| Author | Thread |
|
|
03/02/2004 03:37:32 PM · #1 |
Greetings...
What drives you to buy a new camera?
The comparisons and debates around here continue daily. 10D vs 300D vs D70 and whatever other cameras may be in the loop. Each camera has differences in features, design, and flexibility.
I believe this website should get a commission from all the major camera manufacturers. I see a lot of people upgrading for no apparent reason other than it's the 'in thing to do'. The Jones' have one so I probalby should get one too :) I will take better pictures if I upgrade. More is better. It's also all about status. Black cameras are better than silver ones, but white lenses are better than black ones??? Go figure... Maybe if the silver camera cost more than the black one, it would be better :) Oh.. and it has to look badass :D
Now that you have caved in to peer pressure and hype, you get your new camera and feel a bit lost with it. You will start posting questions in the forums, and these very questions will make some people wonder why you upgraded. You will ask about features that should have been deciding factors on your upgrade. You will ask what lenses you need to start out with. If you are upgrading to a DSLR and don't know what lenses you need, you may not need an upgrade afterall. The lens flexibility is usually the primary reason people upgrade to DSLR.
If you have recently upgraded to a DSLR, or are considering doing so, take a few moments to list the main reasons you upgraded here in this thread. You will be surprised to see that most of the reasons will be similar.
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 03:43:33 PM · #2 |
| I see you listed your reasons john... |
|
|
|
03/02/2004 03:44:38 PM · #3 |
John,
I wanted something that I just enjoyed shooting. I shot my Sony DSC-S85 point-and-shoot for a year and decided that since I had the money to put into something and I didn't have any hobby at the time I wanted to get back to shooting with an SLR body. It just somehow feels more professional in my hands. I still can't make images consistently that are as good as some others with p-n-s cameras but I'm much more motivated to go out shooting (I've shot my rear off the last month or so with models) and that's probably the most important thing. I enjoy it. It feels good to hold that camera and shoot it.
If I start picking up wedding jobs consistently and I keep getting jobs to shoot models for posters or portraits of people then I'd love to upgrade to the 1D mark II or the next upgrade of the 1Ds just to have more resolution with higher signal-to-noise ratio.
I never got into fixing up my car with an awesome engine or even with a cool stereo system but the way I get into buying camera equipment seems to me to be the way some people pour money into whatever their hobby is. And to top it off, I am learning how to use those features like mirror lock-up and changing the configuration of the exposure lock/focus from having everything on one button to spreading it out for greater degrees of control.
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 03:53:36 PM · #4 |
- needed a cam of my own
- needed a versatile and adaptable cam
- HATE film
- was unfamiliar with the SLR, but was supremely confident in my ability to learn [and still am]
- wanted a challenge ..what's life if we never pose questions and challenges to ourselves? Soo....how does one learn if one does not first challenge ones self?
- refused to let anyone tell me I should start at the bottom because I didn't have the photography time put in that they did/do, which is no reflection of my natural ability and learning curve.
The only people who look down on the silver 300D, etc, body are the self-titled 'pros' who think the only reason someone bought it was to impress the neighbors and keep up with wide-eyed hype.
[case in point, a DPC'er was physically kept from being close to the action at a sporting event by another 'pro' photographer who didn't consider the DPC'er a serious photographer with his 300D..and the 'pro' held the same press status as said DPC'er]
Message edited by author 2004-03-02 15:55:31. |
|
|
|
03/02/2004 04:00:24 PM · #5 |
My husband upgraded me, (as a Christmas gift, and I didn't know about it until he sprang it on me), because I already owned a Canon 35mm and had lenses for it that would work with the digital. I was actually perfectly happy with my F707, but we had been discussing the digital SLR's, and he thought I "needed" one!
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 04:06:42 PM · #6 |
I had £1000 to blow, and there wasnt enough equipment for my G2 worth spending that amount on, so I got a new camera. The 300D was the only DSLR I could afford so I didnt have much choice. I wanted a DSLR for the flexibility, image quality, and fast focussing, just things like that really.
