TLW Photographers make your interest known

[CaptainK]

Thanks mate some excellent advice there, how much on average are the 400 & 450D's going for and are the 5D & 5Dmk2's very expensive i.e. professional type DSLR's?

 

Yeah, 5D & 5Dmk2 are pro bodies. The 5Dmk2 retails at something like £2,100 :( It is a full frame camera, i.e. full size sensor.

 

Don't be tempted by makes other than Canon and Nikon - remember what I said about systems.

 

If you're just starting out, take a look here for an idea about how much it's likely to cost: Jessops

 

Looks like the 400D is now obsolete and the range now goes:

1000D --> 450D --> 500D --> 50D --> 5Dmk2 --> 1D(S)mk3

 

BTW, the 18-55mm kit lens without the IS tag is supposed to not be very good. However Jessops appear to be giving the 1000D body with that lens for the same price as the body only - £350

 

450D with 18-55mm IS lens at £495 looks good value. The IS indicates that it has image stabilisation built into the lens.

 

One lens worth getting is the 50mm f1.8 mk2 for between £75 - £90. I tried it and it's a little cracker - I was saving for the next one up, but might go for this instead and save £200.

 

Take a look around the web for best prices. I would add that the kit is often worth getting from somewhere local even if it means paying little more because these specialist places know their staff and generally tend to look after you. Use the internet price as a tool to bargain with your local camera shop. They probably can't match it, but if they can get close, it may be worth the extra few quid.

 

Unless you spot and absolute steal/bargain - don't buy from Currys or a general electrical/computer store because once they've sold it, they have no idea what to do, if you have question or problem.

 

Good luck.

[Flying Pig]

A bit of advice for budding TLW papparazzi, Jessops are currently in debt to the tune of over £50 million! I am considering try a cheek offer for the Nikon D60 (usually £360 ish) for about £280 approx. OK, if they go bust I will still have a manufacturers warranty but I am gonna see if they are desperate for my cash.

[Andy M]

Boss them mate, what camera/lens's do you use for them Andy?

 

 

Also guys i've got a fuji s5700 at the minute & i'm dying to get a DSLR, what are your recommendations, it's seems the Canon & Nikon one's are the best, what are people's preferences and why?

 

many thanks and great thread fella's.

 

Thanks Wanks ;)

 

These were taken with a Canon 1Ds Mark III & Canon 17-40L IIRC. Me = All the gear, no idea...

 

RE: which camera to buy. Dependent on budget (I'll guess around the £600-£800 mark) check out the Canon 450D, Nikon D90, and Sony A350. Each are lovely cameras, and if you choose one of the above you certainly won't have made a bad choice.

 

With photography it's all about the lenses though, but that's a whole other topic...

[Flying Pig]

Is anyone familiar with Sony DSLRs?

 

The Sony Alpha 200 is only £260.00 in Argos. Just wondering why its so cheap, Ive never had anything bad from Sony, are Nikon and Canon better camera makers?

[CaptainK]

Yeah, it's definitely about the lenses; that's the reason I went down the Canon route with my first film SLR 14yrs ago. Got an Eos 100fn, then an Eos 5QD and went digital last year with the 40D.

 

Sony don't have the lens range IIRC, and their lenses are comparatively expensive. I think some of their lenses are Zeiss. Some are probably based on the Minolta designs, since that's how Sony got into the SLR market - they bought out Minolta. Also IIRC their image stabilisation is built into the body as opposed to the lens, which means it is slower to react.

 

I believe Pentax are slowly dying a death if they're not 6ft under already.

 

And Olympus use a smaller than normal sensor which will affect picture quality.

 

Final bit of advice Mr. Wanks... don't get seduced by megapixels. 8-10mp is ample. It's the quality of the lenses thats important.

 

I'f suggest looking at Canon Digital Photography Forums - Powered by vBulletin - all Canon users -some very good advice there.

Edited May 8, 2009 by CaptainK

[CaptainK]

Is anyone familiar with Sony DSLRs?

 

The Sony Alpha 200 is only £260.00 in Argos. Just wondering why its so cheap, Ive never had anything bad from Sony, are Nikon and Canon better camera makers?

 

Their lenses are bleeding expensive. Stick with Canon or Nikon. As I said earlier, my prefernce is Canon because of their lenses - range, compatibility and cost.

 

I might add that despite the knock their reputation took based on their top end model having an autofocus issue, Canon bodies are still very good. I think Nikon tadded lots of feature and this is one of the areas where Canon lag behind. They're catching up now, but these things go in cycles. Thing is, a good lens is your friend for life and is not part of this cycle.

Edited May 8, 2009 by CaptainK

[Flying Pig]

CaptainK,

 

Are most lenses compatible with other makes? What do you think of the Nikon D60 with the 18-55 and 55-200 Lens (and what the fuck does it mean?)

