Peekaboo.

Monster · Mar 26, 2007

Hi, I'm new in town.

I've decided to maybe join your lovely community.

I'm fairly sure that I have a decent eye for photography, but first I need a camera. I've been looking around at the Cannon digital SLRs, but I'd hate to buy something only to find that I could have bought something better for cheaper.

I'm looking to spend around 800USD maybe, and for that I'm wanting the best all-round camera I can find. It doesn't need to come with super macro lenses or super zoom lenses, just so long as compatable ones can be bought sepparately.

I already have a decent-sized memory card (512MB i think) from my little Panasonic Lumix Fx-7. If such a memory card would be work in an SLR, then I wouldn't want to buy another.

If you could give me any advice on what sort of camera I should maybe start with that would be splendid. Really I'm just wanting a good, solid, all-round nice performing digital SLR that I can add zooms and special lenses to if/when the need arises.

Thanks

Garbz · Mar 26, 2007

That covers pretty much all DSLRs out there. Some of the recomendations for entry level cameras:

Canon 400D / 30D
Nikon D80 / D50
Sony Alpha
Pentax K10 / K100

You'll find someone on this board that uses each of those.

losttravelerfl · Mar 26, 2007

My first bet would be the Canon 400d (rebel xti) giving you access to any canon lenses you wanted in the future. I don't know if that card is compatible, but you would likely find 512mb too small either way unless you're very conservative with how many pictures you take.

auer1816 · Mar 26, 2007

Garbz said:
That covers pretty much all DSLRs out there.

It's true, prices are terribly low and there are a handful of good cameras in that price range. Do some research on the different cameras and get out to a camera store to try them out.

Monster · Mar 26, 2007

Thanks a lot fellas,

I've just had a good luck at these cameras on google and I actually think that the Canon 400d would be perfect for me.

Does anybody here actually use this camera? I'd be curious to see the quality of pictures it can take. (with just the standard lens it comes with).

shorty6049 · Mar 27, 2007

there are a LOT of people who use the 400d, one thing you might want to do, and i'm not trying to change your mind or anythign, is go to a store where they sell the cameras you're looking at , and hold them, because although thats a good camera for all the people who own it, i PERSONALLY found the 400d to feel sort of cheap and plasticky (while others say its light-weight and compact), the hand grip also didnt really feel that great to me, The alpha on the other hand (which is what i bought) had a hand grip that fit me like it was made for my hand and the camera felt more solid. I found the Nikons too heavy and the hand grip felt wierd too, so for ME the alpha was the choice i went with. Another factor in my decision was the fact that i already had several minolta lenses that were compatible with this camera so i didnt need to buy any to start out. Stevesdigicams.com is a good review site that has info on pretty much every camera you could think of . So while the alpha may have been the right camera for me, the rebel Xti could fit you best, its all a matter of what you like the best, and what YOU'll be happiest with , and it needs to take great pictures. which most of them do.

Nix · Mar 27, 2007

i use the xti, but im a complete noob hehe

gmarquez · Mar 27, 2007

"and get out to a camera store to try them out."

I second what auer says.

Find the DSLRs in and below your price range, get to a store, and try them out. IMHO, the latest models all take great pictures, and I don't think that you have any legacy lenses that you are trying to re-use, correct? If that's the case, then go out and try them all out. One of them is bound to "speak" to you, ie feel the best, have a viewfinder you like, etc. I tend to think that a camera that feels good in your hands is a better investment that getting THE camera that has "all of the bells and whistles", because ultimately, it will be YOU taking the pictures (composing them, framing them, being at the right place at the right time).

Monster · Mar 27, 2007

All righty, yeah, thanks, I'll try to check them out in the flesh this week.

On a sidenote, I'm slightly confused about this "Long exposure" technique. -- Would this kind of thing be achievable with a camera like the Canon we've been talking about? Or would it need to be a special breed of DSLR..

shorty6049 · Mar 27, 2007

you can take long exposures with any dSLR, if you want REALLy long exposures, you just set it to bulb mode, and then the shutter stays open as long as the button is pressed, (or if you use a remote, then its as long as the remote is locked in the on position)

Garbz · Mar 27, 2007

There's a limit to how long an exposure you can make with a digital SLR before the sensor starts going purple. Some cameras this can be fixed with Noise reduction, however it depends on your definition of long. By the standards of a 7 hour photo I took a few years ago on film, a 5 minute exposure is not really long

Either way you should have no trouble with the Canon 400D for several minute exposures.

shorty6049 · Mar 27, 2007

what did you take a 7 hour exposure for?

Garbz · Mar 28, 2007

Stars

. Although I did see a gallery of a ... Korean? Photographer who took a 9 hour exposure of the streets in New York, along with a 45minute exposure of a couple making love. Long exposures can get very interesting.

Monster · Mar 30, 2007

Wow, a seven hour exposure? Imagine how annoying it'd have been is somebody walked in front of the lens..

I've since had a look at the Cannon 400d in the flesh, and I think it seems perfect. I'm still yet to see though exactly what they're capable of.

Does anybody actually use this camera? I'd be very interested to see the sorts of pictures you've been able to take with it, (not using any specialist lenses/filters. Just straight out of the box).

gmarquez · Mar 30, 2007

Monster said:
Wow, a seven hour exposure? Imagine how annoying it'd have been is somebody walked in front of the lens..

The funny part is, with a 7 hour exposure, the camera (film or sensor) wouldn't even notice the light being reflected off the person walking by...so the person would not even show up in the image!

I've heard that you can make virtual ghost towns out of busy city streets by setting very long exposures...the moving people aren't in the field of view long enough to register on the film/image sensor.