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 04:31:34 PM · #7 |
- strong DOF (sounds dumb, but prosumers are unbelievably limiting)
- want/need to do some sports photography and need to be able to use large zooms and fast speeds
- less noise and ability to use higher ISO (my camera absolutely sucks at anything higher than 200)
- need to do some concert photography and need ability to shoot in low- or lower-light situations
and i'm not tied to any particular lens system, which might seem to make the decision earlier, but for a hardware novice it completely sucks. |
|
|
|
03/02/2004 04:55:46 PM · #8 |
I don't want to 'upgrade', I just want to get a better tool to do the job. It is not like a non-dSLR is a bad camera, especially some of the newest offerings offer all you need if you don't print large / crop much / aren't interested in DOF control etc.
My next camera will be a dSLR. A Canon, based on my lens selection, it is just the body that still keeps me waiting instead of driving to the shop tomorrow. Depending on the availabilty it will either be the 10D, the 10D successor (rumor is that the last orders by distributors can be made at the end of this month) or perhaps a possible new camera between the 1D Mk2 and the 10D.
My reasons:
* Good quality low-light flashless indoor and outdoor photography
I hate flash, I especially hate to flash someone in the face at an event that I am asked to cover. So I look for clean high ISO's combined with fast prime lens(es) and take the extreme shallow dof for granted (most of the time it will even help the photo). So the 10D's ISO1600 + a EF 50mm 1.4 come to mind. This is also the reason to wait longer for a new body. I expect Digic II with even cleaner ISO1600 and perhaps usable ISO 3200.
* AF-Speed / Shutter release lag
Faster AF (USM lenses), considerably less shutter lag. AF that keeps a lock on the subject while it moves would be very helpful for motorsports.
* Optical Viewfinder
I don't like the EVF on the 602 and the small view. I like to see the real world trough the lens. When shooting (continiously) the viewfinder blackout time of the EVF is a bad thing, mirrors are faster. The OVF also is a lot easier to pan with and to spot things like poles that you don't want to have in the frame (I am surprised what I get from the 602, all kind of s*** in the frames, just don't see it when shooting).
* sensor quality
Less noise, better resolving power, better color, more dynamic range
* optical quality
I get to choose what lens gets in front of the CMOS and I don't mind spending a bit of money to get the very best (Canon offers affordable F4 L lenses, 17-40 and 70-200 = also excellent build quality). The difference in contrast, color, resolution and fast aperture sharpeness between a good high quality lens and a lower quality / what they put on most normal digicams is huge imho.
This way I can also get better quality wideangle and tele compared to the 602 with a wideangle- or teleconverter. The downside of those converters is also that you lose 90% of the zoom range of the camera. Missed a lot of shots because the converter is slow to screw off and on.
* DOF control
Shallow DOF without using Macro mode would be a blessing.
The lenses I chose will also give excellent bokeh, something that sucks on almost all normal cameras.
* Overall image quality
Better quality prints, easier to work on in PS (esp RAW).
Several hundreds of photos I take on request are for a local historical archive. I just want to put the best in there as possible, both those that are printed and those that are delivered digitally.
This year I also sold some prints and am requested to do a lot of portraits at the opening of a small museum, another reason to get the very best (lens perfomance also plays a role here).
I like a lot of detail in landscapes, something that my current camera does not give and I was not overwhelmed with samples from newer cameras.
* Perhaps I am a camera-tech nerd
Good to think about all these aspects again. Feel free to point out where my reasons are wrong.
Message edited by author 2004-03-02 17:26:35.
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 04:56:19 PM · #9 |
| I quit smoking and had to spend all that money on something. Real reason is I just wanted to get back to SLRs and the Rebel was in my price range. |
|
|
|
03/02/2004 04:56:24 PM · #10 |
i got my D60 because of the long shutter speeds I can get with the Canon Timer Remote that are not possible with my Sony 707.
Also a side afftect is I get to use long lenses for nature stuff that the 707 cant get to.... so unless one of the next generation cameras will wash my car and do my laundry, im pretty much set... oh and it has to be able to walk the dog as well :)
James
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 05:20:39 PM · #11 |
Main reason : image quality. I am really impressed by the 300D/10D image quality, the absence of noise. I hope the D70 is similar, seems to offer 10D control at a lower price (still need to investigate lenses).
