Hello,

I have done a little bit of traveling and never really worried that much about my camera equipment. I had a nice compact camera that took sharp pictures, and I was satisfied with that. However, that camera has recently bitten the dust and I'm looking to replace it. I have since taken a photography course and feel that I might be better in getting something a little more serious. However, I'd still like to be able to do most of my shooting on Auto, because for spur-of-the-moment wildlife sightings, I may not have time to adjust the settings.

The primary use of the camera will be for a safari trip sometime in the future. Would something with a 300mm lens be adequate? Cost is a concern as always, as I'd like to keep it within a few hundred dollars...

Open to any and all suggestions!

If you are talking about a DSLR I would recommend that you see if you can find a Pentax K200D with an 18-250mm pentax or tamron lens. Not an expensive option (but any DSLR will be more than a couple of hundred dollars). The K200D is a recently replaced model but its replacement is not weather and dust sealed.

Headline features that may interest:
10.2 megapixel CCD sensor;
weather resistant body - 60 seals to reliably protect the inner components against humidity, moisture and dust particles;
Auto Picture mode and 8 Scene modes;
plus Sensitivity-Priority AE (Sv) mode is designed to automatically select the optimum combination of aperture and shutter speed for a user-selected sensitivity;
body-based Shake Reduction to stabilize your shots (no need for expensive image stabilised lenses);

http://www.pentaximaging.com/slr/K200D/
http://www.whatdigitalcamera.com/equipment...ntax-k200d.html

With a DSLR just leave the camera in Aperture Priority wide open for the lens mounted. (eg If you have a 300 f/5.6 lens attached leave the aperture at f/5.6). That will be the best solution for spur of the moment wildlife sightings.

A 300mm lens would be adequate for a tight budget.

Thanks for the advice. That Pentax looks like a decent choice, but here is a question: would I be at any real disadvantage by not getting a DSLR? Considering that I would be shooting on Auto most of the time. Here are the advantages of DSLR as I understand them (please feel free to correct me if I am mistaken):

You can tell what the picture will look like before it is taken, including previews of aperture adjustments.
Interchangeable lenses

That's really all I know about them. Is it possible to get a non-DSLR with a 300mm lens? And if so, would that result in pretty good pictures?

If you want a camera with a decent zoom and that can do "DSLR like things" - but is still really a compact, take a look at these:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canonsx1is/

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydschx1/

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_cpp90.asp

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_cpp80.asp

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Olym...oly_sp590uz.asp

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Olym...oly_sp565uz.asp

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Pana...nic_dmcfz35.asp

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Pentax/pentax_x70.asp

I have never used this type of camera so can not give any personal opinion - just some ideas to consider.


Maybe if you are a good photograper! I can't


This is the most essential feature of a DSLR I suppose - the option to have different lenses for different photography needs/preferences.


Cheers

ZaminOz,

Thank you very much for your list. After careful consideration I think I am going with the Nikon P90.

Cheers!

To put my comments in perspective, I had an SLR camera with lenses up to 300 & a doubler at one time. For the last several years I've used a high megapixel Point and Shoot with 12x or 15x optical zoom.

If you are a very serious amateur or higher, then I would consider only a DSLR. Otherwise, I'd go with a point and shoot similar to what I mentioned above. Check out canon, luminix, olympia, sony. I have Sony DSC H2 and H9--both getting old now and like them because I don't change lenses and they can zoom in nicely. They're great.

Oops, I think you already decided.

Lynn,

That's okay - thanks for your post anyway. It makes me feel confident about not choosing a DSLR - it sounds like I don't really need the added sophistication.

Cheers!