dslr

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Been looking hard at various dslr cameras but didn't want to drop $700-$1000.
Wanted a view finder that flipped forward for selfie mode.
I liked the little sonys, but nothing really popped at me.
What are you low budget guys running other than go pro and cell phones?
 

colonel00

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I shoot Pentax. You can really get a lot for your money with Pentax. Most of their line comes with weather protection which is nice for the outdoors too. With that, you also have to live with the fact that it's not one of the "big" platforms so lens offerings can be somewhat limited but really only when you start looking at higher end specialty lenses like the long range zooms and stuff.

That said, it would be tough to get into anything I think for $700. At least something that was decent enough that you wouldn't want to upgrade.

You could also look into a higher end point and shoot. I have a Canon G7X mark II and others often use one of the Sony RX100 versions or even the Olympus TG cameras.

To me, the biggest reason to "need" a DSLR/Mirrorless system is when you need the specific capabilities that a P&S or even a cellphone can't provide. This would include telephoto lenses and the ability to shoot quick shutter speeds for moving wildlife. Or, wide-angle, "fast" lenses for nightscapes and astrophotography. Also, using a DSLR/Mirrorless with a larger sensor will typically allow you to print larger images versus a smaller sensor camera or cellphone camera.
 
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I have an RX100m3 and love it for landscapes. If you want to shoot animals that you can't get closer than 10 feet from than you are going to be extremely disappointed. My dad recently got an a6000 as a best of both worlds as it's still fairly compact but can get some descent zoom lenses. The only major complaint from people is the short battery life, but spare batteries are cheap and I appreciate the fact that they sacrificed it to make the camera lighter and easier to handle. The only thing I would warn people away from Sony's for is if they plan on using it on auto most of the time as I think in order to get quality images you need to be on either full manual or the appropriate priority mode (aperture or shutter) for the situation.

Here is my RX100m3 example album:

RX100M3 Samples - Google Photos
 
OP
mfllood3800
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Thx guys....

I am wanting to record my hunts, more so than shoot wildlife, scenery etc..
The big issue I have encountered using my cell phone and Go-Pro was editing and combining the various media files into a good programing software to complie my videos.
I guess I assumed some of the DSLR cameras made this easier as everything came from one source.
I drew out a Bull tag for Utah this year and started recording all the way back to my scouting trips, trail camera pics etc, and wanted to have it all on film.
When the actual shot came I hit the power button on the Go-Pro and it went to picture mode instead of video mode and took a pic of the tree between me and the bull. Then the dang thing shut off. I shot the bull, and it was all missed. So I went and found the arrow, restarted the video on the Go-Pro, and it only lasted for like 15 seconds and the battery died and it cut off again right before I came up on the bull.

Now granted none of this was cameras fault but mine.
Yet and easier set up, with editing capabilities, and storage of all the short clips for later editing is what I am after.

I will be going to Idaho next fall, and want it to be a decent historical vid of the whole process.

Those pics are absolutely gorgeous by the way COLineman....

I looked at the A6000 series a 3400 from Nikon I believe.
The little Panasonic/sony hand helds seemed ok, just not 100% sure on gathering/editing.

I have some editing apps, but in the dark there too.
 
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One thing to consider for a decent film camera is sound. Even a cheap condenser mic that can mount to your camera is 10x better than the built-in mic. Look for a external mic input.


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mfllood3800
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good point
I am eyeing some compact sony hc v77 but didn't see that option on some.
 

SHTF

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Just picked up a Nikon P900 Not really a DSLR more of a Bridge Camera. But it has the most zoom out of any camera on the market 2000mm in a 1.5 pound package. Im having a blast with this super zoom beast.
 
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mfllood3800
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Just picked up a Nikon A900 Not really a DSLR more of a Bridge Camera. But it has the most zoom out of any camera on the market 2000mm in a 1.5 pound package. Im having a blast with this super zoom beast.