(one salesman told me the price of the D70 might even be below the 300D !!!)
Other main considerations :
* don't like lugging many lenses around and having to change them all the time. Current 38-190 on my F707 is reasonable range, would like some more telephoto sometimes.
* love the swivel body of the F707, use it a lot, don't have to get down in the mud to take a low angle shot. Also great on tripod, for still life/product shots at home.
* live preview of image versus clear view of optical viewfinder. Each has its pro/cons.
* speed of focus, shutter lag, images per second, less missed opportunities.
* total investment in camera, lens(es), new memory cards, filters etc. Is it worth it, for my use ?
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 06:05:01 PM · #12 |
On the flip side, I 'upgraded' my camera based on what I considered to be my need at the time, and overall am pretty happy. I went from a Fuji 3800 to my Oly C-750. My hubby tried to convince me to to to a 300D, but honestly, as I have little experience with SLR's, I felt it was too advanced at the moment. Not only that, but the expense of the gear to go with it was quite a decision maker as well. I'd like to upgrade one day to a DSLR, but I'm still learning all the functions of my current camera, and I figure it'll be at least a year before I think seriously of upgrading - and only then if I can really see that it's worth it to me to do so.
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 06:18:29 PM · #13 |
Wanted to look more badass.
This helped.
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 06:25:46 PM · #14 |
I'm looking to upgrade because of picture quality. I recently began printing my pictures in sizes from 8.5x11 to 24x36 using many of the recommended methods of up-sampling you can find on line and I was very disappointed to see how much noise my pictures have even at ISO 160. Wider choice of lenses (wide, macro, telephoto, etc.) is a huge plus. Faster more responsive use of the camera.
Plus, point & shoot cameras simply don't get the job done in professional photography, which is what I want to get into. I feel I've outgrown my camera. That's why I barely even enter the challenges any more. I will say that there are things about my camera that I'm sure I'll miss such as the Super Macro mode and not having to carry around bags of very expensive lenses. But I feel limited by the point & shoot world. It's onward and upward for me.....not a "my camera is better than yours" thing.
I think we can all agree that the great pictures come from great photographers and not great cameras.....but a professional needs professional tools.
Message edited by author 2004-03-02 18:39:12.
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 06:29:10 PM · #15 |
The real reason I ditched my E-20 for the D70:
I suffer from low self-esteem and I needed a new camera to boost my self-image, also my DPChallenge scores have been in the toilet lately and since it can’t possibly be my fault, I blamed it on the crappy old E-20 that I had. I’m sure the D70 will add at least 2 full points to my score!
I’m also guilty of ‘looking down’ on the 300D because of the silver body, can’t see how it can help my image. (See ‘self-esteem’ problem above) I considered black spray paint but I’m no better at painting that I am at photography, so I ruled out that option too.
Now for the reasons I gave my wife:
I was never happy with the level of noise that I got from the E-20. I live near Phoenix where the summer temperature routinely hits 115°. Even using an ISO of 80, any sky in a photo taken at that temperature will be creamed with noise. I tried using Neat Image to correct but I wasn’t satisfied with the results and it was very time consuming.
I wanted more zoom that the E-20 could muster. I could have bought the TCON300 but it’s expensive, heavy and only works like a prime (no zoom) plus I didn’t want to sink more money into a camera that I wasn’t happy with.
I love the TTL viewfinder on the E-20 and didn’t want to give it up so that limited my choices to a DSLR and I ruled out the 300D because compared to the E-20 it just felt like a toy in my hands.
I sold the E-20 on eBay for $760 so my D70 kit only cost me about $560, now I just have to be patient until it gets here.
Roger
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 06:57:52 PM · #16 |
Originally posted by jmsetzler:
Greetings...
What drives you to buy a new camera?
The comparisons and debates around here continue daily. 10D vs 300D vs D70 and whatever other cameras may be in the loop. Each camera has differences in features, design, and flexibility.
