My wife has decided that her camera is no longer good so she has given me the ultimatum of buying her a new one or taking mine and getting a new one myself, I chose door number 2. I am in no way a good photographer but I like to pass the time by taking pictures when I see something interesting so I can show my friends/family. Out of say 100 photos I seem to find a few that I like.

I have a Nikon P90 because I like its capabilities and the fact that its a one piece unit that has decent range and fits in my flight case. The camera is good, but it is far from perfect.



When I bought this camera I asked the same question in regards to the superzoom or the DSLR. I am looking to buy a better version of what I already have:

Nikon P510: Amazon.com: Nikon COOLPIX P510 16.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 42x Zoom NIKKOR ED Glass Lens and GPS Record Location (Black): NIKON: Camera & Photo

Fujifilm X-S1: Amazon.com: Fujifilm X-S1 12MP EXR CMOS Digital Camera with Fuijinon F2.8 to F5.6 Telephoto Lens and Ultra-Smooth 26x Manual Zoom (24-624mm): Electronics

Both are great cameras although the Fuji price puts it up there with most entry DSLRs.

For the DSLR

Looking at the kits I am not sure that I would have a bunch of use for the kit lens since the camera lives on the road with me. My thoughts would be to go with a body only and then buy one maybe two lenses that would fill in the gaps.

I am looking at maybe the D5100: Amazon.com: Nikon D5100 16.2MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch Vari-Angle LCD Monitor (Body Only): Electronics

and then adding a zoom type lens such as the:
Nikkor 70-300MM VR: Amazon.com: Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED IF AF-S VR Nikkor Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras: NIKON: Electronics

and the:

Nikkor 24MM: Amazon.com: Nikon 24mm f/2.8D AF Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras: Electronics

Obviously the DSLR route would cost more money but there would be much more room for growth in the future. Question on the 70-300MM...you can get a much less expensive version that is NON VR..does the VR make the difference that it is worth the extra money?

I have no problem buying a less expensive body such as a D40 or D60 or equivalent, even refurbished and/or used if I knew what I was getting since the camera body would exceed my abilities anyway. The lenses would be where the money would go. One option I would like is a remote if possible.

The reason I like the zoom is that it seems necessary for most of the pictures I take. One problem with the superzooms is that it becomes very difficult to get a clear image even in very still air. While these are not quality, they give you the idea of the range I am looking for:




One argument against a DSLR is the size. If I carry the body and two lenses and a few other pieces it will likely no longer fit in my flight bag (which has NO binders in it). The superzoom is not very bulky and I can just put it in its small bag and stuff it in there. I want to avoid a multi day trip with rollaboard, flight case, crew cooler and camera bag if I can help it. This is not a deal breaker, just something that would take getting used to.

I know we have many pros on this board that should have some good input.

 

If you're looking for small and compact but still a powerhouse camera; check out Sony's new Cyber-shot RX1. It's billed as a compact camera good enough for professional photographer.
All the rage in the photo world right now.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-DSC-RX1-Cybershot-Full-frame-Digital/dp/B0097CXFCC/ref=sr_1_1?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1355847887&sr=1-1&keywords=Sony+rx1

 

That camera does look to be very nice. The problems are that for the nearly three thousand dollar price tag it still will not do what I am looking for. I dont think it will have the power to get a shot of a plane overhead 2000' above.

 

USMC, the cockpit space issue is a tough one and I do not think there is any easy solution to it. I spend a lot of time flying small airplanes where even a point and shoot is a pain. I have a DSLR kit (Rebel) with a $1500 zoom lens (70-300mm), but the cheap P&S and cell phone get more and better use. I plan to bring the DSLR kit when I am sure I'll have enough time, space and ideas what I want to shoot on a given trip. For example, my company has me drive by car 250 miles to a pickup point routinely, and I am still picking out subjects for my pro camera on that route. Same with repeated flights, why not fly it several times to see what you want good shots of before hauling the heavy gear.

 

Thanks for the info Cub.

Im leaning towards the superzoom idea since that is what I have been using and I know it fits in my flight case. While it doesnt do everything, it does most things. I worry that if the camera and lens doesnt fit in my bag that I may never take it with me negating the whole point.

Price is another concern..I have thought about craigslist to bring the price down on a nice DSLR but its still more money.

D3100 Nikon D3100 with Stock lens + 55-300 Lens
D5100 Body Nikon D5100 - 1 month old

The 3100 would have most of what I needed and the 5100 would be more camera but I would still need likely need 500 in lenses...and thats finding a great deal somewhere.


Size constraints aside, If I could get that 5100 for say $350 is that something that you would recommend?

 

I looked at C/L for a while and other used sources, and came to the conclusion that people knock their cameras and lenses around quite a bit and that buying new is the only way around it. You also feel some sentimental satisfaction being numero uno, at least I do. I'd buy a used washing machine or pet, but I read that camera gear will malfunction if it is knocked around. Pets and washing machines on the other hand get better...

 

I have been into DSLR photography for about 6 years now. I'm a Nikon guy but everything I say can most likely be applied to a Canon product.

The body is not important. You mentioned a used D40. That was my first DSLR. It's a fantastic camera and to this day some of my favorite pictures have been taken with it. I sold it a few years ago.

The lens is where you make it or break it. Super zooms in the sub-offensively-expensive price range are slow lenses, meaning they don't have a very large aperture to let light in thus requiring a longer shutter speed. Longer shutter speeds mean blur. Nikon made VR to help counteract the "shake" of your hand(which causes blur). It physically stabilizes the optics in the lens with a gyro. It helps tremendously. I would not have a slow lens without VR.

Believe me when I say you don't want to carry around two lenses. It's a colossal pain. If you just have a 70-300mm lens it will be great for zoom but nearly unusable for shots where you're trying to catch a landscape or a small group of people. And forget about using it for pictures in the cockpit. You would have to carry two lenses.

The alternative is a great all around lens, 18-200VR. It can take great wide angle shots and still has enough zoom for distant subjects. Like all the other "cheap" lenses it's slow and not great for low light situations without a tripod.

Any lens with an aperture of 2.8 or less(large aperture is a smaller number) is going to have an advantage in lower light situations. Also, a large a aperture gives you more control over DOF(depth of field). This is the effect of making your subject pop out on a blurred background.

One more thing to keep in mind if taking pictures from the cockpit, camera lenses are made with the highest quality optics but when you shoot a picture through the windshields of an airplane your image quality will drop dramatically due to all the imperfections and heating elements in the windshields.

Hope this helps a little

 

Yeah if you are shooting from the cockpit it hardly makes sense buying a DSLR and a bunch of lenses. You'll get more usable shots with a nice P&S like a Canon G1X, Nikon P7700, that sort of thing. When I bought my Canon DSLR and lenses, I had no intention of using them in an airplane. It's a difficult environment. That's not to say there are not some great things to take pictures of, just that trying for great images through windows in a cramped, moving airplane is not a recipe for technical quality.

 

Thank you guys.

Sounds like I will go with the point and shoot super zoom similar to what I have. The camera does not leave my flight case and I'd say 90% of the photos I take are through the windshield of the jet. As much as I'd like to own a nice DSLR, it sounds like it really won't fit my mission any better than the two other options that I posted would.

If I ever take up plane spotting (not highly likely) or taking my camera everywhere I go, I will go with the DSLR. Thanks for the input, it's what I was looking for.


As a side note, if I find a nice D40 or similar with a good lens for cheap money I may grab one to keep in the car or around the house.

 

Real pilots carry something like this 200-400mm superzoom.