Whats A Good Camera?

I recommend you handle actual cameras in a camera store (increasingly hard to find) to get a feel for a brand that is comfortable to you. I use Nikon cameras and have primarily used the D800E since it was released (curiously awaiting the rumored D820). They aren't 5000 MP. The D800E is 36 MP and those images are too large to upload here without compression. I think Canon may have some superiority with video capability. Nikon cameras are tanks that take abuse and keep working.

Fine Art Nature Photography

Delynn, there are no 5000mp cameras. The largest you'll find are 36-50mp (Nikon's & Canon's pro cameras). That assumes a 35mm format full-frame DSLR. If you shoot large or medium format, you'll get more pixels, but those cameras can cost as much as (or more than) a car.

I'm a Nikon shooter (D-750 and D810, with 24mp and 36mp, respectively). I've been in the Nikon family for over forty years due to the number of Nikon lenses I own. You'll likely replace camera bodies more often than lenses.

Depends on what you want to use it for and how much you want to spend. 5000mp doesn't exist unless you are referring to the pixel dimensions for images.
Most DSLRs fall into the range of between 12 up to 36 mp.

What Greg said, plus big box and department stores often have a camera section as well so you can try them out first.

I shoot in three formats: Sony full frame, Nikon APS-C (crop sensor) and micro 4/3. All have their strengths and weaknesses, but for critical work, I'm reaching for the Sony most often. Adapters let me use my Nikon mount lenses on my Sony full frame cameras, albeit without autofocus. There are Nikon>Sony AF adapters but compatibility is all over the place and some just don't work well. I also use some adapted Nikon lenses on my micro 4/3 cameras.

If you decide on a high MP camera - say anything over 24MP - you'll need a computer that can handle those images easily. When I started shooting Sony, I upgraded to a computer with a core i7 processor, 32 GB RAM, and a dedicated graphics card with 4 GB RAM. If I hadn't upgraded, I'd still be uploading some of those images. Same for processing - if you plan on doing a lot of image processing, the faster processors, greater RAM and graphics card with as much RAM as possible come in mighty handy.

You might also want to think about whether you want an optical viewfinder on your camera or an electronic one. All my Nikons are optical whereas the rest are electronic. The biggest advantage of an optical viewfinder these days is burst shooting, as in sports, fashion, photojournalism and the like, where the camera does not have to re-interpolate the electronic viewfinder image in quick succession. I'm getting to like my EVFs more these days, but that's a personal preference.

I have a Canon Rebel EOS that I have had for 6 years now, and wouldn't part with it for the world. You can get some great cameras at pawn shops for a steal (ok don't attempt to steal any!) and some fine telephoto lenses, too. They allow you to buy them (at least they do in Austin), take them to a camera shop to get checked out, and bring them back for a full refund, if there's an issue.

You can also find camera stores, such as Precision Camera (again in Austin), where you can rent cameras for an hr or a day to see how you like the feel and use of them. Hope this helps!

I recently found a Canon 5D for $300 on line. Inexpensive cameras are out there. My friend is very happy with his T6i or whatever the latest Rebel is. I'm still using my six year old 60D and am very happy with it.

It shoots 5184 pixels at it's largest size if that is what you meant by 5000 mp.

What do you want to photograph? When you figure that out, you will know what kind of lenses you need. Then ask which system makes the kind of lenses you need. Most of the answers here are very mainstream, but many fine art photographers shoot large film. A scan of an 8x10 transparency might get you to 5,000mp! If money is no object, a couple of recent mirrorless medium format cameras are pretty amazing. If you want maximum dynamic range, stay away from Canon. I suspect that you are looking for something like The D810 or the A7rII full frame. Both have Sony sensors. The nikon has a leg up because it has more lenses to choose from.

I'm very happy with my Nikon D750, that I bought with the "kit" 24-120 mm lens. Its new sensor technology allows you really crank up the ISO in low light with minimal noise. It's 24 MP, but fairly large, heavy and expensive.

I also recently bought a Sony RX100 V that I carry around on a daily basis. OK, it may be a pocket camera, but it takes 20.4 MP images, and with its built-in Zeiss lens it takes really sharp images! It also takes 4K video, but I haven't tried that yet. I recently took it on a ski trip and tucked in into my jacket pocket to get shots during the day. I can't seem to be able to figure out how to post them (I'm a newbie here) but if you're interested, they are images 8 and 16 in my gallery. It's also very expensive for a pocket camera, but worth every penny


!

they aren't quite up to 5000mp yet, and if they did the images would probably be a terabyte each. one picture would cover the entire US.

in reality a good camera is up to you

1. how much money do you have
2. how much skill do you need to use it
3. how clean is the iso and shadow noise
4. how large is it and how heavy
5. do you want an interchangeable lens system
6. what features do you want?


