I know - you dont like it as it doesnt have IS but I've got a steady hand and I'll manage somehow.OK, thats enough now, OK!
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Another camera derailment
- Thread starter bwana
- Start date
As of I think April of '07 duty fell away on some photgraphic equipment. I have bought stuff from B@H and I paid no duty on my lens, just vat on this side at UPS before they released it to me.
Cost of goods plus shipping. 14% vat (on value of goods only) is payable on this end on the value of the goods only.
To be safe use current exchange rate +15 cents or so to for buffer.
Certain items do attract duty, easiest thing is to phone 3 or 4 customs offices in SA and ask. Explain the item and they will tell you.
If you import more than 3 items per year you need an importers code which is easy enough to get from customs.
If the goods you are importing are valued at more than R20 000 you have to have an importers code. Takes about 1 or 2 weeks to get one should you require it.
You cannot get a code if your SARS returns are not up to date.
B@H is da bomb, best service and best prices anywhere on the globe!
From the date I processed my payment on their site my goods where at JHB international 4 days later. Can track it all the way to SA online as well. Once it hits the dark continent though you are at the mercy of Customs and UPS.
Its definitely camera shake - light conditions are relatively lowish - late afternoon pictures of birds... Not able to use tripod as pictures are 'off the cuff'. The fifty might be a solution for people shots but I prefer to use a Zoom.
Have you ever heard/seen that 55 to 250 I linked to? Wonder if the price is right- I have e-mailed them. It might be a replacement for my 70 to 300 tamron.
Camera shake 400D????
I am 99% sure this is just the settings on the camera you need to adjust to compensate for the low light.
Can you upload a piccy showing the problem that still has the exif data attached to it then we can see?
In low light and with a slow lens you will struggle a bit as the shutter speed is reduced, you need to compensate for that with the ISO settings.
What program you shooting with on the dial?
Also this site has a local classified section for camera kit.
Some folks chance their arm here with prices but often there are pretty reasonable deals to be had.
http://www.outdoorphoto.co.za/forum/classifieds/
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Andre
Expert Member
I just bought a EF 70-200mm (f/4.0L USM) . . . . and I cant wait for it to arrive!
You won't be dissapointed with the quality so long as the light is good or you use a tripod.
Other nice things about this lens:
Does not extend when zooming
Front element doesn't rotate, so no need to adjust if you are using a polarizer.
Reasonably small and light, but solidly built.
Sharp at F4 and stays at F4 whatever the zoom setting.
Quick, silent focus.
Will take a 1.4x extender to make a F5.6 90-280mm lens (and retain autofocus on non-pro bodies).
arf9999
MyBroadband Member
You're right, but there is more to it than just the processing. You need to take into account the full chain of the imaging process.
1. Lens - a poor lens will never provide good quality images. This is the downfall of many compact cameras and camera phones.
2. Sensor - resolution and size. Many people look only at the megapixel rating of a sensor, but there are many other things to look for. The higher the resolution, the smaller the pixel sites on the chip. Smaller pixel sites (everything else being equal) mean lower signal to noise and thus more noisy images. The other problem with smaller sensors with high pixel numbers is the strain that is placed on the lens' resolving power. Smaller pixel sites need a lens that can resolve very fine detail - again this is a problem with many compact cameras. Thus a 6 million pixel DSLR with a APS-C size sensor has lower requirements of the lens than a 6 million pixel compact camera with a 1/4" sensor.
3. Sensor technology and colour filter. This is more theoretical and depends on the type of camera. Suffice to say that for higher quality there is a shift to CMOS from CCD sensors. There are also a variety of sensor filter arrays. Google "Bayer pattern", "Foveon X3", "RGBE" and "Kodak panchromatic" for some interesting stuff.
4. Imaging Engine - as per koffiejunkie's post. But the noise reduction process has a big impact on final PQ.
5. Compression algorithm (if any)
6. Decompression algorithm (if any)
7. Post processing algorithms (if any)
8. Final Recompression algorithm (if any)
6. Final playback/print method.
koffiejunkie
Executive Member
I was really just tackling the MegaPixel myth
since that's the only part hat I know something about...Great post - thanks!
