Shutterstock Photographer Forum :: View topic - Looking for some reccomendations on a new camera

ThePhotoDemon · Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 24 Location: Near Louisville, KY

I am considering a new digital camera, and I was wondering if anyone here would give me some feedback. I am open to suggestions, and would like to hear pros and cons of what you all use.

I currently use a Sony DSC-F717, and it does well for what I do, but I am wanting to do more. I think a better camera will be more suitable for what I am getting into. My F717 is a 5MP with (I think) 5x optical and 2x Digital zoom (although I don't use the digital zoom). I like it, and it's easy to use, but I need one that I can fine tune a little more, and maybe one with more zoom. Price-wise, I am looking in the $1000 range (give or take a couple hundred).

I am also in the commercial art program at school and I have to get a full manual film camera for that. Any reccomendations there? I think most people use a K1000 for that. I have access to one, but I was wondering if there were any suggestions in that department.

Thanks,
Damon

llandrea · Joined: 19 Jan 2005 Posts: 91 Location: Milan, Italy

For that money range.. u can go for a nikon d70 or a canon 300d, for sure much better than any compact cam

StanMcKenzie · Joined: 25 Jan 2005 Posts: 42 Location: Canada

I just got the Nikon D70 a couple weeks ago and I think for the price it is an awsome camera. There are lots of reviews / comparisons out there for this class of DSLR on the internet. I read alot of these before finally deciding on the D70 and have had no surprises as of yet with my D70 - It really is everything they say it is and more.. My advise would be to do lots of research and pay attention to specific pros and cons of each camera - then decide which aspects are most important to YOU and go for that.

Also... It will likely be tempting - I know it was for me - to get something like the Coolpix 8800 or similar NON DSLR with more megapixels for similar money. I did alot of research before I purchased and feel the advantages of the DSLR far outweigh the advantages of 2 more megapixels you get with these overpriced "point-and-shooters."

Then again, I only really know what I read other places - would be interested to hear opinions from more advanced / experienced digital photographers.

StuartE · Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 12:36 am

If you can use an SLR, get the DSLR - if not, save some money and get a mid range compact, and bigger memory card, batteries, etc... I'd only recommend a point and shoot to someone looking for a point and shoot, and I wouldn't recommend the overpriced monsters at the top end of the scale - if you think you need an 8mp compact, because of it's features, you actually need the DSLR - if you're just buying it because it's "the best" then you're another victim of marketing hype, or a nice smooth tongued sales spiel...

For $1000, I'd go the 300D - but wait a little, they should drop now the next model is coming...

Cheers,
Stuart

Joe Gough · Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 228 Location: Poole, Dorset, UK

ThePhotoDemon · Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 24 Location: Near Louisville, KY

Thanks for the insight, everyone. Now, comes another guestion - what exactly is 'SLR'? I would assume the 'D' in DSLR means digital. I am not exaclty 'camera literate,' if you can't tell.

I am not asking for someone to say 'Buy this camera because I think it's the best,' but just some insight into why one chooses 'this camera' over 'that camera.'

Thanks again,
Damon

justinkthornton · Joined: 31 Jan 2005 Posts: 95 Location: Colorado

StanMcKenzie · Joined: 25 Jan 2005 Posts: 42 Location: Canada

For Digital Single-Lens Reflex camera in this price range I think the differences really are negligible. I think mostly people go for what ever brand they already have lenses for.

Since you don't already have lenses (I'm assuming) your options are a little more open to you. You should try handling different cameras and see what feels better and has the buttons where you like them, ect. Turn them on and try them out if you can to compare speed / responsiveness, ect.

StanMcKenzie · Joined: 25 Jan 2005 Posts: 42 Location: Canada

I just read your Original post again and I guess I mis-read it a bit the first time. You are looking for a DIGITAL compact and a FILM SLR? Well if you just wanted a simple compact digital camera that you don't need to screw around with too much I guess my advise would be don't spend a thousand bucks on something like that :) There are plenty of great compacts out there with lots of manual control for half that amount or less. My Canon Powershot A70 has a full range of manual controls + macro and only costs like $200 now I think- with a bigger LCD to boot (A75). The zoom is only 3x but I think you can get really good Fuji Finepix compacts for way less than $1000 that would likely suit your needs.

jfuller · Joined: 14 Feb 2005 Posts: 52 Location: Rhode Island

Got love the camea. Get a Nikon D70 and an SB-800 speed light or 2,, and you've got a good package.

ThePhotoDemon · Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 24 Location: Near Louisville, KY

StanMcKenzie · Joined: 25 Jan 2005 Posts: 42 Location: Canada

I paid $1299 for mine with NO rebate - so sounds like a good deal to me! The first lens is the standard kit lens - It is said to be the best bundled kit lens out of all the cameras in this class. That's all I have right now and I like it just fine. It's a good range (wide angle and portrait). You have to remember that with digital you multiply the focal length by 1.5 to get 35mm equivalent so this lens is like a 28-105mm in 35mm format. Like I said, a pretty good all aroud lens to start with. Anyway - at that price I'd say go for the d70.

