Camera Suggestions...

[Guest Tess32]

[quote name='Tess32' post='4185301' date='12th Dec

Of course there are better high end DSLRs than the 5D

Don't mention them otherwise you'll break my heart being a true Canon lover

I meant WITHIN the Canon range

[DMA]

[quote name='Tess32' post='4185301' date='12th Dec

Of course there are better high end DSLRs than the 5D

Don't mention them otherwise you'll break my heart being a true Canon lover

I meant WITHIN the Canon range

Oh you mean the 1Ds? If only I had the money... yes I'll do the Homer Simpson drooling right now...

[kendall]

I am really really wanting a DSLR after 'making do' with compact digitals and pulling out my trusty SLR FILM (OMG so old school ) camera when I really need good quality shots and reliability without the shutter lag (my absolute biggest pet hate with the compacts )

I am looking at a Canon 450D at this point - a good one for a newbie DSLR with basic SLR experience? I found some online stores that are heaps cheaper than the cheapest mainstream store (harvey Norman has the twin lens kit for $1297 with bonus photoshop package and strap or bag - the strap/bag seems to be the current promo from Canon direct).

http://www.topbuy.com.au/tbcart/pc/Canon-E...-Lens-p6956.htm Looks to be a slightly different 'branding' on the camera but they say it is the same and is sent direct from Hong Kong.

citiwide 1000D

citiwide 450D

Has anyone ever bought online like this before? are these companies reliable? They are so much cheaper! Even factoring in delivery it would still be heaps cheaper.

man I wish I had some spare money

Edited December 12, 2009 by kendall

[DMA]

I am really really wanting a DSLR after 'making do' with compact digitals and pulling out my trusty SLR FILM (OMG so old school ) camera when I really need good quality shots and reliability without the shutter lag (my absolute biggest pet hate with the compacts )

I am looking at a Canon 450D at this point - a good one for a newbie DSLR with basic SLR experience? I found some online stores that are heaps cheaper than the cheapest mainstream store (harvey Norman has the twin lens kit for $1297 with bonus photoshop package and strap or bag - the strap/bag seems to be the current promo from Canon direct).

http://www.topbuy.com.au/tbcart/pc/Canon-E...-Lens-p6956.htm Looks to be a slightly different 'branding' on the camera but they say it is the same and is sent direct from Hong Kong.

citiwide 1000D

citiwide 450D

Has anyone ever bought online like this before? are these companies reliable? They are so much cheaper! Even factoring in delivery it would still be heaps cheaper.

man I wish I had some spare money

Yeah the money part is the problem as I know only too well And I know all about old school as I'll never depart from my deloved AE-1

As for DSLRs - I've gotten all my Olympus gear from eBay. I saved heaps. The E-420 was about $500, whilst I imported the E-30 from America for $900. Needless to say you can get whatever brand you want as well for good prices.

If you don't trust eBay, fair enough, so try JB HiFi http://www.jbhifi.com.au/ I just did a quick check & they've got a twin lens kit 1000D for $996 & a twin IS lens kit 450D for $1269.

[Malwehsa]

I use cannon 450D...it's not that expensive compared to the other ones and it's more than enough for my daily use

I'm really not good at using cameras, an expensive one wouldnt make any difference on my hand..

[polomum]

littlepoppit About 18 months ago I bought a Nikon D80 with the 18-200 lens and couldn't have been happier - I actually bought it 2nd hand on eBay with lots of extras........I love it but am about to upgrade in the not to distant future hopefully to the Nikon D300 and then when finances are better the much faster Nikon 70-200 2:8 lens - Reason for this is that the D80 isn't quite as good in low light - but then that depends on your lenses cos some are slower or quicker than others (but that's a whole new topic really) - I take alot of action horse polo pics and when in the UK this year although it was summer there with overcast days and fast horses the D80 didn't cut it as well as I would have liked............Google the D80 with the 18-200 lens and see what prices they are selling at now but it's really been fantastic as an allrounder with an Auto setting that's easy to use - some of the higher priced cameras as already discussed here don't have an auto setting and for a newbie like yourself I think that is a must for a first time DSLR camera user if that's the way you end up going........

