Spurred on by DavidM's beautiful car park shots of Babyzee, I really think it is time to enter the digital camera arena.
I have been looking at the new Minolta Dimage Z1 which looks like a fully featured camera and initial reviews seem quite good. (I have an antique Minolta 9000 SLR which I have been pretty happy with).
My priorities are decent optical zoom, not too bulky with picture quality satisfactory for mainly PC use, the odd one to be printed...
Any suggestions/experience would be gratefully received. I'm not looking for a bulky semi professional SLR, but at the same time don't want a cheapo bargin basement model and would probably be prepared to spend up to say £500.
(What's your model David?)
Cheers in advance!
Digital Camera Advice
I use fuji ...
I started with a fuji compact and then graduated to a Fuji 6900 which is a model which has been superceded now - the replacement gets very good reviews - http://www.internetcamerasdirect.co.uk/ ... -deals.htm - there is a higher model too - http://www.internetcamerasdirect.co.uk/ ... -deals.htm. Never had a gripe with it - so would recommend either of the newer versions of it
DavidM
DavidM
-
The Real Jackers
- Joined: Wed 03 Dec, 2003 20:21
- Posts: 1
- Location: Cambridge
Fuji s602
I've had a Fuji S602 for a year now and think it's great. One important consideration is batteries. Those with a unique rechargeable battery are great until it runs flat and your charger is elsewhere! The Fuji takes AA size (standard or rechargeable) which you can always get hold of. But be warned, it's very thirsty!
I've had my Fuji S602 well over a year and have been very happy with it - taken over 3000 pics 
Agree that it is heavy on batteries, so I have a number of sets of rechargeables which I carry with me. My charger also has car adapter.
It has 2 slots, 1 for Smart media and 1 for Compact Flash or a Microdrive - so you can have both slots populated saving you having loose media in your pocket.
I don't think you would go far wrong with a Fuji camera.
(The 602 has now been superceded).
Agree that it is heavy on batteries, so I have a number of sets of rechargeables which I carry with me. My charger also has car adapter.
It has 2 slots, 1 for Smart media and 1 for Compact Flash or a Microdrive - so you can have both slots populated saving you having loose media in your pocket.
I don't think you would go far wrong with a Fuji camera.
(The 602 has now been superceded).
I agree with David's recommendation of www.dpreview.com, and would add www.megapixel.net.
I have a Canon Eos 10D, but this is my fifth digital camera, and have learned along the way :
Optical Zoom : Can be important, but don't forget your feet can also work as a zoom. Digital zoom is worth nothing, ignore it when comparing cameras
Lens quality : generally when a f number is quoted, you will find that the lower this number the better quality the lens. fstop = aperture diameter / focal length, so the lower the number, the wider the maximum aperture allowing in more light. As a very rough rule, the bigger the area of glass at the front of the camera, the better the lens quality. Some compacts have tiny lenses and poor results.
Manual modes : if you get into using the camera any more than for snaps, this will become important, many compacts don't have manual modes. You may want to control aperture for creativity.
Batteries : are the batteries proprietary, or can you use AA cells? (Although alternative suppliers of proprietary batteries are now appearing - see 7dayshop.com)
Viewfinders : Electronic viewfinders can be poor in low light, and slow in operation - if the camera has an optical viewfinder, you will normally find this easier to use.
Shutter lag : How long after you press the shutter release does the camera take a picture? - many older cameras have a long delay, anything over 200mS should be considered poor. If you press the button, and the thing you are taking a picture of has moved by the time the camera takes a picture you will be disappointed.
Construction : it can be very disappointing to spend hundreds of pounds and get a cheap, plasticky, creaky camera!
Memory : Compact Flash tends to be faster than serial memory devices like SD cards, this is generally why digital SLRs use this format. Also the memory cards are available in larger sizes (up to 4GB)
Resolution : Not the most important thing once you get past 3MP, lens quality gets more important here. My Olympus E-10 (4MP) will often give better results with its very good lens, than the Canon 10D (6.3MP) with a cheap entry-level zoom.
