isn't it weird that it is 2005, that chips and tech and digital-this-and-that is so disposable,
but holding on to essentially well-made GLASS is still the important thing, at least in photography...
Yes, there's some great older glass, but the lens mount can haunt you. Case in point, Nikon's Nikkor great AI-S line. The mount will fit on a D70 but there's no auto focus or exposure. Some of the lens can be retrofitted but with the size, weight and 1.5X conversion I'm not sure it's worth doing. Kind of reminds me of my first SLR, an Exacta with preset diaphragm lens and a hand held meter.
I did my yuppie bit today and took a trip to Bellevue Square. While there I checked out the Digital Rebel XT and the D70. This was the first time I had seen the XT and it seems a definite improvement over the original Rebel. For one thing it seemed a little more substantial in build quality. I really liked the shape and feel of the D70 and the range of the kit lens. I didn't like the size and weight; I couldn't see carrying one of those around all day. The XT was about right for size and weight, although its shape is funny and I kept accidently pressing the menu buttons on the back left. The XT viewfinder is really dark and small compared to the D70 and raises questions about how usable it would be in dim light.
If I had to buy one today I guess I'd reluctantly go with the XT. I'm curious though to see what the D50 is going to be like.
Yes, there's some great older glass, but the lens mount can haunt you. Case in point, Nikon's Nikkor great AI-S line. The mount will fit on a D70 but there's no auto focus or exposure. Some of the lens can be retrofitted but with the size, weight and 1.5X conversion I'm not sure it's worth doing. Kind of reminds me of my first SLR, an Exacta with preset diaphragm lens and a hand held meter.
I did my yuppie bit today and took a trip to Bellevue Square. While there I checked out the Digital Rebel XT and the D70. This was the first time I had seen the XT and it seems a definite improvement over the original Rebel. For one thing it seemed a little more substantial in build quality. I really liked the shape and feel of the D70 and the range of the kit lens. I didn't like the size and weight; I couldn't see carrying one of those around all day. The XT was about right for size and weight, although its shape is funny and I kept accidently pressing the menu buttons on the back left. The XT viewfinder is really dark and small compared to the D70 and raises questions about how usable it would be in dim light.
If I had to buy one today I guess I'd reluctantly go with the XT. I'm curious though to see what the D50 is going to be like.
I'm not entirely sure anymore that 4/3rds is inherently limited, though I used to think so. But they have some interesting stuff in the 4/3rds paradigm. The 'open standard' idea, not really open, but defined so as to make sure that all cameras, lenses and flashes from any manufacturer making 4/3rds equipment works perfectly.
At lot of considerations equal out when you consider that you can shoot about 1 stop faster and have equivalent depth of field (so long as you have the lenses) and with their upcoming f/2 zooms, you will have the lenses.
Right now the Kodak sensors that they use are not up to the standards of Nikon/Sony or Canon, but that seems to be true at all of Kodak's 35mm and under FFT sensors. Just look at the ISO performance of a Kodak SLR/n/c vs the Canon 1DsII.
As for sensor technology, perhaps I should rephrase. No one sensor manufacturer will really have any clear advantage overall. Different sensors will be available for different tasks/markets -- ie lower res, high speed, high res, low ISO, more flexible moderate speed, moderate resolution, etc etc... Yes, that's true, but neither Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Panasonic, or Sony will hold any appreciable advantage in sensor design ere long, or for long when/if they do. That's just the nature of technology -- especially one that's bound to be highly commoditized.
I say this for the benefit of people looking for the best 'sensor' to define the best camera system. The lenses are more important, buy the system that you already know, or failing that, buy the one that offers the lenses you like at the prices you can afford. The sensor will change, and even the best of today's tech will look like the entry level in 5-6 years. Lenses, however, will limit overal resolution somewhere between 12-30MP depending on the lens.
Yes F2 zoom are nice, like the amazing 7-14 Zuyko (14-28 mm equivalent).
