Well, sorry to "bug" you guys, but here it goes....

[NorthJeff]

I take lots of 35mm pics with a Pentax WR 90 but the quality is fading and I'm looking to go digital.

There are several features or types of use I'm looking for so I'll attempt to list those and I'm hoping you guys can steer me in the right direction for what camera would fit for me and I really appreciate your help!!

*I shoot a lot of scenery/landscape pictures including small planted fields, woodlots, ground cover/plantings, as well as deer, rabbits, and grouse (more animals in the future!). The pictures I take go into power-point presentations and magazine articles so quality is extremely important. I also am getting into taking pictures of landscape with a "parachute plane".

*Some of the wildlife pictures I'd like to take would be out to about 100-150 yards, so I'm not sure if I need a high mp camera that I can crop the picture down to zoom, or an actual higher power zoom camera.

*I also take a lot of self-portraits while in the field and have really gotten used to the wireless remote on my Pentax 35mm...not sure I could deal without one unless I purchased a camera that I could set to take a photo at a pre-determined interval, say every 10 seconds.

*The flip-out screen seems great for some of the tree-climbing parachute plane shots I'll be taking and along those lines I like a little bulk in my hand to be able to hold on tight to the camera in awkward shooting situations.

*My price range is around $600 and a couple cameras that fit most of my "needs" (although admittingly I am a beginner and have only been researching for the past few weeks!) are the Canon G6 and the Nikon Coolpix 8400, both of which are around 3.5 to 4X optical zoom, 7.1 to 8.3 mp (Nikon 8.3), and both feature wireless remotes....but those were picked more for the remote, flip-out screen, higher mp, and a nice bulky area to hold onto. Also, I think I could really appreciate the wide-angle offered by the Nikon 8400. Maybe the Nikon 8800 with the 10x optical?

*Low-light considerations are an important aspect as well as being able to get fairly quick shots without a lot of pre-setting and fiddling around, as well as high-quality photos.

Any suggestions? I'm not really settled on a brand other than Canon and Nikon certainly come to mind even to me as a beginner, and I do not have a camera store within 120 miles. I'd probably have to purchase over the internet, of which I have for my work digital...a cheap 1 mp Kodak I've used for almost 5 years that has served me well in my profession as a real-estate appraiser.

I appreciate all your suggestions and your patience!

[ken1953]

Hello NJ...I currently use the CP 8400. Nice camera within it's limitations. It is a point and shoot with nice manual control and makes a great 2nd camera. I notice you mentioned that you have used the Pentax. I don't know that particular camera. Is it an SLR? Do you have lenses for it? If so, you may want to consider the Pentax DSLR's. The main reason is that you won't have to buy new lenses right away (if you already have some) and you will have the speed and range needed to capture distant as well as close up and you will have a fairly wide ISO range, 200-3200. And they come with some nice presets so that if you want to use only them they are very acceptable. The nice thing is that it is only slightly larger than the 8400, much faster write times, about the same price depending on what kind of deal you get on the 8400. I paid $549 for my 8400 when Ritz had them on great special. I paid $599 USD at Dell Computer for mine and $599 at The Camera Shop in Madison, WI for my wifes *ist DL's. Another major concern is that, as I understand, the 8400 is discontinued. For the money...go with the Pentax, Nikon or Canon DSLR's as opposed to a point and shoot. I think you'll be much happier than going with a point and shoot.
Ken

[NorthJeff]

Thanks alot for responding Ken. My Pentax is an older point and shoot 35mm...had it for about 12-13 years! It has the remote I like, but for a lot of the pictures I take they are becoming more blurry and of course I'm looking forward to upgrading to a quality digital. Do you know off-hand if any of the DSLR's have wireless remote?

This is so new to me, and I appreciate your info! Maybe that is why Nikon isn't offering the higher priced point and shoot because the DSLRs are becoming more affordable? I like the idea of buying a DSLR and then upgrading to another lense when taking pictures of wildlife when needed.

Sorry if I don't have all the "lingo" down yet I am definately out of my element on this one but I know I will be dissappointed if I purchase a camera without attempting a lot of research first with how I will rely on it.

