Camera Labs

Hello,
my son, aged 16, loves photography and will be getting his nikon d5000 soon. I would also like to get a camera as well so that we can share something in common (besides baseball).
I don't have a whole lot of money and don't need anything fancy. What it's come down to (that is what I can afford) are the nikon d3000 and the panasonic lumix dmc-g1.
Any thoughts on the two?

Thank you for any input.

Hi bookmook,

I've deleted your duplicate post. Please check our forum rules to understand why we discourage duplicate posts. Thanks.

Bob.

_________________
OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Thank you Bob. After writing the initial post I realized I had put it into the wrong discussion forum.

Welcome aboard, bookmook, but some friendly advice.

Saying you don't have a whole load of money is ambiguous so you should be absolutely specific about your budget as it is one of the most biggest factors in what people here will recommend. You may be able to get more with your budget than you realise as there may be deals you're not aware of.

A camera is quite a personal thing so you will find that one size DOES NOT fit all. The best advice anybody can give you is to try both cameras out for yourself so you can decide first hand which you feel most comfortable using - that will most likely be the camera you'll make the most use of and get the best ROI in terms of enjoyment.

_________________
Bodies: Canon EOS 550D w/ Magic Lantern
Lenses: Tokina AT-X 116 Pro DX f/2.8, Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS, Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II, Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Accessories: YongNuo Speedlite YN-468 Flash, Neewer Macro LED Ring Light, Meike Battery Grip, YongNuo RF-602 Wireless Flash Trigger & Receiver YongNuo WR-128 Wireless Remote Control

Of course, if you both shoot Nikon you can exchange lenses, which is a big plus imho (but only if you actually intend on buying a couple of lenses).

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

My budget is probably tops 400 dollars for now. I see my son and how excited he is and mostly I want for him to teach me what he knows and to go out and shoot with him.
It's funny because he mentioned the same thing about sharing lenses. He's already looking into accessories and planning how he will spend future birthday money.
The reason I am considering the panasonic is the size (not so bulky) since I don't imagine I will ever be as enthusiastic as him.
I was just wondering if anyone has used this particular camera. I know the technology is different--don't care so much that his has the live view, I actually prefer using the view finder.
But at some point we will be comparing photos and I think mostly for me it's about quality and ease of use.

Thank you to those who have so far responded.

truth be told more expensive the camera gets it is easier to use, if you know what you are doing (more buttons, top lcd, bla bla)

but what i wanted to know is your son final decision on getting d5000? if it is than i would say that you should get d3000 (smallest, user friendly, starter model) and what i would do is buy different lenses (instead of kit, for instance he gets d5000 with 35mm f1.8 lens (highly recommended) and you get d3000 with kit lens) so you have a bit more room to operate at, and more space to experiment...

if he is not set on d5000 but just has his eyes on it hard time, i would suggest that both of you go to the shop and try out models from CANON, SONY, PENTAX and of course NIKON, at the same price point, don't listen to the salesman, and get the models that you are most comfortable holding, changing options, menus, viewfinders, buttons, .... they tend to be very close by technical specifications so that is not to worry about...

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I'm pretty sure the G1 doesn't have a "real" (through the lens) viewfinder though. How about something secondhand, like the Nikon D70 or D80, or perhaps a D40?

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

My son has already decided. His father is getting him the body of the D5000 and I bought him the 18-55mm lens to get him started.
The camera I am considering (d3000) is body only and affordable, leaving me room to select a similar lens or something different.
But I am in no hurry, so I think the advice on handling the various cameras is a good one.
The bodies of the D40 and D60 are also an option--but at some point I need to make a decision before he's all grown up and moves out. He'll be a Junior this year, and for his senior project he will be doing photography.

Hi bookmook,

No problem. And don't forget that if you can't correct a problem with the forum tools available to you, then PM any of us Mods and we'll do our best to help out.

Sharing lenses sounds like a great idea but if it's at the price of you buying a camera you end up leaving at home because it's too bulky then maybe it's not such a great idea after all. Interesting that you should consider the G1 as it has already been reviewed by Gordon here.

You mention a budget of about $400 so I'm assuming you live in North America. You don't need me to tell you that that is a tight budget for a new DSLR so have you considered going the "refurbished" route? Refurbished cameras are generally manufacturer refurbished and carry a manufacturer's warranty. As you can see by this listing from B&H a number of models are available though not, as I type, the G1. But a number of Olympus PEN models are listed (which also have micro four-thirds sensors) and you can find the relevant reviews here.

Whatever you decide I seriously recommend getting down to a store and checking out your short-listed cameras "in hand". That will probably rule out several models and then you can go ahead and find the best price for your final choice on the Net. Oh, and if you do go the B&H refurbished route then please consider starting your purchase by clicking on the appropriate link on our Partner Stores page. No, I don't get paid and I'm not on commission but starting on that page helps keep the lights on here at CameraLabs or, at the very least, means that Gordon can afford an extra croissant for breakfast!

Good luck.

Bob.

_________________
OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Hi Bob,

as a matter of fact I am presently only looking at refurbished. So I went on one of the sites you recommended and saw a refurbished pentax k-x.
A little out of my price range, but not horribly, and one I was looking at. There are no reviews on this particular camera on camera labs. How would you say that one compares to the two I was considering?
I hope Gordon gets that extra croissant--and my son no longer says Nikon with a long i but rather with a short i.

Hi bookmook,

It has been a source of frustration that of late Pentax has found itself unable to provide review samples to Gordon. Maybe that will change now that Ricoh are taking over the camera side at Pentax but that doesn't help you any. The forum search engine struggles with short search strings like "K-x" but fortunately Google can come to the rescue as you can see by clicking here. There's actually a thread comparing the K-x with the D3100 but it can sometimes be worth bearing in mind that not every opinion in such threads is offered by someone who owns, or even has used, the models under discussion. While we don't often offer links to other review sites I think it would be churlish in this instance not to refer you to this K-x review. Having used none of the cameras you mention I'll have to decline the invitation to pass comment apart from noting that you'd have to have a strong reason to prefer Pentax over the Nikon as, obviously, with the Pentax you'd not be able to share lenses with your son.

What do you think your priorities are for your new camera at, or near, your target $400 budget? You've mentioned size and there cameras with reasonably large sensors, such as the G1, which are pretty small. But, to really throw the cat amongst the pigeons, do you actually need a DSLR or will a high end compact, with manual adjustment of aperture, shutter speed and ISO number allow you to share photography as a hobby? Maybe Gordon's article Should you buy a DSLR or a Compact? will be an interesting read? Most DSLRs offer good, or even great, video these days so that might be worth bearing in mind as you read the article but it may not be so true of the older models.

Bob.

_________________
OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Trust me when I say I've been going back and forth on that issue (dslr vs point and shoot).
My son is not passionate about many things but these last few years he has shown a great interest in photography and I don't see it as a passing phase. My thoughts are if we are going to share something I want it to be as close a match as possible. The way I look at it, I'm not buying an object but rather an experience. I see the way my son lights up when he talks about cameras and the more he has to share with me I believe the better.
So, I don't mean to ramble on--

Another thought--if we do share lenses, he will run off with them when that time comes. Plus, the size of the G1 is appealing to me. The problem is I'll wake up tomorrow and flip flop once again.
AARRGGGHHH

Once again, thank you for the feedback. I'll make a decision soon so as to stop being a pest.