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Which Digital Camera? Win a Prize for Reviewing Your Camera
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Give us a digital camera recommendation in the thread below and go into the draw to win a $50 worth of products at Amazon (your choice as to what you want). See rules below.
Being someone running a number of digital photography websites, I get asked quite often questions about which camera people should buy.
It's always a difficult question to answer because each camera has its own strengths and weaknesses and different people will correspondingly have different needs and desires for what they want in a camera.
So I thought I'd open it up for discussion and as you, digital camera users, the 'which digital camera?' question.
If you have a digital camera that you'd recommend (or even one that you'd like to warn us off) tell us about it below. Use the following headings if you'd like to give us your mini review:
- Camera Name/Model: Brand and Model Number
- Specifications: which features and specs are it's biggest selling point in your opinion?
- Ideal Users: who is this camera suited to? Beginners, Advanced users etc? What type of photography?
- Wish List: What doesn't this digital camera have that would make it better?
- Image Samples: feel free to link to some of the pictures you've taken with it in your flickr account
- Recommendation: Give us a short pitch on why you think it's a good (or not so good) camera and any advice you have for new users of it.
Feel free to ignore these categories if you'd rather.
If we get some good responses in this thread I'll include them on the main sites (with some links back to your flickr account to give you credit).
Rules
- Every mini review entered into this thread will go into a draw to win $50 worth of goods from Amazon.
- The winner will be selected randomly on Wednesday 13th September at midday (Melbourne Australia Time).
- One entry per person please.
- To be eligable your review needs to be at least 200 words (original words - ie no copy and pasting from other sources) about your camera.
- If someone has already submitted a mini-review for your camera feel free to submit your own to it. The more opinions the better the advice will be!
Good luck!
Originally posted at 6:25PM, 5 September 2006 PST
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Darren Rowse edited this topic 40 months ago.
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Camera Name / Model: Nikon D-50
Specifications:The bigest selling point of this camera I think is the ability to be able to hand it to my wife who, is an absolute novice when it comes to cameras, and she can take a great photo while I can take it and turn off the automatic and take pictures that are sharp every time, vibrent with colour, and detail that can not be beat for its price. In menu help screens that explain the settings to you without having to go through its massive manual when you just need a quick answer. Speed of turn on for this camera is 0.2 sec so when you see that shot and the camera is off you dont have to wait a lifetime to get it up and running and ready to shoot. I also like the fact that I can use some of my older Nikon lenses with the body so it saves me from having to purchase new equipment right after I purchased the camera. I also found that the SD card this camera takes is rather inexpensive. I purchased a 2 GIG card just this weekend for this camera and it cost me a grand total of $44.00! Now I can hold 568 Fine Quality pictures on one card and 288 on my 1 GIG with the output size of a 8x10 at 300 DPI (size according to Photoshop 7.0) its more than enough room for me to take photos at partys, weddings and other more art type photos and not run out of room on my card.
Ideal Users: While when it comes to DSLR cameras you can spend a small fortune on cameras and equipment I feel this camera could be used by Amatures as well as Pros. Flexability, Stability, Easy of use makes this an ideal camera for the Amature who wants great looking pictures while functionality and manual settings makes it great for a Pro to use.
Wish List: I would like to see the ability to be able to do a multi-exposure with this camera. As well as a non-IR Shutter release.
Image Samples: While I like to use Photoshop alot here is a link to some of the images I have taken of the destruction in New Orleans after Katrina: www.flickr.com/photos/ph0t0bug/
Recommendation: As I have pointed out above the Easy of use, Reliability, Functionality & above all Cost, I think that the Nikon D-50 makes an excelent camera for the Amature and Pro alike. So if you dont have the thousands of dollars to be able to afford a high end DSLR, consider the Nikon D-50 the answer to your camera buying question: "Which camera is right for me?"
Posted 41 months ago.
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Thanks PhotObug - great first entry!
Posted 41 months ago.
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Thks PhotObug for the review as I am currently looking for my first DSLR...
Your info is helpful indeed.
Posted 41 months ago.
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Ricoh GR Digital 8 megapixel compact small sensor camera
I LOVE this camera. I use it in the same way that I would use a Leica and 21mm or 35mm Lens usually shooting Tri X B&W Film.
The great features of this camera: Very small, plain Black, f2.4 wide Fixed Lens (28mm equivalent and 21mm with a wide adapter). You can shoot RAW images from ISO 64-800 and JPG to ISO 1600.
There is an external Optical finder and you can black out the LCD screen so that you don't feel like you are shooting with a Digicam. The small sensor which has some disadvantges gives you the ADVANTAGE of having loads of Depth of Field.
There is a Fixed Focus mode which eliminates shutter lag. You can also half-press to lock Focus when needed.
