reccomend a prosumer type digital camera for $400 or so?

[striker]

Hello everyone! My first post on this forum and I would like some guidance on a future purchase.

I'm looking for a good digital camera, with both auto and manual controls, macro capabilities and a decent set of features for mountain bike photography.

I currently shoot a Nikon n80 with a 28-200 Sigma Macro lense and love it. I want a digital camera with similar features. Will mostly be used for mountain biking and family photography.

Would prefer to keep the cost around $400-450 but would go a little higher if the camera was all that and then some.

Thanks,

Tim

[mtbbrian]

I am not quite sure what you have in mind here, but $400 for a "prosumer" digital camera seems a bit low.
What exactly are looking for a "point and shoot camera" or an slr?
If the former is the case, I'd recommend the Nikon CoolPix 5700. Which is about double your limit
But if it is an slr you are looking for then I'd recommend either the Nikon D100 or even the D70. Both of which will be in the $1K range.
Hope this helps!
Good Luck!
Brian
Ride On!

[jcitsog1]

I just bought a Fugi S5000 for $399. It has 10X optical zoom and so far i am enjoying using it.

[striker]

I am not quite sure what you have in mind here, but $400 for a "prosumer" digital camera seems a bit low.
What exactly are looking for a "point and shoot camera" or an slr?
If the former is the case, I'd recommend the Nikon CoolPix 5700. Which is about double your limit
But if it is an slr you are looking for then I'd recommend either the Nikon D100 or even the D70. Both of which will be in the $1K range.
Hope this helps!
Good Luck!
Brian
Ride On!

These are some of the cameras I have been looking at.

Canon Powershot S1
Canon s50
Canon G5 (I like this one alot)
Sony DSCV-1

[Acadia25]

A Canon A80 may fit the bill for you. The image quality is very good, has manual controls and long battery life on AA batteries. I really like mine and think that it is a terrific value.

The G5 is a good camera, but many people think that the G3 is better. I think that the benefits of the G series over the A80 are mostly the external flash possibilities. If you have an external flash for your N80, and don't have a Canon compatable flash, then you may want to look at the Nikon equivalents/approximations to G series. If you don't, then maybe the extra size of the G series will not be warranted (obviously, this is a preference thing )

In anycase, I think that you are looking at good cameras, and will be happy with what you get. Have fun!

[Acadia25]

One more thought,

You probably know this already, but ANY of the cameras that you mention (some of which are over $400) will not be near as responsive as the N80, and you will have a different experience. Even $1000 dollar digicams (non-SLR digital cameras) are not nearly as responsive as your N80. To get a similar response, as was already noted above by Brian, you probably need a DSLR.

All that said, a digicam is a blast.

Good luck!

[striker]

and will have it in a week or so. I'll post some pics here and on the sports forum too.

Thanks for the advice. It was a toss up between the Nikon 5400 and the G5 with the G5 having slightly better features but the Nikon seemed to have better macro features ( I like macro).

Can't wait to post some action shots!