Wedding Blog
I didn’t always hate my camera.
For a few years, I snapped, zoomed and cropped happily, capturing holidays, birthdays and random get-togethers.
Over time, though, my camera — an almost four-year-old Nikon Coolpix 5900 — increasingly produced blurry pictures.
My technique hadn’t changed (in fact, I’d like to think it had improved since I purchased the camera!). I consulted some troubleshooting guides, and figured a new battery would help the situation.
Unfortunately, it hasn’t.
Only if there’s the proper amount of light, *and* the subjects and photographer (nine times out of 10, that’s me) remain completely motionless does it take sharp pictures. Sounds like fun, right? And even that’s not a guarantee for a crisp end result!
I had hoped I could cope, and save for a big girl camera (I don’t know which I’d buy yet, but I’ve been reading up on these and these). But every time I want to capture something, it’s either fuzzy or a 15 minute process (find more light, plug it in, brighten up the area and take a bunch of shots hoping for a clear one).
And, as much as I like taking pictures, I hate feeling like I always have to be the one behind the lens. (But, whether photographer or subject, I can’t seem to escape the blur!)
Just looking at them gives me a headache!
I definitely want to be able to photograph the months, weeks and days leading up to the wedding — not to mention the day itself and the honeymoon! Getting a cheaper, but more reliable, camera seems to be the best idea. So, now I’m researching point-and-shoot digital cameras.
What brand — or specific model — do you recommend?
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Oi, sounds like your camera is on the Fritz!
I love both of my cameras, I have DSLR which I take whenever I want gorgeous pictures that is a Canon EOS 400D (Digital Rebel XTi). It almost seems like every picture is taken by a professional.
I use a Canon A590 IS as my point and shoot!
I live for Canon and have tried many brands of cameras always to come back to the canon for the impeccable image quality and lens quality.
Good Luck!
You should really see about having your camera cleaned and reset.. You can do this by sending it in to Nikon and have them take care of it or you can find a trustworthy local camera shop. I am having the same problem with my point and shoot (Cannon SD1000). It happened slowly but now all the pics I take are blurry and the flash is malfunctioning. Cannon charges $110 to clean and reset it to factory settings. I plan on checking into the local shops to see if they are cheaper.
Good Luck!
@rnc620: That’s almost as much as I originally paid for the camera! Wouldn’t it make sense just to get a new one?
I think you’re due for a new one! I bought a Nikon D60 recently and I love it, but I still need to buy a new point and shoot because the D60 is a little big to carry in my purse!
Thanks for this post, my camera has been on the fritz lately, too, but I’ve been in camera overload with how many choices are out there.
For a point and shoot I have a Canon digital elf I love! I have a digital SLR and it’s a Nikon. Both are really great although I should use my SLR more often. I took a photography class my Senior year of college and it was amazing!
I hear ya, sister! I am beyond frustrated with my camera, but I think its because I don’t really know how to use all the features. And I never think about learning them until I’m in the middle of (unsuccessfully) taking pictures in a dark wedding reception room. Urgh!
I’m going to check out Consumer Reports and see what they say are the Best Value on the market. Too many to chose from!! Good luck with yours - I’ll let you know if I discover a “must have”
If you want a big girl camera — Nikon D60 a DSLR …. if you want to stick with a point and shoot (which I would honestly say that’s your best bet unless you plan to start taking semi-professional photos) then I would go with the Canon Powershot! Nikon is better for “big girl cameras” but Canon is way better for point and shoots!
It sounds like the light meter might be broken. Do you have it set in automatic mode?
It doesn’t sound like the camera is resetting the f-stop and/or shutter speed for different situations. I would see if you could get a price quote from Nikon for repairs, but it probably costs about the same to just buy a new one.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-N1…seriously the best point and shoot I have ever owned.
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Cybershot-DSCN1-Digital-Optical/dp/B000B8UOTS
This happened to my nikon point and shoot. I’ve only ever owned Canon’s before this one (a gift). I sent it in to be worked on and the nikon peeps told me it was because of rough handling or being dropped (which it never was). Anyone, a little over $100 later I got the camera back and it still doesn’t take as sharp of pics as when it was new. So.. my advice, by a new point and shoot and don’t bother with repairs. AND, think twice about buying another Nikon. Sorry to all the Nikon lovers out there.
If you’re looking for a point and shoot, Canon has been the leader in features and ease of use for a while.
If you’re going digital SLR (DSLR), Nikon is where I would go for their depth of choice (it’s what I use to shoot professionally). I agree, their P+S line is OK, but for the money, Canon’s P+S’s are better.
Other options you might want to pursue are some of the newer Fuji’s (specifically the F60fd I’ve seen good results).
Bottom line - it boils down to budget. All on what you want to spend.
Things to watch for: image stabilization (will help in low light when you don’t want to use flash), easy to procure batteries or purchasing extra batteries
Things to avoid: ignore the MP measurement - more pixels does NOT mean more quality!
