Sticking a toe into the digital ocean

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Ayn Marx - 12 Oct 2005 01:57 GMT

Most of my limited experience with photography has been with a Nikomat
F of ancient vintage. This was stolen a few years ago along with all
the lenses , motor drive, tripod etc. Since then I've only used a
small, nasty el-cheapo digital camera that now has a scratched lens
(thanks to the brilliant habit of these things being made without any
provision for lens covers DUH!) that takes wonderful foggy shots of -
er, fog.
Where to start in the world of digital SLR is now my puzzlement? I've
decided not to go back to film as I'm addicted to the time and money
saving blessing of the delete button.
Ok,OK I know all about those arguments about ultimate resolution but
I'm not that obsessive.
I've looked at a few digital SLR's but most of them feels right in the
handling the way the Nikomat did. (without the moter drive that is).
I'd like to be able to add a range of lenses later on but for now
wonder if I can buy anything decent for approx $2500 Aus (including a
tripod) that will do the job.
I have no brand loyalty as all the Nikon digital cameras I've looked at
appeat to me to be way behind the old SLR film designs in ergonomics.
In fact, some of them seem to me to be designed with martian fingers in
mind.
Close-ups of insects, botanical specimens and landscapes are my main
interest.

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Rob - 12 Oct 2005 10:18 GMT

> Most of my limited experience with photography has been with a Nikomat
> F of ancient vintage. This was stolen a few years ago along with all
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> provision for lens covers DUH!) that takes wonderful foggy shots of -
> er, fog.

Seen one of them fog photo's of yours and I can relate to that.

> Where to start in the world of digital SLR is now my puzzlement? I've
> decided not to go back to film as I'm addicted to the time and money
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> wonder if I can buy anything decent for approx $2500 Aus (including a
> tripod) that will do the job.

Just get a Nikon D70s lens kit 18(24mm)-70 and a 60mm Macro lens which
goes down to 1:1.

rm

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Ayn Marx - 12 Oct 2005 10:22 GMT

> Just get a Nikon D70s lens kit 18(24mm)-70 and a 60mm Macro lens which
> goes down to 1:1.

Sorry Rob but that confuses me. Is the Nikon D70s the model number of a
camera or a 'lens kit'?

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Rob - 12 Oct 2005 11:47 GMT

>>Just get a Nikon D70s lens kit 18(24mm)-70 and a 60mm Macro lens which
>>goes down to 1:1.
>
> Sorry Rob but that confuses me. Is the Nikon D70s the model number of a
> camera or a 'lens kit'?

Its a model of the Nikon Camera and there are good deals around
which include lenses. Something like $1869 for the body with 18-70 and
70-300. all that you need is a 60mm Macro $550 on top of that. Brings it
in at $2419.00 plus your freight. http://www.d-d-photographics.com.au/

The 18mm is equal to 24mm (35 film format) so you will need that for
landscapes if you can get through the fog and a very solid tripod for
that wind down there.

http://www.d-d-photographics.com.au/

rm

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Ayn Marx - 12 Oct 2005 13:17 GMT

> >>Just get a Nikon D70s lens kit 18(24mm)-70 and a 60mm Macro lens which
> >>goes down to 1:1.
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> http://www.d-d-photographics.com.au/

Thanks for the help Rob. I'll have to get one into my hands first as a
camera's feel when handling it is very important to me. So's color
fidelity as I've come across some real shockers owned by friends . If
that & the handling pass the test I'll probably buy one although I'm
against tire kicking in shops knowing that I'd be buying on the net .
It's not always foggy and windy down here. In fact there are days when
the light is so clear that the clarity of distant views just startling.
Shame this isn't a binary group. Never mind........................

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Rob - 12 Oct 2005 14:07 GMT

>>>>Just get a Nikon D70s lens kit 18(24mm)-70 and a 60mm Macro lens which
>>>>goes down to 1:1.
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> the light is so clear that the clarity of distant views just startling.
> Shame this isn't a binary group. Never mind........................

I have one of them foggy pic's you sent! email me a clear view then.

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Ayn Marx - 13 Oct 2005 02:57 GMT

> I have one of them foggy pic's you sent! email me a clear view then.

Will do, but I have doubts that the kinds of compression used to send
such things over the web could undo a lot of definition.
I had a tire kicking excursion in town today . I like the look of the
Nikon D70s but not so much the feel of it in the hand. For that I
prefered the Canon EOS 350D. Another mystery is beggining to puzzle me
about digital cameras. Some , such as the Canon above, sporting 8
megapixels sell for less than many with only 6. What gives? Is it the
quality of the lens that's the issue here or something else I'm not
aware of? I'm still thinking of buying the Nikon as I suspect I could
get used to it in the handling. One thing about it I thinks really
weird though. That on earth is the light hood thingy so weirdly shaped
for? Doesn't light ever come from a 45deg angle? I don't get it.

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Bushy Pete - 13 Oct 2005 03:47 GMT

> One thing about it I thinks really
> weird though. That on earth is the light hood thingy so weirdly shaped
> for? Doesn't light ever come from a 45deg angle? I don't get it.

If you are talking about the lens hood, it is due to the shape of the sensor
which is rectangular rather than round. The lens will project a full circle
and the edges of the hood shade the lens as much as possible without
vignetting the image. Vignetting is when the corners of the image are dark
due to reduced light at the extreme edges from say a filter that extends to
far into the light path. The 18mm end of the lens has quite a wide field of
view and this must be allowed for. By making the hood a funny shape it can
provide the maximum stray light protection without vignetting.

I use the D70 and think you would be very happy with it's performance. There
are a wide range of high quality lenses and accessories that work, and they
are robust. I have used Nikon for twenty years and have had one (film) body
die from the knocks I inflicted on it.

Hope this helps,
Peter

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webwald - 13 Oct 2005 10:29 GMT

> Its a model of the Nikon Camera and there are good deals around
> which include lenses. Something like $1869 for the body with 18-70
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> landscapes if you can get through the fog and a very solid tripod for
> that wind down there.

The field-of-view crop factor on the D70s is approximately 1.5x. That
makes the 18mm focal length have a field of view equivalent to a 27mm
lens on a 35mm film camera.

--
Witold

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Rob - 13 Oct 2005 10:37 GMT

>>Its a model of the Nikon Camera and there are good deals around
>>which include lenses. Something like $1869 for the body with 18-70
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> --
> Witold

That looks closer. Don't know what I was thinking. I just use the 12-24
and there must be a 24 equivalent in amongst the numbers there anyway.

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bj286@scn.org - 29 Oct 2005 01:25 GMT

> Close-ups of insects, botanical specimens and landscapes are my main interest.

100/2.8 Macro
20/2.8

Canon 300D
Nikon D50
Minolta 5D
Pentax DS

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kosh - 29 Oct 2005 09:18 GMT

>>Close-ups of insects, botanical specimens and landscapes are my main interest.
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Minolta 5D
> Pentax DS

save some dosh.. go a compact (a decent one) smaller sensors give
closerminimum focussing.

I shot a wedding ring with the nikon S4... spectacular results.... 10x
optical zoom... around $650.

if you go for the SLR outfits described above... put aside $2k+ for the
body and 1 lens!

a well respected dental camera was the nikon 4500... the s4 is quite
similar... although if you want a ring flash, it is still worth looking at !

kosh

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