathetic dribble of photons is old hat to me.. :)

In fact the very best amateur planetary imaging these days is being done with Philips webcams..

[Brucie Kibbutz]

18. Here is one:

BTW, thanks for the compliment. I think this will be a fun hobby. :hi:

[dbmk]

19. By fun, you of course mean expensive

:)

[Fumesucker]

20. I could do better with the original files..

But it's surprising what can be done with just this..



The sky reflection in the shiny blade can't be manipulated, most of the pixels are maxed out, there isn't really any data there..

Photography is a pastime with which one can always continue to learn and grow.

[Brucie Kibbutz]

21. Got to try out the macro mode today.

Tried it out on my newest addition to the collection:





I finally got a good one. Definitely need to get a tripod. It is too hard to hold the camera steady! :freak: