What is a good camera for a photojournalist?

I've heard that Canon is the preferred brand for photojournalists. Is this true? And what model?

I'm a photojournalism student, and I want to get a camera that will last me throughout college. I don't have a lot of money. The MAX I can spend is $2,000, but I'd really like to keep it around $1500 (I'll probably buy used).

While Canon is one of the preferred brands, Nikon is also used by photojournalists. Actually the Nikon D3 is becoming the camera of choice because of its superior high ISO performance (the Nikon D700 is currently being tested by many editorial and sports photographers)

For your budget, the Nikon D300 will get you through school, but I am surprised that your school is not starting you out using 35 mm film in order to hone your photographic skills before going digital. For under $200 a good used Nikon or Canon 35 mm SLR can be purchased and after a few classes in traditional photography, the transition to digital is much smoother and by buying the DSLR that matches the lenses you have purchased for your camera system, you will only have to buy the camera.

If you check craigslist, you may find a good used Nikon D200 with lens for under $1200 (I just sold one of mine for that price with 24-85 mm lens)

Canon 40D. If you can find the Canon 5d for that little i would do that instead. However, if you dont really know what camera to get then i understand that you do not have a lot of Photography experience and the 40D would be a much better choice since it is more user friendly and has a lot more automatic settings.

The canon 40D is great because even for action shots it can take up to 6.5 shots per second! Thats just amazing. Also it comes with a very nice lens so you should be ready to shoot out of the box.

There are also a lot of very nice Nikons out there but im not that experienced in the world of Nikon. I hear a lot of good about the nikon D200 which is in your price range.

This is not meant to be a "smart alecky" answer but the best camera for a photojournalist is the camera that he/she has with him. In other words, the camera needs to be compact and lightweight enough to be kept handy most of the time, it also helps to have a variety of accessories available.

Yes Canon is very popular with photo journalists particularly sports photographers (especially because Canon has made a very large selection of telephoto lenses). But much of the popularity is because of equipment photographers have used & invested in over the years and you may want to think in more modern terms for the digital age! Both Canon and Nikon are having some problems because their optics need to be redesigned for digital imaging.

In the days of film Leica rangefinder type cameras, followed by SLR cameras such as the Pentax Spotmatic and later the Olympus OM models were among the most popular WORLDWIDE with those photo journalists who were looking for lightweight models. Nikon and later Canon became VERY POPULAR with journalists, especially in the North American market, because of aggressive marketing strategies and availability of a wide range of high quality lenses and accessories. But these systems had a significant drawback in terms of weight and bulk when compared to Leica, Pentax & Olympus models.

Today's digital cameras offer a wide range of choices but I would look for two particular features if you expect to be doing general photo journalism -

1. Light weight/compact design.
2. Rugged, weather resistant construction.

The camera brand that probably offers the most bang for the buck in that category is Pentax with the model K200D, which is a basic model but with weather resistant construction and pretty solid construction. About $750 U.S. with a basic lens and memory card.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2008_revi...

You would be wise to get a new camera and consider used lenses if you want to save money because the warranty and customer assistance may be very important to you while you are getting familiar with the equipment.

Also keep in mind that camera "bodies" change frequently, like cars, there are continuous "improvements" and new features so you are much more likely to replace the body than you are to replace the lenses.

HTH, Email me if you want more specific information or other options to consider.

My camera has 5.2 mega pixel, but I use 3 most of the time because it gives great results, is faster, and takes less memory. Also, it only has a 3 x optical zoom and 7x digital zoom. I never use the digital zoom because making pictures larger works better on the computer. This is an old camera, but everyone is impressed with the quality pictures it takes ... like magic. Check with the Geeks in several stores and compare prices. Ask what cameras they own. Once you select a camera read all about it in the owner's manual.

Many of the new cameras come with only an LCD display. Would suggest that you find one that has an optical view finder because the LCD is almost impossible to see in bright sun.

FUJIFILM - FinePix 10.0-Megapixel Digital at $249 is more camera for the money and would pass for a low end professional camera. You could spend any amount on a camera, but this would be a good start. You may change your mind or be required to use a particular camera in your classes.

Wide-angle shooting, a 12x optical zoom and picture stabilization mode combine in this camera for exceptional shooting performance, even at a distance. Plentiful scene modes, autofocus and automatic white balance controls make this camera a snap to operate. Life time Warranty (Parts & Labor)
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?... ...

The first link below will provide lots of information on most of the old and new cameras available today.

The second link will help you learn to clean the camera and battery contacts on any camera you buy. Digital Cameras require lots of power. If the contacts are not really good it can cause lots of problems.