Good digital SLR camera?

[jimmyj]

Just got a Canon XT1i Monday. It was either that or a Nikon D90 and the Canon won out (despite me being a loyal Nikon man). We got 2 lenses, an 18-55 and a 75-300 and this camera is the greatest! The price with the lenses was the same as the Nikon with 1 lense and the Canon has 3 more MP.

It's light and easy to use compared to my old old SLR. The lenses are crystal clear and the photos are so easy to take. I am thrilled with it. :thumbsup:

 

[NSBound]

Sounds like a good combo Jimmy!

I took my income tax refund and "invested" in a Canon 7D with a 17-55 f2.8 lens plus a 70-200 IS USM f2.8 lens. That's it that's all for me! Now I have to read the manual and another couple of books so I can take max advantage of it. So far I'm loving it! :thumbsup:

 

[EddieWalker]

Robert makes some very good points. But I think they are good points in why an SLR is not for everybody. The last couple generations of point and shoot digital cameras are so good now that you really have to be a sami pro, or very serious amature photographer to justify buying a SLR camera. Most people can't even tell the difference between a good picture and a great one. Most people are not going to take the time to learn how to use their camera properly and take advantage of what it has to offer.

If you are on here and asking about what camera to buy, then you are not the type of person who is going to realize the advantages of a SLR camera, or spend the money on the types and quality of lenses that will make it superior to a really good point and shoot camera. My example of a Cannon SX20 is a very good camera. It allows us amatures to take pictures better then we really are capable because of the built in features that do it all for us. Just set it on auto and let the camera do the work. The lense is of good qulity for pictures that are very nice. Aiming and composing the picture are all that you have to do, which is also part of owning a SLR camera. Gathering light, focusing and adjusting for contrast are what seperates the pros from the amatures. I'm no pro and I'm not going to take the time to learn how, or to understand how to use all the features available on the camera that I have. A sure aint going to do it with a move complicated camera.

You can pay allot more money for a better camera, but if you don't know how, and honestly never will learn how to take advantage of what you are paying for, then why spend the money on something that you won't use? If the few people that I know with SLR cameras, none of them have really good lenses, and none of them take very good pictures. They are very proud of their cameras, and what they paid for them, but their pictures suck. I can take ten pictures to their one and usually get something that's very nice, while they didn't get any good ones.

Something else that's new is the HDSD cards. I have a 16 gig card in my camera right now. I can get a 32 gig, but that's just rediculous. The HD allows cards to hold allot more then ever before. I can hold thousands of pictures and hours of movies with what I have available on that card. There is no way that I could ever fill it half way while on vacation, and not having to change cards means that I can never lose a card or have to keep track of it. Before, we'd fill a one or two gig card and have to worry about it after it came out. While I've never lost a card, they are small enough that it could happen.

Eddie

 

[Travelover]

Those are great pictures, I sure won't argue against the quality of a good DSLR. I'm leaning towards the Canon SX20 that Eddie recommended. I really like canon cameras, and I like the fact it uses AA batteries. I have an old Nikon digital, that uses a unique shaped rechargeable. That's a pain when you are traveling and the battery goes. I can buy AA batteries anywhere in the world if need be.

+1 on that. You can't beat the picture quality of a an SLR, but that is only true if you have the SLR with you when you want to take the picture. I have a Canon compact digital and super zoom digital camera and I've never replaced my film SLR. Have I missed some shots that an SLR would have taken easily? Sure, but I've taken hundreds that would never exist if I had to lug around the SLR.

 

[jimmyj]

You can pay allot more money for a better camera, but if you don't know how, and honestly never will learn how to take advantage of what you are paying for, then why spend the money on something that you won't use? If the few people that I know with SLR cameras, none of them have really good lenses, and none of them take very good pictures. They are very proud of their cameras, and what they paid for them, but their pictures suck. I can take ten pictures to their one and usually get something that's very nice, while they didn't get any good ones.

It's just like getting a tractor or anything else. You are spot on. If you overbuy you are wasting money. If you underbuy, same deal. I've done both over the years LOL

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Eddie, did you mean the SDHC cards? My older canon digital doesn't take the SDHC's as it is older, and now you can't hardly find regular SD cards. I have SDHC in my HD camcorder, but it doesn't take as good of still pictures.

 

[EddieWalker]

Eddie, did you mean the SDHC cards? My older canon digital doesn't take the SDHC's as it is older, and now you can't hardly find regular SD cards. I have SDHC in my HD camcorder, but it doesn't take as good of still pictures.

Thanks, your right. I get my high tech stuff mixed up.

Eddie

 

[buckeyefarmer]

for a small easy camera canon sx120 is,gets rave reviews and has a very good long range lens,if you,re looking for simple but good this is the one hands down.:thumbsupave

That one is also on my short list. It doesn't have the view finder, which I like to use. In bright sunlight it's hard sometimes to see the screen. The SX20 has a flip out screen which I don't care for as much. I currently have the Canon Powershot A530, which is 5 MP and 4x optical zoom. I'm looking for more zoom capabity.

 

[EddieWalker]

That one is also on my short list. It doesn't have the view finder, which I like to use. In bright sunlight it's hard sometimes to see the screen. The SX20 has a flip out screen which I don't care for as much. I currently have the Canon Powershot A530, which is 5 MP and 4x optical zoom. I'm looking for more zoom capabity.

You might want to double check your information. I have a Cannon SX20 that most certainly has a viewfinder. I rarely open up the screen and prefer the view finder for taking most of my pictures when I'm out for a walk.

Just to make sure, I have a Cannon PowerShot SX20IS in case there are different versions.

Eddie

 

[arrabil]

RobertN, you and I are in complete agreement.

NSBound, you should buy the book Kodak's How To Take Good Pictures. Everything anyone needs to know about photography is in there. And your new equipment deserves you being at it's level. In fact, that gear is better than LOTS of pros use. Believe me, I've have had more than one wedding photographer drooling over my lenses.

EddieWalker, not only shouldn't the average person buy an SLR if they don't plan on learning how to use it.... the kit lens that comes with the SLR often produces FAR worse pictures than a decent P&S. The P&S has software to enhance the picture to your expectations. The SLR software expects to be told what to do. And with a crappy kit lens, you'd better know exactly what you need to tell the SLR or you'll wonder why you even bothered.