[gd1418]

While I agree with what Sharath said about avid photographers being finicky about their gear, it shall also do good to you if you can find out what brand she used. It is like once a Nikonian, always a nikonian and similarly for Canon & Olympians..

If she is/was a Nikonian, and you have no budgetary limits, then a D700 with a 80-200mm VR should be an ideal gift..

Originally Posted by Spitfire

But my wife is an avid photographer, started very young and managed to be quite good at it.

I want to gift her a DSLR for her Birthday in January

[Samurai]

Guru makes a good point. That would be a safe gift. Don't get her entry level stuff, she will find it inadequate fast enough.

Make----------Big Budget-------Small budget
Canon----------5D Mark II---------40D/50D
Nikon-----------D700----------------D90
Minolta(sony)-----A900-------------A700

Just get her the body and let her have fun planning the lenses herself.

[tifosikrishna]

Originally Posted by gd1418

While I agree with what Sharath said about avid photographers being finicky about their gear, it shall also do good to you if you can find out what brand she used. It is like once a Nikonian, always a nikonian and similarly for Canon & Olympians..

If she is/was a Nikonian, and you have no budgetary limits, then a D700 with a 80-200mm VR should be an ideal gift..

Very true.

Spitfire, do you by any chance remember what brand she was using? Or can you find out from someone who might know that. It will be great if you buy her the same brand.

There is a remote possibility that she might be able to reuse some of the old accessories, if she has anything leftover.

[tsk1979]

A700 is better than A350 by a huge margin.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

A700 is better than A350 by a huge margin.

Oops, I meant to put A700, got the number wrong. Sony has unleashed so many cameras, it is hard to keep the numbers straight.

Meanwhile I am not suggesting Olympus. Nothing wrong with it. But if you don't like it, it is very hard to get out since resale is difficult for Olympus gear in India.

[Spitfire]

Wow, thanks guys. Have a lump in my throat after reading these messages.

Originally Posted by gd1418

While I agree with what Sharath said about avid photographers being finicky about their gear, it shall also do good to you if you can find out what brand she used. It is like once a Nikonian, always a nikonian and similarly for Canon & Olympians..

If she is/was a Nikonian, and you have no budgetary limits, then a D700 with a 80-200mm VR should be an ideal gift..

I am a total dodo when it comes to cameras. Unless you tell me, i wont make out a canon from a nikon or a sony. Going through all the links pasted here and on the net. But there are so many its mind boggling. Thanks for the suggestion. I am creating a list of recommended camera's in an excel sheet with all the various features mentioned. With features sorted as To Have, Good to Have and Not Really Required. I know its amateurish but but for a layman like me its the best i can do.

Originally Posted by Samurai

Guru makes a good point. That would be a safe gift. Don't get her entry level stuff, she will find it inadequate fast enough.

Make----------Big Budget-------Small budget
Canon----------5D Mark II---------40D/50D
Nikon-----------D700----------------D90
Minolta(sony)-----A900-------------A700

Just get her the body and let her have fun planning the lenses herself.

Great suggestion again. Those numbers and models are slowly making sense to me. I have a medium budget hitting 40k might go over it, if i have to. Added those to my list of research sheet.

Originally Posted by tifosikrishna

Very true.

Spitfire, do you by any chance remember what brand she was using? Or can you find out from someone who might know that. It will be great if you buy her the same brand.

There is a remote possibility that she might be able to reuse some of the old accessories, if she has anything leftover.

Let me go and dig up the pics(only family pictures remain, all professional work can only be dug out from the clients she had worked for but dosent want to) she had taken and maybe i can make out from them. She had an amazing collection of manuals and lens and photographs, she had collected over time. They had even converted the garage of their house in Delhi into a dark room. Unfortunately all that was given away for free to friends and relatives. Nothing exists, everything has gone. They moved from Delhi to Mumbai to Coimbatore. Overtime everything just got lost.

Thanks again guys, i know it means a lot to her. Imagine going from being a pro photographer to a desk job as an HR Manager. There is not much she holds on to or talks about, that is related to photography.

[tsk1979]

Can you see what lens she used. Based on that we will zero on a dSLR!

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Can you see what lens she used. Based on that we will zero on a dSLR!

Will do. She used the roll wala camera's (non digital). All Manual i think.

I now have a job for the weekend.

Thanks tsk, appreciate the help.

[gd1418]

It doesn't make a difference whether it is a film camera or digital, manual or automatic. The brand is what that matters. BTW, if she is interested in a film camera (professional) then I have a Nikon F-801 body that I would want to dispose..

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Will do. She used the roll wala camera's (non digital). All Manual i think.

I now have a job for the weekend.

Thanks tsk, appreciate the help.

[Shan2nu]

Im looking at the Canon 1000D or the Sony A200W.

My cousin recently bought a 1000D for around 36-38K but the Sony comes for 34-35K with 2 lenses.

Resolution wise, they're both around 10.2MP.

I know Canon DSLRs are good but that 2 lens offer from Sony is just too hard to ignore.

DSLR-A200W : Digital SLR Camera : Digital SLR : Sony India

Shan2nu

[extreme_torque]

@shantanu... When buying a DSLR think in terms of lenses you will need. You can change the body if you want anytime but when u have a collection of lenses its impossible to change the brand.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

Resolution wise, they're both around 10.2MP.

This is the last parameter you have to worry about in any camera, let alone a dSLR.

Buying a dSLR is a huge commitment. You need to be very clear about why you want a dSLR and what kind of photography you want to do.

1) What kind of subjects you want to shoot?
2) What is your short term and long term budget?
3) Are you really picky about image quality?
4) Are you planning to do lot of low-light photography?
5) Is local support important?

[Shan2nu]

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

[Samurai]

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

[Sha]

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

Im looking at the Canon 1000D or the Sony A200W.

My cousin recently bought a 1000D for around 36-38K but the Sony comes for 34-35K with 2 lenses.

Resolution wise, they're both around 10.2MP.

I know Canon DSLRs are good but that 2 lens offer from Sony is just too hard to ignore.

DSLR-A200W : Digital SLR Camera : Digital SLR : Sony India

Shan2nu

Go for 1000D or 450D body kit and choose lens accordingly to your requirement.
1000D with 2 lens kit EF-S 18-55mm & EF-S 75-300mm will cost around 40k not more than that. I use 75-300mm for wildlife phtotgraphy its excellent.