I've finally decided to switch to a SLR camera, and I was curious what type of advice everyone had in regards to selection.
I'm interested in the Olympus 500-E, an 8mp SLR, but being stationed at an isolated Alaska island limits the amount of photography shops in the area (What are the odds of that?).
If anyone has any advice, I'd be greatly appreciative.
First I would not limit yourself to local shops. Most of us order on line from one or two of the major outlets. Hunts, B&H Photo Calumet, and Adorama, etc. The selection is unlimited and the service from these outlets is outstanding as well as lower pricing.
Regarding camera choice, many on NPN will give good advice. My suggestion is to seriously analyse the type of shooting you will do. Then consider which lenses will best meet your needs. This will narrow your choice of cameras.
The lenses you buy will be with you a lot longer than a camera body. Body life span as far as technology is concerned is about 1 1/2 to 2 years. This doesn't mean you will get a new one that often, but your skills and growth will outpace camera bodies. Lenses will be with you for many cameras.
As a starting point for lens consideration if you will shoot mostly landscapes wide angle will be important. If you will shoot wildlife and birds telephotos are important. Longer lenses will be appreciated more with image stabilization.
While the megapixel count is not the most important thing to consider, many manufactures are now producing great 10 MP bodies at reasonable costs. The advantage of this is not just the printing of larger prints, but also the ability to crop more and still have enough pixels for a decent medium size print.
If you will shoot in low light a low noise camera is important. Canon is the undisputed leader in this area.
Well I have rambled enough. There are many here who will add their expertise. Good Luck and Have Fun.
Nothing at all against any of the many brands out there, but I would probably lean toward either Canon or Nikon. The reason for this is the quantity of lenses and accessories offered, the availability of lots of used equipment, and the fact you can sell it easily when you move up to the next body style, etc. Ed is correct on the noise assessment of Canon, but I sure love Nikon's ergonomics better.
Many times local shops are no more expensive than mail order on bodies, etc. and they will make it up on the smaller accessories, but most have pretty limited inventory, at least in smaller communities like where I live. B&H, KEH, and Adorama have always given me great service.
Posted by Carol Hyman on April 5, 2007 at 12:16 AM
Hi Brodie,
Another country heard from ...
Is there any way you can physically get your hands on a camera(s) to see how you like the feel of the camera? Back in 2000, a buddy of mine and I went shopping for our first digital cameras. Abe went with the Olympus because he liked how the camera felt in his hands.
I went for the Nikon Coolpix 990, again for the same reason.
And as other folks have commented, your lenses will be with you for a while.
Another thing I was able to do was to borrow a Sony way back then and that too convinced me to go for the Nikon.
We are a bunch of specialists here and we tend to work with high end camera systems (most usually Nikon or Canon) geared towards our specific needs. The birders use as long a glass as they can afford, while the landscapers tend towards the high end wide and super wide. Our probing questions often tend to be out of reach of someone moving from a point and shoot to a DSLR. Often they simply want something that does what their P&S does; only a little better with more available features (off camera flash, interchangeable lenses for future growth). Most often, when I ask someone making the move what kind of pictures they expect to take, the answer I get is "all kinds of pictures". Rather than racking your brain trying to finger out what kind of specialist you want to be, pick an inexpensive system in the 10 megapixel range and start taking lots of pictures. My guess is it's going to be primarily family, friends, co-workers and scenes from the incredibly beautiful places your work as a Coastie takes you. I would highly recommend the Canon Digital Rebel 400D or the Nikon D80x kit cameras. They both come with a decent zoom of around 17 mm to a little over 100 mm. Go with Nikon if you expect to use a lot of flash in your photography. They're way ahead of Canon and will be for a long time because of some existing patents. If you think there might be a long lens in your future (costing twice to five times what these kits cost) then Canon currently has the upper hand on quality stabilized long glass.
