What type of camera to purchase

[paigec]

I am looking for a camera to purchase for taking photos of my children playing and do sports. Like Karate, Cross Country, and Baseball.  Plus everyday activites

[trulandphoto]

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@paigec wrote:

I am looking for a camera to purchase for taking photos of my children playing and do sports. Like Karate, Cross Country, and Baseball.  Plus everyday activites

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There are all kinds of options for your uses. Factors such as cost and size would dictate whether you might prefer a Powershot, Rebel or more advanced DSLR. 

I'd recommend perusing the usa.canon.com web site to help inform your decision.

[canonista]

goodness! whats your budget? what would you be okay with carrying around? have you decided between point and shoot or dslr? anything canon will do well!
J

[Jake]

I would suggest an entry level dSLR for you. These cameras will supply great image quality but won't kill your pocket book. I would suggest one of the Canon Rebels. You can look up these cameras and see which one would be right for you. You might want to pick one that also does video if you might be interested in that.

For a lens, I would get one with decent telephoto range. For taking baseball shots, you will need some good range to get a nice cropped shot. A 55-250 would probably be a good fit.

[CanonEOS600D]

There are many choices out there, but for the best quality, I highly recommend a DSLR, mainly because it is mechanics giving you a photo rather than an often slow and easy-to-confuse computer system. 

So the quick breakdown - Since you are photographing leisure activities and some sports, I would recommend the Canon EOS 1100D/Rebel T3, it's cost is relatively low, you'll get access to many lenses instead of being locked into one focal range and it'll ensure you get your kids in action during Karate and Baseball. Just make sure the shutter speed is fast, that is all.   

I personally own an EOS 600D/Rebel T3i and it is more expensive and rather for photography students who want to dig into photography, if you are not digging into photography, look into the T3 I recommended, if you are digging into photography, look for the model I own. 

Current MSRP Price for the T3 as I am posting (data from Best Buy):  Reg. Price: $549.99.

Current MSRP Price for the T3i as I am posting (data from Best Buy): Reg. Price: $699.99.

[MrL]

I agree with a DSLR. Unless it is essential to have it small enough to put into a purse, etc., you will get the best results with a DSLR. Go to a local camera shop and hold several of the models and see which one feels right in your hand. Save some $$ after the camera body, lenses can be pricey too.

[stevepow]

For children playing and sports, the biggest thing to consider is the camera needs to stop the action and react quickly.  Point and shoots don't normally do either very well, so if you are serious about it and want keeper shots, a DSLR is going to generally do better for several reasons:

- faster autofocus typically

- faster repsonse in general - you press the shutter release and things happen immediately - no lag

- higher ISO while still getting decent quality - higher ISO means faster shutter speeds which means stopping the action in a wider variety of lighting situations - blurry shots are not so great

the good news is that entry/mid level DSLRs are getting pretty killer features lately.

[JoeN]

We haven't heard back from you but we really need to know your budget to offer any real help. Almost any camera that Canon makes will do what you want it to do but it may not do it well.

My first digital camera was a G3 purchased in 2003. It was and still is a good camera but certain things frustrated me. It was not great for sports but I did take lots of pictures of my daughter running cross country. It was slow to focus and had considerable shutter lag but I compensated and learned to overcome that. It was only 4 MP so I couldn't crop much and I was wanting to shoot some birds but the zoom range was too short. I bought a DSLR because of the increased focusing speed, improved ability to shoot action, larger sensor, and the ability to add zoom lenses.

Today's compact cameras are much improved over my G3 and they come in several price ranges. The G series offers more control over the camera and larger sensors so they are a step up. The G 1-X has a still larger sensor. The EOS-M uses the same sensor as some of the DSLRs but is much smaller yet offers interchangeable lenses. The next step up is the DSLR which offers the fastest operation and the most versatility.

All those choices range from a few hundred dollars to a system that can run into thousands of dollars. Go to a camera store and hold several cameras to make sure it feels right in your hands. It won't make for a good photography experience if the camera is too large or too small or has buttons in all the wrong places.

[s_es_ese]

I recommend the PowerShot line, specially the new SX50 HS.... with this camera You can have the best of a "big" camera, and the portability of a "small" one.

[ratan]

If budget was not a concern then I would get a 1DX or 5D Mark iii with 70-200. It will certainly meet your needs and while shooting you'll find it orgasmic.