ThePhotoDemon · Joined: 03 Jan 2005 Posts: 24 Location: Near Louisville, KY

I may jump on that as soon as I get some other expenses out of the way.

Thanks again!
Damon

MHD · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 7:15 pm

Not only is the d70 a good camera... the Kit lens it comes with (the 18-70DX) is a very nice lens..
AF-S means it is very quick to focus and it is very sharp...

I dont mind the 300D/350D body, and I cant wait for an affordable nikon with a CMOS sensor, but I think that the 350D needs a better kit lens... (f/5.6 @55mm!!!)

Remyrw · Joined: 15 Feb 2005 Posts: 171 Location: Slidell, LA

I'd suggest the D70 kit or the 20D (or 300D) kit. The Nikon kit comes with a much better lens but they are very similar cameras in terms of capability. Go handle each of them and figure out which you like the best. For a film camera, look used and find something that matches the digital. If you get a good digital you'll only be using the film camera as long as the school requires you to and for a few special purpose things after that, so there's no need to buy new and fancy. I'd suggest a well maintained N90 or N90s for the nikon, make sure you get at least one basic lens with it, since the lens that comes with the D70 is only for their digital cameras and I don't think it works properly with the N90's. For Canon, almost any of their older film SLR's would work, depending on how fancy you want. I dont keep up on prices, but a good one shouldn't be any more than the N90 (around $250). You can get cheaper of course, both nikon and canon, but by buying a semi pro model you make sure there is never something you wish it could do but can't. I still use my N90 on a regular basis, heck, I still use an old F3hp.

The K1000 IS a good camera, bare bones but functional and a staple of photography students everywhere. If the budget's tight, put the extra money into a D70 (or canon equivalent) and a flash. I'd also suggest at least one additional lens, either extreme wide angle, macro, or telephoto, depending on how you work the most. The kit lens included is good but sort of a middle of the road range (for digital, that 18mm is really 27mm equivalent on the D70).

As for why I prefer the D70, it came down to how it fit my hand and that I'm a Nikon fan. I was prepared to give the Canon's a fair shot as my 35mm gear is so old I was effectively starting from scratch, but they just didn't fit my hands as well. Other than that, the 20D and D70 both offer plenty of resolution, both in terms of pixels and the abilities of their kit lens and future optional lenses. Both offer histograms to check your results, good LCD's, full manual to full auto and everything in between... They also both have very very smart exposure control systems. I'm constantly amazed at some of the shots these cameras figure out while in pure auto mode without even being given a "scene" setting to help. My N90 is smart but these new things are brilliant. I also vote for SLR models because of the lens options, which are effectively limited only by your budget. Good glass isn't cheap but with a few trade offs you can cover almost any needs with a reasonable amount of cash. Also, Nikon and Canon are the two most common SLR brands these days and you can often borrow lenses from others to fill gaps in your own set. When I went to school we just had a list of who had what accessories and would swap around as needed. I don't think there was anything we couldn't cover with the exception of the perspective control and extreme telephotos.

I can't stress enough the need to go play with them yourself first. I was actually very serious about the 20D as an alternative to the D70. It's newer and offers more MP with no real downside for my needs, but after handling the two there was no competition. On the other hand the next person to pick them up might find the exact opposite and feel like the D70's grip is too big and they're not able to get a secure hold comfortably. I'm all for going into a Chain camera store and handling every camera you are even remotely interested in. Snap some pictures and look at them in the LCD, try a few options, get a feel for how the camera operates and whether it is something you'll like.

Oh, ignore the MP issue, once you get to 6MP you're fine, it's not a big issue. More is always nice, but it shouldn't be the deciding factor unless you are otherwise completely torn between two models and can afford to get the same accessory set for either. I'd rather have a bigger memory card or an extra lens than a couple extra MPs. Same with base ISO, some folks make weird comments about the D70 being a 200ISO base camera and imply that this is somehow a bad thing that means it has more noise than the 100ISO cameras. This is BS, noise is caused by lots of things, primarily when you "push" a sensor beyond it's base sensitivity. Since the D70 is twice as sensitive by default you're less likely to be pushing it than a 100ISO camera and thus less likely to ever cause additional noise that way. I don't know if this carries over as you do push it, whether the noise from the D70 is always one stop better than the 100ISO cameras, but I wouldn't be surprised. When I tested one I found it to be VERY low noise, unfortunately I had already removed the canon's from my options so I can't offer a direct comparison. I can say that I've seen many images from the newer Canon's that are equally clean and crisp so I have no doubts as to their capabilities.