This camera has high noise levels but in real-world use it often looks nice (like Film grain). I am used to pushing Tri X to 1600 or shooting Fuji NPZ 800 color Film or Provia 400 Slide all of which have considerable grain. Looks nice on Prints.
DISADVANTAGES: This is a Photographers camera. Works best when you know what you are doing. EXPENSIVE for a P&S camera. RAW images take a LONG time to buffer (TEN SECONDS!!).
Image samples: Magnum Photographer Alex Majoli www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=7-6468-7844 was my inspiration for what can be done with small sensor Point & Shoot Digicams. Great work from him
My Samples: Here are a few from my Flikr Folio
Posted 41 months ago.
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We have a Nikon D70s. Not exactly an unusual DSLR choice, but we chose it over the similarly-equipped Canon because it felt more substantial in our hands (ironic, since most technology prides itself on being smaller and lighter).
Our photo skills are rusty at best, so right now the automated features are invaluable. The Nikon D70 gives the option of selective manual settings (i.e. playing around with the ISO while leaving everything else on auto) which makes us feel a lot more confident about experimenting.
It's a lovely camera. The detail it captures is amazing. I find myself craving things like telephoto lenses and flashes.
Posted 41 months ago.
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Camera Name/Model: Casio EX-Z120
Selling points:
This 7MP is compact in size, allowing me to carry it in my pocket allowing me to take pictures I would otherwise have missed. This is my 3rd digicam, my first being a Casio UX2000(?) and 2nd an Olympus 10x 740 or some such. Casio gets all of the little things right (esp. that now 5-year old camera - it could even shoot a raw format!). I was so pleased with Casio from the 1st go-around, and had enough bad experiences with my Olympus (which was still a good camera, just got a lot of little things wrong - the anti-Casio!), that it didn't take me long to weed out the Sony's, Kodak's, Canons, Olympus, and a few other brands from the running (was just considering compact cameras in a fairly specific price range).
Anyhow, this cam takes does very well w/focus, pretty quick w/little, if any delay (unless using flash), and gives you quick access to most features.
I dropped this camera twice while it was on - once on commercial carpet (hard) from 3 feet, another on concrete @ 5 feet and there is no damage beyond a few nicks! Lucky me, I suppose....
Uses standard SD cards, which I like, because I have several other devices that use them, too, so I can interchange them as needed. CF are large. xD make me mad (my Olympus will only take pans with Olympus-brand xD cards - why, Olympus, why?? Perhaps I should be mad at Olympus for that (I am).
Ideal Users: A primary camera for beginning (has dumbed down mode w/oversized menus) and intermediate users (can do just about anything that doesn't require features on my wish list, below), or as a 2nd camera for more advanced folk who can't/won't lug around a high-end DSLR everywhere they go. In fact, I think every serious photog should have a compact POS in their inventory. Others may do nicely, but this one definitely scores high marks with me.
Easy to smuggle onto amusement park rides (now if I only didn't have small kids with me, I could have taken real advantage of that....) A few night mode shots here. If you look @ other sets, be sure to check the exif data, as many are from other cameras.
flickr.com/photos/joneser005/sets/72157594234477413/
Wish List: What doesn't this digital camera have that would make it better?
1. 2nd curtain flash
2. In-camera panorama
3. A raw format (I wouldn't use it anyway :-)
4. Standard usb-mini connector. This cam uses what appears to be a proprietary connector which doubles as audio/video out - to save space. I dislike anything propietary (I shun many Sony products for this reason)
5. bulb shutter release
6. cannot change zoom during video recording
7. Time between pics is a shade over 1 second. A rapid-fire mode would be nice.
8. Missing auto-bracketing, AEF lock features
Summary: There are smaller cameras out there, and more powerful cameras out there, but this one is a nice balance between the two without sacrificing much. It only has a 3x zoom, but then, this is a compact camera, so that is a given until lens tech sees some significant advances. I have missed so many opportunities for good photos over the years - with this camera, I can now capture many of them. It takes great videos, too.
Posted 41 months ago.
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- Camera Name/Model: Sony Ericsson W800
- Specifications: So officially, this thing is not even called a camera. For those who dont know this famous W-series from Sony Ericsson, the details is coming up. Ready?
Sony Ericsson W800, It's a phone, a 2MP camera with 4x digital zoom/AF/4.3mm plus the capability of playback music. When I bought it, the camera is the only one on the market with specs like that and can act as an MP3 player whose sound is on bar with an iPod.
- Ideal Users: Students/Commuters
- Wish List: Exposure/Aperture settings, more MP
- Recommendation: The phone itself is fantastic, but what I love most about it is the 2MP camera. In fact, It's the only, and still is the only digital camera that I have to take picture with (up untill a week ago when I got my first 35mm SLR for school).
