Advice/Questions on buying Cameras & Accessories. **Please read OP first**

Monkaa

Hi guys,

I'm also thinking about getting my 1st SLR. I have a canon g11 which I absolutely love so was thinking of getting the canon eos 60D. I love the twist screen that comes with the g11 & the 60d has this but obviously I'm not going to a buy a camera for just that reason....anyone have any tips for me or recommend the 60D? I will want to get a decent lense too....thanks in advance!

5uspect

EF-S tend to be cheap glass like the 18-55 kit lens. The majority of Canon lenses are EF.

I don't know if it's been mentioned on this thread yet but give Ian Kerr a shout about the 5D. He's based in Scotland and imports gear from the US/Canada. He usually is the best for price if you deal with him outside ebay and many people here, myself included, have bought from him. He'll also provide you with a VAT receipt and all import duty is paid etc etc.

He can be slow to reply to emails but he's excellent to deal with. If you google kerso you'll see his reputation speaks for itself.

qweqaz

http://www.everbuying.com/10-MP-Digital-Camera-With-8X-Digital-Zoom-Angle-Lens-DC500T-p-9124.html
I've always wanted to buy a digital camera, but I do not know which kind is better.A friend of mine reccommend me to buy
this digital camera which looks good and is very cheap. Is so cheap camera really good? Who can give me some suggestion?

positivenote

hi guys, im posting this having read through a fair few of the posts on this thread. It seems that quite alot of people are looking for point and shhoots for christmas presents and giving ballpark prices as guidelines... how about doing a thread where people can post links to cameras for particular price ranges and comment on their quality?
Say under 100euro/ 200euro/ 200-400/ over 500 or something like that. I think will stop people from posting up requests and it could be used as a port-of-call or a reference point?
just an idea...

alexlyons

Going to surprise the OH with a small camera for christmas. She had an Olympus mju 790 but managed, somehow, to smash the screen....

So considering she destroyed a "tough" camera, I think the only option is anther one, even if it s no tougher. I think a standard camera wouldn't stand a chance.

She has the use of my D90 and another D80, so taking incredible pictures isn't the objective, just snaps here and there, and something that can take a bit of a battering.

I've to options at the minute.

Olympus Tough 3000
or
Finepix XP10

The price difference is a tenner so thats not an issue. Both are around €170 which is the budget with very very little room for maneuvering.
I'd get it in Conns, as I know Mike and he always looks after me well, before and after service. I'm not interested in peoples thoughts on the place, I know many on here have particular views, keep them off this thread.

I'm looking for thoughts/opinions on the two cameras or there alternatives.
I have never been a huge fan of Fuji at all, but due what the camera is going to do, I'm willing to consider them

Thanks

RichyX

The Tamron 70-300mm is also a decent yoke for slightly less money.
Technically not a great lens, but there are decent wildlife and sports shots to be had with a little patience.

alexlyons

@Zonny - head into somewhere like Conns Cameras, and find out about the camera, even if you don't buy from them. Almost all camera shops don't give 100% correct info, so shop around even when looking for advice. They'll answer all queries about lenses etc.

Some shops will do a good discount when buying a body and lens, and decent ones (Conns) will generally hold on to that discount, or at least a good portion of it, if you want to buy the lens later.

J77

Hey guys,

Looking at getting Sony DSCW320 as a present for someone for xmas. Can get it for about €120. It appears to be the best digital for that price. Anyone know of anything better or should I just go for this?

Thanks!

sonic.trip

Have really been researching a lot into these and I cannot make up my mind. I'm slightly gearing towards the Nikon, but in saying that they both have slightly better advantages and disadvantages to each other.

I researched getting the Nikon in Singapore airport and its around 590 which includes a case and 8gb SDHC memory card. However Argos are doing it for 575 ex accessories, 620 for the canon.


@DotOrg, I see your point regarding either camera will do, it's all about the user. As this will be my first DSLR camera, I am really eager to learn and work on all the aspects you mentioned.

