Grudgingly moving to digital SLR. Advice on camera?

[Deep13]

Even I must admit that digital has it in spades over 35mm. No airport x-ray damage. No lugging film around or changing reels. No being stuck with one kind of film until the roll is finished. No scratched negatives. No printing errors. No more waiting until development to discover the subject closed her eyes.

The old camera is a Pentax SP-1000 (screw-mount lenses) with a busted light meter. I have a 50mm normal lens, a 80-200 three-ring macro-zoom and a 28mm wide angle plus a shitload of filters. There is no hot shoe, but an aftermarket shoe that plugs into the X socket usually works. It all works just fine. I also have a Minolta Weathermatic which will not be retired as it is the only waterproof camera that I have, airport x-ray or not. And lastly, I have a Kodak Signet 40 range-finder from the 1950s that is a really cool camera with a very sharp lense.

Well, a few years ago we bought a Nikon Coolpix, forgot the model number, but it is tiny has a 3x zoom and makes 5.1 Megapixel images. It does really well, but has some limitations. Its low-light potential is not great. The wide-angle is not very wide and the telephoto is not very long. Plus there is that annoying shutter delay. For candid photos it does two things I don't like. First, the AF illuminator alerts the subject to the fact that a photo is about to be made causing the shot to re-compose itself. Second the delay means I pretty much missed my chance. I don't like to take posed pictures.

I want something that can replace the SLRs, take images at least as good and act like a film camera with its instant shutter. Low light capability is a real plus as is the ability to focus manually in low light. Another plus would be the ability to shoot B&W. I am leaning towards the Canon 30D (8+ Mp). At $1300 from Costco it is a pretty big bite. I'm not as avid as I used to be. My pictures more consist mostly of landscapes, esp. on vacation, political events and still lifes. Still, I only want one DSLR and I want it to be at least as good as my film cameras and a step up from that Coolpix. I am impressed with reports of the 30D's reliability and lack of noise in low light. I also like the spot meter. Also, it seems to do everything I want. Many rate the Nikon D200 higher with 10+ Mp and something about internal seals. I heard they are geared towards RAW rather than JPEG which might reduce its convenience. At $2K I would be retiscent to part with the cash. Sony has a new one coming out called Alpha, but reports show it has a lot of noise and it has a non-standard hot-shoe. On the other end of the cost scale, Pentax makes a 6.? Mp D100. The resolution is lower than the others (not much better than the Coolpix) and is, therefore, comparable with 35mm. It does have built in image stabilization and optional sensitivity up to iso 3200 (don't know how noisy that is.) It's $600 and, for what it is worth, can be used with my Pentax S lenses and my wife's Tameron lenses with adapters. (That is not that much of a selling point because of the magnification difference between 35mm and digital.)

So, I'm leaning towards the Canon 30D and want to know what others think. Any thoughts?

[JeffR]

1. I'm still using an SP-1000, occasionally

Still love this camera. Good luck with DSLR. Way beyond my budget at the moment, but maybe one of these days...

[Ms. Toad]

2. So, is there anyone of my vintage

(aging flower child - you know who you are :hippie: ) who didn't start with an SP 1000?

First serious piece of photography equipment I bought when I was in college. Still have it around somewhere. My brother bought one a couple of years later without even knowing I had one, and I've seen quite a few references scattered around here.

To the OP - sorry, no advice on a digital SLR. I'm not there yet.

[Deep13]

3. I bought mine used in the late 1980s.

It was for a college photo class.

[regnaD kciN]

10. I didn't...!

I started with a Minolta SR-T200. Same vintage.

[Deep13]

4. Let me boil down the request for advice.

How many Mp is enough for it not to be obsolete in a few years? In practice, is the Nikon D200 really that much better than the Canon EOS 30D? Do the advertised internal seals on the Nikon really mean anything? Is the Nikon's CCD sensor better than the other kind (CMOS or something?) Would I be just as well off with the lower resolution Pentax?

[Ms. Toad]

6. The number of MP is

not really an feature that can become obsolete - it just gets cheaper to buy more as time goes on. Decide what you want to be able to do and buy the MP that will allow you to do that (up to the price you are willing to spend).

For my mother, who always prints the full image as 4x6 prints, the 4 MP she has is mostly a waste - I wouldn't recommend she buy more now even though she could get more for the same price.

I have the same camera, and 4 MP is usually sufficient for what I want to do - mostly notecard sized prints, but occasionally 8x10 or so for shows. BUT - because I crop heavily at times, the notecard print I make may be only 1/4 of the original image. That makes it the equivalent of printing an 8x10 or larger as far as resolution goes. If I were buying a camera today I would buy more MP because more would be within my price range. Although mostly I don't need it, I would have it for the few occasions when it would make a difference.

Can't help you on the Canon v. Nikon - at the moment I'm in love with my Olympus (non-SLR) and would be inclined to look first for an Olympus if I were buying a DSLR.

