Camera for College

[Erigone]

Hello World!

College is starting in about six weeks and I still have not selected a camera for school. I found alot of nice cameras but they were all way out of my spending range. So I was wondering if I could get some help selecting a camera. My thesis will be about human interaction with the environment and the effects on society, so it will mainly be of buildings and man altered landscapes, things like that.

So what I wanted was a camera with:

A high aperture
Full frame
Shoots in HDR
Is compatible with Carl Zeiss lenses
Good battery life ~ Like about 300 shots before it dies. Although I may be willing to let this request go if the camera is a quick recarger


and all for around $1,500 USD. Also I would like the camera to be from a European or Japanese company, rather then an American.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[Dao]

-Full frame
-Shoots in HDR
-Is compatible with Carl Zeiss lenses
-around $1,500 USD.

I do not think such camera exist unless it is a used camera or refurbished model. Such as the Canon 5D MK1, 5D MK2, the 6D (Adorama refurbished Canon 6d price is $1600) or the Nikon D700 or D600 (adorama refurbished D600 is around $1600 as well).

Not sure about Carl Zeiss lenses since I do not know if they make lens that has Nikon or Canon mount. As far as HDR goes, you should be able to bracket the shots and create HDR image during POST.

 

[Tailgunner]

As pointed out above, the cheapest FX cameras starts out around $1699 and the only Nikon FX camera I can think of with built in HDR is the D800...which starts out around $2,300. As for the Carl Zeiss lenses, I believe their a third party lens and are made with Nikon and Canon mounts.

PS: this thread is cloned on another forum but originated on http://thephotoforum.com

 

[raventepes]

Full frame
Shoots in HDR
Is compatible with Carl Zeiss lenses
Good battery life ~ Like about 300 shots before it dies. Although I may be willing to let this request go if the camera is a quick recarger

and all for around $1,500 USD. Also I would like the camera to be from a European or Japanese company, rather then an American.

Thanks for all the help!

First of all, anything that shoots full frame shoots a minimum of 300 pictures, at least as far as I'm aware! Why worry about in body HDR? That makes no sense to me. Even going a simple non-over processed picture really isn't worth it, if you have the time to properly set up a multiple exposure HDR shot. Since you're a student, I'd concentrate on basics before you go into more advanced photography. Zeiss lenses do come in Nikon mounts, but if you're unaware of prices, most of them will cost more than your body budget. I'm not saying they're not worth it. Just expensive. If you currently have Zeiss glass, I'd recommend going with a body that uses the specified mount, weather it be Nikon, Canon, or Sony or whoever else they provide mounts for.

Sadly, I can't think of any current camera body that will do what you want it to do. Aperture is purely on the lenses used, so I'm not even going go into that. Full Frame, in body HDR, 300+ shot battery life, and Zeiss compatable, there's going to have to be something you'll have to give up. Coupled with your budget, the best you're going to find is a Nikon D7100, but it's a crop sensor. Nothing wrong with crop sensors, by any stretch of the imagination though!

 

[KmH]

A wide aperture depends on the lens, not the camera.

In general, the wider the maximum aperture, the more a lens costs.

Carl Zeiss lenses are offered with Canon, Nikon, Sony, and other mounts.
Many of the fast (wide aperture) Zeiss lenses cost more than you entire budget.

Zeiss for Nikon| B&H Photo Video

 

[gsgary]

I would like a full frame digital rangefinder with aperture of F0.95 for £1000

 

[vintagesnaps]

You could try Buy & Sell New & Used Cameras ? Canon, Nikon, Hasselblad, Leica & More - KEH.com for used equipment but I don't know if they'd have what would meet your requirements. I did a quick search on Zeiss and amongst all the Contaflexes etc. (that I never should have gotten started looking at) they show some lenses compatible with Canon, Nikon, etc. Their ratings are usually reliable.

 

[Erigone]

As pointed out above, the cheapest FX cameras starts out around $1699 and the only Nikon FX camera I can think of with built in HDR is the D800...which starts out around $2,300. As for the Carl Zeiss lenses, I believe their a third party lens and are made with Nikon and Canon mounts.

PS: this thread is cloned on another forum but originated on http://thephotoforum.com

Sorry for the cloned thread, the other forum made a newbie post comments on five other posts before being able to open one.

 

[Erigone]

Full frame
Shoots in HDR
Is compatible with Carl Zeiss lenses
Good battery life ~ Like about 300 shots before it dies. Although I may be willing to let this request go if the camera is a quick recarger

and all for around $1,500 USD. Also I would like the camera to be from a European or Japanese company, rather then an American.

Thanks for all the help!

First of all, anything that shoots full frame shoots a minimum of 300 pictures, at least as far as I'm aware! Why worry about in body HDR? That makes no sense to me. Even going a simple non-over processed picture really isn't worth it, if you have the time to properly set up a multiple exposure HDR shot. Since you're a student, I'd concentrate on basics before you go into more advanced photography. Zeiss lenses do come in Nikon mounts, but if you're unaware of prices, most of them will cost more than your body budget. I'm not saying they're not worth it. Just expensive. If you currently have Zeiss glass, I'd recommend going with a body that uses the specified mount, weather it be Nikon, Canon, or Sony or whoever else they provide mounts for.

Sadly, I can't think of any current camera body that will do what you want it to do. Aperture is purely on the lenses used, so I'm not even going go into that. Full Frame, in body HDR, 300+ shot battery life, and Zeiss compatable, there's going to have to be something you'll have to give up. Coupled with your budget, the best you're going to find is a Nikon D7100, but it's a crop sensor. Nothing wrong with crop sensors, by any stretch of the imagination though!

Ah, thanks. I never knew it shot a min of 300, I'm not used to full frame yet. I was reading blog posts that said it was better to take scenic shots with a high aperture and in HDR mode and the way the blog sounded it made it seem like aperture was purely based on the camera, I had no idea it was based on the lens used.

Thanks for your input, I am starting to feel like I'm ready for college

I think I will go for a used Canon EOS 5D Mark 2.

And if I did not want exchangeable lenses , would a Sigma DP3 Merrill be any good?

OR say take out the full frame and Zeiss and go for the Leica M-8

 

[Erigone]

You could try Buy & Sell New & Used Cameras ? Canon, Nikon, Hasselblad, Leica & More - KEH.com for used equipment but I don't know if they'd have what would meet your requirements. I did a quick search on Zeiss and amongst all the Contaflexes etc. (that I never should have gotten started looking at) they show some lenses compatible with Canon, Nikon, etc. Their ratings are usually reliable.

Thanks, I'll check that out, the Leica cameras look fantastic!