One last thing, I have always been interested in black and white shots, do these cameras have a potrait/black and white setting to take these kinds of shots?

thanks in advance

Lucky23

I have the D5000, it's my first DSLR, and I ruddy love it. I think it's a fantastic camera but saying that I doubt there is much difference between it and the Canon. My brother in law has the canon and he loves it equally as much as I love mine.

I feel that i'll stick with Nikon in future too because you get used to the format of menus and where they put buttons on the body and general feel etc so a canon camera feels a bit alien to me when I pick it up where as I feel more comfortable on other Nikon cameras friends have. Also if you get into photography you will buy lenses and numerous accessories so if you change brand further down the line you will have to rebuy the majority of your accessories. Long and short of it is whenever you make the choice you will probably be sticking by the brand for a lot of years.

sonic.trip wrote: »

One last thing, I have always been interested in black and white shots, do these cameras have a potrait/black and white setting to take these kinds of shots?

As regards to the black and white yes these cameras, and I imagine all DSLRs, let you shoot in black and white and will offer you loads of gimmicky alterations to your photos. My advice is to shoot in colour and get a basic photo package, I think Adobe Lightroom is great but even free packages like Google's Picassa are great, as they will be able to convert to black and white. The processor in your computer is much more advanced so let your camera take the pics and your computer do the processing. Using one of these computer packages will give you control of the tones and so many more things as black and white isn't actually as straight forward as being black and white.

In the old days there was as much effort that went into processing the film in the darkroom as there was taking the picture and it's still the case today except now our darkrooms are computers! Don't be put off by this fact either, you can spend as little or as much time as you want doing it and it can be quite satisfying as well and i'm not a guy with loads of patience who enjoys working at things. Enjoy your trip away you lucky boy!

chereau

hi all i have just joined boards and have a question,hope this is the right way to do this. any advice appreciated. I bought a canon 500d last year and want to upgrade my lens.i am thinking of a 50mm 1.8 or a sigma 17-70 2.8-4. i have no problem with the 50mm but has anyone here got the sigma or know anything about them.

kelly1

Hello Chereau, I have a 50mm 1.4 and it's a great lens in the right setting but has limitations.

If you're shooting indoors in limited space you'll often find it's not wide enough because it's the equivalent of 80mm on a x1.6 crop body. It's great for portraits of one to three people but more than that you'll struggle. I think the best prime on a crop body is around 35mm.

Basically the 17-70 is a lot more versatile but not as fast as the 50mm.

nobeastsofierce

J77 wrote: »

Hey guys,

Looking at getting Sony DSCW320 as a present for someone for xmas. Can get it for about €120. It appears to be the best digital for that price. Anyone know of anything better or should I just go for this?

Thanks!

I don't normally comment on this thread, but watch out for sony media cards, they're 3 times the price of SD regularly

Cook my sock

My D5000's lack of a focus motor in the body really isnt doing it for me anymore, so i've cut it down to a D90, or a D2Hs. opinions?

Tau

I've always had fun taking photos with my compact and I'm looking to take a step up. I don't want to go all the way to DSLR because of cost but also because I'd like to have something I'd be comfortable taking to the beach or cycling - I cycle a lot and often see things I'd like to photograph.

There's a few things that I'd like to try which I really can't do with a fully automatic compact like short depth of field shots and maybe HDR. Would I be able to do these with a budget bridge camera?

I've been looking at something like this:

http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/fujifilm_finepix_s1600_review/

or maybe the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38, which is well recommended, but more expensive.

Alternatively, is this just one of those things where if you want to be serious, you have to go all the way, and I should just get a DSLR and be careful with it, or stick to the compact?

What do you all think?

I'm a bit put off by the term "super-zoom" - I don't really care about zoom! What I think I really care about is 1) getting a certain degree of manual control and 2) the ability to vary the aperture size to change the depth of field. Is a bridge / superzoom camera the wrong way to go?