Also what the lottery number for tomorrow?;)

[CaptainK]

Lenses aren't compatible between brands.

 

I understand people have made adapters to do this leaving the lenses manual focus only. It's a kludge I wouldn't touch.

 

However some companies make lenses for Canon, Nikon, etc.

 

So you could buy a lens by Sigma, Tamron or Tokina and make sure you buy the "FIT" compatible with your camera, i.e. same lens but Canon fit/mount, Nikon fit/mount.

 

I don't know much about specific Nikons from personal experience so couldn't really advice. Last Nikons I played with were ages back.

 

18-55 and 55-200 are zoom ranges.

 

The lower the number, the greater the field of view and the smaller everything appears. Twist the zoom ring and you're zooming in and reducing the feild of view.

 

So, 18mm is good for landscapes while 24m-55m is more for general use, 135mm and above is for getting closeups. 85mm and 135mm prime lenses, i.e. no zooming, are often used for portrature work.

 

The other thing to note is the speed of the lens as denoted by the f number. This is the aperture, i.e. how wide the diaphragm (internal system of blades) of the lens is opened. A lower number denotes a wider maximum aperture which means more light, which in turn allows greater creative freedom and also allows shooting in low light without the use of a flashgun.

 

So a lower f-stop number means that the lens is "faster". Not in terms of speed, but in how much light it allows into the body.

 

Generally speaking, prime lenses will open up more, i.e. they allow more light to reach the sensor.

 

Take a look here for more info:

 

Canon Professional Network - EOS 40D Masterclass

 

Digital Photography Tutorials

[Nick Leeson]

SKI is getting really good at this photography. She's already much better than me. I reckon you should all rep her.

[jacco maccaco]

Some Tuborg inspired ramblings...

 

Each of the major brands have their pro's and their Cons

 

Canon.

 

Everyone knows Canon, Still the market leader despite Nikons massive inroads lateley, I'm a Canon user, have been for 20 years, although that may be about to change soon.

Only thing about Canon is they seem intent on cramming in more and more pixels on to the sensors the 50d being a prime example 15mp on an APS-C sensor where only 4 years earlier the 20d had 8.

And now these sensors almost demands higher spec lenses to get the best out of them.

And recently the camera bodies seem rushed to market, last thing you want to do is spend hundreds of pounds to be a beta tester.

 

Nikon.

 

All of a sudden they've gone from the snobby cousin to the darlings of the photo world, and to be honest with good reason.

From the D40 upwards all are strongly priced and offer very good image quality, I'm seriously considering a D700 set up.

Only thing with Nikon is the lenses, Just not as wide a line up as Canon and still quite expensive.

 

Pentax

 

Don't write them off just yet, the tie in (read Owned by!) with Hoya might just bring back some of that old Takumar magic.

The K20d by all accounts is quite good, still a lot of MP crammed onto the sensor though.

Pentax really and I mean REALLY fall down when it comes to lenses,not enough mainstream stuff but loads of quirky things like the smc FA 43 mm / 1,9 Limited pancake for instance...lovely.

 

Olympus

 

Four thirds, 4/3, whatever.

I'm quite intrigued by this as I've always liked the 4:3 aspect ratio.

Originally Olympus invented the system with a view to making camera bodies smaller and lighter, but take a look at the E-3 its huge the E-30 not much smaller, although the E-620 is more like it.

Only problem with Olympus is its bed partner, Panasonic, reading between the lines they call the shots, especially with micro four thirds.

Saving grace? Zuiko lenses, still stunning.

 

Sony.

 

Post men post letters.

Bin men empty bins.

Stereo manufacturers make stereo's.

See where I'm going?

 

I know lets buy Minolta's 5 years old Digital Slr's and their even older lens line up, add a Sony badge and increase the prices by 25%.

Harsh?, probably, although the A900 does look good, I just cant take to Sony as a camera and lens manufacturer and they have enough muscle to flood the market with mediocrity, just not right.

 

Anyone looking to buy an SLR, go to a shop and try handling one, see which fits best in your hands, invest more in the lenses as your more likely to keep them and upgrade bodies at a later date.

 

Visit these websites for good advice, be it reviews or forum talk.

 

Digital Camera Reviews and News: Digital Photography Review: Forums, Glossary, FAQ

fredmiranda.com: Specialized in Canon - Nikon SLR Cameras, Forum, Photoshop Plugins, Actions, Reviews, Hosting and Digital Darkroom

The Luminous Landscape

Welcome to Photozone!

 

All views are mine, be they excellent or more likely a load of tosh, anyway heres a bloke trying to win a ploughing competition from last year.

 

Canon Eos 20d, ef 300mm F4L, About minus 2 degrees.

