Newbie wants a camara for his moose hunt in Sept.

[Tatersalad]

Alright I'm sure you camara experts are tired of the occasional newbie who stumbles of the PowWow page...but here goes.

I'm willing to spend up to around $400.  What i want is good zoom capabilities, easy to use, and compact.  

So what should i buy?

Thanks for the advice.

Michael

[Tatersalad]

ok....apparently i couldn't wait for advice...i bought a Nikon P100.  So...did i screw up?

Michael

[Tatersalad]

guess...there's not guidance for a newbie on this site.........

[owlbait]

Don't feel bad. You have to catch a high traffic day    I just lurked here to see what others were buying before I bought. You'll get some feedback before too long.

[Tatersalad]

Thanks for the response........i thought i was the only person visiting this page.

Michael

[2Knives]

Looks like a very capable camera.
I'm a Canon fan, I won't get started on the Ford/Chevy debate.
My little P&S is small enough to fit in a ziploc and then in my pocket...works great on hunting trips.
The only advice I can give is get out there and start taking pictures and see if YOU like it.
Post some pics for all of us to see.

[Tatersalad]

2knives

Thanks for the response and for sparing me the ford/chevy debate.  I took it on a fishing trip yesterday and snapped some photos around the house.  I'll post some in a few days.

Thanks

Michael

[owlbait]

Michael what made you decide on the Nikon p100? Just wondering? No debate.

[Tatersalad]

Owlbait

To be honest i was a little heistant to jump into the SLR world.  i just wanted to get a camara that would allow me to zoom in tight, was auto everything (didn't want to have to learn how to use a SLR), and could shoot video.  After searching the web reviews the Nikon p100 seemed like the  best option for me.  What are your thoughts on the Nikon p100?

Thanks

Michael

[owlbait]

I'm no expert. I bought the Canon Powershot SX110 after reading about it here. Lots of auto features and it will do more than I can currently figure out. I'm a low level computer skills guy, wish I had time for a class to figure this stuff out. The review I read I your camera looks good though. Good luck with it.

[centaur]

Hard to beat Nikon, even though I currently use a Canon. Nikons have a long and proven track record, and should give you good service and great pictures as long as you do your part. If you are new to photography, I would suggest taking some kind of class or get a book on photography, so you can advance to beyond the 'snapshot' phase. Many cameras are 'idiot proof' as far as getting a sharp picture, but great pictures are in the eye of the photographer. Take lots of pictures and be ruthless about what looks good and what doesn't. Digitals are great because you have instant feedback, and they let you trash bad shots without costing anything. Enjoy.

[Tatersalad]

Thanks for the advice...

[gregg dudley]

Michael,  this is not a very active forum.  The photography forum at gon.com has much more traffic.  Good luck.