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

Gumbo

Canon 550D
Canon 600D
Nikon D5100
Nikon D3100

All depends which one feels good in the hand and which one you like best. Theres not going to be any picture quality between the different brands at our level imho.

try :

www.simplyelectronics.net
Camera Exchange
Conns Cameras
Birmingham Cameras
www.cameracare.ie
and surprizingly - www.argos.ie

novarock

I have the 450d as my starter - great camera so far - spend the extra money on lenses!

nedd

Thanks guys. I will check them out.

Was in the Sony Centre today and they have a Sony Alpha A55, its part of their SLT range capable of up to 10 shots per second. Has anyone use an SLT before? What are Sony cameras like? I like the idea of them but I'm afraid I will be sacrificing some functionality by getting a SLT(?)

The Snipe

I'd personally recommending going Canon or Nikon, (I'm a canon man myself)

I'd pick up a second hand 30D/40D/50D or any of the XXD Series, as when you advance there is a lot less of a learning curve, and is alot more benifical for you to learn off.

magicbastarder

nedd wrote: »

its part of their SLT range capable of up to 10 shots per second.

is that a feature you think you'll need?

nedd

magicbastarder wrote: »

is that a feature you think you'll need?

Thanks again for all the replies,

I would like to be able to take shots in quick succession but I suppose 10 is overkill. Looking at the Canon and Nikons they can all do between 3 and 4 fps.

EDIT*
Just looking online and which of these is better in the long run:

Canon EOS 600D Body with 18-135mm IS Lens Kit
or
Canon EOS 60D with EF-S 18-55mm IS Lens Kit
the 60D is €50 more expensive.

magicbastarder

nedd wrote: »

I would like to be able to take shots in quick succession

sports photography? if that's your interest, you'll need to consider more than just FPS; lenses, for example.

Gregor Samsa

nedd wrote: »

Was in the Sony Centre today and they have a Sony Alpha A55, its part of their SLT range capable of up to 10 shots per second. Has anyone use an SLT before? What are Sony cameras like? I like the idea of them but I'm afraid I will be sacrificing some functionality by getting a SLT(?)

I have the Sony Alpha A77, the A55's big brother. I've been using Sony SLRs for years (A100, A350, A550) and Minolta film SLRs before that (Sony bought Minolta, so it's the same mount), and on moving to the SLT, you really don't sacrifice anything - and you gain a lot. The only difference you'll really notice on picking up the camera is that SLTs have Electronic View Finders (EVFs) as opposed to the Optical (OVF) ones on SLRs. It looks as though you've handled one in the Sony shop, so you should have some idea as to whether that suits you or not. It should be noted, though that the EVF in my a77 is much higher resolution than the a55. I've only handled the a55 twice, and I thought it was fine, but I've never shot with it. I've been using the a77 for 3 weeks now, and I couldn't be more happy with it. There's also the new a65 between the two. Sony's factory in Thailand has been affected by the flooding over there, so production has stopped for the past week or so, delaying shipments of the a77 and a65, so stock might be hard to find for the next week or 2.

The advantages of SLT are basically that the EVF can show you what your exposure look like before you shoot. So as you lower your shutter speed, the view gets brighter, etc. The EVF can also display a histogram or electronic level over the image in real time. Also, the SLT design allows for full auto-focus when shooting video, which a SLR does not. Then there's nifty features like focus peaking and manual focus zoom.

The disadvantages of SLT are the fact that it's not an optical viewfinder (some people just prefer them - personally I'd never go back), and the translucent mirror does cost you 1/3 of a stop of light. In practice, the only effect of this is that at higher ISOs (1600 and above), you'll get slightly more noise than the same sensor in a DSLR (the Sony A580 is the same sensor in a traditional SLR design). For me, these are non-issues. YMMV.

Lens wise, you have 30-odd lenses from Sony, various third party lenses from Tamron and Sigma, and loads of legacy lenses from Minolta to choose from. For the amateur or enthusiast, there's really no gaps in the lens line-up. There is a few for some pros.

Anyhoo, that's my long winded way of saying I'd have no hesitation to recommend the a55.

nedd

wow, thanks phutyle.

Its nice to get the view of someone who has used an SLT. I don't know why but I really like the idea of them.

I will try and take a look at the A65 when its out, any idea of what to expect price wise?

Because I'm planning on spending so much (for me) on this camera I will definitely go have a feel of each of the ones in my price range.

My next question as a newbie is what difference do the lenses that come with the camera make? I won't be investing in more lenses until I fully get the hang of the camera itself so is there anything i should be looking out for when choosing the camera and lens combo?

JohnCleary

JohnCleary wrote: »

Hi folks,
Heading away to SE Asia for 3 months of travel next month. Obviously an important part of this will be the memories I bring back, therefore I want to bring a decent'ish enough camera (not my point and shoot one) - one with a decent lens and that will take decent pictures.