Good luck SOOOO exciting buying your first ROOOOOLY good camera

[DMA]

QUICK QUESTION:

relatively new to DOL but going throught he photo threads has inspired me to look into getting

a new camera and the lens you are all raving about too!!

so what i was wondering is what camera do you all suggest? i dont know much about it all but very willing to learn!!

being a uni student price will play a big part on whether/when i get one..... but xmas is coming

would like to hear about lower priced but still good cameras as well as what you would suggest regardless of price....

like i said xmas is coming and i might get lucky when sants comes

thanx

Actually LittlePoppet, regardless of the jovial discussion to date, has anyone asked what you intend to use the camera for? Have you a particular idea in this respect? I only ask because your choice really depends upon intended usage: ie casual, enthusiast, or for work. Hence the suggested brands & models will ultimately reflect upon this.

Edited December 12, 2009 by DMA

[rugerfly]

i recommend you look at all the brands that cover your 'check list' you may like a brand of camera that you didnt expect.

[~*Shell*~]

I get what you're saying DMA, but the 5D & 5D Mark II are (mostly) professional bodies. If price isn't an issue, why not recommend the IDs series. I just think it's vastly overkill when you can get a semi pro body (40D, 50D) for still a reasonable amount of money. Recommending a body that is around $4000 to a person who doesn't even have a camera yet and is a uni student....nothing WRONG with it but you know....it's a bit overkill. She doesn't even have any lenses yet. When people say regardless of price, the average person doesn't mean a $10k layout for a potential hobby, heh.

I have to agree - why not start with a base model and then work your way up? I've had my 450d for about 18 months and it's only now that I'm really feeling the need to upgrade the body because I'm not a fan of the 50mm 1.4 on the 450d with it's inability to go above 1/4000. At the moment I'm considering either the 50d or the 7d. There's no point in me even looking at the 5d mkII because I know i wouldn't be able to do it justice with my ability or the lenses I own (2 of them are just the kit lenses).

I can't say I'd ever use video on a DLSR but the video available on the 5D far exceeds what you'd get on your Canon Powershot

If you have foxtel and ever have a look at the lifestyle you channel, some of the stuff on that was shot with a 5d mark II (the IDs played before the start of a show that come up with "it's great to be you") - the HD video on it is surprisingly good, even in low light. There were a few problems converting what was shot over to PAL from the NTSC the 5d shoots in (the change in the frame rate from 29.97 frames per second to 24 frames per second meant that some of the footage would jerk between frames) but the end product is really nice. It would be interesting to see if you're able to shoot in PAL on it or if it only does NTSC.

[Ashanali]

I'm friends with Matt Ebenezer who was voted one of the top 25 videographers in the world by some US magazine.

He spent a fortune setting up his studio with top of the line video gear. Since he bought his 5D mark II, he hasn't touched a single video camera preferring to shoot all video footage on the 5D mark II because it's a true HD with 30FPS and the use of specific lenses gives it cinematic quality. (He prefers to use an adaptor and Nikon lenses as they have smoother zoom functions than Canon lenses).

He now uses the 7D and loves the video quality on that also (he's stopped shooting video very recently though, preferring to shoot stills with his wife. )

We shot video at one of our last weddings - we are NOT videographers, it was all handheld (no steadicam) and the quality is still incredible.

The one downside is that because the 5D mark II captures 30FPS, unless you are editing on a mac OR on an extremely high speed PC, the video can appear jumpy. The default is 27FPS (or something close to that). Personally, I like the 'jumpy' video as it reminds me of old 'super 8' footage.

ETA: Shell covered some of this in here post and she has correct FPS rates too

Also ETA: DMA - you ave come across as a little rude in your posts and it looks like you're backpeddling. I have shot professionally on film and on digital and what we go through to get a shot on either format isn't disimilar. I do as little in camera editing as I can as I would rather have that control on my computer (so there is no 'programming' here).

Giving a 5D to a photography noob is like giving a mac truck to a learner driver - they might know the basics but there is no hope in hell that they can master it without a crapload of time, effort and education.

Edited December 13, 2009 by Ashanali

[DMA]

I'm friends with Matt Ebenezer who was voted one of the top 25 videographers in the world by some US magazine.

