4 replies to this topic

[BankerPro]

I'm just getting in to the world of photography. That being said, about a month ago I went out and bought a decent, camera. I bought the NIKON COOLPIX L120. For the most part it take some pretty good pictures... but noticed it kind of sucks in low light.

I'm already looking into another camera. I just want to know if it would be worth it. I'm taking pictures of everything... the outdoors, camping, sporting events, car shows, parties, weddings (not professionally)...

The cameras I'm looking into are: SAMSUNG NX100, and the NIKON D3000. I'm looking more into the Samsung, simply because of size. Is it worth purchasing one of these over my Nikon Coolpix L120? The price of those 2 cameras are the price range I'd like to keep it in

[photodude]

I'm just getting in to the world of photography. That being said, about a month ago I went out and bought a decent, camera. I bought the NIKON COOLPIX L120. For the most part it take some pretty good pictures... but noticed it kind of sucks in low light.

I'm already looking into another camera. I just want to know if it would be worth it. I'm taking pictures of everything... the outdoors, camping, sporting events, car shows, parties, weddings (not professionally)...

The cameras I'm looking into are: SAMSUNG NX100, and the NIKON D3000. I'm looking more into the Samsung, simply because of size. Is it worth purchasing one of these over my Nikon Coolpix L120? The price of those 2 cameras are the price range I'd like to keep it in

From what this sounds like you are looking for a compact SLR camera. To be honest i was in the same situation a few months ago and i found a company called fotosense who talked through everything, and i eventually bought the Panasonic GF2 the smallest SLR camera avaliable.
Heres a link to show you the range and the price they have.
http://www.fotosense...r...amp;x=0&y=0

Also they gave me a 3 year warranty with a bundle deal so i have and extra peice of mind! excellent service as well!

[BOBWED]

I'm just getting in to the world of photography. That being said, about a month ago I went out and bought a decent, camera. I bought the NIKON COOLPIX L120. For the most part it take some pretty good pictures... but noticed it kind of sucks in low light.

I'm already looking into another camera. I just want to know if it would be worth it. I'm taking pictures of everything... the outdoors, camping, sporting events, car shows, parties, weddings (not professionally)...

The cameras I'm looking into are: SAMSUNG NX100, and the NIKON D3000. I'm looking more into the Samsung, simply because of size. Is it worth purchasing one of these over my Nikon Coolpix L120? The price of those 2 cameras are the price range I'd like to keep it in

I can sympathize with your feelings of disappointment with your camera. You bought it and thought it would do everything you asked. But, now you've found out otherwise. This is called Buyer's Remorse. Buyer's Remorse happens when the buyer realizes that he could have done a better job in his research before buying. If you had consulted camera reviews on the Nikon L120 you would have seen that one of the camera's known weaknesses is its poor low light capture ability. So, now that you have discovered this weakness you want to cast the camera aside and find another. But, there is a lesson you missed. And, this is evident by the choices you are now considering: the Samsun NX100 and Nikon D3000. Two very different cameras in many ways. They have virtually no relationship to one another. Yes, both are system cameras (meaning they have interchangeable lenses). But, beyond that there is really no relationship.

Let me ask you a question. Have you ever held them in your hands? That is a huge difference. How a camera feels in your hands is very important. Remember, you are going to be holding hands and carrying this baby around with you a lot. So better find out about compatibility.

The NX100 is a new line of camera - CSC which means Compact System Camera. The Nikon D3000 is a DSLR - which means digital single lens reflex. The NX100 is quiet when you release the shutter, the D3000 makes a lot of noise clanking around the swing mirror. The NX100 has no viewfinder so you use the viewing screen to compose. Which is largely a pain when compared to using a View Finder which the D3000 has. Yes, the D3000 has a viewing screen but, you won't want to use it to compose once you've tried a viewfinder. The D3000 is obsolete and has been replaced in Nikon's camera line by the D3100. The NX100 is a whole new camera type that other manufacturers like Olympus and Panasonic are producing cameras for also. Price? You are doing your research and comparison based on price? You know Banker, I don't think you have a beginning clue what you are thinking about.

My advice, is to wait. Use you Nikon L120 for a year. Shoot lots of pictures. Learn how to compensate for its weaknesses. Because in every camera and camera type there are strengths and weaknesses that you will have to confront and deal with. After really learning your new camera. After seeing the results of your efforts to become a better photographer (good photos are made by the photographer, not the camera). Then you will know what you want. Right now, you are simply disappointed and frustrated with the disappointment of realizing that your camera is not doing what you expected. Deal with that. Become a good photographer.