IMHO, I would look at traditional manufacturers of cameras first, like Canon, Olympus, Nikon. Kodak is now overrated, the construction is very nasty - Canon by contrast have a lot of metal cased cameras. Sony and Kodak offer the least value for money in my opinion - although Sony have good lenses, they don't offer a lot of features.
With your money, I'd be buying a Canon G5 - although this may be on the large size. If size is an issue, then I'd look at the Ixus range, or maybe the A80.
At the last count, I have taken 16,000 digital pictures (all backed up on CD! - lots of them) some are at www.miodem.com/photo. (and around the rest of the site - Z3 pics etc...)
Simon
I have a Canon Eos 10D, but this is my fifth digital camera, and have learned along the way :
Optical Zoom : Can be important, but don't forget your feet can also work as a zoom. Digital zoom is worth nothing, ignore it when comparing cameras
Lens quality : generally when a f number is quoted, you will find that the lower this number the better quality the lens. fstop = aperture diameter / focal length, so the lower the number, the wider the maximum aperture allowing in more light. As a very rough rule, the bigger the area of glass at the front of the camera, the better the lens quality. Some compacts have tiny lenses and poor results.
Manual modes : if you get into using the camera any more than for snaps, this will become important, many compacts don't have manual modes. You may want to control aperture for creativity.
Batteries : are the batteries proprietary, or can you use AA cells? (Although alternative suppliers of proprietary batteries are now appearing - see 7dayshop.com)
Viewfinders : Electronic viewfinders can be poor in low light, and slow in operation - if the camera has an optical viewfinder, you will normally find this easier to use.
Shutter lag : How long after you press the shutter release does the camera take a picture? - many older cameras have a long delay, anything over 200mS should be considered poor. If you press the button, and the thing you are taking a picture of has moved by the time the camera takes a picture you will be disappointed.
Construction : it can be very disappointing to spend hundreds of pounds and get a cheap, plasticky, creaky camera!
Memory : Compact Flash tends to be faster than serial memory devices like SD cards, this is generally why digital SLRs use this format. Also the memory cards are available in larger sizes (up to 4GB)
Resolution : Not the most important thing once you get past 3MP, lens quality gets more important here. My Olympus E-10 (4MP) will often give better results with its very good lens, than the Canon 10D (6.3MP) with a cheap entry-level zoom.
IMHO, I would look at traditional manufacturers of cameras first, like Canon, Olympus, Nikon. Kodak is now overrated, the construction is very nasty - Canon by contrast have a lot of metal cased cameras. Sony and Kodak offer the least value for money in my opinion - although Sony have good lenses, they don't offer a lot of features.
With your money, I'd be buying a Canon G5 - although this may be on the large size. If size is an issue, then I'd look at the Ixus range, or maybe the A80.
At the last count, I have taken 16,000 digital pictures (all backed up on CD! - lots of them) some are at www.miodem.com/photo. (and around the rest of the site - Z3 pics etc...)
Simon
I've just added this presentation on the web. Press space to move to each next slide. And be patient, some of the pictures take a while to appear - even though your browser may already say 'Done'!
Simon
http://www.miodem.com/photo/presentation/fullscreen.htm
Simon
http://www.miodem.com/photo/presentation/fullscreen.htm
-
Jon Miller
- Z Register member
- Joined: Sun 26 Oct, 2003 19:17
- Posts: 264
- Location: Ballina/Killaloe
- Contact:
I bought a Pentax Optio 450 in the summer and I'm very pleased with it. It has a 5x optical zoom, a resolution of four Mega pixels and all of the normal features including the ability to store an amount of moving image, and for those scenic shots a panoramic setting.
It only comes with a 16MB memory card so if you are running on the maximum resolution you would need to buy a bigger one.