[ken1953]

Sorry...I was going to mention that...most of the newer dslr's all have wireless remote and at minimum, a self timer. Mine has 3 and 10 sec delay. It also has wireless remote. One thing I can say for sure, I find the DSLR easier to use than my 8400.
One other thing to keep in mind. Megapixels are relative. Anything above 4mp should be more than satisfactory. Most of the DSLR's in your price range are from 6-8mp. More than sufficient for 8x10's and larger. And you can get a very nice Camera Kit w/good lens and slowly learn with a camera that can be expanded to meet your needs.
Make sure to read all the reviews you can find, here and on other sites. Then, I know that your talking having to drive a ways to find a camera store, but at least go to the nearest WalMart or BestBuy or someplace like that and try several cameras out. See what feels good in your hands. Take some test shots. I'm not sure if Wal Mart is still carrying the DSLR's but they do have some film slr's. Just remember, the digital is going to be a bit heavier, from my limited experience.
Then once you have made your choice...feel free to ask for any help you need here. We're all very willing to help you learn your new camera and photography in general.
Ken

[NorthJeff]

Thanks again Ken. I actually played around with that Nikon D50 at a Staples store, but I didn't know the difference between the cameras, and neither did the sales person. Thinking about the ability to buy extra lenses for close-up wildlife shots is VERY appealing, as is the quick start-up time and since most have a remote that is really narrowing down my choices to DSLRs.

In your experience how easy would it be to use the DSLRs while taking pictures from a plane (parachute plane)? I've already started checking out the entry level DSLRs and reading the DSLR forum and will continue to read reviews and research. Now, when I go back to play around with that D50 I expect to have a greatly improved understanding..although I have got a LONG way to go.

[ken1953]

You are getting a bit above my head, but I will try to answer you...Throwing a perfectly good camera out of a perfectly good airplane....ARE YOU NUTS??...HAHA..j/k...I think one thing you should look at is a camera that is all metal. My stepdaughter bought a D50. She had it month and dropped the camera from desktop height onto a thick carpet. Something plastic in the lens broke. Now she's waiting for a replacement. If you are going to be doing high speed you seriously need to look into a higher level camera. Maybe in the Canon 20D or Nikon D200. Although the Pentax is very sturdy, the *ist DL is kind of slow in focusing. There are some other very good cameras. The Maxxum 7 (I think thats it) is a good camera. Although Sony has bought out Konica Minolta, the camera is still supported and an excellent buy. And plenty of lenses out there.
As Reviews Moderator here, I've read a lot of negatives about the speed of the entry level cameras. However, I would say, the Pentax is fairly sturdy and with some practice and in good light would make an ok camera. I don't think I could recommend the D50. The 8400 or 8800 (both discontinued) are built sturdy enough but I don't think they would be fast enough for you either. Not to say they wouldn't work, but they are a little slow focusing and writing to the card, which could cause you to miss some shots.
Sounds like you've already been doing some reading, and I am still fairly new to much of this, so please...take what I say with a grain of salt. I'm sure some others will pop on here soon and offer more advise.
Ken

[cyberlord]

I'll piggy back on Ken's comment on focus speed. If you're not going to be doing action shots and mostly scenic/wildlife/landscape then focus speed will not be to much of a problem. However, focus speed is a tad slow on the Pentax DL though it doesn't bother me too much for most applications. Low light is the worst. THe 75-300 lens focuses to min distance first then out to max distance so it really is a pain somethimes trying to get a fleeting wildlife shot.

I bought the DL and an 18-55 and a 75-300 lens for $630 shipped. You can find it a little cheaper than that right now. That will give you a decent wide angle for scenic/landscape and a telezoom for close wildlife. For what you are describing though, you will want a 500 to 1000mm lens to get out 100-150 yards. I can't fill the frame with small songbirds on my 300mm at 30', but the crop's are pretty decent. Check my gallery as most of my shots are with the Tamaron 75-300. Not a bad lens for $130.

Hope this helps some too,

Tim

[NorthJeff]

I appreciate the info you guys are giving me and trust me I try to soak it in as best as possible and follow up on all your thoughts with searching around on the web. You guys are a big help!

[NorthJeff]

"Throwing a perfectly good camera out of a perfectly good airplane....ARE YOU NUTS??"

It should hold-up...shouldn't it?!?

[paulnj]

I wouldn't throw an electronic camera out of an airplane and plan to use it for that use too many times ;) Cameras aren't made to impact the ground at even the speed a parachute will give it. Let's face it, most cameras are now made like crap compared to the cameras of the 60/70's ;)