I believe this website should get a commission from all the major camera manufacturers. I see a lot of people upgrading for no apparent reason other than it's the 'in thing to do'. The Jones' have one so I probalby should get one too :) I will take better pictures if I upgrade. More is better. It's also all about status. Black cameras are better than silver ones, but white lenses are better than black ones??? Go figure... Maybe if the silver camera cost more than the black one, it would be better :) Oh.. and it has to look badass :D
Now that you have caved in to peer pressure and hype, you get your new camera and feel a bit lost with it. You will start posting questions in the forums, and these very questions will make some people wonder why you upgraded. You will ask about features that should have been deciding factors on your upgrade. You will ask what lenses you need to start out with. If you are upgrading to a DSLR and don't know what lenses you need, you may not need an upgrade afterall. The lens flexibility is usually the primary reason people upgrade to DSLR.
If you have recently upgraded to a DSLR, or are considering doing so, take a few moments to list the main reasons you upgraded here in this thread. You will be surprised to see that most of the reasons will be similar. |
1st-Flexibility of changing lenses is tops for me.
2nd-Image quality is huge factor sensor and glass!I like outdoor photography best!
3rd-Penis envy
Quality comes at a price but anyone can become a better photographer no matter what camera they use! |
|
|
|
03/02/2004 07:02:57 PM · #17 |
I'm upgrading in the next couple of days to a DSLR. Most of my photographic experience has been with SLR cameras. I got my first one when I was in 6th grade. My dad upgraded to an Olympus OM2 and I was the proud recipient of his old Canon FT-QL.
I have worked as a pro photographer, assistant, B&W printer, both in Los Angeles and here in MI and have experience with a variety of camera systems (Large and medium format as well as 35mm).
At some point, I became disillusioned with the business aspect of photography. Art school taught me a lot about creating images and controlling light, but very little about running a photography business. I put away my cameras and went back to school for engineering. Last summer, I sold all of my equipment, 35mm Nikon system and my large format camera gear as well. I used that money for a variety of things, but I purchased my G5 as well and began shooting again. I love digital for the instant feedback and the fact that every frame is not an added expense. I am also having a blast discovering the possibilities of image editing in Photoshop. Digital gives me all the control (and more) over my images that I used to have in a conventional darkroom without the added expense and stinky chemicals.
I love my G5, it is a great camera, but it (along with every other P&S and prosumer digicam) lacks several things I really expect from a camera.
The ability to get a true wide angle just is not there, one of my favorite lenses for 35 is a 24mm, a close second is a 20mm. It's just they way things are with small sensor cameras. I know if I went back to film, WA would be easier without the multiplier working against me, but then I'd miss all the advantages of digital.
Same thing with long telephoto, but the 1.6x works for me.
Shallow DOF is almost impossible to get without tinkering in PS. I know it's possible to do effectively, but it's a LOT more work than just shooting the lens wide open.
Lag (shutter and AF). There is nothing more irritating to me than missing a shot because the AF won't lock on or because I push the release and wait and wait for the shutter to open. I hope my new DSLR will meet my needs, if there are times when it doesn't, manual focus can't be more difficult than it is with the G5.
Long exposure. By long exposure, I mean minutes, not seconds. The longest exposure I have done was 4+ hours using a 4x5 view camera stopped down to f64 in a near dark room. I love shooting photos at night without flash. I would like something longer than the paltry 15s available on most digicams.
An SLR just feels natural in my hands. The G5 at least reminds me of a old 35mm rangefinder camera. The Sony cams I looked at when shopping for my G5 felt so alien to me.
I bought my G5 as an experiment to see if photography was still something I wanted as a serious hobby without spending rock-star dollars on a DSLR. Now, I know that I may have put photography on the shelf for a while, but it's still something I want to do, seriously enough to make the investment in a DSLR system.
Any camera imposes its own set of limitations on the photographer. When those limitations are beyond the photographer's own limitations, all is well. When the camera is the limiting factor in the photographer's work, the photographer will become frustrated and seek a solution. In some cases there are ways around some equipment limitations, if not, then it is time to change the equipment.
