Beginners easy camera please (1 Viewer)

My hubby has decided that I need a digital camera, mainly for holiday snaps/shots of the kids etc. However I think it is highly likely that I will be after a scope before long, and I quite fancy taking up digiscoping.

I don't want to buy a camera now, and then have to get a new one for digiscoping, so would like to get one now that would be suitable for both uses (is this possible?). I have read Andy's post about Nikon Coolpix cameras, so will be after one of these. BUT I don't know anything about cameras, don't have a scope and have only just found out that you need an adaptor to fix the two together!

I would be very grateful for any advice about which models are the simplest for beginners/have instructions in words of one syllable/and what I need to look for.

thanks

I've just been looking at a digital camera for both uses and came down to the Nikon 4300 - it's just been discontinued but is still available in some stores at around £299 with refurbished models from some camera shops/ebay at around £150-£200. It's less featured than the 4500 but will take a 28mm filter thread for digiscoping. It's a more conventional design than the 4500 as well. I can't say how easy it is to use as mine has only just been ordered.

Benjismum said:

I have read Andy's post about Nikon Coolpix cameras, so will be after one of these. BUT I don't know anything about cameras, don't have a scope and have only just found out that you need an adaptor to fix the two together!

I would be very grateful for any advice about which models are the simplest for beginners/have instructions in words of one syllable/and what I need to look for.

thanks

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Dawn

You can just hold a camera to the eyepiece of a scope and get reasonable shots so long as the light is reasonable.
I use a Canon Powershot A80 ( down to about £180 now) and handhold it most of the time, but it can take an digiscope adaptor if you get the optional "adaptor".
But there are lots of Camera's out there that you can handhold to a scope ( but you need one with a small diameter lens ). The camera with a large optical zoom tend to have lage diameter lens and in general can't be used digiscoping.

Good luck on your camera purchasing!. After that you'll need a CD-Writer to store your pics and a decent inkjet printer to print them out on!:eek!:. Oh, and a DVD player for your TV to look at the pics ( If you havn't already got one!).

Thanks both of you, I didn't know that you could just hand hold a camera to a scope, that is probably my best bet to start with.

Good luck on your camera purchasing!. After that you'll need a CD-Writer to store your pics and a decent inkjet printer to print them out on!:eek!:. Oh, and a DVD player for your TV to look at the pics ( If you havn't already got one!).

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Thanks Alan, do you not think I am confused enough already? Just call me technophobe!

Hi Dawn. I've got a Fuji Finepix a405 which i bought as a 'beginners easy camera', and i've been able to take pictures handheld through my scope (though not very well, mainly due to my lack of patience i think) but some through my binoculars have come out quite well. And it is very easy to use.