I need a good camera for my eagle project

[AliG]

hey guys, I know I usually don't come to the photography section, but your work is astounding, so I was hoping you could help me out. I am current working on my eagle project but I don't have a good camera, so I'm trying to find a nice one to include high quality photos for my write-up.

Since this is coming out of my pocket, my budget is very limited and I may have to resort to borrowing someone else's camera, but I would like to own my own.

I was thinking this one looks like a decent camera for the price, any suggestions? I'm trying to keep this around $150 max, but will spend a bit more if I spot something of better quality

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16830122110

[Soulburner]

Can you give us some details about your project?

[AliG]

I'm going to be creating 3 gardens in order to form a barrier around some raptor housings, building and implanting 2 benches and extending a fence. I don't need a special camera for the benches and fence, but it would be nice to have some high quality shots of the gardens, not to mention of the birds themselves in order to help with fundraising (I need to fundraise some $2500)

[Magnj]

Go to BB and pick out the point and shoot that feels best, they are all going to be the same at that price. Stick to lower MP.

[Soulburner]

Canon S3 IS.

[Nate P.]

Canon S3 IS.

Yep. http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerSho...7705125&sr=8-1

[tuned2_bfast]

i agree! Canon S3 IS will do! it is a 6 mega pixels digital camera! it captures fast speeds and it reduces effects of shake and blurs during hand-held photography! your photos will look stunning!

[AliG]

that's really over my budget though, I was hoping to get something around the lines of $150

Also I always thought higher mp=higher resolution which was good?

[Nate P.]

Also I always thought higher mp=higher resolution which was good?

FALSE!

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/mpmyth.htm

[3lfk1ng]

Honestly, from my experience with digital cameras, $150 will buy you more pain and suffering than anything else (owned 3 digital cameras around $150 before buying my Digital Rebel XT). $150 will buy you pictures that are 'hit and miss' about 70% of the time and if pain and suffering is what you really want; save yourself the money, go grab a hammer in your shed, and try a game of 'hit and miss' between your fingers, it's really just as painful.

IMO A digital cameras is one of those gadgets that's really worth saving up for. It's something your going to have for a long time and take 1000's of pictures with, each shot just as good as the last.

Cheap digital cameras take blurry pictures and you constantly have to take shot after shot just to get that "perfect picture" and it might be fine for those 'still' shots with a tripod but not when you decide to do anything else.

Perhaps it's just me, but I will never buy a cheap camera again.

EDIT: This site might be able to help you make a decision.

Best of luck.

[AliG]

hmm, in that case I'll have to borrow a camera for now. Because of how I'm allowed to spend my money and fundraising restrictions, my parents and myself can't actually use any fundraising for a camera nor can we donate to the project, but we are allowed to buy small things with our own money such as cameras. So a $300 camera's out of the question.

But lets continue the discussion, I'd like to have a few good cameras in mind for when I do make the jump (if ever, if you guys know me like 3lfk1ng, you'll know I have some many upgrades in order this one may take years lol)

[Soulburner]

I disagree with 3lfk1ng. He may have had bad experiences with compact cameras in the past, but there have been many great ones in the last 3, even 4 years. My Fuji E550 comes to mind. That camera has better low-light performance than almost any compact camera on the market today, and it certainly didn't take blurry pics.

I still believe that a picture is 75% photographer, 25% camera.

[afireinside]

hmm, in that case I'll have to borrow a camera for now. Because of how I'm allowed to spend my money and fundraising restrictions, my parents and myself can't actually use any fundraising for a camera nor can we donate to the project, but we are allowed to buy small things with our own money such as cameras. So a $300 camera's out of the question.

But lets continue the discussion, I'd like to have a few good cameras in mind for when I do make the jump (if ever, if you guys know me like 3lfk1ng, you'll know I have some many upgrades in order this one may take years lol)

So the project dictates how you spend your personal money in your personal life? Or you just don't want a 300 dollar camera?

[AliG]

I don't have the money for a $300 camera, but my parents were willing to buy a camera for my eagle project. In short, I'll just have to save up a bit myself and buy one later since you guys say that most things in my budget are crap quality