Seeking Advice - SLR Camera's - (I have purchased one...)

[RickT]

What do you intend using the camera for? I am assuming general purpose photography rather than anything really specialised.

I'm on to my 3rd generation of Digital SLR - but then I always did love gadgets. Canon and Nikon are the most popular choices but Sony (was Minolta), Pentax and my personal favourite Olympus have a lot going for them.

All will give good results.

If you read the forums (eg dpreview.com) you will see endless discussion about the number of pixels and picture quality but in my experience it is the person behind the camera that counts most and if I were you I would try to handle a few before I make up my mind and make sure that if you wear glasses that you can see the whole of the viewfinder including the info display and that the view is nice and bright with the lenses that you have selected mounted.

The majority of my digital pictures were taken using a 5 Megapixel Olympus E1 camera and I was pretty happy with the quality up to A4 sized prints so any of the current crop of 10 Megapixel cameras should do the job unless you are going to produce some really large posters. Many people no longer make prints of course and just display pictures on their computer screens most of which require a 2 Megapixel or less image to fill them.

And as you have spotted there are bargains to be had on outgoing models with most manufacturers upgrading their range on an annual basis.

I know they are a long way from Yorkshire but I just thought that I would mention the dealer that I use most often - www.digitaldepot.co.uk.

Now is also a good time to stock up on memory cards with 2Gb and 4Gb cards being ridiculously cheap at the moment.

John

(www.pbase.com/johnlich)

Some great information there,

In regards to the type of photos i want to take, I am after a camera with will produce great motion shots, As im into my Rallying and after which moves at speed i am wanting to be able to capture this on "paper".

I will be looking to get a decent lense for avation photos also, im not a "plane spotter" before any one say's , but the quality of photos you can get from these can be pretty rewarding..

Anyway..... back to my reading of all the reviews!!

Rick

[MalcQV]

Rick,
The first digital camera I ever used was a Nikon compact which at the time was Mrs QV's. The thing I noticed when shooting rally cars was that I missed them completely. After using a 35mm SLR the reaction time of the digital camera was too slow. e.g after pushing the go button there was a time lapse before it took the frame.

The Fuji I have now is not as bad and if you use the multi frame setting you end up with at least one reasonable shot.

I think you are right to get a SLR because they have no, or very little delay I believe.

[RickT]

Right...

After a few weeks of reading and looking for a good deal i have purchased an SLR...

Before telling you what i went for.. i will tell you why..

A friend of mine als ohas the same camera, we tend to go to most motorsport events together so he his stock of spare batterys etc and add on's (filters etc) it seemed a good bet where will will be able to swap and borrow etc..

A few weekend's ago I spent a bit of time using his camera and liked the photod etc......

I think i got a pretty good deal taking into account the lenses which come with it...

I went for this...

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/martprd/pro...rmationSection

Olympus e410DZ - Digital SLR Camera with - Lens Size - 14-42mm & 40-150mm

Live View was something that i really wanted and around this price other models where lacking this option and the addtional 40mm-150mm lens was what made the purchase...


So.. the question now............. How do i use it! LOL

Cheers

Rick

[jack71]

was actually looking at them in the new tescodeirect catalogue last night.....how spooky is that!!

[The Fingers]

I have a months ago done a lot of shopping round for a camera.

I found that these http://www.ukdigital.co.uk/ were the cheapest around, they have a shop in clitheroe which also sells display packages.

I ended up gettig a Nikon D200 slr with lenses, memory, ag etc etc - top notch.

I have also bought a Sony H9 - standard digital camera, although it has Carl Z optics and it takes great shots.

D200 i the way to go.

Good luck and i challenge you to find a better deal than UK Digital can offer, they are also very good to deal with if you pop in store.

Good luck

[The Fingers]

aaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!

after reading the posts fully you have already bought one...........

good luck with it....

[NickPicks]

For taking pictures of motorsport, you'll find the lack of shutter lag on a proper digital SLR is much better than the half a second my wife's compact digital waits between pushing the button and actually takign the shot.

I love my canon eos 400d. I just wish I could afford some really good lenses for it!

[dasigtv]

Chrasher hit the nail on the head with the nikon D40,

I have the D40x, but unless you are going to enlarge above poster size, you dont need the extra pixcals, an they are a bargin price now,

One of them and a 55-200mm dx lens is well inside your buget.

I did have the Pentax K10d, a cracking camera.........on paper, well above the specs of simular semi pro digital SLR`s, but the pictures were a huge disapointment, felt great, all the toys, but not a patch on the nikon.

The nikon is fast, I have never missed a shot, and as I use it mostly for horses jumping cross country, I need the speed.

Go and pick a few camera`s up, cannon feels fragile, nikon just fits into your hand.
Mike

[Crasher]

I have to admit I was seriously knobbed off when the D40X came out about two months after I bought my D40 but as you say, not important except for blowing pics right up. All I use mine for is holiday snaps and for magazine articles.

[zollaf]

ive had my d40x for just over a year and think its marvellous. its my first digi but i would NEVER go back to 35mm.