He spent a fortune setting up his studio with top of the line video gear. Since he bought his 5D mark II, he hasn't touched a single video camera preferring to shoot all video footage on the 5D mark II because it's a true HD with 30FPS and the use of specific lenses gives it cinematic quality. (He prefers to use an adaptor and Nikon lenses as they have smoother zoom functions than Canon lenses).

He now uses the 7D and loves the video quality on that also (he's stopped shooting video very recently though, preferring to shoot stills with his wife. )

We shot video at one of our last weddings - we are NOT videographers, it was all handheld (no steadicam) and the quality is still incredible.

The one downside is that because the 5D mark II captures 30FPS, unless you are editing on a mac OR on an extremely high speed PC, the video can appear jumpy. The default is 27FPS (or something close to that). Personally, I like the 'jumpy' video as it reminds me of old 'super 8' footage.

ETA: Shell covered some of this in here post and she has correct FPS rates too

Also ETA: DMA - you ave come across as a little rude in your posts and it looks like you're backpeddling. I have shot professionally on film and on digital and what we go through to get a shot on either format isn't disimilar. I do as little in camera editing as I can as I would rather have that control on my computer (so there is no 'programming' here).

Giving a 5D to a photography noob is like giving a mac truck to a learner driver - they might know the basics but there is no hope in hell that they can master it without a crapload of time, effort and education.

Oh good old Super 8! That brings the childhood memories come flooding back

And my appologies if I came across as a bit rude. I do get a touch passionate at times. Sorry about that everyone.

Now I'm not overly backpeddling, even if admittedly I was being a tad tongue-in cheek, but I was wanting to point out the difference between how an old fashion film SLR operated, as against a computer controlled SLR (ie digital) - although the actual photography skills are the same I've found. I do find, though, there is a difference between the two due to the equipment itself. Having said that I find using a DSLR much easier than a film one. A lot of the guessing is taken out of the equation, & as you'd know you can take several hundred shoots these days whilst previously you were limited to a roll of 36 shots. Plus whatever ASA you had set, let's face it we were stuck with, but now it's just a matter of pressing a button. As you can with other functions on a DSLR. So to me that is "programming" even if my terminology maybe misunderstanding or incorrect jargon. BTW I don't edit much either, except to reduce the size of a photo.

As for recommending the 5D - that was based upon my own recent experience in respect to the E-420 & the E-30. I have found, in respect to operating the E-30, that there was no point buying the "base model" when the E-30 was no harder to learn than the E-420. Consequentially I could have saved several hundred dollars by just getting the high-end model instead. BTW I could have also bought the E-3, but everything I read suggested that the E-30 was the better camera.

Edited December 13, 2009 by DMA

[Ashanali]

And I'd just skip Olympus altogether

Don't get me wrong, they are GREAT cameras for people who are hobbyists/shooting for fun (so there is no problem with the OP getting one if that's what they want and what they feel comfortable with), but when people step up to the more 'serious' stuff, Canon and Nikon are leading the way and there is sooo much more gear out there that is compatible for them than other brands.

If you want more than that, was start talking Hassleblad with digtial backs... *drool* But I don't think we need to go there.

[DMA]

And I'd just skip Olympus altogether

Don't get me wrong, they are GREAT cameras for people who are hobbyists/shooting for fun (so there is no problem with the OP getting one if that's what they want and what they feel comfortable with), but when people step up to the more 'serious' stuff, Canon and Nikon are leading the way and there is sooo much more gear out there that is compatible for them than other brands.

If you want more than that, was start talking Hassleblad with digtial backs... *drool* But I don't think we need to go there.

Oddy enough I'd agree about your Olympus remark, but budget for me is a major issue But you're right & if I could afford a 50D I'd get it in a flash ;) Even 5D!

[RottnBullies]

And I'd just skip Olympus altogether

I agree

I spent just under $900 for mine, and I regret It, It's a compact with a 18x zoom lens. I wished I'd saved that little bit

extra and waited to get a Cannon 40d, I know they're no longer available now, they were at the time!.... but I find the Olympus really hard to use and I'm not happy with It overall, I know that I would never outgrow a 40d, so it would have been money well spent!