For the sensor, yes Kodak is clearly behind, like Sony I should add.
It seems that external supplier have not a big motivation, to create nice high end sensors like Nikon and Canon with the CMOS technology (nikon D2X and canon 20 d, 350 D and 1Ds2 and 1D2).
If Nikon is able to create a nice 12 mp on a 1,5 crop factor, kodak should do the same with less pixels on a 4/3 system. Unfortunately it's not yet the case.
The third innovative player in DSLR is fuji, who create his own line of CCD sensor with the S3. Unfortunately for Fuji, their bodies sucks (based upon old Nikon stuff)
I have to agree that Canon has the nicest menu system available in point and shoot cameras.
You think so? I never liked it myself, though it is better than Nikon's and especially Fugi's. Best I've found is the Konica-Minolta menu system, but really, talking about the best menu systems in digital cameras is like talking about the best Wintel PC case.
Oops, haven't used Olympus and Minolta, except for a C5050, very briefly. Let me say that Canon seems the best out of Nikon, Sony, and Fuji compacts. But those are only the compacts, I haven't used the more advanced compacts much, stuff like the V3 or C5050/5060, nor much prosumer use, like the S7000, 828, A1/2, etc etc, many of which have more dedicated buttons and force you into the menu system a bit less.
A C5050 with the F10 sensor might be the perfect travel cam!
Of the compacts I've used, I've been happiest with the little old A75 I have.
Always in search of a good interface, you make me want to test out a K-M offering. The stuff I have access to now makes me pretty happy, and I will wait on the new generation of "low noise" small sensor cams before buying a compact.
So long as I get fairly regular access to a D70, I'll wait on a DSLR purchase too. But the D50 looks tempting, and I don't really have any glass worth saving (old Nikon film rig) so the XT, and teo lense e300 kit have also been tugginh at my wallet... must wait out one more generation. The problem is that the fire sales on outgoing units never really happen. Channel management for DSLRs is very good, one never really gets good access to close out NEW cameras, at least not up here in Canada... retail, not on-line...
Comments
Originally posted by sunilraman
isn't it weird that it is 2005, that chips and tech and digital-this-and-that is so disposable,
but holding on to essentially well-made GLASS is still the important thing, at least in photography...
Yes, there's some great older glass, but the lens mount can haunt you. Case in point, Nikon's Nikkor great AI-S line. The mount will fit on a D70 but there's no auto focus or exposure. Some of the lens can be retrofitted but with the size, weight and 1.5X conversion I'm not sure it's worth doing. Kind of reminds me of my first SLR, an Exacta with preset diaphragm lens and a hand held meter.
I did my yuppie bit today and took a trip to Bellevue Square. While there I checked out the Digital Rebel XT and the D70. This was the first time I had seen the XT and it seems a definite improvement over the original Rebel. For one thing it seemed a little more substantial in build quality. I really liked the shape and feel of the D70 and the range of the kit lens. I didn't like the size and weight; I couldn't see carrying one of those around all day. The XT was about right for size and weight, although its shape is funny and I kept accidently pressing the menu buttons on the back left. The XT viewfinder is really dark and small compared to the D70 and raises questions about how usable it would be in dim light.
If I had to buy one today I guess I'd reluctantly go with the XT. I'm curious though to see what the D50 is going to be like.
Originally posted by OldCodger73
Yes, there's some great older glass, but the lens mount can haunt you. Case in point, Nikon's Nikkor great AI-S line. The mount will fit on a D70 but there's no auto focus or exposure. Some of the lens can be retrofitted but with the size, weight and 1.5X conversion I'm not sure it's worth doing. Kind of reminds me of my first SLR, an Exacta with preset diaphragm lens and a hand held meter.
