Recommend me a camera

james888james888 Registered Users Posts: 1 Beginner grinner
edited October 17, 2015 in Cameras
Sorry if this is the wrong subforum for this. There appears to be no specific section for this kind of inquiry.

Hardware I own:
Samsung NX210, Sony DSC-QX10, Nokia 928 windows phone, canon powershot a1000 IS point and shoot.

My interest in photography:
A little over a year ago I decided to pursue photography as a hobby and try to learn it as a skill. I hive fairly often on my own time. I have a job that puts often puts me in places with great photos such as wildfires. I am almost exclusively interested in landscape photography.

I have been using my nokia 928 for photos. It works. It takes some nice pictures but I find myself wanting better. So I did some research and picked up a Samsung NX210 for $200 used. I think I got a lot of camera for the money I spent. It takes excellent photos. I honestly do not have the skill to really get the most out of it.
The real problem with the NX210 is that it is too big and bulky. I know that it is considered small among cameras, but for my use it is too big. When I go hiking on my own time I keep finding myself not wanting to take it because of its size. I can't use it at work at all because it is too big to carry for 12 hours. Even if I were to bring it to work, it is too slow to use while on the move.
I recently purchased the Sony QX10 as an experiment. I found it locally for $75. I thought it might be cool to check out, and might be small enough for me to consider bringing with me. After all, the best camera is the one you have with you. It is cool, but it also is too slow and a bit awkward to use. I can see it having some really interesting uses, but for landscape photography I think I would be better served with something else.
Most of all, I have also found I just don't have the time right now to really learn photography. I just can't dedicate myself to it as a hobby like I thought I could.
Before I got my nokia 928 I did not have a smartphone. I used my canon powershot a1000 then. I brought this to work often and did use it. When I got my nokia 928 it seemed to take equal quality pictures, if not better, so I decided not to carry two devices around anymore.

What I want in a camera:
  • Really small and easy to carry. The best camera is the one you have with you.
  • GPS. As I am often hiking around in hard to reach places, GPS would be very convenient. I am not interested in XML sheets.
  • ~$200 budget. I am willing to buy used, and will seek out the best price even if it takes me a few months.
  • Landscapes. I expect most cameras to do well with still photos, but still. I want it to do well with outdoor landscapes. Being able to go down to iso 100 might be nice.
  • Shutter speed and aperture control. It would be nice to have this so I can grow into the camera when I find time to learn.
  • Future proof. This one is hard to do. Smartphones cameras are rapidly improving. The samsung galaxy s6 recently just topped the charts on connect.dpreview.com

What I am considering:
Samsung Galaxy s6 - I have an upgrade soon. I always have my smartphone on me, and the best camera is the one you have with you. It has a Dx0mark score of 88 compared to my nokia 928's Dx0mark score of 75. It would be a camera upgrade on my phone, which I use often as is.
I am just worried I will still want more. Sure it will work, but can I do better?

A point and shoot - I do not know what. I would really like to get some advice on what the best camera I could get that best meets what I want in a camera.

I am open to ideas. Please recommend me a camera.

Comments

  • Brett1000Brett1000 Registered Users Posts: 819 Major grins
    edited October 17, 2015
    james888 wrote: »
    Sorry if this is the wrong subforum for this. There appears to be no specific section for this kind of inquiry.

    Hardware I own:
    Samsung NX210, Sony DSC-QX10, Nokia 928 windows phone, canon powershot a1000 IS point and shoot.

    My interest in photography:
    A little over a year ago I decided to pursue photography as a hobby and try to learn it as a skill. I hive fairly often on my own time. I have a job that puts often puts me in places with great photos such as wildfires. I am almost exclusively interested in landscape photography.