Cookmeister

Hi,

I have been considering buying a digital SLR for some time and I have read many reviews on many types of SLR's within my price range (€400-€600). After reading many reviews I eventually chose the Nikon D5000 with the 18-55mm Lens.

But upon searching many dealers online and offline I eventually found that Argos had the lowest price for the Nikon D5000 - €575.94. It was looking through the Argos catalog that I discovered that I can purchase the Canon EOS 100d along with a 18-55mm and a 75-300mm lens for €529.89.

I am just wondering what other more experienced photographers think I should opt for. The type of photography I am interested in varies from macro to wildlife to landscapes to outdoor to spontaneous. All advise is welcome.

Thank you,
Seán

Thecageyone

Argos don't bundle the VR kit lens with their cameras, might be worth noting.

I would suggest the newer Nikon D3100 - It has better specs than the D5000, it just doesn't have the moveable LCD. It has better live view, Full HD video with continuous AF and supposedly handles higher ISO noise levels better.

Have you had a look at Sony's newer line up? Their dslrs reportedly have the best Live view on offer, which could be handy for macro work.

savagecabbages

I posted earlier here for advice and now am a little closer to making a purchase!

looking for an entry-level DSLR, and the Pentax K-x for €419 from argos is really appealing.
They also have a Nikon D3000 for the same price.
We use Canon Eos 350Ds in my college course, but the newer equiv 500D, 550D are that bit out of price range...

A relative gave me an old Hanimex 300mm lens similar to the one below, i'm wondering if it can be used with an adapter on the K-x???? its an m42. I know its a dinosaur of a thing but hey its a start, and learning to use a manual lens could be quite beneficial


I like the camera and the price:D
I had a brilliant Pentax Point + shoot years ago which i loved, so i'm half drawn to the brand already.
I plan to use the camera for photographing rally cars so the fast shooting rate (4.7fps) is good, and the AA-batteries will actually suit me as i already use high capacity rechargeable NI-Mh batteries in other devices

Has anybody got any opinions on why I shouldn't get this?

Cook my sock

D5000 doesnt have an in body focus motor. At the time I thought this was no big deal, but now I'm looking to upgrade with this being one of the main factors. Keep this in mind.

sonic.trip

Lucky23 wrote: »

I have the D5000, it's my first DSLR, and I ruddy love it. I think it's a fantastic camera but saying that I doubt there is much difference between it and the Canon. My brother in law has the canon and he loves it equally as much as I love mine.

I feel that i'll stick with Nikon in future too because you get used to the format of menus and where they put buttons on the body and general feel etc so a canon camera feels a bit alien to me when I pick it up where as I feel more comfortable on other Nikon cameras friends have. Also if you get into photography you will buy lenses and numerous accessories so if you change brand further down the line you will have to rebuy the majority of your accessories. Long and short of it is whenever you make the choice you will probably be sticking by the brand for a lot of years.



As regards to the black and white yes these cameras, and I imagine all DSLRs, let you shoot in black and white and will offer you loads of gimmicky alterations to your photos. My advice is to shoot in colour and get a basic photo package, I think Adobe Lightroom is great but even free packages like Google's Picassa are great, as they will be able to convert to black and white. The processor in your computer is much more advanced so let your camera take the pics and your computer do the processing. Using one of these computer packages will give you control of the tones and so many more things as black and white isn't actually as straight forward as being black and white.

In the old days there was as much effort that went into processing the film in the darkroom as there was taking the picture and it's still the case today except now our darkrooms are computers! Don't be put off by this fact either, you can spend as little or as much time as you want doing it and it can be quite satisfying as well and i'm not a guy with loads of patience who enjoys working at things. Enjoy your trip away you lucky boy!

thanks lucky, that was very helpful

I'm thinking at this stage whichever camera I pick, I will probably end up sticking with for quite some time. They are both doing it for me but I think the Nikon has just edged it for me! They are both as good as each other and both have better advantages on some aspects.

I might just price the canon in singapore and unless it's a good bit cheaper I will go with Nikon.

