[tsk1979]

I agree with Rudra
24mm is pretty wide enough for landscapes.
Moreover it will be your perfect walkaround lens too!

[straight6]

Originally Posted by Samurai

That describes most of us here. So, Nikon is not the only answer. The entry-level dSLR market is very crowded these days.

Canons are pretty expensive, hence I asked about Nikons. How about Sony or some other brand which is not that expensive.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by straight6

Canons are pretty expensive, hence I asked about Nikons. How about Sony or some other brand which is not that expensive.

Depending upon your budget you can find cameras from Sony, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax etc.,
Entry level cameras of Nikon, Canon, Oly, Pentax and Sony have similar pricing.

[straight6]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Depending upon your budget you can find cameras from Sony, Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax etc.,
Entry level cameras of Nikon, Canon, Oly, Pentax and Sony have similar pricing.

Are you talking about the cameras similar to the Canon A720 IS? Basically, I want something that will take good pictures of moving things without blurring.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by straight6

Are you talking about the cameras similar to the Canon A720 IS? Basically, I want something that will take good pictures of moving things without blurring.

Wait a minute, in your earlier post you were asking for DSLRs!
If you want to take action shots at high speed you need good ISO 1600 image quality, and in that department in entry level Canon rules the roost

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

Actually this is the perfect combination for pure holiday trip and well, most of your 4X4 trip shooting.

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I agree with Rudra
24mm is pretty wide enough for landscapes.
Moreover it will be your perfect walkaround lens too!

This is what dpreview says about 12-60mm:

Originally Posted by DPreview

Olympus appear mainly to have taken advantage of the Four Thirds sensor to deliver lenses which, for any given size, weight and cost, simply perform to a higher and more consistent standard than those optimized for larger formats, with the 12-60mm being a prime example.

Indeed the Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 SWD is quite simply a superb lens, which can lay claim to being one of the very best standard zooms currently available. This is a design which would have been almost unimaginable even five years ago; a 5x wideangle to telephoto zoom which, though the use of some exotic optics, manages to perform almost flawlessly across its entire range, and throws in some impressive macro performance too.

And camera labs:

Originally Posted by Camera Labs

The Olympus Zuiko Digital 12-60mm is quite simply one of the best quality zoom lenses we’ve tested to date. Its optical performance is superb, delivering very sharp results across the frame at all focal lengths.
...Ultimately like the Zuiko Digital 7-14mm, the 12-60mm is another lens which makes you want to buy into the Four Thirds system. It simply out-performs equivalent lenses from rival manufacturers to become the best quality general-purpose zoom we’ve tested. Suffice it to say it comes Highly Recommended and should be on the top of the list of any Four Thirds owner who wants a top-notch day-to-day lens. Owners of rival systems can only look on in envy.

I had pretty much decided on Sigma 10-20mm when I suddenly realised that I may not be able to shoot similar landscapes as Riju using the same lens. He gets 15mm EFL from this lens, I can get only 20mm EFL. Therefore I might end up disappointed after buying it, do consider I can't check out my lenses before buying.

Therefore it would be prudent for me to buy 12-60mm which will improve my wide angle range without adding an extra lens.

[tsk1979]

Hmm So you get this next week. Congrats!

[StarScream]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Boss is coming next week, he is willing to carry it.

Meanwhile, new dilemma. Should I consider 12-60mm instead, saves me from carrying two lens, but is 12mm (24mm EFL) a compromise compared to 10mm (20mm EFL).

I currently have 14-54mm (28-108mm) as my primary lens.

Perfect Choice: Zuiko 7-14mm (14-28mm EFL) at $1520 (don't have the budget for this)
Next Best: Sigma 10-20mm (20-40mm) at $575
Compromise choice: Zuiko 12-60mm (24-120mm EFL) at $800

The last choice makes my current 14-54mm redundant and free to be sold. I can manage with just one lens, is that worth it?

People who have experienced both 20mm EFL and 24mm EFL regularly please tell me what I should do considering I am stepping into the ultra-wide angle.

I need to decide and order the lens by today.

Samurai, I guess you've already decided to go for the 12-60. Maybe as a toss up between cost and practicality that is a good choice. But in my experience the wider you can go the better. I love the 18mm perspective having used the 18-35mm Nikkor on film and now owning the 12-24 Tokina (18-35 EFL) on APS-C digital. For landscapes the depth of field and sweep of 18mm blows away 24mm. When I use the 12-24, I'm at the wide end most often.

[Samurai]

StarScream,

The 7-14mm will blow away everything, but the cost is too high for now. The 10-20mm gives only 20mm EFL at max, I am not sure that 4mm advantage is worth carrying one more lens all the time. May be in 2-3 years I will go for the 7-14mm.

[Samurai]

Olympus & Panasonic have announced a new dSLR 4/3 format, not sure how we missed it here. There will be no mirror or optical VF.

Olympus / Panasonic announce Micro Four Thirds: Digital Photography Review

[tsk1979]

this is pretty old news.
It won't be a SLR, but a normal Digital camera with interchangeable lenses.
This means lens size can be small.
Where innovation is concerned, Oly rules the roost, now if only they could do something about the noisy sensor(long exposure, high ISO etc.,)

[trance_nut]

Go for an entry level body and a good lens . The lens play an important role when capturing moving subjects. An example would be the Canon 450D + 70-200/f4L (non IS), if budget permits.

Originally Posted by straight6

Are you talking about the cameras similar to the Canon A720 IS? Basically, I want something that will take good pictures of moving things without blurring.

[Bass&Trouble]

Thanks Samurai and vivekiny2k. I pressed a button next to the shot button which has a symbol that looks like 3 squares patly overlapping each other, and everything is back to normal now. I use the Panasonic DMC FZ-3, btw.

[straight6]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Wait a minute, in your earlier post you were asking for DSLRs!
If you want to take action shots at high speed you need good ISO 1600 image quality, and in that department in entry level Canon rules the roost

I'm new to photography but I'm enjoying it. I thought a DSLR should take any picture better than any camera below its range.

Originally Posted by trance_nut

Go for an entry level body and a good lens . The lens play an important role when capturing moving subjects. An example would be the Canon 450D + 70-200/f4L (non IS), if budget permits.

The 450 is a little on the expensive side. How's the Nikon D60? I've heard good things about it.

[StarScream]

Originally Posted by straight6

The 450 is a little on the expensive side. How's the Nikon D60? I've heard good things about it.

The D60 is good but a little limited as far as Nikon system compatibility is concerned. You can only use Nikon AF-S lenses with it, which limits your choices when you are ready to experiment with more equipment. If budget is a constraint try to find a used D80 or D70. They should sell for 20k or less. They can use all Nikon AF and third party lenses with full compatibility and open up the world of second-hand lenses.