The battery life is excellent
Its about the size of a cigarette packet (though heavier!)
worth a look
It only comes with a 16MB memory card so if you are running on the maximum resolution you would need to buy a bigger one.
The battery life is excellent
Its about the size of a cigarette packet (though heavier!)
worth a look
Canon....
Like Simon above, I'm in the Canon fold.
I have the EOS D30 which was superseeded by the D60 and now the 10D (although all are virtually the same apart from small improvements on the later models). I'll be looking to upgrade when the next Canon DSLR comes out.
The thing that makes the picture is the lens - most image sensors on digital cameras are pretty good these days and in good light/conditions a small camera will compare well to a DSLR for most general pictures.
Where the DSLR will shine through is where the conditions are not so favourable eg: dim lighting.
Of course, with DSLRs you lose the ability to slip it in your pocket (or take photos without people noticing).
If you go down the DSLR route, look at the new Canon 300D. Realtively well featured/priced - and you can use any of the Canon lenses on the body to make it really flexible. If you need more features - buy a 10D (or used D60).
As stated above, I have a Canon D30 for the decent shots I want to take.... and another Canon Powershot S230 (UK = IXUS 3) for using when I'm out and need a discrete camera for social shots.
As for software - see http://www.breezesys.com for some excellent shareware for downloading/organising digital images.
John.
I have the EOS D30 which was superseeded by the D60 and now the 10D (although all are virtually the same apart from small improvements on the later models). I'll be looking to upgrade when the next Canon DSLR comes out.
The thing that makes the picture is the lens - most image sensors on digital cameras are pretty good these days and in good light/conditions a small camera will compare well to a DSLR for most general pictures.
Where the DSLR will shine through is where the conditions are not so favourable eg: dim lighting.
Of course, with DSLRs you lose the ability to slip it in your pocket (or take photos without people noticing).
If you go down the DSLR route, look at the new Canon 300D. Realtively well featured/priced - and you can use any of the Canon lenses on the body to make it really flexible. If you need more features - buy a 10D (or used D60).
As stated above, I have a Canon D30 for the decent shots I want to take.... and another Canon Powershot S230 (UK = IXUS 3) for using when I'm out and need a discrete camera for social shots.
As for software - see http://www.breezesys.com for some excellent shareware for downloading/organising digital images.
John.
The Fuji S602 mentioned above has been superceded by the S7000 as mentioned, I bought the S7000 a month ago and it's excellent, still getting used to it as it's so much better than the Olympus I previously had. It's a genuine 6 mega pixel camera (and at ultra high setting records in 12 mega pixel, you need a big card for this as each image is 12MB, so only 1 picture on the 16MB card that comes with the camera).
The fact it uses standard AA batteries is a major plus point, it means when the rechargeables run out you can just buy some standard ones.
This camera is a bit above your budget in the UK, luckily I have to travel to Japan occasionally and I bought mine there (worked out at £420).
It has the 2 slots for media which again is cheap in Japan, so I bought a 1GB microdrive (£100) and 128MB SD card for £40, which means I can fit loads of pictures on there.
The fact it uses standard AA batteries is a major plus point, it means when the rechargeables run out you can just buy some standard ones.
This camera is a bit above your budget in the UK, luckily I have to travel to Japan occasionally and I bought mine there (worked out at £420).
It has the 2 slots for media which again is cheap in Japan, so I bought a 1GB microdrive (£100) and 128MB SD card for £40, which means I can fit loads of pictures on there.
"If you can leave black marks from the time you exit a corner till the time you brake for the next turn, then you have enough horsepower." --Mark Donohue
Re: Digital Camera Advice
Thanks to all for your most informative replies. As always seems to be my want, when I get the bit between my teeth and start investigating the options more thoroughly, my aspirations seems to rise and hence my previous thoughts re SLRs have been revisedGiles wrote:I'm not looking for a bulky semi professional SLR, but at the same time don't want a cheapo bargain basement model and would probably be prepared to spend up to say £500.