The camera, even though lack the manual controls, when compare to other cameras on other phones, the image quality is fantastic. It comes with white balance, panaroma, self timer, burtst mode and those common picture effects. The inlucded night mode is really useful in poor lighting conditions. The exposure is awesome as It always gives you fantastic lighting in pictures where other cameras failed to capture. It even has a extra bright LED light (one and only on the market) that I always find myself turn on in manyy occasions.
- Image Samples: Picture worths a thousand words, so here's a project which contains around 100s sth pics I took with the camera and put together. Note the lighting as it appears well through out the pic. All photos were taken in the "camera" auto mode.
Originally posted 41 months ago.
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constantX edited this topic 41 months ago.
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I'm not a pro, so this is really vernacular/anectodal.
- Camera Name/Model: Canon EOS Digital Rebel AKA EOS 300D
- Specifications: Auto-setting shots really look great, but there's a FULL range of manual (I'm still learning). The grip (since redesigned) feels solid in my hand (I do a lot of outdoors stuff, this matters). All the controls are easy to access and learn.
- Ideal Users: Serious hobbyists who want the control of an SLR without the price tag of a professional camera. You can use it for ANY type of photography - I use it for landscapes, portraits, detail shots...
- Wish List: The built in flash is weak - it's supposedly been improved in later versions. No sensor cleaner and my sensor is... it's too embarassing to talk about. When shooting action, sometimes the camera "buffers" or slows down and I have to wait while the data writes to the card to get the next shot. (Fixed in newer models I think.)
- Recommendation: The Rebel is easy to use and you'll see the improvement in image quality immediately on making the switch from a non-SLR camera. I really like the way it feels in my hand - this matters a LOT because I take it everywhere, bikign, skiing, hiking... I love the autobracketing - gives me a better chance at getting the right exposure. CF memory is cheap and comes in big bites now, so I can take a TON of pics on a day out - my 2G card holds almost 1000 photos at large/fine.
Nisqaully Tribe Drummer
Dairy Freeze, North Bend
Dancers, Bon Odori Festival
Posted 41 months ago.
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Thanks 'Nerds Eye View', 'johnmarkpainter', 'constantX', 'joneser005' and
'Matt and Jessica' - great reviews so far and some wonderful pictures!
Posted 41 months ago.
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- Camera Name/Model: Canon EOS 350D digital (aka EOS Digital Rebel XT)
- Specifications: The biggest selling points in my opinion are, that the camera is having nearly all features that a pro-cam has. From auto-settings, over shutter automatic and aperature automatic to manual configuration. It also has 6 automatic programs for portrait shots, sports and so on. The cam has a resolution of 8 megapixels which results in great images (also printed posters). Another big selling point is the speed. The 350D is really fast. I makes up to 3 frames per second which makes it a good partner for sport shots.Also it only needs 0.2 seconds to get ready. Although it has "only" 7 AF spots the auto focus works really fast and reliable, even in dark environments. Additionally the cam is not as big and heavy as it's sisters which makes it really handy on longer photo-tours. Great it also the very low noise even in higher ASA-levels. The noise reduction of this cam is really amazing. Last but not least, the battery power of this cam is really amazing. On my last trip to a car race in belgium I took >700 photos with one battery which is great. All in all a really pro-like cam with an amateur-like price :)
- Ideal Users: Serious amateur to semi professional. It's an allround cam with which not only the mentioned user group will have fun. I think even a real pro would have fun with this cam. You can use any Canon lens with EF or EF-S connector. So if you already have an analog Canon EOS modell, this could be your next choice :)
- Wish List: Actually I'm wishless and happy with it :)
- Recommendation: As already mentioned in my "Specifications" the EOS 350D is an allrounder. It can be used at anytime anywhere. If you are doing portrait shots, sport shots, landscape shots, etc - you will be enthused by this cam. So my only hint: Take many CFs with you (particularly if you are using RAW as I do) as you will have so much fun with your cam, that you won't stop taking photos :)
- Image Samples: (I'll choose only small size to provide some more shots from every kind of situation - hope this ok with you :)
Posted 41 months ago.
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Camera Name/Model: Canon EOS 10D
Specifications: Biggest selling point for this camera is the full range of control over the camera, from full auto to totally manual. As it's an "obsolete" model, they can be found for a good price on the second-hand market - mine was an ex studio camera, so was in good condition having been attached to a stand for most of it's life.
It takes the full range of Canon EF series lenses, but not unfortunately, the EF-S lenses for the newer digital cameras.
I'm not too worried about specs like the number of pixels or anything like that - it's more the build quality of the unit, the range of accessories and the ease of use.
I got mine with the battery grip, which although it increases the size and weight, it doubles the battery life and provides a very convenient second set of controls for using the camera in portrait orientation.
