Advice on a new photography camera? - 1

I'm looking for a new photography camera and i don't know what to get. I have a Fujifilm finepix s1800 camera but it doesn't cut it anymore. I'm starting more advanced wildlife photography and I need more zoom. I want something that has changeable lenses and great quality pictures. I was thinking maybe Nikon or Canon but i'm not sure what to get. Any suggestions on what to look for. I don't want to spend a ton of money but i do need something better. Please and Thank you for any suggestions.

It is the photographer who takes great quality photos NOT the camera. Photography is roughly 70% photographer skill/knowledge, 20% lens quality, and 10% camera body. I would rather have a $600 camera with a $1, 500 lens than I would a $1, 800 camera and a $300 lens

Telling us how much you can spend would make things easier.

Now then with that said…

DSLR cameras come in three grades:

entry level (consumer) $550 to $1, 000…
Semi-professional $1, 000 to $3, 000…
Professional $4, 000 to $45, 000+ (Body only)… Canon 1D, Nikon D3/D4, Hasselblad, etcetera

Both Canon and Nikon make nice cameras. The best thing to do is visit an actual camera shop (not bestbuy/walmart) and try the different models within your budget to see which feels the best to you AND they can answer your questions about the cameras. I bought a Canon for its ergonomics/feel/menu and control layout and a fellow photog chose Nikon for the same reason… It is about personal preference.

The one thing to remember is to budget in extra money to cover an extra battery, memory cards, camera case, a USB memory card reader, and taxes (these can add another $200-$250 to the entry level camera price).

A lot of people get "sticker shock" when they go in to buy the $500 camera they see on sale, but by the time they are done, the price is $700 to $1, 000++

Wildlife photography could get kind of expensive, depending on how serious you are about it. You might be able to get away with a moderately cheap camera (it sounds like you want a DSLR, so something like Canon's Rebel range might be OK, or a beginner-level Nikon DSLR like the D3200). The problem with wildlife shooting, if you're going to be serious about it, is that you generally can't get that close to your subject and this means that you need telephoto (i.e.long) lenses - and like anything else, the good ones cost more. Serious wildlife professionals shoot fast prime telephoto lenses of 400mm or more, and they are extremely expensive (often more than the camera they're attached to).

You could look into a telephoto zoom lens like Nikon's 70-300 VR. It is not that expensive and produces excellent quality pictures. The lowest aperture is from 4.5 to 5.6, which is not a problem if you're shooting in good light, but becomes tricky when it gets darker. The autofocus is good but not as fast as Nikon's best zooms. It does have VR technology, meaning you can shoot slower, which is a plus point, and on a Nikon DX body like the D7000 it gives you a pretty impressive zoom.

I'm not a full time wildlife shooter, but I got these shots with a very cheap setup (a Canon 40D and a Tamron Zoom). They're not particularly great, but they should give you an idea of what you can do with moderately priced kit

http://jtlphotography.zenfolio.com/p425946078

As an alternative to a DSLR, there are what are called "superzooms" out there. These are cameras with a fixed lens, but which have a very big zoom range. For instance, the Fuji X-S1 goes from 24mm to 624mm, which is an enormous range and more than almost any DSLR can manage with a single lens. However, you'll probably only be using the long end of it, it is unlikely to autofocus as fast as a good DSLR with a good lens, and the image quality may well be inferior. Not actually BAD, but not as good as the DSLR. Photography is like most things in that you get what you pay for.

So if you're looking to mainly photograph wildlife as a hobby then check out some of these. If you want to see what a real, professional wildlife shooter can do then have a look at Andy Rouse's homepage which has lots of useful advice and recommendations.

http://www.andyrouse.co.uk/