I am not a complete photography novice and indeed used to own a (now ancient) Minolta 9000, it was one of those hobbies that got a bit lost over time. However with the advent of Digital and the flexibility (and film processing savings) this format provides I have regained my enthusiasm! So on reviewing the alternatives and quality options and by stretching my budget a little further, I have come up with a choice between the Canon EOS 300D or the Fuji S7000.
Gonna be a tough one making that final decision....
Thanks again
Easy.
The 300D has a choice of hundreds of lenses, the packaged 18-55 EFS lens is a useful start, maybe add a low cost Sigma 70-300 zoom for another £150. Without blowing the bank, you'll have a proper SLR (no nasty electronic viewfinder like the Fuji), can add superb lenses as you go.
As someone wisely said elsewhere (www.dpreview.com), with an SLR system, you are investing in glass, not the camera. So, when you decide to upgrade to a 1Ds or similar, your lenses will work (OK the bundled 18-55 wont, but any other EOS lenses will).
Starting this way will cost nearly twice as much, but it's not a one-way street like a fixed lens camera.
I have a 10D, so maybe biased, but I have used a 300D, and the main bits missing are lack of a PC flash socket connector (but you can put an adaptor on the top) 2.5fps shooting for 4 frames rather than 3fps for 9 frames and a lighter less 'professional' feel. Apart from that, the image quality is exactly the same!
Simon
The 300D has a choice of hundreds of lenses, the packaged 18-55 EFS lens is a useful start, maybe add a low cost Sigma 70-300 zoom for another £150. Without blowing the bank, you'll have a proper SLR (no nasty electronic viewfinder like the Fuji), can add superb lenses as you go.
As someone wisely said elsewhere (www.dpreview.com), with an SLR system, you are investing in glass, not the camera. So, when you decide to upgrade to a 1Ds or similar, your lenses will work (OK the bundled 18-55 wont, but any other EOS lenses will).
Starting this way will cost nearly twice as much, but it's not a one-way street like a fixed lens camera.
I have a 10D, so maybe biased, but I have used a 300D, and the main bits missing are lack of a PC flash socket connector (but you can put an adaptor on the top) 2.5fps shooting for 4 frames rather than 3fps for 9 frames and a lighter less 'professional' feel. Apart from that, the image quality is exactly the same!
Simon
If you really wanted a fixed lens camera, I'd suggest a second-hand Olypmus E-10, this has a superb lens and can be bought now for under £500. The viewfinder is a true TTL optical, again not electronic. The lens itself is better quality than any SLR lens you will buy for under £500 IMHO.
Many electronic viewfinders are useless in low-light conditions, so beware.
Simon
One on sale on Ebay at the moment - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... gory=15215
Many electronic viewfinders are useless in low-light conditions, so beware.
Simon
One on sale on Ebay at the moment - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... gory=15215
Decision(s) Made!!
For the interest of all those that took time to reply I'd thought I'd let you know the outcome of my (considerable) diliberations!!
I'm going to go for the Canon EOS 300D and (thanks to the business
) a Pentax 555 Optio.
I really want quality but at the same time versatility - the Canon seems to be the obvious choice for quality, however Larri and I go to a lot of gigs, clubs and places where it's just not practical to drag an SLR with you. As John M has kindly agreed to arrange for purchase of the EOS in the US (which means it's a shed-load cheaper than over here) there's a bit of dough spare for the pocket sized Pentax which by all accounts is a mean performer and allows for movies too!
Well there you have it, decision is made, proof of the pudding will be in the taking (so to speak)
Hopefully the Pentax will arrive before Sundays' Cotswold Cruise (snow permitting 
) so I'll try to get some pics up early next week.
Thanks again to all that contributed their thoughts
I'm going to go for the Canon EOS 300D and (thanks to the business
) a Pentax 555 Optio. I really want quality but at the same time versatility - the Canon seems to be the obvious choice for quality, however Larri and I go to a lot of gigs, clubs and places where it's just not practical to drag an SLR with you. As John M has kindly agreed to arrange for purchase of the EOS in the US (which means it's a shed-load cheaper than over here) there's a bit of dough spare for the pocket sized Pentax which by all accounts is a mean performer and allows for movies too!