I'm a camera technology noob, so go easy on me. All I want it a camera that will take nice, decent shots with an adequate zoom level.

I'd be willing to spend (potentially write off) about 300euro - I'm guessing my best bet here would be a 2nd hand one, so I won't have any emotional attachment to it, or feel especially ripped-off if it gets stolen etc.

I'm going to have a gander around adverts.ie but if anyone can offer any advise i'd be grateful.

Thanks

Hi folks,
Just quoting my request above so people know what i'm asking about...

Just saw this this morning: http://www.pigsback.com/pages/3/587/3235.aspx?pbq=6899,6899,VOVMD&referer=http://www.mydealpage.ie/

Would this be suitable for my needs I Wonder?!

Gregor Samsa

a65 with a kit lens (18-55) is probably going to be €950 or so. DigitalRev in Hong Kong (link) have it in stock for €889.35. It will be more than that from the shops here or in the UK. Buying your first camera from HK might not be the best idea - just in terms of easy after sales service.

If you're in Dublin, I'd recommend going into Conns on Clarendon Street (link). They carry a good range of Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Sony, and you'll be able to get a feel for each one, side by side. I bought my a77 (body only) from Warehouse Express in the UK for just over €1300. Conns have it listed for €1169.99 - so there's good value to be found at home.

As for different lenses - basically there's differences in reach and quality.

A "kit" lens is usually something like an 18-55 or 18-70 or so lens. The numbers describe the range of the focal length. 18mm will be "wide angle" - you'll fit a group of people or a wide area of a scene into the shot. 55mm will be the kind of focal length you'd use for taking a portrait of someone. If you want to zoom right in to something far away, you'll be looking for "longer" lenses that have a focal length of 200mm or 300mm. Then there's prime lenses (they don't zoom at all) and macro lenses (specifically made for close up shots of small things) and all the rest that you'll discover as your journey through photography.

An 18-55 or so is ideal to start with. If you want to add instant versatility, you could get a second lens like a 75-300 or something like that. You'll be able to pick one of them up for Sony, Nikon or Canon for less than €300.

After that, best thing is to wait a good while and take loads and loads and loads of photos, and see what kind of things you're shooing, and where your lenses seem to be letting you down. You could find, for instance that you're taking a lot of indoor photos of people - and you want a wide angle lens that will work better in low light. So you might replace the 18-55 with something that has a bigger aperture (and will cost more). Or you're doing a lot of nature shots of birds, and you want something much sharper than a cheap 70-300. So you can spend a small fortune on a top of the range replacement for that.

Don't worry too much about lenses at the moment, when you're just getting started. There's plenty of time for blowing your life savings on them at a later date. Lens lust is a terrible thing, and the more rational you are with your lens purchases, the better. I'm learning this from bitter experience

JohnCleary

Hi folks,
After a bit of advise mentioning to use a bridge camera for our Asia travels, I wonder could anyone tell me the difference between the Fujifilm S3200 and S3300?

Links here:

3200: http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/9016693/art/fujifilm/finepix-s3200.html?key=FjhwezYcaGxVWFIkAToHUQw/Rn1dR1NlHRcSNndGZEsMBTUDb2MnJFIjdEQGWg44QXMqLg==&nopopup=1&CodePromo=oui#pix-review

3300: http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/9417883/art/fujifilm/s3300.html#pix-review


Many thanks

OakeyDokey

Hey everyone I'm looking to get a new point and shoot camera for when I'm not allowed photograph with my DSLR (at gigs, certain historic places). At the minute I have a Kodak one but it's getting on a bit and is dreadfully blurry. My budget is about 150 but i might be able to stretch it to 200EUR.

If anyone can point me in the direction of a camera that would suit me please let me know! I want something that can take great pictures especially one up close.

Gumbo

OakeyDokey wrote: »

Hey everyone I'm looking to get a new point and shoot camera for when I'm not allowed photograph with my DSLR (at gigs, certain historic places).

out of interest, what law stops you using a DSLR, but allows you to use a P&S?

OakeyDokey

kceire wrote: »

out of interest, what law stops you using a DSLR, but allows you to use a P&S?

At some gigs they wont allow you to bring in DSLR cameras in case you sell the photos! It's the same with a few museums and such I've been in.

Any way I'd still like advice because I'd like a P&S camera anyway.

OakeyDokey

OakeyDokey wrote: »

Hey everyone I'm looking to get a new point and shoot camera for when I'm not allowed photograph with my DSLR (at gigs, certain historic places). At the minute I have a Kodak one but it's getting on a bit and is dreadfully blurry. My budget is about 150 but i might be able to stretch it to 200EUR.

If anyone can point me in the direction of a camera that would suit me please let me know! I want something that can take great pictures especially one up close.

