Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape & Nature Photography => Topic started by: Monkimia on June 20, 2007, 03:23:59 am

Title: Best Digital Camera
Post by: Monkimia on June 20, 2007, 03:23:59 am
Hey,

I'm trying to get the best digital for the buck. Help! I'd really appreciate your thoughts. i'd rather hear from experienced camera folks than a salesman! For the most part I take photos of animals, oceanlife and wildlife and then familyl of course! Not necessarily in that order! I can't say the family comes last! Haha! I would like to enlarge my photos up to poster size and would like to get the best camera to do so. Please help!  

If anyone could recommend specific camers based on your own experiences I would really appreciate it!

Thanks so much!

Monkimia =)
Title: Best Digital Camera
Post by: mahleu on June 20, 2007, 06:45:13 am
Read this, it should help

http://forum.deviantart.com/galleries/photography/766268/ (http://forum.deviantart.com/galleries/photography/766268/)
Title: Best Digital Camera
Post by: picnic on June 20, 2007, 07:56:56 am
Quote
Hey,

I'm trying to get the best digital for the buck. Help! I'd really appreciate your thoughts. i'd rather hear from experienced camera folks than a salesman! For the most part I take photos of animals, oceanlife and wildlife and then familyl of course! Not necessarily in that order! I can't say the family comes last! Haha! I would like to enlarge my photos up to poster size and would like to get the best camera to do so. Please help!   

If anyone could recommend specific camers based on your own experiences I would really appreciate it!

Thanks so much!

Monkimia =)
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a] (http://index.php?act=findpost&pid=123889\")

You don't specifiy whether you want a DSLR, a P & S, etc.  What experience have you had with photography?  There are many cameras that would meet your needs for size and subjects, but there are a number of other factors also--including the price range you prefer.

I would also recommend that you visit [a href=\"http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/]http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/[/url] and read the reviews of the latest cameras which will give you a good idea of what is available and what each offers.

Diane
Title: Best Digital Camera
Post by: panoak on June 21, 2007, 10:49:03 pm
I would also recommend that you visit http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/ (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/) and read the reviews of the latest cameras which will give you a good idea of what is available and what each offers.

Good advice, Diane, but it's hard at first to develop a frame of reference.  IMO, it's best to start with a "low end" DSLR.  Canon and Nikon have grand entries in this field, but there are very impressive offerings from Olympus, Pentax and Sony as well.  The lens reviews at Fred Miranda.com (http://www.fredmiranda.com) are a great help, because the glass really is the bulk of your photo investment.  For any lens that Canon or Nikon offers, there is a response from Sigma or Tamron that is as good or sometimes better.  This can sway your choice in lens mount.  Right now, the Pentax K10D is a very hard package to contend with, for the price.  The Sony is on the cutting edge as well, using the same CCD sensor as the Nikon D200.  Olympus retains their relationship with Kodak, and the 4/3 system, with an array of glass that is entirely world class.
     My personal choice for a start would be the Canon 400D/XTi with the 17~85 lens, but my whole system is Canon, so I'm biased.
     If you're new to photography, the only answer is to do a whole bunch of research.  Check around with your local camera stores, and find one that will let you shoot sample images with their offerings.  The truth is that everything out there is very competitive, within each category.  A fair starting budget is $1,500 for a camera and lens that are worth keeping.  8 or 10 megapixels are plenty, unless you intend to buy a printer that prints larger than 13" wide.  Digital resolution has reached a plateau now, where decent sized prints are equal to or greater than human perception.  There is a perceptible difference between the larger sensors that are used in DLSR's and those that are used in consumer digicams with the same resolution numbers.
     Look at the Canon S5IS; the Fuji FZ50, and similar entries from Sony, Pentax and Olympus.  These all have video capabilities because they use a video sensor.  If that's important to you, it could sway your choice, but it comes at the cost of lower still image quality.  The answer is research.  Many of us carry one of these smaller cameras for every day snaps.  I carry a Canon G-6.  Others prefer the S-70, S-80, or G-7.  I like to keep the CF format for all of my memory cards.  That's why research is the only answer.  If I didn't already own the G-6, I would jump on the Fuji F-30 (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilmf30/)  without hesitation.  Read, and read some more!
Title: Best Digital Camera
Post by: wmchauncey on June 22, 2007, 08:31:51 am
I had your decision last year, this is what I've learned.
 
If your going DSLR you really only have 2 choices, Canon or Nikon.  they both have great "pro/consumer models.  Your decision between the two should be based on how they "feel" in your hands.

Once you've selected your body, but before you buy, look at lenses.  Buying the best glass is more important than buying the best body.  The reason is that you can upgrade your body a lot cheaper than upgrading your lenses.  The cost of glass is going to make you choke, really choke.

The fact that your on this site means that your brighter than I was last year and if you take an hour or so and run searches on this site on cameras and lenses, all the wisdom in the world will magically fall into your lap.

Good luck and good hunting, It'll be fun.
Title: Best Digital Camera
Post by: haidergill on July 18, 2007, 12:46:30 pm
I reckon, eBay. See if you can pick-up a used Oly E500, Canon EOS 350D or a Nikon D70. Buy some good glass, always remember it's the quality of lens that relates to the quality of the image. Megapixels relates how big you can print photo out to. I use Oly and therefore I can only vouch for them in that they say they produce  quality lens whether they are the kit lens or the super super quality sealed variety - rain/sand/dust proof good for the beach! Though Leica of late have been producing a couple of good lens too for 4/3rds and they are held in high regard too. If you have the ca$h then I would look at the Oly E510 and Nikon D80. Also remember to factor in ancillary equipment such monitor calibration/profiling device such as Pantone Huey, maybe some software like Capture 1 LE or Lightroom or Photoshop elements and a decent monitor - so the colours of your photos are displayed correctly, only then will you be able to make meaningful adjustments to their colour, brightness and contrast. See the bigger picture:-)
Title: Best Digital Camera
Post by: Cosmonaut on July 24, 2007, 09:18:30 pm
If you are going to shot wildlife a standard kit lens will be a disapointment. You need at least a 300mm lens. So when you shop you need to shop for the price of glass too. Olympus Glass is high dollars, but Simga makes lenes that will work for a better price. But Oly is going to come out with a line of new affordable lens by the end of year. The Oly two lens kit would be a great starter kit and the price has dropped since the release of the 510
                         Cosmo
Title: Best Digital Camera
Post by: haidergill on July 25, 2007, 11:36:20 am
The Oly dual lens kit covers 18mm-300mm in 35mm equiv. If you then need more reach you can add the standard Zuiko 140-600mm 35mm equiv (70-300mm). Coupled with in-camera IS on E510 it could be a very nice solution. The standard Zuiko lens are competitive both price and IQ wise. It's true though the professional quality Zuiko are par excellence - environmentally sealed, super super quality image.
I'm intirigued of late by four thirds Sigma 50-500mm in 35mm equiv that would be 100-1000mm, http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp...essage=24103695 (http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1022&message=24103695).  


Quote
If you are going to shot wildlife a standard kit lens will be a disapointment. You need at least a 300mm lens. So when you shop you need to shop for the price of glass too. Olympus Glass is high dollars, but Simga makes lenes that will work for a better price. But Oly is going to come out with a line of new affordable lens by the end of year. The Oly two lens kit would be a great starter kit and the price has dropped since the release of the 510
                         Cosmo
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Title: Best Digital Camera
Post by: marcmccalmont on July 25, 2007, 09:20:09 pm
1) I would find the lens that meets your needs first and let that make the decision for you on the camera body, i.e. I want to cover 28mm to 300mm (35mm equiv.) in one lens with stabilization that would lead you to a Nikon or you can live with a 2 lens solution and the sensor cleanings etc, that might lead you to another manufacturer.
2) As a program manager (and as a pilot) I make a triangle of the 3 most important characteristics and rank them first, second and third, this makes the correct decision pop out at you. Image quality, cost and size/weight might be the 3 most important characteristics for your camera decision. So if cost (under $2000 is most important rank that #1, if image quality is second rank it #2 etc)
3) I have found most real world problems can be solved using this triangle method. For image quality I chose the Canon 5D and several "L" lenses but for travel (size and weight more important) I chose the Nikon D80 because of the 18-200 VR lens. I guess there is no perfect camera.
4) Without more information and judging from your post I would say a Nikon D40 (new 10M pixel version) and a 18-200 VR might be a good place to start looking. Don’t forget the cost of a spare battery, 2 memory cards (Costco), camera bag etc.
Marc
Title: Best Digital Camera
Post by: Bravin Neff on September 06, 2007, 12:23:58 am
People often forget that silicon based imagers -- CCDs and CMOS chips -- are purely analog devices. As such, they only become a part of "digital photography" or "digital cameras" by virtue of the fact that the cameras also carry onboard A-D conversion. As a result, many people almost unanimously associate these devices with digital photography when in fact there is no necessity of such.

There are other versions of digital photgraphy. For example, sometimes I use a Nikon FE2 with a Coolscan LS V scanner. This is also digital photography.

Not trying to be a smartass, but digital photography isn't all about digital capture. It can start with film capture too.

Besides, you talked about "bang for the buck..."