Looking for a SLR camera - any suggestions?

[Stog-a-Boy]

I'm looking into buying a dSLR camera also. I want the d90, but its way too much camera for me. I'm coming from the Nikon Coolpix S1. Looking into the d40 also.

[RGD.]

Circuit City has the Nikon D40 for $450 with lens kit and the D60 for $560 with lens kit. Good prices -



Ron

[Stog-a-Boy]

So apparently some people like the D40 better then the D60. Pixels don't matter? Unless you're printing ginourmous pictures. I'm still reading, but leaning towards the D40.

[Genetic Defect]

Originally Posted by Stog-a-Boy

So apparently some people like the D40 better then the D60. Pixels don't matter? Unless you're printing ginourmous pictures. I'm still reading, but leaning towards the D40.

[kgoings]

Originally Posted by Stog-a-Boy

So apparently some people like the D40 better then the D60. Pixels don't matter? Unless you're printing ginourmous pictures. I'm still reading, but leaning towards the D40.

You can print great 20X30 posters with 6MP, right now the MP wars are just sales pitches (and mine is bigger than yours arguments) Most professional print labs can enlarge your prints and make them look great. For someone who is just getting into SLR's the D40 or Canon's 30D are great cameras, and you can get them for dirt cheap.

[Genetic Defect]

Originally Posted by kgoings

You can print great 20X30 posters with 6MP, right now the MP wars are just sales pitches (and mine is bigger than yours arguments) Most professional print labs can enlarge your prints and make them look great. For someone who is just getting into SLR's the D40 or Canon's 30D are great cameras, and you can get them for dirt cheap.

how big is your thumb?

[Blueface]

While megapixels do matter if you are going large with prints, for the average 8X10, it will take quarter dissections of the photo, amplified to a new 8X10 to actually see differences if compared side by side with one another (meaning a quarter section blow up and compared to another photo taken with a camera with different megapixels).
Otherwise, to the naked eye, I agree a six megapixel is comparable to a 10.
However, if you expand to large posters or blow up the picture in a zoom fashion when editing, there will be a noticeable difference.

[Jay Hemingway]

didn't know saint luis rey made camera's?

[DrDubzz]

Originally Posted by Jay Hemingway

didn't know saint luis rey made camera's?

you dolt

[Silound]

I worked for a while doing sports photography for a university, which is some of the most rapidly changing movement intensive type to do (so I'm told).


We used a Canon Rebel Xt (DSLR) for everything, which took amazing pictures and was a real gem to work with. The only downside was the weight with a 300mm wide angle zoom lens cause it to be rather bulky, but the camera itself with stock lens was a treat to use.


I think now the Xt has been replaced by the XSi.

[UPHOTO]

Buy a used 30D, 40D something like that.

The D40's and lower end Nikons are GREAT cameras BUT you can't use some of the classic amazing glass that Nikon made since there is no focus motor in the D40, you have to use the newer AFS lenses with the motors in them. Which means no 50mm 1.8 or 1.4, 85mm 1.8 or 1.4 or any of their great primes.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by UPHOTO

Buy a used 30D, 40D something like that.

The D40's and lower end Nikons are GREAT cameras BUT you can't use some of the classic amazing glass that Nikon made since there is no focus motor in the D40, you have to use the newer AFS lenses with the motors in them. Which means no 50mm 1.8 or 1.4, 85mm 1.8 or 1.4 or any of their great primes.

I speak your language and know exactly what you are talking about.
However, for Patrick, this is what that information sounds like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abz9JPfH3TA

[UPHOTO]

hahahahaha

Yeah that's true and that is what bothers me about Nikon's marketing of these cameras. If you want to grow in your photography you HAVE to upgrade because you can't upgrade your lenses.

Some of the BEST Nikon lenses do not have focus motors in them but they try to sell a consumer camera to everybody expecting them to ONLY use consumer cheap lenses.