God knows when I'll ever be able to upgrade It now, how sad, coz I'm kinda drooling on the new 7d

[LittlePoppet]

clearly havnt been on for a couple of days!! LOL

thanx again for all the info!! very helpful even if i have no idea what all the dif. models are!!

the outing with the finepix was a bit of a non event. 1. wasnt much chance to take pics of the dogs and 2. dad got it off ebay with no manual so was

confusing trying to work out wat everything was having previously only used it on auto......

Anyways LittlePoppet, after all this, do you have any idea what you wanna buy?

have grabbed some catalogues to look at and from looking at price and extras etc. cannon is looking good but havn't actually held any yet

so that could change.......

plus hav a couple of friends who take photos.... not so much for a living but they do some dog events and stuff and will see them next w/e....

the more info the better!!

Actually LittlePoppet, regardless of the jovial discussion to date, has anyone asked what you intend to use the camera for? Have you a particular idea in this respect? I only ask because your choice really depends upon intended usage: ie casual, enthusiast, or for work. Hence the suggested brands & models will ultimately reflect upon this.

obviously dogs and i both show and race so would need to be able to take action shots at races and movement shots in the ring.

now just so you know i do have a little camera (finepix z30 ;) ) to keep in my bag and rip out should something pop up

i want a pic of!

so anything and everything else i would take pics of too should something catch my eye

price wise if i have to buy it for myself then cheaper but if i get moeny for xmas then obviously can spend a bit more....

pretty quick at learning how to use things ... if i hav a manual!! or a few lessons but i need to learn about the lenses and the lighting and stuff and wat

is better with mega pixels etc. etc.

thanx to everyone again!!

[DMA]

So would I be right in assuming, LittlePoppet, that you want a lower end SLR that you can use for general photography but can deal with fast action shots?

Edited December 13, 2009 by DMA

[LittlePoppet]

yeh dma you could be right!! LOL still dont know all the intricate diferences etc.... still researching.... dont want to jump into it with some decent knowledge!!

[DMA]

yeh dma you could be right!! LOL still dont know all the intricate diferences etc.... still researching.... dont want to jump into it with some decent knowledge!!

Good timing as I was about to head for bed. A good place to research to your heart's content is a website called Digital Photography Review: http://www.dpreview.com/ They basically do everything including reviews of just about every digital camera anyone has put out, a glossary of all things digital, a buying guide, & discussion forum.

Having said that, I'll single out some SLRs which may fit the bill. Mind you they're all around the $750 - $1250 range brand new. I won't recommend any individual camera because, as others have said, try them all & see which one suits you best as we're all individuals with our own particular likes etc. So when you do get to a camera shop, try out the ergonomics of each camera, not to mention how intuitive all the controls etc are to your personal tastes. Please note the cameras listed below aren't "level entry" SLRs for the most part, but the next step up, as I don't think most of the level entry SLRs will satisfy you in respect to the auction shots you want to take.

Now in no particular order of preference:

Sony a-330

Pentax K-x

Olympus E-520

Canon 1000D or 450D

Nikon D80 or D5000

Needless to say I'm sure others will suggest something else in the price range, so try them out as well as rugerfly & persephone have suggested.

Anyways good luck with your camera hunting :D

EDIT: What I would suggest is that you play with your current camera, your dad's, & whoever else's you can get your hands on, & get plenty of experience taking pictures - not only is it fun, but the more you do it the more you teach yourself the basic skills. And doing the odd course here & there helps too...

Edited December 13, 2009 by DMA

[LittlePoppet]

HA! one of the more photographically inclined friends put me onto a site and helped me find an online manual for dads... thinking it will do for now...

like you sed get used to it first n see how i go... hten no money spent if i decide its not for me!! and dad isnt going to miss it cos he just bought a smaller one!!

yay me!! LOL but i will still go to the shops n hav a play and keep it all in mind cos if i get good at it i want decent equipment!! IF

will apdate .... taking photo of the furry for the xmas card this week and at KCC for a show sat so should be abel to learn something by then and will post wat i like....

thanks =] really loving this forum!! so helpful in so many areas!!