Ideal Users: This camera is well suited to "prosumer" users and low-end professional use. Not recommended for use as a point-n-shoot happy-snaps camera - you won't slip it in your pocket and walk around all day, it's a serious lump to carry around with you.
Great for people learning photography as an art-form (such as myself) who want more control over the photography than a simple pocket-sized camera can offer. While it is getting on a bit in years, it's a solidly built unit with a durable and reliable shutter mechanism, decent auto-focus, compatibility with a wide range of Canon and 3rd-party lenses and accessories and a loyal user base.
Wish List: This camera, being one of the early Canon DSLRs is stuck half-way in-between their film cameras and their newer digital cameras. I wish that this camera either had a full-size image sensor, or was able to accept EF-S lenses.
With the reduced size image sensor, lens focal lengths are multiplied by 1.6, so getting a nice long zoom is nice and easy, however going wide-angle starts to get expensive.
Image Samples:
Not on Flickr at the moment, but here are a few links:
Rocket
Magpie
Building
Spider Web
Recommendation: Great camera, outstanding build quality and durability, wide availability of accessories and full compliment of pro features - I like this camera and would recommend it to anyone from an intermediate camera user who wants more to a pro who needs a second backup-camera and already has an investment in Canon glass.
Posted 41 months ago.
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Camera Name/Model: Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D
Specifications: It's too bad this camera is no-more, but I hope that Sony will incorporate more of the 7D features into their future cameras. The biggest selling point for me was the abundance of manual controls on this camera. Nearly every setting is adjusted using a manual button, knob, wheel, or lever. Priority modes (including 3 user set functions), exposure and flash compensations, focus mode, shutter speed, aperature size, metering mode, autofocus mode, white balance, anti-shake, and drive mode are all set manually via bottons and knobs. Things like auto white balance, ISO speed, and focus area selection are set by pressing a manual button that brings up a digital menu. The rest lies in the digital menu system. Rarely, if ever, do I need to jump into the "Menu" button and navigate my way around the LCD screen (which is a great big 2.5"). These controls allow for quick setting changes without much more than a glance at the button location (sometimes not even that). Aside from the controls, the camera is quick to focus, meter, and shoot. The images that come from this camera are vibrant with great color, contrast, and sharpness. The camera itself feels good in the hand and is not too heavy. The anti-shake system on this camera is pretty good too -- I've been able to shoot down to 1/30 seconds (sometimes lower depending on how much caffine I've had) with a fair amount of sharpness. It's not a substitute for a tripod, but it helps at longer handheld focal lengths too.
Ideal Users: I started using this camera as an ametuer (though I still consider myself one) with no problem. In fact, it is my first DSLR. This camera is great for that type of person, but I can see it being handy for the more experienced photographer too. It really invites the user to try different settings and play around while out taking shots.
Wish List: I wish Minolta would have stayed in the business. But for the camera, a higher resolution sensor would help sometimes. A 6MP image is just fine most of the time and it lends itself to less noise, but even 8MP would have been a nice compromise. It seems Sony has taken care of this already with a 10MP sensor. I wish more camera manufacturers would put more manual controls on the body of their cameras.
Image Samples: They're not on Flickr yet, but here are some links:
Statue of Liberty
Wide Angle Manhattan
Woodpecker
Butterfly
Boat
Recommendations: This is a good all-around camera (if you can find one for sale now) that allows for full control or fully automatic control. It's a little hard to get used to all the buttons and knobs at first, but it becomes second nature after a couple hundred shots. It works great for indoors, outdoors, tripod, or handheld. This camera consistently brings back pleasing images -- sometimes surprisingly so! It really does sadden me to think that I'll have to give up my Minolta someday for another brand, but what can you do?
Posted 41 months ago.
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Camera Name/Model: Nikon D70s
Specifications: The big selling spec, I think, was the mega pixels, .2s startup, huge LCD, very fast continuous shooting and general usability of the camera (I'll explain later)
Ideal Users: Target users are prosumers adn enthusiasts, people that want greater creative control but don't need granular fine tuning of every setting in camera.
Wish List: It lacks a few of the lower and extremely fast ISO settings. Otherwise, I haven't wanted for anything.
Image Samples: If you're interested, my photos may be found here - angrybunnyman.livejournal.com I don't regularly upload to my Fickr account for no good reason.
Recommendation:
I love my camera. It is fantastic. In fact, most cameras within this pricerange (sub $1k) are very, very good cameras. What distinguishes my camera from the rest is the philosophy behind the user interface.
The camera is designed, really, to be faster to use when pressed against your face in a stable manner. In order to change settings, one must hold a button on the left side of the camera while spinning the command dials located by right thumb and forefinger. When not looking through the viewfinder, this is a littloee cumbersome. But holding it to shoot actually makes it easier.
