Darn I'm so behind in technology I'm still using a nikon d70 with bottom of the line lenses not even the VR ones but I'm still happy with it. I dropped it off a tripod like 3 times and still it keeps going, what a little tank!!
Photography hobby
- Thread starter Safdar
- Start date
Yet another expensive hobby. I had a bit of a LBA (lens buying affliction) for a while. Nothing like some quality glass. But, you can get a good image from just about anything if you have an eye for it -- don't get bogged down in mega-pixels, write speeds, etc, etc.
It's not about the technology/equipment; it's always the person behind the lens.
And if you're looking to learn a bit more about photography and meet some like minded people, you can always check out one of these clubs that may be in your area.
http://www.gtccc.ca/memberclubs.html
http://www.gtccc.ca/memberclubs.html
Guys keep talking about the superior image quality of a DSLR but just how good does a pic have to be?
When I playback the pics taken on my P&S on my HD TV I can see each one of the fine hair on a woman's cheeks (the cheeks on her face that is). Do you guys really want to see every pore on your GF's face?
When I playback the pics taken on my P&S on my HD TV I can see each one of the fine hair on a woman's cheeks (the cheeks on her face that is). Do you guys really want to see every pore on your GF's face?
very good question. and the answer depends on your needs. a good p&s costs a lot (3 to 4 hundred bucks) but produces very good pictures in decent lighting. when conditions aren't perfect, a dslr starts to go ahead. so, in your house, at night, a dslr with external bounced flash will take a picture a million times better. at night on the cne midway, without flash, better still.
and that's leaving aside the flexibility of additional lenses and wireless flash. and manual controls. i'm pretty sure every dslr owner also has a p&s. for situations where size matters. or where good enough is, well, good enough. personally, i think way too many people have dslrs as a fashion statement. i see them at events. they have no idea how to use them. but it's like fast cars. if you have the money and the interest, no sweat off my .....
The newer P&S cameras are very nice for sure, but they are not DSLRs, and are intended for different situations.
DSLR cameras: Start up and focus is much faster. Have larger sensors so you can better control depth of field, allowing you to blur areas you want blurred to separate your subject in the image. Larger sensors are better in lower light. They look more impressive.
Would question the f2.8 on smaller P&S cameras. F= focal length / Aperture opening. The lens on a P&S camera seems too small to have such a large physical aperture opening. Maybe the F stop setting is amplifying the sensor. Don’t know. Either way the P&S sensor is too small to make much of a difference in controlling depth of field.
Doubt you would see much different in image quality between DSLR and P&S when viewing the images on a TV. When printing pictures in a larger format image quality becomes more an issue. If the P&S works well for you, then it is the best camera for your needs.
The f/2.8 is achievable because focal length and sensor size are related. Really small f stops can be achieved by using wide angle lenses (like 5 - 10 mm). On a DSLR, this would be an ultra-wide angle fish eye lens. However, if a really small sensor is used, then the lens acts more like a normal lens.
Smaller sensors allow the use of smaller glass. This significantly reduces the cost of the camera. However, image sharpness and low light capability will drop rapidly. Depth of field will increase.
The D70 is a great camera. I had a D70s until recently when I sold it and bought a D300 at Henry's outlet centre. I had a couple of projects where more pixels were needed than the 6.1 the D70s offered.
Choice of camera depends on what you plan to shoot and do with the photos. The D60 is a great all-around choice. The non-DSLR Canon G series -- G12 now -- and s95 are great but have fixed zoom lenses. On their plus side is that you are more likely to have them with you when a shooting opportunity arises and they attract less attention when shooting on the street.
A lot of good info where:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/
The guy is sometimes over the top but makes some excellent points. The main message is that good pix are pissible with most cameras. Looking at Antonio's work is proof that it's not the camera but the photog.
Good luck with the new camera.
I used to use a D70 too. Very tough camera + amazing battery life.
Where the newer mid-range cameras like the D90 and D7000 beat the D70 is in autofocus in low light, and high ISO shooting. For daylight shots at ISO 200 I don't notice any difference between shots taken on a D70 and on a D90 with the same glass on each.
However, in a dark candle-lit room taking party shots at high ISO and no flash - the D70 hunts for focus all the time and often can't find it whereas the D90 just locks the correct focus right away.
I have my D70 as a backup in case one of my other bodies fails or runs out of battery.
Where the newer mid-range cameras like the D90 and D7000 beat the D70 is in autofocus in low light, and high ISO shooting. For daylight shots at ISO 200 I don't notice any difference between shots taken on a D70 and on a D90 with the same glass on each.
However, in a dark candle-lit room taking party shots at high ISO and no flash - the D70 hunts for focus all the time and often can't find it whereas the D90 just locks the correct focus right away.
I have my D70 as a backup in case one of my other bodies fails or runs out of battery.
your first shots may appear "soft", or not sharp. especially if you compare to a p&s. realize that sharpness in a digital camera is fake. al cameras have an adjustment for it. most p&s have it turned on HIGH! most dslrs have it not-so-high. this allows you to make whatever adjustment you like afterwards. or you could set it in a menu. (guys, of course we're talking jpeg output here). I suggest the OP post one picture of something innocuous on flickr or where-ever, and we can suggest improvements (i.e.: take pot-shots).
