I was hoping some of the photography Guru's here may be able to assist me.

I have been hunting for either an SLR or Mirrorless interchangeable lens Camera (but open to other options). What I want to use it for is nothing special (nature, family, etc) but I want something that can produce excellent quality photo's.

I currently use a Canon SD750IS compact camera for photo's and some video. I plan to keep it as it is nice and compact, but I am looking for a better telephoto and something that produces photo's as colour accurate as possible.

I have looked at the extreme zoom all-in-one cameras (i.e. 42x zoom) but there apparently is some issue at the extreme zoom from barrel distortion.

This is a purchase that I want to make sometime in the next 6 months. Used or new recommendations are fine. The less I have to spend the better, but less than $600 is preferable.

Thanks!

Do you anticipate shooting any kind of kids sports or activities? Kids baseball, soccer etc.

As absolutetotalgeek implies, what you want to do with it will make a big difference.

$600 can buy a lot of camera, but the hitch is that it will be harder to stay within your budget if you want an interchangeable lens camera (with or without mirror) with a long zoom.

And you probably know that buying any system camera is likely a gateway to more purchases of lenses and accessories.

Micro Four Thirds is my system of choice... you could do it within your budget with last year's models -- say a Panasonic G2 + 45-200. However, the more interesting combo in current gear would be G3 + 45-175 (crop factor is 2x, so double those focal lengths for 35mm equiv.). The 45-175 is tiny for a 350mm equiv zoom, and it's internal zoom, i.e. does not extend as you zoom. But that alone will run you about $500.

That's just one example... I'd recommend a visit to your nearest specialty camera shop (not FS or BestBuy) to handle all the major brands' entry-level offerings. The number one consideration IMO -- if you decide you need the flexibility and responsiveness of an SLR -- is what feels best in your hands and seems most logically laid out to you. With most mirrorless systems, you trade off a little image quality and things like fast focus tracking (C-AF) for often substantial size and weight savings. If you're OK with those tradeoffs, the buying process should be much the same as with an SLR.

Otherwise, almost all modern cameras are capable of excellent image quality. In general you will find that the smaller brands (Pentax, Sony) go the extra mile with features in order to compete with the big two.

The major drawback of a good superzoom is more likely to be sensor performance (noise, low light ability) and overall responsiveness than lens quality. I'm not too familiar with the latest-and-greatest in this area, but generally Panasonic, Fuji and Canon seem to rule this category.

When you get into the area of a superzoom, one should not overlook the new Nikon P500 in either black or red body.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46939750/Linked%20Photos/353_26257_P500_left.png

I bought one last July and just love this thing. From the Nikon website:

Whatever you want to shoot, the COOLPIX P500 is ready.

You’ll never miss a shot with this versatile camera because it starts right up, has a quick autofocus, and shoots five shots in approximately one second—at full resolution. Plus, multiple Continuous Modes allow for a variety of high speed shooting options up to a blazing 120 frames per second (reduced resolution).

When a single picture just isn’t enough, the versatile COOLPIX P500 features a One-Touch record button that lets you shoot Full HD (1080p) movies at 30fps while recording audio with a built-in stereo microphone. It’s great for sporting events because it will record high speed activity in slow motion, catching action missed by the human eye. The COOLPIX P500 also has an HDMI-CEC output for simple playback on your HDTV or computer—so now it’s as easy to watch your own movies as it is to shoot them.

Nikon COOLPIX P500 Camera (http://en.nikon.ca/Nikon-Products/Product/Compact-Digital-Cameras/26257/COOLPIX-P500.html)

You will want to carry a small tripod for use with the zoom at full power and the blazing shutter speed will stop any action.

As an example, here is a long shot of Horse Thief Canyon in southern Alberta where I noticed an unusual coloured rock on the hilllside across the canyon from my location marked by the red arrow and boxed area.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46939750/Linked%20Photos/longshot.JPG

And here is that rock with the P500 on a small tripod from the very same spot. Both are uncropped full frame views.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46939750/Linked%20Photos/fullzoom.JPG

It has done all sorts of pictures for me since and I am totally pleased with the camera for about $350 now although I had to pay $100 more as the price has come down since then.

A couple more examples of the camera's abilities. A sparrow through the glass of a window at about 12 feet and a grasshopper at my feet, both shot freehand without a tripod.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46939750/Linked%20Photos/coldsparrow%20copy.JPG

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/46939750/Linked%20Photos/hopper.JPG

That's just one example... I'd recommend a visit to your nearest specialty camera shop (not FS or BestBuy) to handle all the major brands' entry-level offerings. The number one consideration IMO -- if you decide you need the flexibility and responsiveness of an SLR -- is what feels best in your hands and seems most logically laid out to you.
I agree with this. Visit a local camera store and try the cameras in your hands. Buy the camera that most makes you want to take it home and make thousands of photos. Don't get lost in comparing statistics like megapixels that are almost meaningless. In two years, your new camera will be obsolete. If it was a camera you loved using, you will have heaps of experience and will know what exactly features you want in your next one. (And what features you don't care about.)

