--- On Mon, 12/8/08, Bob Cook <> wrote:
> I would like to hear some opinions / advice on moving to
> Digital SLR equipment that is better than entry level,
> but not professional level. I guess that means that, at
> best prices, I might spend $2500 to $3000 for body
> & single lens.
If you are restricting yourself to a single lens, it defeats the purpose of
getting an SLR, but I guess you're talking about an initial purchase.
You haven't mentioned Pentax but it's worth consideration. For $1300 you can
get a Pentax D20 with 15 megapixels. You could spend the other $1700 on lenses
and accessories such as batteries and memory cards.
> * Opinion on Canon vs Nikon vs Olympus vs anything else in
> that quality range. i.e. quality for $$$.
The main two consumer brands are probably Nikon and Canon. Personally I think
Canon would be the better of those two, but you will get people saying all
sorts of bands based on their experiences. I have usd Olympus compact cameras
and they're great, but I don't know what sort of lens variety you'd find for
any of the less popular SLRs such as Olympus, Sony or Panasonic.
I've been using Pentax for years, so I'm biased that way. But another reason
I'm biased toward Pentax is that the image stabilisation is built into the
body. Any lens you put on the camera benefits. To get image stabilisation on
Canon you have to pay heaps extra for image stabilised lenses.
> Lenses: I understand that Canon IS L is going to give
> much better results for the extra $$ and Nikkor VR is
> well worth the extra money over a "standard" lens.
Similar with Pentax DA* lenses as opposed to Sigma or Tamron. But do you
really need the "better" results? Are you going to sell your pictures? Can
you really justify spending $2000 on a lens that is so heavy you have to use a
tripod? Are you going to spend days in a hide or a cardboard box focussing on
a nest waiting for just the right moment?
> * Zoom, say 70 - 300 or 55 - 200, vs fixed telephoto, say
> 200mm or 300mm (or more?). I understand the convenience &
> flexibility factors, but what about the quality of results?
> Or is this really just a matter of the lens quality overall?
As a general rule, a fixed focal length lens will be better than a zoom. The
narrower the zoom, generally the better quality. But with all of this, check
the reviews on the web and ask yourself how much you really want to pay and
whether bigger and heavier lenses will be practical and worth the expense for
your purposes.
> * And what about using 1.4 or 2 times attachable
> tele-converter. Do these impair the results, or again
> just make sure you get a tele-converter of matching quality?
You don't get something for nothing. A teleconverter will impact image quality
and speed (f stops).
> * What about "other manufacturer" lenses, e.g.
> Sigma? Do they give comparable results for less $$$?
Check reviews. Some lenses are better than others, even in Sigma or Tamron.
> * What about Image Stabilisation in the lens vs in the
> body? What advantages of either and why? I believe IS
> lens is the better way to go.
See above. With IS in the body, you can spend less on the lens and still have
stabilisation. Naturally, each manufacturer will argue the benefits of their
approach. Personally I think putting IS in the lens is just a way of making
more money out of the customer.
> * Opinion on buying from reputable supplier in the U.S.,
> e.g. B&H.
You probably won't get warranty cover in Australia. If you're prepared to risk
that, it could be a way to save some money.
I'd suggest buying a reasonably good camera with a basic consumer zoom at a
price that allows you to buy a better long telephoto or zoom. But if you're
not going to sell the results, I'd wonder whether you might not get good
results from an SLR twin lens kit... except if it's Canon or Nikon you won't
get IS in a basic lens kit.
If it's just for recording birds, as opposed to making print-worthy wildlife
photos, you could also consider a more expensive "compact" camera with a long
zoom provided that it also has image stabilisation.
Rob
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