Not only are the buttons located ergonimically where you place your hands but the viewfinder tells you when you're changing settings. Further, the weight of the camera is off centered to the right making the camera very secure in your grip while changing an settings on the fly.
This is why I like my Nikon. It was designed for me to take pictures quickly and efficiently at different settings. Some may say that this promotes crazy amounts of picture taking, less in camera composition. I say it promotes a faster creative eye. :)
Posted 40 months ago.
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Camera: Pentax Option WP
Specifications: The waterproof capability of this camera is awesome. I can attest to that because my kayak overturned in the middle of the river but nothing happened to this camera which was in my pocket. I have used this during food fights, water fights and taken pictures from inside water to get a different perspective. You don't have to worry about it getting messed up.
This camera is a 5 Megapixel, 3x optical zoom with a 2" LCD monitor and a rechargeable lithium ion battery.
Ideal Users: This camera is good for beginners and internediate users because of the verstality it provides the users. A person can use this in conjuction with DSLR for moments like on the beach, near any kind of water even or when a DSLR is too big for an event and yo want to be discreet.
Wish List: The only thing lacking in this camera is that one can't manually set aperture or focus settings.
Image Samples: You can visit my photoblog to see some pics taken by this camera.
Recommendation: The camera is easy to use and good to go as soon as you take it out of the box. I didn't have to read the manual to figure out the controls which are quite user friendly. It has a lot of modes which optimize the camera to take a picture in a particular setting. Water proof capability is great because it can be taken to many places a normal camera can't be taken to. On top of that, its thin, stylish and has a large monitor size. The price of this camera is cheap (around $220) compared to all the functionality it privides.
Posted 40 months ago.
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Camera Model: Canon Digital Rebel (300D)
Specifications: It's gotta be cost of ownership although technically it's not a spec. When you're a low income college student with an addiction to photography, a low cost DSLR that uses older canon lenses is a dream come true. There's tons of great deals you can get on lenses both new and used. It uses Compact Flash instead of those more exotic memory cards for some of those point and shoot cameras (*cough*Sony*cough*MemoryStick*cough*)
Ideal Users: It's not for the “sometimes” photographer as you can't just throw it in your purse or bag and head out. And at that price why would you only use it sometimes? No, this camera is for people who want to move beyond “point and shoot” and move onto something deeper. Just be prepared to have people say, “Your pictures only look good because of the camera.” But hey, that's pain for your art right?
Wish List: All the stuff that bothers me about this unit have been corrected with the XT model (and the XTi). Things like slow startup time and slower write speeds are kind of annoying. But you learn to deal with it.
Image Samples: Everything I put on flickr I've taken with my Canon. www.flickr.com/photos/bemusementpark
Recommendation: If you're getting one my advice is to skip the kit lens. Get yourself a 50mm f/1.8 prime lens and a inexpensive zoom like that 70mm-300mm Canon makes and start taking pictures of anything and everything until you're comfortable. Then take some more. :D
Originally posted 40 months ago.
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phamtq edited this topic 40 months ago.
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Mr. Zuniga, Oscar [deleted] says:
Camera Name/Model: NikonD50
Specifications: This is the most popular camera in the hands of amateur photographers; this camera has all the necessary features to photograph from portraits to immense landscapes. This camera also gives the novice the opportunity to shoot fantastic pictures on all auto modes while learning the all-manual settings and never loosing the opportunity of a lifetime shot by switching to your preferred setting which is easy to get to by rotating the dial with your left thumb. Best things about this camera is that the batteries performance, it can easily shoot more then 2,000 shots with out flash and well over 400 with flash. Next best future is also the infrared remote option, I will never have to run into the group to be included in the picture, now all I do is press the button.
Ideal Users: The ideal person to use this camera is everyone, from beginners to professional photographers. Good for beginners because of it ease to use and for the professional, because of its fantastic technology, size and weight, now a days photographers carry more the two cameras each with different lens.
Wish List: only if this camera had a larger viewfinder
Image Samples are here www.flickr.com/photos/zunigas-photo-art/sets/721575942491...
Recommendation: read as many reviews as you can whether it is for the Nikon D50 or any other camera, visit groups in Flickr, specially this group www.flickr.com/groups/nikond50/ and see how well the D50 works for over two thousand people.
Posted 40 months ago.
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- Camera Name/Model: Kodak Easyshare CX7330 Zoom 3.1 Megapixels
- Ideal Users: Beginners, this camera is quite user-friendly if you're going to be taking candid shots in ideal situations, such as outdoors. Also very easy for children to use (ask my 6-year-old daughter).
