[Torqueguru]

@Samurai
You are welcome
I checked out the ISO levels in your shots, pretty acceptable considering the sensor size, the time the camera was out and the cost. So yeah here at TBHP, we do give a damn, haha!
Regards,
TG.

[amitk26]

Originally Posted by it_inspector

Are you sure?

I can give a list of things sony does but you can open up pretty much any electronic item and chances are you will find sony stamped inside it.

Remember, Sony does more OEM work than retail and to top it off sony rents out manufacturing plants just like IBM rents out mainframe's.

Pretty sure as per Gartner report Sony is number 5 actually in terms of CMOS sensors and Toshiba is number 4, ST is number 3 or 2 Well It is lot off topic so I wont go further here.

Sony does manufacture CMOS sensor but that is not what Pentax , Samsung and Canon use as you stated in your post.

While Sony does produce IP for many semiconductors it is not a semiconductor powerhouse in league of ST, TI , Samsung , NEC , Intel ( leaving general purpose CPUs out )

Sony like all Consumer Electronics giants must have expertise in running foundries which can manufacture for others but that does not mean Nikon CMOS sensor is Sony sensor either it is a Nikon design manufactured in Sony Foundry reports by Consumer press are not always accurate.

[extreme_torque]

I wish I had the funds to buy the new Canon 7D. That is 'THE' semi-pro camera to buy in the market.

[Torqueguru]

@extreme torque
I agree with you completely. I loved my one day out with that camera! And no.. i faced no AF issues!

[iamswift]

I'm jumping into D-SLR bandwagon.
I got deal for canon 500D with 18-55 IS for 36K.
Bought Sandisk extreme edition for 1900.
Once the camera arrives, I thought of going for pouch and screen protector.

Any idea where I can get cheap pouch/case in Chennai?

[livyodream]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

I wish I had the funds to buy the new Canon 7D. That is 'THE' semi-pro camera to buy in the market.

man, is 7D semi pro ??? whats the definition of pro then?
BTW I Feel like a pro when i use my 1000D.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by livyodream

man, is 7D semi pro ??? whats the definition of pro then?

There is no specific definition really. In the Olympus system, E-1 and E-3 are pro, E-30 is semi-pro. In Nikon it must be D700 and above. In Canon it must be 5D and above.

[kaushik_s]

Originally Posted by navin

you can always buy a grip. I use a BG-2EN with my 40D and found it helps with the balance and offers better grip as well.

I already have the grip (BG-E2 not the n version), but anyway I was talking about the 350D to be not so comfortable. 40D is quite meaty and nice to hold.

Originally Posted by Sankar

Thanks for your valuable input guys!
Finally done the deed! I bought a refurbished 40D (body only) from Adorama. It comes with a 1 year store warranty but that's useless here anyways. I went with 40D instead of 30D since Canon is already into Digic 4 series of processors and didn't want to be two generations behind the latest.

Congrats, Now get a good lens. For the starter, get a 50mm f1.8 asap, will cost you only 5k and you would be grinning ear to ear with the image quality as compared to that cheapo zoom. Albeit you'll miss out on the wide angle shots though but the portraits will be what make you very happy with that lens.

[Rudra Sen]

Originally Posted by Torqueguru

Samurai, how is the noise levels at high ISOs?

Mukul, this is one area not to be bothered so much unless you're shooting is essentially with low light. You could be using a great camera body with fantastic noise control but everything will fall flat if it's not coupled with high speed optics. Those days I had 85 mm 1.2 with my Canon F1 for stage shooting. This lens was from the later batch of FD mount and probably quality was also marginally better than Canon's previous Breech lock (rotating mount lock ring) FD. Seldom I had to push a TRI-X film beyond 400ASA.

Remember in today's context better the body, critical the optics demand. One cannot buy an expensive body and use run of the mill lens.

