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Camera help

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by OTD, May 16, 2007.

  1. OTD

    OTD Well-Known Member

    I'm thinking of getting a digital SLR (actually, my wife's going to get it for me for our anniversary). Does anyone have any thoughts about which one? The Canons and the Nikons seem to get good reviews. I'm looking at at least 8 MP.
     
    OTD, May 16, 2007
    #1
  2. Melodious Thunk

    Melodious Thunk Member

    Don't want to start the whole "It's not the pixels, it's the processor" debate, but if you're looking to spend under a grand, the Nikon D40X is the only dSLR Nikon sells that has that many pixels (it has 10 million). The EOS 350D is the only Canon currently on the market with over 8 mil.

    If you have a lot invested in glass already, you should know the Nikon autofocus will only work with lenses with their own drive motors. Not sure about the Canon.

    This is a good place to compare models and features, and get some great in-depth reviews: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare.asp

    I personally have a Panasonic FZ8, which I like because it is half the size and weight of a dSLR, but with a great zoom (up to 400mm), lots of flexibility and a Leica lens.
     
    Melodious Thunk, May 16, 2007
    #2
  3. Platyrhynchos

    Platyrhynchos Active Member

    Paging UTshooter ... UTshooter, come to the courtesy desk, please.
     
    Platyrhynchos, May 16, 2007
    #3
  4. 2muchcoffeeman

    2muchcoffeeman Well-Known Member

    Canon autofocus just works. And Canon doesn't make you pay extra for the software that works with the camera.

    In our country, the 350D is the Rebel XT and comes with a slow flash sync speed. It is incorrect to say that this is the only Canon D-SLR that clears the 8MP limit; the Rebel XTi (aka EOS 400D), EOS 30D and a host of high-end models all have higher usable pixel counts than the XT's 8.0 MP. The 30D (8.2 MP, 1/250 flash sync shutter speed, 5 frame per second shutter speed) might be the best D-SLR on the market in terms of bang-for-buck.
     
    2muchcoffeeman, May 16, 2007
    #4
  5. Beef03

    Beef03 Active Member

    I am a big fan of the Canon 30-D – the other thing about the 30-D that may or may not make it more appealing is that it is apparently coming to the end of its run, meaning price should be dropping drastically on them.
     
    Beef03, May 16, 2007
    #5
  6. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    The beauty of the Canon is that unlike the film mounts, nearly every old EOS lens will correctly autofocus on their digitals. I have a 300D (original Digital Rebel) and I picked up an old tank of a Tokina lens that is f/2.8, 80-200 mm. The lens is old, but it is built solidly, takes amazing pictures and is faster than anything I could afford new. I can't afford new Canon L glass--for a hobby/learn more for work kind of thing--so this is the best I could hope for. No problems on the autofocus (even though it is a noisy old lens), which I would have had with this lens on most of the newer Canon film bodies. The other thing about Canon is that their lenses are magnificent and if you invest in decent lenses now for whatever camera you buy, the lenses will still be good when you buy a new Canon digital sometime in the future. If you do go Canon, make the f/1.8 50 mm prime lens one of your first investments. One, out of Canon's cheap lenses it is the best value on earth. You will never spend a better $80 or so. The thing takes amazing pictures--better than more expensive lenses I have played with. Apparently 50 mm lenses are easy to manufacture. Secondly, it will probably be the fastest lens in your bag if you are a hobbiest. And stopped down to 1.8 you can shoot indoors without a flash (museum, for example). Lastly, you learn a lot with a prime lens. It forces you to move your feet to frame a shot and makes you think more about composition. The pictures that thing takes are amazing.
     
    The Big Ragu, May 16, 2007
    #6
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