-Specifications: An auto mode (the beginners best friend), the sports mode for action shots, night mode, landscape mode for distant scenery, portrait mode for close shots, a short video mode as well. Digital zoom is also included. No lenses or flash to buy, this is a true point-and-shoot.
- Wish List: The digital zoom cannot zoom very far without becoming blurry or pixelated. Macro pictures are more difficult because of this, you really have to experiment with light and distance to find out how it will work in less than optimal conditions. Wish it had a better flash, as well, your photos come out either washed out or too dim, which creates tons of graininess. Has a long delay between photos as well.
- Recommendation: This is a great camera for a beginner, because it is highly portable and durable, but for someone who wants to customize their settings, from serious amateur and up, it will not serve those purposes. The book on the camera is not the easiest to follow, either. Trial and error is what works best when you're learning how to work it. Take tons of shots and see what works best for you. This has been a great little camera for me to learn on, and has shown me not only how great it can be, but also how much I have to learn about photography. I owe it all to my little buddy.
Posted 40 months ago.
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- Camera Name/Model: Fuji E900
- Specifications: 9MP and ease of use. The manual features are great, including a manual shutter speed of up to 15 seconds. The multi shot function is easy to access and has a range of options. Large LCD and clear view finder if you wish to use it. This camera takes AA batteries and is very good when it comes to power usage, the best I have seen for a long while.
- Ideal Users: Great point and shoot camera, with the option of easy to use manual controls. This camera is very user friendly for the amateur that wants a little more without needing to lug around a large camera.
- Wish List: Being able to zoom while on a slow shutter speed (see previous assignment on this site).
- Image Samples:
15 second shutter speed
auto mode
What you can do with multi shots in photoshop
- Recommendation: Great camera to hold and use. This is a great little camera with a lot of the 'big camera' features. I recommend that any new users read the manual as there are a lot of hidden features in this little beauty.
Posted 40 months ago.
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Thank You, I am looking for a camera and just can't seem to make up my mind!!!!! The sales person always has good things to say about this one or that one but to read peoples comments that use it makes a big differance, I still don't know which one but this helps!
Debbie
P.S. stupid Q, but how do you get photos in discussions?
Posted 40 months ago.
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- Canon 20 D w17 - 85 mm EOS zoom. Not a very fast lens but terrific for vacations because of its versatility; IS makes lower shutter speeds possible.
- This camera begs you to pick it up and use it. It is solid and ready to perform, from totally mundane "point and shoot" situations to complete creative control. I learn more about photography every time I use it. Used to have a smaller digital camera and just get the shot with the understanding I would crop and clean it up later in Photoshop. With this camera I am back to composing and tweaking the shots in the camera. I find the better I am with that, the less post processing I need to do later. I have come to think that the best shots are the ones that need the least amount of PP work.
Here's a sample (below the sample is a link to the original):
View original- warning, large file.
Originally posted 40 months ago.
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gfree10 edited this topic 40 months ago.
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Again - thanks for the most recent reviews.
Just a reminder - to be eligable for the chance to win the gift from Amazon your review needs to be submitted between now and Wednesday 13th September (Melbourne Australia time).
Keep them coming.
Posted 40 months ago.
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Camera Name/Model: Canon EOS 350D
Specifications: This camera has a 8mp APS-C sensor, which gives a 1.6x crop factor for it's lenses. It's filled with features that a new and upcoming photographer got enough to play with. It's ability to shoot 3 shoots a second, shooting in RAW and jpeg, a startup time on 0,2 seconds, and a very low price, makes this the perfect entry lever digital SLR.
Ideal Users: The EOS 350D is an ideal camera for the photographer just starting out with a digital SLR, to the people that wants just a bit more than a normal digital camera.
Wish List: This camera basicly got all it should have for it's value.
Image Samples: Here are some image samples taken by me:
Recommendation:A perfect camera to use, it's nice and little, but still it gives you a good grip.
Posted 40 months ago.
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Kodak z740
Specifications:
10x Optical/ 5x Digital Zoom 5MP, 14 preset modes, PASM (program/ apperture/ shutter/ manual)
Great Camera for novice photographers like me. With this camera you'll be able to enjoy the point and shoot mode (auto-mode) & quickly learn some DSLR's manual settings at the same time. The 10x Optical Zoom (which the manual says that is 38-380mm equiv) gives spectacular outputs on digital & prints.
Ideal Users: Perfect for those who's just starting to learn taking great photos. Also great for professional photographers who plans to buy point & shoot camera to bring it almost anywhere.
Wish List: An image stabilizer, an external flash port, and a remote clicker.
Image samples: kodak z740 photo sample, more of my photos
Recommendation: It's cheap, produces respectable prints & looks very professional. It's a DSLR camera under a Point & Shoot Skin. And uhm, did I mentioned that it takes movie clips too? [640x 480 (13 fps) - 320 x 240 (20 fps)]
Posted 40 months ago.
