Major newbie needs help picking a camera

Pinksummer27

I'm looking for a camera that can capture my one year old son who never sits still. I'm always getting blurry photos. I'm a very amateur photographer but really enjoy it and want a camera that I can learn on. I have a canon sx110 that's great but want something that's more professional. My budget would be 1000$ max. I would like to stay with canon as I have a 350$ credit at a retailer near me that only sells canon. Any help is graciously accepted!!

ziggy53

A $1000 budget is a little restrictive for a new system purchase, but purchasing used can be an affordable alternative.

Part of the problem with active children photography is that the closing rate can be faster than that of a Formula 1 race car (because of the close proximity.) What this means is that you really need both a sports capable camera body and a sports capable lens in order to get a high keeper rate. The addition of an external electronic flash can give more effective motion stopping through a very short flash duration.

In Canon, of which I am most familiar, I can recommend a Canon 40D body as the minimum capable of some sports/action qualities, and you should be able to get something pretty affordable.

The lens is potentially more problematic. The Canon EF 85mm, f1.8 USM is fairly capable in terms of rapid autofocus, but it's pretty tight for most indoor situations. In some ways this is a good thing as it allows for some intimacy with the subject. It's also within your budget as a purchase, new or used.

An EF-S 17-55mm, f2.8 IS USM is potentially a better choice, as it's very responsive and quick to focus, but it alone will kill your budget, even used. It is vastly more flexible for indoor use, if you can expand your budget.

A very good flash, with the right sort of qualities for this application, is one of the Sigma DG Super flashes, specifically the Sigma EF-530 DG Super E-TTL II (which you may be able to find used) or the Sigma EF610 DG Super E-TTL II flash for Canon dSLR cameras. This flash has a focus assist light, which greatly helps the autofocus system to find accurate focus, as well as an HSS/FP mode so that you can use higher shutter speeds outdoors to help control ambient light, like in direct sunlight.

Pinksummer27

Thanks for the info!

rainbow

Their Rebel series is their entry line and should keep up with a child (versus actual sports shots...) in most cases. Consider the Rebel T3i with the 18-55 and 55-250 lenses (currently $979). These lenses will work for your outdoor shots. Then purchase separately the 50mm f1.8 (just over $100) that will work indoors without flash. There should also be a popup flash for indoors to use with the other lenses -- not what a pro might choose, but will grab you those mother's shots to treasure.

I started with the Rebel and loved it before upgrading to much costlier models...