Digital cameras: First dSLR camera. Please advise
First dSLR camera. Please advise
by jyunis - 9/29/07 7:58 PMI would like to upgrade from my Olympus digital camera. I am no expert on manual settings so would like the SLR to do well on preset settings. Does the Canon 30D do well with preset settings or will I have a hard time with it? If I go with Canon do you think the 40D is woth the extra $350 or stick with the 30D?
QUite an upgrade between Canon 30 and 40D.
by jump1127 - 9/30/07 12:41 AM In reply to: First dSLR camera. Please advise by jyunisCanon 40D use a new 10MP CMOS sensor, equiped with EOS integrated cleaning system. Larger LCD screen and live view ( though I found out that it's not necessary ). 40D is slightly faster than 30D. However, the picture's quality is not significantly different for the color depth of between 12 and 14 bit.
Any way, I do enjoy EOS 40D for my 5D back-up, instead of 1D mark III. The bad thing for 5D is the inside reflex mirror gets worn out and falled down despite a long-term or continuous shooting; many colleagues had to send their cameras for repairing. That many incidents really scared me when traveling and shooting. Now, it's more secured. You won't feel unhappy with your new 40D. Good luck.
And...
by Papa Echo - 9/30/07 1:13 AM In reply to: First dSLR camera. Please advise by jyunis...the 40D will be a very expensive P&S if you are only going to use its preset features, of which there are many. The virtues of a DSLR are the ability to have lenses changed, availability manual settings, biger sensors(hence better picture quality...Here is a chance for you to learn manaul settings. Have fun !
why a dslr?
by basschick - 10/1/07 4:33 AM In reply to: First dSLR camera. Please advise by jyunisi have a 30D and i love it.
that being said, i'm curious why you are interested in getting a dslr. i love manual myself, but if you don't, and you are hoping for higher quality pics, you might consider the nikon D40 or possibly the rebel xt. neither are the very newest, but are good value for the money.
my experience with the 20D and 30D is that their full auto settings tend to do things like slow the shutter so much that the shots end up blurred.
have you considered the canon X3-IS? since the X5 is out, the S3 price has dropped. if you don't need higher ISO settings, both the S3 and the S5 are pretty good stuff.
Canon 30D and 40D
by hjfok - 10/1/07 10:51 AM In reply to: First dSLR camera. Please advise by jyunisI have the Canon 30D and love this camera. The preset scene programs do perform very well. I use them if I need to grab a shot really quick and have no time to do manual settings. But in low light, it is better to do your own settings, to control the ISO, aperture, shutter speed, exposure and white balance to get the picture effect you want. When you first learn the manual settings, take one photo with the preset scene settings, and then play around with the manual settings. Then when you open up the file in the computer, you can compare and learn what settings will do the best.
The Canon 40D has a lot of significant upgrades, and is definitely worth the extra money if that is within your budget.
I don't know your reason to get a D-SLR, but for a lot of people, it is because of the faster speed and much better low light performance. And if that is the case, then you will also need a lens that can perform well in low light to let you learn how to shoot with large apertures, and controlling subject focus and background blurring. If budget is tight, the 50mm f/1.8 is about $70, and is a good learning lens. If budget is not a problem, the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS is a very good match with either the 30D or 40D. Also try to stay away from automatic white balance (AWB), and select your own white balance to learn how to use white balance to alter the mood of the photo. After you learn how to use ambient light to shoot, then you can learn more about flash photography and studio lighting. One important thing to learn is to study the effect of light. In photography, you use light to paint your photo. Learning with ambient light shooting helps you to learn about the beauty of natural ambient light, and how you can use the camera to capture or alter the mood and color of the photo. This will help you master the control of your camera. And let you realize when you need fill flash and other artificial light to enhance the photo when ambient light becomes challenging for the camera. If you use flash for all your photos and let your camera decide what to do, then you miss the fun of photography.
Nikon D40
by texasags - 10/1/07 10:51 AM In reply to: First dSLR camera. Please advise by jyunisI second the recommendation of the Nikon D40 (about $500 online). It is an excellent camera. With the $700-800 you save, buy the Nikon 18-200 VR lens. It is an excellent all-around lens. Or, if you want a fast (f2.8) lens, get one of those for about $1000. The lens will make more of a difference than resolution...
Nikon D40 vs Canon 30D/40D
by hjfok - 10/1/07 6:45 PM In reply to: Nikon D40 by texasagsI definitely agree that you should expect to spend more money on lenses than the camera body. If your budget is tight, then Nikon D40 is a good entry level D-SLR. Although there is a lot of rave about the Nikon 18-200mm VR lens on the internet, the objective lens testing is not that great, just another average lens with lots of distortion and vignetting. You'll be better off buying separate general purpose and tele lenses. You can read the review at:
http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/nikkor_18200_3556vr/index.htm
As for the Canon 30D or 40D, you get a much more powerful D-SLR than the Nikon D40. The 30D/40D are both much faster and perform better in high ISO, so you can get an advantage in low light action photos. But you will also need fast prime/zoom lenses (with large aperture at least f/2.8) to match up the performance in low light. A fast camera body is not fast when using a slow lens in low light. If you don't do much action or low light shots, then Nikon D40 or Canon XT/XTi will be adequate. But if you do a lot of low light actions, like indoor sports, night time sports, stage, indoor kids play, etc, you will enjoy the advantage of the Canon 30D/40D.
Reply
by jyunis - 10/1/07 8:02 PM In reply to: First dSLR camera. Please advise by jyunisMy main objective is to be able to take great photos. I am interested in learning how to manually control the camera but would like to get a great photo on the auto setting. I mean wont one of these cameras take a better photo on a preset setting then a point and shoot camera?
If your main objective emphasizes on the picture quality,
by jump1127 - 10/1/07 10:44 PM In reply to: Reply by jyunisDSLR will definitely serve you far better than point & shoot digital camera. However, you need to learn how to use your camera likewise. No perfect camera that fits all the condition. Good luck.
D-SLR
by hjfok - 10/2/07 11:28 AM In reply to: Reply by jyunisYes, D-SLR is able to do better than PS cameras even if you just use the preset scene programs or auto functions. I have a friend who just use the D-SLR as an expensive bulky PS camera. He has the Nikon D80 and the 18-200mm VR lens. He only uses the auto or preset scene programs. He does not need to change his lens either. You can also do that with Nikon D40 with the 18-200mm VR lens, or the Canon XT/XTi with the Sigma 18-200mm OS (optical stabilized) lens. You won't really need the more advanced models like Canon 30D/40D. The Nikon D200 does not have preset scene programs and so will not be on your list.
But like others said above, you should learn how to use the D-SLR to get the most out of the camera. This is true for any hobbies, in which learning the art and technology is a big part of the fun, sometimes even crucial. I have to spend weeks to learn how to use my scuba diving equipment and pass certification exams before I do open water diving. At least for photography, you can take your time to learn it and a mistake is only a bad photo. The more you know how to manipulate your camera, the better your photos will look. You don't need to take a formal class. You can just read some books, articals, and play with the camera. Have fun!
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