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Just two more days to go before I draw a winner of the gift out of a hat. Get your reviews in between now and Wednesday midday (Australian Eastern time) to be in the running.
Posted 40 months ago.
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Camera Name/Model:
Olympus E-500
Specifications:
Very little and light DSLR. 8Mpix. Inexpensive, but not cheap. Two lens are included in kit.
Ideal Users: who is this camera suited to?
I think that this camera is better suited for beginners, because it lacks some features, that most advanced users expect from their camera. But although I'm considering myself advanced user and I had much more professional Minolta 7D camera, I don't miss those features.
Wish List: What doesn't this digital camera have that would make it better?
I wish it had more hardware buttons and knobs, like Minolta 7D, to allow change settings faster than through menu. Though it's not very important, because for settings that are used most often there're already buttons and knobs, and some buttons are programmable which is a nice feature.
I'd also wish that Olympus lenses and accessories cost a little bit less. ;)
Image Samples:
Unfortunately I don't currently have time to upload the pictures made using this camera. I'll do that later.
Flickr user acam has great photos made with this camera (I hope it is allowed to post links to other users' samples).
Recommendation:
I like the camera because it is small, light and inexpensive, but powerful at the same time. It has great ergonomics, good image quality and enough features to suit all my needs and even more.
Posted 40 months ago.
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Congratulations to "Mr. Zuniga, Oscar" who has randomly been selected as the winner of the $50 gift from Amazon. He submitted a review on the Nikon D50 (above).
thanks to all who participated.
Darren
PS: if people want to continue submitting reviews please feel welcome to do so. You won't be in the running for the prize but you will help someone select a camera!
Posted 40 months ago.
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Mr. Zuniga, Oscar [deleted] says:
I am astonished! Thank you so much.
Posted 40 months ago.
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Congrats Mr. Zuniga!
Posted 40 months ago.
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Mr. Zuniga, Oscar [deleted] says:
Thank you.
Posted 40 months ago.
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Mr. Zuniga, Oscar [deleted] says:
I would like to Thank Darren for the $50.00 worth of merchandise for the contest in regards to the write a review.
I have just received what I choose and I am very thankful.
When is the next contest? ;}
Posted 40 months ago.
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Camera Name/Model: Canon EOS 350D/XT
Specifications:
8Mp CMOS sensor
3fps continous shooting
ISO 100 to 1600
7 point AF
ETTL II flash system
Shutter speeds: from 30s to 1/4000s (has the B option "BULB")
DIGIC II image processor
Ideal Users:
People who are new to the DSLR world. Also people who whant to go from film SLR to digital SLR.
Wish List:
The first thing that comes in mind is the handgrip. I would like it to be larger. ANd that is pretty much all. Everything is just fine and I've been using it for one year and didn't come on any big problems.
Image Samples:
www.flickr.com/photos/44231652@N00/1417067950/
www.flickr.com/photos/44231652@N00/1417067842/in/photostr...
www.flickr.com/photos/44231652@N00/1396826186/
Recommendation:
Previously I had a Fuji FinePix S5600 which was a great camera. Had a fully manual mode which worked just fine and the image quality was very good. But I decided to change it with a D-SLR mostly because th Fuji had some limitatios that were affecting my photos. So after a lot of reserch I ended up with the 350D. I bought it because it was a little cheaper than the 400D which was just announced then. I read a lot of reviews on D-SLR and my favorites were the 400D and Nikons D80. But I didn't have the budget so I went for the 350D. This said, I don't regret the choice, not a bit. The 350D is simply beatiful, it performs excelent and the image quality is amazing, provindig you have good lens. The start-up time is almost instant, and operation is fast. I also played arround with a 400D and it really isn't that much of a difference. The 10 Mega pixels aren't a big step-up from the 350's 8 so regarding image quality the difference is none or very little. The only thing that the 350D doesn't have is the dust reduction system but after one year of use I only have one small spot that you can see in some pictures and I changed a lot of lenses so I was surprised to see that the sensor is that clean. So let me speak about this camera. When I first layed hands on it I was surprised to see how small it is. Don't get me wrong, it isn't a small camera but in D-SLR world, it is small. The hand grip is small so for people with large hands, as myself, this can be a little bit annoying, but once you get used you don't really feel it that much. The camera is really light too so that will help durring long trips. Moving on to the menus....the menus are very well sorted out and easy to use. To change the shutter speed you just turn the wheel. For the aperture you need to keep a button pressed and turn the wheel, which is easily done. This camera has everything you need and more. There are a lot of options and a lot of features that you will help you in getting nice pictures.