Another point. in camera processor will improve as we go along. That doesn't mean picture quality will improve drastically. This is more for natural lighting situation than controlled studio lighting. Finally everything boils down to your exposure. I see comments like requirement of latest processor and all. I'm a total Canon man since 1980. Today Canon is giving Digic 4 and my four and a half year old Canon has Digic 2. Frankly, I still don't miss anything and I'll not for a pretty long time to come.

As we're on high ISO issue, here is one impulsive old one as sample. 1250ISO. 1/25sec. f7 100mm Macro (not by design but lens was fitted on camera that time). Light came from a fabric tube shade with 60 watts light bulb.

[Sankar]

Thanks kaushik!

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

Another point. in camera processor will improve as we go along. That doesn't mean picture quality will improve drastically. This is more for natural lighting situation than controlled studio lighting. Finally everything boils down to your exposure. I see comments like requirement of latest processor and all. I'm a total Canon man since 1980. Today Canon is giving Digic 4 and my four and a half year old Canon has Digic 2. Frankly, I still don't miss anything and I'll not for a pretty long time to come.

Sir, i know that was based on what i said. What i meant is when i have a choice of Digic 2,3 and 4, with 4 being the latest, i would rather go with Digic3 that is one generation older than with Digic2 which is two generations older. I didn't go for Digic4 because at my price point i cannot afford a better body with Digic4 in it. I did not mean that Digic2 image quality is bad, actually for my eyes both of them look similar.

[kaushik_s]

During the film days all we knew that the lens that matters and never the camera body. But in digital days things have changed slightly. Bigger and better sensor also matters and hence now the camera also matters. But again, the lens matters most and to get the best of any camera be it pro or a basic DSLR. Frankly speaking between 40D and 350D I'm not finding much difference in the image quality(but I'm not into pixel peeping anyway, so I don't worry much). But the obvious difference is the ergonomics and ease of use(that rear wheel helps a lot, a lot)..
And Rudra sir, that picture kind of proves both the points, a better camera and a better lens combo can make the day.

[it_inspector]

I don't understand these pro/semi-pro statements. And same goes for better camera statements. I believe in NEED, determine what do you need to shoot and go select the camera that fits the need.

For example a journalist will not choose a D3x, they will go for D3s, Studio photographer will got for D3x.

Also better camera is never the true statement. Like Rudra said, better optics is what it comes down to. One has to remember, bodies come and go, lenses are what stay for life.

Cheers

[proton]

Originally Posted by it_inspector

I don't understand these pro/semi-pro statements. And same goes for better camera statements. I believe in NEED, determine what do you need to shoot and go select the camera that fits the need.

For example a journalist will not choose a D3x, they will go for D3s, Studio photographer will got for D3x.

Also better camera is never the true statement. Like Rudra said, better optics is what it comes down to. One has to remember, bodies come and go, lenses are what stay for life.

Cheers

For me a pro kit is a fault tolerant kit. That's why I'd rather take an Oly E3 or even an E1 rather than a E620 for a pro assignment. That magnesium body and weather proofing will go where the equally priced E620 will not and get you shots you need, without giving up the ghost. FPS and IQ are secondary issues here.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by it_inspector

I don't understand these pro/semi-pro statements. And same goes for better camera statements.

I guess proton already explained the pro camera statement. Full magnesium body, fully weather proof body and lenses.

[it_inspector]

Originally Posted by proton

For me a pro kit is a fault tolerant kit. That's why I'd rather take an Oly E3 or even an E1 rather than a E620 for a pro assignment. That magnesium body and weather proofing will go where the equally priced E620 will not and get you shots you need, without giving up the ghost. FPS and IQ are secondary issues here.

Originally Posted by Samurai

I guess proton already explained the pro camera statement. Full magnesium body, fully weather proof body and lenses.

Well that means pretty much all of the pentax DSLR`s are PRO

I feel in the end it comes down to NEED more than anything else. I get all the build quality and weather proofing but by that logic more than 50% Medium Format DSLR`s are not meant for professionals.

Cheers