Which Digital SLR for newbie?

[pondlife]

Hi All,

I'm in the market for a digital SLR and I'm just glazing over because of the amount of choice available!

I've had Canon's in the past (I haven't had a proper camera for about 20 years tho!) and I quite like them but I don't want to limit myself.

The EOS 40D is in my price range - I'm travelling to the USA next month and will probably buy the camera there but there's lots of 'cashback' schemes going on here in the UK - do you think I'll save that much by purchasing the camera in the USA?

What do you think of the EOS 40D?

The standard lens is 17-85mm - is this good enough for portrait shots? I seem to remember 90mm is the optimal for portraits but I could be wrong?

I also like the fact that it's WiFi enabled...

Any tips or advice would be much appreciated

Cheers, p.

[thebes]

Both Canon and Nikon make really nice cameras. Consider the light levels you will be shooting at, then go to someplace like dpreview to check out comparisons of noise at those light levels, color rendition, etc. Also, decide if you want a metal skeleton in your chassis.

One thing I do not like about most kit digital lenses is that they don't offer good options for shallow Depth of Field. A 17mm at f3.5 with a 150% lens factor is about like a 24mm at f4.5-5.6 in terms of DOF. Probably you used to shoot with a 50mm at f1.4, which can offer freakily shallow DOF that is unobtainable with any kit lens. You might consider getting the kit AND an 85mmf2.8 prime or something... with digital's crop factor (some really expensive cameras ARE full frame), 85mm would be an excellent portrait lens, 135mm would be too long for most tastes, I'd prefer a 50mm prime but I shoot close and wide.

[pondlife]

Great! Thanks for the info thebes
Not sure that I understand all of what you've said but I've made a note of it and will investigate further - I would really like to play with shallow and deep depth of field so it's good info, cheers!

[paul7]

I think for a newbie the Canon D450 is a good choice or the D400 one

[pondlife]

Originally Posted by paul7

I think for a newbie the Canon D450 is a good choice or the D400 one

I did look at the D450 but I couldn't see the benefits over the D40 - looked to me like the framerate was higher on the D40?

[paul7]

If you can then buy the D40. It's a nice modell.

[pondlife]

Cheers buddy - I've been looking into it a bit more and I might be able to stretch to the D450 as long as the Dollar stays weak ...sorry!

[papagmp]

Originally Posted by thebes

Both Canon and Nikon make really nice cameras. Consider the light levels you will be shooting at, then go to someplace like dpreview to check out comparisons of noise at those light levels, color rendition, etc. Also, decide if you want a metal skeleton in your chassis.

One thing I do not like about most kit digital lenses is that they don't offer good options for shallow Depth of Field. A 17mm at f3.5 with a 150% lens factor is about like a 24mm at f4.5-5.6 in terms of DOF. Probably you used to shoot with a 50mm at f1.4, which can offer freakily shallow DOF that is unobtainable with any kit lens. You might consider getting the kit AND an 85mmf2.8 prime or something... with digital's crop factor (some really expensive cameras ARE full frame), 85mm would be an excellent portrait lens, 135mm would be too long for most tastes, I'd prefer a 50mm prime but I shoot close and wide.

Couldn't have said it better. I like my Nikor 17-35 f2.8 but I use my 28-70 f2.8 almost exclusively. I have the newer 17-55 f2.8 but it sits in the box most of the time - just like the older heavier lenses better. IMO - lenses are more critical than the camera - and I've never seen a kit come with a decent lens.

And do make sure you checkout dpreview

[pondlife]

Originally Posted by papagmp

Couldn't have said it better. I like my Nikor 17-35 f2.8 but I use my 28-70 f2.8 almost exclusively. I have the newer 17-55 f2.8 but it sits in the box most of the time - just like the older heavier lenses better. IMO - lenses are more critical than the camera - and I've never seen a kit come with a decent lens.

And do make sure you checkout dpreview

I've actually been reading dpreview today! It's a great site with really accessible information...

I'm hearing a lot about depth of view control so it will definately be a part of my purchase plan.
Thanks!

