Used DSLR Camera vs. New "Point & Shoot"?

[Saint Borlaug]

My wife wants a new camera. Her gripes about her old camera include slow flash-recharge and poor quality night images.

I want to buy her a new camera, but she is notorious for dropping camera's (I've lost two, the current one has survived several falls), so I don't want to invest too much money.

I was searching Amazon and looking at some new 10mp and 12mp "point and shoot" camera's from sony or canon.

I also noticed that several vendors are selling used DSLRs (from year 2002 or 03) for about the same price (@$200). These cameras have only 4-5 mp, but they have the big zoom lense and I imagine they will take better images. She will like the extra features, it will make her feel more "photographery".

So my question is simple:
Would a used DSLR be a good alternative to buying a new "consumer" camera, or has digital camera technology advanced so much in the past 7 years that anything the DSLR can do the new point & shoot can do better?

[abonifi1]

Unless your wife is a professional photographer (and even then), no.

print out a poster size quality of either, drop them on the floor, and have your wife tell you which one is which pixel, and you won't be able to tell.

[uriel]

Unless your wife is a professional photographer (and even then), no.

print out a poster size quality of either, drop them on the floor, and have your wife tell you which one is which pixel, and you won't be able to tell.

yes and no, but mostly no. he said he wants better low light shots and you can't really get those with a point and shoot. at the price point though, why not get a dslr? you can get a good fixed focal length lens with a good, low f stop (the tech terms escape me), for a couple hundred dollars that won't become obsolete or really even drop in price if you were to sell it used.

the sensors on point and shoots are teeny tiny compared to a dslr, even a low end one. when you take a tiny sensor, and put 10 bajillion pixels on it, you pretty much kill any low light sensitivity, unless you really like digital noise in your shots, and yes, it really is that noticable.

to even suggest that a professional photog would do just as well with a point and shoot, or that an amateur couldn't benefit from having equipment that is decent is ridiculous and nonsensical. in this day and age, a good, used DSLR and a quality lens can cost right about the same as a good point and shoot. why pay the same for lower quality?

[uriel]

So my question is simple:
Would a used DSLR be a good alternative to buying a new "consumer" camera, or has digital camera technology advanced so much in the past 7 years that anything the DSLR can do the new point & shoot can do better?

a DSLR is a "consumer" camera. and no, point and shoot can't do what a DSLR can do, better. point and shoots fall into the category of "jack of all trades, master of none". but they are "cute" and fit into a pocket better than a DSLR. that is one thing to think of, do you mind carrying something that is a little bigger, or something smaller and more convenient at the expense of flexibility and quality?

[fat matt]

What vendor sells used dslr's? I need to check them out!

[I Am Luna]

Sounds to me all she needs is a LX3 or G10/G11. P&S with some powers of dSLR. The high ISO power of both will let her get away with "night" shots.

[ukreal1]

agree with Luna, a lumix is a great point and shoot, without the bulk...I want one! my dad who has been into photography for many yrs (rolliflex, old skool nikons, etc) just got one and said it is fab.

[uriel]

What vendor sells used dslr's? I need to check them out!

amazon (may need to use apobox.com, depending on the seller), fujiya-camera.co.jp (if you can read japanese), or you could always just go to kitamura. they sell used cameras for decent prices.