oh no, gas

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

LouisB - 29 Apr 2006 08:40 GMT

I started out thinking about upgrading my Casio Z40 to a more recent and
better spec'd digital compact. I was thinking about either the Canon Ixus 60
or the Panasonic FX01.

Problem is, now I've been looking and thanks to posts here I'm getting
interested in keeping the Z40 for convenience and getting a proper DSLR.

I gave up photography as a hobby about 20 years ago because it was an
incredible pain to take photos, then get them developed, then choose what to
reprint, then get some blown up.......... you get the picture. Now that you
can literally take home the shots, sit in front of your PC and do what you
want in the privacy of your own home, well it makes owning a decent SLR
worthwhile again.

The newly priced Nikon D50 sounds ideal - especially at the new sub £400
price in the UK. I think I'd actually go for the 18mm-70mm bundle just so I
have pretty much a full working range of possibilities in one lens. The only
thing that puts me off is the "entry level SLR" monica. Is a camera like
this really for newbs? It seems to have the most incredible and complex
array of auto and manual features - a helluva lot more than the last
conventional 35mm Nikon SLR I owned.

Anyway, thanks to this group my interest is reawakened even if my bank
balance won't thank me for it.

LouisB
------
"I'm a half-wit. I sold the other half on e-Bay"

Reply to this Message

Pete D - 29 Apr 2006 09:52 GMT

Main difference in the "entry level" D-SLR's is that some features are only
accessable via the menu and not via a dedicated button, in almost all cases
they are every bit as good as their more expensive siblings. Some will think
that this is actually a great idea because you don't actually change lots of
settings all the time. Some of the "entry level" D-SLR's also use SD memory
cards instead of CF, some see this as a problem, some just say yippee it
will fit in my 1DsMkii when I get it.

Cheers.

Pete

>I started out thinking about upgrading my Casio Z40 to a more recent and
>better spec'd digital compact. I was thinking about either the Canon Ixus
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> ------
> "I'm a half-wit. I sold the other half on e-Bay"

Reply to this Message

Tzortzakakis Dimitrios - 29 Apr 2006 14:12 GMT

> I started out thinking about upgrading my Casio Z40 to a more recent and
> better spec'd digital compact. I was thinking about either the Canon Ixus 60
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
> Anyway, thanks to this group my interest is reawakened even if my bank
> balance won't thank me for it.

What is even better on digital still cameras is the ability to easily delete
bad shots-not having to pay 11 euros to process a whole 36 exp roll just for
a couple of good shots.Although for "entry level" I would not recommend you
a dSLR but a good P&S (point and shoot).They are much more compact, user
friendly and you don't have to hassle with external flash units, large zoom
lenses etc.The last time I looked to a local shop's window I saw an 7.2 MP
camera for just 260 euros,(Don't remember brand and model).

--
Tzortzakakis Dimitrios
major in electrical engineering,freelance electrician
542nd mechanized infantry batallion
dimtzort AT otenet DOT gr

Reply to this Message

Geoff. Hayward - 29 Apr 2006 14:44 GMT

Louis,
If you've used a film SLR previously you will love the DSLRs. I have a
Nikon D70s and often wonder if a D50 would have been just as good. The
improvement of speed of autofocus over a compact and speed of manual
zooming, change to AP mode etc. all make a DSLR worth the change. The
18-70mm lens is great too. For more distant shots you have sufficient
quality to crop in on the computer. Go for it and good luck.

Cheers,

Geoff.

Reply to this Message

Bill - 29 Apr 2006 20:54 GMT

>I gave up photography as a hobby about 20 years ago
>
>The newly priced Nikon D50 sounds ideal - especially at the new sub £400
>price in the UK. I think I'd actually go for the 18mm-70mm bundle just so I
>have pretty much a full working range of possibilities in one lens.

That would be an excellent choice. The D50 works very well, and the
Nikon 18-70mm is a very good lense with great optics - well worth the
added cost over the "kit" lense.

You will notice it vignettes a bit when the aperture is wide open, but
stopping down a notch or two fixes it. Other than that, it's sharp,
contrasty, and covers a good range for a "walk around" lense.

> The only
>thing that puts me off is the "entry level SLR" monica. Is a camera like
>this really for newbs? It seems to have the most incredible and complex
>array of auto and manual features - a helluva lot more than the last
>conventional 35mm Nikon SLR I owned.

Since you've already used Nikon bodies, the D50 will likely feel
familiar to you when you start using it.

Don't worry about the entry level status - the camera takes pictures
just as well as any of its larger siblings. The difference is a few
controls and features...nothing major though. In fact, the sensor in the
D50 is actually a bit better than the D70s for noise levels, although
the D70s seems to capture a bit more detail. It's a trade-off I guess.

Reply to this Message

Don Stauffer - 30 Apr 2006 16:39 GMT

>>thing that puts me off is the "entry level SLR" monica. Is a camera like
>>this really for newbs? It seems to have the most incredible and complex
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> D50 is actually a bit better than the D70s for noise levels, although
> the D70s seems to capture a bit more detail. It's a trade-off I guess.

I also am very please with our new D50. This is our first digital SLR,
after many decades of using film SLRs. It may be a simplified SLR
compared to some of Nikon's fancier ones, but if you are used to old
film SLRs from nineties and before, you'll be amazed at the
sophistication. As an old timer, you are likely to be using the manual
settings and aperture and shutter preferred modes anyway. It doesn't
have as many programmed modes as Nikon's more expensive offerings, but
most of us old timers don't use programmed modes much anyway.

Reply to this Message