finally switching from 35mm...

[wmmk]

i've had a great time in the darkroom. a great time with B&W negatives. i've had a great time with my old nikon 35mm SLR. it's time to go digital. i need to keep everything well under $1000 if possible. all i want is 6 MP, a nice all purpose lense (i'll want to get a decent macro and telephoto a year or two down the line), manual aperture settings, manual shutter speed settings, manual zoom. i want to get a good blend of affordability and quality. what's the cheapest i can go for a camera that meets all of my requirements and will last me for 5-10 years?

EDIT: i also want something that will make sense to a person used to 35mm cameras, like me.

 

[atari1356]

i've had a great time in the darkroom. a great time with B&W negatives. i've had a great time with my old nikon 35mm SLR. it's time to go digital. i need to keep everything well under $1000 if possible. all i want is 6 MP, a nice all purpose lense (i'll want to get a decent macro and telephoto a year or two down the line), manual aperture settings, manual shutter speed settings, manual zoom. i want to get a good blend of affordability and quality. what's the cheapest i can go for a camera that meets all of my requirements and will last me for 5-10 years?

EDIT: i also want something that will make sense to a person used to 35mm cameras, like me.

If you already have Nikon lenses from your SLR, then I'm pretty sure you can use them on a Nikon Digital SLR (although with older lenses you may have to focus manually, or lose other features).

There's some info here (or do a Google search for "nikon lens compatibility"):
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/nikortek.htm

The Nikon DSLR's in your price range would be (prices from amazon.com):
D50 - around $550 for just the body... or $650 with 18-55mm lens
D70s - around $700 for the body... or $875 with 18-70mm lens
D80 - around $1000 for the body

Here's a comparison of the three camera's specs with links to some more info.

Or, Canon also makes great DSLR cameras... the just announced 400D comes in at $800 (no lens) or $900 (18-55mm lens):
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0608/06082416canoneos400drebelxti.asp

 

[wmmk]

are there any canons in the range of the nikon D50? i will have to buy my own lense as the camera i am currently is actually my grandma's, and though she let's me use it, i'm pretty sure she wold like her lenses getting swapped around to other cameras. part of the reason I'm in the market for a camera is that she's thinking about getting back into photography herself, and probably will need the nikon back.
are there any other respectable but reasonably priced DSLR manufacturer's?

 

[balofagus]

Have a look at Pentax. They just released a new model -- the K100D. It incorporates Shake Reduction technology in the body meaning it is available for any lens. The K100D is 6mp and when paired with the 18-55mm kit lens it costs $629.95 (shop around, I bought mine up here in Canada so I don't now what it's going for elsewhere.

This camera is compatible with EVERY lens made for Pentax SLR cameras...ever. You will of course need an adaptor for the old screw mount types and will lose some functionality with the older K-Mounts but these old lenses can be found aplenty on sites like eBay. Pentax is not an obscure little company, they have been making cameras for a very long time...they just lagged a bit coming into the digital era.

Whatever your choice is, good luck!

Sean B

 

[Abstract]

I'd stick with Nikon.


If you're just going after a good everyday lens, the 18-70 mm lens that comes with the D70s kit is supposed to be very good.

If you get a Canon, try getting a 20D. The 350D is much smaller and lighter than what you're likely used to. Sounds great, but I don't find this necessarily attractive in a camera. However, some people do, so you'll need to go to a store and hold all the cameras first.

The Pentax K100D is a lot of bang for your buck. I'm sure they have great lenses, and Pentax camera bodies are supposed to be fantastic, but since they're not as big in digital photography as Canon or Nikon, it's going to be a bit harder to find Pentax lenses. However, you can always get 3rd party lenses from Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina. They make lenses with the K-mount as well, so it's usually easy to find lenses for your Pentax from these companies. Some of the lenses they offer are just as good, slightly worse, or even slightly better than what Canon and Nikon has to offer (they are usually a tad slower at focusing, though ).