    I have been using my nokia 928 for photos. It works. It takes some nice pictures but I find myself wanting better. So I did some research and picked up a Samsung NX210 for $200 used. I think I got a lot of camera for the money I spent. It takes excellent photos. I honestly do not have the skill to really get the most out of it.
    The real problem with the NX210 is that it is too big and bulky. I know that it is considered small among cameras, but for my use it is too big. When I go hiking on my own time I keep finding myself not wanting to take it because of its size. I can't use it at work at all because it is too big to carry for 12 hours. Even if I were to bring it to work, it is too slow to use while on the move.
    I recently purchased the Sony QX10 as an experiment. I found it locally for $75. I thought it might be cool to check out, and might be small enough for me to consider bringing with me. After all, the best camera is the one you have with you. It is cool, but it also is too slow and a bit awkward to use. I can see it having some really interesting uses, but for landscape photography I think I would be better served with something else.
    Most of all, I have also found I just don't have the time right now to really learn photography. I just can't dedicate myself to it as a hobby like I thought I could.
    Before I got my nokia 928 I did not have a smartphone. I used my canon powershot a1000 then. I brought this to work often and did use it. When I got my nokia 928 it seemed to take equal quality pictures, if not better, so I decided not to carry two devices around anymore.

    What I want in a camera:
    • Really small and easy to carry. The best camera is the one you have with you.
    • GPS. As I am often hiking around in hard to reach places, GPS would be very convenient. I am not interested in XML sheets.
    • ~$200 budget. I am willing to buy used, and will seek out the best price even if it takes me a few months.
    • Landscapes. I expect most cameras to do well with still photos, but still. I want it to do well with outdoor landscapes. Being able to go down to iso 100 might be nice.
    • Shutter speed and aperture control. It would be nice to have this so I can grow into the camera when I find time to learn.
    • Future proof. This one is hard to do. Smartphones cameras are rapidly improving. The samsung galaxy s6 recently just topped the charts on connect.dpreview.com

    What I am considering:
    Samsung Galaxy s6 - I have an upgrade soon. I always have my smartphone on me, and the best camera is the one you have with you. It has a Dx0mark score of 88 compared to my nokia 928's Dx0mark score of 75. It would be a camera upgrade on my phone, which I use often as is.
    I am just worried I will still want more. Sure it will work, but can I do better?

    A point and shoot - I do not know what. I would really like to get some advice on what the best camera I could get that best meets what I want in a camera.

    I am open to ideas. Please recommend me a camera.


    many of the mirrorless models fit that description except for the $200 budget
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,764 moderator
    edited October 17, 2015
    Brett1000 wrote: »
    many of the mirrorless models fit that description except for the $200 budget

    15524779-Ti.gif Ditto that!

    Photography is partly art and partly science. Really good photography adds discipline and sacrifice, and a never ending pursuit of photographic excellence.


    I should add that your current Samsung NX210 is fairly capable especially if you add a suitable tripod with the addition of a panoramic head, and post-process stitch multiple overlapping images to form vista landscapes.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • ThelensspotThelensspot Registered Users Posts: 2,041 Major grins
    edited October 17, 2015
    ziggy53 wrote: »

    Photography is partly art and partly science. Really good photography adds discipline and sacrifice, and a never ending pursuit of photographic excellence.

    Wow! Ziggy, well said! Can I use that for my signature? In quotation marks and your name of course!
    "Photography is partly art and partly science. Really good photography adds discipline, sacrifice and a never ending pursuit of photographic excellence"...ziggy53

  • jmphotocraftjmphotocraft Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
    edited October 17, 2015
    james888 wrote: »

    What I want in a camera:
    • Really small and easy to carry. The best camera is the one you have with you.
    • GPS. As I am often hiking around in hard to reach places, GPS would be very convenient. I am not interested in XML sheets.
    • ~$200 budget. I am willing to buy used, and will seek out the best price even if it takes me a few months.
    • Landscapes. I expect most cameras to do well with still photos, but still. I want it to do well with outdoor landscapes. Being able to go down to iso 100 might be nice.
    • Shutter speed and aperture control. It would be nice to have this so I can grow into the camera when I find time to learn.

    Canon S100 or S110. Both fit the above. S110 adds touchscreen and WiFi.
    -Jack

    An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,764 moderator
    edited October 17, 2015
    Wow! Ziggy, well said! Can I use that for my signature? In quotation marks and your name of course!

    Well, ... sure. thumb.gif

    :blush
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
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