[fatboyslim]

Originally Posted by shajufx

Fatboy, I doubt if you can check the shutter count from camera itself, although you can see the exif data. A reset cam will show every other set up as fresh like the language, time etc. So, dont rely on that. Upload your pics to the pc and use this website Jeffrey's Exif viewer

Use the local image file area and upload your first picture into it, it will show the complete exif data that are not usually visible through other methods. Check for the shutter count and you will feel comfortable.

Hey Thanks Shaju for pointing it out. Checked it just now from the link you had send..and the shutter count was 5-phew! Feeling much better, was a bit nervous actually. The first few shots did not come out well, so deleted from the in-camera menu. I guess 5 is reasonable for the first shot which I decided to save.

Thanks again mate!

Cheers!
Fatboyslim

[fatboyslim]

@finney: Sorry did not responsd to your query on the camera bag. The bag provided was rectangular (Nikon make) as oppossed to V shape being shown by JJ mehta on their website. I did try to negotiate for a cash discount for the bag as I plan to upgrade to other lenses-but was not very forthcoming.

Please find some random and abstract shots from a newbie. Please bear with me. Any feedback to help me improve would be greatly appreciated!

Mods, apologies in advance if something goes awry as this is my first posting with attachments.

[Proxima]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

No I did not miss the discussion. Infact the discussion prompted me to postpone my ordering.
I was looking for an ultra wide angle lens like the Tokina 11-16 F2.8, Tamron 10-24 or Sigma 10-20.
Chandni chowk drew a blank, and therefore I turned to smartshoppers.
the discussion guided me in one thing, that website does not always give the true status of whats in stock.
So I chatted up with them, and they told me tokina 11-16 F2.8 is not in stock, but will be in stock next week. Price listed was 25500 with warranty. Now this was a whopping discount on the 39K MRP. Ditto for Tamron 10-24(25K with warranty. Hardly any discount on MRP.

Come monday(yesterday), the prices had changed. Tokina was 35K with warranty, 27.5K without warranty, and the tamron dropped down to 22500 (10% off MRP) with warranty, and everything was in stock.
Yesterday night I placed the order for tamron, and around 11:30am I got a call from them followed by an email that my order is approved now, and in process. They say the lens will be shipped on 18th of March, i.e. thursday and should be with my by Friday or Monday.

So keeping fingers crossed!

Tanveer, it looks like the Tokina is MUCH better than the Tamron. Isn't the Tokina without warranty a better bet? Just curious.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by Proxima

Tanveer, it looks like the Tokina is MUCH better than the Tamron. Isn't the Tokina without warranty a better bet? Just curious.

Well much better is pretty subjective.
I had access to MTF graphs for both lenses, and on my 350D, the tokina will have sharper corners, with similar center. The Tamron suffers from low local contrast sharpness issue, and with mild USM sharpness is not an issue.
Moreover, I intend to shoot at F5.6 and narrower apertures, so sharpness of tamron would be acceptable.
In the end my rationale was this
1. Tamron with warranty = 22750 all inclusive, Tokina = 28000 without warranty. A good 5000rs difference
2. Tamron is 10-24. At wide end 1mm makes quite a bit of difference, and the 24mm long end makes it a decent walk around lens. Tokina 11-16 will be too narrow for a walkaround
3. At F5.6/F7.1 etc., the tamron will be slightly worse when it comes to IQ. Of course extreme corners are much better on tokina, but then extreme corners are rarely very important
4. Tokina produces a hotspot when doing Infrared. Since I need an infrared capable lens, the Tamron makes more sense here(but this feature is not really very important, just good to have)

In the end it was all about VFM, and weighing of pros and cons.
The MTF graphs on photozone.de(Tokina) and dpreview(Tamron), helped me decide quite a bit.

[Proxima]

Great analysis Tanveer. I'm particularly interested in a wide-angle lens, may buy one later on.

FYI - The Tokina is priced at 700 USD in Amazon. So that price here is no different.

[finneyp]

FBS, I also got the same Nikon bag.
Nice shots, daylight pics will be more or less same (maybe slightly better) than those taken by P&S camera.
Try taking some shots in low-light conditions (like in dusk), indoor etc., you will appreciate the DSLR.

[tsk1979]

Damn! I should have listened to people. The smarshoppers guy gave me a call today saying that the product will be shipped only on the 25th of March!
Today morning they had told me that the lens will be shipped today itself, however, just sometime back I get a call that their vendor now says that lens is not going to be available, and they can ship only on the 25th!
I think Amazon US ships more quickly. but the customs is a killer!
Well nothing else to except wait for a week more.

