Do you think it's a good camera for me?

[P-i-x-4-r]

Okay so my names Mikayla and i'm 14. I LOVE taking pictures with my phone and iPod and putting my photos on Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook <-- less of Facebook. I have a really good eye but this would be my first camera of this type. I have a Nikon Coolpix with the touchscreen but i really hate it so do you think the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS would be good. The guy at BestBuy showed me how to use it and my dads willing to pay the $479.99 + $56 +the warranty.
READ THIS TOO!!!!!!

Okay well this would be my first type of camera like this and i can honestly say since i'm only a freshman in high school, i want to start of slower, because the guy explained things to me that the camera i want can do that the other cameras (SLR's) can't. Which is what i actually want. My dad is refusing to buy me a higher priced camera because then you need to get lenses if you want to take certain pictures certain ways and so on. He already payed for a $1,499.00 laptop (macbook) last christmas and he says that i should make my way slower and not just jump into it, like learn to work around and then once i get the hang of it and stuff (do other things) i can make my way up to the other cameras (knowing that i want to do photography in college)
Read this as well!!!

@NickP: yeah i would keep the strap on it no doubt, i break things all the time but when it comes to these things I'm extra careful and so are my parents . I know that the what you have is what you get and since I'm 14 I'm not really into really having a certain way of taking pictures. Like i'm not professional.

@Embun: This is my first camera like this, the only other one i have is Coolpix which SUCKS! like honestly it does!

[Ben]

If you already have Nikon Coolpix, getting something like this would only be marginally better. If you think you have a good eye and you really love taking pictures, then you should think about getting a DSLR, these serve the consumer, prosumer, and professional level. You can get a beginner level DSLR for about the same price, and have incredibly better picture quality, features and settings. I would recommend the Nikon D3100 and D3200. They both have several modes that can help you learn and get better at photography. A Canon T3, T3i, and T2i are very similar but do not have as many easy-to-use modes that are great for learning.

Hope this helps!

[NickP]

One, you have a terrific Dad! Two I am in agreement with another contributor that maybe a DSLR would serve you better. However I do take exception with $56.00 and the warranty! Is the $56 some sort of sales tax, if so, there is nothing you can do about that. I don't believe in extended warranties. Simple because I take care of my photographic equipment. I am in the habit of keeping the camera in the case until I need it. When I need the camera, I open the case and put the camera strap on my neck right then!. RESULT the camera is always in the case or safetly around my neck. In the USA, recently Nikon cameras has been running an ad showing the camera always in the hands of the people, not around the neck. As a result should someone "walk" into you or bump you and you drop the camera, the camera's warranty is worthless and so is the camera in most cases. So please listen to an "old pro"!! Use the camera's strap!

If you paid the 479.99 + $56 + warranty you would probably be very close to the entry level price of a DSLR which is a few dollars over $500.00. The big difference is that with the Canon Powershot SX50 HS you don't need additional lenses nor can you add any lenses for a specific photographic purpose. So what you have is what you get. With a "DSLR" you can add lenses, but you are talking extra money for the lenses. So you might go to Canon's web site for an idea of what extra
lenses cost and their intended use.

[Fzilm]

buy a canon t2i or t3i

you can find used t2i's super cheap

I have a t3i and it takes awesome photos