wiszmaster

I'm in the market for a new digital camera ... high end, SLR, 35mm.

What kind of camera do you use, or have used....
and more importantly .... which lenses do you use, and for what purpose?

i just picked up a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT (350D) to play around with & test, and so far its not bad. the standard lense that comes with it though seems crap.


--marco

andy545

Since you are looking for high end prosumer...well if you saw my pics from my
Kenya Safari
you will appreciate the Canon 20D.

I have the EF-S 17-85mm f4.0-5.6 IS USM as a walkaround lens. It has image
stabilisation and is very nice. You can buy this lens as a kit with the 20D.


Also the 70-200 f4.0 L USM. 90% of the pics from our Kenya trip were made with this lens.
It's light ( 750gr ) and it has the outstanding L series Canon optics.

If you really want to go all the way, I can also recommend:

EF 17-40 F4 L
EF 70-200 f2.8 IS L USM

I started out with nothing and built this setup. Maybe you have some lenses which could be compatible with a certain brand - it's up to you.

I am really happy with the 20D.


Good luck.

wiszmaster

VERY good pictures!

i have thought about the 20D too, but have yet to find a good deal on one. i'd like to purchase just the body, no lense as the standard lense that comes with it 18-55mm is kind of shitty.

thanks!
--marco

swajames

I agree that the 20D is an awesome piece of kit, I also like the Nikon D70.

jtxc

Just returned from a 'safari' in Zimbabwe. These (very amature compared to Andy's) pic's were taken with a nikon D70s that was purchased specifically for this trip. I never got to practice with the camera before I started my adventure, so please excuse my amature mistakes . All in all I loved the camera, and the convienence of digital is awesome. I hope someday my pic's will resemble some of the talented people who posted before.

wiszmaster

jtxc,

pretty nice pictures! what kind of lens were you using with the nikon? i have a few friends who have the D70, and love it ...

andy545

Very nice jtxc !
The Nikon makes very competent pics as well. Did you use a polarizer ?
Hope you had a nice trip - a safari is something unforgetable.

jtxc

Well you guys are too kind. To be honest when I saw Andy's Kenya photos I felt a bit awkward posting mine but I figured what the heck.

For lenses I used the AF-S DX ED 18-70/3.5-4.5g that comes with the camera as a kit. Nice all around lens, very fast AF and whisper quite.

I also purchased the AF-S 12-24 f/4 G which is Nikkor's newest wide angle developed for digital photography only. I love this lens, as with the 18-70 it is silent and very well built. Both have metal bayonetts and have a good "Feel" in your hands (if not a slight bit heavy).

The other lens I bought was a AF 70-300 f/4 - 5.6 G which I unfortunately HATE! It was constantly out of focus at long range. The lens itself has a plastic bayonnet, AF is loud and not smooth as well as having "a little play" in the rings. This lens was a compromised lens. I couldn't justify buying the next level up in telephoto ($1,500 - $2,500). I should have bit the bullet. The next level has VR (vibration reduction) and because I took so many pictures from moving vehicles I think it would have helped. Live and learn, and hey that lens was the cheapest of the lot.

Again all in all a fantastic camera. Digital will allow me to shoot thousands of photos for fun, and actually learn the art of photograpy with out the burdensome cost of developing! I also use Apple computers for graphic work in my business and digital formats LOVE Mac.

As to filters. Yes Andy some of those photos I shot had a polarized filter. I had problems with the VERY bright sun washing out the blue sky. How could you tell, should I have not used a filter? Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Wizmaster........I found this website here very helpful in comparing the Canon with the Nikon..........hope it helps.

Here's a pic taken at long range, with that crap lens.

garehaan

I've had Nikon D1, D100 and D70 all fantastic camera's (D100 is still favourite)
I Recently switched to Canon 20D and have to get used to the handling. In my Nikon years I learned to control the camera blind. In fact i have to do that now with my D100 which has a broken lcd screen due to my personal handling capabilities and it works fine.
The Canon needs more getting used to in terms of handling, but the L series lenses beat the Nikon lenses everywhere. Especially the big tubes are unbeatable.
Just go and watch a formula one or moto-gp and you can see all the professionals with their heavy white stuff logging around.
Don't get me wrong, I like my Nikon, but for lens quality i prefer the Canon.

If you're starting, get a EOS 350 cheap and invest the money you save in a 17-40 L lens for example or the 17-85 is fine too and more practical like Andy said.
(my favourite is the 17-40)

The lens will last a life-time, the body is disposable.

mrbelk

I was given permission by the family CFO to get a 20D a few weeks ago. I haven't taken any "real" photos with it, but I am itching to go out and find something to shoot. I am "graduating" from a Powershot G2 (Canon point&shoot) to dSLR.

I like to take pictures of flowers with the Macro mode, so I got the 60mm/F2.8 EF-S macro lens that Canon just released, and along with the kit 18-55 F3.5-5.6 lens, also have the Tamron SP 28-75 AF XR Di F2.8 lens.

I can't wait to pick up either a 70-200 F4L or 70-200 F2.8L and the 1.4x tele-extender for our next European vacation. Canon also has the EF-S 10-22 super wide angle that I want for the awesome alpine/tuscan/provence/cote d'azur/whatever landscapes.

One thing that I am loving (and probably will be hating, too) is the immense control over depth of field that the dSLR cameras give. My G2 only could do F2.5 - F8, and even at F2.5, the DOF was way too deep.

-MrB