Also, go to a store and feel it in your hands, make sure it’s a camera you want to use!
With that, I would recommend just about any of the Canon P+S’s with IS (image stabilization in Canon-speak), such as the A590IS, A1000IS, SD770IS if you’re looking for semi-compact.
For DSLR’s, I recommend the Nikon D40, D40x, D60. You will pay more than a P+S, but the image quality is fantastic - and you can find Nikon refurbished units for a steal as of late.
Check out a local Flickr group (if there is one around you), the folks there might be able to help steer you and suggest reputable local stores (other than the annoying big boxes).
definitely a nikon d40, it’s a beautiful camera for not a lot of money. it’s a great starter dslr. you wouldn’t regret the purchase. i LOVE mine.
as far as p&s goes, i have an olympus fe 250. it’s a couple years old, but the quality of picture hasn’t diminished AT ALL. they have new models out, but you can still get the 250. it’s slim, fits in a pocket, but has a big enough screen to see the picture well. it’s an awesome little camera.
ps: my d40 almost always fits in my purse. how many dslr’s can you say that about? haha
My fave cameras have always been Cannons. I’m not much of a photographer, and the photos still almost always come out great. I tend to like the elph’s because they’re small enough to fit in a small purse or DH’s pockets. One thing to consider - the screen size on the back is important, because if you take a photo from afar, it can be hard to tell if you captured it correctly on a small screen (esp to check on closed eyes in group photos).
I like cnet.com for their camera reviews.
there are a lot of good deals on ebay for point and shoot camera “packages”. last year i got a Cannon SD750, with charger, 2 batteries, case, mini tri-pod, and a huge memory card for about what you’d pay for the camera at a store. I was having the same problems as you with an old point & shoot. So far my new Cannon has been fantastic. I chose it by asking all my friends who I liked their photos what they had, and most of them had this camera or a different Cannon model.
I have a little Sony Cyberspot that is PINK and I love it! Under $200 with an accessory pack. This is the camera in my purse that I bring out when the “Big Girl” camera stays at home.
awww. I like the cannon camera too although i have the sony cyberspot. Both are pretty nice and have really good deals now. BTW. i saw your post about 2 VEILS. I had 2 veils. It was so much fun. A fingertip for the ceremony and a birdcage for the reception. You should do it. I had them both made by someone. It was less than $200 all together. You can contact me if you need the information. =)
I recommend the Canon Powershot series, but not all Powershots are the same. I love my A75 (from 2004)- still have it. Its has a great balance of point-and-click and manual functions for the not-quite-pro. The A530 however has been the bane of my existence- supposedly the improved version of my A75- offering more features but lower quality photos, fewer digital video options and eats through batteries like Godzilla through Tokyo- its insane. And from the reviews I’ve read of current Powershots on Amazon, the A#/S# & SD# series continue to suffer battery hog issues.
You might consider the SX series- they’re close in function to the Canon Rebel. But they can get pretty expensive, so you might just hop onto the Rebel if you’re going to upgrade anyhow.
Also, have you considered trying ebay or other online sites to find a replacement Nikon Coolpix 5900? You might be able to find a gently used one thats still in really good condition for cheap that you can use until you are ready to upgrade to your “big girl” camera.
I bought a Canon G9. I had the same reasoning…I wanted to capture the moments up to the wedding (not to mention the honeymoon!) I actually budgeted a new camera into the wedding budget, and I will have my brother use it for some cool glamour shots after the reception. Maybe you can justify spending just a little more on a better camera? (I also avoid Nikons…it seems like they design them to break on purpose!)
My brother has the point & shoot Canon Powershot & loves it–no delay. I have a Nikon Cool Pix which can occasionally blur, but it’s getting to be an old-timer. Plus, it has a loooong delay. I think the new Cool Pix are A LOT better. I’m talking about cameras in the $100-$200 range. My Nikon was $200 eons ago. (My sister is happy with her Kodak EasyShare & my other friend loves her HP. We even purchased an HP as a gift.) I have always had luck w/ Canon (& Nikon as a secondary choice.)
I’m heavily invested in Nikon glass for my dSLRs, but if you’re just looking at point ‘n shoots then I’d go with one of the Canon elfs. I’m usually walking around town with my fav D300 setup, but when I don’t want that big’O camera I carry a SD750 in my purse - love the Canon point ‘n shoot!
I had that same problem with my older camera (a Fuji FinePix A340), but I wasn’t too surprised…I had asked my parents for a digital camera for Christmas one year but felt bad because it was a potentially expensive gift. I hate it when people spend a lot of money on me, so I asked them to “please just get a cheap one.” I had Best Buy coverage on it when it started to blur, so I took it to them and had the lens replaced. The blur was fixed, but the camera was still a bit too moody for me.
Last year my FI bought me a Nikon Coolpix S550. I’m daunted by the many bad reviews of it I’ve read on this site, but it hasn’t given me a problem yet. I took it to a couple of concerts last fall and took some of the best pics I’ve ever taken.
