| Author |
 Topic  |
|
Callunna
Revolving Grey Blob
3044 Posts
|
|
 Posted -
08/09/2011
:
18:15
|
... more like dreaming if I'm being truthful but say I had £800 - £1000 to spend on a new camera, what would I buy?
I've narrowed it down to the Canon EOS 600D or Sony A55 but there may be other models out there which are better.
I would want just one zoom lens to cover a wide range, because I can't be doing with faffing about changing lenses and probably dropping them, although I'm aware such a lens will adversely affect the picture quality to a small degree. But I'm not going to be turning professional photographer so it doesn't matter too much.
I would also need to include a good bag/case, plenty of memory and battery power in that price, perhaps even with a tripod thrown in.
And would I dare buy it on tinterweb or should I play safe by going to a local shop?
=================== www.sheldrickrose.co.ukwww.bernulf.co.ukwww.bernulfsplace.co.uk
|
|
| Replies |
| Author |
|
|
Bradders
|
 Posted - 06/11/2011 : 00:36
Nope , don't go there....Nikons with only one "Zero" D 50,60,70......etc are not "Pro" cameras.....They are built for the amateur market ....
Check with Stanley about his experience with the D200...
Mine is an older D100 and both are built to last......
I had a conversation with a pal who is the manager of Jacobs in Derby not long ago, and he was unhappy that some of the more recent "amateur" models did not offer as much as the older versions (with the possible exception of increased file sizes)...particularly with regard to lens compatability....
I reckon that if you're going to spend upto £500 you should aim to get something that's "properly built ".
Don't rush ...eh !
BRADDERS BLUESINGER  |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 06/11/2011 : 06:23
All I can say is that I am perfectly satisfied with the D200 (£400 on Amazon) and I might even get one of the new lens that means I can use autofocus etc. I'm using my old Nikkor 20mm f4 which equates to a 28mm lens biut I have to select my own aperture and focus manually. Just like the old 'F' and the Nikkormats! The build quality is superb, metal body and they tell me it's very waterproof. Definitely traditional Nikon quality and once you have read some of the instruction book, a lot of the functions are common to the old cameras. It says something about Nikon philosophy that it will take a lens built in 1977.
Just out of curiosity Brad. Bearing in mind that I like wide angle, already have the 20mm Nikkor and a 24mm that will fit and hate zoom lens, what lens would you go for to get the full performance?
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Big Kev
|
Posted - 06/11/2011 : 10:23
quote:
Callunna wrote:
I sold my soul on eBay and have raised some funds.
I might be able to afford a Canon 600D if I manage to get a good deal from somewhere.
Should I go for it - or should I still consider other models? There's a secondhand Nikon D90 on eBay, for example - about £350 last time I looked.
Edited by - Callunna on 05/11/2011 11:03:02 PM
Hi H, I can only speak from experience but this looks to be a pretty good deal http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Olympus-E520-kit-FL-50-Flash-/140629145216?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_DigitalCameras_DigitalCameras_JN&hash=item20be267680
Cheers
Kev
Big Kev
It doesn't matter who you vote for, you always end up with the government. |
Tizer
|
Posted - 06/11/2011 : 11:37
Sorry Cally, I can't give much of an opinion on the Canon 600D because I've hardly used it. Just after I got it life suddenly became very hectic (selling our business) leaving no time for fun. The odd times that I've taken a photo it has usually been with the G11 because I'm familiar with it and haven't been able to get familiar yet with the 600D. Another reason is that I often take very close-up photos using the macro setting (part of my obsession with collecting things such as mineral specimens, stamps etc) and SLRs can't match compacts for macro. To make it worse, I bought the 600D with the longer zoom lens, which isn't th ebst thing to do it you're interested in macro photography. Sometime soon I'll be able to start using the 600 for its proper role, with greater control over depth of field than with a compact, and taking advantage of the very fast `burst' mode for taking multiple action shots. I have to admit that I find the weight and size off-putting compared with the G11. I now realise even more what brilliant cameras the Canon G series are. Also that it's so very important to work out in advance what you want to use a camera for. I'm sure an SLR would be right for you Cally, as long as you don't mind the weight and size. My G11 is bigger and heavier than the average compact but will fit in an anorak pocket easily.
|
Bradders
|
Posted - 06/11/2011 : 19:15
Stanley ...Sorry to say I am far from "up to speed " with Auto-focus lenses for Nikon....
