What camera for amateur but amazing baby/kid pics?

seeker

Tue, Dec 13 2011, 10:22 pm

I am nowhere near a professional photographer and not a real hobby enthusiast either, but I am a serious wannabe with a bit of a natural knack for timing and composition. As a kid/teen I used to do more for art's sake but now I mostly have time just for my baby/family. Back in the day I took some gorgeous, stunning pictures with my Canon film point-and-shoot. But that's history.

I want something that can take easily take great snapshots on-the-go for those spontaneously adorable kiddie moments, but can also do well enough on special occasions that I won't need to spend a lot of time and money getting professional portraits because I can just print out something beautiful in 8x10 for all the grandparents. I want something practical and easy to use, yet something that will satisfy the photographer-wannabe inside me. As a mom who can't stop taking pictures of small moving targets, speed is possibly the most important feature after overall photo quality, and good flash/low-light performance is next right up there because kids do cute things indoors.

Ideally my price range would be just over $100, but I am willing to go up to around $250 (a $350 camera on sale?) if that would make the difference between another wimpy camera and something really special that will do everything I want. But if I'm going to spend, it had better be REAL GOOD, because I can't *really* afford this and will not be doing it again anytime soon. I've decided to treat myself a little here but that's going to be IT, so if I'm spending it needs to be something I'll love.

From looking at reviews here and there online, I would probably like something like Canon's S100 but it's just too far out of price range. Would S95 be worth going over budget for or am I barking up the wrong tree? Or am I barking mad in the first place thinking I need $300 worth of camera when I am on a shoestring budget and can probably take fine pictures with any ol' P&S? It's just that my current one has me so frustrated, it's hard to get a well-focused shot, they don't come out good enough, color is poor in indoor light, etc. I miss all the good stuff.

tikva18

Wed, Dec 14 2011, 12:27 am

Hi, I have the canon powershot s5is - which was my first step-up camera. You can shoot on auto or you can set it to manual and have fun playing around. I was recently given by my wonderful mother, may she live and be well, a canon rebel t3i which I totally LOVE and am having a blast taking pictures on manual.

I think we paid somewhere in the $250-300 range for the powershot. Do read a lot of reviews so you can get the most balanced picture of what you would be getting.

seeker

Sun, Dec 18 2011, 1:30 am

So here's where I'm holding now: I'm leaning towards the Canon S95 but skeptical of whether it pays to spend that much if I'm not ready to splurge for a DSLR yet anyway. In other words, I would love a DSLR quality camera, but if I'm not getting one, does it pay to go that far over budget? Or may as well just stay in budget if I'm not getting a dream camera anyway.

What I would really love is to see some indoor kid pictures with and without flash from the S95. I'm not sure whether I can extrapolate from pet pictures as I've never really tried to photograph a pet. The sample images I see online are all scenery or still lifes, with a few animals thrown in. All stunning but they don't tell me if this is a realistic choice for a busy mom on a budget.

tikva18

Sun, Dec 18 2011, 1:54 am

seeker wrote:

Well, I can't help you with that, but if you wanted dSLR pics, I could show you them. Very Happy

seeker

Sun, Dec 18 2011, 2:14 am

I KNOW you could show me beautiful DSLR pics! My original budget was $150 squeezable to $200, and now I'm wavering at the thought that maybe $300 can get near-DSLR quality (S95? But is it that quality?) But even the cheapest DSLR is going to be over $400 and there I really can't go. Hence my question is, is it worth spending 200% of my budget on something in between, or do I just go with another regular P&S and keep waiting to win the lottery before next time.

Sigh. I am so bad at making these decisions. But now the heat is on because a very kind family member is offering to split the cost as a Chanukah present (which is the only reason I'm considering going over budget in the first place)

Mrs.K

Sun, Dec 18 2011, 2:23 am

Whenever I buy a camera (And I've bought 3 this year due to a hyper-destructive toddler) I called B&H (Yes, all the way from Israel). I'm bad with decisions too and wasn't really sure what I wanted, and I find that their customer service department is so helpful and honest. Anyone I've spoken to had been completely knowledgeable and reliable, really listened to what I wanted and patiently answered my questions.

Sun, Dec 18 2011, 3:11 am

I'm happy with the camera I have, but it was a gift. I just googled it and it's about 280, so maybe it's not even worth mentioning. But I have a canon sx210 - it has automatic, scenes, and manual settings you can adjust if you understand them (which I don't).

By the way, I wonder if it's okay to use B&H's customer service if you know you're not going to buy from them... (though it is a good idea.)