Do I really need an SLR camera?

bwana said:
It doesnt have AEB which is useful if you want a quick and easy way to do HDR. Apparently it also doesnt have mirror-lockup (useful for long exposure shots) or a depth of field preview.
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As I understand it these Nikons have an option to raise the mirror, then wait one second before taking the shot when using the self-timer, so that's a trick to effectively get mirror lock-up. [-]The Canons might have this too.[/-] There's also a quiet mode, at least on the D5000, that raises the mirror more slowly.
 
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noxibox said:
As I understand it these Nikons have an option to raise the mirror, then wait one second before taking the shot when using the self-timer, so that's a trick to effectively get mirror lock-up. The Canons might have this too. There's also a quiet mode, at least on the D5000, that raises the mirror more slowly.
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Dam I need to read more you people are confusing me now..:confused:
 
Just a question regarding the D3000, I read on here and on the web that it has no live view, does that mean you are not able to see the what you are shooting on the LCD while taking pics?
 
noxibox said:
As I understand it these Nikons have an option to raise the mirror, then wait one second before taking the shot when using the self-timer, so that's a trick to effectively get mirror lock-up. The Canons might have this too. There's also a quiet mode, at least on the D5000, that raises the mirror more slowly.
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Not sure - the canons I've used all have a dedicated Mirror lockup function.
Grimspoon said:
Just a question regarding the D3000, I read on here and on the web that it has no live view, does that mean you are not able to see the what you are shooting on the LCD while taking pics?
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That's right - apparently some people like live view for macro shooting on a tripod but I've never switched mine on.
 
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Grimspoon said:
Just a question regarding the D3000, I read on here and on the web that it has no live view, does that mean you are not able to see the what you are shooting on the LCD while taking pics?
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Yes, but because of the way SLRs work you don't necessarily want to be taking your pictures that way. Live View autofocus is very slow compared to normal autofocus.

bwana said:
Not sure - the canons I've used all have a dedicated Mirror lockup function.
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I didn't realise the cheaper models had it as well. The 7D didn't have a button for it though, it was buried in the menus somewhere.
 
noxibox said:
I didn't realise the cheaper models had it as well. The 7D didn't have a button for it though, it was buried in the menus somewhere.
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It's in the custom functions on the consumer models. I'd be kind of p/o'd if they wasted a button on it.

It took hacking my 400D before that stupid print button was any use. Thats the second stupidest thing I've ever seen a manufacturer put on a camera.
 
bwana said:
The G9 is what I was referring to when I said bulky bridge camera. :p
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I thought the G9 is considered a compact, not a bridge.

noxibox said:
The extra thousands of Rands spent on a D90 could instead be put towards buying a lens or a flash.
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I agree with your sentiment. The difference between the price of a D3000/D5000 and a D90 could pay for the 50mm f/1.4 over the 50mm f/1.8. If you're starting out fresh, you have the opportunity to avoid buying the lenses that don't have built-in motors. The issue is really for people who already own lenses like the 50mm f/1.8.

noxibox said:
The next question is how good is the motor in the D90 and is autofocus with these older lenses fast?
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They're fast enough on short lenses, but slow down the bigger the lens get (heavier stuff to move about). Also not as good as the built-in motors (especially the SWM/USM/SDM/HSM variety) when you want to do focus tracking.

Brawler said:
What I didn't like about the 1000d.
-Average kit lense.
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I have yet to see any proof that the Nikon kit lens is significantly better than the Canon one. They're all (Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony) pretty similar.

Brawler said:
-Poor cheap plastic build quality.
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As opposed to what? Nikon's rubberised surfaces are known for peeling off.

Brawler said:
-Looks and feels horrible.
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Subjective. To someone else it might feel great.

noxibox said:
The 7D didn't have a button for [mirror lock-up] though, it was buried in the menus somewhere.
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There are a few buttons that can have functions assigned to it. It's not assigned by default.
 
koffiejunkie said:
I thought the G9 is considered a compact, not a bridge.
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People often consider just the super zooms to be bridge cameras but I tend to side with wiki on this one
Most current bridge cameras are digital. These cameras typically feature full manual controls over shutter speed, aperture, ISO, white balance and metering. Generally, their feature sets are similar to consumer Digital SLRs (DSLR), except for a smaller range of ISO sensitivities because of their typically smaller sensors (a DSLR has a 35mm, APS, or 4/3 size CCD or CMOS). Many bridge cameras have long zoom lenses, so the term "bridge camera" is sometimes used interchangeably with "megazoom", "superzoom", or "ultrazoom." However, there are bridge cameras which have only moderate or short zooms (such as the Canon Powershot G9[8]), as well as compact cameras with long zooms which lack the advanced functions of a bridge camera.
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And I notice they specifically mention the G9. :)
 
bwana said:
It's in the custom functions on the consumer models. I'd be kind of p/o'd if they wasted a button on it.
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I'd like it and other things assignable to a button.

It took hacking my 400D before that stupid print button was any use. Thats the second stupidest thing I've ever seen a manufacturer put on a camera.
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That's a common complaint. That button is even on the 7D.
 
koffiejunkie said:
The issue is really for people who already own lenses like the 50mm f/1.8.

I have yet to see any proof that the Nikon kit lens is significantly better than the Canon one. They're all (Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony) pretty similar.

Subjective. To someone else it might feel great.

There are a few buttons that can have functions assigned to it. It's not assigned by default.
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Definitely if someone is already invested in lenses, then they should buy the the more expensive camera body.

From reading reviews of the lenses I came away with the impression that the current Nikon 18-55 kit lens is a bit better than the Canon one. My impression was also that there wasn't anything dramatically wrong with the Canon one. Nothing wrong with using either of those lenses if that's what you can afford.

My understanding was that you couldn't assign mirror lock-up to a button on the 7D, but you could create a custom setting that included mirror lock-up. Or it may just have been that the complaint was that the useless print button was not assignable to anything else. Neither was a dealbreaker when I was looking at the camera, so I didn't pay that much attention.
 
Pixual said:
Kit lenses are generally rubbish. Occasionally the manufacturers make a good one (like the Nikon 18-70mm DX), but on the whole you'll probably be better off with a used 3rd party pro lens.

I got a used Sigma 24-60mm 2.8 EX lens for the equivalent of about R2,300. For the really wide angle stuff I also got a used 15-30mm Sigma EX for more or less the same price. Both those lenses are damn good optics and I use them professionally. Had no complaints about IQ thus far.
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I saw a Tamron 70-300mm lens :love: and wanted to find out if this is a good overall lens for both short and long range. Is this lens not too bulky to use as a main lens? Because then I might look at buying the Canon 450D body only + the Tamron 70-300mm lens.

In your opinion would this be a good setup to start off with?
 
donderhaas said:
I saw a Tamron 70-300mm lens :love: and wanted to find out if this is a good overall lens for both short and long range. Is this lens not too bulky to use as a main lens? Because then I might look at buying the Canon 450D body only + the Tamron 70-300mm lens.

In your opinion would this be a good setup to start off with?
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As not-so-hot that it is you're going to miss out on the wider end the kit lens offers.
 
Ah ok, thanks.

What kit lens are you referring to as I have seen some deals offering:

  • Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Black)
  • Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Zoom Lens [Outfit]
  • Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2 AF Lens (Canon EOS)
 
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