Camera People

[RTHolmes]

with all the experts on here I cant believe that nobody has mentioned that the Pen EP2 isnt an SLR ... or that it costs almost double the equivalent spec (ie. entry level) Olympus DSLR. its a little smaller than a DSLR but has no optical viewfinder, flip out LCD, and its much slower than a DSLR in operation. iirc its also missing bracketing and a couple of other useful features. when it was announced I was quite excited and started looking around for decent old Zuiko Auto lenses (50/1.4 and 135/3.5) which are very cheap, until I saw the price, and the $200 for the OM converter...

btw Dave why take 2 bodies to an event? I can understand with old SLRs you may want 2 film types to hand but with a DSLR?

[saggs]

with all the experts on here I cant believe that nobody has mentioned that the Pen EP2 isnt an SLR ... or that it costs almost double the equivalent spec (ie. entry level) Olympus DSLR. its a little smaller than a DSLR but has no optical viewfinder, flip out LCD, and its much slower than a DSLR in operation. iirc its also missing bracketing and a couple of other useful features.

btw Dave why take 2 bodies to an event? I can understand with old SLRs you may want 2 film types to hand but with a DSLR?

I can't answer for Dave, but I take 2 bodies to an event; 1- so I have a backup if something dies or goes wrong.  2- so I don't have to constantly switch lenses, setting etc..

Recently I've been shooting the A900 w/ CZ 24-70mm 2.8 w/ HVL F48 flash  and A700 with Minolta 80-200mm 2.8, or Sigma 150-500mm 6.3 if I need more reach and HVL F58 flash w/ better beamer  That way I can switch between the long shoots, and short shots without changing lenses all the time.

The A700 with long lens stays on a monopod, and the A900 goes around my neck.

[PFactorDave]

btw Dave why take 2 bodies to an event? I can understand with old SLRs you may want 2 film types to hand but with a DSLR?

Once upon a time I was half owner of a Sports Photography business.  We would shoot action shots at youth sporting events and then sell prints to the parents.  Well, the majority of our business was Baseball and Softball tournaments.  I got into the habit of carrying two bodies then, one with a long lens and one with a short lens...  Why you ask?  Well, imagine that you are on the sideline of a baseball game, right in the middle of a lens change when a gust of wind kicks up a huge cloud of dust that comes right at you and your exposed shutter/mirror.  I used to carry two bodies simply so that would never ever ever happen.

Mostly just a habit though.  I like to be able to go from long lens to something wider and then back to long without missing a beat.

As for the Pentax EP2 not being an SLR, I haven't paid any attention to Pentax for years.  They generally are almost never used professionally in this country.  In fact, I can't remember the last time I even saw one at an event.  In the last 10 years or so, most of the journalists are using Canons or Nikons, somewhat heavier on the Canon end (when Canon introduced Image Stabilized lenses was when Canon took over from Nikon, Nikon has been playing catch up since).

[RTHolmes]

fair enuf had that happen to me once years ago at an airshow (dam helicopters), so much dust got in I had to pack my A1 away for the rest of the day til I could get it home to clean it. needless to say my backup olympus trip 35 wasnt ideal for capturing the air display ... 

[saggs]

You know, for the most part, I agree with you.  There is really only one argument, when talking brands, that really should tip the balance toward Canon or Nikon, in my opinion.

Stability.

Canon and Nikon are both solid as a rock.  Neither of them is in danger of disappearing.

Brands like Minolta would scare me personally.  Sure Sony isn't going anywhere, but all it would take is a few bad years by the Minolta brand and I can see a corporation like Sony shutting the brand down or selling it off to some wild card third party.

As highly unlikely as that might sound to you, as a professional, I need to know that my equipment manufacturer is going to be around and solid for as far into the future as humanly possible.  I wouldn't feel that comfort level with Sony calling the shots.

On an unrelated note, I buy 99% of my equipment from B&H.  They have everything you can imagine, ship quickly, and have always stood behind their merchandise if there is a problem.  Plus, their web site is well designed and easy to navigate.

I agree with you, but I feel that Sony has as good as Stability as Canon now.

Minolta IS gone, they sold all their design's and technology to Sony, so I now shoot Sony bodies with a lot of old Minolta glass.