Another consideration is that the kits are not much larger and heavier than the P&S. Your neck will appreciate the weight, and you might feel less self concious carrying and using a smaller, less noticable unit around. My pro bodies weigh almost 4 pounds and my smaller walking around lenses come in around 2.5 pounds, plus they're all BIG (f/1.2-2.8). People in crowds and on the street are very much aware of their presence when I use them.
Start with one of these kits. It may be just the bump you need to bring your P&S photography up a notch without breaking the bank. It will allow you to continue to do what your P&S already does, but you will do it better and with more artistic control. If you ever find your photographic nitch, you can start buying components to fit it. I found mine. Unfortunately not before buying a lot of stuff that looked interesting along the way that sits on the shelf unused. Start small, learn what ya got, and branch out from there if you're so inclined.
Soapbox off.
Posted by Toni Lankerd on April 5, 2007 at 9:40 AM
Being a *Coastie*, you might want to check out the new Pentax K10D..it's weather proof!
Posted by Lee Robinson on April 5, 2007 at 3:31 PM
Toni makes a good point, Brodie. Another TPNer and Kodiak Island resident, Hank Pennington, prolly has a few thoughts on weather proofing, too. Have fun with your decision-making!
I'm impressed by the insightfulness of Kelly's advice.
Canon and Nikon are the big name brands in SLRs. I've had both and both are good, but like any other brand, neither are perfect. They have thier pluses and minuses. But if you choose either one of those, you probably won't be too disappointed. Toni is a first class photographer and swears by her Pentax, so you certainly should consider the other name brands.. Back in the film days, Nikon was THE camera of professional photographers. Canon made inroads with sports and nature photographers. Now with digital SLRs, Canon outsells Nikon.
The user interface of a camera is the viewfinder. It's one of the most important parts of a camera. There's just no comparison between the electronic viewfinder (EVF) of a superzoom digicam and the optical through-the-lens (TTL) viewfinder of an SLR. And among SLRs, the larger and brighter the viewfinder, the better. Unfortunately, in some consumer grade SLRs, the size and brightness of viewfinders aren't what they could be.
The technology of digital SLRs is advancing rapidly. Whatever camera you buy today will be old hat in three years, so it's important to consider the whole system, i.e lenses. If you buy an entry level SLR, a couple of consumer grade lenses, a flash, and a tripod and head - you've got a good start that you can learn with. If you really become a serious photographer, you will outgrow this system. Be prepared to spend some money.
After you've digested whatever advice you get, you will just have to make a choice and take the plunge. If you have a chance to handle some cameras, pick one that feels good to you. After you buy your first SLR, you will discover your likes and dislikes and you will be able to make a more educated choice when it's time to upgrade.
first of all Thanks for serving our country. Have you tried your base exchange? Quite often their prices are close to mail order and you can get to touch the cameras. My assistant's boyfriend bought her a Nikon D-70 kit a few years ago that rivaled anything I could find on the internet. My only objection was the kit lens but it is a "starter kit". bsvirginian
I started 3 years ago with the Canon Rebel digital SLR, bought a 75-300mm zoom, and a 10-22mm wide angle lens. I would recommend the 100-400mm zoom over the 75-300. Then I moved to the Canon 20D and added a Sigma 70-500mm zoom. Now I own a Canon 1D MarkII (bought used from Bob Steele, NPN moderator) and added a 500mm f/4 lens (bought used from Matt Hagadorn, former NPN moderator). Plus I still have the 20D as a backup, and of course, all the lenses. Only the 10-22mm zoom will not work with the 1DMII as it was a specialty lens only for rebel/20D/30D cameras. I have been completely satisfied with every Canon product that I have purchased. Even dropped the Rebel with the 75-300 zoom attached and received competent service from Canon at a resonable price for repairing both of them.
Discussion
9 repliesI'm interested in the Olympus 500-E, an 8mp SLR, but being stationed at an isolated Alaska island limits the amount of photography shops in the area (What are the odds of that?).
If anyone has any advice, I'd be greatly appreciative.
