Digital Slr Photo Camera - which is the best

err

Jan 26 2005, 07:35 AM

what is your favorite brand of Digital SLR?
is it nikon, canon, rolley, leica, kodak, pentax, ollympus, or something else..
say what you prefer so you choose the certain brand. both advangate and disadvantages.

bizchina

Jan 26 2005, 10:03 AM

I have a sony DSC F717 which I got on Ebay for just over 300 quid and can thoroughly recommend it. It takes brilliant photo's and the top resolution is 2560x1920. The lcd is very bright and it can easily cope with all the situations I throw at it ( low light - bright light etc) I looked at several camera's - but wanted an SLR and would have bought the new canon had I not bought this - but its too new for 2nd hand one's and the Sony will do just about as much EXCEPT - no interchangeable lenses. The zoom is 5 X though - so its enough for most situations.
I bought a 512 memory stick pro - and never have run out of room for more pics yet!

err

Jan 27 2005, 02:39 AM

as long as i know, sony digicam is using optical carl zeis lens. that is the point of picture quality. sony it self, is expert for electonics technology. they jus need to combine or joint with the top optical lens company such as carl zeis.
Similar tha that is leica-panasonic. i love laica's lens technology. but their product design is not as cool as others.

BuffaloHELP

Apr 23 2005, 10:14 AM

QUOTE(err @ Jan 26 2005, 03:35 AM)

My current (and I suppose it's my favorite) brand is Canon DSLR. Part of my job requires me to travel with models and take some stock photos for the company I work for. It took me good 6 months to decide on which brand I should go for. I considered Nikon at first (my father had his and I just had that warm fuzzy nostalgic feeling about it). But the whole point of owning a SLR, rather DSLR, is that you have the unlimited choice to change the lens that is fit for your shooting. It's amazing how Canon advanced on lens technology. Everyone has ultra wide angle lenses. Everyone has telephoto lens that can pick up a foot print on a moon (and yes, we landed on the moon--according to some other thread). But this IS [image stabilizer] technology from Canon is simply AMAZING. Instead of spending $800+ for f/2.8 lens, I can get the similar result with $400 f/3.5 with IS!

Canon's DSLR sensor chip is unique, too. Their proprietary invention CMOS sensor is not only highly sensitive to low lights, it also produces less pixel noise than LCD sensor. This is great for your bulb setting exposures for steady night shots or high ISO shots. And the built in processor that combines the whole camera together--DiGiC chip. Canon is the only company that has a cpu, if you will, for the digital camera that is made just for a digital camera.

So, let's count... Canon makes their own 50+ lenses, body, sensor, processor chip and own accessories. I don't think Nikon or Sony comes close to that kind of dedication in photo field. I think you get my point...

Good luck.

Darker333

Apr 23 2005, 10:19 AM

Personally, I like Nikon Digital Camera's because they are cheap, fit well with how I use it, and it's excellent. But to tell the truth, any cammera is good as long as it's digital, cheap, and we1l equipt!

( I know nothing about photography )

Jimmy

Apr 10 2006, 02:30 PM

I just recently bought a DSLR for hobby / fun as I enjoy taking photos. After much research i was looking at the cheap/ish DSLRs from canon (eos 350D) and the Olympus e500. Olympus e500 won over my heart as it you can tell it is just a quality product. its an 8mp camera, as is the canon and the colours it takes are more vivid / realistic than the canon. I think most people would agree the size of it is much more ergonomic / along with a rubber grip over just plastic. i got it cheap, with good case, decent telophoto lens, photo printer (a bit of a gimic, but has proven to be very good and useful) and a good 1gb card for £600 which is outstanding for the value for money. the lens system used is believed to be the type that most companies will move to with digital cameras as they are perfectly designed for the sensor size and design.

Nikon DSLRs are also very good but the price takes a huge leap. - their lenses are very good.
Fuji (body only) cams are also very good, but again the price is quite excessive if only to be used for a hobby.
I have been pleased with the Olympus e500 every time I use it, except for the very cheap packaged lens (17.5 - 45mm). Apart from this lens being very cheaply made and the quality lacking a bit, I cannot find a way to fault the photos taken with it as they seem to e absolutely fine even under scrutiny.

kylelnsn

May 12 2006, 10:34 PM

well i gotta say the nikons like the d70 and the d50 they totally rock, i maybe gettin one hurray!!!!!

heres the specs if ur interseted:

