Digital SLR Cameras

[bestatchess]

Originally Posted by Viking606

The real tools are the lens. Buy the best glass you can. A good lens with Image stabilizer is the way to go. My favorite is a Canon EF28-135mm IS USM lens. The sharpness is the key.

Good advice. Mid grade body + great lens is better than high grade body w/ crappy lens. I have a 70-200 IS USM L f2.8 that I really like.

[bestatchess]

Originally Posted by Quartz

Check out http://www.imaging-resource.com/ for camera reviews. They are very detailed and very thorough reviews. When you narrow it down to a few choices, use the "compare sample images" link on the home page to see the difference in images from one camera to another.

I don't know what your experience or budget is, but here is my reasoning on my recent purchase. This year I decided to get a better camera because we were going on a couple of trips. I am an above average but certainly not professional photographer. My budget would have allowed for a nice DSLR but I didn't want to pay for features I didn't need or wouldn't use. I decided to get what some call a near DSLR. (Fujifilm S9100 http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/S9100/S9100A.HTM). It has a 28-300 manual zoom lens and looks and behaves like a DSLR (with one or two minor exceptions).

Two of my friends have DSLRs. One is a Nikon D40. The other is a Canon but I don't know what model. We all went on a trip recently. When the trip was over and we had all taken hundreds of pictures each, the general consensus was that my camera was the favorite. It had a couple of advantages over the DSLRs. First, my lens had more range than either of my friends lenses had. They had to change lenses often. It was a pain in the butt and it caused them to miss some shots. Second, one of my friends got dust on the mirror or CCD in his camera when he was changing lenses. It now has to go back to be repaired and the shots he took with it after the dust problem were disappointing. This one problem screwed up about half of his photos. Since I don’t change lenses and open my camera up, dust is not a problem for me. Third, because my camera has more pixels than my friend’s cameras, when you blow up the pictures, the images from my camera are slightly better. However, in my opinion the difference is negligible. Fourth, my friends had to carry a spare lens and I didn't. Fifth my camera was the cheapest of the three.

Some will argue that the Nikon and Canon lenses are better, but as I mentioned before, to our non-professional eyes the images from mine were slightly better than the other two cameras. The biggest disadvantage my camera had was the shutter response. Mine is very quick for a digital camera but not instantaneous like the DSLRs. I missed a few action shots but in the long run very few of our pictures were action shots and for nearly all of the photos it did not matter. In the end the shutter delay was a small problem. Changing lenses all the time was a much bigger problem for my DSLR buddies. When the trip was over and we were trading pictures, it turns out that my near DSLR was the one that got the pictures we counted on. My friends missed shots because they were digging in their camera bag for the correct lens, or because they didn’t feel like changing lenses, they just decide to zoom in or out as far as the lens would allow and live with the results.

I’m happy with my purchase.

Sorry for the long response. I just didn't want you to over look an entire class of cameras that are nearly as capable as DSLRs but more reasonably priced.

It depends on what you are after. Just general landscape shots in daylight, yeah fine. I used to have a Canon Power Shot Pro 1 with similar features. When you try to use it for sports, it is too slow. When you try to use it to take indoor concert pics, there is too much noise at high ISO. Then you end up buying a DSLR. As far as the lens changing, you can get a DSLR and a Sigma 50-500. As far as the dust thing, some of the Canon DSLR have an integrated sensor cleaning function. But yes, bang for buck for good images in daylight, this type of camera is fine.

[claxton]

We just bought a Canon 40d a couple of months ago and recommend it highly. It strikes a good balance between entry-level and professional-level.

The biggest suggestion I can make to someone wanting to buy a new camera is to go handle them and see what feels good in your hands. There's no point in spending all that coin for something that doesn't feel comfortable. The camera should feel very natural when you pick it up. I would also suggest looking for a camera store in your area (not a big box store) and see if they offer equipment rental. Sometimes you can actually rent the camera and lenses you are interested in and give them a test drive before you commit to buying.

[stlblues]

Originally Posted by bestatchess

It depends on what you are after. Just general landscape shots in daylight, yeah fine. I used to have a Canon Power Shot Pro 1 with similar features. When you try to use it for sports, it is too slow. When you try to use it to take indoor concert pics, there is too much noise at high ISO. Then you end up buying a DSLR. As far as the lens changing, you can get a DSLR and a Sigma 50-500. As far as the dust thing, some of the Canon DSLR have an integrated sensor cleaning function. But yes, bang for buck for good images in daylight, this type of camera is fine.