[priller]

8. Canon 30D is excellent (and I'm a Nikon guy!)

D200 has sturdy build quality and weather seals. Important if you'll be lugging the thing outdoors a lot, otherwise not a big deal.

10.2 MP is not that different from 8.

30D has better high-ISO performance.

D200 has large bright viewfinder -- more like a 35mm camera.

Nikon D80 just introduced today looks very interesting -- 10.2 MP and other features from the D200, but in a smaller, lighter body, for $999. Not available yet, however.

Personally, I chose Nikon because I liked the user interface and feel of the camera better. But the Canon 30D is an excellent camera with great image quality. Canon has really come on strong with their digital cameras. You can't go wrong with either. I would suggest just trying them out and see which one "clicks" with you.

[RagingInMiami]

5. If you go with Canon, you'll have no regrets

They have been on the forefront of the digital revolution since the beginning.

EDIT: I hope this does not result in a Nikon/Canon flamewar.

[Eurobabe]

15. What's new with the 30D (sounds like a bra size now!)

I just saw one the other day at a camera shop.

[insane_cratic_gal]

7. D70 is a good beginners digital cam

You have newbie options to fall back on if your not familiar with the settings.. D200 is nice but it's a lot must more complex button and gadget wise.

I'm a film girl myself the transition from film to digital was easier with the D70.. but i think you have to get them used as they are putting out a D80 as we speak.

I hear the swap and purchase of camera equipment is pretty good over at NikonCafe.com

[regnaD kciN]

11. The D80 just made the D70 obsolete, IMHO...

Higher resolution and most of the same features (or better) at a lower price.

[insane_cratic_gal]

13. Agreed but you can't get the d80 used

you can get the D70 used for a fair price. I got mine for 400ish a couple of months later I did a direct swap for a D100 so they are still a sought after camera. With the d80 coming out they may drop even more.

the D80 would be great if you have the budget for it, highly suggest doing so if he has it, but I was just saying the d70 would be ideal if your new at digital and can't afford the D80's price tag.

[regnaD kciN]

9. I'd go with either the Sony Alpha 100 or wait for the Nikon D80...

Each uses the same 10.2 MP sensor, and each should give virtually identical image quality to the other.

The Alpha has the advantage of built-in anti-shake. The Nikon has the advantage of a larger number of lenses and accessories.

And I wouldn't worry about the Sony's "non-standard" hot shoe. It's the same used in Minolta SLRs since the Maxxum in the mid-'80s, not a completely new, untested design, so there is support for it including third-party flashes and accessories.

If the $999 price tag for either of these is too much for you, you might want to consider checking local camera stores for close-out specials on the Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D. Sony bought out (and is providing continuing service and support for) Konica Minolta last year, and the 5D is basically a 6.1 MP version of the new Alpha 100, upon which it is based. (It uses the same 6.1 MP sensor as the Nikon D70s and Pentax D100.) I was able to get a 5D, with 18-70mm lens, at Ritz Camera for $599. I've recently seen it priced as low as $549.

Unless getting low-noise pictures in very low light (i.e. shooting at ISO 800 or above) is important to you, I'd think twice about Canon at this moment. They are the best at low-light shooting, but their feature set currently trails Sony and Nikon competitors with lower price-points. I personally expect Canon to bring out replacements for the Digital Rebel XT and 30D (which was really a minor upgrade of the 20D) within the next half-year.

[regnaD kciN]

12. Correction on the last post...

I mentioned the Pentax "D100" -- the camera in question is the "K100D." Rumors have it that Pentax is about to announce a "K10D" that will be competitive with the Alpha 100 and D80, but I don't have any details yet.

[NV Whino]

14. I'm a Nikon person myself

I have the D100 and it's perfectly adequate for my uses. I can get a nice clear 8 x10 picture at 300 dpi. If I were doing high-end art photography, I would want 10+ mgp... I think the D100 is 6.2 or something. If you can find a D70, it's a great camera--has most of the features the D100 does and is less money.

Depending on your finances, you might want to wait for the D80. From all reports, it's the cat's meow.

[wakeme2008]

16. I am a Nikon D2H man myself

and there is ONLY one camera company....

Uh Oh, Shields UP ... Incoming ... Prepare to repel boarders .... Dive, Dive, Dive.

One thing I will say no matter what camera you are going to buy, Go to a couple camera stores and handle the cameras you are thinking about buying...

The more I use my D2H the more the buttons are just right. For example, on the D2H and other (D200) Nikons you can be looking through the view finder and with the tabbing of a button on the back of the camera change the spot the camera is using for focusing. Too many auto focus cameras focus on the center of the picture, which is not what you may want at times. Another button my Nikon has is a programable button on the front of the camera. I pick the spot meter reading for my function when pressed, my normal meter is set to Matrix but at times I will hit the spot meter button for a second shot.