Cook my sock

sonic.trip wrote: »

thanks lucky, that was very helpful

I'm thinking at this stage whichever camera I pick, I will probably end up sticking with for quite some time. They are both doing it for me but I think the Nikon has just edged it for me! They are both as good as each other and both have better advantages on some aspects.

I might just price the canon in singapore and unless it's a good bit cheaper I will go with Nikon.

keep in mind, the nikon doesnt have a focus motor in the camera itself! the canon might, so look into that first!

Old Perry

Cook my sock wrote: »

D5000 doesnt have an in body focus motor. At the time I thought this was no big deal, but now I'm looking to upgrade with this being one of the main factors. Keep this in mind.

+1, a camera with the inbuild motor will be a lot faster and it also allows you to by cheaper lenses as opposed to more expensive newer lenses with inbuild motors.

susie-q

Not sure if I have this posted correctly but i'm looking to buy a SLR camera, total beginner and I'm between the two cameras listed above.

Any thoughts?

RichyX

savagecabbages wrote: »

I posted earlier here for advice and now am a little closer to making a purchase!

looking for an entry-level DSLR, and the Pentax K-x for €419 from argos is really appealing.
They also have a Nikon D3000 for the same price.
We use Canon Eos 350Ds in my college course, but the newer equiv 500D, 550D are that bit out of price range...

A relative gave me an old Hanimex 300mm lens similar to the one below, i'm wondering if it can be used with an adapter on the K-x???? its an m42. I know its a dinosaur of a thing but hey its a start, and learning to use a manual lens could be quite beneficial

I haven't come across that lens before, but if it's m42 mount there are several mount adapters for it.
Just search on ebay for "m42 adapter", and whichever lens mount your camera is and there'll be an adapter for it.

The Nikon D3000 and Pentax K-x are both nice cameras.
The Pentax has a newer and much better sensor, so that'd be my choice.

savagecabbages

thanks!
Ill prob go for the Pentax this week:D
Argos have very competitive prices if anyones looking!

the lens gets mixed reviews... some good, some terrible!
so basically ANY lens can be put on ANY DSLR with an adapter???
but any automatic features will be lost right?
Whats the dis-advantage to doing this to a manual or prime lens?

RichyX

savagecabbages wrote: »

the lens gets mixed reviews... some good, some terrible!

Interesting looking yoke. Might be worth a go if it is an f/4 lens.

so basically ANY lens can be put on ANY DSLR with an adapter???

Not quite.
You wouldn't be putting a micro 4/3 or aps-c lens on a full frame body. The vignetting would most likely be massive if you did.

but any automatic features will be lost right?
Whats the dis-advantage to doing this to a manual or prime lens?

Some adapters can maintain exposure, most cause the loss of all automatic features though.
There's a 4/3 to micro 4/3 adapter that maintains autofocus.

There is a fairly rare Pentax teleconverter that effectively makes manual focus Pentax lenses into autofocus lenses.

Thecageyone

I agree, I just thought the OP wanted a new camera specifically, if not, I'd suggest a D90. better than either option and you should be able to find one used around your budget.

Cookmeister

Well it is a new camera that I intend on purchasing, as I wouldn't feel comfortable purchasing a used camera (not knowing what previous damage it possibly received and it not being covered under warranty). Also bearing in mind that I am new to this hobby, I still don't know all the specifics and details in relation to photography and DSLRs.

Thecageyone

The D3100 has a Guide button that will ease you into simple controls, explains everything on screen while you set controls. Might be the ticket for you

Ok this vid is pure US marketing, but at 1:20 you can get a glimpse of the Guide mode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnSSrx8Hk0s&feature=related

Cook my sock

Thecageyone wrote: »

The D3100 has a Guide button that will ease you into simple controls, explains everything on screen while you set controls. Might be the ticket for you

Ok this vid is pure US marketing, but at 1:20 you can get a glimpse of the Guide mode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnSSrx8Hk0s&feature=related

So does the D5000, as my first dslr, I would say I found that feature VERY handy! 3100 looks better specced too!