As you don't like Zooms( and I'm the same ) I would guess that a "Fast Standard" (50mm F1.4 equivalent ) would be my choice...
I've no doubt that there will have been a favourite "pro" lens in the range somewhere ....I'll ask around !
BRADDERS BLUESINGER |
Callunna
Revolving Grey Blob
3044 Posts
|
|
Posted - 06/11/2011 : 23:35
Gnrrrr! Just missed a bargain on eBay - brand new & boxed Canon 600D with 18-135mm lens kit 18mp etc ... went for £609. That's about £150 less than similar deals currently available.
I'll consider the Olympus (BK tip-off above) which apparently ended with no bids, but I've now got a bee in my bonnet about Canons, 18-135mm lenses, and 18mps... |
Bradders
|
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 01:06
Don't waste your money .....Next year 18mp will be "old hat"
.....and the equipment won't make your pictures any better either ...
Believe me ....!
BRADDERS BLUESINGER |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 04:51
I suspect, like chip speeds, there is more to mp figures than meets the eye. D200 is 'only' 12mp but seems to use them better. Of course this could just be me. Did you see the report of the 1257mp camera being built for the new space telescope? Perhaps everone should wait for that!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Big Kev
|
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 09:24
quote:
Bradders wrote:
Don't waste your money .....Next year 18mp will be "old hat"
.....and the equipment won't make your pictures any better either ...
Believe me ....!
I'm with you, Bradders.
I reckon I could resample a 10mp image, in Photoshop, to 18mp and there would be a limited number of people who could tell the difference. Lens quality is what counts...
Big Kev
It doesn't matter who you vote for, you always end up with the government. |
Callunna
Revolving Grey Blob
3044 Posts
|
|
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 10:35
Oh I agree - my 'crappy' little Olympus has only 4mp but I do get some good images from it. At the time, I chose it for the lens quality.
However, things inevitably start to go fuzzy when I make enlargements, which is what I hope to do more of in the future, rather than simply view on screen or at 8 x 5. |
Tizer
|
Posted - 07/11/2011 : 17:11
Trouble is if you want any of the new features on digital cameras you end up having to accept more megapixels whether you want it or not...except for the very odd instance such as with my G11. Canon realised they had gone just too far with MP on the G10 sensor and some quality was lost, so they backed it off on the G11 and got better pictures that way.
|
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 08/11/2011 : 05:49
Not sure whether this proves anything but I enlarged an .xcf RAW image from the D200 to 12ft x 9ft (790mb!) and cropped out a piece small enough to post without scaling it again. This is the result. I have negs from the early days that aren't much better than this. How we've moved on! Remember that the camera is 'only' 12mp which many would regard as inadequate today. So how important is high mp count?
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Tizer
|
Posted - 08/11/2011 : 11:39
I take most of my `ordinary' photos with the camera set at about 6 to 8 megapixels. regardless of what it is capable but then put it on the full setting for special pictures. I also use the full setting to extend the zoom range because it allows me to crop out the important part of the photo. But I view my photos on a computer screen and never print them or view them on a TV.
Anyone sending photos for publication by the RSPB has to submit low-res first but will then be asked for high-res 300 ppi TIFF files `in excess of 25MB'. I don't know what that will mean in megapixels, as TIFF is much more memory-hungry than JPEG, but it's probably `a lot'!
|
Callunna
Revolving Grey Blob
3044 Posts
|
|
Posted - 08/11/2011 : 11:41
Will let other more knowledgeable folk answer SG's question.
In the meantime, found a brand new Canon 600D with the spec I want, at £627. Only trouble is, it's in Hong Kong. We're talking a saving of around £200 here - but is it too good to be true?
Do I dare buy it or do I stick to home-grown? Tricky...
I have a leaning towards the Canon 600D, not because of its 18mp but for all the other features it has. I'm also going for one with an 18-135mm lens kit so that I don't have a lot of swapping to do, although I'm well aware the lens won't be as good as if I were using two separate lenses instead.
Edited by - Callunna on 08/11/2011 11:42:33 AM |
Big Kev
|
Posted - 08/11/2011 : 12:16
Have you looked at the 550D?
http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon-600d-vs-Canon_EOS_550D
Big Kev
It doesn't matter who you vote for, you always end up with the government. |
Thinking of buying a new camera...
