Digital SLR's

[beejay1]

Anyone up on the above? I want to get back to some proper photography and need advice on SLR's. I wont waste your time until the experts respond
Thanks.
beejay1

http://community.webshots.com/user/eunos9

[doublejay]

Steve's Digicams (http://www.steves-digicams.com/) has some great in-depth reviews of the full range of digitals.

Another site that comes highly recommended is Digital Camera Resource Page (http://www.dcresource.com/)

[Dean]

I've got an Olympus E-300 8MP DSLR on the way :)
It's supposedly quite a good camera for the money. But a good photographer can take great shots on those throw away cameras from tourist shops, a bad photographer can have the latest and greatest and still take bad shots. :)

After carefully checking out other similar cameras in roughly the same price range (Nikon D70 and Canon Digital Rebel), I decided on the E-300 because:

- New 4/3rds system (supposedly the next big thing in the industry. i believe it equates into the possibility of much reduced lens sizes, even for telephoto lenses)
- 8MP allows you to crop images and still retain resolution
- Have two other Olympus digitals cameras and they have delivered some of the sharpest digital images I have seen
- Good range of ISO settings (down to 50) up to 3200 (off memory, or was that 1600? I don't ever really go over 400 anyway)
- Enough shutter speeds to accommodate just about everything.
- Unique angled mirror design gives camera smaller profile.
- I added a Sigma 55-200mm (110-400mm equiv) lens for just US$139 - a real bargain for a pretty good lens (F3.5 - 4.6 off memory)
- It uses same batteries, flash, and storage media as my C-8080 so no additional costs for those :)

Check out www.dpreview.com for some good reviews.

[beejay1]

Thanks guys. One of the links gave me the answer. I gave up photography years ago but still have some pentax lenses and wanted to know if pentax digital slr's are still good and would the old lenses fit new cameras, which they do.
Itll be nice to get back to it and no more darkroom work which was fun but very time consuming/
Thanks again for the help.
beejay1

http://community.webshots.com/user/eunos9

[bitingmidge]

My favourite Digi link is http://www.dpreview.com/ There are a number of forums which are incredibly well patronised as well.

Cheers,

P

[beejay1]

good site that midge. the comparison tables extremely useful. Now confused and erring towards Nikon or canon which will give me issues with my old pentax lenses.
Could turn out to be a costly exercise this!
Thanks again for the link.
beejay1

http://community.webshots.com/user/eunos9

[bewdynewk]

Yup - endorse the www.dpreview.com (http://www.dpreview.com) link. Just about the best info going. And do not miss the common sense, no-nonsense practical reviews by a pro. - and the wonderful photography too, at www.luminous-landscape.com (http://www.luminous-landscape.com) - Michael Reichmann is a Canon buff and with good reason. The Canon Digi SLR stuff is just about the bees knees (though he says the Latest Nikon DSLR is finally competitive too.)

Following his advice, I bought a Canon 6-megapixel* d60 two years ago and took it on a world tour... the Canon CMOS sensor produces a wonderful, soft film-like result. Glorious A3+ prints. There have been 3 models since then - the current ones being the 20D which is now an 8mp camera, and the cheaper version of the 6mp 10D and 6mp MKI 20D - the Digital Rebel or 300D. These are dropping in price to around $1300 now, as a new model is imminent apparently. Price-wise you must check all against Dirt Cheap Cameras in Sydney ('Net sales only) - http://svc003.bne012i.server-web.com/catalogue/dirtcheap/public/home.ehtml?syspage=1

Well, enough of that - I could rave on but suffice to say that Canon has the goods ( and others are gaining rapidly). Depends what you want it for, but I would assess 4/3rds system very carefully... lenses that only fit one particular maker's 4/3 cameras? Hmmm, maybe - but will the new standard last? My Canon, Sigma and Tamron lenses will fit any Canon 35mm camera - digicam or film.

Happy Hunting - and be prepared to spend many nights checking the Luminous Landscape alone.

Rod

* Not all megapixels are born the same if you were not already aware. An 8mp non-SLR consumer model has a sensor that is a mere speck against that of a true 8mp DSLR (Canon models as above and other top makers).

[beejay1]

thanks for that Rod. This isnt going to be an easy decision as i love the Takumar lenses and it would be a shame not to use them again. Only problem is im not convinced the pentax camera is the best option avail. Canon prices are reasonable over here in the UK but I can get both nikon & canon from the far east so I may go that route.

Will let you know how it ends up. Thanks again
beejay1

http://community.webshots.com/user/eunos9

[Iain]

Canon make a nice couple of SLR's the big one being a 11mp, the problem is similar $$$.
I use a Fuji S700 with the electronic viewfinder (I hate standing looking at a little screen, bloody hard to compose properly) with the 12mp fine mode and it produces excellent results.
RAW format is even better but the images appear under exposed and need to be adjusted with photoshop or similar and they yield magnificant results.
I have a 512mb card and am looking at getting a 2.2gb microdrive to increase the number of shots.
On RAW I can only capture 39 images on a 512mb card.
I would put it on par with Nikon, and we all know there is an affiliation between the two companies.