Also, be certain that you buy from the local store that helps you the most. Don't be like some jerks who get all their questions answered locally and then buy from a USA discount shop to save some bucks.

Also, be certain that you buy from the local store that helps you the most. Don't be like some jerks who get all their questions answered locally and then buy from a USA discount shop to save some bucks.

Buying local is a good suggestion. I purchased mine from an independent camera shop here in the city. I could have picked it up online, but wanted to have it in my hand before I bought it. I also get questions answered any time I drop by.

Another good reason to buy local: not all manufacturers offer a worldwide warranty. I believe Nikon and Panasonic are two that don't, so if you order from the U.S. you either wind up going without a warranty or eating into the savings with a third-party protection plan.

That said, sometimes the gap between Canadian and US prices is just too huge to ignore.

So while I try to support my local retailers, I also order online sometimes. I've assembled my kit from a couple of different local stores, as well as B&H and Vistek.

Make note of things you'd like to shoot in any given day, do that for a week or two. Notice the pattern. That will greatly determine in most ways what you should be looking at in the way of a camera.

If you do end up going the DLSR route just remember one simple rule; Glass is the most important part of your digital kit.

A consumer grade body with an 'L' series lens on it will give you decent results, a pro body with some stinky hundred dollar zoom kit lens will give you garbage and just be annoying to use.

Just a reality check - an interchangeable lens camera and "nice and compact" are mutually exclusive. Besides the lens size making it impossible to be a pocketable camera, the implication of interchangeable lens is that you will have other lenses, and therefore have to have the storage bag to carry them. Let alone the cost of the lenses.

If you are considering a compact superzoom, don't be put off by "barrel distortion at extreme zoom" in reviews - you can either live with it if it doesn't affect your type of shooting, or you could choose not to zoom all the way

I had a Canon IS camera for a few years (still have it actually) and the good IS really helps handheld shots without a tripod. I just got a Nikon S9100 18x pocketable for traveling, it was highest ranked in its class on the review sites and it has an excellent 3 inch view panel (900,000 pixel) which is what irked me on the Canon, trying to judge with a 300K pixel viewfinder and panel.
Nikon COOLPIX S9100 Camera (http://en.nikon.ca/Nikon-Products/Product/Compact-Digital-Cameras/26248/COOLPIX-S9100.html)

Another note on barrel distortion. Often it is most noticeable at a set distance, perhaps about 10-30 feet. Also keeping the sensor plane parallel to the subject will go a long way to reducing or eliminating barrel distortion.

If reviews talk about "fringing" experiment with lower pixel counts. Often the fringing is a result of an overly optimistic pixel count. Smaller sensor cameras may be rated at well over 10MP but the actual image capture is more realistically somewhere around 2-3MP. Everything else is interpolated and that interpolation can cause fringing. Obviously DSLRs generally have a much larger sensor and should easily deliver a fairly honest 8-12 MP image.

I bought my Nikon D80 for $539., It was an "Open Box" at Henry's.

The main reason I bought it is because it can use a plethora of new and old lenses.
Also it uses a CCD sensor instead of a CMOS sensor, I'm a big fan of CCD sensors.
Another reason is that I liked the Pentaprism and the fact that it uses SDHC cards.

What ever camera you decide on getting, I suggest you do a search first and weigh all the pro's and con's.

:)

Do you anticipate shooting any kind of kids sports or activities? Kids baseball, soccer etc.

I anticipate that I will be taking photos of kids sports and activities in the future as my daughter is 3.

If you are considering a compact superzoom, don't be put off by "barrel distortion at extreme zoom" in reviews - you can either live with it if it doesn't affect your type of shooting, or you could choose not to zoom all the way

Good to know. I am seriously considering one of these options and there is a new Nikon that has 42x zoom that I am waiting on reviews for.

Buying local is a good suggestion. I purchased mine from an independent camera shop here in the city. I could have picked it up online, but wanted to have it in my hand before I bought it. I also get questions answered any time I drop by.

I agree. I don't really want to purchase online unless it is a deal no one can beat. FS/BB have good deals, but its FS/BB that I would have to deal with. I have no interest in importing from outside of Canada as warranties may be difficult to claim (as mentioned by another member).

I shall go check out Kerrisdale Camerasand Lens and Shutter, the two local camera shops. London Drugs is also very knowledgeable about camera options and has a good selection of cameras in most of its locations.