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Author Topic: Camera Recommendations Needed  (Read 3673 times)

Gulag

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Camera Recommendations Needed
« on: January 05, 2010, 10:39:31 am »

I have a friend who is looking for a better-than-average camera but not pro models..... he wants to take some up-close pictures of his landscape lighting products for catalog and web site. Also he wants to use it for leisure.... And he is interested in DSLR with a $1000 budget.

any recommendations. thank you.
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pcunite

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Camera Recommendations Needed
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2010, 02:39:50 pm »

You need or will want the following:

* LiveView
  Excellent manual focusing for product shots

* 35mm f2.0 or or 50mm f1.4 lens
   
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Over budget but less fuss and hassle
* 24-70 f2.8 lens
  Great for product and landscape with no fuss and no swapping lenses.
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On Canon's side you have the 40D/50D that are within your friends price range. Someone from Nikon hopefully will post what their offerings are as I am not familiar with their line up.
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Plekto

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« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2010, 05:00:53 am »

I'd be tempted to shop for a lens right now and get a cheap Nikon, Sony, or Canon body to go with it.   You should try to find a good film SLR lens and make it work with the new camera.

Why?  Because Macros that are specifically made for a digital body are expensive.   The cost as a result for these special lenses is astronomical compared to a simple 35mm macro lens that you get from an old film camera and drop on a more modern body.  It'll work closer to 50mm due to the conversion ratio, but that's just fine in most cases.

http://www.dyxum.com/lenses/detail.asp?IDLens=348
This is all too typical.  $500 for a decent modern macro lens.  The body to use it is roughly $500-600.

He will also need a setup to get the lighting right as well.  A simple flash won't cut it.  

The issue here is that $1000 isn't enough to get the job done - $2000 is more reasonable if he wants a DSLR setup with the software, lights, and all the rest unless he goes for a good used lens and inexpensive (possibly used as well)body combo.  As for what to chose, it doesn't make a real difference as long as the camera has a auto-bracketing feature(almost all do) as well as enough resolution.  10-12mp is usually quite inexpensive now, so that's a good price to performance spot to aim for.

A few I like are the Sony A500, the Canon Rebel XSi, and the Nikon D3000.  All can be had for around $500.  This leaves some room for a decent lens.  The Nikon and the Sony(Minolta) are easy to use older SLR lenses on, which greatly expands your options for Macro choices.  The Sony is nice because it has image stabilization in the camera and doesn't require special lenses to work(potential huge costs savings as well by using 35mm lenses).  The Canon is nice because it is very inexpensive.
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tokengirl

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« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2010, 05:43:30 am »

How big/small are these products he's wanting to photograph, and what setting will he photograph them in?
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BertramPaul

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« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2010, 06:58:11 am »

Best to get for that money is a Nikon D90. It's rated as the best APS-C size DSLR on dxomark.com. Best high ISO, best sensor and best dynamic range. For that price a 18-105 VR is included and if he wants to shoot products, he'll want a off camera flash; the D90 is the cheapest to have wireless flash trigger build-in.
If the 18-105 isn't close enough, he can get a 18-55 (II or VR) for about $100.- which is very sharp and can get pretty close: 1/3.2
If he has to stay under $ 1,000.- he should get the D90, 18-55 VR or II (here in EU the VR is cheaper!) and get the SB600 flash. Shoot off camera through an umbrella and he'll have nice light and great pictures.
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Plekto

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« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2010, 11:17:40 am »

Unless he finds a used one at a great price, he's better off getting a lower-end model than the D90(which is almost all of his budget for $1000 right there just for the body if he's buying new)  With this low of a budget, it means Tamron or Sigma lenses most likely or used, and a budget body.  Because he also wil nee software, lighting, a tripod, and other equipment that all eats away at that $1000.  Oh, and shipping and tax/etc.
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hs0zfe

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« Reply #6 on: January 08, 2010, 08:43:26 am »

This might be contrarian and uncalled for. But how about a medium format film system from Mamiya or Bronica or Fuji GX 680? A Pro SD body with film back might be only $ 300. Add a 140 mm Makreo, a wide angle and a tele lense. Now you can buy 120 roll film and a flash...

The obsolescence is way too high with throw away electrinics like the latest consumer DSLRs.

[color="#000000"][/color]
I opted for a Canon G10 plus medium format...

Cheers, Chris
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fike

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« Reply #7 on: January 08, 2010, 12:26:20 pm »

Considering the budget for the entire setup, the G11 isn't a crazy idea.  It's smaller sensor effectively increases the depth of field.  this is highly desirable for any macro work.  It can operate with ETTL flash systems and ring flashes for closeup work.  It would leave plenty of money for lighting equipment and focusing rails.  

There isn't much wiggle room here. At $1000 your friend is basically in entry level or entry level +1 range with its kit lens.  That is a canon T1i or nikon D5000.  Then they will need a closeup filter or macro lens for a couple hundred $$$ more.  The canon 500D closeup filter is probably the most economical way to get macro on any branded zoom lens.

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tetsuo77

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« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2010, 06:00:45 am »

Quote from: mshi2008
I have a friend who is looking for a better-than-average camera but not pro models..... he wants to take some up-close pictures of his landscape lighting products for catalog and web site. Also he wants to use it for leisure.... And he is interested in DSLR with a $1000 budget.

any recommendations. thank you.

On the Pentax side:
Kx has dropped yet again price. Cons: no focus point confirmation. Pros: cheap stabilized good high iso performance.
Macro lens: depending the size of the products.
Small products: Vivitar Series 1 105 2.5 Macro made by Kiron or Komine [I´m not familiar with the Olympus or Tokina made version].
big products: a rectilinear wide angle: both the 14 2.8 and the 15 4.0 are very good offerings, but expensive. Still, you will be just on the 1000 us dollars with the kit lens [rather good kit lens, by the way] and the 15.

Or buy a K20d and see plummeted prices [it is still a good camera, weathersealed, and a good sensor there. But not a "spectacular" camera. Little bit difficult for a newcomer] with the Kiron lens.

Olympus has good prices as well, specifically, the E620 with a very, very good liveview implementation. Still, olympus lenses are on the expensive side of the equation. Aparently, the 35 3.5 macro is a very good performer, on the cheaper side.
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aizan

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« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2010, 10:48:21 pm »

Quote from: mshi2008
I have a friend who is looking for a better-than-average camera but not pro models..... he wants to take some up-close pictures of his landscape lighting products for catalog and web site. Also he wants to use it for leisure.... And he is interested in DSLR with a $1000 budget.

any recommendations. thank you.

is the canon 450d with ef-s 60mm macro better-than-average, or just average? if he's not averse to obsolete equipment, an olympus e-1 with the 50mm macro would have much better build quality, and good enough image quality for his needs. the e-620 is there if he prefers a newer body.
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pegelli

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« Reply #10 on: January 20, 2010, 02:40:29 am »

It's been said before and a bit of a cliche, but there are no bad DSLR's out there anymore.

I think it's more important that likes the way the camera holds and other ergonomic aspects which are highly personal. So my $ 0.05 is that he should go into a shop with ample brands and hold/use/test a few and get one he feels comfortable with. If you don't like the look and feel of your camera a small difference in DxO score will not help one bit.
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