for me i only get slr, i plan on upgrading to the canon 5d Mk4 but that camera may be totally out of your league, or maybe that's what you want. maybe you want something just to put in your pocket. the pocket cameras come with long zooms. it really depends on what you want.

it depends what you shoot. if your just using it to photograph paintings, i suggest a scanner. if your using it on vacation, it really depends how much you want to carry.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

As others have said, it depends what you want to do with it on the end. I use Panasonic GX8 and GX1 micro 4/3 mirrorless as they are lighter than a SLR but that's just because I don't want to lug around heavy kit. I also use a Panasonic LX5 compact but the newer LX100 is meant to be pretty decent.
On the other hand, I have great fun with my kit built Recesky 35mm pinhole camera and my iPhone6 is the camera I have with me all the time...
Good luck on your search, but it's a bit like buying a car - you have to first consider what's important to you before you go looking otherwise you end up with a 2-seater sports car and no room for the kids or you turn up to the road race in a minivan...

~Richard
http://www.reevephotos.com

Delynn, I can only recommened what I use and I love the camera, it takes great picture and video and won't break the bank. It's the only camera I need and the only equipment I need and at around $450. it's a 16.1mp with a 65x optical zoom lens built in. All this in a simple to use point and shoot, but don't be fooled it has a ton of settings for many modes in addition to it's auto mode which is great for taking those action shots of eagles taking off when there is no time to fiddle with settings .:-)

Here is how it's pitched: Craters on the moon, wildlife from afar, your child's face on a crowded school stage… the PowerShot SX60 HS camera gives you the reach to capture it all. The camera's astonishing 65x Optical Zoom (21mm-1365mm) Wide-Angle Lens with Optical Image Stabilizer combines tremendous flexibility with portable ease. Capture close-ups, wide shots and everything in between with beautiful quality thanks to a 16.1 Megapixel* High-Sensitivity CMOS Sensor and Canon's latest DIGIC 6 Image Processor that together create the Canon HS SYSTEM for excellent low-light performance. Advanced technology including Zoom Framing Assist and Intelligent IS help you track and capture clear, steady long shots. Shoot realistic 1080p Full HD video recorded at 60p. USM and VCM technology help ensure fast, silent zooming and focus during recording, and, in a first for a PowerShot model, you can attach an optional external microphone. And quickly share everything you capture: the PowerShot SX60 HS is Wi-Fi®**- and NFC-enabled*** with an easy Mobile Device Connect button.

The best camera for the money right now has got to be the Sony a6000.

You can get them gently used on Ebay with low shutter count for cheap because there is a continuous conveyor belt of a6000 users who are upgrading to the (much) more expensive Sony A7 series.

I run my entire real estate photography business with an a6000 and a $300 Rokinon 12mm lens. I also have the all-around 18-105mm f4 zoom lens that works for pretty much everything else other than wildlife photography.

Of course, every camera comes with slight downsides and the a6000 is no exception. It does not have the ability to shoot 5-shot bracket sets that have either 1-stop or 2-stops of light between each shot. The max is .7-stops if you want to shoot brackets in sets of 5. This is pretty dumb because 1-stop and 2-stop increments are the most popular and useful when shooting sets of 5. (Of course, if you are shooting brackets, you're probably doing it from a sturdy tripod anyway...so a workaround to this is to simply set the camere to take bracket sets of 3 shots at whatever increments apart and then shoot two sets of three for a total of 6-shot bracket sets when all is said and done...that's what I do if I need to)

The other downside to the a6000 is that it's not a low-light beast like the A7s and A7s2 are. But if you're not shooting low light/high ISO then this won't matter to you. The camera is still good at ISO 640/800 and then very good from ISO 400 on down.

My guess is that when you said "5000mp" what you really meant was you wanted the camera to create images that are 5000 pixels on the long side. The a6000 raw files are 24mp large and are 6000 pixels on the long side. So you're covered there.

When you take together the fact that the camera is inexpensive, 24mp, has full DSLR capabilities (except for the bracket modes I mentioned), and can take pretty much every lens made by Canon and Nikon in addition to the native Sony lenses as long as you buy a cheap adapter....it's really a win all around.

I decided to go the micro4/3 route. Cameras are small, lenses are small and reasonably priced. I am also surprised how big I can print (I have sold 40" prints on FAA). I have 2 cameras and 6 lenses in a very small bag. My back also thanks me.

Ask yourself what you really want to fool around with and carry. Regardless of technical functionality, the one you grab instinctively when you see a shot is the "best" camera. In spite of my fancy Nikon, half of the pictures I take are with my iPhone. This pix have enough pixels for all but the biggest prints. In addition, I have apps that shoot HDR and Raw on my phone, so there's an even wider array of tools than the "one size fits all" approach of the generic camera app.

