Digital SLR Camera Question

[midnight Target]

duly noted.....and that's one of the reasons I'm going with canon..their lenses are all interchangable...unlike sony.  as I learn my way around this camera....multiple lens purchases will follow.  one of the reasons I also chose THIS was not necessarily the pixels...but the live view option.

That was good advice, the lens that comes with the camera is ultimately a disappointment. I wouldn't bother with a second battery. Mine lasts, well, I've never actually ran it down. Sucker can go for days and days.

[Ripsnort]

IMHO, you should save your money on the megapixels and spend it on glass. The lens makes all the difference, not the megapixels.

Jeez, that's all we have to do to draw your ugly donut out of the rocks in the California desert? Just mention Canon Cameras?

Noted.

 

[Ripsnort]

Oh, and as far as the thread goes, go to a brick-n-mortar camera store, and hold both a Canon and Nikon (comparable models) in your hands.  Picture wise, not much difference, but the way it feels could be all the diff.  The Canons are made from smaller hands IMO. I have big feet, big hands, and big...well, you know. (HEAD)

Yeah, Canon makes more models of lenses, but really, how many are you really going to own? I have 6 lenses, and really only use 3. The other lenses are for special situations.

[JB88]

what sort of special situations rip...and what exactly "is" a "sheep lens?"

 

[VWE]

For the money I like the Olympus Evolt 510 soon to be 520.

[Dowding]

Could anyone offer me any advice?

For our honeymoon we are going to Victoria Falls in Zambia followed by a safari in South Africa. I want to get a DSLR for wild-life and landscape photography. My funds are limited, and I like what I've read about the Sony A200, given I am a novice.

Lens prices are very expensive, but what would you suggest I buy to supplement the 18-70mm lens it comes with? I like the idea of a wide angle lens to capture the wide open spaces of Africa.

[SD67]

We have an D400 (Xti) which is the 10MP version.
It is an excellent camera.

[ZetaNine]

Oh, and as far as the thread goes, go to a brick-n-mortar camera store, and hold both a Canon and Nikon (comparable models) in your hands.  Picture wise, not much difference, but the way it feels could be all the diff.  The Canons are made from smaller hands IMO. I have big feet, big hands, and big...well, you know. (HEAD)

Yeah, Canon makes more models of lenses, but really, how many are you really going to own? I have 6 lenses, and really only use 3. The other lenses are for special situations.

my big feet notwithstanding........photog raphy is a hobby mrs zeta and I share......so yeah...the canon is smaller and lighter...but I have to take one for the team.

[Ripsnort]

my big feet notwithstanding........photog raphy is a hobby mrs zeta and I share......so yeah...the canon is smaller and lighter...but I have to take one for the team.

The XSi 450D has a slightly smaller sensor than the Nikon D80 though it has a slightly faster shutter speed (3 fps to 3.5 fps) The Canon is 5 oz lighter, but cost more than the D80.

I'd do a serious side-by-side comparison of these two models before making your decision. You'll get a damn good camera either way.
Also, do some indepth reviews of the kits lens that comes with both. IMO, the camera body is not as important as the lens is, but you certainly don't want to outgrow the camera body either (like I did with the D70s, hell I only used it as my prime for 1 year before getting a D200)

[APDrone]

Could anyone offer me any advice?

For our honeymoon we are going to Victoria Falls in Zambia followed by a safari in South Africa. I want to get a DSLR for wild-life and landscape photography. My funds are limited, and I like what I've read about the Sony A200, given I am a novice.

Lens prices are very expensive, but what would you suggest I buy to supplement the 18-70mm lens it comes with? I like the idea of a wide angle lens to capture the wide open spaces of Africa.

I sent you a PM.. let me know if you didn't get it.

[Dnil]

I bought one about 2 months ago and love it.  I shot a friends 40 before I settled on the xsi.  the kit lense is actually a really good lense for a kit lense.  I was given the 75-300 and it takes a bit of post production to get what I want.  Its good short range but gets soft at max range. 

I have shot both nikon and canon most of my life and you really cant go wrong on both.  Get good glass when you can afford it.

Also the live view doesnt really work like the standard point and shoot.  Its a 2 step process to work it.  Push one of the image zoom buttons to lock the focus then shutter to take the pic, kinda different when you first try it.  Also in that mode you can move the focus spot around and zoom up to 10x digital to focus on an exact spot.  Plus with the camera connected to a laptop you can take pictures from the laptop and never have to touch the camera. 

If you like an easy dslr for the family members but has the power to shot professional you wont be dissappointed.

[ChickenHawk]

I wouldn't bother with a second battery. Mine lasts, well, I've never actually ran it down. Sucker can go for days and days.

I second that.  I bought a spare battery for my 20D over two years ago and have never had to use it.

[ZetaNine]

I really appreciate all the fine posts here fellas.......I'm learning HERE......than from my in-store visits (who are usually idiot sales kids answering questions they do not understand) .....good stuff to read.  thanks.

[Dnil]

i had a salesperson tell me you could not autofocus in live mode,that you could only manual focus, so i should buy the sony.  He owned a sony.  I then showed him how to autofocus in live mode and bought from another store.

[ZetaNine]

i had a salesperson tell me you could not autofocus in live mode,that you could only manual focus, so i should buy the sony.  He owned a sony.  I then showed him how to autofocus in live mode and bought from another store.

:snicker: