The future of DSLR

[Jack Flesher]

[font color=\'#000000\']SNIP The question then becomes one of why I should carry  lenses that cover so much more than than the sensor area.[/font]

[font color=\'#000000\']IMO only -- but because with your smaller sensor you are in the sweetest (sharpest) part of the lens' image circle.  This will allow you to press the image farther in post than you will likely be able to do with a similar lens designed for the smaller image circle.[/font]

[mats]

[font color=\'#000000\']I have considered digicams but have not found one that delivers anything like the quality I want. They are too slow and not very good (terrible!) at high iso. Also the autofocus is no where near as good as a DSLR.
 I have tried the E1 but am not confident in the speed of the autofocus and the sensor is even smaller than aps. I do not want any less resolution or quality than I have now and feel (rightly or wrongly) that the E1 is a small step backwards.

Mats[/font]

[Ray]

[font color=\'#000000\']It's interesting that the pixel density of the Mark ll is still slightly less than that of the 10D. In other words, a telephoto shot with the Mark ll cropped to the same size as the 10D, same lens, would contain fewer pixels but probably be of very similar quality with possibly the edge going to the 10D.[/font]

[mats]

[font color=\'#000000\']I have been considering the way I want to upgrade my digital equipment lately and have discovered that (once again) I am not sure which way I want to go. Let me state right now that I realise that I have to decide for myself, but I want to post this topic as a way of getting new input and maybe learn what others consider most important. I also realise that everbody is going to have their own answer!
At the moment I an using a 10D and a D60 with a 50 1.4,  17-40 4.0, 70-200 4.0 and a sigma 12-24. This kit was put together with the stated intention of being exactly what I need lenswise but with a fullframe (or close) body.(The sigma being a stopgap to get some width.) When the MK11 became available I thought that my camera had finally arrived.  But..
The problem is that I am happy with the quality that the 10D delivers. I seldom if ever need more resolution and when I do it is usually when taking lanscapes and then I tend to favour my Mamiya 6 anyway. The question then becomes one of why I should carry  lenses that cover so much more than than the sensor area. The main reason I chose the 4.0 versions of the L zooms was to save weight, not cost, as I photograph a lot of adventure racing and spend a lot of time clambering up and down mountains.
I managed to lend a demo MK11 and it is great. And heavy! And expensive! But after doing some comparisons I am not convinced that I get that much more info from its files for my needs. The difference between 6 and 8 mpixel is not that large!
If I now am content to stay with 6mp then all of a sudden I do not really need to carry around my large L zooms? Canon do not make special digital lenses (except for a rather mediocre kit lens) but Nikon do and after having a look at what is on offer I must admit that I am tempted to change. They do not have any small telephoto zooms as yet but they seem to be commited to the aps size sensor and there seems to be a lot bigger chance of Nikon offering a dedicated zoom than Canon.
I have also always thought that I need a profesional weather protected body but after puting my 10d through some rather rough treatment I am not longer sure that I really need to spend the money. A spare backup 10D body would be cheaper! Or Nikon...
Sorry for the rather long post that doesn´t really ask a question but it is something that I have been thinking a lot about lately and I am very intrested in what solutions others have arrived at. If any...
Mats[/font]

[Paul Sumi]

[font color=\'#000000\']Mats, if size and weight are concerns, have you considered the latest generation of high-end digicams?  The zoom range and maximum aperture fit your needs.  Of course, they have their own issues and differences from DSLRs.

Also, how about the Olympus E-1?  The lenses are specific to the sensor size.  While the camera is not smaller than other DSLRs, the lenses are smaller than 35mm lenses for a given field of view.[/font]

[Jonathan Wienke]

[font color=\'#000000\']I managed to lend a demo MK11 and it is great. And heavy! And expensive! But after doing some comparisons I am not convinced that I get that much more info from its files for my needs. The difference between 6 and 8 mpixel is not that large![/font]

[font color=\'#000000\']But the 1D-MkII has a physically larger sensor than the 10D, which means you can get wider wide-angle shots with it than the 10D. If you care enough about wide stuff to get the 12-24, then you would benefit from the increased sensor size of the 1D- MkII. Not to mention faster/better AF, better build/sealing, faster frame rate, better viewfinder, etc.[/font]