[orlando1]

Hello all - I have several questions and I appreciate your help in advance.

1. I shoot pictures outdoors of cars that i sell on eBay. Sharp crisp images are what I am after and I know I can do better than what I am doing with my Sony Cybershot DSC P73. I get compliments on the shots, but I want to take my business to another level. What DSLR and lens would be good for me? I will spend up to $1000.

2. My next question has to do with file sizes for downloading into my website and eBay. I have heard many times that size doesn't matter for website pictures ( ) but I want to know if buying a 10 or 12 MP camera will hurt me on the web.

Thanks again in advance!

[JohnRice]

If you are getting unacceptable images with your Cybershot, no camera will help. You need to learn how to take photos, deal with light and so on. The camera you have is more than capable of doing what you need.


Somehow, I doubt you'll believe me though.

[Cameron Yee]

Ditto. It would be helpful if you share one of the photos that you want to improve and we might be able to give you some tips.

[Phil Kim]

John is probably right in that with right techniques, you can take picture good enough for websites with existing camera.

If you insist on getting a new camera, get an SLR (e.g., entry level Canon or Nikon) with good fixed focal length lens (e.g., 50mm f/1.8).

[Scott Merryfield]

Orlando,

Without having some example photos or more details, we are just speculating, but John may be right. If you are using the "auto" mode on your camera, you may want to explore the manual settings and learn about things like aperture, shutter speed, depth of field, etc. Most recent digital cameras (point & shoot or dSLR) are capable of yielding sharp pictures in capable hands.

If you are looking to learn more about photography, I can recommend Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson as a good learning tool.

If you decide to venture into digital SLR's, just about any recent model from Canon, Nikon or Sony are very good cameras. However, simply buying a dSRL will not result in any better pictures than you are getting with your Sony if you do not understand the basics of photography.

[JohnRice]

My point it, there is no valid reason the camera you have can't produce perfectly good shots of cars outdoors for web use. There is absolutely no reason you need anything more. If you are getting shots which are so bad that people complain, spending money on a DSLR will produce exactly as bad results, possibly even worse, just with more pixels.

We need examples.

[Sam Posten]

I'd say TTIUWP =) But nobody listens to me blather on about the perils of being a content producer in the digital age...

Seriously tho, check this thread for similar answers to the questions you've asked:

Could you use the Canon XSi to start photography business! - Canon Digital Photography Forums

[wally]

Quote:

Originally Posted by orlando1

2. My next question has to do with file sizes for downloading into my website and eBay. I have heard many times that size doesn't matter for website pictures ( ) but I want to know if buying a 10 or 12 MP camera will hurt me on the web.

Don't know if this is still an active thread or not, but I assume you are scaling your images down to upload to the web. A 10 or 12 MP camera is way overkill for the web, and even for all but the most demanding large print jobs IMHO.

Do you have specifics about the Cybershot you don't like?

[JohnRice]

It is clear the OP is yet another inconsiderate individual who signs up, asks a question and never returns. I see no reason for anyone to contribute any help.