[recshenoy]

Originally Posted by shajufx

1) No commander in the built-in flash
2) No body-built-in motor for old lenses and some of the new ones too (Tokina etc)
3) Shooting mode selection (AF, AFC, AFS etc), Metering selection etc has to go through the menus
4) I want Live view for my minute focusing of Macros (which is straining through the viewfinder)

thanks very much dude for very detailed post!

I had been using Canon S3IS for last 3 years. anyways none of points are problem for me since it's my first DSLR! I won't start any of these high funda photography right away anyways

As you said, if i use properly for 1 year and get good hold on photography then I can migrate to better camera!

i am skeptical about buying a new camera with an investments like 35K INR and keeping it in corner! i have seen many of my friends doing this! invested like 40K to 60K on camera and taking foots occasionally!

I don’t have so much money that i can keep an investment of 40K at corner of my cupboard so thought let me first start learning with a pre-worshipped SLR and then migrate to higher one if i use the camera effectively.

[rkbharat]

Originally Posted by govigov

@rkbharat.

what made the decision for you?

i am in a similar position, 55-250 IS or 70-300 APO DG.

one has a slight higher range and the other has IS. similar price band as well.

Honestly non IS/VR/OS/VC lens specially the zoom lens suffers badly at low light and use of tripod is necessary. Tamron 70-300 is wonderful lens for the price you pay but good only during good light.

VR lens is alot better than non VR lens, though I lost full 100 MM zoom :(

[shajufx]

Originally Posted by jkdas

Can I post about this on your FB so that your wife can see?

None of my public appearances will be noticed by my wife as long as my younger girl keeps sucking, we plan to stop her may be this month , she is already 1 year now.

Now the Japanese ka ka ku ku link you gave earlier, I checked the rate based on today's conversion and D300s comes to 65k INR, which is atleast 6k less than the best quoted price in Bangalore today. Thats really impressive. But now the issue is, not able to understand the descriptions as everything is 'Greek' to me.

I am sure a 6k difference is huge, equal to getting a battery grip or a remote cable and good quality memory card for that saving. I have to check the fedex or DHL cost if shipped by my relatives as gift item, plus the hidden duty that can come as a spoil-sport for all such deals. I think thats the only reason people prefer to pay bit extra and get it within their city most of the time.

Originally Posted by recshenoy

.....I won't start any of these high funda photography right away anyways.....As you said, if i use properly for 1 year and get good hold on photography then I can migrate to better camera!

Its not high funda as you term it, but one of the streams of photography (macro and strobe) . There is a time you have to stick to one particular area where you think you can improve faster, not ignoring all other general areas (portrait, landscape, wildlife, birding, events etc.). There are people who cover almost everything, but its like handling all the departments in the Govt single handedly.

I feel I need to concentrate more on strobes, macros, portraits etc than others. May be the interests might change again, because its still a learning phase.

I might sell my D60 as soon as I can fix a deal on the new body and it will be at a rock bottom price (could be just 1k more than what the shop can offer me as used buy-back), which should be lower than the usual pricing for a buyer. But its 'Body only', as I have replaced my kit lens and added 3 more beauty glasses to my bag. You can PM me if you need any further discussion as it might bore everyone else to death !

[rjstyles69]

Originally Posted by shajufx

4) I want Live view for my minute focusing of Macros (which is straining through the viewfinder)

Something that I really don't fancy on a DSLR, but then that's just me . I prefer to have it the old school way, use the viewfinder.

Originally Posted by shajufx

I have to check the fedex or DHL cost if shipped by my relatives as gift item, plus the hidden duty that can come as a spoil-sport for all such deals. I think thats the only reason people prefer to pay bit extra and get it within their city most of the time.

Usually gift items don't attract duty.

[recshenoy]

shajufx,

do you have prime lens ( 50 mm / f1.8) for D60? AFAIR there is no AF-S 50 mm / f1.8 prime lens available! So D60 owners can only have MF prime but not AF?