 

[Andy M]

Sony.

 

Post men post letters.

Bin men empty bins.

Stereo manufacturers make stereo's.

See where I'm going?

 

I know lets buy Minolta's 5 years old Digital Slr's and their even older lens line up, add a Sony badge and increase the prices by 25%.

Harsh?, probably, although the A900 does look good, I just cant take to Sony as a camera and lens manufacturer and they have enough muscle to flood the market with mediocrity, just not right.

 

I think that's a bit unfair on Sony to be honest. A friend and I went out shooting together, he with his A350 and me with my 1Ds, and we swapped cameras for a small time. I was honestly very impressed; if you're a sports shooter then it may be a little slow, but for portraiture and landscapes it's a great camera.

 

Bear in mind too that Sony make the sensor which goes into Nikon's top of the line D3x (and maybe other cameras too). I don't think they're trying to flood the market with mediocrity, I actually think they're the brand to watch right now.

 

Two more points: consider Panasonic too - their Lumix G1 is a great bit of kit (see here) - and it wasn't Canon's top of the line camera that experienced the focus issues, it was the 1D mk3. Having said this, the 1Ds 3 experienced its own problems, the 40D did too and now the 5D mk2 & G10 have their own problems too. Canon's quality control isn't what it should be...

[jacco maccaco]

I think that's a bit unfair on Sony to be honest. A friend and I went out shooting together, he with his A350 and me with my 1Ds, and we swapped cameras for a small time. I was honestly very impressed; if you're a sports shooter then it may be a little slow, but for portraiture and landscapes it's a great camera.

 

Bear in mind too that Sony make the sensor which goes into Nikon's top of the line D3x (and maybe other cameras too). I don't think they're trying to flood the market with mediocrity, I actually think they're the brand to watch right now.

 

Two more points: consider Panasonic too - their Lumix G1 is a great bit of kit (see here) - and it wasn't Canon's top of the line camera that experienced the focus issues, it was the 1D mk3. Having said this, the 1Ds 3 experienced its own problems, the 40D did too and now the 5D mk2 & G10 have their own problems too. Canon's quality control isn't what it should be...

 

Probably was unfair, I just think manufacturers like Sony should stick to what they do best.

As for the Sensors, yes Sony make them for Nikon but thats all, Its what Nikon do with that sensor that counts, just check Sony A900 images to those from the D3x.

 

I've lost interest in Canon of late, too many issues with nearly all new releases.

In fact I'm taking a hiatus from Photography altogether, just dont get enough time lately with 2 small kids.

 

As ever just my opinions.

[CaptainK]

.

[Flying Pig]

SKI, check this out if you haven't already:

 

Nikon D40

 

According to that Ken guy the D40 is better than the newer and more expensive D60. Ugh, dilemna!

 

I hate these type of questions when I'm on the verge of buying the D60.

 

Ken, you helpful but annoying cunt.

[Flying Pig]

Is the D40 better than the D60? Can someone help me out with this as I'm not going to get any help in a retailer who obviously want me to spend more.

 

How credible is this guy?

 

 

 

Nikon D60. enlarge. I'd get it at Adorama, Ritz or Amazon. It's usually sold with an excellent 18-55mm VR lens. It also comes as a body only for about $630 at Adorama and Amazon, and as a kit with both the 18-55mm VR and excellent 55-200mm VR lenses for about $800 at Adorama and Amazon. These links take you directly to the right pages, and it helps me keep adding to this site if you get yours through these links, too. Thanks!

 

NEW: How to Use the D60's Autofocus System. 12 June 2008.

 

June 2008 More Nikon Reviews Nikon DSLR Timeline.

 

Introduction

 

Specifications Recommendations

 

The Nikon D60 is an inexpensive 10 MP DSLR that comes with an excellent 18-55mm VR lens for about $650 as of June 2008. It was a announced in January, 2008, and sold for about $750 with lens in February 2008.

 

The Nikon D60 is a replacement for the almost identical D40x.

 

Personally I prefer Nikon's least expensive D40 over the D60 or D40x. The D60, D40x and D40 are actually exactly the same cameras, differering only slightly in their internal electronics, but differing greatly in their prices.

 

The D60 is actually a D40 body with a few more card-clogging pixels, a VR lens and adaptive dynamic range, but a slower maximum shutter speed with flash.

 

The D60 is less sensitive to light then the D40 (its default ISO is only ISO 100 compared to the D40's default ISO of 200). Its less sensitive to light because the pixels have to be made smaller to cram more of them into the same-sized sensor. Smaller pixels collect fewer photons than larger pixels. Since the D60 is half as light sensitive, the D60 has to use twice as long a shutter speed or a larger aperture, which makes it more likely to make a blurry picture than the D40. OOPS!

