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Hey everyone. I am new to model photography and was looking for a good dslr. I started a couple of months ago, and have been using a Pentax Optio 43 WR (I've used it for all my photography including my portfolio on here) I know there are always Canon and Nikon battles...but I'm looking for a good slr for my price range. I am interested in the Nikon D70s with the 18-70mm lens. I have not been recommended the Rebel XT by friends, and the 20D is a little out of my range b/c I've been told that I should get body only and get a better lens(it comes with an 18-55). My concern with the Nikon is that it is a 6mp and most other dslr's are 8mp. What resolution is used more? Also, is the 18-70mm lens good enough for photoshoots? If you use the D70s, let me know what you think about it. I am open to any recommendations about the camaras you use. I've been a little confused on what slr to get! Thank you Jul 13 05 12:32 pm Link Here an article I wrote : http://www.istockphoto.com/article_view.php?ID=82 Also I myself would recomend ther Rebel, but have you taken a Look at the New nikon D50 yet? And for portrait shots 18-55 or even 18-70 is fine for Portrait. Though later down the road you may want to get a shaper prime lens. Jul 13 05 12:51 pm Link You need something over 50mm for taking pictures of people. The 55mm is cutting it close. Jul 13 05 01:18 pm Link Save a little longer and get the 20D. There is no question about it in this price range. I work at Samys camera in LA and have used all the cameras on the market and nothing comes close to it in this price range. 2 things to take a close look at with this camera 1 CMOS sensor 2 digic II processor And the L lens's. Keep in mind that while the 18-55 is a cheap lens it really isnt that bad but i would reccomend the 50mm 1.8 instead. only $90 . Plastic but a sharp lens none the less. to the poster that said 55mm is "cutting it close", unless you are using a 1ds or a 1ds II there will be a frame crop of 1.6 with canon and 1.5 with nikon in other words, the 50mm ef lens frames as a 80mm lens (85mm is considered a portrait lens) so 50 or 55 is fine in either case. Let me know if i can answer any other questions and use this site as a buying guide (its the best one out there): http://dpreview.com/ But if you are serious and want a real camera, shoot film Mamiya RZ pro II is the most popular camera on the market among studio photogs. Then scan the negs and you will see the difference between film and digital even if you are using a H1 with a leif back. Jul 13 05 01:18 pm Link Posted by Karl Blessing: Thanks for the article, It makes me feel more comfortable with a 6mp now. I just looked at the D50, other than a few differences (like using SD cards) I didn't know it was so similar. I'm have one more camera to look at now! What do you recommend about the rebel? Thanks again Jul 13 05 01:23 pm Link Posted by Ched: Rebel , Rebel XT, 20D : 55 = 88 Jul 13 05 01:26 pm Link Canon vs. Nikon is a personal choice. If you can, try the two out in the store and see which is more comfortable to you. Don't worry about 6mp vs. 8mp. It's not a big enough deal to make a fuss over if you're just getting started. I'm not familiar with Nikon so I will only comment on Canon. If you like to have control over your camera, don't go with a rebel. Sure, it has manual mode for shutter and apperture etc., but lacks manual control for things like fill flash reduction, metering modes etc. The newer XT might be a little better about this but I'm not sure. The 20D is nice but if it's out of your price range consider a used 10D. Still a very capable camera (I still use it). A bit slower (operation feels sluggish compared to the 20D), 6mp vs. 8mp, more noise at high iso, focus not quite as accurate especially in low light, but for model photography it will do very well. Finally, invest wisely in the glass. That's the single most important element. Jul 13 05 02:20 pm Link 6mp versus 8 isn't much of a deal at all - I routinely print 12x18 from a 6mp D100, and many (but not all) images will go up to twice that size quite nicely. The D70 appears to be the Nikon workhorse for people just getting going, and is rapidly becoming the "backup" body for pros shooting with the D2x. I don't know the D50 very well, I think that the compromises built into that camera versus the D70s are relatively small if you're on a tight budget. But you really should handle the cameras you're thinking about. If you have no previous lens investment in Canon or Nikon, handle both. Canon felt and still feels alien to my hands, but Nikon felt familiar and easy for me to use without opening the manual. Back when I was shopping my first digital body, I was going to get a D1x until I rented one and worked with it, and HATED the size and weight. Rented and tried a Fuji S2 and the slippery body (now it's changed) felt really scary, the D100 felt just right. Jul 13 05 02:37 pm Link Go with the Rebel XT, its BY FAR the best DSLR for under $1K. I have one and I love it, just need to start getting some photoshoots done with it. Look at reviews and tests on it, it does 99% of the things the 20D will do in a smaller, lighter and cheaper package. The other 1% is pretty minor and not really worth the extra money. Then you can buy a nice lens with that extra $500-$600 you saved. If you have big hands, the XTs small size may be a concern, but the BG3 battery pack will take care of that. Jul 13 05 02:37 pm Link Posted by MichaelBell: This is all pure opinion. I would have kicked myself in the ass if I had bought a rebel instead of the 10D. I personaly feel the differences are anything but minor though others can certainly dissagree as it's pure opinion. All depends on how you want to use your