new camera

[keef]

Want to get my g/f a digital slr camera, and have NO idea what to buy. It will be used for taking a lot of surf photos..................... wot else..............I know someone on here is really into photography, please help.
Thanks.

[RJD]

Budget?

IMO stick to the canon/nikon two. Avoid the D40(x) as IMO its too butchered for its own good.

Dont worry about buying used either:

Canon : 350D, 20D, 30D, 400D, 40D
Nikon : D70, D70s, D80, D50, at a push D40(x).

Lenses can be EXPENSIVE. To shoot surfing from the shore your going to want 200-300mm focal length minimum., Something that AF's fast and isnt too slow (unless shooting always in brigth sun). IMo your looking at 1/500th or faster shutter speed and that'll be harder to get with an F5.6 lens sometimes - tho Image stabalisation can help some.

Something like the Canon 350D and 70-300IS would be OK.

I assume you dont want to take pics from in the water? Waterproof SLR housings are expensive.

Also look at 'primes' usualy sharper and a lot faster than zooms, 300mm one would be good.

[keef]

Budget is around 600 - 700 euros all in. Only shooting from shore, we have a small digital with housing for in the water shots, but they are a bit hit and miss, the camera is too slow, and difficult to operate once in the housing.

I have a feeling to get a decent package it's going to cost closer to 1000 euros. I don't want to buy cheap and then it end up a waste. I guess I could buy the camera package and then add a zoom later??

[RJD]

http://www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/ ... cts_id=332

Canon 400D @ 560e

http://www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/ ... cts_id=186

70-300IS @ 520e

Or prehaps

http://www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/ ... cts_id=275

Sigma 70-300 @ 167e

The sigma isnt too bad. You r likely to pick up a cheaper 350D on ebay canons store reconditioned, and that canon lens cheaper used too mebe.

[keef]

Thanks
Canon it is then.

[long_man]

Thanks
Canon it is then.

CANON.......

what you really want is a Nikon, a Nikon i tell you.......

Nah, just messin', i just love the good old Nikons........

the only thing i would say, and i know its difficult as your buying it as a christmas present, but, when i was first starting out in the DSLR world of technology, one of the main factors for me was the way the cameras felt when i held them, because i have quite large hands ( ) the Nikon seemed to fit them better whereas the Canon felt alot smaller and kinda cramped......

actually, the easy way to answer this is to ask one simple question:

Does your girlfriend have large hands.........

[RJD]

and an adams apple...?

IMO the (new) nikon in the price range lacks fps, AF motor, bracketing, DoF preview, Mirror lockup etc. Its more than capable of making a good image but its way too cut down.

Whats the ckeapest 300mm zoom that will autofocus on the D40(x)?

I think its this one :
http://www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/ ... cts_id=389

At 433e but wont be as good as the 'L' like canon one.

With sigma you'll need a HSM model.

Which leaves you at this one !!
http://www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/ ... ucts_id=85

[long_man]

and an adams apple...?

IMO the (new) nikon in the price range lacks fps, AF motor, bracketing, DoF preview, Mirror lockup etc. Its more than capable of making a good image but its way too cut down.

Whats the ckeapest 300mm zoom that will autofocus on the D40(x)?

I think its this one :
http://www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/ ... cts_id=389

At 433e but wont be as good as the 'L' like canon one.

With sigma you'll need a HSM model.

Which leaves you at this one !!
http://www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/ ... ucts_id=85

im pretty sure that you can still buy that same lense without the VR and ED glass in it, alot cheaper

with regards to the DOF preview and Mirror lockup etc, im pretty sure that Nikon doesnt have these features on some of the top of the range models, i know very very few Nikons have DOF preview, but hey, that means that you have to learn the hard way, which in my eyes is better.
only my opinion tho....

RJD, how long have you been into photography for.....

[tomcat360]

I gotta say first, she must be a good girlfriend, haha.

And secondly, pretty much all my camera gear I bought used and have no problems whatsoever. My 20D I got used and I couldn't even tell. And I saved 600 bucks by buying used. Just got a used lens for 150 vs 800 retail. That was a killer killer deal.

[long_man]

I gotta say first, she must be a good girlfriend, haha.

And secondly, pretty much all my camera gear I bought used and have no problems whatsoever. My 20D I got used and I couldn't even tell. And I saved 600 bucks by buying used. Just got a used lens for 150 vs 800 retail. That was a killer killer deal.

it's a good point Mr T 360 (hey, that sounds pretty sweet....), there are some sharp deals to be had if you look around enough.

[RJD]

Yeah, Hang11 has a 300d and it still takes a cracking picture. Just about any dSLR will.

Unless you have some justification for the new flashy features an old one will do, 20d's are cracking cameras and a bargain used.

[tomcat360]

I went with the 20D mainly for the durability, and the increased frames per second. I like doing sequence shots and shoot lots of skating and stuff.

I'm pissed at auto focus right now though.

[RJD]

I'm pissed at auto focus right now though.

What lens are you using? it shouldnt be too bad.

IMO Keef - if its surf photography your main things to look at are...

AF speed , the xxD range is better than the xxxD range for canon up untill the 400D which is as good as the 30D. 40D is better but way put of budget.

Framerate - combination of how fast the SLR can shoot (xxxD = 3ftps, xxD = 5fps, except 40D = 6.5fps), and how quickly it can write these to the meomory card + its memory buffer size. the 300D (old) is let down here, compared to the 350D its slow. the xxD cameras are a lot better.

Also depends what you shoot, fast surfing I usualy shoot jpg (normaly shoot RAW, much bigger) , on the 350D I can shoot 25+ jpg's continuos.

Lens. For surfing your realy going to want a 'fast' lens with minimum of 200mm reach, more like 300-400. Some of the best surfing shots I've seen are with a 600mm prime but thatsthe cost of a good car.

lenses also have a veriety of focusing motors. How good (read expensive) thse are affect how quick it'll focus.

Hang11's 70-200F4L with full time/ring USM focuses very fast. My (old) 75-300 is terrible and I wouldnt even take to to shoot surfing. the 70-300IS is a LOT better.

[tomcat360]

I borrowed someones f/4-5.6 75-300 (yuck) for a night time football game. I think I have maybe one action shot in focus. So annoyed. I gotta get expensive glass to shoot football at night, I really think there is no other way. Gotta focus fast and shoot fast. There were times where that lens would say it's in focus and clearly it was out, but wouldn't change. Annoying.

I shot in a studio today for the first time, look alright on the camera we'll see when I upload them.

[RJD]

Yeah the 75-300 is the worst focusing lense I've seen

Even the newer 70-300 will let in less light than a fast lens so wont be as good.

Some fast glass would be ideal, 70-200f2.8 or 300mm f2.8 etc. Ideal but expensive.

[Farno]

I've got a Canon now, but would love a Nikon 70D.

Like others have said, buy secondhand. I know its a gift but you'll get more for your money.

[keef]

Thank you all.
I've been looking at the 400d. with a canon 18/200 lens. which will be 845 euros. and another 30 for a 1 gig memory card.

Will this do the job?

[derbyshire surfer]

Hi Keef,
I use the Nikon D50 with an 18-55mm dx lens plus a 55-300mm VR DX lens, posted some photos on the topic erm...'some photos' lol!
Very easy to use and a great all rounder with those lenses.

[tomcat360]

A wee bit unrelated.....but....

I got to shoot with someones Mark II 1D-S with a 200mmf/1.8L

I was shooting volleyball with my 20D and he let me borrow it since I guess he could tell I was struggling with my little 50mm.

[libby]

Totally unrelated but........dump the girlfriend MARRY me! Core what a good bloke!