Well leave the spotter at home and just use this.........
 
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mfllood3800
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Honestly you almost could.


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If I was a huge camera guy who took a ton of pics, and had a lens that could equal a 65 spotter, I would use this idea at least once to try it. Imagine not lugging a 4-6 lb spotter around as well as a camera- that's a lot more food, water etc...
 
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I have a Sony a5000 up for sale in the classifieds. It has the flip up screen for selfie mode and takes great videos. Look up some reviews. If you're interested I'll cut ya a deal on it

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mfllood3800
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I have a Sony a5000 up for sale in the classifieds. It has the flip up screen for selfie mode and takes great videos. Look up some reviews. If you're interested I'll cut ya a deal on it

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Is yours pre 2013?
I didn't see all the specs I am interested so I will ask you:

Does it have a jack for ext mic?
Does it have ability to change lens?
Can it be tripod mounted?
What is the run time on a battery in video mode , not picture count

Thx
 
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Is yours pre 2013?
I didn't see all the specs I am interested so I will ask you:

Does it have a jack for ext mic?
Does it have ability to change lens?
Can it be tripod mounted?
What is the run time on a battery in video mode , not picture count

Thx
It was released in 2015 and it is an interchangeable lens camera. The sensor size is the same as the higher end sonys but I'm not sure what the battery life is for just video. I know it takes somewhere around 400 stills. I have purchased extra batteries at a low price off of Amazon and they are fairly small so you can carry several with you. That is always an option if you need more battery life. It doesn't have a Mic jack but I was using an external audio recorder and just adding the audio while video editing.

Hope that helps.

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mfllood3800
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Thx for the reply.
On top of the camera I end up with will be a decent software editing program which will be another thread for sure.
 
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Thx for the reply.
On top of the camera I end up with will be a decent software editing program which will be another thread for sure.

I've tried to go cheap but nothing beats Adobe. They now offer the photo suite for $10/month which is a little pricey but well worth it to avoid the headache and get both Lightroom and Photoshop and constantly have them up to date.
 

colonel00

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+1 on the Adobe Photography package. You may not use Photoshop much but when you need it, it's nice to have. Lightroom is fantastic for organizing and processing photos.

Now, if you want to do video, you'll need something else to edit that. There are great paid apps like Adobe Premier and Apple's Final Cut Pro. I don't do a lot of video so I have DaVinci Resolve which is free and pretty powerful in itself.
 

dmoto

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I was in the same predicament. I primarily use a Nikon N90 DSLR for photos, but wanted something smaller with "close to" DSLR capabilities. Ended up finding a really good deal on a Samsung Mirrorless NX3000. Great little camera that has detachable lenses, HD video and the ability to send photos directly to your phone wirelessly via Wi-Fi. It's been on a ton of hunts with me and several weeks in Brazil/Argentina. Still doing great and zero issues. That being said, I believe Samsung either has or will kill their line of mirrorless cameras.

Check B&H for the occasional deal, as they were clearing out this model. The camera came with 16-55 and 50-200 lenses all for $300.

Sony and Olympus seem to be the leaders in mirrorless cameras as of late.
 
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mfllood3800
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That sounds pretty decent does it have the ability to plug in an external microphone I'm on the road or I would look it up

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mfllood3800
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I have divinci resolve as well as Lightworks version currently installed on my PC.
Now I just need a good camera to go with them.
I will look at adobe for video. I'm not a picture taker, and don't want to be a hushin youtuber.

I want to record hunts, edit and share with friends family
 

SHTF

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If I was a huge camera guy who took a ton of pics, and had a lens that could equal a 65 spotter, I would use this idea at least once to try it. Imagine not lugging a 4-6 lb spotter around as well as a camera- that's a lot more food, water etc...

Yep that is definitely the plan. I dont really count points but love taking pics. With the Gitzo tripod and bird head I should be able to get some decent long range photos.
 
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