View Full Version : SLR recomendations?
springerfever
12-03-2006, 10:43
Just when you think you have your 'kit' finalized, along comes :
CHRISTMAS !!
In which I just picked up a Nikon D40 SLR for my son and boy, is it impressive !
It's been a while since I have picked up a SLR....can you say film cameras; and these new generation digitals are great and not terribly expensive. I currently use a Ricoh GRD rangefinder w/28mm prime lens which takes fantastic pictures but lacks the flexability of an SLR.
I'm looking for recommendations from long-distance hikers that carry an SLR and, specifically, why you chose the particular one you carry. I don't want to start a lengthy discussion with comparisons between manufacturers. I'm just looking for short bullets on the advantages of your SLR.....Thanks !
bigcranky
12-03-2006, 11:03
Speaking as someone who makes a living as a photographer, any of the small, lightweight digital SLRs would be fine. They all make good pictures, they all have about the same specifications, and they are getting freakishly small and light. The D-40, the Canon digital Rebel, the new Pentax, etc., -- all are fine cameras.
The standard kit zoom lens that comes with these cameras is usually a moderate wide-to-short-telephoto, something like a 17-55mm (remember that the digital chip is smaller than film, so this is the equivalent of a 28-90 or so). These lenses are, to put it charitably, not so good -- but they are very light, which is an advantage for a hiker. If you wanted to upgrade your kit, you are better off getting a better lens rather than a more expensive body.
I have all Canon gear at work, so my kicking-around camera is a 20-D and a 28mm f/1.8 lens (which is the 'normal' focal length for this camera). I like having the fast lens, and don't miss having the zoom. Bring a small tripod (http://tinyurl.com/sgvnm) for shooting at dusk and dawn.
Oh, you wanted bullet points. Okay. Here's why I carry the Canon:
It takes the same lenses that I have at work.
It takes the same flash that I have at work.
I didn't have to pay for it. (Hmm, this might shoulda been at the top of the list.)
Really, unless you want to spend a lot of money and carry a lot of weight, the image quality of any of the smaller D-SLRs will be fine. Buy on features and shoot a lot. Check out these sites for more info:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/
http://www.dpreview.com/
Have fun. It's a whole new world.
Bring a small tripod (http://tinyurl.com/sgvnm) for shooting at dusk and dawn.Link doesn't work.
Link doesn't work.
Worked for me.
Bring a small tripod (http://tinyurl.com/sgvnm) for shooting at dusk and dawn.
Heh... gram weanies get this one!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A1D07E/103-6275219-9799004
Bob Baker
12-03-2006, 13:43
Here is a small tripod that could be useful for attaching to pretty much anything.
http://www.joby.com/gallery.html
The Solemates
12-04-2006, 10:17
The lightest weight, smallest, best quality, best priced DSLR I could find was the Pentax *istDL. That's what I carry and I absolutely love it. I like it better than the Nikon's and the Cannon's for general hiking purposes.
I just got this tripod off Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Vanguard-VS-10-Lightweight-Pocket-Tripod/dp/B0006GWIJY/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_1/103-6339216-6167816
It stays attached to the camera and folds to almost the same footprint as the base of the camera (Canon Powershot Pro1) Very light weight and sturdy.
As for camera shopping... One thing I learned is that the larger the CCD (the camera's eye) the better quality picture you will get. Canon's tend to have the larger/better CCD's. The new Rebel's have some better features now too. The autofocus feature has been fixed so that the delay in focusing is almost eliminated. (so you wont miss that great action shot before its gone!) Most of the Rebel's are also 10MP. (Hey Santa! I want a Rebel for Christmas!)
Enjoy and good luck with your hunt for a camera!
Just looking at the Amazon info... they have the weight wrong! I dont have it in front of me, but I know its less that 4oz.
vipahman
12-04-2006, 11:04
I'm just looking for short bullets on the advantages of your SLR....
- Nikon D80 (21 oz) or Canon Rebel XTi (18 oz) are both lightweight 10 Mpixel SLRs.
- Why SLR? Because it gives more control over the images than a point-and-shoot.
I would try the used market place. Places like www.keh.com allow you to buy previous models (all of a year old!) at big discounts. Unless you print above, say, 20 by 30 inches, you won't notice the difference. Certainly not on a computer screen. The Nikon D70 (and D70s) can be had for down around $400 without a lens, and a bit more ($600) with a great 18-70 Nikon lens.
If I was buying new and didn't already have Nikon lenses, I would probably pick up a Pentax K10D. This has image stabilization built into the body, weather sealing, and image quality should be on par with Nikon and Canon. It is priced about at the level of a D80. More than a Rebel, less than a 30D.
The Old Fhart
12-04-2006, 12:48
A lot of what the best camera would be is personal taste or feel. I'd recommend going to a store that has several brands and checking them out, even though you might eventually buy online to get the best price. Sometimes handling a camera you'll notice something you really like (or don't like) about some camera that isn't obvious to you in a review.