Or, go ahead. Buy another new camera. Be disappointed again. Maybe by then you will realize the truth.

Good luck and good shooting. BobWed

[BankerPro]

Wow. I can't help but to feel schooled.

When looking at the reviews for L120, more on the user side, it's extremely difficult to find a bad one. When you do find the one bad review, it's a judgment call on how to perceive their opinion. Almost everyone seems thrilled with this camera. Professional critics, however, seem to say what you and I both said... poor low light pictures. That being said, If I always listened to the pro critics/reviewers, I would almost never buy a thing because there always seems to be something negative to say. It was a call I made, and it was the wrong one, but there still seems to a lot of positive reviews from regular Joe Schmo's like me...

In terms of price, isn't everyone looking for the best deal? The most bang for the buck? No matter what it is? I don't mind spending a little money, as long as the object can prove it's value.

I really appreciate your input on both camera's... For some reason though I feel myself being pulled away from the full size DSLR's. Going back to what I said about Value... it seems like the Sony Nex-3 and Nex-5 are getting rave reviews... A little more expensive, but seem like it's worth it. If you have any thought about those camera's I would love to hear it.

[BOBWED]

Wow. I can't help but to feel schooled.

When looking at the reviews for L120, more on the user side, it's extremely difficult to find a bad one. When you do find the one bad review, it's a judgment call on how to perceive their opinion. Almost everyone seems thrilled with this camera. Professional critics, however, seem to say what you and I both said... poor low light pictures. That being said, If I always listened to the pro critics/reviewers, I would almost never buy a thing because there always seems to be something negative to say. It was a call I made, and it was the wrong one, but there still seems to a lot of positive reviews from regular Joe Schmo's like me...

In terms of price, isn't everyone looking for the best deal? The most bang for the buck? No matter what it is? I don't mind spending a little money, as long as the object can prove it's value.

I really appreciate your input on both camera's... For some reason though I feel myself being pulled away from the full size DSLR's. Going back to what I said about Value... it seems like the Sony Nex-3 and Nex-5 are getting rave reviews... A little more expensive, but seem like it's worth it. If you have any thought about those camera's I would love to hear it.

Looking for the 'best' deal only starts when you've decided on your camera. Then finding the best deal on that camera is what is looking for the best deal. But, comparing cameras based on price is a mistake. A better call would be to establish your price range and look for cameras in that price range. When you find the one in that price range you want then you look for the best price on that camera. But, this ignores an important point.

The Sony Nex 3 & 5 are csc cameras. Another term for csc is SLT. You can relate an SLT to an SLR (Nikon's D3000 you mentioned is an SLR) in this way. An SLT is a camera without a swing mirror or reflex mechanism. Precisely SLT means Single Lens Transulscent. Whereas SLR means Single Lens Reflex. Both use a mirror system for viewing. However, the SLT uses an EVF (Electronic Viewfinder) whereas the SLR uses through the lens viewfinder. So what is the difference you may ask. Well the differences take two paths: first, there is the difference in terms of the set up and construction of the camera, and second is the difference in what each can do for the photographer. What is that you may ask. Well, this is where research, study, and effort comes in. I've led you this far. Far down the rabbit hole. Now it is up to you to go from here. See what a little knowledge gets you - only more questions.

My message to you Banker is this - if you think it is easy to truly understand what different cameras can do and can't do; and which to choose and which not to, then you can plainly see you are wrong. Price? Researching by price? As you can see that is the wrong method.

But, more important that anything thus far said is this - to understand what is important to you, you must understand what is important to you as a photographer. When you find out that answer you will know what camera to chose based on its ability to give you the best in the type of photography you like to do. The only way you will find out what sort of photography you like to do is to take your Nikon L120 and use it. Work with it. Find its shortcomings and advantages. Learn to work with them and live with them. And, through that you will find out who the photographer is that you are and what is important to you. For example, an SLT camera cannot do what a SLR camera can. But, what that is may not be important for you based on the sort of photographer you are and what you like to photograph. Discovering what sort of photographer you are and what you like to photograph is the first and most important step.

Now quit doing all this mental gymnastics. Take your camera and get to work!

Good luck and good shooting. BobWed