Camera Help, Please

I have a dilemma in purchasing a new camera. I have been vacillating between a new Canon T3I or Canon SX50. The dilemma is this: I am not a photophile and don't take that many pictures but I do like to have a nice camera on hand in event of the need and am looking at upgrading to, well, something. Right now I have a beautiful Minolta x370 SLR that I bought many years ago with a 30-70mm and 100-300mm lenses that is absolutely mint - leather cases, filters the works.

So, I am looking at either a Canon T3I or Canon SX50 as some upgrade options but every time I look at this Minolta I just get warm and fuzzy about how spotless and perfect it is. Should I keep this as a main camera and go for the Canon SX-50 as an upgrade or the T3i? If I keep the Minolta as a good backup camera I have a film camera for a main camera but at my age (yep, I'm quite old and gnarly) I doubt I'll outlive the demise of film. The SX50 which is not SLR but an incredible little Wi-Fi- enabled package that would be less than half the price of a well equipped T3i and is a good mid-range camera. On the other hand, the T3i would be really good quality, DSLR, Wi-Fi enabled computer-tech friendly, and a better investment. I think. I will be getting something like a Canon 330 as a beat around pocket camera.

Anyone care to comment?

If you don't take lots of photos, I would suggest first getting your beat around pocket camera. I carried heavy bags of top shelf German equipment for years (Yup, I'm a fogey) and my impression of the capabilities of the better beat-arounds is that they will do a fantastic job of what you have described. This week I dropped my two year old Canon s95. With little hesitation, I went out and bought a new s110, one revision back from the current s120, but still two revs. newer than I had, and saved about $200. At about $250, you can't beat the image quality and capability. It's arguably one of the best beat around cameras available, IMHO. You may never buy that DSLR...

I'm waiting for grandchildren, THEN I'll pull the trigger on the larger glass camera.

hatsRme,

If you don't take lots of photos, I would suggest first getting your beat around pocket camera. I carried heavy bags of top shelf German equipment for years (Yup, I'm a fogey) and my impression of the capabilities of the better beat-arounds is that they will do a fantastic job of what you have described. This week I dropped my two year old Canon s95. With little hesitation, I went out and bought a new s110, one revision back from the current s120, but still two revs. newer than I had, and saved about $200. At about $250, you can't beat the image quality and capability. It's arguably one of the best beat around cameras available, IMHO. You may never buy that DSLR...

I'm waiting for grandchildren, THEN I'll pull the trigger on the larger glass camera.

Click to expand...

Interesting. Shortly after starting this thread a while back, I did a lot of research and settled on an S110 which I bought off the web at $199. Haven't used it a whole lot yet, waiting for summer. I do have my old film SLRs if I need something like that but I am slowly researching and waiting to hear first reports from the field on Canon's new SL1. At around $900 full up its a bit pricey and I can wait. Amazing how they're cramming all these capabilities into smaller and smaller packages.