I recently got a Panasonic DMC-FZ28 and it’s awesome. It’s kind of a “dSLR lite” — no interchangeable lenses, but it is threaded so you can add filters, and it has a full range of manual and semi-manual controls. It’s not pocketable, but it’s not as big as a dSLR. I also looked at the Canon G9, which is slightly smaller, but it was about twice as expensive. It’s supposed to be a fantastic camera, though.
I’m currently an avid user of my big girl camera, a Nikon D90, a recent upgrade from the Nikon D40, but still carry around my 3 year old Canon P&S SD600. I love Canon for P&S but Nikon rocks the big girl category! Good luck in your search!
If you are considering the point and shoot route I can’t recommend the cannon powershot enough. I happen to have the SD 750 Digital Elph model with 7.1 mega pix. I know a lot of people who have this camera and they all love it - it’s tiny, has a HUGE screen, and takes amazing pictures. I had an older model that got stolen and I didn’t think twice about replacing it with the same camera. I really think that Cannon makes great lenses, it’s the brand that I trust.
From my perspective the only features that I’d like to have are the ability to make panorama shots (without using additional software) and underwater capabilities. Underwater digi cams are so cool these days! But that’s just my lifestyle, I don’t think that’s important to many people.
@ all: Okay, so what I’m gathering from this is for point-and-shoots, Cannon = good & Nikon = not so much. But, for a DSLR, Nikon’s a great option? Weird! Thanks SO much for all the advice and recommendations!
My girlfriend pointed me towards this forum since she knows I’ve spend a number of years behind a lens.
If you want a good review of point and shoots you should go to dpreveiw.com which I believe has recently done a nice bit of articles on different categories.
As per dSLR, the fact of the matter is that Canon and Nikon dominate the market and are fairly equivalent in their equipment. Canon dSLRs tend to have better quality at high ISO settings (e.g. 1600, 3200 speed film with less grain) but for the most part I would say both companies make good glass.
Your selection of a brand is important because it locks you into whatever lenses it is you’re going to be purchasing for the rest of your photographic life. Canon lenses only work with Canon bodies, and Nikon lenses only work with Nikon bodies. In terms of shooting good photos lenses >>> bodies.
Moving into SLR photography is an expensive hobby if you truly get bitten by the bug. I would first recommend experimenting to see if you really want to invest.
The best course would be to get a point and shoot camera that has the ability to make manual changes to things such as aperture, shutterspeed, ISO, focus. It will be a simpler set of skills to master but they will all transfer over for when you do make the switch.
Also, a point and shoot is much more convenient to carry around. If your SLR is at home because it is heavy and expensive, you won’t be taking pictures which means you won’t be learning. Good point and shoots are fairly versatile, especially for beginners. Personally, I recommend the Panasonic Lumix P&S’s because they have that nice Leica lens on them.
Getting a camera which can stop up to f/2.8 should help alleviate those low lighting / blur problems when you turn off flash.
If you’re going to get an SLR, I would suggest going to a store where you can put your hands on the bodies, and see which setup you like best (in terms of how knobs and buttons are placed) and how usable it seems to you.
I personally use Canon, but if Nikon seems to speak to you, I would rather you use that and take pictures than get a Canon which sits at home because the buttons are weird.
That’s my 2 cents, if it helps.
Also, it’s “Canon” not “Cannon,” personal pet peeve.
My sister has a Canon Powershot that I LOVE! It takes great pictures even without great light. It’s so much better than mine that I really want to steal it from her.
Definitely Canon. They have great cameras and a big bonus for me is the fact that they come with a lithium battery and charger so you don’t have to constantly buy batteries. AND lithium batteries hold a charge MUCH longer than rechargable AA batteries.
a Canon powershot with image stabilization is definitely the way to go!!
I have a Canon A590 IS and I love it! Apparently you can change out the lens as well, although I’ve not had the time to explore that option!
I’m a strong proponent of the Canon camp. I’ve had several Canon point and shoots, as well as a DSLR. Great quality cameras. However, I know that many people are happy with Nikons as well (Both brands make outstanding higher-end cameras). If you were planning on getting a DSLR right now, I would definitely recommend you get a Nikon, because you are familiar with the set up. However, I have heard not great things about Nikon’s point and shoot cameras, so a Canon may be the better option for a point and shoot 
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Mrs. Bruschetta, Philadelphia
Age and Occupation: 25, Communication Professional
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Physical Therapy Graduate Student
Engagement Date: November 30, 2007
Wedding Date: August 2009
Venue: St. Thomas of Villanova Church & the F.U.E.L. House
About Me: I’m a self-proclaimed grammar geek who loves singing (like, really belting it) in the car. My mister and I are planning a vibrant summer soiree celebrating our passions – including food and Philly – and when we make it official, we’ll have been together for eight years! Being super competitive is in my nature, and talking excessively is in my genes. I’ve got a terrible sense of direction, but can always easily find my way into Mr. Bruschetta’s arms.
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