DSLR Hell

[mongrelchild]

Love the zoom factor on a 300mm! Wish I could afford one

Let me clarify that as far as this camera goes, steve's pics are pretty blurry.

This has NOT AT ALL been my experience. Pics are sharp, colorful, and.... simply beautiful. I cant wait to get some prints.

I haven't used any other SLR really, except maybe an old minolta SRT-200 (which i really love) - and i'm just getting into photography. But I am COMPLETELY satisfied with my DL, especially given the price.

Now I read the DS2 or whatever model is available for a similar price point. While the viewfinder in the DL is great, i head the pentaprism finders on every other *ist model are even better.

This pic was taken before i learned the effect aperture had on focus, which is why the baground is so blurry. oops.

I think it would be difficult to get a bad DSLR. It's a competitive market

[mtclimber]

mongrelchild-

Yes, like you, I really like the reach that a 300mm setting can give, and this lens (the Tamron 28-300mm XR lens) is nice and sharp as well as being reasonably priced at around $150.

Here is another sample taken by a good friend of mine with a Nikon D-50 using a used 24-120mm VR lens that she found at a bargain price on ebay.

MT/Sarah

[mtclimber]

Here is another photo sample from the Pentax DS equipped with the Tokina 24-200mm lens. You have lots of nice fine detail in this photo.

MT/Sarah

[Stevetynant]

Hi all

First post and complete amatuer so please be gentle.

I currently have an Olympus C750 and a raynox 2020 teleconvertor but am at the point of stepping up and like everyone else on this thread have done some major research over the past few months. Primarily I want my new camera for wildlife- particulary bird photography. I have toyed with the Panasonic FZ30 and had great hopes for the FZ50 until the first few posts seem to suggest the same noise issues that apparantly plague the FZ30. So DSLR route- the Olympus E500 is the current favourite with the twin lens kit but the more I read the more confused I am getting.

This is the type of photo I am currently getting with my C750 - am I going to get significantly better photos with a DSLR costing @ £650 (UK Pounds). I know its a tricky one and at my level of (in)experience I'm not sure if there is a solution - just hoping someone can say the right thing to help tip the balance for me before I commit. Anyway - thanks for your thoughts - I have been a long time reader and find this fotrum fascinating.

[mtclimber]

Steve-

Thanks for posting a very good bird shot. It really looks nice. I am also an old Panasonic ultra-zoom shooter, so I can appreciate where you are coming from. Determining if the FZ series will work for you depends on several things. If you like low light level shooting at high ISO settings, the FZ's are out of consideration due to their noise levels and less than great low light capability.

If you can always shoot outdoors in plenty of good light at the lowest ISO setting, then the FZ cameras shine, and produce great photos. The fact is, and perhaps I am too picky,that noise kicks inon the FZ series, IMHO, as you get through ISO 200 and head to higher ISO's.

You might ask, why does it work that way? Well, the CCD on an FZ series camera (or any point and shoot camera for that matter)is physically,7 to 9 times smaller, than the CMOS imager found ona typical DSLRcamera.That make the noise "signature" on a DSLR camera much lower. Yes, there is still some noise in a DSLR camera at high ISO settings, but there is a whole lot LESS noise, and you can go to much high ISO settings as well.

The Leica lens on the FZ series cameras is an excellent lens. So too, are the lenses that you find on DSLR cameras as well. In general, the lens quality within the available lenses for a DSLR camera is much higher than on point and shoot cameras. So, generally speaking, a DSLR will give you a better image right out of the starting gate. A DSLR will also give you more flexibility as well. You can change lenses to meet the specific needs of your photo. You have a much better multi shot capability on a DSLR than on your typical P&S camera, which is important to bird,nature, sport, and child activityshooters.

So, the average P&S person will see a measurable increase in photo quality when they move to a DSLR camera, as well as much more photo flexibility. With the DSLR prices merging with the high end P&S camera prices, it makes sense to go to a consumer level DSLR camera because it gives youa much larger photopotential, through the addition of specialized lenses, than does the fixed lens, high end, P&S camera.

In the final analysis, each of us has to make our own decision, based on our unique photo shooting patterns. However, IMHO, the DSLR offers a larger and longer future in terms of high quality photos and meeting our photo needs.

MT

KM 7D with ($1800 new) minolta HS AF 80-200mm f2.8 APO

[squirl033]

just for comparison, here are a couple of shots taken with the Sigma EX 80-400, at 400mm zoom, hand-held...

!

[mtclimber]

John-

Thanks for posting a few of your very outstanding photos.

MT

not trying to brag

just showing the possibilities of top quality glass even when used by a 'hack' (myself)

:|