Camera time...

Paul H

Paul H

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 29, 2004
Messages
5,287
Reaction score
4
Location
Derbyshire: best beer, best cheese, best puddings.
All this talk of writing articles and an interest in my photo's from some friends (not those kind of photo's...) has led me to consider investing to get up to date.

I already have my trusty Canon EOS 3 with assorted Canon accesories but I'm looking to go digital now the prices are more reasonable and they have a useable resolution.

With Canon gear in my bag already I'm wanting to stick with the brand. My lenses and flash will be compatible and I've always preferred Canon to Nikon anyhow.

I have no doubts on Canon's quality or useability etc... but wondered how others have found them. Things like battery life?, number of shots you get on say a 2GB card?, how much did you pay if it was a recent purchase? etc...

I realise number of shots is dependent on the resolution you choose but lets say highest and also lowest useable, (useable = get a decent 5x7 print off it).

Any advice greatfully received, ta in advance chaps...
 
T

The Monk

Guest
Not a canon man myself and Canon did have the edge a few years go, but Nikon have took the lead again, get yourself a Nikon D200, you wont look back, a really good camera for the none professional market and quite a few grand cheaper
 
S

Sean Meeghan

Guest
Paul, you need to ask about performance in poor light conditions, harsh contrasts that kind of thing. I went digital a few years ago with a decent compact and I was a bit taken aback by the difference between film and silicon. You soon adapt though, but I don't get quite the dramatic effects that I used to do with film.

I'd be interested to know if people feel that this has changed.
 
J

john ledger

Guest
I have a Canon 350d and it would even make the Monk look good
 
J

john ledger

Guest
Paul
Forget what i have just said,just seen his photo,not even a Canon can alter that
 
Mark Wintle

Mark Wintle

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 10, 2002
Messages
4,479
Reaction score
841
Location
Azide the Stour
Like John I've got a Canon 350D. As it's an SLR you get good battery life as it's powering the screen on the back that drains batteries (you look through the viewfinder). I use 512Mb cards which store approx 135 pics at best jpeg resolution (around 3mb each). Above that is RAW which needs more work to convert. With a spare card that's 270 pics which is pretty good. Battery life is around 400 - 500 pics.

Your lenses will be 1.6 times longer ie a 200mm becomes a 320mm so you'll need a new bespoke wide angle but the camera comes with a 18-55mm, not the best but OK.

One vital difference with digital is that if you burn out the highlights they can't be rescued whereas dark areas usually have detail that can be lightened. I use 4 different loads of software with pics according to what I'm doing with the pics.

Don't know the latest price but around ?530 is the general area, add a bit for another card. That's pretty good for 8 megapixels dSLR. If you want 10 then as Monk says go for Nikon and the D200 but that's up around a grand. It's what Graham has swapped to from the Canon.
 
J

john ledger

Guest
Just wished the monitor was a bit bigger on the 350D but i do like and like Mark says the battery life is good.
just a pity im useless with the bloody thing
 
Mark Wintle

Mark Wintle

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 10, 2002
Messages
4,479
Reaction score
841
Location
Azide the Stour
Paul,

Worth a look at Magicalia's ThinkCamera at the bottom of the page where there is breaking news of latest Nikon and imminent new Canon.

Mark
 
P

pons

Guest
The brand new Nikon D80 looks a class bit of kit,and good value for the spec.
Reviews are excellent so far.
Compatible with other Nikon lenses.
Pons
PS,The esteemed Ed has the D200,and rates it highly.
 
J

john ledger

Guest
Christ i have only just bought this one never mind another,how many cameras do you need to photograph a gudgeon
 
S

steve B

Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Cannon 350D seems like a nice camara, what type of self take system does it have? infrared or remote switch.
 
S

Shrek

Guest
FWIW, I've got a Nikon D50, having previously had a Nikon F60, and ALL my lenses are compatible with the Digital SLR which made buying it a lot cheaper as I only bought the body.

For extra's I have two 512Mb SD cards and two batteries. Don't know about Canon, but Nikon have their own battery packs.

Paul, it might be worth taking stock of your current lenses and seeing if you can get away with buying a body only as it's a lot more cost effective.
 
Paul H

Paul H

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 29, 2004
Messages
5,287
Reaction score
4
Location
Derbyshire: best beer, best cheese, best puddings.
That was my thinking initially Adrian, I have the speedlight 550EX which is the mutts and a 24-85mm USM f3.5 which isn't a cheap little lens either (38-136mm it'll be on the 350D). I'm definately coming down on the 350D side of the fence.

Bought a digital photo/camera mag today with a review of 7 'budget' digital SLR's:

EOS 350D, Nikon D50 & the D70, Olympus E-500, Pentax *ist DL, Samsung GX-1L and the Sigma SD10.

Even though it's the oldest the Canon still came out with the only 5 star rating overall the Nikons both got 4 and the others all got 3.
 
E

ED (The ORIGINAL and REAL one)

Guest
"PS,The esteemed Ed has the D200,and rates it highly"


No I don't --I have an Olympus c55 Zoom
 
GrahamM

GrahamM

Managing Editor
Joined
Feb 23, 1999
Messages
9,773
Reaction score
1
The 350D is a great camera and definitely the best for you considering you already have so much Canon equipment. The Nikon D200 is the best camera I've ever had but you have to be a real enthusiast to justify the extra cost.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top