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daesup45

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 1, 2008
59
0
o ok i was thinking about getting a d40 or d60 but everyone who had that upgraded and for me i would like a camera that i will get and not upgrade unless it breaks. so i have been looking into canon xsi because d90 is expensive and the new panasonic g1. is g1 even worth it
 

toxic

macrumors 68000
Nov 9, 2008
1,664
1
o ok i was thinking about getting a d40 or d60 but everyone who had that upgraded and for me i would like a camera that i will get and not upgrade unless it breaks. so i have been looking into canon xsi because d90 is expensive and the new panasonic g1. is g1 even worth it

G1 has an electronic viewfinder, rather than an optical one. if that matters to you. other than that, Panasonic has a very poor lens selection.

as for the other options, look at the Canon XS and Olympus E420, though you've yet to give us a budget and if you still want something close to p&s size.
 

toxic

macrumors 68000
Nov 9, 2008
1,664
1

leighonigar

macrumors 6502a
May 5, 2007
908
1
for you, i don't see why not. it's small, and even if it has the worse noise handling of any SLR (i dunno if is), it's still better than any p&s available.

Indeed, Olympus are really quite good. And their lens offerings at reasonable prices have made me wish I didn't have an F mount camera more than a few times. Whoever told the OP to 'avoid Olympus' was acting in ignorance.

id i get the used xsi which lens should i get

What for? I guess you should start with the 18-55 IS and then decide if you need anything else.
 

lewchenko

macrumors 6502
Jun 8, 2004
418
636
Im going to say take a hard look at the Panasonic G1.

It has a four thirds sensor system which gives it the quality of an DSLR camera, but without the size. (It replaces the reflective mirror in the DSLR's with an electonic viewfinder).This means its also really compact too.

So you have a compact camera with DSLR quality.It also has a really high def pull out/twist LCD on the back, plus a electronic viewfinder that can give you previews of the scene modes etc. Something a DSLR cannot do.

Go check out the review on dpreview.com. It comes highly rated. It may have less lenses available for it than the traditional crowd, but the lenses that are available are high quality.

I am currently considering this camera as DSLR's are too bulky, and compacts suffer from far too much shutter lag.

Here is a pro/con list from someone who reviewed it on amazon :

This camera is well suitable for:
1) Enthusiasts currently using bridge/compacts who are looking to upgrade to a camera with better fexibility, resolution and image quality.
2) DSLR users who find having a full DSLR kit (lenses and camera) too bulky and heavy to go around, but do not want to compromise on quality.
3) Entry-level DSLR users who have few lenses and can easily afford to swap over to the M4/3 format.
4) Travellers (I am one).
5) People looking at DSLR alternatives and would not care to buy 1000 quid lenses, but rather stick with VERY GOOD kit lenses that would cover the range of everyday needs.

This is definitely not for:
1) Professional DSLR users or pixel-peepers with a huge selection of top-class(expensive) lenses.
2) Stubborn people who cannot accept a modern format but rather, stick with a 60-year old technology. DSLR snobs, in short.
3) People who regularly prints at >A3 sizes.
4) People with gorilla-sized hands.
5) people who also want to use their camera for Video as well as photos (no video mode).
 

147798

Suspended
Dec 29, 2007
1,047
219
id i get the used xsi which lens should i get

If you are completely a newbie, don't get the G10 or LX3, but rather the Panasonic TZ5. Canon also used to make a great series of A cameras for beginners, but the A series has really declined now.

If you insist on a DSLR, you could get the Olympus 520 and be quite happy, but Canons are more common and perfectly great for a beginner (I have a Canon). A good set for a beginner would be the Canon XS or XSi, with the kit lens (18-55IS) and also the 55-250IS for telephoto. You could also save some money if you got a used Canon XT or XTi. There are reasons to get an XSi, but as a newbie, those reasons will not really be important to you until you get some experience.

Lots of people have very valid reasons for one camera over the other, but as a newbie, you will not be able to understand the differences until you go out and get a camera and start taking pictures! So, just get one and start, and you can learn the rest (and then spend money like water, like the rest of us) :)
 

147798

Suspended
Dec 29, 2007
1,047
219

147798

Suspended
Dec 29, 2007
1,047
219
Im going to say take a hard look at the Panasonic G1.

It has a four thirds sensor system which gives it the quality of an DSLR camera, but without the size. (It replaces the reflective mirror in the DSLR's with an electonic viewfinder).This means its also really compact too.

So you have a compact camera with DSLR quality.It also has a really high def pull out/twist LCD on the back, plus a electronic viewfinder that can give you previews of the scene modes etc. Something a DSLR cannot do.

Go check out the review on dpreview.com. It comes highly rated. It may have less lenses available for it than the traditional crowd, but the lenses that are available are high quality.

I am currently considering this camera as DSLR's are too bulky, and compacts suffer from far too much shutter lag.

