Photographic Equipment...

[rxpharm]

Looker, you need to do some more research before taking the plunge. Your type of photography does not require a 645 digital camera! Besides the cost of a digital medium format camera would be excessive.

Have a look at this website - Dyxum

Although it is geared to the Sony/Minolta lens mount, a lot of good general information there re: digital photography. Also have a look at the photo galleries and be amazed at what digital slrs (even 6 MP cameras) can do!

[Looker]

I know RX, thanks for your concern
I'm reading and re-reading in internet. And the more I read, the more I get confused about the choice of camera
It used to be much simpler 30 years ago

[Singapore Sling]

(donnnnnny @ Aug. 07 2008,04:13) singapore i  have had a D80 for nearly a year now, and aM IN THE  SAME DILEMA AS YOU, IM NOT SURE WETHER TO UP GRADE TO FULL SIZE IMAGE SENSOR D700,but keep coming back to the same conclusion. the D80 will pretty well do  what the 700 will.with a few exceptions.My D80 is  brilliant, for most aplications, and since i bought the speed light 800  flash and  the 50mm f1.4 and macro lens i feel i have arrived.
As rxpharm says sony and canon make some great cams too,and  yes don't get sucked into the megapixle  myth.
MInd you rxpharm the new D700 will give you nodigital noise(grain  in film) shots up to 2600 iso(international standards organisation) thats pretty good.coupled to a full size image  sensor 36x24 very tempting at around $2000 us

Dont worry, I aint falling into the trap of paying for megapixels. In fact this is what started me on this path of indecision. I am heading back to the US and see there I can get a D40 with simple lens for $450. My thought was that this is about the same as some of the fancy point-n-shoots, but obviously better. I'm a Nikon film camera fan having a Nikkormat, an FG and most recently an F80. In fact I wish i could use my 28-135 lens from the F80 for a new Nikon DSLR, but it seems to not be recommended due to the sensor sizes at this end of the Nikon range. I also have some Nikon lenses from the early 70's that are built like tanks. I guess I was oping that I could at least play with them on the DSLR as manual focus.

[Singapore Sling]

(rxpharm @ Aug. 06 2008,19:59) Singapore Sling, I would recommend you do more research before you buy and don't limit yourself only to Nikon, Sony and Canon both make some excellent DSLRs.

Sony has a great feature with in-body image stabilization (Super steady shot) - while Canon and Nikon both require this built into the lens.

Take a look at Digital Photography Review website Digital Photography Review. Also don't fall into the megapixel myth that more is better, unless you require wall sized prints, 6 megapixels can provide excellent results up to poster size and have a advantage of less "noise" at higher ISOs.

oops, that above reply was for you RS. Think I need to look into getting some new specs in addition to the DSLR

[Singapore Sling]

Dohnnny, now you got me thinking about sensor size. I wonder if getting a DSLR with larger sensor then allows me to use my older Nikkor lenses ?
All i know now is that I will end up spending 3x more than I had initially planned, but on what combination still remains a qustion. Latest thought was to get a D200 body and use my older 28-105 lens for a while. Saw some blogs of people using that combi. D200 can be bought back in the states for $1000.

RX (not RS as i spelled above) - the one thing that intrigues me about the Sony's is that they build in their vibtation control in the body and not the lens. Then at least in the future I wont have the dilemma of deciding if I should pay more for the Nikkor with VR or saving money and relying on a steady hand.

Or maybe for the money I should just use it for many visits to Rowell !

[rxpharm]

Singapore Sling, you don't quite have it right. Currently there are two major sensor sizes in DSLRs - APSC this is a sensor that is larger than the ones in the point and shoot cameras, but about 50% smaller than what is needed to give the same view as 35 mm film cameras. This means there is a "crop" factor when using lenses with this sensor in the DSLR. So, for instance I have an 18 - 250 mm Sony zoom for my Minolta 5D. This will give an equivalent field of view of 27-375 mm. This lens is optimized for the APSC sensor, which mean that on a full size sensor DSLR there will be vignetting (corners of the images will be dark/cut off). Lenses optimized for an APSC sensor DSLR can be smaller and lighter since they use a smaller image circle so less glass can be used.

The older Nikon lenses you are talking about do NOT require a full sized sensor like in the D700 to work well - it just means that the focal length you get in the photo will be the equivalent you would see in a regular 35 mm film camera. If you used the lens on a D40, it would be about 50% more so your 28-105 would give the field of view equal to a 42-157.5 mm zoom.

Look at the galleries on Dyxum and you can see just how amazing the photos are with the APSC sensor cameras even at 6 mp.

Just stay away from the D60 as there is no focus motor in the body, so older Nikon autofocus lenses will not work on this model.

Do some more research before you buy. If you really like Zeiss glass, they are only making lenses for the Sony DSLRs right now. Expensive stuff, but excellent results.

[Looker]

(rxpharm @ Aug. 08 2008,02:29) Do some more research before you buy.  If you really like Zeiss glass, they are only making lenses for the Sony DSLRs right now. Expensive stuff, but excellent results.