If I were you I would add another 80 euro to your budget and get this camera, the canon s95.

http://www.simplyelectronics.net/mainproduct.php?pid=11468&setcurrency=eur

nothing else in its class comes close in terms of image quality and it is small enough to take everywhere. it has an f2.0 lens (at widest aperture) which is great. also has most of the creative and manual controls that your dslr has. spend the extra bit of cash - it's well worth it.

Gumbo

OakeyDokey wrote: »

At some gigs they wont allow you to bring in DSLR cameras in case you sell the photos! It's the same with a few museums and such I've been in.

Any way I'd still like advice because I'd like a P&S camera anyway.

Cool, genuinely interested as i've only recently got my first proper camera!

OakeyDokey

Thanks I've had a look and I think that's what I'll aim for

dinneenp

Hi,
A friend is looking to buying a DSLR, had one before years ago. Currently he's looking at Canon but open to all makes. He's going travelling Asia for 4 weeks so wants an all round lens. He's good at photography, wants to bring a DSLR with him on his travels. He can up his budget if needed.

This is what he has his eye on at the moment-
1100d Body for £318 +
either a Sigma 18-200 for £179 or with Image Stabilisation for £289
or a
Canon EF-S 18-135 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens for £242

Anyone give any other recommendations?
I said to him why not look at something like the 600D or 60D if he wants to stick to Canon, better camera, has flip out screen etc.

This is from DPreveiw.com:
The Nikon D3100, which is from a price point of view quite close to the 1100D, comes with a larger screen, a 1080p full HD video mode, higher maximum ISO, more AF points and a more powerful built-in flash. The Pentax K-r is only slightly more expensive and comes, like the 1100D, with a 720p video mode but puts a higher screen resolution, faster continuous shooting, a larger viewfinder and a more customizable user interface on top.


I have a Pentax, which has in body stalilization so I dont know if he needs the image stabilization in the lens/how much a difference it makes. I'd presume it helps at longer focal lengths but how good bad would the lens without stabilization be?

Thanks in advance,
Pa.

Kenny Logins

Another one to consider is the Pentax K-R, it can take Sanyo Eneloops or standard AAs which are great when you can't easily use a charger.

EDIT: Sorry, didn't spot you'd mentioned already...

dinneenp

Kenny Logins wrote: »

Another one to consider is the Pentax K-R, it can take Sanyo Eneloops or standard AAs which are great when you can't easily use a charger.

EDIT: Sorry, didn't spot you'd mentioned already...

Cheers for the comment. I used to have a K-X (have a K-7 now) so am familiar with it and the K-R. I'm suprised that so few people have Pentax DSLR cameras...

Kenny Logins

dinneenp wrote: »

Cheers for the comment. I used to have a K-X (have a K-7 now) so am familiar with it and the K-R. I'm suprised that so few people have Pentax DSLR cameras...

I agree. I had a K-x and it was a great little camera, very simple in operation and gave great results without too much fuss. Huge back catalogue of cheap lenses is handy too.
I made the switch to Nikon, which I may regret in time, we'll see...

Gumbo

Guys, whats the differences between these Lens, on the surface they look the same, but im hoping the more qualified amonst you can explain the subtle lettering differences :d

Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS

Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG Macro Lens

70-300mm F:4-5.6 DG

70-300mm F:4-5.6 APO DG Macro

thanks.
My Camera is a Canon 550D btw.

Kenny Logins

kceire wrote: »

Guys, whats the differences between these Lens, on the surface they look the same, but im hoping the more qualified amonst you can explain the subtle lettering differences :d

Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG OS

Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG Macro Lens

70-300mm F:4-5.6 DG

70-300mm F:4-5.6 APO DG Macro

thanks.
My Camera is a Canon 550D btw.

I find this helps, a little...

http://www.petapixel.com/2011/05/13/a-simple-introduction-to-lens-acronyms/

Gumbo

Kenny Logins wrote: »

I find this helps, a little...

http://www.petapixel.com/2011/05/13/a-simple-introduction-to-lens-acronyms/

Cheers, i assume i can use a DG lens on my 550D, allowing for the crop factor of course.

ENMcD

Hi

Just looking for all your expert opinions title kinda says it all Lookin to but through littlewoods because can't afford to fork out at once! Basically can't decide between either the fuji brand or samsung..
Help appreciated!

BigDaddyCan

anyone have one of these?

considering picking one up in the new year, would love a leica m9 but will never be able to afford one at the rate i'm going! liking the look of the x100 though!

mcko

Hi All,
Saw this for €144.99 in Argos, is it worth the money.

MCKO

BigDaddyCan

BigDaddyCan wrote: »

anyone have one of these?

considering picking one up in the new year, would love a leica m9 but will never be able to afford one at the rate i'm going! liking the look of the x100 though!

at least one person does - they posted images before - a bit of a search should find it for you...

Kenny Logins

glasso wrote: »

at least one person does - they posted images before - a bit of a search should find it for you...

I can think of two.