[amitk26]

Originally Posted by shajufx

I am sure a 6k difference is huge, equal to getting a battery grip or a remote cable and good quality memory card for that saving. I have to check the fedex or DHL cost if shipped by my relatives as gift item, plus the hidden duty that can come as a spoil-sport for all such deals. I think thats the only reason people prefer to pay bit extra and get it within their city most of the time.

Shaju my 2 paisa , 6K is not that huge specially if you plan to import using DHL , Gift or no gift it does not matter for the items which customs consider of significant value , They will levy duty based on ( Indian MRP - Tax) so you will end up paying same. In case some one can carry in person then it is different story.

For memory card you can buy Silicon Power 32 GB Class 10 for just about 110$ ( approx 5100 Rs) on ebay and it will be delivered tax free at your door from Taiwan. ( shipping is included)


16 GB class 6 is more practical and affordable as Class 6 is slightly more then the max burst rate your D300 can generate. It is 46$ ( apprx 2200 Rs)

SDHC 16GB Secure Digital Card Silicon Power Class6 CL6 - eBay (item 160394958601 end time May-14-10 02:30:13 PDT)

Quality and performance wise Silicon Power is one of the best and it is one of the OEM for many well known brands ( Toshiba and Samsung are other OEMs but they do not sell in retail to end user directly)

[kkr2k2]

Originally Posted by recshenoy

shajufx,

do you have prime lens ( 50 mm / f1.8) for D60? AFAIR there is no AF-S 50 mm / f1.8 prime lens available! So D60 owners can only have MF prime but not AF?

You are right. No AF on the beautiful 50mm f1.8 for the bodies not having in-built AF motor!!
But you can try 35mm f1.8, I heard its even better but bit pricey and may not work on FX bodies!! 35mm lens on a cropped body like D60 would have almost same FOV as the 50mm lens on full frame body!!

[Speed Pujari]

@Shaju- U'll enjoy the D300s. A week back I bought a D300 with a 12-24mm DX f/4 lens. Drooling !.
The grip is amazing and everything fits into your hands in first hold only. It feels exactly the same way I felt when I forst drove my palio.
The AF system is little different and takes time to understand. But once u get it, the whole world is right in front of you. Af is rocking fast and accurate.
You can customize any tom, dick and harry feature in the camera. I have still not finished reading the 400 pages long manual for that LOL!.

Two pictures from that cam. In the first pic the tree leaves were totally blackened and the sky was also washed away in white. The shot was taken in 14 bit RAW mode, and thats why I retained all the exposure information :-).

[shajufx]

Originally Posted by Speed Pujari

@Shaju- U'll enjoy the D300s. A week back I bought a D300 with a 12-24mm DX f/4 lens. Drooling !..

Wow, thats nice to hear !! Where did you pick up the 300 from, same guy from BPC ? I think a D300 can last for atleast 5 years according to whats in my mind, may be more (pure hobby, not a single thought on any commercial aspect).

The only reason I am swinging towards D300s is the narrow difference in price. I am sure a 300s will be available within the 65-70 range very soon, whereas 300 is not even available easily. A photographer cum retailer friend of mine (Ronnie: if anyone cares to know) advised me not to buy a 300 from anywhere because refurbished models are plenty in the market sold as new.

My wishlist bag would be the following: hope I can atleast have them in dreams
1. D300s
2. Nikon 14-24 f/2.8
3. Nikon 24-70 f/2.8
4. Nikon 70-200 f/2.8
5. Nikon 200-400 f/4 (most expensive one in the list = an Alto on-road)

I stop it here for the time-being, because it has reached my Fiesta value. Strangeest thing is that I already know 3 people who carry the same set of lenses with a D300. One is Nikhil who is also neighbour to HW !

