Do I really want a DSLR???

[seusa]

RegBaron

Thanks so much for the link, RegBaron! 1cm to 300mm? With IS and ISO 3200? Oh, my. I'm drooling. Can't wait to read more about it!

seusa- I didn't realize one ofthe Fuji cameras that RegBaron mentioned is a DSLR. Probably not what you are looking for.....

The Fuji S6500fd sounds like what I have been looking for. Do you know when they expect to have it on the market? Can you tell me anything about the Fuji cameras? I am in no hurry to buy a camera right now and didn't know if it might be worth the wait.

[RegBaron]

I live in Australia but i think the two Fuji's are due for release in late October in the UK.I have noticed some US online shopping sites are taking PRE ORDERS so it wont be too long before they hit the shelves ( huntsphotoandvideo.com ) (Amozon.com) have them for Pre Ordering

[gadgetnut]

Buydig.com also has the Fuji S6500fd available to order, but their site has said, "Availability - 10 days" for over a week now. If I were wanting that camera, that would drive me nuts.

[DrChris]

Hey Gadgetnut!

I've been reading your thread and wanted to stress something that really hasn't been mentioned. Everybody makes some good points about the pros and cons of both sides. I was exactly where you were last year and decided on the KM 5D (I already had a Minolta film SLR and lenses). What totally sold me was the burst or "sports" mode. You said you wanted to take photos of your son playing football. Most p&s cameras have a slight delay from the time you press the shutter release. With the Pentax you'll be able to get almost instantaneous response PLUS you'll be able to hold that sucker down while it fires away at 2.8 frames per second. Of course this will only happens until the buffer fills up, but on my 5D which maxes out at 3 frames per second I can usually get 10-12 frames before it slows down. Picture your kid running down the field and trying to capture the EXACT perfect moment with a p&s. I think the DSLR will really expand you possibilities.

As far as the lenses and accessories go. Get yourself a decent camera bag to keep it organized. Everyone has their opinions on lenses, but I think most will agree that only 2-3 lenses will cover most situations. I usually leave my bag at home and just fit the lens that I know I'll be using. For football, bring the telephoto. Yeah, it's a little bulky and heavy...but it's really worth it in my opinion.

Good luck and happy shooting!

[gadgetnut]

DrChris wrote:

Hey Gadgetnut!

I've been reading your thread and wanted to stress something that really hasn't been mentioned. Everybody makes some good points about the pros and cons of both sides. I was exactly where you were last year and decided on the KM 5D (I already had a Minolta film SLR and lenses). What totally sold me was the burst or "sports" mode. You said you wanted to take photos of your son playing football. Most p&s cameras have a slight delay from the time you press the shutter release. With the Pentax you'll be able to get almost instantaneous response PLUS you'll be able to hold that sucker down while it fires away at 2.8 frames per second. Of course this will only happens until the buffer fills up, but on my 5D which maxes out at 3 frames per second I can usually get 10-12 frames before it slows down. Picture your kid running down the field and trying to capture the EXACT perfect moment with a p&s. I think the DSLR will really expand you possibilities.

As far as the lenses and accessories go. Get yourself a decent camera bag to keep it organized. Everyone has their opinions on lenses, but I think most will agree that only 2-3 lenses will cover most situations. I usually leave my bag at home and just fit the lens that I know I'll be using. For football, bring the telephoto. Yeah, it's a little bulky and heavy...but it's really worth it in my opinion.

Good luck and happy shooting!

That's great information! Thanks. I think the buffer on the K100D is much smaller (maybe 5 frames on highest quality) but that's still much better than most P&S models. I'm trying to decide on a good (reasonably priced) telephoto lens to go along with the basic kit lens. I'd love to keep it at two lenses if possible. I also like the bag suggestion.