New to Digital ...Need Advise

[Jet]

Hi all !!
would greatly appreciate advise on the purchase of a digital camera (P&S, I guess ). I would like something not to big ,with sort of, fast action to take pictures of sporting events ,pictures of aircraft on ground from close ,something for family pictures ,vacations ....
I did look at a few .... Nikon coolpix 5400,Olympus c5060(find it a bit bulky) . I'm also wondering if I really need a 5 megapixel for what I want to do with the camera ....please help me make a wise choice ...

thank you !!

[Photo-John]

Welcome to the site. I hope that we can help you make a good camera-buying decision.

What kind of output do you expect to do most? Are you going to mostly e-mail photos to friends, post them on the Internet, or do you actually want to do some large prints? You asked if 5 megapixels is really necessary. For most people and most purposes, the answer would be no. Three or four would be fine for sending photos via e-mail, posting on the Web, and even making 8x10 prints. However, the 5 megapixel cameras are going to have the latest processors and best features right now. They'll be faster and should have better image quality.

What kind of sports do you plan to use the camera for?

[Jet]

Welcome to the site. I hope that we can help you make a good camera-buying decision.

What kind of output do you expect to do most? Are you going to mostly e-mail photos to friends, post them on the Internet, or do you actually want to do some large prints? You asked if 5 megapixels is really necessary. For most people and most purposes, the answer would be no. Three or four would be fine for sending photos via e-mail, posting on the Web, and even making 8x10 prints. However, the 5 megapixel cameras are going to have the latest processors and best features right now. They'll be faster and should have better image quality.

What kind of sports do you plan to use the camera for?

Hi Photo-John!!!

Eventually I would like to do large prints, I also would like a camera that can be fast ,that if I want to use it ,for example at F1 races ,or whatever sporting events thats got fast action, that I can still get good quality shots .I would like a camera that is built solid ,and not too big for travelling purposes.
I would like an all around camera that I can have fun with & that my wife can use too.

also ,I'm not to keen on plastic cameras ...

I also would eventually use it for scuba diving (I know not every manufacturer carry housings for their model, but I can have other options with different companies for housing choices .) So I don't want to be limited on choice of digital camera because of housings.

I see a lot of new cameras comming with big LCD screens ...I find them to be pretty cool ....maybe thats going to be a new thrend in the digital business in a very near futur ?

thanks for your time john ,I really appreciate any good imput you can give me ...

[another view]

I have a Coolpix 5000 which is the old version of the 5400. It's probably about as fast as you're going to find with a digital point & shoot. Maybe some of the newer ones are a little faster but probably not enough to make much difference, especially if you're trying to shoot car races. I don't think any of them will be great for that, but with practice you might get a good shot once in a while.

For anything else though, it should be a good choice. It can be used in "program" mode (completely automatic) or totally manual. 8x10 prints are very good - you can probably go bigger too, but DSLR's (like the D70) are going to be better for large prints.

[r3dline]

But from what I've read up on, and based on the needs you have described, I think perhaps you should be looking at a DSLR rather than a Point-n-Shoot camera. For one, in order to get a camera fast enough to catch good fast-paced action shots (like cars whizzing by at 200mph), you're going to need a DSLR, as a P&S just most likely won't be able to "cut the mustard" when it comes to speed. Secondly, if you want to print larger prints later (anything larger than 5x7 or 8x10 at the most), the image quality of the p&s is going to show, and you're then going to wish you had went for the higher image quality of the dslr.

You sound like photography might become something serious for you if you plan on doing underwater photography, which leads me to beleive also that you should opt for the dslr, as it will give you more room to grow (as in interchangeable lenses). As for aftermarket underwater housings, I would think companies would typically design those for DSLRs (more of a professional camera).

The LCD screens on the back? That's not a gimmick. That's there so you can get a decent idea of what your pictures are going to look like before you shoot 300 pictures and get back home only to find out if you had only done some minor adjustsments after seeing the first few you wouldn't now have 300 underexposed pictures that look horrible because of some lighting issues (just as an example).

I hear plenty of rumors of newer DSLRs coming this fall, which should then drive down the price of them yet again (todays DSLRs are going for around $1000, give or take). If this is too much, give it till x-mas, and the prices should be down a bit more. But if you're thinking of taking photography as serious as you sound like you are...don't trap yourself with a p&s, but rather give yourself some growing room with a DSLR. You won't be dissapointed with the image quality improvement of the DSLR.

Again, just my two cents...