Oh, and while you can use older lenses on digital bodies, I don't think they're supposed to be as good for digital because some of the light reflects off the sensor, then reflects off the inside face of the lens glass, and then back towards the sensor, which means you'll likely get lower contrast or something. Wait, is it contrast that goes down because of stuff like that? My Medical Imaging professor would kill me if he found out I couldn't figure it out.

 

[wmmk]

hmmmm...
i've done some research, and here's what I've found.
cameras in my price range:
canon digital rebel XT
nikon D50
Olympus Evolt E-500
Olympus E-1
Fujifilm FinePix S9000
Pentax K100D
Pentax K110D
Pentax *ist DL

which of these is going to last longest? which will have the best lenses available for reasonable prices?

 

[wmmk]

by the way, what is the difference between the 3 pentax cams? they're all 6.0 MP, and the pentax site doesn't go into much, if any, detail about the differences between the cameras. im assuming that the K100D is the nicest, as it costs $100 more than the two others. at the moment, i think that the cameras which I'm looking most seriously at are the 3 pentax models and the D50. if i hear enough good things about it, i may bring the rebel xt back into serious consideration.

 

[extraextra]

hmmmm...
i've done some research, and here's what I've found.
cameras in my price range:
canon digital rebel XT
nikon D50
Olympus Evolt E-500
Olympus E-1
Fujifilm FinePix S9000
Pentax K100D
Pentax K110D
Pentax *ist DL

which of these is going to last longest? which will have the best lenses available for reasonable prices?

I think they'll all last the same amount of time. I'm not sure what the shutter life is for the others, the XT has been quoted as anywhere between 50,000-100,000. The XTi has been officially quoted as 100,000, so I don't think the XT is too far below it (if at all).

You can check dpreview.com for comparasions between cameras, (they have a nifty "side-by-side" feature where you can see how one camera compares to the other). The K100D and K110D are the same camera, aren't they? It might be a regional thing or something, I have no idea.

Try not to get cheap lenses, they generally have poorer image quality (there are exceptions like the Canon 50mm f/1.8)). There are numerous 3rd party lenses like the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 and Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8 which for around $300 make a great lens (and a great kit lens replacement). They have really good image quality and the large aperture is a nice bonus. I don't know much about Olympus and Pentax, but Canon and Nikon have a wide array of lenses at comparable prices. I THINK Canon lenses may be a few dollars cheaper overall, but I'm not sure.

 

[balofagus]

There is a difference between the three Pentax cameras. The *istDL is the previous model, its on sale at a lot of places so as to clear room for the new K series. The K100D and K110D are similar but harbor one major difference. The K100D has Shake Reduction technology incorporated into the body of the camera allowing it to be used on all lenses (no need for Image Stabilized lenses). This feature is debated, some say that with the IS in the lenses, image quality is higher but when incorprated with the body, lenses are cheaper. The K110D does NOT have the SR feature. All three cameras share the same image sensor but the new K series has a better JPEG processor and other features and upgrades.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, before the K100D and K110D, there was the *istDS and the *istDL (stupid names, who knows what they were thinking). The DL is the lower quality of the two with a different focusing system and less features. The DL used penta-mirror and the DS used penta-prism however the better penta-prism system isn't found in either of the new ones. There are rumors that this feature is being saved for Pentaxs next camera (name rumored as K10D) which will have a new 10mp sensor and will be released sometime in September. There are even more vague rumors of an even higher quality camera (read: K1D) but I don't know much about it.

Abstract, I haven't read about this problem with the older lenses. I hope it doesn't cause much harm because my mom's 20 year old SMC Pentax-M 1:2 50mm take such nice pictures and I just love using it. Would this sort of problem not be warned about? All Pentax websites say the camera is "compatible with any Pentax lens ever made"; it mustn't be such a huge problem...or is it?

EDIT #2: This site has better information about the K100D and K110D as well as the lenses developed specifically for the digital bodies if you want to read some more about them

 

[milozauckerman]

The K110D has a built-in anti-shake function that the K100D is lacking.

Personally, I would look for a used D70 or D70s (or the Canon equivalent) on the market - a bit sturdier and more fully-featured than the Rebel or D50, meets your megapixel demands.

