Expert: John Oliverio - 6/17/2006

Question
Thank you for all your help!  I went to a camera shop today to hold cameras in my hand and get their "selling points."  The sales person guided me to a Pentax istDL.  He told me it has the same interworkings as the D50 but a tad cheaper.  Then he said I could get the Pentax and a stronger zoom lense for about the same price as the Canon Rebel.  But to go with the Pentax I am sacrificing 2 megapixels (6.1 vs. 8 megapixels).  Is this the best advice?  Or should I go with the megapixels with the Canon?  I am having buyers remorse and wondering if I should have went for the Canon Rebel and just saved my pennies a couple months and gotten the zoom lense for that later.  Thanks again for all your help!
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Followup To

Question -
I have been a 35mm hold out because of the ease of making 5 copies of each print to give out to each grandparent after my first child was born.  I bought a digital video camera over a year ago and utilized the digital still camera with that.  But now I have decided to go ahead and buy a good digital camera.  I am missing vital shots with my second child.  I love taking portrait shots, zooming in on items and taking action photos.  After seeing the lack of shutter speed on the standard point and shoot digital camera, I figured I needed to go with a digital SLR.  The problem is that I don't want to spend a fortune right now.  I have also watched my friend lug around her D50 and worry about that being so large. So I don't know what direction to go.  Can you help me choose a camera?  I have looked at the D50 and the new Sony DSC-R1.  The Sony looks nice but it is actually a tad more then I had hoped to spend.  But then with the D50 I worry I would be having to spend money on more lenses.  Do I need a camera that expensive or that large?  I want to: zoom, crop and enlarge photos and have fast shutter speed.  Can you advise me on what way to go?  Thanks so much!

Answer -
An SLR really is the fastest type there is.  And I don't know what you consider a lot of money, but you can get a decent second lens (70-300 telephoto) for as little as $200.  And if the size of the D50 bothers you, you could get a Canon Rebel XT.  It a little smaller and lighter.  Also, both the D50 and Rebel are smaller and lighter than the Sony R1.

If an SLR just isn't in the cards for you, you may want to consider something like the Canon Powershot S2IS or S3IS.  Both have large zooms and lots of pixels.  Though not nearly as fast as an SLR, it would be decent compromise.

John

Answer
Trina,

I personally wouldn't feel bad about buying a Pentax.  They make a fine machine and at a good price.  And the difference between 6 and 8 mega-pixels is no real difference at all.  To put it in perspective, you have to quadruple the number of pixels to double resolution.  (I shoot 6 mp myself and have done up to 50 inch prints)  The only reason you don't see as much about the Pentax on the net and on photo forums is because they currently don't make a pro camera.  Big deal.  Enjoy your camera and take lots of great pictures.  If I can help with photography questions, let me know.

John