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by shajufx

My wishlist bag would be the following: hope I can atleast have them in dreams
1. D300s
2. Nikon 14-24 f/2.8
3. Nikon 24-70 f/2.8
4. Nikon 70-200 f/2.8
5. Nikon 200-400 f/4 (most expensive one in the list = an Alto on-road)

an ideal case of why this hobby is addictive and pocket friendly.

speed pujari; loved the lotus/pond pic. Was soothing.

[Torqy]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Yeah, Olympus is known for such repeated marketing hype. Let's look at past examples. The fixed lens SLR, fixed lens dSLR, digital only format called 4/3rd, anti-dust sensor technology, live-view, in-body image stabilization, EVIL m3/4, etc. Trouble is suckers like me fall for it.

Its not just you.
Even big companies like Canon and Nikon fall for it.
How did Dust Removal and Live View come into Canon and Nikon SLRs?
When Olympus introduced them, it was hype. But now everyone has these features.
Still call it hype?

[rajb3125]

Originally Posted by Torqy

Its not just you.
Even big companies like Canon and Nikon fall for it.
How did Dust Removal and Live View come into Canon and Nikon SLRs?
When Olympus introduced them, it was hype. But now everyone has these features.
Still call it hype?

About introducing Movie mode in the market, i believe Nikon was the first.

Yea I still call it hype not because Olympus introduced built-in sensor cleaning. But because movie mode on a DSLR is more or less a hype. I won't bother arguing over this matter as my point will not be understood anyhow.

I know everyone would argue about PRO'S shooting movies and TV serials on 5D mk2 and m4/3. The amount of time which goes into converting these bodies for ACTUAL PRO shooting, is much more expensive than going out and hiring an Arri/Ex3/Red/Bowen.

If Olympus hadn't put the dialogue "PRO-QUALITY" in the ad then it would have been miles away from being a hype.

[recshenoy]

2. Nikon 14-24 f/2.8
3. Nikon 24-70 f/2.8
4. Nikon 70-200 f/2.8
5. Nikon 200-400 f/4

Duh! An approximation from Amazon.com says these lens cost 5.3L INR. oh! man this such an expensive hobby!

Please note that i have not included cost of daily gym and protein cost to lift the Nikon 200-400 f/4 weighing 3.4 KG alone

@SpeedPujari,

too good dude! i liked the first foto. i can imagine having big printout of same pasted on floor of room entrance! and some one new to house open the door and "bhaaaa i just fell down flat" feeling

what was OTR of 12-24mm DX f/4 lens!

Originally Posted by kkr2k2

You are right. No AF on the beautiful 50mm f1.8 for the bodies not having in-built AF motor!!
But you can try 35mm f1.8, I heard its even better but bit pricey and may not work on FX bodies!! 35mm lens on a cropped body like D60 would have almost same FOV as the 50mm lens on full frame body!!

Thanks Dude! ya i saw the price of same. Looks like I have to stop eating for several days to buy this lens

[tsk1979]

Actually an entire house episode was shot with a standard 5D Mark II.
The kind of control and quality DSLRs can give for video shooting is amazing.
since you never use Autofocus in a commercial setup, lack of continuous AF is totally acceptable.
Even those barriers are being broken with panasonic GF1

[rajb3125]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Actually an entire house episode was shot with a standard 5D Mark II.
The kind of control and quality DSLRs can give for video shooting is amazing.
since you never use Autofocus in a commercial setup, lack of continuous AF is totally acceptable.
Even those barriers are being broken with panasonic GF1

Yes they did.

I can spend 2hrs writing how it took tech team 80+ man hours to modify 1 5D for the shoot and how it took weeks hacking and testing the firmware and how it will be cheaper to buy a second hand Red Scarlet with Zeiss Prime bundle than modifying 5Dmk2 and using it. And how Canon provided all this service for free in order to get free publicity.

But in the end it Comes down to the person using the rig, Arri/Bowen/AR/Red doesn't need to do any marketing, reason being, the persons using them will never budge for the flexibility and customisation these offer.