Nikon D50
# 6.1 effective megapixel Nikon DX Format CCD image sensor
# Seven automated Digital Vari-Program selections, including new "Child" mode
# Advanced autofocus that features speed, precision, broad frame coverage, and an automatic AF illuminator that maximizes performance and shooting ease in low light
# 3D Colour Matrix Metering II ensures accurate exposure control and white balance
# High-performance digital image processor employs exclusive technology to quickly render vivid colour and clear details that are ready to print.
# Fast 2.5 frames per second in bursts of up to 137 frames, (when using JPEG Normal, Large settings, and a 256MB SanDisk Ultra II SD Card)
# 0.2 sec. power-up and short shutter release time lag for near-instant response
# Fast shutter speed with a range from 30 to 1/4,000 sec. for full creative control
# Fast flash sync shutter speeds up to 1/500 sec. available for great fill-effects under brighter light and difficult back-lighted conditions
# Fast data transfer and recording to SD memory cards
# Simultaneous recording of NEF (RAW) and JPEG data for the same shot helps optimize and accelerate workflow
# Large 2.0" LCD monitor with intuitive menus and help display
# Built-in Speedlight with flash coverage for 18mm lenses
# Light-weight, compact body designed for operational ease and comfort
# Long-life rechargeable lithium-ion battery delivers the power to shoot up to 2,000 pictures on a single charge (Battery life figure determined by in-house test parameters)
# USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed) interface for fast data transfer.

and the D70
# 6.1 effective megapixel Nikon DX Format CCD image sensor
# Large 2.0" LCD monitor with intuitive menus and help display
# 0.2 sec. power-up and short shutter release time lag
# Fast shutter speed with a range from 30 to 1/8,000 sec. for full creative control
# Fast flash sync shutter speeds up to 1/500 sec. available for great fill-effects under brighter light and difficult back-lighted conditions
# 3 frames per second continuous shooting for up to 144 consecutive shots
# Improved 5-area AF system with predictive focus tracking and Lock-on
# Seven automated Digital Vari-Program selections including Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait, and Night Landscape for crisp and vivid results that match the intended shot
# Built-in Speedlight with flash coverage for 18mm lenses
# New optional Remote Cord (MC-DC1) adding greater convenience and ease of use in a wider variety of shooting situations
# High-performance digital image processor to optimize image quality, control auto white balance, auto tone and colour control
# Accurate white balance under differing lighting conditions achieved by Nikon's acclaimed 3D Colour Matrix Metering with the 1,005-pixel RGB sensor
# Colour reproduction system offers a choice of three colour modes
# Simultaneous recording of NEF (RAW) and JPEG data for the same shot helps optimize and accelerate workflow
# Nikon software bundled

sxyloverboy

May 13 2006, 12:38 PM

I think for me personaly i like Canon DSLRs the best. I have the Canon EOD 350D myself and i think that it totally rocks. There sint really something you can do with it or somehting you cant get for it( in terms of accessories) and for me thats pretty important.

The one thing that i do dislike about the camera is that it is not as senesitiv to IR like as some of its competitors. For example the D70. Which i suppose for landscape photographers with an IR filter is a big factor in choosing the camera.

But i still think that canon has the best camera.

I havent seen it with an image stabilisor but i think that would be prettty neat. even though it might be a bit annoying when you trying to do stuff puposly.

kawasu

May 13 2006, 01:53 PM

QUOTE(Darker333 @ Apr 23 2005, 10:19 AM)

lol, i'm with you. i have no clue when it comes to photography. if it takes a pic and looks nice i'm fine with it. i only ask that they are easy to use and produce good pictures. i only take pics for personal use like parties and stuff so i dot need some flashy cam with awesome quality, jsut something thats captures the moment. ;]

boyCradle

May 13 2006, 05:53 PM

For me canon DSLR are the best. The feaures are all there and their units are much much affordable than other DSLR in the market. Although some manufacturers are starting to have good competition with the Canon cameras.

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bluedragon

Apr 24 2008, 10:06 AM

I like Nikons. Great lens quality.

I had to settle for a Panasonic FZ18 though. has an excellent Zoom (18x optical) and shoots great pics if used properly.

Does anyone know how to use this for shooting macros ?

I am slightly confused

barnes

May 15 2006, 05:04 PM

I'm saving up for the Nikon D50. Infact, I just got a job. I suspect I should get it before vacation in July.

The D50 seems to fit my needs.

leeleelee

May 15 2006, 12:22 PM

Panasonic Lumix FZ30

Ive had a Panasonic Lumix FZ30 for afew months and am loving it.

How much more detailed can a photo get? Panasonic wants to show you. As the successor to their FZ20 model, the Panasonic Lumix FZ30 carries the same extended zoom power and image stabilization while enhancing the total resolution of the camera. This camera is for serious users, with a slew of advanced features that will please aficionados but frustrate the uninitiated. If the 12x zoom wasn't enough, the camera can reach 15.3x and 19.1x zooms, provided the photographer can deal with a reduction in megapixels (down to 5 and 3 respectively).

