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Thread ID: 65402	2006-01-17 03:31:00	Camera/photography forums?	Beemer (6956)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
421770	2006-01-17 03:31:00	I'm about to spend some hard-earned (well, sold one of my bikes!) cash on a pro-digital camera and wondered if anyone knew of any forums where pros and cons of different models are discussed? I have been into a few camera shops (none local as we only have one and they don't really stock the expensive stuff!) but came out feeling more confused than before I went in. I like the Nikon D2X and I was considering the Nikon D70 or Canon EOS 20D but neither felt comfortable when I had a closer look. Now the EOS 5D is coming down in price and could be a viable option. All get rave reviews, but can anyone point me in the direction of some unbiased advice - or has anyone here got one of these models and can give me some idea of whether it's any good or not?	Beemer (6956)
421771	2006-01-17 04:35:00	www.dpreviews.com If you want pple to talk about it then, www.nikonians.org, www.photo.net and also dpreview.com I will warn you thou, asking these comparison questions you will get flamed. If you can't see a Nikon D2x or a Canoin 5D then go to a real camera store, like Photo Warehouse, Wellington Photographic Supplies etc. They will sure have one for display. Or in Chc, Photo Video. www.photowarehouse.co.nz, www.wps.net.nz, www.photo.co.nz. There is alos a new D200 as well. In terms of ergonomics you really have to try out before handing over thousands of dollars. Your call. One brand or model may work with one person and not another person. Other than that the quality while is not exactly 100% the same they are really the same, you are not gonna compare them side by side zoomed into each other. Ergo, menu or brand loyaly will more than govern what you decide on. If you are getting a pro body like over 8 megapixels then it pays to have good lenses. Cheap or even medium quality lenses will show in these ultra high megapixel cameras. You mentioned Canon and Nikon so I assume you currently do not have any equipement to either brand. So firstly you need to decide how much you wanna spend. The pro bodies with exception to D200 which is really prosumer do not have a builtin flash unit so you need a external flash unit as well for a couple hundred dollars. Maybe tripod and ballhead and maybe a cable release cable to trip the camera with bumping? Maybe a polariser filter? Memory card, these cameras I say 1GB at least for 6MP cam, for the others get a 2GB card. For these pro bodies I would get a fast card 80x write speed at least. I have a D70, haha, I am not that well off. I intend to get a second hand D2h thou in the future. I also have a F100. I think thou due to prices and that digi is as good as its now, there is not a real need to keep getting the lastest camera since they can compete with professional 35mm film. My future is then go with film of medium format or large format. Digital SLRs can't match that. Period. Also think about how you gonna edit the photo's. A capable comptuer. Capable software that maybe required in addition to the camera software. If you travel outside often maybe a portable HDD is good. If you are using such a camera you should have a monitor color calibrator so you rid color cast off your screen and calibrate your printer as well so your prints are matched. Pple say, digital is cheaper but don't recognise these costs. Sure you can avoid these but you should get a color shift in the prints. Possibly not impt for the avg person but you are investing quite some money in your camera. If you print commercially you can too scan the lab's prints to calibrate, there are also some labs that make a download file for their calibrated printer.	Nomad (952)
421772	2006-01-17 04:52:00	You a journalist, a good lens is a zooms for you. For Nikon. That is a 17-55 DX f/2.8 and a telephoeo 70-200/2.8 with VR support vibration reduction. Each are about $3000. If you need to go wide there is the 12-24 about $2000 I think. Flash a SB800 $600 or $700. Tripod generally $800 thou the sky is the limit, PJ would require something light and sturdy. Think carbon fiber materials for that. Polariser, $200-300 for one. Even a D2x or a 5D that is really the min cost. Being a PJ you would prob want fast lenses or professional lenses at the f/2.8 marks than the consumer or hobbyist lenses at the cheaper price. Those are generally f/3.5-4.5 or f/4.5-6.6 If you go with Canon it is v similar prices again. For 5D its even more crucial to get top lenses it uses the full frame of the lens, while the Nikon uses 2/3 of it. The weakness of the lens is always the outer edges. Canon lenses are "L" lenses. L means Pro basically. Those white lenses on TV. For a job a cheap D70/200 is also good as backup. Esp your main camera breaks. My D70 needed service on 2x occasions. Not sure who handles your print jobs so I leave that one out. And the calibrations.	Nomad (952)