Well there you have it, decision is made, proof of the pudding will be in the taking (so to speak)
Hopefully the Pentax will arrive before Sundays' Cotswold Cruise (snow permitting ) so I'll try to get some pics up early next week.Thanks again to all that contributed their thoughts
Good choice! - I assume you have the 18-55 lens?
I bought a very cheap Canon f1.8 50mm lens - and the quality is superb! I do a lot of product photography, electronic components and so on, and either on it's own or with extension tubes it's fantastic.
A bit more advice:
Don't bother with the f4.5 Zoom lenses though, you'll be disappointed with what's called 'Chromatic Abberation' (colour fringing), go for the more expensive f3.5 versions. (I just bought the 28-105 f3.5 Zoom with an EOS5 on Ebay for £285 - very pleased, especially as the lens on it's own retails for £249!)
Oh, and if you get to the US, then there's lots of camera shops in NYC with prices in dollars about the same as UK prices in pounds, now with the exchange rate at about $1.84 = £1.00, a weekend in New York gets very attractive when considering a 70-200 f2.8 USM Image Stabilised L series lens!
I bought a very cheap Canon f1.8 50mm lens - and the quality is superb! I do a lot of product photography, electronic components and so on, and either on it's own or with extension tubes it's fantastic.
A bit more advice:
Don't bother with the f4.5 Zoom lenses though, you'll be disappointed with what's called 'Chromatic Abberation' (colour fringing), go for the more expensive f3.5 versions. (I just bought the 28-105 f3.5 Zoom with an EOS5 on Ebay for £285 - very pleased, especially as the lens on it's own retails for £249!)
Oh, and if you get to the US, then there's lots of camera shops in NYC with prices in dollars about the same as UK prices in pounds, now with the exchange rate at about $1.84 = £1.00, a weekend in New York gets very attractive when considering a 70-200 f2.8 USM Image Stabilised L series lens!
Lens size!
I did a lot of research before I bought my digital camera 2 years ago. Although models have moved on since, the basic requirements remain.
My biggest conclusion was that there's no point in having 3m+ pixels if your lens is the size of a drawing pin. For this reason I went for the Fuji Finepix 2800 (they have a more recent version, but I'm not sure what they call it now). It's a bit bulkier than some, being shaped like a small SLR rather than a fag packet, but the picture quality is incredible.
Just my 2-pennorth!
My biggest conclusion was that there's no point in having 3m+ pixels if your lens is the size of a drawing pin. For this reason I went for the Fuji Finepix 2800 (they have a more recent version, but I'm not sure what they call it now). It's a bit bulkier than some, being shaped like a small SLR rather than a fag packet, but the picture quality is incredible.
Just my 2-pennorth!
I agree on the lens comments, many small digital cameras have lenses which are rubbish!
The best I have seen for reasonable money so far is that on the Olympus E-10 and E-20, a superb lens.
Most of the pics at www.miodem.com/photo were taken with this camera, I only have had the Canon EOS 10D more recently, so only the 'Mad Cow' picture is with the 10D so far (although I have taken another 3,500 or so with it...
)
The best I have seen for reasonable money so far is that on the Olympus E-10 and E-20, a superb lens.
Most of the pics at www.miodem.com/photo were taken with this camera, I only have had the Canon EOS 10D more recently, so only the 'Mad Cow' picture is with the 10D so far (although I have taken another 3,500 or so with it...
)I thought I'd revive an old thread and show everybody my new arrival
Up until now I've been using a Canon EOS D30 - the first affordable Digital SLR. I made the decision to skip a couple of generations and missed the D60 and 10D as a result. In August, Canon released details of the camera that I had been waiting for! May I present... the new Canon EOS 20D:
Many of you will have seen my (well, Rachel's actually) snaps of the drives we've been on and while the photos are normally a good set, there are usually a few that are out of focus as the D30 is not regarded as a good auto-focus performer. The 20D should vastly improve the AF performance over the D30.