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 07:07:03 PM · #18 |
[quote=Jacko] Wanted to look more badass.
Ya what he said! |
|
|
|
03/02/2004 07:28:41 PM · #19 |
I've had my 10D for a little over two weeks now, and although my old F717 was a good camera, this thing is on another level entirely. What I like most about it is having options and responsibility. There's more depth to the whole thing, and when you've gotten the hang of it you'll end up with better images than when using a P&S, because the camera keeps you completely involved and doesn't allow you to get careless and sloppy. Each photo also becomes more valuable somehow, because you had to work harder at getting it.
I ordered two new lenses today and already have a million-and-two jobs for them in mind.
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 07:29:03 PM · #20 |
| Another reason would be the larger CCD. For example the EOS-1D has a CCD closer in size to a 35mm film frame than most. |
|
|
|
03/02/2004 07:34:59 PM · #21 |
I went from a Sony DSC-S50 to an F717 to a 10D. I did some photography with my F717 at track meets and was given an opportunity to do some more sports. So, I did some thinking, and upgraded for the following reasons:
1. Lens performance and choice. The AF speed, glass quality and focal length is something that I could never get with my F717. 50 1.4 just doesn't exist in the digicam world. Less distortion in good lenses.
2. Flexibility. Depth of field variance, ISO 100-3200 at much lower noise levels. Bulb-1/4000th.
3. Responsiveness. Less shutter lag, camera always ready to take shots, most critical controls are buttoned or dialed and not in a menu, faster buffer, higher frame rate for more frames.
4. Look professional. Be professional. I do paying jobs from time to time and it does help when you look professional and have professional-level tools for the job, both in impressions and in results.
5. Opportunity to grow a camera system rather than constantly buying cameras and selling them - buying lenses that I can keep for a long time and upgrading bodies as I see fit. This includes the possibility of shooting with film backs.
Now that I've had the 10D for a while, I can say that one thing I've learned to enjoy, in addition to the above features, is shooting in RAW. Having the RAW files at your disposal and not having to worry about white balance, contrast, saturation etc. when shooting is quite nice. No way would I ever go back to a digicam as my primary camera, even though I still find the F717 and cameras of their ilk to be truly amazing, incredibly versatile tools that produce outstanding results that you have to have a very specific need or set of needs in order to justify upgrading from. |
|
|
|
03/02/2004 07:47:03 PM · #22 |
| I definetly agree that a DSLR does bring everything to a new level, you must be happy with what you are using or you wont use it! |
|
|
|
03/02/2004 08:56:40 PM · #23 |
Originally posted by jmsetzler:
What drives you to buy a new camera? |
I agree with a lot of the reasons people have posted, but mainly I just wanted to make those less fortunate than me very, very jealous. And, they’re great for picking up chicks too!
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 09:34:53 PM · #24 |
Originally posted by jimmythefish:
1. Lens performance and choice. The AF speed, glass quality and focal length is something that I could never get with my F717. 50 1.4 just doesn't exist in the digicam world. Less distortion in good lenses.
2. Flexibility. Depth of field variance, ISO 100-3200 at much lower noise levels. Bulb-1/4000th.
3. Responsiveness. Less shutter lag, camera always ready to take shots, most critical controls are buttoned or dialed and not in a menu, faster buffer, higher frame rate for more frames.
4. Look professional. Be professional. I do paying jobs from time to time and it does help when you look professional and have professional-level tools for the job, both in impressions and in results.
5. Opportunity to grow a camera system rather than constantly buying cameras and selling them - buying lenses that I can keep for a long time and upgrading bodies as I see fit. This includes the possibility of shooting with film backs.
|
That's pretty much it for me as well - the choice of more specialized/dedicated lenses, general usability, and starting a long-term equipment collection. More tool than toy. I was doing a paid job last week, and it just wouldn't have felt right with the F717, although it would have probably gotten the job done.
|
|
|
|
03/02/2004 09:50:10 PM · #25 |
Originally posted by Jacko:
Wanted to look more badass.
This helped. |
are you compensating for something with that there lens? :-)
(jealousy is ugly, ain't it?) |
|