Specifications
8 megapixels, 12x optical zoom / 4x digital zoom, Leica DC lens, manual focus, program and manual exposure, RAW, TIFF, or JPEG file format, ISO 80-400, lithium ion battery, movie mode with sound.

How Does it Compare?

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 is darn close to the perfect ultra zoom camera. It has a fast 12X optical zoom lens (though not as fast as on its predecessor), optical image stabilization, full manual controls, a high resolution LCD and electronic viewfinder, and a VGA movie mode. The big disappointment on the FZ30 was the higher than average noise levels, especially at high ISO sensitivities.

The FZ30 is a large, SLR-style ultra zoom camera made of a mix of metal and plastic. It's very well built, and it feels solid in your hands. The camera features both manual zoom and focus rings which are a vast improvement over the rocker and four-way controller-based systems used by most of the competition. The FZ30's 12X zoom Leica lens isn't quite as "fast" as the one on the FZ20, but it's still very competitive. The new extended optical zoom function can boost the total zoom power by as much as 19.1X by lowering the resolution, though you can achieve the same result in photo editing software. One of the big selling points for the FZ-series of cameras is the optical image stabilization, and it works as promised on the FZ30 (see the examples earlier in the review for proof).

The FZ30 has a new flip-down, rotating 2.0" LCD display which offers increased flexibility over the fixed screen on the FZ5 and FZ20. The LCD and EVF both have 235,000 pixels for sharp images, and they're both very usable in low light situations (finally). The camera has a hot shoe for adding an external flash (though there's no TTL flash control) and it supports conversion lenses and filters as well.

Camera performance is excellent. The FZ30 is ready to shoot in under a second, and its new high speed focusing system is VERY quick. Shutter lag was minimal, and shot-to-shot times were very good, even when shooting in RAW mode -- just remember to use a high speed memory card for best performance. The camera has a full suite of manual controls, ranging from the usuals like shutter speed and aperture to white balance fine tuning. Those seeking some automatic modes will be pleased to see a large number of scene modes on the camera. The FZ30's burst mode is one of the best out there, with unlimited recording at 2 frames/second (with a high speed SD card) and more limited low and high speed modes as well. And the FZ30 finally brings a modern movie mode to the FZ-series of cameras, with unlimited recording at 640 x 480 / 30 fps (again with a high speed memory card) and the ability to use the zoom lens during filming.

The FZ30's weak point is its image quality. On the positive side, photos were well exposed, with accurate color and low purple fringing levels. Redeye was not a problem. Unfortunately, noise levels are above average, especially at ISO 200 and 400. If you're printing your photos at 4 x 6 and 5 x 7, you really don't need to worry about this issue. If you're printing larger than that, or you enjoy looking at your photos at 100%, then you'll probably be disappointed. The best solution to the problem that I could find was to use noise reduction software to clean things up a bit. I did this with several of my gallery photos and I got very nice 8.5 x 11 inch prints with just a quick run through NeatImage. I strongly encourage you to print my sample photos to see what you think about the noise levels, since ultimately this is a subjective thing.

A few other random complaints now. The camera supports the RAW image format, but Panasonic doesn't give you any software to take advantage of the format -- you can only convert them to JPEG format. A Panasonic source tells me that another option will be available this Fall. I would've also liked to have seen a focus distance guide shown on the LCD/EVF in manual focus mode. My only other complaint is that the camera does not support the USB 2.0 High Speed standard.

It's always a little disappointing you really love everything about a camera except for one or two things, and that's the case with the FZ30. If the noise levels were lower it would easily be one of the best cameras on the market, period. But they're not, so keep this in mind if you think you'll be shooting at the higher ISO sensitivities: if you're planning to print photos at smaller sizes, I can recommend the FZ30 without hesitation. If you're doing 8 x 10s or larger, decide if you want to deal with the noise in your prints, post-process them with noise reduction software, or move up to a digital SLR, which runs circles around the FZ30 at high ISO settings. If I was in the market for an ultra zoom camera, I would happily buy the FZ30 and use the noise reduction software for my large prints (I saw little-to-no need for it at smaller sizes). My advice, again: print the samples, try the camera in person, then decide if it's right for you!

kylelnsn

May 15 2006, 12:09 PM

yeah you think, why do you say this, i was just wondering as i kinda need to know reasons, or is that just your personal opion???
is it better or what because they both seem the ssame to me???????????

im confusaed to be honest any ways thanks for the help kyle

OpaQue

May 15 2006, 02:20 AM

CANON 350D

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