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Photo Forum / Digital Photography / DSLR Cameras / March 2007DSLR advice please
Dear all, I need some advices regarding choosing a DSLR. I decide to go for DSLR by the end of this year. Here are some background information of me: 1. I don¡¦t have a budget. Although money is not a big problem, it doesn¡¦t mean that I am going to buy the most expensive DSLR in the market. I need something worth the money and suite my needs. For example, I seldom take sports pictures (actually less than ten times in my life), therefore a DSLR with say 10fps or more doesn¡¦t mean anything to me unless it is ¡§cheap¡¨. 2. I was a Nikon fans many years ago. But I was in love of old Carl Zeiss lenses, so I sold all my Nikon bodies, lenses and accessories fifteen years ago. Eventually I bought Contax AX which I can use all my Carl Zeiss collection as well as Alpa lenses. All my Carl Zeiss and Alpa lenses have been modified to Contax/Yashica mount. I have some collection of Carl Zeiss lenses and accessories from 18mm to 300mm, tele converter, bellows and extension rings. 3. Therefore I am open to any bands now. Canon, Nikon¡K. Doesn¡¦t matter to me because I think I may eventually buy just one new zoom lens for the body. 4. I need adapter for my old lenses for the DSLR. I don¡¦t need autofocus and all the auto function for the old lenses. The body with the right adapter to use all my old lenses is a must. 5. I collect cameras but it doesn¡¦t mean that I will change camera very often. So I prefer that I can use this body for many years until it totally breakdown. 6. I have some studio flashes, so I need one which can use external flash. 7. I understand that the technology changes very fast like PC. Once I buy this camera I can keep it for quite some times. If you were me, what will you buy? > Dear all, > [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > autofocus and all the auto function for the old lenses. The body with the > right adapter to use all my old lenses is a must. Canon will probably mount those, check. I'm almost certain they won't have infinity focus on a Nikon. You will probably want a full frame sensor to use them at a familiar focal length so it's a 5D unless you want a bulky expensive pro level monster. Pretty simple descision. > 5. I collect cameras but it doesn¡¦t mean that I will change camera > very often. So I prefer that I can use this body for many years until it [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > 7. I understand that the technology changes very fast like PC. Once I > buy this camera I can keep it for quite some times. I think the Nikon D200 is built to last, it won't mount your lenses though. > If you were me, what will you buy? > Dear all, > [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > > If you were me, what will you buy? For openers, Nikon's right out in your circumstance--the distance from flange to film plane is greater than for the Contax/Yashica mount so no adapter that doesn't have optics will allow infinity focus. Pentax is pretty much out as well--the flange distance on the Pentax mount is only about .04mm less than the Contax/Yashica which doesn't leave a lot of metal to machine an adapter out of. That leaves, among the major systems Canon and the Olympus/Panasonic/Leica 4/3 system. I'd avoid the 4/3 in your circumstance due to the small sensor size which will have about a 2x magnification factor on your existing lenses--a 50mm gives the same field of view as a 100mm on a 35mm. That leaves Canon. There, you have several relatively inexpensive cameras with an APS-C sensor (some pedant is going to come on and whinge about how it's not exactly APS-C--please ignore him) size that is 1/1.6 the size of an 35mm frame and thus the field of view of your lenses is reduced accordingly--that same 50mm has the same field of view as an 80mm on 35mm camera. Then there are several quite expensive 1/1.3 models--they have features you say you don't need. Then there are the 5D and the 1DS Mk II, which have full sized 35mm sensors that will give you pretty much the same performance out of your existing lenses that you get out of a 35mm. Which of those you go with depends on what features you want and how much you are willing to spend--both are excellent. From what you've said , the 5D is probably the best fit.  Signature-- --John to email, dial "usenet" and validate (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net) > > Dear all, > > [quoted text clipped - 68 lines] > > From what you've said , the 5D is probably the best fit. I always get a kick out of the suggestion that entry level digital camera buyers pay $2,800 for their first digital SLR. Guess what? They are not going to do it! >> > Dear all, >> > [quoted text clipped - 72 lines] > camera buyers pay $2,800 for their first digital SLR. Guess what? They > are not going to do it! Why not? The OP said, basically, that price wasn't a problem. And, according to the subsequent posters, the Canon 5D is the only camera that fits all of his standards. If you look at the forums, there are a lot of first timers who have bought 5Ds. Do you have an alternative? SignatureSkip Middleton www.shadowcatcherimagery.com www.pbase.com/skipm Dear John, thanks for your positive and constructive information. Base on what you said, I have managed to talk to some users similar to my requirement. They all bought either 5D or 1D Mark II for their existing Carl Zeiss lenses. All of them said the quality of image had dropped a lot when using Carl Zeiss old lens on DSLR. They also said that 5D was catching dust very easy while changing lens. 1D Mark II was a little bit better. Their comments made me stop and think again. "J. Clarke" <jclarke.usenet@cox.net> :eu4mrf01kvr@news2.newsguy.com... >> Dear all, >> [quoted text clipped - 68 lines] > > From what you've said , the 5D is probably the best fit. > Dear John, thanks for your positive and constructive information. > Base on what you said, I have managed to talk to some users similar [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Mark II was a little bit better. Their comments made me stop and > think again. <snip> Prepare for an avalanche of "No Dust problem on /my/ 5D" responses, to include this one, /to wit/: No dust problem on /my/ 5d, with frequent lens changes in varying conditions, since October 2006. Resp'y, SignatureFrank ess > Dear John, thanks for your positive and constructive information. Base on > what you said, I have managed to talk to some users similar to my [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > catching dust very easy while changing lens. 1D Mark II was a little bit > better. Their comments made me stop and think again. I've had no more problems with my 5D than any other DSLR that I've had. There really is no reason for there to be any difference, especially between it and the 1D mkII. On DPReview, many, if not most, of the "dust complainers" turn out to be guys who moved directly from a point and shoot, or some sort of fixed lens digital, to the 5D as their first DSLR. So, their experience is limited. SignatureSkip Middleton www.shadowcatcherimagery.com www.pbase.com/skipm > Dear John, thanks for your positive and constructive information. > Base on what you said, I have managed to talk to some users similar > to my requirement. They all bought either 5D or 1D Mark II for their > existing Carl Zeiss lenses. All of them said the quality of image > had dropped a lot when using Carl Zeiss old lens on DSLR. Is that relative to using film or relative to Canon lenses on the same camera? This might be a focus issue--the default focusing screen on the Canon digitals doesn't have a split image or microprism, you have to rely on the autofocus system flashing a focus point when focus is achieved (it will do this even with non-coupled manual lenses) and this takes some practice to get used to. http://www.brightscreen.com has split-image/micrprism focusing screens for the 5D and 1DS. > They also > said that 5D was catching dust very easy while changing lens. 1D > Mark II was a little bit better. Their comments made me stop and > think again. The dust issue, working with Zeiss lenses, is most likely due to the adapter. Sometimes they aren't quite a perfect fit and little shavings come off until they wear in. I'd strongly recommend finding a cheap EOS film body or just a dead camera from somebody's junk pile on which to work in the adapters. And I'd do that even with supposedly "good" adapters that aren't supposed to need it. Once I was sure the adapter was worn in, I'd go over it with a magnifier under a good light to make sure I got any loose burrs off and then run it through an ultrasonic cleaner before I put it on the expensive camera. > "J. Clarke" <jclarke.usenet@cox.net> :eu4mrf01kvr@news2.newsguy.com... >>> Dear all, [quoted text clipped - 77 lines] >> to email, dial "usenet" and validate >> (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net) Signature-- --John to email, dial "usenet" and validate (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net) > This might be a focus issue--the default focusing screen on the Canon > digitals doesn't have a split image or microprism, you have to rely on > the autofocus system flashing a focus point when focus is achieved (it > will do this even with non-coupled manual lenses) and this takes some > practice to get used to. http://www.brightscreen.com has > split-image/micrprism focusing screens for the 5D and 1DS. Actually, Canon bodies will not, repeat NOT, confirm focus with off-brand lenses fitted via purely mechanical adapters. The reason for this is that the focusing system will not kick into action unless the camera's electronics know that there is a lens there...rather silly but there it is. With a purely mechanical adapter the lens will mount and work on the camera but the autofocus system is oblivious to its presence, stays happily asleep and you get no help from it. The light-meter works though (this is the opposite of doing the same thing with a Nikon - at least anything short of a D200 - where autofocus works but metering does not). The solution is to: A) get a proper focusing screen - matte, microlens or prism. Canon does not sell a split-prism or microlens screen but do have a plain matte screen escpecially made for use with fast lenses - f/2.8 or better as I recall. There are some third-party suppliers out there I think, I have not looked into this for my 5D. and/or B) Get an adapter that contains the vital bit of electronics to tell the camera "Yo! I'm here!" so that the autofocus stuff starts working, which will give you focus confirmation. Such adapters exist, google and ye shall find. : Dear all, : [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] : : If you were me, what will you buy? I'd buy a camera company and instruct it to manufacture a camera to my stated requirements. (I'm assuming, of course, that if I were you, I'd be almost as rich as Bill Gates. YMMV.) Bob > : Dear all, > : [quoted text clipped - 58 lines] > > Bob Really? Just about any Canon dslr will fill his requirements... -- www.mattclara.com > Dear all, > [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > > If you were me, what will you buy? Canon is probably your only choice, either the 5D or 30D (35mm frame or APS frame) otherwise the cameras are very similar. Camera Quest makes Contax to Canon adapters, but they are hard mounted on each lens. Of course the lenses become manual, don't know if even the diaphrams auto or not. Zeiss is now making (contracting the manufacture to Cosina) lenses for Nikon, 25mm, 35mm, 50mm and 85mm, they need a 15mm. If you are looking for a 35mm sized frame, only Canon has that. Tom A Canon 5D seems to be the default choice for everybody and his uncle when it comes to using oddball lenses on a DSLR. It will mount just about anything via adapters, courtesy of Canon's rather small flange-to-sensor distance and large mount diameter. And it's 35mm full frame of course, which means that your lenses will behave just like you are used to. Be advised that some very wide or ultra-wide exotic lenses can cause problems because they poke to deeply back into the mirror-box, which means that the mirror can slap into the back of the lens. It is fixable but this is not for the faint of heart - it involves shaving a bit off the lower end of the mirror! The 5D is not exactly cheap though, and it is just a Canon consumer camera at heart, albeit one with delusions of grandieur. Build quality and ergonomy are good enough but are not going to set the world on fire. The Canon 1Ds mark 2 is an alternative of course, a truly professional house with all the bells and whistles but also with a price-tag that makes the 5D seem downright cheap. Go to www.fredmiranda.com and look at the "alternative systems" discussion forum there. You will find a lot of people who use the 5D with diverse and exotic arrays of non-Canon glass, they will be able to give you a more informed opinion than anyone on Usenet is likely to provide. |
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