Cameras

[SteveW]

Canon EOS 350D vs Nikon D70s - What would everyone pick ?

[Wedgie]

Canon EOS 350D

Awesome piece of equipment.

[Dissident]

Canon EOS 350D vs Nikon D70s - What would everyone pick ?

D70 hands down - and that's not just to be different to Wedgie!

[Wedgie]

I talked to a mate today who's an expert in photography, he basically said both were great cameras but it comes down to how much peripherals cost for each one when making a decision.
Just remember Steve, there's more money in lenses for SLRs than the SLR themselves.
Knowing you like I do, I doubt a SLR would be needed, you could probably cater for the needs you want with something a lot cheaper which won't require any add ons.

[JK]

Gotta buy a camera for the old man, who wants top quality and all the bells and whistles, yet I highly doubt he will use every aspect of anything that's overly complicated.

Anyone familiar with the Sony Cyber-Shots and are they any good?

I'm ******* hopeless when it come's to this stuff so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
CP

[Dogwatcher]

I have a cyber shot sitting on my desk right now mate.
I reckon they're great.
We use it for taking newspaper quality shots, so it should do everything you want it to do.

[JK]

I have a cyber shot sitting on my desk right now mate.
I reckon they're great.
We use it for taking newspaper quality shots, so it should do everything you want it to do.

Awesome, thanks fella ... Just out of interest, which model have you got?

[Psyber]

I talked to a mate today who's an expert in photography, he basically said both were great cameras but it comes down to how much peripherals cost for each one when making a decision.
Just remember Steve, there's more money in lenses for SLRs than the SLR themselves.
Knowing you like I do, I doubt a SLR would be needed, you could probably cater for the needs you want with something a lot cheaper which won't require any add ons.

Valid point - I have a bunch of powered Pentax lenses sitting aroung from my old Z 20 film camera, so I have been considering their digital SLR bodies as they are compatible - has anybody used one?

Otherwise I have an older Sony Cybershot F707 fixed f2 lens job, and my wife has a Canon S3 iS.

[Dogwatcher]

CP - we have the DCS-T70.

Another friend of mine has the same camera, it's where I first saw them, and she took some awesome photos at my wife's 30th. That sort of hooked me on when I was buying product for work.
The big screen is great, touch screen is a nice tech buzz and the shots are just wonderful.
I've found however that the battery doesn't seem to last as long as it should. I'm yet to determine though whether it's the result of slackness on the part of my journos, or a design fault. I'd bank on it being the former.

[mick]

I have a Panasonic Lumix TZ-3, pretty good for a compact, big screen, 7.1MP and 10x Optical Leica Lens. Got it from Hong Kong on ebay for <$400.

[Dissident]

I don't even want to THINK about what my camera cost.

It's an Olympus E10 - it was the first 4 megapixel camera out.

Circa 1999, it was $4999 for the camera, $1200 for the flash, and $1000 for the grip/battery.

[devilsadvocate]

Gotta buy a camera for the old man, who wants top quality and all the bells and whistles, yet I highly doubt he will use every aspect of anything that's overly complicated.

Anyone familiar with the Sony Cyber-Shots and are they any good?

I'm ******* hopeless when it come's to this stuff so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
CP

Mate, I've got a Sony DSC-H5 and it's been awesome. It has 12x optical zoom and 7.2 megapixels, although the latest models have more I think.

It's brilliant on the standard pics settings, takes great video and also has stacks of manual features too, most of which I haven't been arsed trying to work out. Battery life is great as 2 AA batteries take about 300 snaps and the 3 inch screen is awesome for looking at what you've just taken.

My only complaints with it are the ridiculously long time it takes to snap whatever you're looking at when it's on the standard pic setting (gives me the sh!ts when tryin to capture live action at Premier League games!). It is also quite large and bulky due to the lens being 12x zoom.

It's a great camera though and I'd definitely get another one.

[devilsadvocate]

I don't even want to THINK about what my camera cost.

It's an Olympus E10 - it was the first 4 megapixel camera out.

Circa 1999, it was $4999 for the camera, $1200 for the flash, and $1000 for the grip/battery.

**BUMP**

I'm thinking about forking out for a digital SLR. Cant decide between the Nikon D90, Cannon EOS 450D or something a bit less spec'd like the Nikon D60.

Any tips gents?

Also to get up to around 10x optical zoom, what sort of lens package should I be looking at? Is it worth forking out for an 18-200m kit or is it better to save some coin and go for the twin kits available as standard with a lot of the package deals with 18-55m and 70-300m?

[Psyber]

Do you guys all know this site? http://www.steves-digicams.com/

[Wedgie]

I don't even want to THINK about what my camera cost.

It's an Olympus E10 - it was the first 4 megapixel camera out.

Circa 1999, it was $4999 for the camera, $1200 for the flash, and $1000 for the grip/battery.

**BUMP**

I'm thinking about forking out for a digital SLR. Cant decide between the Nikon D90, Cannon EOS 450D or something a bit less spec'd like the Nikon D60.

Any tips gents?

Also to get up to around 10x optical zoom, what sort of lens package should I be looking at? Is it worth forking out for an 18-200m kit or is it better to save some coin and go for the twin kits available as standard with a lot of the package deals with 18-55m and 70-300m?

If you want close to ten times you'd need the lens that goes up to 300mm mate

[devilsadvocate]

Thanks for the tips fellas.

I've also discovered the Sony A350 which gives better bang for buck by the sounds of some reviews, meaning there's more coin left over for an investment in a good lens.

Wedgie can I ask, what's your setup? Are all the SANFL matchday action shots from your camera?

[Wedgie]

Wedgie can I ask, what's your setup? Are all the SANFL matchday action shots from your camera?

Sure mate, I'd kill for a Digital SLR as I only have a Digitial.
Its Panasonic Lumix FZ-20, only 5 megapixels but 12 times optical zoom.
Was $900 originally, could probably pick up similar for under $500 these days.

[devilsadvocate]

Wedgie can I ask, what's your setup? Are all the SANFL matchday action shots from your camera?

Sure mate, I'd kill for a Digital SLR as I only have a Digitial.
Its Panasonic Lumix FZ-20, only 5 megapixels but 12 times optical zoom.
Was $900 originally, could probably pick up similar for under $500 these days.

Sounds similar to my current setup. Sony DSC-H5 (from memory) 7.2mp and 12x optical zoom.
You're obviously a better photographer than I judging by those action shots.
Having taken stacks of pics of premier league games (generally at night, so low-light) I really want an upgrade to DSLR (with a decent lens setup) to get sharper action shots.
Thanks for your help mate.

[Wedgie]

Light makes a HUGE difference with a digital. (My ISO only goes up to 200 and at 200 they come out very grainy)
I cant even take photos at Elizabeth night games and hardly bother on low light winters day.
Its all practise, I initally had to take 200 shots to get 40 decent photos, these days I can usually get 40 decent photos from 45 shots but I do delete as I go in quiet parts of the game.

[Psyber]

Light makes a HUGE difference with a digital. (My ISO only goes up to 200 and at 200 they come out very grainy)
I cant even take photos at Elizabeth night games and hardly bother on low light winters day.
Its all practise, I initally had to take 200 shots to get 40 decent photos, these days I can usually get 40 decent photos from 45 shots but I do delete as I go in quiet parts of the game.

Some of that is the lens itself, which may limit the light gain achievable with ISO adjustment. Light gathering gets sacrificed for compactness.
My old Sony Cybershot F707 has an f2 lens, whereas f2.8 or even f3.5 are common. That does make the lens larger than the camera body though.