12-01-2014, 03:20 AM
As is common, most people are recommending SLRs. However, I think that a large fraction of people who buy SLRs are just following the herd and often end up buying something far bulkier and more ungainly than what actually suits their style of photography. The problem with SLRs is that they often get left at home because they are a PITA to cart around, especially when you start throwing in extra lenses, so they get left in the closet and you miss those great pictures due to not having a camera handy. If she is insistent on a removable lens camera, then the compact system cameras (aka CSCs) also provide great quality imagery and advanced features in a much more compact package . CSC camera sales are exploding these days, as lots of people abandon their SLRs in favor of these tiny technological marvels that they are more likely to carry with them. Note that in CSCs, the leading brands are Olympus, Panasonic, Sony, and Fuji, not Nikon and Canon who are the big SLR makers. If she doesn't need removable lenses, then there are even more choices and better bang for the buck.
pRICE had a good list, but I think to narrow things down to what type of camera would be best for her needs, the most critical question is...
What type of photography does she want to do?
If she's into wildlife photography, then she'll want something with long zoom reach (e.g. the Canon SX series) and is probably not as worried about a large sensor (i.e. low light performance).
If she will be taking a lot of interior shots or shots that are not in bright sunshine, then the most important aspect will be a large sensor and a lens with a large aperture and good wide angle lens (definitely not a Canon SX).
If she's into street photography, then she needs something compact and quick to handle (i.e. definitely not an SLR).
I personally think that this main question needs to be answered before choosing a specific camera.
pRICE had a good list, but I think to narrow things down to what type of camera would be best for her needs, the most critical question is...
What type of photography does she want to do?
If she's into wildlife photography, then she'll want something with long zoom reach (e.g. the Canon SX series) and is probably not as worried about a large sensor (i.e. low light performance).
If she will be taking a lot of interior shots or shots that are not in bright sunshine, then the most important aspect will be a large sensor and a lens with a large aperture and good wide angle lens (definitely not a Canon SX).
If she's into street photography, then she needs something compact and quick to handle (i.e. definitely not an SLR).
I personally think that this main question needs to be answered before choosing a specific camera.