camera for wife

How big are the bags that you have to carry around ?

 

On the dlsr's do you have to hold the lens with one hand and control the zoom and hit the picture button or do dslr's have similar button zoom like point and shoot?

 

I have not tried any of the new mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras. They may provide what the OP is looking for.

Just to give the D3200 a fair shake, that DSLR in that picture is full size (looks like a D7000 maybe) and much bigger than a compact DSLR like the D3200.

+1

Zooming is done mechanically, by turning a ring on the lens body.

Depends on how much gear you want to carry. I carry camera, 2 lenses, and support gear like battery charger, memory cards, lens cleaner tool, etc. in a small photo backpack. But, you don't necessarily need to carry a bag. Just the camera and an all around lens and you don't need to carry a bag. The battery will last several thousand shots and a 4GB card will hold around 500 images, depending on size and format. One of the benefits of a DSLR system is that it is modular, carry as much or as little as you need/want.

 

Wasn't trying to be argumentative, just pointing it out to the OP who may not be aware there are different sizes of DSLRs. The top down view does very well at showing how much smaller the mirrorless cameras really are. Personally, I like the comfort a DSLR provides by filling up your hands and giving you something substantial to hold on to. Plus, a DLSR gives you an actual viewfinder.

 

whatever you get, get a DSLR if you want quality pics. Point and shoots are for kids and old people. I got my wife one after our kid was born and she took all his baby pictures up to a year old. We got a Nikon D3000 and paid around 400 i think (3 years ago). but ended up saving money in the long run bc we never had to hire a photographer.

 

Have you used a real optical viewfinder on a DSLR? It's hard to explain how much better it is. I just don't like electronic viewfinders or using the screen. Just a personal preference I guess, I just don't feel that the screen on the back of the camera or screen in an electronic viewfinder provides a good representation of what I am about to shoot. Having the screen is great for those times you can't put your eye to the viewfinder though.

 

Geez... I still can't figure out what would be best for my wife. My brother called me the other night and he has the nikon d3200 like I said previously and he said he knew nothing of the hybrids (mirrorless). he was suggesting me get the 55-200mm lens to go along with it (I believe that is correct). I asked him how hard it was to learn and he said he really hasn't fully learned the camera but he said it makes a noobie like him take really good pics.

I'm not sure if we really need the dslr. Maybe its just me but they look hard to operate. We want good quality pics, but I guess anything would be better than the point and shoot we currently have, a faster camera that doesn't take like 5-10 seconds to process the photo to the mermory card I assume thats what the camera does. I've looked at a couple different websites trying to learn what all the technical stuff means, but still kinda lost. Anybody that uses a mirrorless camera, can you post a pic or two so I can see how it turns out?

 

It's really not that complicated to just take pictures on a basic level. Obviously, you can get as into it as you want, but for just taking pictures of the kids or whatever, set it on auto and press the shutter button.

 

I think after hours of looking and debating which type of camera to get I may just end up taking my wife to Best Buy and letting her pick out the camera she wants and which feels the best in her hands and just buy the dang thang

 

I got the canon sl1.

 

Sounds like a good idea. I will say once more though, you're gonna want a DSLR for the speed and image quality you described wanting.

 

Looks or sounds like I need to buy a DSLR for her. I've looked at Canon t3I and the nikon d3200. Best Buy has the Nikon D3200 with 15-55mm lens that comes with it plus a 55-200mm lens in a package deal for $549.99( I think thats right). I'm assuming this is a good deal. Is this a pretty good start up package that will do most what she wants to do with it? Not sure how far does the zoom bring a object in from. Like say an object was a couple hundred yards away would the 200mm zoom bring it in pretty close?

Here is the link http://www.bestbuy.com/site/d3200-d...219068624460&skuId=2070012&st=d3200&cp=1&lp=3

Is the 2nd lens good or not really since you are getting it for $50

 

That looks like a pretty good package. I think a couple hundred yards would be a little far for 200mm, depending on how close up of a shot you are wanting. You can always crop the photo. Nikon has a 55-300mm lens as well, but it would be more than $50.

 

Someone pm me on this please. I found a Nikon D5000 and want a good dslr camera as well and am a noobie to these. Included is all of this is $695 a good price?
-Nikon DSLR Backpack
-Amazon Basics DSLR Shoulder Bag
-D5000 (With Box, CD's, & Manuals)
-Nikkor AF-S VR Zoom 70-300mm Lens (f/4.5-5.6 G IF-ED) (With Box)
-Nikkor AF-S DX Zoom 18-55mm (f/3.5-5.6 G ED 2) (With Box)
-2 Seperate Backup Batteries, 1 in Camera. (3 Total!)

 

^^

My wife has that camera and really likes it , I paid a lot more for it but that was a couple christmases ago

 

Awesome thanks. I am seeing them a lot cheaper on ebay, so I am curious if that's too high of a price right now with all the new models out.

 

I'm not sure about current pricing

 

I picked up a factory refurb Nikon D3200 with two lenses and all the paperwork for $460 a month or so ago. I've been seeing the same kit at ebay and B&H/Slickdeals.net for about $30 less recently.

I've got about 2,000 shots on the camera so far and am VERY pleased with it. And the body and lenses were all in perfect cosmetic shape.