The Gourmet Family: Picture Perfect, Part 2

Friday, July 29, 2016

Picture Perfect, Part 2

And the winner is...

Not so fast. First you need to read about how I came to that decision.

So, armed with a list of needs and wants, I managed to come up with a list of 12 camera models. I returned to Jax Outdoors (in Fort Collins this time) and spoke with the tech at length. I handled the cameras they had on hand from my list - about half and ended up ruling out all but three.

Here were the finalists:

Nikon D5500
Fujifilm X-T1*
Canon Rebel T6i

* They didn't have the X-T1 but they did have the X-T10. This camera was really nice and had the best images of the three, however the grip wasn't very comfortable for me and the camera was a little on the small side. The tech suggested we look into the X-T1 as it was a little bigger with the same perks as the X-T10.

Back home, I returned to the internet and searched for specific articles on the three finalists. I also read CNET reviews and did some price checking. All three had the features and specs I wanted. In reviews, each of these cameras did well; specifically the Fujifilm rated top and the Canon rated bottom (of the three). Price-wise, they rated in the same order with Fujifilm being the most expensive and Canon the least.

In the end, I chose the Nikon D5500 over the others. The kit lens I purchased was a Nikkor AF XS 18-55mmVR II.

Described as a top-line enthusiast camera, it was affordable and allowed me to keep within budget (which was set for $1500). Purchasing the Nikon allowed me to get some extras (via a package kit) and enabled me to spend some money on a nice macro lens for our food photography. I'm currently vacillating between a Tamron 90mm f2.8 and a Tokina 100mm f2.8 for a compatible macro lens. More on that once I've made up my mind.

See the other posts in this series:

Part 1 – Camera Research

Part 3 – Zoom Lens

Part 4 – Fast Prime Lens

Part 5 – Macro Lens

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Who We Are

We are a family that loves to eat. And eat well. This is somewhat due to the fact that we are bored easily and therefore, need to constantly explore the culinary world. You can also blame our wanderlust, which burns brightly to our cores, causing us to seek out and explore everything we possibly can in this world while we are in it.

The Chef: Mark
Practically born with a spatula in his hand, Mark has had an interest in cooking since as long as he could remember. A fortuitous lay-off resulted in a new career path - you know, that one where you always say "if I could do it over again, I'd become a..." Well, he did it over again and pursued a degree in Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales in Denver. Mark grew up in Santiago, Chile and studied french cuisine. He also holds an art degree.

The Writer: Hillary
On our first date, while Mark prepared an AMAZING shrimp something-or-other, he also ended up instructing me on how to prep a basic salad. Yes, that's brutal honesty for you, I didn't know a thing about food and cooking. Of course, that has all changed. With the birth of our wee child, I devoted myself to creating gourmet organic baby food that made all the other kids and parents jealous. I grew up in the restaurant that "invented" the cheeseburger (Kaelins Restaurant in Louisville, Ky - Look it up). I have a BA in English Literature and a Masters in Library and Information Science.

The Wee Child: Oli
Oli is the precocious little elf who lives with us. At present, she is five years old. Oli enjoys making what she calls "appetites" but which are almost always watery concoctions of mashed fruit, random spices, broths and syrups.