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Digital SLR

matthewr said:
To buy a digital SLR you need to care a lot about photography or a lot about impressing the sort of people who buy £15,000 preamps. Unless you have specific requirements, most of it is just e-peen.

Matthew / Bub

I concur that there are some pretty good compact digital cameras, however none of them have the same quality of optics that you get on a dedicated SLR. Unusually this is not just my opinion, I think it is a well recognised fact.

Another problem with compact digital cameras is that the manufacturers seem to concentrate on making as many pixels available as possible at the expense not only of the optics but also other things that matter such as

Flash capability
Memory capacity
Speed of processing
Viewfinder (if you get one at all it won't be remotely like the view through the lens)

In fact the majority of small digital compact cameras don't even bother with a viewfinder instead relying on a display on the back that you can't actuall see in daylight.

My DSLR is now about 5 years old, but at the time it was the cheap way into getting a digital back onto Nikon lenses. The body and back are made by Fuji and it is called the S1 Pro. The current model is about the same price as the Nikon D70 and is called the S3 Pro. It is worth a look if you want:

Decent body
good speed of processing
multiple memory formats
compatibility with Nikon lenses
Adjustable viewfinder
etc

The Canon range is also pretty good.

If you want a recommendation for a compact digital camera, I quite like the Panasonic Lumix range, and the biggest one is pretty much on a par with a digital SLR

cheers
Cliff
 
cliffpatte said:
Matthew / Bub
I concur that there are some pretty good compact digital cameras, however none of them have the same quality of optics that you get on a dedicated SLR. Unusually this is not just my opinion, I think it is a well recognised fact.

cliff.

that's not entirely true. i have seen very good results from a few of the non-SLR canons and the sony cameras carrying zeiss glass. the larger problems are with the tiny sensors (though it's not the end of the world) and, more importantly, the crap viewfinders. then there are issues of speed of operation and the ability to control the camera manually.

vuk.
 
speed of operation is the main problem in non-SLR digitals. If you want a camera which takes a picture at something approaching the same time as you press the shutter release then get a DSLR.

Michael.
 
I've had a couple of digital compacts. The first was a £600 Fuji thing with 3 mega pixels (so you can tell how old that was!). It was a hideous thing but took superb photographs - as I think most now do. Trouble was - and this issue rarely comes up in reviews - they were never the picture you intended taking. The viewfinder was crap and forced you to use a strange and uncomfortable grip on the camera which made you feel hurried and awkward. And the time delay between pressing the shutter and the camera taking the picture was long and, worse, completely random.

The newer compacts are better but still not as nice to use as most old film cameras. And most are still odd shapes and made from hard slippery metal.
I can't hold a camera at arms length and press the shutter without moving it, so camera shake is a constant hazard.

All in all despite its technical proficiency I struggle to get even my newer Olympus to take pictures I like, though I do enjoy its convenience. I will probably buy a digtal SLR this year though to replace my film SLR: I just know I'll take better pictures with it.
 
vuk said:
cliff.

that's not entirely true. ...... and, more importantly, the crap viewfinders. then there are issues of speed of operation and the ability to control the camera manually.

vuk.

Thats kind of what I said in the rest of the post. The ones you mention with Zeiss optics are ok, but the one I mentioned (Panasonic Lumix) has Leica optics, which are allegedly better still.

http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/digital_cameras/lens.asp

Although I have a Lumix for "snapping" I use the S1 Pro when I want to something serious like a portrait or a landscape.
 
Bub,

So, with all our helpful, nonconflicting advice, what are you going to buy -- a 6MP point-n-shoot D-SLR, with a non-zooming f/1.4 zoom with professional aperture-ring-on-lens camera made by Pentikanon or an 8MP point-n-shoot D-SLR, with a non-zooming f/1.4 zoom with professional aperture-ring-on-lens camera made by Pentikanon?

Joe
 
Bub, just get a Pentax *istDS...

111250714_02c637d77a.jpg


Resistance is futile.
 
Take a look at the Olympus E1 - Digital Depot are selling them for a good price, OK they are now 3 years or so old but they produce good images. The 4/3rds standards is being adopted by Leica and Panasonic.
 
Bub

there is a useful article in this month's PC Plus magazine which explains about sensor sizes and the effect on lens cropping and compares the Canon you mentioned to the Olympus FE10, the Nikon Coolpix S3 and the Fujifilm Finepix S9500 with an interesting Editor's choice outcome.

Cheers
Cliff
 
I note that Bub didn't actually say he wanted a camera or -- if he does -- give any details about his intended use. He just asked if that Canon was any good.

I contend that until / unless we know more there is not much useful advice that can be given wihtout assuming rather a lot.

Matthew
 
matthewr said:
I contend that until / unless we know more there is not much useful advice that can be given wihtout assuming rather a lot.
I agree. James - you need to give a little more...
 
It is about what it is what Bub wants..?

Does he want a big and bulky camera with SLR looks and feel plus interchangeable lenses.

Or does he want something to take good (enough) digital photos.

In the latter case a smaller camera MIGHT be nicer to have with and use.

I just forgot my Sony digicam home when we left for Tenerife and bought another camera from there. I took a Panasonic Lumix but not the big one with Leica name on the glass. I believe this is Leica, too but named Lumix for the reason to make a cheaper price setting only. Leica may have their hands in design of these cameras even more broadly. My camera has a dark gray composite body and it is so sturdy that it does not even make a tiniest sound or bend at all when I try to twist it. Just nothing. VERY stiff body indeed.

The model is Lumix DMC-LZ2 and it is like a smallish range finder body with 5 Mpix sensor and 6X zoom lens (37-222mm equiv.) with the MEGA O.I.S. optical stabilizator. This camera is just unbelievable in use. We were in a jungle type zoo and I took very close photos by 24X zoom (optical+digital). By hand and by using support. 6X optical is easy to take by hand with the O.I.S.

It is not optically perfect (for bokeh) but for a small digital camera it is splendid IMHO. You can reach things from far away and make them close photos easily. I lacks viewfinder, however and only has the LCD display on back. That is the worst drawback. This camera is very fast to start, stop and use. Very nice thing is that you can fix the exposure and focus by pushing the trigger half way - it is THE thing I have desired from my Nikon SLR's for the digicams and now I got it.

I paid only 240 euros incl the half giga Kingston memory card. Cheap as a cake.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasoniclz2/

I took also some B/W photos to try it. Look at the fabric's grain on the cap reproduced evenly on the whole surface of the cap plus the decorative lines curving! Not too bad for the price.

Oz

miikanen.jpg
 
Today I was in some camerashops to look for a digital prosumer camera for my brother. Lots of features, lots of plastic and lots of megapixels for what it's worth.
Played with the Nikon d50, d70s and the d200. Played with the canon d30 d350 and D5 (altough out of his price range)and out of curiosity with the olympus E-300. Guess what ? If I were in his shoes I'd buy the Olympus !
Great solid feel , fairly cheap and a decent lens (a 14-42 IIRC).
The Nikon d50 with the two kitlenses made me wan't to cry. The d200 didn't impress me at all, feeling like a wannabee D2x. The Canons, except the D5, had the same shortcomings as the Nikons. Mind you I'm talking about camera's aimed at the starting (digital)fotographer blinded by megapixels, 12x zoom lenses and 2gb storage cards.
So if you're in the market for a decent digital SLR and you're an average photographer buy an Olympus E-300 otherwise learn first how to make a decent picture with a secondhand Praktika. Rant over.

Rob.
 


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