Ahoi Hoi Boosters!

At the end of this month i will be going to china for a couple of weeks to vist my old man who teaches engrish over there and also to see the sights. As this is one of those "once in lifetime" type opportunities i decided to make the most of it and get some shots in, however the closest thing i own to a camera is a $100 phone i bought at woolies. Thus it is time for me to buy a camera!

What i am after:

- Nothing to fancy, im not planning on taking Just Daves spot as the spit guy.

- Easy to use. im not a technical retard but i dont want to have to adjust every miniscule detail.

- Something well Priced. At the moment anything under $500 is fine, although i am able to go higher if the benefits are there.

- Something reasonably compact and durable.


Now im sure i could go to a camera place and ask these questions but i dont trust salesmen, and i dont know much about quality brands in the camera industry and the type of features i should look for.

So what does boost recommend?

I have also considered purchasing a camera in china. I am guessing it would be a lot cheaper, but will it be usable once i get back to Australia. in terms of software, battery type, support, waranty. etc?

Anyway thanks for any help you can give me

For what you're going to use it for,

You can't go past the Nikon D40.

Small, cheap, easy to carry around and a breeze to use for someone whose never picked up a DSLR.

Can be had for about the $600 mark with I think only one kit lense, which will be the 18-55mm, which is a fantastic lense, really, you probably wouldn't need anything else else you want to do some telephoto stuff.

I've got a nikon D60, exact as the D40 with a few more features etc. The 18-55mm doesn't leave the body unless i'm goin got shoot animals etc, for landscapes, you can't go past the 18-55.

Depending on your money, but I highly reccomend the D40/D40x

JB has alot of good cameras at cheep prices. I wouldnt go an SLR (not that you would get one for $500!). When your looking, look for more optical zoom, than digital.

Have a play with the cameras to see if you can use it, they will chuck the batteries in and have a play, rather than buy a camera we suggest and you cant use it.

i would have to completely disagree and say a slr is pointless for what he has stated.

he wants a camera he can turn on and take a photo not play with any settings just take photos and them turn out half decent. your bottom of the line slr's are very average cameras when just used in auto modes.

i know some people will disagree but in the compact/p&s cameras i always recommend olympus. they always take very very clear and crisp images, even my 4 year olf 4mp still takes very good images. or either canon up into your price range.

my gf got one of the 8mp waterproof olympus' for her bithrday as i suggested she look at them and it is a very good camera. being water proof is a bonus your not stressing about it getting wet and things like that. we take it out on the jet ski, down the beach and things like that. she got me a a1 print of my dog for my birthday that was taken on it and it blew up very well.

it doesnt look like a "look at me, look at me" camera but takes a very good shot for under $400.

it does only have 3x optical which is not a hell of a lot, but from your post it seems you just want a walk around pocket size camera thats going to last. waterproof, shock proof and dust proof will help that

-tyler

two cameras for about the 600 to 800 mark non slrs is the canon G10 and the ixus 980is but point and shoot cameras both with 14.7mp and easy to use i can say that some of the photo ive gotten with my 980is arent as sharp as my 5D but they still up there with the quality

but if u not looking to get into doing photo of drifting and stuff like that and just want a cool camera for general stuff those two are my choice, and u can take them in ur pocket everywhere

thanks for the info guys

any thoughts on china vs australia purchase?

Depends, do you want to post it off to be fixed?

I know I dont so i only purchase AU lenses

Word, and then think about getting the wrong lens back in the mail or it being busted or not fixed properly etc..

Too much screwing around for the risk I say.

Purchase from AU right now... the USD isn't strong enough to warrant buying from another market

thanks for the advice guys, going to go shopping in the morning/hopefully i make a good choice

joyce mayne has NIKKON dslr d40 with 18-55 mm lens for 495 atm


cant go past it , ive used one for the past 18 months

edit > hardly moron has them as well 498

http://www.harveynorman.com.au/products/in...ns-kit-new.html