 

Save your money and get the D40 instead. The D40's faster sync speed is invaluable for use with flash outdoors, and the extra light sensitivity in normal use will help make sharper pictures. These three cameras (D40, D40x, D60) otherwise, for most users, are identical. Compare them in person and you'll see. Megapixels don't matter.

 

(I detail the few fine points which are new in the D60 further below.)

 

I had my hands on a D60 back in January 2008. The D60 is an excellent camera, but for most of the people who will buy it, it's the same thing as the $300 less expensive D40. I'd suggest getting a D40 and putting the $300 towards more lenses and/or a bouncable flash.

 

In fact, the faster flash sync speed (the fastest shutter speed with flash) is more than twice as fast in the D40 (1/500 vs. 1/200), and along with the faster base ISO, the D40 is more likely to make sharper photos for most people, for hundreds of dollars less!

 

The only significant feature in the D60 over the D40x and D40 is adaptive dynamic range. The D60 does not have any of the other next-generation functionality of the D3 and D300.

 

The D60 is just a D40 with more pixels, but slower shutter speeds with flash outdoors and less basic light sensitivity due to the smaller pixels needed to jam more of them onto the same-sized sensor.

I make excellent 12 x 18" (30 x 50 cm) prints from my 6 MP D40; do you plan to print bigger? Really? The resolution makes no difference unless I'm printing at 20 x 30" (60 x 80 cm) or more.

 

Since the D60 costs $300 more than the D40, I'd much rather have a D40, 1/500 flash sync for better daylight fill-flash range, a minimum ISO of 200 and $300 left over to buy lenses and an external flash that I can bounce for better lighting. For instance, the D40, 55-200mm VR and SB-400 is a far better way to spend the same $750.

[Nick Leeson]

Here's what you get for the extra money

- Extra features which keep the dust off the internal sensor (nice but not worth £100)

- More megapixels (are you printing huge pictures off?)

- ISO 100 for less noisey pictures compared with the ISO 200 on the d40 (who cares?)

- Active D-Lighting (this is a good feature but not worth the extra £100)

 

What you lose is the ability to shoot at 1/500 with the built in flash.

 

Personally, for the cost, I would go for the D40 as you're going to want to buy a new longer lens pretty much straight away so the money you will save on the camera will go towards buying your first extra lens.

[Nomad]

Just got my first low budget digital camara, i got myself a Fujifilm s9600.

 

I have taken a fair amount of pics but havnt had the chance to put any on the computer yet as soon as i do tho i will post them on here. also i have a flickr account and would be greatful for any links to your accounts so i can see some pictures you have all taken

thanks

[Original202]

Just got my first low budget digital camara, i got myself a Fujifilm s9600.

 

I have taken a fair amount of pics but havnt had the chance to put any on the computer yet as soon as i do tho i will post them on here. also i have a flickr account and would be greatful for any links to your accounts so i can see some pictures you have all taken

thanks

 

Join the TLW flickr group, it's a hive of activity with an ever growing population of 6 members. Slow and steady wins the race and all that.

 

Flickr: TLW Toggers

[dave u]

S_zYM6uEimU&autoplay=1

[Nick Leeson]

Don't do it. I mean it don't do it.

 

You know that bit in Anchorman where Ron throws a burrito out of his window? Well this thread is my Harley. I swear I'll punt your Baxter.

[Thants]

S_zYM6uEimU

 

That's 2 hours of dead mans shoes revenge in one post.

Genius.

You're right dave, I do owe you rep.

[Nick Leeson]

Never liked this thread anyway. Too many photos frm other people

[briefs]

Quetsion for the many knowledgable people on this thread.

 

I have decide to buy a DSLR and I have narrowed it down to either a canon 1000d or a 450d?

 

Simple question - which do you all think is the best?!

 

I've been reading this thread for bloody ages now and I think the advice about lenses etc has been great, just not sure what to pick at the final stage. Are the extra features on the 450d worth the extra bit of money? Or is the 1000d good enough?

[Jennings]

I just bought a D40 from a dude at work for £150. Used it on hols, looks ok. I just use the auto modes for now. Hoping to get an eye for it, but not looking to get too advanced.

[CaptainK]

Quetsion for the many knowledgable people on this thread.

 

I have decide to buy a DSLR and I have narrowed it down to either a canon 1000d or a 450d?

 

Simple question - which do you all think is the best?!

 

I've been reading this thread for bloody ages now and I think the advice about lenses etc has been great, just not sure what to pick at the final stage. Are the extra features on the 450d worth the extra bit of money? Or is the 1000d good enough?

 

Try searching through this forum - plenty of people around with knowledge of both cameras.

 

Canon EOS Digital Cameras - Canon Digital Photography Forums