Buy a Canon 20D, 30D or 40D for $400-500 and then I can tell you what lenses to buy for another $500-700 and you will have a GREAT setup.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by UPHOTO

hahahahaha

Yeah that's true and that is what bothers me about Nikon's marketing of these cameras. If you want to grow in your photography you HAVE to upgrade because you can't upgrade your lenses.

Some of the BEST Nikon lenses do not have focus motors in them but they try to sell a consumer camera to everybody expecting them to ONLY use consumer cheap lenses.

Buy a Canon 20D, 30D or 40D for $400-500 and then I can tell you what lenses to buy for another $500-700 and you will have a GREAT setup.

If it wasn't because of the cost associated with it (120 or 220 film) and how limited labs have become, to me, nothing beats my Hasselblad 500CM with my Carl Zeiss lenses. No automation. All manual but if good enough to go to the moon, darn good enough for me. Too bad it is all just sitting in camera cases collecting dust. To that, add my Mamiya C330's (three of them) and a number of other medium format cameras. I don't even want to get into the Lumedyne conversation as I will cry over how much is stored away.

[UPHOTO]

Oh now you are talking camera ****!!!!! (oops P O R N is edited) heheeh

That Hassy is a thing of beauty.....LOVE it!!!

I've always wanted to pick up a C330 just to play with, I still shoot with 120 in my Holga and will never give it up. Dust those off and have some fun.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by UPHOTO

Oh now you are talking camera ****!!!!! (oops P O R N is edited) heheeh

That Hassy is a thing of beauty.....LOVE it!!!

I've always wanted to pick up a C330 just to play with, I still shoot with 120 in my Holga and will never give it up. Dust those off and have some fun.

Patrick is a friend so let's continue the threadjack for "learning purposes".

I used the C330's for candids mostly and used my Hasselblad for portraits. I swear that camera shows absolutely no wear as I was so anal with it. The C3330's show wear but still in very good condition overall. Even though they had a twin lens, it was a great feature as I could shoot low speeds like 1/15 handheld, with no shutter movement and capture awesome available light. In my days, I could even do 1/8 handheld as long as objects weren't in motion.
I have been often tempted to pull them out and use them again but why bother with the film costs with digital being so easy to use? I might be tempted in the future to use them again for portraits of my grandson. I just need to get a new portrait background and been thinking of getting Alien Bees to update all my lighting. I would hate to buy new battery packs for all my Lumedynes. I still have all my lightboxes and umbrellas well maintained, as if new.

[UPHOTO]

Oh good stuff!!!!

Alien Bee's are amazing. I've got a few and a ring light from them too. Great stuff for the money.

[Genetic Defect]

hello

[King James]

Canon 20Ds can be had for pretty cheap now n days and are a very good camera. Even a rebel with a nice lens should do fine. I'm partial to canon tho!

[coffeemonkey]

I have the Canon Xsi and love it. Reading a few introductory books before buying is a great thing to do. Your initial decision on which brand to start with is important as it means investing in that manufacturer's lenses, flashes and accessories. These things cannot be used on other manufacturer's equipment, with a few limited exceptions. If you decide later to switch from Canon to Nikon or vice versa you are pretty much starting over. This isn't necessarily all bad, since the good gear that Canon and Nikon make resells well, but can be a big hassle if you have become accustomed to a certain manufacturer. I've heard some say it is like switching from a PC to Mac. And of course, in this case, Canon is the Mac.

I don't know how Nikon works exactly but make sure whatever camera you get can use all the lens that that manufacturer makes. If it won't accept them all then you are limited in the future. In the case of the Canon Xsi, it is not a "full frame" camera in that the sensor is not a 35mm sensor (it is smaller). Special lens were introduced for this camera called EF-S, versus the EF lenses for full frame cameras. So, as long as I buy EF lenses I'll be able to use them now, on my Xsi, and on any future camera I may buy. Some manufacturers don't allow their lower end SLR's to use the same lenses as the higher end SLR's, this limits upgradability.

For a better explanation of this see this link: http://photonotes.org/articles/begin...enses.html#efs

Happy Shopping! Now is a good time to buy, I've seen a number of good deals on cameras amongst all the post-Christmas sales.