Doing research, RX
I noticed that Zeiss is also making lenses for other cameras, both film and digi, but truly seems the fully compatible lenses (ZA models) for DSLR only applies to SONY alphas and Konica-Minolta (??).
As for the other brands (Nikon, etc.) some of the functions cannot be utilized.
Here is Zeiss site: http://www.zeiss.com/photo
I can't see big teles however...
Am I correct?

[donnnnnny]

looker heres a link to a photo shop ion the usa $2990 for the D700http://www.shopcartusa.com/P_Nikon_D...tal_SLR_25444/

[donnnnnny]

http://www.shopcartusa.com/P_Nikon_D...tal_SLR_25444/

[Looker]

Thank you donnnnnny
I can get almost all equipments in Hong Kong I guess. Price should be more or less as good as in the USA.

Problem it's that I'm really confused about all brands available and all comments and reviews from the various sites, both directed to pros and/or amateurs.

Probably the best thing should be to be able to try a camera. But I think it's only in the US where you can rent a camera with the lenses of your choice and give it a try before you decide what to buy.
Everywhere else it's more a skindip sensation I guess..you like a certain brand because you like the image and you read no particularly bad comments about..and you go for it.
Once you have it's 50/50 chances you get comfortable with it or not..hard to say

To my experience with film cameras, an OM-1 I bought in 1979 and that still works very well, it's about lenses' quality mainly. Well, so it was till the sophisticated digital electronic came in. I have used my OM-1 quite often even without switching the battery on, so with dead exposimeter, and still could make good pics. So, that's it..a box with a hole and some lenses in front of it.

I'm now overwhelmed by all this electronic stuff, whcih is of course good to be able to take advantage from, and really don't know to which bell I should listen to....

[rxpharm]

Ok Looker, sounds like you still have to wait a while - and a DSLR might not be even the best camera for you. First, go back and look at the photos you take and decide what subject you have been capturing the most. For example if you like sports, you need a camera that has a good frames per second rate, with fast accurate autofocussing.

To get a feel for a camera before buying you can contact various camera clubs/groups in Hong Kong. I know there is an Sony/Minolta club there, and I am sure there are also for Nikon and Canon. This will give you a chance to handle the camera and various lenses before you buy if the club members are friendly enough. Just be sure to take your own memory card along first (usually compact flash for DSLRs, but some use SD).

Once you've done that you should have a good idea if DSLRs are what you want and which handles best. DSLRs have a lot of settings many more than film cameras, so whatever brand you choose you must be easily adjust the settings you would use the most. I find the Minolta/Sony menus and controls very quick and easy to adjust.

Zeiss does make lenses for other companies, but for DSLRs Sony is the only one right now. As for long telephotos, there are some excellent Sony and older Minolta lenses in the long telephoto end that match the best of what Nikon or Canon offer.

[donnnnnny]

Mate i really am a newbie and only know my nikonD80. i bought it on recomendation from a friend who owned one and gave me a loan of his.I liked it, easy to use clear menu and so many features(i thought)Since buying it i have learned a lot about cameras and how they work. I have looked at white balance megapixles(myth) image sensors auto focus systems and iso which are the main factors. there is also alot of anti shake technology which i doubt will really matter. Lets face it if the lens is say 100 mm then you can only shoot at speeds of 1/100 sec or faster. thats the rule to stop shake. otherwise use a tripod.
I believe in alot of cases photography is alot of luck, being in the right place at the right time. ie that sunset the action shot animal or insect.If your in the studio you set up for the shoot lights camera action.
Again there is so much to think about. take rxpharms advice and look at what you shoot the most??
I like land scape and action some macro. so i have lens to do the jobs ie 60mm macro 700-300 x zoom and a tripod.
i would also like to get into portraits so have bought the nikon 50 mm f1.4 super quick inside lense (draw back bad for shooting in enclosed small spaces).
I am now keen to buy a nikkon d700 with full size image sensor( cmos) 51 point auto focus iso 200-6400 with no digital noise (claimed) impressive camera but $2299 price tab.
ill be snapping away with the D80 for a while
good luck with the hunt for a new camera.

[donnnnnny]

lucky shots rain in the desert and a sun set

[Torurot]

That may be "lucky" but it's an excellent shot Donnnnnny. Like Rx I use Minolta/Sony, and the BODY has built in anti shake. It really is a useful function. Nikon/Cannon you have to buy special extra cost lenses.

http://friedmanarchives.com/ has many pictures taken with the new Sony DSLR, along with many in his archives of the older Konica-Minolta like the 5 & 7D

[Looker]

RX wrote: <<...you can contact various camera clubs..>>
Thanks, RX, for the idea! I've done that right away. Will see how it goes. They are organizing outings. Will try not to be too much of a pest

donnnnnny wrote: <<...take rxpharms advice and look at what you shoot the most??...>>
Well - that's abit of the problem. I haven't really done photography for ages, so what do I like to shoot most? No idea...anything that excites me.
I have no problem at all with lights, composition, tonal values, chroma, hue, perspectives and so on..I'm a painter so feel quite comfortable with any sort of visual art.
Simply photography is just another media. The equipment I've now is obsolete and need to get something new which is not a tiny point and shoot camera which I can't even hold in my hands. I hate those!
So, since have to spend $$$ it's good to try to get the most appropriate item.