Digital SLR, what do you use?

[Sapperwhite]

I've recently been looking at some digital SLR cameras. Why do I get into expensive hobbies, I don't know. What I do know about myself though is that once i start "looking" there is pretty much no turning back. I have taken some interest in mid range Canon and Nikon cameras. I don't want anything over $1500 for the body, but I don't want an out of date cheapy.

for my price range so far:

Pricier:
Canon EOS 40D. 10.1mp and it's fast 6.5fps. I think it has lots of room foir me to grow into.

Nikon D200 10mp, 5ps.


Not so expensive:
Canon Digital Rebel XSi. Good features at a lower price, but will I outgrow it too fast?

Nikon D60. Good price for 10.2mp and 3 fps. but again will i outgrow it too fast.

I plan to do mostly landscapes, outdoors, on the water, skys, some macro, eventually some astronomy shots with the right telescope.... but not so much into portaits (absolutely NO GLAMOUR SHOTS! )

What do you guys use, like, dislike, why, how much$.....the usual. Thanks for input.

[poopdeckpappy]

Ya know what I use now is a Nikon D40x, I've had a D1x and a D100, and I'm just as happy with the D40x @10.2 mp

But then I also kept all my good lenses

[Stillraining]

I have the Nikon D70s....do I like it yes and no...

I primarily bought it for soccer action shots....My biggest complaint is slow focusing...Canon is faster and more accurate from what I have seen..

I also bought F4.5 lenses to save money...dont do that...get the F2.8 or what ever they are...I cant take any pictures past dusk...

Unless you are a Pro you will not out grow a Medium priced Digital SLR IMHO...A pro can take good photos with a throw-a-way...but you might not be happy with some aspect of the camera for sure...in my case focus speed..

Does it take good photos definitely...

PS: This shot was from the opposite side of the field...Zoomed in and cropped to less then 25% origional resolution.

[xort]

As a working professional, I suggest you consider putting more money into lenses and less into the camera. For my personal camera I have a D50 and am very impressed with the capability of the 6MP imager. I blew up a RAW picture way beyond what I thought it could handle and it was very very good when printed to 8X10. What I want is longer lenses and wider lenses. The camera has plenty of features. I'm sure I'll run into some trick I'd like it to do but that is very minor and inconsequential. Good lenses and fast F-stops are not. And by good lenses, I mean a good range of coverage. I generally don't spend the money on Nikon lenses; the minor difference doesn't justify the big price jump. Sigma makes some very nice lenses. I'm drooling for the 10mm - 20mm W/A.
My 2 cents

[poopdeckpappy]

Here's one of several I shot for a offroad mag and few years ago, it was with a D100 ( compared to my F4 and D1x it was a throw away ), 80-200 2.8 AIS ( Which I still use today )

It's going to hard to tell this rider was doing about 65mph and still spinning the back wheel, but look atthe dirt off that wheel

[LarryandSusanMacDonald]

Like several others here, I've the Nikon D-50. In a past life I was also a pro - even owned a camera store with color lab. But what I knew then is so outmoded now - but I'm learnin'.

I got a Tamron 18-200 zoom - equivalent in 35mm to something entirely different. My son is a photo journalist and he told me it isn't just the number of mega-pixels that make the difference in the quality of the picture but the size of the sensor itself.

One of the first pictures I took with mine was of a young lady in a bikini on the deck of a sailboat - taken from about 100 yards. Just a grab shot - hey, it was a bikini. Anyhow - when I downloaded it to the computer and zoomed in - I could actually see the coloration on her fingernails. There were other things I could see, too, but I'm sure some of it was my imagination.

Anyway - love the camera. BTW - how the heck do you guys put pix in your posts? When I click on the "Insert Picture' icon it wants the URL of my photo. Do I have to upload the photo first?

Just askin'.

[Stillraining]

I dont believe it...lets see the Bikini shot....