[shajufx]

Tanveer, so the bad remarks about them is true, I am staying away from them until I get a good comment. Infact 18th to 25th is like a month to me when it comes to gadgets thats already paid for. BH guys delivered my lens same day and it reached me 4th day, but the shipping and custom became a killer in the deal, otherwise we all would have bought things from US all the time.

Didnt you reconfirm the availability before paying ?

How do you guys find a Nikon SB600 flash (used for 2 months) for 9k ? Someone is selling, should I pick it up ?

[tsk1979]

I did reconfirm the availability.
On the 16th they told me it will be shipped on 18th(today).
today morning I spoke to them around 11:30am, and they were firm that it will be shipped today.
Little past 3pm I get a call that it can be shipped only on 25th!
Seriously unprofessional service.
I think such outfits thrive because there is no alternative.
If only B&H or amazon sets up a store here, and gives chandni chowk types a run for their money.
the problem here is that unless its a fast moving item, retailers and even distributors are not interested in getting you the stock.
For example, I contacted tamron distributers(simpex-pro), and they guided me to their Delhi dealer.
He told me flatly that they do not have any UWA lens, and did not expect any shipment.
Same story in chandni chowk.

[phamilyman]

Umm - hope they atleast stick to the 25th March promise now.

And I completely agree with the Tamron purchase logic. As and when I go in for it - it will be with the same reason.
(and possibly a test usage of your camera as well )

[tsk1979]

I think when you plan to purchase, the Sigma 8-16 will be out. Trust me, 8mm is a totally different game!

[govigov]

How does one read MTF/resolution graphs? I was not able to understand this graph.

[shajufx]

Tanveer, you are a canon guy right ? Whats your gear by the way ? If you dont mind, please list your lenses too, I will have an idea on what kind of shoots you do. Thanks.

I desperately want to fill up my range upto 70mm, probably with a f/2.8, if macro is there its an additional bonus. All my attention was into Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM, but sadly the product is not yet available here and no clue when it will be. Because the OS version was launched 2 months back. Mine is a Nikon D60 mostly moving to D90 if found worth.

My present lenses are 35mm prime and 70-300.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by govigov

How does one read MTF/resolution graphs? I was not able to understand this graph.

Its simple. The higher the number, the better it is. However if its higher than the "nyquist frequency" for the sensor, it does not matter. If you are 10pts above this nyquist number or 100 points above this number you will see same thing.
Actually photozone.de qualifies the MTF numbers w.r.t 350D(my camera), so I have a fair idea of whats good/bad/ugly.
Moreover, look at full samples.
for example for 10-24, wide open, the corners are soft when you open the original image. In the cropped version its not an issue.

Originally Posted by shajufx

Tanveer, you are a canon guy right ? Whats your gear by the way ? If you dont mind, please list your lenses too, I will have an idea on what kind of shoots you do. Thanks.

I desperately want to fill up my range upto 70mm, probably with a f/2.8, if macro is there its an additional bonus. All my attention was into Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM, but sadly the product is not yet available here and no clue when it will be. Because the OS version was launched 2 months back. Mine is a Nikon D60 mostly moving to D90 if found worth.

My present lenses are 35mm prime and 70-300.

For 90% of my photography I use Canon 18-55 non Is lens. I use F8 kind of apertures to get sharp images.
For low light, and indoor stuff like museums, I use canon 50mm 1.8. excellent sharp low light lens.
For telephoto I use the Canon 75-300 USM which is a non stabilized lens. So it works well in good light, but its good for normal telephoto pics. For real telephoto(birding) you need 400mm atleast. I am actually going to sell this lens, and get myself a 600mm zoom kind of P&S camera for travel shots.
when I do that I can retire the 18-55 and use my 350D exclusively with my 50mm and 10-24mm.
Since I am a landscape guy, it makes more sense for me to invest in wide angle, than telephoto.

[Proxima]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

For 90% of my photography I use Canon 18-55 non Is lens. I use F8 kind of apertures to get sharp images.
For low light, and indoor stuff like museums, I use canon 50mm 1.8. excellent sharp low light lens.
For telephoto I use the Canon 75-300 USM which is a non stabilized lens. So it works well in good light, but its good for normal telephoto pics. For real telephoto(birding) you need 400mm atleast. I am actually going to sell this lens, and get myself a 600mm zoom kind of P&S camera for travel shots.
when I do that I can retire the 18-55 and use my 350D exclusively with my 50mm and 10-24mm.
Since I am a landscape guy, it makes more sense for me to invest in wide angle, than telephoto.

TSK, I must say that your shots are excellent, and the kit you have is not very expensive.

Many people think that good photography needs high-end DSLRs and expensive lenses! Which cannot be farther from the truth!