digital SLR

Budget?

Most of the things you are looking for are a function of the lens being used. Most DSLR's have resolution high enough for quality pics now. Lens quality makes the difference.

Landscapes.... look for a wide angle lens like a 28mm
Close-ups, fast 50mm lens f1.8
Wildlife... fast zoom f4.5. The low f-stop is what blurs the background.

Hey Mauser....If you're looking for a good digital SLR at a decent price, I would recommend either the Canon or Nikon introductory models that sell for about $500. They both will take outstanding photos and will allow you to either use Program modes or Manual modes to suit your level of experience or needs. The photos you're talking about with the sharp subject and out-of-focus backgrounds are usually the result of the lens. Most are taken with telephoto lenses of varying lengths and using wide apertures to get that shallow depth of field. (Of course, there are software applications that will allow you to blur any regions of a photo that you choose.)For wildlife shots, I would recommend a lens of at least 300mm in focal length and 400mm would even be better. These can be had for as little as $150 on up to the price of a good used car, believe it or not. But there are some fine lenses that will do an adequate job for reasonable prices. Just keep in mind that the lens has more to do with a good photo than the camera body itself. As for the durability of the moderately priced SLRs, they certainly are NOT indestructible and you'll need to take good care of them considering the money you have invested. Any specific questions that you might have, I would be happy to help you with...I have used Canon equipment for the past several years and I'm most familiar with their bodies and lenses.

thanx guys..that pic is exactly what i was meaning...


i think im going to be waiting longer than i though lol...i didnt know lenses were still involved with the digitals..(told ya i dont know much at all about cameras..) i know some family members used to be into it back in the day and had film cameras and boxes of lenses out the wazoo...big ones, small ones etc..

i dont know how "serious" i am...or would become..i LOVE pics and can take pics of stuff all day...but i dont know if i wanna dump 1000+$ into a camera and lenses...

im almost betting that theres a decent lightly used market with the stuff? guys buying it and not using it or whatever...and guys selling old stuff to buy the newest latest n greatest stuff??

i could start with a camera though...that would get me started and taking better pics than i am now...and give me more zoom than i have now...just nothin fancy till i get lenses?? right? or do i need lenses for zoom too? lol...i was thinking i could use it pretty much as a point n shoot till i got the lenses and stuff...but i have no idea..

oh my!! they make lenses for everything...and the numbers and such make no sense to me..lol...shoulda taken a camera course in college! dang! i DO know a girl here at work that is into photography...im going to talk to her and see if i cant pick up on the ins and outs...then i'll come back and pick y'alls brains...though, she takes amazing pics and takes the same pics myself and y'all would..just just an outdoor/animal lover...were the same..so i'll see if i cant start spending some time with her and see what she can teach me...i think thats the only way any of it will make sense...


i dont think what i was originally looking for is a DSLR...my buddy has a sony that has a 10-12x zoom and is shaped and sized like a DSLR...but i dont think it is...its more of an advanced point n shoot...which, might be more suited for me for now possibly...i like taking pics..but i dont know how much id use a REAL camera...and most my pics are taken when im hunting and fishing..i cant see myself carrying a pelican case full of camera gear lol...but, might get into it...i honestly do enjoy photography and get on here and look at y'alls pics and just love em..so i might get into it one day...but, i think an advanced point n shoot is what im looking for....