The other things that sold the camera to me are:
1. Auto-focus performance.
2. Continuous shooting mode - 5 fps for 23 frames as jpegs.
3. The 8mp sensor - allows better cropping if needed.
As well as the camera, I picked up a couple of lenses - the 28-135 IS (to replace my trusty 28-105) and the standard 50mm f1.8 (a no-brain decision at only $70).
For those considering a DSLR, it may be a good time to look - there are many Canon 10Ds and 300Ds being dumped on Ebay as the new camera is released and people look to upgrade. If you've already got any Canon SLR EF mount lenses, these will still work with the new digital generation of bodies.
Cheers,
John.
Up until now I've been using a Canon EOS D30 - the first affordable Digital SLR. I made the decision to skip a couple of generations and missed the D60 and 10D as a result. In August, Canon released details of the camera that I had been waiting for! May I present... the new Canon EOS 20D:
Many of you will have seen my (well, Rachel's actually) snaps of the drives we've been on and while the photos are normally a good set, there are usually a few that are out of focus as the D30 is not regarded as a good auto-focus performer. The 20D should vastly improve the AF performance over the D30.
The other things that sold the camera to me are:
1. Auto-focus performance.
2. Continuous shooting mode - 5 fps for 23 frames as jpegs.
3. The 8mp sensor - allows better cropping if needed.
As well as the camera, I picked up a couple of lenses - the 28-135 IS (to replace my trusty 28-105) and the standard 50mm f1.8 (a no-brain decision at only $70).
For those considering a DSLR, it may be a good time to look - there are many Canon 10Ds and 300Ds being dumped on Ebay as the new camera is released and people look to upgrade. If you've already got any Canon SLR EF mount lenses, these will still work with the new digital generation of bodies.
Cheers,
John.
Good choice!
My 10D (which the 20D replaces - strange that Canon have changed their numbering system to have a better camera with a higher number) has served me very well, and is still my #2 camera. I now have a 1D MKII which is just fantastic!
Get yourself the battery grip - it's worth it for the improved handling and of course the better battery life.
50mm f1.8 is a great lens at an unbelievable price! - I use this for a lot of my static stuff as it's often better than 'L' series zoom lenses.
These cameras are the next best thing to a 'Z' I reckon!
My 10D (which the 20D replaces - strange that Canon have changed their numbering system to have a better camera with a higher number) has served me very well, and is still my #2 camera. I now have a 1D MKII which is just fantastic!
Get yourself the battery grip - it's worth it for the improved handling and of course the better battery life.
50mm f1.8 is a great lens at an unbelievable price! - I use this for a lot of my static stuff as it's often better than 'L' series zoom lenses.
These cameras are the next best thing to a 'Z' I reckon!
Nikon!
Chaps.
Sorry to break up the 'Canon Appreciation Society meeting' but personally I'm a Nikon kinda bloke.
I currently have an F80 (fiddly old fasioned film type) which retails at approx £300 for the body. I asked at my local Jacobs which model would be the equivalent in digital.
"Ah, sir will be needing the Nikon D100. Luckily, we have it in stock and on special offer at just £1000 for the body....."
Yeah, right. I swallowed hard, said thanks and left.
Things is, I'm going to Dubai soon, and I know these things are significantly cheaper out there, so maybe I'll make a purchase.
Obviously I need to do some research on this before spending that kind of cash, so does anyone have a Nikon D100 or D70?
If yes, what's your opinions?
I'm well aware of the advantages of digital, coz we have a very smart Pentax compact which we use all the time, but I'd be really interested to hear about any pros or cons from anyone with a digital SLR.
Cheers!
Alfie.
