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Digital camera HELP..........


jbctown

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One thing you'll want to consider is the viewfinder. Or, how you get to frame up your shots. Our cameras have lost their viewfinders! Their all gone, replaced with LCD screens and LCD eye finders. Everybody holds their camera out in front of them and tries to line up a shot. Trouble is, its always washed out and everything is so small extended from your eye like that. If you want to get better photographs, you have to compose better pictures. A DSLR has a real live 'Through The Lens" viewfinder. When you look in there it's like looking at your image on a wall sized plasma screen. You're actually looking through the taking lens to compose the shot.

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It sounded like he was looking for a great P&S rather than the SLR's he was listing off.

Very true but I dont want to buy a new camera ever time I want to upgrade. I would rather buy a camera and be able to grow with it. If I spend 700-1000 for a camera in 2 years I dont want to get a new one.

Edited by jbctown
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Made my order today, returning an old Canon RebelG (35mm) for a Rebel XS... camera, shipping and tax came to $400...

I basically got $200 for my old film camera!

I just got a Rebel XS about 3 weeks ago. My point and shoot was either lost or stolen, not sure which, and I felt inspired to upgrade to an entry level DSLR. Loving it so far, but I really need to learn more about the manual operations.

Speaking of which..... can anyone recommend a good book that will teach me that kind of stuff? I'm hoping that there is something that is not too technical but still informative.

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I just got a Rebel XS about 3 weeks ago. My point and shoot was either lost or stolen, not sure which, and I felt inspired to upgrade to an entry level DSLR. Loving it so far, but I really need to learn more about the manual operations.

Speaking of which..... can anyone recommend a good book that will teach me that kind of stuff? I'm hoping that there is something that is not too technical but still informative.

Yes but I can't remember the name of it or the author.... :D I will let you know when I get home. Or ask fusion b/c ge is the one who reconended it to me.

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I just got a Rebel XS about 3 weeks ago. My point and shoot was either lost or stolen, not sure which, and I felt inspired to upgrade to an entry level DSLR. Loving it so far, but I really need to learn more about the manual operations.

Speaking of which..... can anyone recommend a good book that will teach me that kind of stuff? I'm hoping that there is something that is not too technical but still informative.

http://www.amazon.com/Photography-Dummies-Russell-Hart/dp/0764550659

They always make really good books, I can dig through our books and see if I have anything left from my photography courses but I doubt there will be really good information.

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Do a bit of searching on teh internetz.... the basics never change, you basically want to know.

Shutter speed and it's effects on motion and detail

Aperture and it's effects on light

How shutter speed and aperture work together

ISO differences

Those 4 subjects will get you a good way into the basics.

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just called canon... will be trading my rebel for a rebel xs for 350

Digital Rebel, or film Rebel?

Opps, I see it now, I didn't read all the way through.... :nono:

I think I gave the Typing Cat grief over that one day, and now I FAIL..... :lol:

Edited by jporter12
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Digital Rebel, or film Rebel?

Opps, I see it now, I didn't read all the way through.... :nono:

I think I gave the Typing Cat grief over that one day, and now I FAIL..... :lol:

You know what they say, a million monkeys on a million typewriters... or 1 cat at a keyboard.

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I'm trying to figure out if jbc ever got the answer he was looking for in this thread :lol:

Yes but I can't remember the name of it or the author.... :D I will let you know when I get home. Or ask fusion b/c ge is the one who reconended it to me.

Understand Exposure by Bryan Peterson. One of the best books you can pick up when new to photography.

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Aperture and it's effects on light

And it's effects on DoF.

For the OP. If you are still here reading our blather and still camera shopping I suggest the website below to do camera comparisons. Very nice database, you can compare models side by side. Tons of reviews. Narrow it down to two or three then go to the store and see which one feels best in your hands.

http://www.dpreview.com/

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And it's effects on DoF.

