This morning I woke up to the kids giggling. Usually, that level of delight involves an equal level of mess; like when I woke up and they were making their own watercolors, or trying to duplicate a wind tunnel with a fan (oh, I’m serious). So I peeked around my door– almost not wanting to know– and this is what I found:
This picture is actually really cute and not nearly as inappropriate as the censor bar would lead you to believe: he’s putting ponytails into her hair. And they were falling out. And he was trying again, all flustered, and she was totally thrilled at experiencing her big brother’s hairdresser skills. For some reason, he was in his underwear during the process. (I put them in pajamas– I swear. I think they just wake up during the night and strip or something.) I just decided to black out the underwear part, and pretend like under that dark box is the bottom half of the matching superhero set I bought. Heh.
Jason happened to come upstairs right then, and I shushed him so we could watch them play. “THEY ARE SO PRECIOUS,” I whispered. “I KNOW EVERY PARENT SAYS THAT BUT IT’S TOTALLY TRUE WITH OURS.” And if you’re wondering how I whispered in caps– it was like a strained hiss.
“It’s funny– I was just looking through your Flickr,” J whispered back, “and thinking how many wonderful pictures you’ve taken of them.”
“Yeah, I ought to capture this,” I answered. “I don’t take enough photos anymore.”
As soon as I went to get my camera, I remembered why.
My camera sucks.
Look at the above photo. Now look at the quality of past photos I’ve taken:
And those were just random ones from the stream. ALL much better than today’s picture, which is grainy unfocused nonsense.
Basically, some time ago– I’m old, I forget when– three months? five? eight?– I had a nice Canon Digital Rebel. It was a gift. From something. I don’t remember that part either. I think it was Mother’s Day– or Christmas. Or an anniversary. Or maybe– my birthday? Okay, well, none of that is the point. The point is I had a nice camera, and– being me– I dropped it.
I think I dropped it. Maybe it fell in water.
I used to take my camera EVERYWHERE. People teased me for the first few years, because they couldn’t imagine that every moment of my life needed documenting. But now, years later, they appreciate that I have evidence of the first date with their fiance, or the trip they took before they found out they were pregnant. Even people we’ve lost– the last snapshot of them laughing in a living room became poignant and priceless.
I guess when my camera broke, I thought maybe that was enough of my intense photo documentation. I figured pictures from here on out would just be the run of the mill variety: fourteen first days of school, a billion smiles missing front teeth, trips to the library, laying out on the beach, book fairs, pancake breakfasts, days at the park. And in my mind, I guess I thought that stuff wasn’t– as important. Writing all this out, though, and seeing them this morning– it makes me realize I miss it. It’s time to get a new camera.
It’s time to be better with a camera, too. No more slinging it around. Or throwing it in water. Or whatever I was doing.
I am SO open to suggestions… I haven’t been in the market for a camera in years, and I’ve done only the most rudimentary research on it; so please, tell me what you like! I don’t have a real budget in mind. I’m pretty stingy, heh, but we do have money to spend on it, especially if this becomes My Big Christmas Gift. So, anywhere between $50 and $2,000. I’d like it to be portable (big enough to easily slip into a medium-sized purse, not large enough to require it’s own bag), and shoot HD video. The other thing to factor into this is that I’ve been putting off getting a cell phone forever, and after seeing how amazing my siste
r’s iPhone is (it pains me to say that, heh), I’m considering just going that route instead and getting a really nice cell, with a really nice built-in camera.
r’s iPhone is (it pains me to say that, heh), I’m considering just going that route instead and getting a really nice cell, with a really nice built-in camera.
What do you think? What do you use, what do you recommend, what do you want? Shower me with advice!
I’ve been using a Canon Rebel Xsi for a few years and am saving up to purchase the new Canon 60D. It has great reviews AND it takes video. I have a kit lens that came with my Rebel, 18-55mm, and I bought a macro lens at the same time, 60mm f/2.8. Yesterday, however, I made myself extremely happy buy ordering the lens that Pioneer Woman says is her current fav, 35mm f/2. It’s suppose to be delivered tomorrow!!
We work with 3 different cameras; we bring out the Canon Rebel T1i for the big occasions and the occasional homemade photoshoots. Then I always have the small compact Canon Powershoot in the diaper bag for the daily outings, and then both my husband and I have iPhones for the ‘quick’ take a picture now moments.
Our son is now 7.5 months and I must say that I’m quite happy with all 3; they serve their purpose very well. Every month, my husband selects the best of all 3 and creates a FB album to share with family & friends. Of course the Rebel pics are so much better than the iPhone ones, but sometimes it’s not about the clarity of the picture but rather the moment it captured.
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN! I really appreciate all the comments, the experiences, and the obvious research you’ve all put into this– and I’m glad you’re all so happy with your purchases, which gives me hope that there are lots of awesome options out there and I probably won’t botch it too badly, heh.
Oh, and Shawn– trust me; we don’t roll like that. It’s our community clubhouse. 😉 A backyard pool with a fountain only exists in my wildest dreams. (A pool, period, only exists in my dreams right now.)
Oh, and that one photo looks a lot like someone has a splash pad IN THEIR BACKYARD! If that’s your house, I don’t need to know.
I have a Canon Rebel T1i, and I LOVE it! It’s the basic of all SLRs but it’s just enough for me at this point. I just need a good place to take a class or two to make sure I know how to use the thing.
Oh, best part is the 1080i HD video… AWESOME!