Yeah - its my first bit of L quality lens and I'm really looking forward to it. I have to take my broken 400D in on Wednesday but fortunately my parents have also agreed to carry over a replacement body.
Still debating the extender - they're not cheap.
Hi there
Nice new lens. You wont regret that focal length. Its great for family use. I have an old 70 -210 f4 minolta and I love it. Slow AF but great colours and creamy brokeh. Nice range, probably half my shots are with this lens.
Nice new lens. You wont regret that focal length. Its great for family use. I have an old 70 -210 f4 minolta and I love it. Slow AF but great colours and creamy brokeh. Nice range, probably half my shots are with this lens.
koffiejunkie
Executive Member
bwana, any news on your 'old' 400D? Or is the new one an insurance replacement?
Thanks - I'm really looking forward to its arrival next week.
Still waiting on Canon SA to give me a repair quote to pass on to the insurance co.
ldmelsa
Executive Member
When you get your new lens you must post some pics for us.
I'll think about it
I took 12k photos last year so it feels a bit odd not having a camera atm.
ldmelsa
Executive Member
...so it feels a bit odd not having a camera atm.
Just as you spot Usama Bin Laden hiding in PE.
koffiejunkie
Executive Member
I'm curious about how the results from the L compare to the regular ones.
I'm still trying to decide, when I get around to buy myself a DSLR, should I go for a cheaper body with a better lens, or get a higher-end camera with the kit lens. I'm thinking, at the moment, a Canon 40D with kit or 400D with something like this or this. That's a heavy price though.
Hence my curiosity....
Are the differences between the 40D and the 400D enough to justify such a huge price difference?
A decent lens will follow you from body to body.
A decent lens will follow you from body to body.
Agreed, spend bucks on the lens. The lens will outperform/outresolve many a sensor today. The body will be history in exactly 18 months from its launch when they launch a new one.
Guys with good quality old glass see little real reason to upgrade for the sake of one or two slightly better features.
Spend bucks on your lens and scoff at the guys who buy a 40D and then have a cheapy kit lens on it. What a waste.
Guys with good quality old glass see little real reason to upgrade for the sake of one or two slightly better features.
Spend bucks on your lens and scoff at the guys who buy a 40D and then have a cheapy kit lens on it. What a waste.
koffiejunkie
Executive Member
For someone as clumsy as me, the weather seals will be worth every penny. Other than that there's no real other reason for considering it - not for me at least.
Agreed, that's why I'm thinking of going that route.
But this is long term planning - got to get the old man his camera first. Speaking of which, rumor has it Pentax is about to release the K20D and K200D - I hope it brings down the price of the K10D....
Not really if you can buy at least two 400D's for the price of one 40D
Not overly impressed with Pentax - my mate just bought one (I think K100D Super - if that sounds right) and it felt so plastic.
koffiejunkie
Executive Member
Not really if you can buy at least two 400D's for the price of one 40D
True but those lenses I'm looking at are just under a kg each plus the weight of the camera - I don't want to carry more than one when I go travelling (which is inevitably where I'll need the protection)... Besides, I'm not paying in Rands - £300 odd extra is saveable
Not my first choice either but dad likes them and he has this collection of high-end K/M lenses - and can't afford to replace them with newer ones - so sticking to Pentax for now makes sense. Besides, the K10D has gotten very good reviews - it's in a different class than the K100D
I'm not talking rands but US$. Body for a 40D is $1300 vs $520 for the 400D. B&H delivers to the UK tooTrue but those lenses I'm looking at are just under a kg each plus the weight of the camera - I don't want to carry more than one when I go travelling (which is inevitably where I'll need the protection)... Besides, I'm not paying in Rands - £300 odd extra is saveable
koffiejunkie
Executive Member
I'm not talking rands but US$. Body for a 40D is $1300 vs $520 for the 400D. B&H delivers to the UK too
They are cheap but when you add shipping and duties on this side the difference becomes marginal. Shipping from B&H is $50 for UPS, so $570 or £285 for the camera. They don't include the duty but from what I've found online it's £50-70 for a camera in that price range. Which brings it, conservative estimate, to £335.
At my local Photo Optix, they sell the 400D body for £350 and thhe 40D sells for £700. That's a small difference...
Hopefully the company will send me to the US later this year - that'll make it worth my while.