Sorry to break up the 'Canon Appreciation Society meeting'
but personally I'm a Nikon kinda bloke.I currently have an F80 (fiddly old fasioned film type) which retails at approx £300 for the body. I asked at my local Jacobs which model would be the equivalent in digital.
"Ah, sir will be needing the Nikon D100. Luckily, we have it in stock and on special offer at just £1000 for the body....."
Yeah, right. I swallowed hard, said thanks and left.
Things is, I'm going to Dubai soon, and I know these things are significantly cheaper out there, so maybe I'll make a purchase.
Obviously I need to do some research on this before spending that kind of cash, so does anyone have a Nikon D100 or D70?
If yes, what's your opinions?
I'm well aware of the advantages of digital, coz we have a very smart Pentax compact which we use all the time, but I'd be really interested to hear about any pros or cons from anyone with a digital SLR.
Cheers!
Alfie.
D100 is the Nikon equivalent of the 10D, D70 the 300D.
So, the D100 is the slightly sturdier camera to the D70. I was starting from scratch and chose the 10D over the 100D because I preferred the controls, that was all. http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/10dd100.htm sums it up pretty well. Get the best you can afford, but IMHO, the only choice is Nikon or Canon, others are overpriced (Fuji SLRs for example) with no advantage over the first two brands.
Other place to buy is of course BH Photo in NYC.
So, I'll stay with Canon, you can stay on the Dark Side...
So, the D100 is the slightly sturdier camera to the D70. I was starting from scratch and chose the 10D over the 100D because I preferred the controls, that was all. http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/10dd100.htm sums it up pretty well. Get the best you can afford, but IMHO, the only choice is Nikon or Canon, others are overpriced (Fuji SLRs for example) with no advantage over the first two brands.
Other place to buy is of course BH Photo in NYC.
So, I'll stay with Canon, you can stay on the Dark Side...
-
Guest
Simon: 10DMkII - nice. I just can't quite stretch to that sort of money though for my hobby Apparently, the 20D is not too far away from the 1D in some areas according to the reviews. As you've got the nice body now, are you collecting L series lenses? The 100-400 L is on my wishlist. The grip for the 20D is on the list but wasn't released yet.
The Canon numbering may be about to change. How long can they keep the 1 series going just with suffixes?
I'm not going to get involved in a Canon vs Nikon debate - that being said, it is always a hard switch to change all your lenses if you swap sides.
Ironically, I've never been inside B&H Photo and I'm living 15 miles from New York. Being orthodox Jews, the store is closed on Saturdays which is the only time I've been in NY shopping. I've purchased many cameras from there though - including the 20D. I have the benefit of not paying sales tax because I have them all shipped to New Jersey.
The 20D was announced in August - dealers have only been receiving them over the last few days. B&H received their first shipment last Tuesday. From what I'm reading, UK dealers will have them today or tomorrow.
Just for reference for you all in the UK - the current USA prices for Canon bodies is roughly as follows:
20D - $1500
10D - $1200
300D - $800
Exchange rate = 1.75.
The above are B&H Prices - I've heard that the 10D is cheaper elsewhere. Of course as mentioned before, there will be a few 10Ds and 300Ds appearing on Ebay in the next few weeks.
For those looking at compact flash - prices have dropped dramatically. A 1Gb CF card can now be had for under $100. 2Gb is less than $200.
John.
Apparently, the 20D is not too far away from the 1D in some areas according to the reviews. As you've got the nice body now, are you collecting L series lenses? The 100-400 L is on my wishlist. The grip for the 20D is on the list but wasn't released yet.The Canon numbering may be about to change. How long can they keep the 1 series going just with suffixes?
I'm not going to get involved in a Canon vs Nikon debate - that being said, it is always a hard switch to change all your lenses if you swap sides.
Ironically, I've never been inside B&H Photo and I'm living 15 miles from New York. Being orthodox Jews, the store is closed on Saturdays which is the only time I've been in NY shopping. I've purchased many cameras from there though - including the 20D. I have the benefit of not paying sales tax because I have them all shipped to New Jersey.