[Plumper]

I have also been shopping for a DSLR recently and uncovered some iteresting facts.
In the past the quality was all in the lenses and the camera was essentially a light tight box with some basic controls. With the advent of digital photography that has changed. Now there is a great deal of difference between the bodies of cameras. That ranges from the speed at which they process the image to the way they process it and even the ability to stay clean inside. The last issue is a big one in DSLRs because the charge on the light sensitve screen (that captures the image) also attracts dust.
You will note that every high end DSLR makes a claim about rejecting dust or self cleaning etc. The problem stems from taking the lens off the camera.
The reason that SLR became popular in the first place was because you could see exactly what the camera saw. With most digital cameras you can see exactly what the camera sees. So reason #1 for SLRs is moot. The second reason for SLRs was their vast control over the shutter speed and aperture allowing the photog to make the decisions. This was also available in high end rangefinder cameras like the Leica and some Nikons and Canons but unfortunately lacked the "thru the lens" feature. The rangefinders also had limited ability to use filters and other add on.
Well along comes the digital age where every camera has "thru the lens" views and many have great lenses. Then Canon started building their G range of cameras culminating with the G9 that has what I think to be the best balance of everything. Filters can be mounted. They have a broad range of focal lengths on their lens. An after market flash can be used. The shutter speed and aperture controls are like an old rangefinder and because the lens never comes off no dust gets onto the sensor. Finally, they shoot RAW data at 12 megapixels and fit in your pocket.

I bought one and love it.

Check them out:

Canon Powershot G9 Review

PS: I paid for it by selling just two of my SLR lenses!

[labatt]

I'm a Canon guy... I bought one of the first prosumer DSLR's - the Canon 10D - when it came out. Now I have a Canon 5D and absolutely love it. I disagree that it's all about the lens. The noise level, white balance, sharpness and color quality out of my 5D blows away my 10D using the same lenses. Below is an image taken with my 5D with a 16-35 L lens. I would look at used versions of the 5D. You should be able to get the body for under $1,500 (looking at eBay), and it's much higher end than the 40D or the Nikon equivalents of the 40D.

[sailingdog]

Yes, but the sensor size is important. The larger the sensor, the better the low-light capability of the camera. The pocketable cameras really suffer from lousy low light capability as well as having the additional disadvantage of having a slower lens to begin with.

Originally Posted by Plumper

I have also been shopping for a DSLR recently and uncovered some iteresting facts.
In the past the quality was all in the lenses and the camera was essentially a light tight box with some basic controls. With the advent of digital photography that has changed. Now there is a great deal of difference between the bodies of cameras. That ranges from the speed at which they process the image to the way they process it and even the ability to stay clean inside. The last issue is a big one in DSLRs because the charge on the light sensitve screen (that captures the image) also attracts dust.
You will note that every high end DSLR makes a claim about rejecting dust or self cleaning etc. The problem stems from taking the lens off the camera.
The reason that SLR became popular in the first place was because you could see exactly what the camera saw. With most digital cameras you can see exactly what the camera sees. So reason #1 for SLRs is moot. The second reason for SLRs was their vast control over the shutter speed and aperture allowing the photog to make the decisions. This was also available in high end rangefinder cameras like the Leica and some Nikons and Canons but unfortunately lacked the "thru the lens" feature. The rangefinders also had limited ability to use filters and other add on.
Well along comes the digital age where every camera has "thru the lens" views and many have great lenses. Then Canon started building their G range of cameras culminating with the G9 that has what I think to be the best balance of everything. Filters can be mounted. They have a broad range of focal lengths on their lens. An after market flash can be used. The shutter speed and aperture controls are like an old rangefinder and because the lens never comes off no dust gets onto the sensor. Finally, they shoot RAW data at 12 megapixels and fit in your pocket.

I bought one and love it.

Check them out:

Canon Powershot G9 Review

PS: I paid for it by selling just two of my SLR lenses!