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04/24/2006 02:41:50 PM · #1 |
buying my first DSLR. I have been using a Minolta Z1 and now Z6 but am just jonesing for a DSLR. So I was wondering from the oh wise ones, which I should start out with. Any advice would be very helpful.
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04/24/2006 02:44:35 PM · #2 |
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II
Message edited by author 2006-04-24 14:45:06.
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04/24/2006 02:46:53 PM · #3 |
| Go to a store, pick them all up... A lot of the brands have comperable models, so it comes down to personal preference. Everyone is basically going to tell you to go with the brand they own... Keep in mind that the biggest investment in SLRs is the glass, not the body. |
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04/24/2006 03:04:31 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by tryals15:
Go to a store, pick them all up... A lot of the brands have comperable models, so it comes down to personal preference. Everyone is basically going to tell you to go with the brand they own... Keep in mind that the biggest investment in SLRs is the glass, not the body. |
In the glass? Do you mean the lenses?
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04/24/2006 03:05:55 PM · #5 |
What tryals15 said. You will likely upgrade the SLR body at some point (especially if you're a DPC member). Get a body you can live with and buy the best lenses you can afford.
From personal experience, I bought my 10D when a friend upgraded to the 20D. I've had it for 1.5 years now and am still very happy with it. When I do upgrade, it'll likely be to purchase used again. Canon (and others) are rolling out new models often enough to keep the used market very competitive.
Originally posted by gayle43103:
buying my first DSLR. I have been using a Minolta Z1 and now Z6 but am just jonesing for a DSLR. So I was wondering from the oh wise ones, which I should start out with. Any advice would be very helpful.
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04/24/2006 03:09:07 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by JayWalk:
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II |
That's a $7K camera...that out of my price range
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04/24/2006 03:11:37 PM · #7 |
I started out with a Canon Rebel. It was great because of the price, and a good brand...a nice way to learn more about photography. Now that I've upgraded, I use my rebel as a backup and in tricky situations that I'm afraid to take my 5D into (canoeing, etc.)
Definitely agree with what others say about worrying more on the glass. I've only upgraded my camera once, but am constantly trying to get better lenses. They should last a lot longer. |
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04/24/2006 03:14:43 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by gayle43103:
Originally posted by JayWalk:
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II |
That's a $7K camera...that out of my price range |
He was messing with you. Tryals15 had a good point. Go to a store and actually hold the cameras. You'd be surprised how much of a difference the "feel" of a camera makes. You could go with the Nikon D50 if you're looking for an inexpensive but good camera. Or of course the Canon 350XT is also a good first camera. Good luck. |
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04/24/2006 03:41:51 PM · #9 |
What do you want to do, photographically, over teh next 5 years?
Just family and hobby stuff then consider any brand of DLSR. If you aspire to wedding photography, sports photography or other pro pursuits, or any specialty (macro, architecture, event/school) then look at only Nikon or Canon. The other companies just don't make teh gear you'll need.
Canon will probably give you the most choices in glass, bodies and accessories and will probably cost less. RAW conversion software is free, where with Nikon it costs another $100. It often the little things that trip you up that you don't find out about until later.
Bodies come and go, lenses remain. As a hobbyist, you will likely spend more on lenses than the body within a year. Lenses don't get technologically out of date like the bodies do.
So while you may like the feel of Body X today, it's replacement may not be what you like - so the advice to 'go and feel it' is to me rather shallow and poor advice. The 30D is different in feel from the 350XT, which is different than the 300D it replaced. The 1D line is completely different in feel from the lower level cameras. Feel has not a damned thing to do with what the cameras can do, are intended to do and will do.
A camera is only a tool - to pick the right tool you need to identify the job you want to do.
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04/24/2006 03:47:00 PM · #10 |
I want to create more show worthy photography. I don't want to be a wedding photographer, no offense to the ones that do it, but I can't take good photos of people.
My black and white photography sells fairly well but I want to be able to take the long exposure photos and more indepth nature photography. I would love to grow up and work for National Geographics. Landscapes and animals go well with me.
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04/24/2006 04:00:43 PM · #11 |
OK...
for good wildlife yo need 400-600mm lenses. that rules out Olympus. The Sigma 'bigma' 50-500mm lens can be had for pentax and minolta (and canon). If you get serious then you'll want some of the long fast lenses form canon (but don't look at the price...) Fast frames per second help with wildlife too - canon wins here as well with the 1D mk2 N (8.5 FPS). The 30D will do 5fps...pretty fast to me, but my friends 1D is amazing.
landscapes you want wide angle - pretty easy to find in any brand.
long exposure..canon has the least noise, and if you get a 20D, 30D or higher level camera they add a noise reduciton routine in teh body (not on the 300 or 350). I am not sure about the other brands on this one.
Indepth nature..as in macro? Canon, nikon, sigma and tamron all make good macro lenses in the 90-105 range. Canon also makes them in 60 and 180mm ranges as was as the MP-e 65 (can do 5 times life size). not sure if nikon does one like this or not.
For flash it's nice to be able to use TTL and mutlipel flashes. Sigma offers this, but canon and nikon's systems work better, and canon and sigma offer ring flash for macro work as well (nikon probably does too).
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04/24/2006 04:25:32 PM · #12 |
| I'd say go for the Olympus E-300 w/ 2 lens kit. You can get a factory demo E300 + 14-45 (equ. 28-90) + 40-150 (equ. 90-300) for $450 shipped on eBay from Cameta Camera, which is what I just got my gf for her birthday. At that price, I really don't see how you can beat it, it'll be a great learning tool with 2 pretty good lenses. |
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