Here is a pro/con list from someone who reviewed it on amazon :

This camera is well suitable for:
1) Enthusiasts currently using bridge/compacts who are looking to upgrade to a camera with better fexibility, resolution and image quality.
2) DSLR users who find having a full DSLR kit (lenses and camera) too bulky and heavy to go around, but do not want to compromise on quality.
3) Entry-level DSLR users who have few lenses and can easily afford to swap over to the M4/3 format.
4) Travellers (I am one).
5) People looking at DSLR alternatives and would not care to buy 1000 quid lenses, but rather stick with VERY GOOD kit lenses that would cover the range of everyday needs.

This is definitely not for:
1) Professional DSLR users or pixel-peepers with a huge selection of top-class(expensive) lenses.
2) Stubborn people who cannot accept a modern format but rather, stick with a 60-year old technology. DSLR snobs, in short.
3) People who regularly prints at >A3 sizes.
4) People with gorilla-sized hands.
5) people who also want to use their camera for Video as well as photos (no video mode).

This is pretty inflamatory. The G1 is not for people stuck w/60 year old technology? How about the G1 is not for people who want to shoot fast action, because the high ISO is junk, and the EVF is not responsive enough. I am all for getting the G1 if it solves these issues.

Or, how about the G1 is only for weak-armed people who can't hold up an extra 100g.

The G1, by the way, doesn't have video. The new one does (GH1?) and what is that -- like $1500 with lens?!?!? I don't need video in my DSLR that badly!

I'm not dissing the G1, just your characterization of who would want it. I actually want to like it, but it's just not a good fit for my purposes -- whether you think it's because I've got gorilla hands and am stuck in the past is your hang-up, not mine.
 

147798

Suspended
Dec 29, 2007
1,047
219
has anyone ever bought anything from this site http://www.prophotonation.com/cart.html
the cameras are mad cheap

Looking at that site -- $249 for an XSi is nothing but a scam. These places get you to place an order, then call you bag to hard-sell you for a battery and other basic equipment. Then, when you refuse you may or may not get your money back. Check resellerratings.com, but I've got to think they are a scam house.
 

daesup45

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 1, 2008
59
0
if i was going to get a camera that size then i would rather get a dslr and in the long run i think it will be more beneficial to me. i am looking for a i guess a beginners dslr and i hoping to get the right one so i dont have to upgrade the camera other then the lens. like d40 or 60 people get it and upgrade it but i want a one time buy and keep it until it dies. i was thinking about canon xsi or nikon d80 but it seems a bit old. and is live view a good thing, and i heard people complain about the AF on the xsi
 

toxic

macrumors 68000
Nov 9, 2008
1,664
1
there will always be something to complain about. as for keeping it for a few years, the XSi will do fine. there's nothing groundbreaking between the original Digital Rebel and the XSi (3 generations later), and there's no reason to think there will be in future versions.

buy the XSi with the 18-55 IS kits lens and a 55-250 IS. those two lenses will cover just about everything. outdoors, anyway. inside you'll need a flash, but that's for another day.
 

gkarris

macrumors G3
Dec 31, 2004
8,301
1,061
"No escape from Reality...”
some people told me not to touch Olympus

Really? :rolleyes:

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/7274634/

Found my E-420 body new, free shipping, and USA warranty for $321. :eek:

You can probably get a lot of 4/3 lenses used with people switching to other manufacturers...

Suggest you consider this...... http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=144&modelid=17630 .

Is as close to a DSLR as you will get. My wife has this and shoots incredible photo's.

Yes, definitely. If you HAVE TO go P&S, Canon is definitely the best ones out of the many I have used or have seen my friend's have.

there will always be something to complain about. as for keeping it for a few years, the XSi will do fine. there's nothing groundbreaking between the original Digital Rebel and the XSi (3 generations later), and there's no reason to think there will be in future versions.

buy the XSi with the 18-55 IS kits lens and a 55-250 IS. those two lenses will cover just about everything. outdoors, anyway. inside you'll need a flash, but that's for another day.

I love Canon also, and just scored an awesome deal on a used 20D... :D

Canon makes great cameras too. From the cheapest P&S I have for work, to this 20D I tried out briefly today - great pics!
 

Abstract

macrumors Penryn
Dec 27, 2002
24,870
902
Location Location Location

Not to be a "DSLR snob", but the experience of using an electronic viewfinder was horrible. I don't know if we'll have to wait for OLED displays to be super-cheap to be able to make a decent EVF, but I'm willing to wait for something that doesn't suck.

That, and in your hand, the Olympus E-420 isn't much bigger. There's very little visible difference between them. I'm certain that the E-420 is a bit longer, and just slightly thicker, but with the 25 mm f/2.8 lens, it was far smaller than the Panny G1 with a kit lens. Anyway, once you get into this size range, it doesn't really matter. Neither are small enough to fit into a pair of jeans, but both are probably small enough to fit into some jacket pocket, particularly the Oly E-420 with 25 mm f/2.8 lens.
 
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