camera. There have been times when someone with a rebel asked me how I do a certain shot and I couldn't show them because their camera doesn't have the features I use. A used 10D can be had under $1k and I would hardly say that the XT is FAR better. They both have advantages and disadvantages. Jul 13 05 02:53 pm Link I didnt have the money or chance to get a 10D when I got my rebel, but when the XT came out, I was glad to have the old rebel + the firmware hack, the larger size works alot better for me. The smaller rebel seems to be better for those with smaller hands, who are probally not going to accessorize too much, maybe only have 1 or 2 lens, and mostly within the shorter focal length ( under 150mm ). But I really dont think there was a major difference between the 300D an the 10D other than the magnesium alloy body, but I've sufficed, I mean just look at my personal website, you probally wouldnt be able to tell if the shots were done on a rebel or on a 10D, or a nikon for that matter. But rather than saying you have to go with the 10D , just tell him to go into a store that has them, feel them out, I think the canon's are better ergonomics ( minus the XT ). Also feeling the 20D wouldnt be too good a judge to the 10D because the 20D does feel a tiny bit cheaper than the 10D's body. Jul 13 05 03:09 pm Link I would stay away from used cameras, even a 10D. Canon lists the 10D shutter life at 50,000 operations I believe. Nothing like paying a bunch of money for a used camera to have it reach its end on you within 6 months and having to fork over hundreds more to fix it, if it IS fixable. Buy new. Jul 13 05 03:20 pm Link Posted by MichaelBell: Well considering that getting a used 10D was more attractive right when the 300D came out, but now couple years later 10D no longer in production, and it'll be very hard to find one that hasnt been used pretty heavily. Jul 13 05 03:23 pm Link Jean-Paul, don't get caught up in the megapixels rat race, a more important consideration is how clean the image looks like. Oh yeah, the salespeople at camera stores will try to sell you on this "more megapixels means better" idea but don't get fooled by it. The plain fact of the matter is, for a given sensor size, the more pixels you try to cram into it, the higher the noise and the worse your image will look. Oh yeah, the salespeople at camera stores will tell you that a Canon 20D has 8 MP and a 10D has 6 but what they won't tell you is that the 20D is packing those 8 MP into a slightly smaller sensor size than the 10D, so the 20D has a lower pixel pitch and consequently higher noise. This is the same problem that beset Sony when they attempted to pack 8 megapixels in the F-828 camera, they used the same sensor size as the F-717, well guess what, the F-828 had the worst noise for that size of sensor. My advice is, do your homework first and find out the sensor size of the camera you're interested in, and compare the pixel pitches between cameras. As for Canon vs Nikon, having been a user of both cameras I'd say you can't go wrong with either of these, so if you like the D70s I'd say go for it, Nikon makes really good glass. Jul 13 05 03:52 pm Link Posted by MichaelBell: People buy used bodies all the time, it's not that big a deal. Just becuase it's rated for 50,000 actuations doesn't mean it's automatically going to die right at 50,000 (and yes, the shutter can be replaced when it does die). You're obsessing over stats and figures. I'm wary of used stuff too and buy new most of the time, but I can afford to and don't go around telling people they should only buy new because it depends on the individuals needs and means they have available. I may actually buy a used 1d2 somewhere down the line. Just buy carefully. Jul 13 05 05:31 pm Link D70 vs D70s the S has a slightly larger screen for viewing and a remote port on the side but other than that, once you do the firmware upgrade on the d70 they are pretty much the same camera with the exception of a couple hunded bucks (the s is more expensive) If you plan on using strobes neither of them have a flash sync. However, you should never hook a power pack directly into a DSLR with out the use of a WEIN or HAMA safesync that mounts onto your hot shoe. With that being said the lack of pc sync dosent really matter as the Safesync will solve that. Jul 13 05 05:32 pm Link Do yourself a favor - go read the reviews at: www.dpreview.com Read some of the threads to see what the noisiest whiners on the web have to say. Then, I swear it's important, go handle the cameras. And as to sync, it's awful hard to justify a PC socket when within months of getting studio lights you're going to want pocket wizard type gear. Even if you're renting, the cost of rental is well worth it. Jul 13 05 05:44 pm Link Well theres also HotShoe-TO-PC sync adapters for generally 5$. Jul 13 05 05:45 pm Link thank you all for all the information, I really learned a lot of about slrs that they don't tell you in the stores. I know more things to look for and test, and hopefully will purchase one soon. Thanks again! Jul 13 05 10:02 pm Link ITS a DSLR, dont use the adapters. You need a capacitor between the sensor and the pack or you could fry the camera. Jul 13 05 10:38 pm Link Posted by JWOFFICER: Well thats why they also make the surge supressed ones for like 80$. Besides *Good* equipment regulates their voltages properly. Jul 14 05 12:29 am Link Posted by JWOFFICER: Yes I agree if you want 10 foot posters printing and you expect to stand 3" away and dont want to see noise. But for the internet or prints up to 12X16 my 10D at 100 iso with L glass equals Film, even under a 2X loupe, I suspect if you get a microscope on the prints you would see the difference, but whos going to do that? Jul 14 05 07:54 am Link |
