Team-BHP - The DSLR Thread

I was about to buy Canon 450 D until I stumbled upon this thread! Now I am super confused between 450 D and 40D. 40D is also in my budget. Folks, please suggest which one to buy. This will be my first DSLR. I am mainly interested in wild life photography.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thirst4torque (Post 1081429)

As Finney said you cant compare 450D and 40D. 40D is a semi pro camera while 450D is a beginner DSLR.

But if you have a fixed budget, i would recommend you go for a smaller spec DSLR (but same brand) and invest more on lens. Why? Because you typically upgrade your cameras in 3-4 years but lenses stays with you for 10 years and more. So if you are into wildlife photography i would pick a Rebel XS and spent the rest on a nice 70-300mm IS lens.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samurai (Post 1081375)

In that case Sony A200 should serve your purpose. Buy it before you are confused any further by us.

I would agree with Samurai under the circumstance you mentioned - not too much low light photography, not too picky about image quality. But do remember some of these things you tend to appreciate once you start using the DSLR. A200 is very bad for high ISO/low light.

On the plus side A200 has in-cam image stabilization, which is sweet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shan2nu (Post 1081340)

1) What kind of subjects you want to shoot?
Mostly still objects (cars, machinery, mechanical tools etc).

2) What is your short term and long term budget?
Nothing specific. I just need a good DSLR that i can use personally and at work (if need be)

3) Are you really picky about image quality?
Not too much.

4) Are you planning to do lot of low-light photography?
Not a lot of it but yes, sometimes.

5) Is local support important?
Yes (we have sony here)

Shan2nu

Looking at your needs, do you really need a DSLR? Or would a very good high end P&S suffice? Shan, are you finicky about getting the shutter speed, aperture settings etc right? Its quite time consuming, besides for your needs I doubt you will be needing any upgrade of lenses from time to time unless you get into wild life photography. If you are going to shoot cars from a close range, or say even on track I doubt you might need a dsrl. Advantage of picking a P&S is that you could just stash it in your pockets while driving on track or maybe even record videos of your laps etc which you cannot do with the dslr.

Shan2nu: Here it goes. Didn't Sharath say - " Buy it before you are confused any further by us ". To add to confusion have you considered Nikon P80. Will suffice almost all your requirement and will come for 15K as well.

But don't listen to me:D. Go for the A200 if you've set your eyes on it.

Quote:

Looking at your needs, do you really need a DSLR?

Yeah i do need a DSLR. Iv tried using PnS cameras but wasn't all that impressed. I keep getting asked by my clients if i can do photography for the brochures/catalogs i design for them.

So along with my personal shoots, i can make good use of it at work as well.

Quote:

Buy it before you are confused any further by us.

Ok then, Sony it is.

It's a good package and provides local support too.

Shan2nu

Quote:

Originally Posted by gd1418 (Post 1081610)

Dont even think of a Nikon p80. Its got very bad reviews :-(

Rather consider a Canon S5 IS for around 15-16K if you could find one in market or rather a SX10 IS (have posted on classifieds just now:-)

SX10 has all features to compete with an SLR plus has 80X zoom which a SLR Cant offer. Remember that SLRs do not capture movies (except very few now) and dont have much zoom.

Sony A200 is good but buy A350 if you can spend that much

Rajeev

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajismine (Post 1082117)

SX10 has all features to compete with an SLR plus has 80X zoom which a SLR Cant offer. Remember that SLRs do not capture movies (except very few now) and dont have much zoom.

No offense, but after a statement like that, nobody who understands SLRs will take you seriously.

rajeev ji,

Don't mind me, but your ignorance on SLRs is such that its not even funny. That's extremely dangerous advice you have casually given away.

If I may humbly recommend - the better way out is: PC World India: Skeptical Shopper Kailas has a point and that is the question all wannabe SLR owners need to consider

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajismine (Post 1082117)

SX10 has all features to compete with an SLR plus has 80X zoom which a SLR Cant offer. Remember that SLRs do not capture movies (except very few now) and dont have much zoom.

Sony A200 is good but buy A350 if you can spend that much

Rajeev

Do not compare digital camera with DSLR, In DSLR we can literally do whatever you want but digital cameras are pre-progammed ones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shan2nu (Post 1082071)

I keep getting asked by my clients if i can do photography for the brochures/catalogs i design for them.

So along with my personal shoots, i can make good use of it at work as well.
Shan2nu

Then you definetly need a DSLR. Depending on the type of clients/quality of the prints and the size of the pictures (do the same ones used for posters/billboards?), you choose an appropriate pixel capability - at least 10Mega pixel.
The choice of the DSLR is determined by two main things - the body's capability and the choice of lenses. Remember, you can spend a lot more on the lenses compared to the body based on the speed/range of the lens. Nikon and Canon are two popular brands for this reason. There are a few good after market lens manufacturers such as Sigma, Tamron etc. that tend to be cheaper than the big brands. Look at your buy holistically from a long term perspective rather than be swayed by a point deal.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajismine (Post 1082117)

SX10 has all features to compete with an SLR plus has 80X zoom which a SLR Cant offer. Remember that SLRs do not capture movies (except very few now) and dont have much zoom.

LOL! That made my day buddy. 80X zoom? MY computer can do 100X zoom, lets all buy laptops :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajismine (Post 1082511)

I know guys that DSLRs are way better for their picture quality and spread of features. My comment was only about taking videos and zoom :)

there is no P&S camera in this world now with optical zoom of 80x. The SX10 you mentioned does 20X. No photographer worth his salt would consider digital zoom as zoom - coz then like tsk said, our laptops can do 100 and even 1000x zoom :)

Dont want to compare DSLRs with P & S - both have their reasons - but if its telephoto that you want there are many a lenses you can buy for the SLR and much more powerful ones at that.