[canonfodder]

Ive been taking photograph's for 20 + years now. The advance in that time has been amazing,ive had a verity of camera's over that time my first serious camera was the olympus om10 that was a normal SLR camera ,it was solid and took great pictures,i still have the camera today and it is the camera i used many years ago when i visited the U.S for a four month tour, Ive also used a top of the range Minolta but i have to say i found it boring anyone can use it point at your target auto focus and press the button, easy to use and boring. Nowdays it is all about Digital and ive got a couple of digital camera's that i use first one is a fuji fine pics camera often use it for test pictures and general messing about pictures. The Camera of my choice is the Canon G9, it is a compact digital that takes excellent photo's and also Video. it is not bulky and has many different options that u can use if u want the easy option leave it on auto and it will do the rest for u. Or if u want to set the exposure yourself,set the shutter speed,zoom the lense in and out etc and actually work a bit on the photo u can do this and a lot more with the camera. it has many modes and can take normal everyday pictues wirh the current card i have in the camera i can take 9999 pictures at 640x480 mode 1008 pics in widescreen mode 4000x2248 M3 mode 3760 pics 1600x1200 M2 mode 1550 pics 2592x1944 M1 mode 1138 pics 3264x2448 and in the L mode 756 pics 4000x3000. and there are 3 different video modes compact mode i can video for 344 minutes standard mode 82 minutes and high resolution 32 minutes and that is not including time lapse mode etc, well i have only scratched the service of what the camera can do. but there are hundreds of camera's to choose from all different prices from £50 upto £5500 and then u have to buy the lenses etc etc. and the top top end prices can get silly unless u dont just want to make it a hobby but a business. well that is what i use in the end u have to make your own choics and decide what u want to do with the camera.

[pondlife]

Originally Posted by canonfodder

Ive been taking photograph's for 20 + years now. The advance in that time has been amazing,ive had a verity of camera's over that time my first serious camera was the olympus om10 that was a normal SLR camera ,it was solid and took great pictures,i still have the camera today and it is the camera i used many years ago when i visited the U.S for a four month tour, Ive also used a top of the range Minolta but i have to say i found it boring anyone can use it point at your target auto focus and press the button, easy to use and boring. Nowdays it is all about Digital and ive got a couple of digital camera's that i use first one is a fuji fine pics camera often use it for test pictures and general messing about pictures. The Camera of my choice is the Canon G9, it is a compact digital that takes excellent photo's and also Video. it is not bulky and has many different options that u can use if u want the easy option leave it on auto and it will do the rest for u. Or if u want to set the exposure yourself,set the shutter speed,zoom the lense in and out etc and actually work a bit on the photo u can do this and a lot more with the camera. it has many modes and can take normal everyday pictues wirh the current card i have in the camera i can take 9999 pictures at 640x480 mode 1008 pics in widescreen mode 4000x2248 M3 mode 3760 pics 1600x1200 M2 mode 1550 pics 2592x1944 M1 mode 1138 pics 3264x2448 and in the L mode 756 pics 4000x3000. and there are 3 different video modes compact mode i can video for 344 minutes standard mode 82 minutes and high resolution 32 minutes and that is not including time lapse mode etc, well i have only scratched the service of what the camera can do. but there are hundreds of camera's to choose from all different prices from £50 upto £5500 and then u have to buy the lenses etc etc. and the top top end prices can get silly unless u dont just want to make it a hobby but a business. well that is what i use in the end u have to make your own choics and decide what u want to do with the camera.

Hey CanonFodder! Thanks for taking the time to write this. There's a lot to digest - so I'll take a few minutes to read it through again to make sure I understand it

[papagmp]

Originally Posted by canonfodder

first serious camera was the olympus om10

I still have one of my original two OM-2's - I switched to the OM -10 somewhere in the late 80's but never did develop the love I had for the lighter and quieter ON-2. Oh for the good old days......

[canonfodder]

Hey Papagmp

Yes the good old day's !!! putting a roll of film into the camera feeding it through then setting the film speed 100,200,400 etc. Nowdays its turn the camera on and thats it. It is brilliant looking at it the advancement in picture tecnology cant wait for the next envancement to come along.

Canon