 

[bousozoku]

Ask again about the middle of the month. Photokina in Köln is the photographic show and will have all sorts of new equipment.

Since you don't really have a camera or legacy, you have many possible choices.

 

[wmmk]

Ask again about the middle of the month. Photokina in Köln is the photographic show and will have all sorts of new equipment.

Since you don't really have a camera or legacy, you have many possible choices.

true. i mean, i have a camera, i just don't own it
will prices on the D70 and 'canon equivalent' be lowered?

milozauckerman, i believe you mean the K100D has a built in anti shake feature that the the K110D is lacking. do you think that the pentax cams are as good as a D70 or at least comprable?

 

[milozauckerman]

They gave the higher number to the lesser model? Wacky.

I couldn't really say as to quality. The D70/D70s is nice enough for a mid-level DSLR but I haven't looked at a Pentax autofocus SLR (digital or film) in years.

 

[bousozoku]

true. i mean, i have a camera, i just don't own it
will prices on the D70 and 'canon equivalent' be lowered?

milozauckerman, i believe you mean the K100D has a built in anti shake feature that the the K110D is lacking. do you think that the pentax cams are as good as a D70 or at least comprable?

If you have to give it back, you don't have a camera.

I'd suggest that you go with something other than Canon or Nikon but the majority of people here will drone it out that those are the only two choices you have.

Even Sigma is about to introduce a new camera, though theirs takes a little more work than others since the current cameras don't do JPEGs at all.

When I bought my Olympus E-1, I was looking at:

Olympus
Pentax
Nikon
and anything else that was reasonable at that time, in that order.

Nothing much has changed, even though everything with technology has changed.

 

[Abstract]

I'd wait until Photokina, and maybe for the new Sigma model to arrive, along with official tests with the Canon 400D. There may even be a new D50 replacement coming soon. Since major camera updates don't happen as often as computer updates, I'd likely wait for at least Photokina, and for the 400D and Sigma cameras to appear.

And while I did recommend that you stick with Nikon, Olympus, Canon, and Pentax all make good cameras, and you'll get great photos from all of them.

 

[imnotatfault]

Also check http://www.nikonusa.com for potential camera rebates. The D50 & D70 kits almost always have some mail-in rebates to save you anywhere from $50-$200+ depending on packages/lenses.

 

[wmmk]

i just went to ritz camera, and the guy said that the pentax K100D is a great camera, but pentax is in danger of going out of business in the next 10 years, whereas canon and nikon will be around forever, so getting a pentax may mean never being able to upgrade lenses after a certain period of time. he also said that canon and nikon have a better selection of flashes and lenses. is this true?

 

[imnotatfault]

well i'm not sure if that's 100% true or not, but it's a possibility.

However... There are adapter mounts available to use different brand lenses on your camera. Also trust that all lenses you need minus technical upgrades as far as focus speed, etc. are already available.

Do I think that Pentax is the best? No. Do I think you should stay away from that camera if it seems appealing to you? No.

Just do some research. 10 years is also not that bad of a time. We're not talking about analog. Digital, just like computers and cell phones and everything else, has a lifespan and will eventually need to be updated with a newer product at some point.

Not the exact answer you were looking for, I know, but hopefully it helps somewhat.

 

[ChrisA]

i've had a great time in the darkroom. a great time with B&W negatives. i've had a great time with my old nikon 35mm SLR. it's time to go digital. i need to keep everything well under $1000 if possible. all i want is 6 MP, a nice all purpose lense (i'll want to get a decent macro and telephoto a year or two down the line), manual aperture settings, manual shutter speed settings, manual zoom. i want to get a good blend of affordability and quality. what's the cheapest i can go for a camera that meets all of my requirements and will last me for 5-10 years?

EDIT: i also want something that will make sense to a person used to 35mm cameras, like me.

The Nikon D50 exactly mathes your requirements. It has the same "feel" is a late model Nikon film camera. If you old Nikon is an autofocus camera with AF lenses then those lenses will fit the D50.