I've owned Pentax SLRs for a long time and have a lot of really good lenses from 8mm to 600mm with filters and accessories. It made sense to me to buy a Pentax DSLR that allowed me to use every lens I already have. The model I chose was the K100D. Although it is a somewhat modest 6mp, it compares fairly well with most 8mp camera bodies in image quality and I couldn't justify buying the K10D (10mp) body at almost twice the price. It has 'shake reduction' built into the body so every lens I own becomes a SR lens. Canon has the IS (image stabilization) built into the lens so to get that feature you have to buy an IS lens. If you are into landscape photography you will probably be using a tripod most of the time and this feature might not be as important.
Also keep in mind if you plan to use lenses made for a 35mm SLR is that they are designed to project their image on a 36x24mm strip of film. Most DSLRs have a imager that is about 24x17mm which means that the focal length for the 35mm lens has to be multiplied by 1.5 to get what it equals on the DSLR. This is good at the telephoto end where my 600mm becomes a 900mm on the DSLR but at the wide angle end a wide angle lens becomes more of a normal lens. Canon has a couple of models that have a 36x24 imager so there would be no conversion but you probably pay for that.
On buying used, you may get a good deal, but be careful. With newer models sometimes comes a price drop so you could see a new camera with great features for about the same price as an older model with less. If you plan to buy over the internet I strongly recommend that you check out any online store you might want to do business with here (http://www.resellerratings.com/rlist-s1-n1.html). Just because a store is on a sponsored link on Google or you see where some other rating site gave them 5 stars, they still could be bait-and-switch crooks. For example, check the rating history of 'bestpricecameras' and you'll find they have a rating history of 0.18 out of 10 and some of the complaints against this company at the BBB include credit card number thieft! There are good honest stores out there (including B&H, Adorama, KEH, etc.) that have excellent ratings and the final price could be cheaper that the crooks.
Shutterbug
12-04-2006, 14:26
Just when you think you have your 'kit' finalized, along comes :
CHRISTMAS !!
In which I just picked up a Nikon D40 SLR for my son and boy, is it impressive !
It's been a while since I have picked up a SLR....can you say film cameras; and these new generation digitals are great and not terribly expensive. I currently use a Ricoh GRD rangefinder w/28mm prime lens which takes fantastic pictures but lacks the flexability of an SLR.
I'm looking for recommendations from long-distance hikers that carry an SLR and, specifically, why you chose the particular one you carry. I don't want to start a lengthy discussion with comparisons between manufacturers. I'm just looking for short bullets on the advantages of your SLR.....Thanks !
When I carry my SLR, it is a Nikon D70 with the new VR lens. This year I have been surprised at how many of them I have seen on the trails in the Northwest. Recently I have seen a few D50's too.
I have to admit that when I am doing more than a day hike, I frequently leave the SLR at home and take my Nikon Coolpix. It slips in my cargo pocket.
A high precentage of my hiking is done on Mt. Rainier. I often face the choice of whether I want to hike or take pictures. Although I take a lot of pictures, my first love is hiking. Many of the trails I take just are not consistent with having a SLR hanging around my neck.
The first time I hiked the Wonderland Trail, I carried a SLR sized camera around my neck for the full 97 miles. I was determined that I would get a picture of a bear. When the opportunity came, I was in heavy woods. I came around the corner and there was a large black bear right in the middle of the trail. It stood on its hind legs and looked me squarely in the eyes -- a perfect picture opportunity. Unfortunately, I was so startled that I forgot to take the picture. After the bear ran off into the woods, I realized that my camera was still around my neck. Later on, I got my bear pictures, but I will always regret missing that one.
Why the Nikon D70? Because it is the only digital SLR I have. With the 18 - 200 VR lens, I only need to carry one lens to take wildlife and scenery.
Jim Adams
12-04-2006, 15:25
where will you be hiking the most? you may not want to totally give up on the film camera, especially if you normally hike in wet areas. digital cameras are totally electric and once they fry, they are done. i have used manual SLR cameras that have a mechanical shutter and although they are not as accurate as electrically controlled shutters, the only thing electric in them is the lightmeter. they will keep on working through some very bad conditions and a hand held light meter can be used. don't get me wrong, i love my digital camera and my electronic film cameras but i learned a very profitable lesson years ago. i was covering a very important race for 2 different sister publications. saturday was bright and sunny, race day was heavy pouring rain throughout the race. i had water running out of my camera bodies but i got the shots as everyone elses cameras fried. my photos from the race instantly became very valuable because no one else had many shots before their cameras quit. how valuable will your photos be to you. match your cameras to your environment and buy good lenses. the lense makes the photo clear and accurate. you can shoot a good photo with a cardboard box as long as the lense is good!
geek
otterman
12-04-2006, 15:51
Love my Nikon D70. My wife jokes that every piece of camera equipment that I buy comes with another list of wants. A new lens. A new printer. Filters. Memory cards. Tripods. Given the choice and the resources I would buy the Nikon D200 today. I used one briefly and it is a sweet camera. Also check into the compatibility of lenses. You can share lenses with your son if you buy a Nikon.
Be aware that some of the tripods mentioned above are designed for point and shoot camera and will not handle the weight of an SLR.