Digital SLR

[dannyboy83]

Hello,

do any of you use a digital SLR, and if so, oculd you tell me how it is and how much it was?

I've used a 4megapixel compact Casio Exilim Z4 for the last few years, but would like something to take those "professional looking" shots.

Photography is a fairly big part of my day-job too so I've developed a fair interest.

[BUFF]

I do (as do plenty of others here).
I use a Konica Minolta Dynax 7D semi-pro which you can't get any more (KM's camera division was bought by Sony) so no point in saying how much it was.

You can get a perfectly decent new DSLR ~£400 (even less for an older model).
Imo the most important thing is to find one that suits you (handling etc.) as they are all capable of turning in decent photos so get down to a decent photo shop & handle the Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony cameras as they are the main players.

[g8ina]

Nikon D70 here, and my all time fave camera (and I've had a few). I paid a lot for mine cuz I just had to have it as soon as it was released - about £830 for the D70 and 18-70mm lens.

You can find refurbs of the slightly cut down specced D50 on tecno's website every now and then if you're lucky.

The 18-70mm DX lens is fabulous, but pricey. I use the Tamron 28-300mm f6.3 - a very good all rounder. Most of my photos are now taken with this combo, although some birding and astro shots are taken with the telescope as a 500mm lens

Examples in my harrisphotography site.

[Bobster]

what do you feel a DSLR will give you?

[Elmo]

I have the canon 400D I managed to get it for just under £450. It's quite a step up from a compact, so i'd suggest you get really comfortable with changing ISOs and shutter speeds (assuming you're able to do that using your comppact) before buying a DSLR.

Also, "professional looking shots" are quite often attainable using compacts, you just need to have an idea of what you want it to do and how to do it.

Don't get me wrong, i'm by no means a pro, but i made sure i knew what all the functions on my compact did, and how to change them before i even considered a DSLR, and i'm still learning now.

Whatever you choose, and wherever you purchase it from, make sure you go into a shop and handle different models/makes to see which is most comfortable to you.

[Funkstar]

You don't need a dSLR to take good photos.

Although, I do have a Canon 350D and a few lenses.

[Elmo]

You don't need a dSLR to take good photos.

Although, I do have a Canon 350D and a few lenses.

see, i was going to say that, but then thought i'd sound like a hypocrite, so i went down the diplomatic route

[IBM]

Hello,

do any of you use a digital SLR, and if so, oculd you tell me how it is and how much it was?

I've used a 4megapixel compact Casio Exilim Z4 for the last few years, but would like something to take those "professional looking" shots.

Photography is a fairly big part of my day-job too so I've developed a fair interest.

As has been pointed out, a single lens reflex camera isn't going to improve the kind of pictures you take, just give you more control over the amount of light hitting the sensor. But they are more fun, and inevitably will improve the pictures you take, if only because you have to justify the hundreds of quid you've just spent on it.

Plus, because the functionality is more accessible on SLRs, you'll find yourself using the aperture priority, and the shutter priority more, eventually progressing onto full manual control. In doing so you'll find out what it takes to get the look you want, through depth of field, under/overexposure, playing with the ISO settings for grain effects etc.

But just buying a DSLR isn't going to do that, only a whole lot of time spent and pictures taken is going to do it (but most people don't until they've got a DSLR, so think of it as a further incentive to get a decent camera).

I've got a Canon EOS 10D, which is rather firmly attached to a Canon 85mm f1.8. You can't get the body anymore, but the current version, the EOS 30D, you could get from the US (excl. tax, duties & shipping) for around £600-700.

I don't think I've ever purchased anything which has given me such lasting satisfaction and enjoyment * waits for blowup doll joke * and recommend anyone with the money to spare to go out and buy one today.

[Hans Voralberg]

The 30D here in the UK is ~£700 or less IBM, price dropped. I would say, from my experience that an SLR and a collection of lens will give you better picture than compacts. Not gonna turn you into a pro, but if you're good with a compact, an SLR will make you even better

[dannyboy83]

Cheers for the opinions. I'm not expecting a DSLR to make me into a super pphotographer, but I'm pretty handy with small 'click-and-shoot' cameras and wanted to take a step up, where I can try different lenses, such as a wide angled one.

Although expensive, I see it as something that'll last for mamny years to come.

[Bobster]

I'm pretty handy with small 'click-and-shoot' cameras and wanted to take a step up, where I can try different lenses, such as a wide angled one.

you'll be supprised how wide those tiny compacts go

[Hans Voralberg]

True, unless you're going full frame or superwide lens on APS-C SLR chances are it's less wide than a compact. But the super wide on SLR is much more fun to play with, the vignet, distortion etc ^ ^

[Funkstar]

The thing i love about my SLR is that is is so tactile to shoot with. You get a great crunch from the shutter, can zoom from one end of your lens to the other in seconds. Focusing is much quicker on my lenses than just about any compact i've used.

I also don't feel like such a spaz walking about with a whacking great, mat black, heavy camera as i did walking about taking photos with a compact. People think you know what you are doing, so they don't actually look at you quite so strangely when you are in odd places taking photos. I also noticed at a company BBQ that whenever anyone pulled out a compact or a camera phone everyone stops and poses. I walked about all night with my 350D and no-one batted an eye lid unless i asked.

You might not be a pro, but you can easily look like one

oh yeah, and continuous shooting is the dogs!

[IBM]

I was down in Brighton over the weekend, and every sod has a DSLR, all with the kit lens....I wonder how many of those cameras will end up at the back of some cupboard somewhere gathering dust before the summer is out....

[Funkstar]

yeah, probably

But it' good for the rest of us, drives prices down.

[Howard]

I have a 350D with a Sigma 17-70 and 70-300mm lenses, I do think the quality of images from dSLRs surpasses most compact cameras, in particular the tiny ones, but you do have to tweak the images from dSLRS more to get the best out of them