If you lenses are older manual focus then you MAY want to look at the D200 or for a used D100. Those camera will meter couple with the older lenses. The D50 will mount the older lenses but the meter will not functon.

Nikon has made the transition from Ffilm SLR the digital SRL fairly painless.

 

[bousozoku]

i just went to ritz camera, and the guy said that the pentax K100D is a great camera, but pentax is in danger of going out of business in the next 10 years, whereas canon and nikon will be around forever, so getting a pentax may mean never being able to upgrade lenses after a certain period of time. he also said that canon and nikon have a better selection of flashes and lenses. is this true?

Anything is possible. Only having 27 years of K-mount lenses is really limiting, I'm sure.

 

[Silentwave]

The Nikon D50 exactly mathes your requirements. It has the same "feel" is a late model Nikon film camera. If you old Nikon is an autofocus camera with AF lenses then those lenses will fit the D50.

If you lenses are older manual focus then you MAY want to look at the D200 or for a used D100. Those camera will meter couple with the older lenses. The D50 will mount the older lenses but the meter will not functon.

Nikon has made the transition from Ffilm SLR the digital SRL fairly painless.

The D100 does not meter with manual focus lenses.

The D1, D1H, D1X, D2H, D2Hs, D200, D2X, and D2Xs are the Nikon Digital SLR cameras that meter with manual focus lenses.

 

[balofagus]

I also read about "Pentax dieing in 10 years". They've been around for a long time already and have a deal with Samsung that will keep them in the game that long at least so I decided to "risk it." As bousozoku said, you've got almost 30 years of lenses that are compatible without any adaptor or alerations. If you'd like to take a look at all these lenses check out http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/. It's sort of confusing to navigate but well worth it.

Also, I did some research on what Abstract said about the use of older lenses. It appears that the most major problem this will cause is lens flare. Now, this can be quite a nuisance so I asked around on another forum I frequent and from all the replies I got I compiled that out of around a combined 50 000 exposures from different people, under 10 had noticeable flare.

 

[ChrisA]

I asked around on another forum I frequent and from all the replies I got I compiled that out of around a combined 50 000 exposures from different people, under 10 had noticeable flare.

I think Nikon is the only other company that allows you to stil use all those older lenses they made over the last 50 years. When people ask me if those older Nikon lenses are any good I just tell then to pick up a 1960's or 1970's copy of National Geographic. Almost ALL of those images where shot with 60's or 70's vintage Nikon glass.

If you have doubts about lenses from the 1930's go look at Ed. Westin's work.

I have a ziess lens with Exacta mount. It is a 55mm f/1.4 made in East Germany (before it was called that, the lens is stammped "Made in USSR Ocupied Germany") It iwas made in the early 50's and is still very sharp although you can get it to flair if you point it into the sun. I'm told the lens as very expensive in it's day. Sometimes it's fun shooting with the antique 35mm SLR.

 

[wmmk]

Anything is possible. Only having 27 years of K-mount lenses is really limiting, I'm sure.

LOL. good point. this guy was just saying you can't get new lenses when a company is out of business. then again, based on this this thread, old lenses are just as good as new ones. still, are pentax lenses and flashes up to the quality of nikon and canon lenses and flashes or at least close?

 

[bousozoku]

LOL. good point. this guy was just saying you can't get new lenses when a company is out of business. then again, based on this this thread, old lenses are just as good as new ones. still, are pentax lenses and flashes up to the quality of nikon and canon lenses and flashes or at least close?

Pentax really never have had a double standard as Canon and Nikon do--they never made budget lenses. kwajo.com can tell you a lot more with his constant real life experience.

How many times has Apple been going out of business? It's certainly possible that if everyone believed that Apple was going out of business (including the Mac-o-lytes) then Apple would not have any sales and would go out of business.

Obviously, people would use Minolta as an example of smaller camera makers leaving the SLR field. Minolta was never a great camera company. They didn't aspire to do anything but sell cameras. They put together inexpensive parts and sold their cameras for less but they never went after the professional market and never went after excellence the way Pentax did.