I'm looking for a decent digital camera which could handle high speed sports photography, mainly pro cycling. What features etc should I be looking for ? I've been offered a Nikon Coolpix 8700 at a good price but not sure if this is the best option. Any recommendations / advice appreciated. Budget is between $700 - 1100

Well i just read the reviews on this site for that camera and I would have to say don't even think about it... But other than the reviews I know nothing of that camera... For that budget, I would go with the Digital Rebel XT or find a used 10D. I have a 10D and do plenty of cycling photography with it, both MTB and Road. I know people that take great shots with the Rebel also.

Good luck and let us know what you go with.

Sounds like you budget could cover a nice used manual lens and 35mm film body.

If you want a digital SLR things are going to cost money.
I would recomend used stuff if you are trying to save money.

I'm looking for a decent digital camera which could handle high speed sports photography, mainly pro cycling. What features etc should I be looking for ? I've been offered a Nikon Coolpix 8700 at a good price but not sure if this is the best option. Any recommendations / advice appreciated. Budget is between $700 - 1100

You might be able to find a cheap Digital Rebel (original, not D-Rebel XT) Kit. Sure, its one generation behind the current technology, but you can find a kit for about $700-800 if you shop around, which will give you enough money to get a decent lens or two.

You might be able to find a cheap Digital Rebel (original, not D-Rebel XT) Kit. Sure, its one generation behind the current technology, but you can find a kit for about $700-800 if you shop around, which will give you enough money to get a decent lens or two.

On second thought, you might want to consider the Rebel XT. It has a larger buffer so you can take more shots.

With your budget, and cycling as a subject, I'd still have to recommend a film camera. You'll get the best technology for your money and you'll be able to buy a good lens. For cycling the first lens I'd buy is the 70-200 f/4L.

If you are stuck on digital, then you're going to have to face up to the fact that compacts just don't cut it. Shutter lag is an issue with every one of them. And autofocus is an issue with all but the best of the digital SLRs. So, to give you some direction, I'll point you to two cameras, the Digital Rebel (http://www.pcphotoreview.com/cat/digital-cameras/digital-slrs/Canon/PRD_175884_3127crx.aspx), and the Konica Minolta Dimage A200 (http://forums.photographyreview.com/showthread.php?t=11598). The Digital Rebel is currently the best deal in digital SLRs. The sensor is excellent and if you learn to use it right, you'll get a lot of mileage from that camera. The Konica Minolta is an 8-megapixel full-featured compact that has a great lens and the least shutter lag of all the compact cameras I've used. It's actually very, very close to shooting with a digital SLR. But it costs almost as much as a digital SLR and it's still not a digital SLR.

Check the reviews on those two cameras and let us know if you have more questions. If you don't want a Canon, check out the Nikon D70. In many ways it's a much better camera than the Digital Rebel, but I'm pretty sure it will cost you more. And the Canon's sensor is arguably better. Not much better. But better nonetheless.

If you were buy the D70 you'd be better off to spend a few bucks more and get a used Canon 1D. The DRebel is so so. The DRebel has less noise at higher iso than the D70, and shutter lag is still noticeable with both units. The DRebel can shoot 3 frames per second.
The 1D has no lag and gets 8 frames a second up to 20 frames, the D70 doesn't come close to that.

Nikon still hasn't figured out the noise problems, even with their newest gear. The D70 noise at iso 800 is almost equal to the noise a 1D has at iso 1600! The DRebel has similar noise at around 1250 iso.

As for sensor vs printout size, the 1D has a smaller sensor (4mb) but still can get fantastic poster size prints 20x30. I have done poster prints from the 1D on the "large" jpg setting with no problems.

JS