Everyone is pimping the XSi, which is a great body for the cost, but don’t forget it doesn’t shoot video! You’d have to upgrade to an XT1.
I third the idea that you should invest in a lower cost body and then look into some more costly lenses (the 50mm fixed is a great one to start with, you can buy the f/1.8 for only $90). I’m in the process of upgrading my body to a 5D, but first I built up a nice little lens library including a 24-70mm which is my #1 suggestion if you want a versatile, high quality lens.
Two summers ago, Mike broke his camera. Mike is what we call a thinker. He has to research everything TO DEATH. It seriously, without a word of a lie, took him 5 MONTHS to pick out the right TV. So when his camera died, he went and did what he does best – researched to death. He ended up buying a Sony Cybershot DSC-T900.
His research paid off. It’s AMAZING. I LOVE the pictures this thing takes. It shoots HD video. It’s small enough to fit in a small purse or pocket. And it wasn’t terribly expensive. Love +++ this camera.
I second the Cannon XS(i) with the nifty fifty, 50mm prime. I love it.
Becca I remember that I use to be SO JEALOUS because you had a Rebel and I didn’t! I lusted for one so bad. Actually, I still do but $300 was the most I could spend, when I have kids though you better believe it will be insanity. I will buy the most expensive camera they make.
I would suggest that you get the one I own. I do love it, but it is not sleek AT ALL. I don’t think you can have 20x’s zoom and sleek. The lens wouldn’t fit! Good luck, I know you will find a good one and I can’t wait because I can’t wait to see pictures.
I think the canon T2i has video…I am pretty sure. I hate the flash, and try mt hardest to NEVER use it.
I second Ali on everything! She pretty much took my comment away. I have a Rebel and a few really nice lenses and I am so happy with it. If you go that route I’d also get one of those nice external flashes – I am not so happy with the built in flash on my XTi.
I don’t know anything about camera bodies that also shoot video. Seems they’d be a bit more expensive?
Beautiful pics. I totally see what you’re saying.
I have a Nikon d80 and NEVER use it. It is too big to take anywhere. So I don’t. I use my Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 and like it. But it isn’t love.
Came over here from your personal site — typically I’m a lurker, but I have to comment on this topic.
A little over a year ago, I purchased a Canon PowerShot SX110IS before going to France; my point-and-shoot was too old and had started to take grainy photos. My new Canon takes amazing photos, and even better, it has a 10x optical zoom, which means that I get crystal-clear shots from across great distances. For example, I took this picture of the Arc de Triomphe from the very top of the Eiffel Tower (3 miles away and 900 feet up in the air):http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs170.snc1/6371_566058157884_13300569_33777000_7542971_n.jpg
I don’t know how much you need/want zoom options on your camera, but I love being able to take shots from far away. (And it’s inspired camera envy from just about everyone I know.)
Jenny: That IS a good deal. Wow– impressed! 😀
Ali, Dana, Emmy: Thank you guys for the input… I really appreciate it and am making little notes on everything. I like all the cost ranges, too. I’m so bad with parting with money, heh.
Honestly…see? here I am again. Talking about it again. I would get a DECENT body…not spend too much on it, and focus on lenses. You have an excellent eye; I have always said that about the pics you take of your kids. GORGEOUS. Lenses are a good investment. Photographers replace their bodies all the time. So, maybe get a rebel again, and a good pricey lens?
No, that’s not a dumb question at all… I can’t remember exactly what the error I got with the Rebel was, but I went online and researched quite a bit at the time, and I know it was beyond salvation– like the eternal Blue Screen of Death for cameras. Heh. The company site and several other forums said there wasn’t any known fix. I *could* just replace the body and reuse my lenses, but for the cost of that, I’d want something a little sleeker and more versatile. The old camera was awesome, but it was ginormous and didn’t do video.
I have a Sony a330, and I love it. I wanted a rebel, but this one was on closeout at Sears for $300 with two lenses, and I couldn’t pass it up. But my college roommate has a really awesome Nikon (d60?) and she loves it as much as I love mine. The picture quality is about the same, honestly. 🙂
This might be a dumb question, but is there a reason you can’t take your camera to a repair shop to get it looked at? It seems like that would be less expensive than getting a whole new camera.
The point-and-shoot we have is also super grainy and it drives me nuts. If the lighting is even marginally less than optimal, the resulting photo looks like I scanned in a newspaper clipping. It’s awful. I hear you on that.
I have a little Fujifilm camera. Obviously, this is not the same sort of thing as a Rebel or DSLR but for a cheap camera, think it was $130 TOPS, it takes really nice pictures. If you wanted to get a less expensive one, I’d recommend this, takes nice video, nice pictures, etc.
The new Nikon D7000 is apparently pretty spectacular. It has lots of megapixels, has amazing low-light sensitivity (I forget what ISO it goes up to, but even at ISO 6400, the images I have seen had very, very little grain), and shoots 1080 HD video with autofocus. It’s my next camera. I believe the cost is around $1200.
oh, I could talk camera equipment FOR HOURS.
I use a canon xsi and while it’s not the best of the best, it’s a fantastic little piece of equipment and I like it way better than the more expensive nikon d80 I was using. I am going to focus on investing in good lenses. right now I primarily shoot with my nifty fifty…50mm 1/4 lens. LOVE.
I am WANTING SO SO SO SO BADLY a 24-70mm f2.8 lens. but it has a very very pricey price tag. booo.