I would personally say that Sony is safe, as well as Canon and Nikon.  Sony has a MASSIVE consumer electronics division to keep it going, and have done really well in gaining market share that Minolta never had.  Like I said both Sony and Nikon have been eating away at Canon.

check it out:
http://www.photographyblog.com/news/dslr_market_shares_gainers_losers/
http://www.photoscala.de/Artikel/DSLR-Welt-im-Wandel

The only thing Sony is really lacking now as far as a Pro system is the support (fast service centers, lens rental availability, etc) but that is growing too.  I know of at least half a dozen well respected pros shooting with the A900 now.

Pentax and Olympus, I have now idea what their long term stability looks like, but I hope they make it, more competition is always better.

Sigma (camera division, not lenses) and Fuji both going down the crapper I think, wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole.

[PFactorDave]

The only thing Sony is really lacking now as far as a Pro system is the support (fast service centers, lens rental availability, etc) but that is growing too.  

~~~

Sigma (camera division, not lenses) and Fuji both going down the crapper I think, wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole.

That hadn't occured to me yet, but from a professional standpoint, the fast service centers are very important.  I don't know about Nikon or Sony, but I can tell you from first hand experience that Canon's service is very very good.  You can overnight a camera with a crapped shutter on Monday and have it back in working order for the Football game Friday night.

I'm not informed on Sigma, but agree completely about Fuji.  It's a real shame too, Fuji used to make some really nice gear.  But in the last few years, they have lost most of their film business due to digital proliferation.  Now that the film division is dying, it can no longer prop up the digital camera division like it used to.  And Fuji was slow to see the change in their business model coming.  I fear that it has terminally cost them.

[john9001]

II would personally say that Sony is safe, as well as Canon and Nikon.  Sony has a MASSIVE consumer electronics division to keep it going,Pentax and Olympus, I have now idea what their long term stability looks like, but I hope they make it, more competition is always better.

i don't think he meant that Sony might go out of business, he meant that if Sony's management decided to drop cameras because cameras were not bringing in enough profit. You know how big businesses are, they will close you even if you are making money, just not a lot of money.

[PFactorDave]

i don't think he meant that Sony might go out of business, he meant that if Sony's management decided to drop cameras because cameras were not bringing in enough profit. You know how big businesses are, they will close you even if you are making money, just not a lot of money.

Ya, that's what I meant.  But honestly, I didn't realize that Sony had already killed the Minolta name.  I'm always a little suspect of Sony, they've always struck me as one of the evil corporations...   

[saggs]

i don't think he meant that Sony might go out of business, he meant that if Sony's management decided to drop cameras because cameras were not bringing in enough profit. You know how big businesses are, they will close you even if you are making money, just not a lot of money.

I don't think that will happen, but if it does I'm screwed!!  I'd go Nikon.

Sony has done very well in the video industry for years before it ever got into SLRs, so I think they know how to make it profitable.   I bet many of the TV shows we all watch are shot with Sony's.   They've also release a whole plethora of beginner SLRs recently, trying to lure beginners to Sony so that they have a solid base to build the future on.

[PFactorDave]

I don't think that will happen, but if it does I'm screwed!!  

I doubt that it will happen too.  

Best thing Sony did was get away from those idiotic proprietary Memory Sticks.  Going with the industry and using Compact Flash cards was definitely a smart move.  If they are going to seriously compete in the pro market though, they're going to have to develop the shutter technology that allows the super fast 8-10 frames per second that Canon and Nikon offer.  The photo journalists drive the equipment market, and the high frame rates are a must have for those (us) guys.  That and I just looked up their 300mm f2.8 and nearly choked on the price, $6300.  That's roughly 50% higher priced then the equivalent Canon lens and a full $1000 more then the Nikon 300mm f2.8.
  
Issues like that will be what prevents Sony from busting seriously into the pro market.  I would consider it a bad business decision to go with a Sony right now.

[mike8318]

You can pick up a Canon D60 body at a great price these days.Even though it's only a 6.1MP,the photos it makes are really nice and sharp. Very low noise.I recently upgraded to the 50D,and love it.My only issue with the D60 was I could only go up to 1000 ISO. I keep the D60 as a backup,but I never plan on selling it because of the quality pictures it makes. B&H Photo is a good source for photo gear.

[Nwbie]

these always work fine for me



 

[GFShill]

Newbie obviously doesn't take in-flight photos at air shows; or pics of the young ladies flashing their boobies in the upper decks of baseball games. 

[Furball]

I have a Canon Digital Rebel XT and it is a nice camera.

I have had a play with a Canon SX20IS though - that is what i want, even if it is a downgrade from a DSLR.  Superb camera.