I have to admit that when I'm around other photogs, I do chuckle at how much time and effort some of them put into carrying, setting up and configuring equipment. Just as a personal preference, I'd rather shoot a lot than set up and delete the ones that don't work. I kinda like having accessories that I don't use very much, that mainly sit on the shelf.

This is all just my style, but it's not a bad set of questions to ask yourself if you're in the mood to do some shopping. The guy in the photo store, of course, wants you to have every imaginable piece of equipment as well as a camera that shoots a billion pixels. I don't blame them for that since they're just trying to make a living, but it just doesn't work for me.

Delynn,

Welcome! "What is the best car"? Ferrari, Lambo, Beetle? Really depends on what you're gonna do with that car. Drive it in the mountains, on rocky trails? Then the Lambo and Ferrari are probably out. You can see where I'm going here. WHAT do you want to DO with the camera? What is a reasonable budget? Is shutter speed important or is the capture in low light situations important. Are you going "professional" with this gear and will be adding more lenses, options? Or just a camera to capture images and then use them for creating other artwork, paintings, etc.?

For most people, I would suggest a really good body/lens, used and start with that. If you like the body/lens, then you can always upgrade, once you understand what you need, that the current camera system doesn't provide.

I assume when you posted 5000mp, you might have meant 5000 ppi, pixels/per inch wide capture, which most newer camera will have.If ALL you images will eventually have a filter or effect put over them, then the quality of the lens isn't an issue, since the filter will hide any shortcomings.......

So give us all a few clues......

Rich

I agree with Brian Kurtz, the a6000 (or a6300/a6500) does it all. Currently I have an a6300.

But if you're an 'art' photographer, maybe you want a camera that just puts you in the mood. If that's the case you want to see and handle a few.

There's no real answer to this question - it's like asking "what's a good car?".

You can get a Phase One digital back medium format camera that is 100MP buttttt it's about 80k USD...

Thanks everyone.

I will take it all into consideration.

Have a great day.
Delynn.

I agree about the a6000, I just discovered this and wonder if anyone know anything about it, I have wanted to expand my zoom capability, the 55-210 is the largest zoom sony makes for the e mount, Check this out: https://www.amazon.com/Opteka-650-2600mm-Definition-Telephoto-Mirrorless/dp/B00RPEZL1C
I may trade for the a7r2

Bear in mind that almost any decent camera can take a good picture in the right hands. This is especially true when you're selling on line, print on demand. Buyers can only see an image as good as their monitor and you have no direct control over the printing that gets done.

With cameras, like with money, it's not what you have but how you use it. I think MP's are overrated. Example, my workhorse is a ten year of Pentax K10D with 10.2MP. I like it most for it's CCD sensor. I also shoot all JPEG and not RAW. I used Nikon for over 25 years, but found Pentax to have more bang for your buck. I would suggest before you put a boat load of money into new stuff, buy a used camera at, say, KEH.com, and work with it until you get a feel the need for an upgrade. It's most important to master your craft with the camera you have ... not buy a camera that will master you and do it all for you. Most photographers I talk with have GAS (GEAR ACQUISITION SYNDROME).

I haven't read all the posts, so this may have been mentioned. Not sure the Sony A6000 has one of those displays that you can aim at different angles. Don't know what that is called. I have a Sony nex5 (I'm not sure they make these any more), and I completely depend on being able to re-position the LCD screen, especially when shooting up high or down low. Otherwise, I can't see what I'm shooting.

@Judy Kay, the 55-210 is the longest APS-C lens made by Sony. But you can use any 'full frame' (FF) E-mount lenses. I use Sony's 70-300 FF image-stabilized lens which costs about $1,000 but delivers excellent results.

@Patricia Strand, yes the LCD tilts up and down.

Different cameras have different capabilities.

I was shooting a puppy yesterday with my Canon 6D and I wish I had set up my old Panasonic G3 for the shoot. Took a lot of great pet shots with that camera for a couple of reasons mostly concerning focus -

1. It a micro four thirds camera so the depth fo field is deeper than the full frame Canon 6D
2. The panny had a touch screen where you can click anywhere to focus and snap. The Canon 6D has nice focus points.

The Canon is great for landscapes and still lifes but in this situation with a constantly moving puppy, it was tough nailing the focus.

Jim, Thanks,,that is a new lens ,,,I was evaluating that one. The zoom is not that much greater but I love the image stabilization aspect, I had been thinking of moving out of Sony but I have so much invested in two lenses for the a6000 that I may move into the sony A7RII nstead and get that 70 300 lens. (and sell the 55-210)