421773	2006-01-17 05:40:00	here (www.digitalcamerainfo.com)	plod (107)
421774	2006-01-17 06:13:00	And ... http://www.dpreview.com/	Cicero (40)
421775	2006-01-17 06:13:00	iStockphoto (http://www.istockphoto.com) has forums. :)	maccrazy (6741)
421776	2006-01-17 06:38:00	I belong to this one, its a msn site, but people post and chat about anything and everything photograpy, camera wise, its american but they have people from all over the world as memebers, including a few from little NZ . . msn . com/Asktheoleproaboutphotography/homepage1 . msnw" target="_blank">groups . msn . com im not sure if you want a site to look at and join or a camera breakdown site of whats good and whats bad? :waughh: but i do like this site, it does a few of mine, but alas not as beetle cos it was taken . . . :p enjoy beetle	beetle (243)
421777	2006-01-17 09:49:00	Thanks for all your advice and links, and sorry for not explaining myself better! I am a photographer as well as a journalist and have a Nikon F5 film camera (I wrecked two F90X models before that) at present and a Nikon 5700 digital, plus 24-120mm and 75-300mm Nikon zooms, a good tripod and also a monopod, as well as filters, cable release, etc, so I am not a total novice when it comes to cameras. I will need a new flash unit as mine isn't so good with digital. I will be buying the new digital from WPS as I have bought all my gear there in the past. What I am looking for is anyone who has used these cameras other than in a test or review situation. The 5700 is a good camera quality-wise, but very slow to capture data, and it has a fixed (although good) lens. As I want to buy new digital lenses (a wide zoom - say 17-55mm and a telephoto) to go with the camera, it doesn't really make much difference whether I buy Nikon or Canon. I've used both before, but tend to like the Nikon better for layout of controls, etc. I've held a 20D but didn't like the feel of it, and I want something a bit more rugged than the D70. Unfortunately I only know people with either a 20D or a 350D so I really want to hear what the Nikon models are like. I was steered towards a D2H (I think?) but it was only about four mega pixels from memory (the 5700 is eight) and I want something a bit better than that. I've read heaps of reviews but I am no closer to making a decision! I basically want a camera that is as good as the F5 but digital. I'll probably be looking at spending about $8000 plus whatever I get for trading in a few things.	Beemer (6956)
421778	2006-01-17 10:13:00	If ya used Nikon before then get Nikon again I say . A journalist the D2h should be plenty, you are not doing fine art photography . Or the Canon 1D Mark II is good too but at 8MP I think . These ones goes at 8 frps . Like your F5 . The others only do 5 fps . WPS is v v expensive . Take a look at www . photo . co . nz A lens can be so expensive at WPS $4k vs $3k . They don't even advertise pro bodies digital SLRs online . Nor all the films . Their F100 were like $3k I think new or $2k used . Sheez . I buy all my stuff from the USA or go to HKG and get in person . I go to WPS to have a go at their sales pple and get my finger marks on their goods . I don't use their labs anymore, they kinda dull colors and dark . In Welly I go to www . imagelab . co . nz, if you looking for a equal lab www . pcl . co . nz is the better ones looks like but they only in AKL but they do, do mailorders . I think D200 is also a contender thou . If you want a digital F5 then its a D2h or D2x period . Thou the D2x is only 5fps unless you use the sport mode which crops your viewfinder . Your viewfinder is therefore made smaller but you get the lenses 2x than 1 . 5x and it goes 8fps at 6MP . By itself at 1 . 5x focal length its 14MP at 5fps . D2h/x will provide the similar layout, feel, size, AF module thou its more advanced CAM 2000 . But D2h does differ to D2x with 8fps vs 5 fps (D2x) . If your requirement is better than 8 megapixels and to be like a F5 . Then the ONLY solution is a D2x . There is no digital tele lens for Nikon . Its a traditional 70-200/2 . 8 AFS VR that can be used with film bodies .	Nomad (952)
421779	2006-01-17 10:18:00	Try......Wet Canvas...... my Missus is into amateur photography & gets a lot of help on that forum Cannot give you the URL at the moment but I am sure Google will find it. PJ	Poppa John (284)
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