Smile,
-Brodie
Regarding camera choice, many on NPN will give good advice. My suggestion is to seriously analyse the type of shooting you will do. Then consider which lenses will best meet your needs. This will narrow your choice of cameras.
The lenses you buy will be with you a lot longer than a camera body. Body life span as far as technology is concerned is about 1 1/2 to 2 years. This doesn't mean you will get a new one that often, but your skills and growth will outpace camera bodies. Lenses will be with you for many cameras.
As a starting point for lens consideration if you will shoot mostly landscapes wide angle will be important. If you will shoot wildlife and birds telephotos are important. Longer lenses will be appreciated more with image stabilization.
While the megapixel count is not the most important thing to consider, many manufactures are now producing great 10 MP bodies at reasonable costs. The advantage of this is not just the printing of larger prints, but also the ability to crop more and still have enough pixels for a decent medium size print.
If you will shoot in low light a low noise camera is important. Canon is the undisputed leader in this area.
Well I have rambled enough. There are many here who will add their expertise. Good Luck and Have Fun.
Many times local shops are no more expensive than mail order on bodies, etc. and they will make it up on the smaller accessories, but most have pretty limited inventory, at least in smaller communities like where I live. B&H, KEH, and Adorama have always given me great service.
Another country heard from ...
Is there any way you can physically get your hands on a camera(s) to see how you like the feel of the camera? Back in 2000, a buddy of mine and I went shopping for our first digital cameras. Abe went with the Olympus because he liked how the camera felt in his hands.
I went for the Nikon Coolpix 990, again for the same reason.
And as other folks have commented, your lenses will be with you for a while.
Another thing I was able to do was to borrow a Sony way back then and that too convinced me to go for the Nikon.
Good luck,
Carol
http://hy-tec-training.com
Another consideration is that the kits are not much larger and heavier than the P&S. Your neck will appreciate the weight, and you might feel less self concious carrying and using a smaller, less noticable unit around. My pro bodies weigh almost 4 pounds and my smaller walking around lenses come in around 2.5 pounds, plus they're all BIG (f/1.2-2.8). People in crowds and on the street are very much aware of their presence when I use them.
Start with one of these kits. It may be just the bump you need to bring your P&S photography up a notch without breaking the bank. It will allow you to continue to do what your P&S already does, but you will do it better and with more artistic control. If you ever find your photographic nitch, you can start buying components to fit it. I found mine. Unfortunately not before buying a lot of stuff that looked interesting along the way that sits on the shelf unused. Start small, learn what ya got, and branch out from there if you're so inclined.
Soapbox off.
Canon and Nikon are the big name brands in SLRs. I've had both and both are good, but like any other brand, neither are perfect. They have thier pluses and minuses. But if you choose either one of those, you probably won't be too disappointed. Toni is a first class photographer and swears by her Pentax, so you certainly should consider the other name brands.. Back in the film days, Nikon was THE camera of professional photographers. Canon made inroads with sports and nature photographers. Now with digital SLRs, Canon outsells Nikon.
A good source camera reviews is http://www.dpreview.com
The user interface of a camera is the viewfinder. It's one of the most important parts of a camera. There's just no comparison between the electronic viewfinder (EVF) of a superzoom digicam and the optical through-the-lens (TTL) viewfinder of an SLR. And among SLRs, the larger and brighter the viewfinder, the better. Unfortunately, in some consumer grade SLRs, the size and brightness of viewfinders aren't what they could be.
The technology of digital SLRs is advancing rapidly. Whatever camera you buy today will be old hat in three years, so it's important to consider the whole system, i.e lenses. If you buy an entry level SLR, a couple of consumer grade lenses, a flash, and a tripod and head - you've got a good start that you can learn with. If you really become a serious photographer, you will outgrow this system. Be prepared to spend some money.
After you've digested whatever advice you get, you will just have to make a choice and take the plunge. If you have a chance to handle some cameras, pick one that feels good to you. After you buy your first SLR, you will discover your likes and dislikes and you will be able to make a more educated choice when it's time to upgrade.
Good luck.