Become a Site Supporter and Never see Ads again!

Author Topic: Looking for a good DSLR Camera under $500  (Read 3653 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Phil Zone

  • Trade Count: (22)
  • Taperssection All-Star
  • ****
  • Posts: 1039
  • Gender: Male
Looking for a good DSLR Camera under $500
« on: March 16, 2014, 02:06:54 PM »
whats the best camera all around? i want it to have a great zoom, and be not always blurry, so something stable I suppose. ill be using for photos at shows, both inside and outside, dark and fully lit, outdoors for scenery sunsets and wild life, and occasionally for pictures of people. so basically good at everything. whats the best out there? Battery life is important as well.

i was looking at nikon or cannon, any opinions? ive had cannons most all the time
thanks
Microphones: AKG 460B, 480B, Naiant Actives,CK61,CK62,CK63, CK69, Busman BSC-1, CA-14
Preamps: (3) Naiant Littlebox, Naiant Tinyhead
Recorders: (2) Zoom F6, Tascam DR-05

LMA Shows: http://archive.org/search.php?query=taper%3A%22Cam%20Keough%22&sort=-date

Offline Chrisedge

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Taperssection Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 425
Re: Looking for a good DSLR Camera under $500
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2014, 02:13:13 PM »
Great Zoom and Low Light don't usually go together. Are you looking for a Point & Shoot? Small or bigger? DSLR? Will you be taking it into shows that dont allow "professional cameras"? Is one thing more important than another?

I have a super zoom P&S but I mainly use it for video, not pictures.

Edited to add: Doh, missed the DSLR in the title. I love my Canon DSLR with the 50mm 1.4 for low light. Big zooms with low light capabilities will be more than your budget.

Look for a TI kit, and the 50 1.8?
« Last Edit: March 16, 2014, 02:15:54 PM by Chrisedge »
Audio: Sound Professionals SP-CMC-10 (AT933s) or Church Audio CA-14 (Omni & Cards) Mics >
Sound Professionals Battery Box SP-SPSB-1, SP-SPSB-10 or Church Audio Preamp CA9200 >
Sony PCM-A10, Sony PCM-M10, Tascam DR-2d Recorders
Video: Panasonic DCM-ZS100 & GoPro 7 Black

Offline 2manyrocks

  • Trade Count: (12)
  • Taperssection All-Star
  • ****
  • Posts: 1664
Re: Looking for a good DSLR Camera under $500
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2014, 02:35:07 PM »
Low light will be a challenge to any camera. 

Consider a micro 4/3 camera like the Panasonic G5 if you can find one.   At one point they were going for $329 including the kit zoom lens which wasn't great.  However, you can add your choice of old 35mm lens like a Takumar 50mm f1.4 ($50) and use an ebay  lens adapter ($12). Should be able to stay within your budget while accumulating lens to fit your needs. 

Or wait and see if they start dumping the Panasonic GH3 at low prices once the GH4 starts hitting the shelves. 

Offline Phil Zone

  • Trade Count: (22)
  • Taperssection All-Star
  • ****
  • Posts: 1039
  • Gender: Male
Re: Looking for a good DSLR Camera under $500
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2014, 02:53:32 PM »
im looking at something like this

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-14-2MP-Digital-18-55mm-3-5-5-6/dp/B003ZYF3LO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1394987733&sr=8-3&keywords=nikon+dslr

i have a cannon rebel ti1 body, that i could use.

is it true that the lens has a greater factor in stabilizing the pictured? like if i zoom with two lenses same zoom amount can one lens be more stable than the other?

thanks
Microphones: AKG 460B, 480B, Naiant Actives,CK61,CK62,CK63, CK69, Busman BSC-1, CA-14
Preamps: (3) Naiant Littlebox, Naiant Tinyhead
Recorders: (2) Zoom F6, Tascam DR-05

LMA Shows: http://archive.org/search.php?query=taper%3A%22Cam%20Keough%22&sort=-date

Offline 2manyrocks

  • Trade Count: (12)
  • Taperssection All-Star
  • ****
  • Posts: 1664
Re: Looking for a good DSLR Camera under $500
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2014, 03:59:26 PM »
I guess (could be wrong) that you've made some pictures that you didn't like because of blur? 

In low light, most cameras are going to try to compensate by raising ISO levels and decreasing shutter speed.  Higher ISO=more grain  Decreased shutter speeds will result in blurred pictures if the subject moves. 

To offset this, you need higher f stops on the lens so you can shoot with higher shutter speeds. 

The lens on the Nikon you linked starts at something like f3.5 and then drops to f5 something.  The more you zoom, the less light the lens admits to the camera--decreasing shutter speed and increasing the odds of blur at a low light concert. 

There are zoom lens with higher f stops (the lower the number, the more light admitted by the lens).  Some zoom lens have constant f stops (admits same light no matter what zoom).

A f2.8 zoom should give a clearer picture than a f3.5 zoom in low light conditions because the camera can shoot at higher shutter speeds.  It's not necessarily because of the image stabilization, but because of using higher shutter speed. 

Does this make sense?

http://www.photographyblogger.net/7-tips-for-stunning-concert-photography/

« Last Edit: March 16, 2014, 04:10:27 PM by 2manyrocks »

Offline beatkilla

  • Trade Count: (70)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 2104
  • Gender: Male
Re: Looking for a good DSLR Camera under $500
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2014, 08:19:20 PM »
Your Canon T1i is more than efficient but as pointed out most likely a short shutter speed was used .Set our canon to TV(shutter priority)and use 125 or 250 of a second and pan the camera with the movement also select the center focus point only.

Offline Chrisedge

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Taperssection Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 425
Re: Looking for a good DSLR Camera under $500
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2014, 09:42:36 PM »
Use your t1i and just get the 50 1.8 and see if that works. Around $80 for the lens. The camera you have is nicer than mine, and I am happy with mine, its all in the lenses with DSLRs.
« Last Edit: March 18, 2014, 11:04:40 AM by Chrisedge »
Audio: Sound Professionals SP-CMC-10 (AT933s) or Church Audio CA-14 (Omni & Cards) Mics >
Sound Professionals Battery Box SP-SPSB-1, SP-SPSB-10 or Church Audio Preamp CA9200 >
Sony PCM-A10, Sony PCM-M10, Tascam DR-2d Recorders
Video: Panasonic DCM-ZS100 & GoPro 7 Black

Offline 2manyrocks

  • Trade Count: (12)
  • Taperssection All-Star
  • ****
  • Posts: 1664
Re: Looking for a good DSLR Camera under $500
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2014, 09:55:45 PM »
http://slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=150

This one?

edit:  seems to be some agreement here that the underlying problems of blur needs to be addressed via a faster lens that admits more light.  Buying another camera with another f3.5 kit lens won't solve the blur problem in low light concerts. 

Having said that, the 50mm f1.8 lens appears to be an affordable option.  A telephoto or higher magnification zoom lens with a large enough aperature for low light photos will be pricey....

Hence, the suggestion for the 50mm f1.8 lens--and then crop it later if needed. 
« Last Edit: March 17, 2014, 11:53:26 AM by 2manyrocks »

Offline beatkilla

  • Trade Count: (70)
  • Needs to get out more...
  • *****
  • Posts: 2104
  • Gender: Male
Re: Looking for a good DSLR Camera under $500
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2014, 02:22:55 PM »
Good video explaining shutter speed and motion blur and more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkhQK_8pu9U

 

RSS | Mobile
Page created in 0.074 seconds with 34 queries.
© 2002-2024 Taperssection.com
Powered by SMF