So bottom line...it is a bit old but it is a great camera and with the right lens it is a superb camera. I think that my benchmark is that when I see the photos I've taken with it it instantly makes me smile.
If you want to see some of my pictures go to my Flickr account or visit my website... www.photocrazy.ro
Posted 24 months ago.
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Camera Name/Model:
Canon Rebel XT
Specifications:
This is a light, inexpensive camera. This is my first slr camera and i absolutely love it. It comes with a 18-55 lems which is just fine for a beginner. Great exposure. Has many differnet settings such as auto or Aperture etc. The start up time on this camera is fast and the reset is quick. I have the 8.0 pixel camera and its works great for me.
Ideal Users: who is this camera suited to?
Number one because i am a new user it is defiantly for a new user. I have never taken photography classes but this camera is defiantly my teacher. It is so user friendly and pcitures turn out great. When expanding to better lens the quality that can be produced from this camera is excellent so it can be for professionals also.
Wish List: What doesn't this digital camera have that would make it better?
I wish the menu would be a littel more user friendly instead of abbreviating. Since i have never taken courses i had to read manual to find out what some of hte abbrevations meant but other than that Its an excellent camera. No flaws but then again i have never used another slr camera.
Image Samples:
i168.photobucket.com/albums/u184/brroark/Wedding017a.jpg
Remember i am a new user and still experimenting. THis picture were of two little girls that were dancing infront of the mirror Notice the focus is the girl in the background and makeing the closest girl out of focus. I love that
i168.photobucket.com/albums/u184/brroark/BrooklynPhotogra...
The color in this picture is great, NO PHOTOSHOP at all.
Recommendation:
First time users--- defiantly get htis camera. The capability of it is awesome. I would love to expand to a better lens one day bc i want to start a photography business.
Posted 20 months ago.
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Camera Make/Model: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
Features: 21.1MP Full Frame CMOS Sensor
45-point Auto-focus (19 cross-type and 26 Assist.)
63 point metering for consistent exposure results
Ability to shoot at 5 fps in RAW @ 21.1MP
Dual DigiC III processor
14-bit A/D conversion for outstanding colour depth
Magnesium + Stainless Steel chassis
More than 70 water and dust resistant seals
Takes both CF and SD cards (incl. SDHC)
100% Viewfinder coverage
3" LCD Screen with LiveView
Sensor Cleaning Unit
Overview: This is one of the best camera's that I've been lucky enough to buy. The picture quality is amazing, and thanks to 14-bit A/D the colour depth is natural. For current EOS users, this camera is slightly different to the rest. The biggest difference being the lack of the mode dial; this camera uses a button and the main dial to select shooting modes (M, Tv, Av, P and Bulb).
The build quality is unprecedented. It feels good in your hands, and you can feel the quality of manufacture.
Shooting in full frame is also a good selling point, giving a 1x effective focal length on all lenses, and with the viewfinder giving 100% coverage of the sensor, you can see everything that will appear in the image.
ISO ranges from 100-1600, although is expandable to 50-3200 via a custom function.
Canon is renowned for its Auto-focus excellence, and the speed and accuracy is evident in the 1Ds Mark III.
The 3" LCD screen gives clear clarity of images produced, and also enables to camera to show clear LiveView images. LiveView is handy, although I tend not to use it, as its more intimate with the image looking through the camera and using LV you lose the AF capability.
Exposure is extremely accurate. If you know about different types of metering settings (partial, evaluative, centre weighted, spot/multi-spot) and use them accordingly, the camera will reward you with perfectly metered, and hence exposed, shots.
The camera does tend to underexpose slightly, but this is easily overcome by seeting the exposure bias approx +0.3 or +0.7 stops.
First time users will be overwhelmed with all of the settings and operations needed for the camera. If you're new to photography and don't know what you're doing, then the results will be disappointing.
Pro's: Excellent picture quality
Easy to navigate around if familiar with the EOS system
Rugged and durable construction
Excellent build quality
Superior metering and AF
Huge range of compatible lenses and flash units
Ideal for studio or landscape photographers
Con's: Expensive
For experienced users
Amplifies cheaper, inferior optics' performance impurities; should really only use Canon's pro series of lenses (L-series)
Quite heavy (1.2kg body only), although this can be justified by the build quality and materials used
Need to have A LOT of storage for images. I currently have 2x 8GB cards in it (SanDisk Extreme IV 8GB CF and SanDisk Extreme III 8GB SDHC) which is good for about 600 shots combined!! (avg image size in RAW is 25MB)
Hard to get. The camera is very rare, and many shops that sell them have already sold out.
Doesn't perform as well in low light conditions as the Nikon D3.
If you have any questions about the camera, or any of the terminology used in this review, don't hesitate to send me a FlickR mail or anything.
Posted 20 months ago.
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