I have the Sigma 50-500mm and love it, pics from it have been published numerous times and I've sold a lot of prints from that lense. You can get some very good third party lenses cheaper than the Canon or Nikon lenses. It will require some research and trials, but there are lenses as good and in some cases better than the Ls. I belong to a local group of digital computer artists, graphic artists, and photographers. We meet and exchange research and information, and compare equipment. Use the internet to research lenses, and local camera shops will generally let you test the lense and compare using your own camera. I have Sigma and Tamron lenses that are great at even professional levels. They may not be as quiet as the Ls, but with sports, I dont care, and I've never had wildlife spooked by the noise either. Yes the Ls are good, but there are excellent alternatives if you look a bit....and save a few hundred bucks in the process. And several of Canons non Ls are far from perfect....lesson, if you can buy it at Walmart, it's not a good lense, and any lense under $300 is very suspect. Most lenses in the $800+ will provide very good glass and results...but you still need to demo it.

[konigfritz]

I have a nikon D40, and love it! with an SLR 6 MP is plenty unless you are going to print 16x20 and larger. The lenses make the camera. I got the D40 , 18-55 and 55-200 (both nikon) and other goodies from Ritz for 550.

[Papa_D]

Originally Posted by stlblues

I have the Sigma 50-500mm and love it, pics from it have been published numerous times and I've sold a lot of prints from that lense. You can get some very good third party lenses cheaper than the Canon or Nikon lenses. It will require some research and trials, but there are lenses as good and in some cases better than the Ls. I belong to a local group of digital computer artists, graphic artists, and photographers. We meet and exchange research and information, and compare equipment. Use the internet to research lenses, and local camera shops will generally let you test the lense and compare using your own camera. I have Sigma and Tamron lenses that are great at even professional levels. They may not be as quiet as the Ls, but with sports, I dont care, and I've never had wildlife spooked by the noise either. Yes the Ls are good, but there are excellent alternatives if you look a bit....and save a few hundred bucks in the process. And several of Canons non Ls are far from perfect....lesson, if you can buy it at Walmart, it's not a good lense, and any lense under $300 is very suspect. Most lenses in the $800+ will provide very good glass and results...but you still need to demo it.

I agree that there are some good alternative lenses out there but I don't want to take a chance that the 400.00 I saved on a 1400.00 lens will leave me with a 1000.00 paperweight when I upgrade to a newer camera.

The electronics of the camera to lens interface are complicated enough that people have had problems with some lenses when they have upgraded, changed cameras or tried to use extenders.

I know if I buy an EF lens from Canon that it will be compatible with whatever new EOS camera they make.

Compatibility of aftermarket lenses on todays EOS cameras doesn't guarantee compatibility on the next generation of EOS cameras.

In short, a word of warning to lens shoppers, if you buy aftermarket lenses be aware that they may not always be compatible with newer cameras or all the accessories.

Below is a link to a thread about compatibility on one of my favorite photo sites.

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Onrp

[stlblues]

Originally Posted by Papa_D

I agree that there are some good alternative lenses out there but I don't want to take a chance that the 400.00 I saved on a 1400.00 lens will leave me with a 1000.00 paperweight when I upgrade to a newer camera.

The electronics of the camera to lens interface are complicated enough that people have had problems with some lenses when they have upgraded, changed cameras or tried to use extenders.

I know if I buy an EF lens from Canon that it will be compatible with whatever new EOS camera they make.

Compatibility of aftermarket lenses on todays EOS cameras doesn't guarantee compatibility on the next generation of EOS cameras.

In short, a word of warning to lens shoppers, if you buy aftermarket lenses be aware that they may not always be compatible with newer cameras or all the accessories.

Below is a link to a thread about compatibility on one of my favorite photo sites.

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Onrp

Thats why I stated, research the lense heavily and take some test shots with the lense before purchase. The third party lenses I have work perfectly on everything from my Elan IIe qd 35mm to my 30D and I've used them on Mikes 40D and Leah has used them on her 5D. None ever missed a lick. One thing nice about my computer artists group, we have multiple people researching lenses and when one buys a lense, we all get to try it out. And many places like B & H will let you return the lense if your camera has a problem with the lense.

[BuckyBadger]

Milwaukee Mile 6-22/Canon 40d with a 70-300DO IS.
http://public.fotki.com/53711/milwaukee-mile-08/

[07cajuntitan]

Awesome pics Bucky!!!