DSLR or DigitalCam

hamsterboy

Hi All
Want to get my GF a good camera for Xmas but was wondering which camera to buy. She's pretty handy with our old SLR (advanced-beginner I guess)
She likes the idea of a digital camcorder but wuld like to be able to take decent still pictures as well. Does anybody have any recommendations.
Should I go for a Digital SLR with a video function or a Digital CamCorder with a still function.

hamsterboy

Bump!

mtracey

Personally I'd forget about the digital camcorder for taking photographs.
If she has an SLR already then she might find the quality of photo from the camcorder a bit disappointing.

What make of SLR does she currently have ? Some of her current lens might work on a DSLR which means you'd only have to buy the camera body which would lower the cost a bit.

FYI, I don't know of any DSLR that can capture video. They're not physically built that way as there is a mirror in the way.
That being said someone might correct me on something new thats come out.

hamsterboy

Hi mtreacy.
She's currently using a Minolta X-370 with both a standard and 200mm zoom lens, though the damn thing started letting in light through the door and thus rendered it unusable. Are these lenses of any use on a DSLR?

Beano

I'm pretty certain that she wont be able to use her existing lenses. Minolta dont even make Digital SLR anymore and the few they did make had a different lens mount to the x-370.

bp_me

Isnt the Sony Alpha using a Konica mount?

Roen

The Sony Alpha uses a Minolta mount afaik. You won't get decent stills from a digi-cam though, it's an either or case here.

Dimy

If you love her you buy a DSLR and a Camcorder Kidding aside, as said above it depends on what she wants to do most... shooting stills or videos. Camcorders are pretty bad for shooting stills and with DSLR's you can't shoot video at all. Instead of a DSLR you could go for a high end prosumer camera, it will have all the manual flexibility of a DSLR with the exception of changeable lenses, but you can shoot video with those. You can always go into a store and try them out.

Biro

Dimy wrote:

If you love her you buy a DSLR and a Camcorder Kidding aside, as said above it depends on what she wants to do most... shooting stills or videos. Camcorders are pretty bad for shooting stills and with DSLR's you can't shoot video at all. Instead of a DSLR you could go for a high end prosumer camera, it will have all the manual flexibility of a DSLR with the exception of changeable lenses, but you can shoot video with those. You can always go into a store and try them out.

Yep, this is the best option! Camcorders aren't for still's really.

paddylonglegs

Unless your into actual film-making etc then you should get a camcorder.But it sounds like she knows her way around a camera so get her that. You might as well tell her your going to get one and let her pick it herslef.

My gf was trying to find out as much as she could from me about gettting a camera, it was so obvious so I just told her exactly which one to get!Simple!