I did my yuppie bit today and took a trip to Bellevue Square. While there I checked out the Digital Rebel XT and the D70. This was the first time I had seen the XT and it seems a definite improvement over the original Rebel. For one thing it seemed a little more substantial in build quality. I really liked the shape and feel of the D70 and the range of the kit lens. I didn't like the size and weight; I couldn't see carrying one of those around all day. The XT was about right for size and weight, although its shape is funny and I kept accidently pressing the menu buttons on the back left. The XT viewfinder is really dark and small compared to the D70 and raises questions about how usable it would be in dim light.
If I had to buy one today I guess I'd reluctantly go with the XT. I'm curious though to see what the D50 is going to be like.
The D50 is a light version of the D70.
Originally posted by Matsu
Hi Powerdoc,
I'm not entirely sure anymore that 4/3rds is inherently limited, though I used to think so. But they have some interesting stuff in the 4/3rds paradigm. The 'open standard' idea, not really open, but defined so as to make sure that all cameras, lenses and flashes from any manufacturer making 4/3rds equipment works perfectly.
At lot of considerations equal out when you consider that you can shoot about 1 stop faster and have equivalent depth of field (so long as you have the lenses) and with their upcoming f/2 zooms, you will have the lenses.
Right now the Kodak sensors that they use are not up to the standards of Nikon/Sony or Canon, but that seems to be true at all of Kodak's 35mm and under FFT sensors. Just look at the ISO performance of a Kodak SLR/n/c vs the Canon 1DsII.
As for sensor technology, perhaps I should rephrase. No one sensor manufacturer will really have any clear advantage overall. Different sensors will be available for different tasks/markets -- ie lower res, high speed, high res, low ISO, more flexible moderate speed, moderate resolution, etc etc... Yes, that's true, but neither Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Panasonic, or Sony will hold any appreciable advantage in sensor design ere long, or for long when/if they do. That's just the nature of technology -- especially one that's bound to be highly commoditized.
I say this for the benefit of people looking for the best 'sensor' to define the best camera system. The lenses are more important, buy the system that you already know, or failing that, buy the one that offers the lenses you like at the prices you can afford. The sensor will change, and even the best of today's tech will look like the entry level in 5-6 years. Lenses, however, will limit overal resolution somewhere between 12-30MP depending on the lens.
Yes F2 zoom are nice, like the amazing 7-14 Zuyko (14-28 mm equivalent).
For the sensor, yes Kodak is clearly behind, like Sony I should add.
It seems that external supplier have not a big motivation, to create nice high end sensors like Nikon and Canon with the CMOS technology (nikon D2X and canon 20 d, 350 D and 1Ds2 and 1D2).
If Nikon is able to create a nice 12 mp on a 1,5 crop factor, kodak should do the same with less pixels on a 4/3 system. Unfortunately it's not yet the case.
The third innovative player in DSLR is fuji, who create his own line of CCD sensor with the S3. Unfortunately for Fuji, their bodies sucks (based upon old Nikon stuff)
Originally posted by Matsu
I have to agree that Canon has the nicest menu system available in point and shoot cameras.
You think so? I never liked it myself, though it is better than Nikon's and especially Fugi's. Best I've found is the Konica-Minolta menu system, but really, talking about the best menu systems in digital cameras is like talking about the best Wintel PC case.
A C5050 with the F10 sensor might be the perfect travel cam!
Of the compacts I've used, I've been happiest with the little old A75 I have.
Always in search of a good interface, you make me want to test out a K-M offering. The stuff I have access to now makes me pretty happy, and I will wait on the new generation of "low noise" small sensor cams before buying a compact.
So long as I get fairly regular access to a D70, I'll wait on a DSLR purchase too. But the D50 looks tempting, and I don't really have any glass worth saving (old Nikon film rig) so the XT, and teo lense e300 kit have also been tugginh at my wallet... must wait out one more generation. The problem is that the fire sales on outgoing units never really happen. Channel management for DSLRs is very good, one never really gets good access to close out NEW cameras, at least not up here in Canada... retail, not on-line...