Becoming a parent is often the impetus to purchase a camera, but how do you know what to buy? What's too much camera for you and what's too little? I grilled my husband, a photographer, over coffee this morning for his buying recommendations for four cameras: a point and shoot, a compact and two entry level digital SLRs.
Being both the "tech guy" and "camera guy" in our family means my husband, Simon Gerzina, is frequently called upon to dispense advice (not to mention over the phone troubleshooting) to family and friends. I asked him for some general advice as well as buying recommendations for three types of parents:
• a parent who wants a simple point and shoot camera they can throw in their bag or pocket that will be an affordable step up from relying on a cell phone camera
• a parent who still wants the portability of a small camera (because, after all, you're only going to get good photos if you have your camera with you!) but is willing to invest a little more money and a little more time to learn how to control a camera's settings
• a parent who wants to experiment and learn more about photography (especially in non-ideal lighting) and is ready to enter the world of digital SLR cameras
Of course you will want to do your own research, but consider him your "camera guy" for a moment. Here are his buying recommendations:
An Affordable Point and Shoot
Canon PowerShotSD3500 (around $235)
• pocketable, but fully featured
• HD video
• bright and large LCD screen
A Good Value Compact Digital Camera
Nikon Coolpix P7000 (around $380)
• still pocketable, but you can start to play with manual modes and experiment with photography more
• a high resolution LCD screen
• easier (compared to a DSLR) to use in automatic modes if you want to spend more time taking pictures than figuring out how to take pictures
• a good bridge between snapshots and digital SLRs
Entry Level DSLRs
Canon Rebel T3i (or EOS 600D depending on what country you're in). Note: this model will be released in March and is the successor to the popular T2i/EOS 550D. (around $800 body only + $100 for EF-S 18-55mm lens)
Even though he's a Nikon man, my husband calls the Canon Rebel the entry level SLR. Why?
• small and lightweight
• takes fantastic photos
• even though you’re buying in at the entry level you have access to most of Canon’s lens and flash lineup
• one of the most cost-effective ways to get into HD DSLR video
Nikon D3100 (around $700 with 18-55mm lens)
This is essentially Nikon's equivalent to the Rebel and is the current "sweet spot" for your first Nikon SLR.
• even smaller and more compact than the Rebel (may be more comfortable if you have small hands)
• the resolution is slightly lower than the Rebel but plenty high for beautiful shots and will take up less storage space over time
• with the exception of some of the largest pro lenses, you can pretty much use all of Nikon’s legendary lens lineup
Keep in mind that the lens can be more important than the camera and these suggestions are just gateways into the world of digital SLRs. These bodies can last you many years, but your next step may be buying lenses that can cost one or two times more than these bodies. One of the biggest ways to improve the quality of your photos is going to be buying a nicer lens.
Where To Shop?
B&H, Adorama, Amazon, Dell Home
Where To Find Trusted Reviews
Digital Photography Review aka dpreview: This is a serious site with very in-depth reviews. It may include more technical information than a beginner may want, but it's the go-to review site for most pros. In addition to reviews of individual cameras and accessories, their Digital SLR Buying Guide is comprehensive and packed with things to consider, especially if you're buying your first. Trying to decide between a compact camera and an entry-level digitial SLR? Their advice is great (summarized): "Why would anyone want a digital SLR when compact digital cameras are so much smaller, lighter and more affordable? The answer can be summed up in two words: versatility and image quality...In broad daylight the quality difference between a good compact and a digital SLR is minimal...But when you start to push the boundaries a bit more...the advantage of a digital SLR's larger sensor and higher sensitivity start to make a big difference."
Get Better Light Not a Better Camera
The most important thing for a good photo is good light not a better camera. Better light will improve a photo taken with anything whether it’s a $2000 camera or a cell phone. If you’re serious about improving the quality of your photos, starting to evaluate and manage the light you’re taking photos in will have the biggest effect on your photos.
General Lighting Tips
Avoid extreme light: You generally want to avoid extreme lighting conditions, for example the extreme low light of a candlelit restaurant as well as the extreme bright light of hard midday sun. The human eye is more adaptable to extreme light than a camera is so the camera may not see what your eye sees.
Look for "open shade": In general, bright direct sunlight isn’t great for photos, especially of people, as it makes very hard and deep shadows. Instead you want “open shade” which refers to the shade cast by things like a building or a tree on a sunny day. (Still available light, but not directly in the sun). Overcast, cloudy or even drizzly days can actually be much, much better for photos of people than bright sunny days.
Shutter Speed: One of the most important things people can learn, especially on an slr, is the importance of shutter speed. More often than not blurry photos are not caused by hand shake or your subject moving as they are by the shutter speed being too low. Understanding when to increase the camera’s ISO setting in order to get a faster shutter speed can go a long way in getting sharper photos.
Thanks Simon!
(All non-product images: Simon Gerzina)
Must-See Small Cool Homes: Week Two
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Commercial Flour Sa...
How to Make Easy 3-Ingredient Energy Bars at Home
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
An alternative to the Coolpix P7000 is the G series from Canon. I have the G11 and love it so much. I think the flip out screen would be great with kids because you can flip it around to see your face whilst taking self portraits!
AnnabelVita - great!
Readers - do you love your camera? Feel free to rave about it here in the comments so other parents can check it out.
