Looking for first Digital SLR

bbse · Aug 3, 2007

I am planning on buying a digital SLR as soon as I can sell all my other 35mm stuff. I am looking at either the Pentax K10D package or the Olympus E500 package. I was wondering which was better bang for the buck and/or is there a better deal out there. I could pick up a used Canon body and use my EOS lenses though they go up by 1.6 or so? I am not sure about the Speedlites?

Anyways, new here and just thought I would ask.

Big Mike · Aug 3, 2007

Welcome to the forum.

If you have EF (EOS) lenses...then it would only make sense to go with a Canon DSLR. It also doesn't hurt that Canon has the best (top of the line) DSLR cameras. Pentax and Olympus are good too, but I suggest the a Canon like a 30D or Rebel XTi, for the selection of avaliable lenses, among other things.

EX series Speedlites will be compatible. EZ series will not.

Yes, there is a 1.6 'crop factor'. The lenses are still usable, just that the field of view will be cropped as to make them feel 1.6 time longer (all other brands of DSLR are similar). The exception is if you get a Canon 5D or 1Ds mkII, which have a 'full frame' sensor (same as 35mm film).

Don Simon · Aug 3, 2007

Between the K10d and the E500 I would go for the former, it is newer and in my opinion more impressive; I believe the E550 is a newer model within the Olympus system. Either way, Mike's advice is good: If you already have Canon EF lenses then it makes sense to look at the Canon EOS system first. Canon's sensors (below the 5D and 1Ds models which are either "full frame" or 1.3x) have a 1.6x "crop factor", other systems using Sony sensors (Sony, Nikon, Pentax) have 1.5x. Olympus' crop factor is 2x. The crop factor only really matters for comparison with a 35mm system, and you'll soon get used to the different angle of view provided by each focal length on whatever system you choose.

bbse · Aug 3, 2007

Actually I messed up. I was thinking of the older Pentax K100D not the K10D. I am in real estate and my thoughts were that since the K100D has shake reduction and I can user with older Pentax lenses I might could find some older Auto focus lenses that were wider angle. I need that in real estate and the other thing was with the newer lenses and shake reduction I could shoot in lower light w/o flash and inside a lot of these foreclosure homes that would be helpful. Of course the Olympus comes with the 14-45(28-80) lense which is also tempting.