For the OP. If you are still here reading our blather and still camera shopping I suggest the website below to do camera comparisons. Very nice database, you can compare models side by side. Tons of reviews. Narrow it down to two or three then go to the store and see which one feels best in your hands.

http://www.dpreview.com/

This man speaks the truth

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Nikon D40x

Sorry Zach- I shoot Nikon professionally- and would not suggest that over the others mentioned. The Canon 50D is a different creature altogether, with a magnesium alloy body and a 15mp sensor. The 40D is certainly worth a look too, as it's price dropped with the addition of the 50D. Same metal body, but the ISO isn't as high and the sensor is 10mp.

The Olympus is a niche camera, with limited lens and accessory options. Nothing near Canon or Nikon. Pros stick with the big two for a reason.

The D5000 finally addressed my issue with the D40, D40X, and D60. A three point autofocus system. Any photographer knows the rule of thirds, and this focusing system totally ignores the four major compositional focusing points. Complete fail. The D5000 steps up and has 11 point autofocus. Much better, plus you might be able to use the HD video on it. For me, the video and tilt screen don't mean much, but you be the judge there.

www.dpreview.com is the best unbiased source of information there is.

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Which body did you have?

Canon 10D. Those were the nighmare years of digital photography. The Nikon D100 was crap too. 6mp, noisy, slow, three shot raw buffer and a minute lockup.

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Real men use real cameras.... just saying

camera.gif

Used to shoot Holiday Inn brochures using a 4x5 Sinar,transparency film, a Speedotron 4803 (4,000ws) strobe system, along with Scheider 90mm, 150mm, and 210mm lenses. Oh, and a lot of Polaroid film. I remember those days...;)

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Sorry Zach- I shoot Nikon professionally- and would not suggest that over the others mentioned. The Canon 50D is a different creature altogether, with a magnesium alloy body and a 15mp sensor. The 40D is certainly worth a look too, as it's price dropped with the addition of the 50D. Same metal body, but the ISO isn't as high and the sensor is 10mp.

The Olympus is a niche camera, with limited lens and accessory options. Nothing near Canon or Nikon. Pros stick with the big two for a reason.

The D5000 finally addressed my issue with the D40, D40X, and D60. A three point autofocus system. Any photographer knows the rule of thirds, and this focusing system totally ignores the four major compositional focusing points. Complete fail. The D5000 steps up and has 11 point autofocus. Much better, plus you might be able to use the HD video on it. For me, the video and tilt screen don't mean much, but you be the judge there.

www.dpreview.com is the best unbiased source of information there is.

Yeah but if he's new to dSLRs starting with something on the same level as the D40x or there about is probably better than starting at the level of the 40D/50D, cost and of course what he wants to shoot is going to play a huge role in what dSLR if any he gets.

Canon has the following breakdown which aligns with Nikon's decently well, although I think the lower end Canons are probably better than Nikon's.

xxxxD - 1000D (APS-C): $500 entry level consumer

xxxD - 500D (APS-C): $800 consumer

xxD - 50D (APS-C): $1,100 prosumer

xd - 7D (APS-C)/5DII (FF), $1700/$2700 entry pro

1DIII (APS-H)/1DIV (APS-H)/1DsIII (FF), $4,000/$5,000/$7,000 pro

That's not even considering lenses yet.

DP Review is a great place to start for most things as long as you avoid the forums.

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Not sure if i should start another thread and sorry for butting in but with all these edumacted camera folks, whats a good camera/video camera, light weight, compact, simple to use and under $500 Nothing fancy but my vhs-c has got to be replaced.

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Not sure if i should start another thread and sorry for butting in but with all these edumacted camera folks, whats a good camera/video camera, light weight, compact, simple to use and under $500 Nothing fancy but my vhs-c has got to be replaced.

Might want to start a new thread on this one, I would like to look into the video camers stuff as well. I don't want to use my SLR for video, else I would have not gotten the 40D, and waited for the 7D. That is a pretty sweet camera fo sho!

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