The 20D was announced in August - dealers have only been receiving them over the last few days. B&H received their first shipment last Tuesday. From what I'm reading, UK dealers will have them today or tomorrow.
Just for reference for you all in the UK - the current USA prices for Canon bodies is roughly as follows:
20D - $1500
10D - $1200
300D - $800
Exchange rate = 1.75.
The above are B&H Prices - I've heard that the 10D is cheaper elsewhere. Of course as mentioned before, there will be a few 10Ds and 300Ds appearing on Ebay in the next few weeks.
For those looking at compact flash - prices have dropped dramatically. A 1Gb CF card can now be had for under $100. 2Gb is less than $200.
John.
I have the 35-350L (almost my 'standard' lens), and 100-400L IS which is brilliant for action stuff. Got a Sigma 24-70 f2.8 as a day-to-day lens, the Canon 'L' equivalent is four times the price, maybe soon (but I would want to try one first, not sure it's worth it over the Sigma)...
Also a Sigma 15-30 (useful with the 1.6x on the 10D/20D), the 50mm f1.8, extension tubes and some 'ordinary' Canon zoom lenses.
BTW, when I got the 550EX, flash photography became so much easier than the pop-up on the 10D which restricted the lens choice.
Also a Sigma 15-30 (useful with the 1.6x on the 10D/20D), the 50mm f1.8, extension tubes and some 'ordinary' Canon zoom lenses.
BTW, when I got the 550EX, flash photography became so much easier than the pop-up on the 10D which restricted the lens choice.
That's a serious line up of lenses
I have the 50mm f1.8, 16-35L, 28-105 (probably selling), 28-135 IS, 75-300 (cheapie old zoom).
As a bonus, I got a 'free' 550EX when I purchased my D30. I only use the pop-up flash in emergencies. The 20D may be better for my pet hate of red-eye as the flash pops up higher. I think the new pop-up flash may even clear the 16-35L.
John.
I have the 50mm f1.8, 16-35L, 28-105 (probably selling), 28-135 IS, 75-300 (cheapie old zoom).
As a bonus, I got a 'free' 550EX when I purchased my D30. I only use the pop-up flash in emergencies. The 20D may be better for my pet hate of red-eye as the flash pops up higher. I think the new pop-up flash may even clear the 16-35L.
John.
I am desperate to upgrade but another 50% on top of the cash spent for the 20D and lenses was a little too far this time
I also have to pass it through the 'finance control department'. Somehow I think this will get rejected at this stage.
It is next on the wishlist.
John.
I also have to pass it through the 'finance control department'. Somehow I think this will get rejected at this stage.
It is next on the wishlist.
John.
Last edited by JohnM on Fri 17 Sep, 2004 18:07, edited 1 time in total.
Finance Control Department
Finance Control Department here! He's usually pretty good you know, but still has the cheek to complain at the odd purchase I REALLY want that he just can't see the need for... all boils down to different priorities!
Actually, this doesn't work on Mozilla, only on IE.SimonTay (miodem) wrote:I've just added this presentation on the web. Press space to move to each next slide. And be patient, some of the pictures take a while to appear - even though your browser may already say 'Done'!
Simon
http://www.miodem.com/photo/presentation/fullscreen.htm
Still, very useful!
Ciao,
Spokey
Spokey
jackal on PH wrote:i love your profile... an endless pornographic paroxysm of the letters BMW
do you actually like driving at all or are cars to you just a manifestation of some sort of pathological mother complex ?
For those interested, Canon USA is running a rebate scheme on the 300D and various lenses:
http://66.245.180.181/canon/rebateclaimform.pdf
Best case is $300 off a 300D and extra money off up to two additional lenses.
John.
http://66.245.180.181/canon/rebateclaimform.pdf
Best case is $300 off a 300D and extra money off up to two additional lenses.
John.