Carrie,
Managing Editor
Or if you are me, living with a rough and tumble toddler, you want an inexpensive freeze-proof, water proof, drop proof camera by Nikon. Since I've killed my last two cameras through drops and spills, it was a great christmas present
Canon XT/XTi and so forth handle pretty well around children. I used them quite often in my child photo sessions.
I recently bought a Pentax KX and I love it. It wasn't as expensive as some of the other DSLR models, but it takes fantastic pictures.
Thanks for these helpful insights! How about recommendations for a first video camera? We're expecting our first baby in June and know we want to capture video clips for family and friends out of state. Any suggestions? Thanks!
@sembatgirl - people rave about the flip line of cameras because they're so small and easy and relatively cheap.
sembatgirl - most digital cameras these days (even dslrs) also do great video. I would suggest not buying a separate video camera. We have one and almost never use it because we don't want to tote both a digital camera and a video camera around.
Carrie
Love my Sony a55. Takes great pictures and fab videos.
What about the Canon XS - the truly entry level DSLR? It runs a few hundred less than the t2i model and can use the same range of Canon lenses. I'd hardly call an $800 camera body "entry level" for most hobby/parent photographers.
I highly recommend the canon s90. I can take pictures of my baby in dim lighting with no flash and it still comes out beautifully. People are always asking me what camera I have and complimenting my photos and I am a complete dunce with cameras. I literally point and shoot and use no other function aside from the flash.
I'm disapointed you didn't mention the Sony NEX-3. We shopped all these cameras, and this sucker is compact, does everything the entry-level DSLRs do, and shoots HD video. It's a wonderful camera, and it fits in your diaper bag.
Well I am crazy about my Panasonic Lumix. It's 12 megapixels and has a crazy high-def widescreen video camera feature too. I have also had a Canon Powershot which I adored with all my heart and soul but it got stolen, and a Kodak something that lasted 2+ years, and kept on going but I wanted something with more than 8 megapixels.
I've had the Canon XS for 2 years and love it, especially with the "nifty fifty" fixed lens, for taking pictures of my little guy. Admittedly, my skills are basic and focusing with that lens has been a challenge since he started moving, but the camera is awesome and well worth the ~$400.
I am loyal to Nikon for DSLRs, but I second the post about the Panasonic Lumix as a great point and shoot. I love mine. It has a built in Leica lens and a lot of easy to use settings that help improve your photos.
I have a Canon S95 and I LOVE it. It's similar to the S90 but has a few more bells and whistles, and is a little easier to use (the lens ring doesn't spin as freely, for instance,) and it also supports HD video. OH MY GOD I LOVE THIS CAMERA. I too am a bit of a dunce when it comes to photos, and this camera does a STELLAR job as a point and shoot - but it also has a huge amount of customization possible - giving me close to the options that a DSLR might have, which I can access as I learn more. I talked to a lot of pro photographers before I bought a camera and all of them recommended this one.
I'll go with AnnabelVita and suggest the Canon G series. We have a G9, on the recommendation of several photographer friends, and we love it. We used to have a bulkier camera that did have some cooler features, but we never took it anywhere. I'm so happy with the G9, as we have really good pictures, and now we have more of them!
I had bought the Canon PowerShot SD1300 and then returned it because the pictures had yellow tinted backgrounds when using the flash. I then purchased the Canon PowerShot SD1400 but am still having the yellow tinted backgrounds with the flash. Anyone else experienced this or have advice on how to fix this problem?
I am surprised that the blogger didn't suggest any Pentax cameras. I love their DSLRs because most are weather resistant with weather resistant lenses... however, I think the main one what should be mentioned for parents is their point and shoot: http://www.pentaxwebstore.com/detail/PTX+16426 <-- That is their older model, and it is under $300.00. It may not look as stylish, but your kids can throw dirt at it, drop it onto concrete, swim with it, and take it outside in really cold weather, no worries! Nikon and Canon DO have more accessories for their cameras, but for anyone who does a lot of outdoor fun stuff with their kids (or just have kids that are into rough-housing) this would be the camera I suggest.
I bought the cannon point and shoot on good reviews, and I returned it and got a Sony cybershot. I just felt that it took pictures quicker and they were less blurry. I don't know about you, but my kids are fast and I need a camera that takes quick pictures! A friend of mine was so impressed by the clarity of my pictures ( I sent her a picture of a photo of us from high school, she thought I had scanned it!) that she went out and bought one of her own!
Hi Carrie,
Love these tips and those great shots by your husband. I have a Nikon D60 (DSLR) and love it though I'm really wanting to upgrade now that I've been using it for a couple of years and know a bit more about photography than I did back when I bought it. But it is a fabulous starter DSLR and I've been shocked by some of the pics we've been able to get even shooting in Auto.
We love, love, love our 2 Canon Elph cameras. We always have one in the bag and one within easy reach at home and we always catch the kids' precious moments. I make videos and photos from the same camera.
I agree with AmandaN. We have the Nex-3 and LOVE it! It's so compact that you can get the results of an entry level dslr without looking like the paparazzi at your kid's soccer game.
Another Panasonic Lumix GF-1 lover here. I'm a tiny person with weak joints and frankly shooting for 1-2 hours straight with a larger DSLR like Nikon's D90 is too much strain on my wrists. This little camera works like a DSLR while being smaller in size, which means there's less to lug in your bag and you're not sporting a flashy paparazzi camera and worrying about somebody stealing it.
The pictures are great, too.