Cameras

[BigD]

I am using a Nikon D70S and am looking at the D200. The D80 just came out with the same processor as the D200, but it uses SD cards instead of CF. Not that it is a really big deal, but I was kind of surprised. I shot with a friend's Canon 30D recently and felt as if I was holding a lightweight toy. Is Canon trying to make their newer bodies lighter? I just wasn't impressed.

[John Stutz]

I just found an amazing site that blew me away. If you're a Nikon photographer or considering purchaising anything made by Nikon, everything you need is on here. Ken Rockwell has done an amazing service to the world of photography. I am awestruck by the quantity and quality of detail that he has posted on his site. His photography is terrific too. www.kenrockwell.com (http://www.kenrockwell.com/)

I will reserve my comments on the difference between Nikon and Canon. You may be on to something though!

[BigD]

I just found an amazing site that blew me away. If you're a Nikon photographer or considering purchaising anything made by Nikon, everything you need is on here. Ken Rockwell has done an amazing service to the world of photography. I am awestruck by the quantity and quality of detail that he has posted on his site. His photography is terrific too. www.kenrockwell.com (http://www.kenrockwell.com/)

I will reserve my comments on the difference between Nikon and Canon. You may be on to something though!

Damn cool site! Thanks, and kudos for my D70S! :) So much for PhotoShop, too. I read the article on the camera not making the difference.

On the other subject, I also have shot with a D200, the supposed counterpart of the Canon 30D. It feels tons heavier and better built than the 30D. I like Canon, but it seems as if they are scrimping on the heavy material. I want something that will take a beating and will last! Like my D70S.

[John Stutz]

Did you read the article on the D200 being the best camera ever made? (well, according to Ken). He is very correct on camera equipment not making a heck of a lot of difference, to a certain degree. And According to Ken, my D1x is an obsolete paper weight. Well, if you're in the market to buy a new camera, that's true. No chance I'd be searching for one of these new (if they still manufactured them). However, I did pick it up for $3K less than the D2x. If I bought it today, it would be $3.5K less than the D2x, and less than 1/3 the price! Are the D1x and D2x cameras top of their class, no question about it. Pick one of those up and you'll think the D70 is a plastic toy (which I do, my sister owns one and it's way too much camera for her, but I find it almost unusable out of personal preference).

While quality cameras will all enable you to produce good results, one must continually struggle to maintain good result on a lesser camera. Some cameras (especially digital) do have really bad noise and color problems relating to their technologies. Many (non-Nikon) lenses have extremely bad optics that heavily curve and degrade the image. But amongst the lineup of fine cameras and lenses available today, it really doesn't make a whole lot of difference. My sister's D70 will take every bit the same quality photo as my D1x. As long as the technology doesn't hinder you, it's all up to the photographer to create the art.

Imho, stick with Nikon and you can't go wrong. While other manufacturers have cameras that have comparable technical specifications (and I'll admit Canon is always one step ahead of Nikon in the feature/tech spec war) there is no disputing that Nikon's ergonomics and physical/tangible qualities of their product are light years ahead of anyone else. Anyone who believes otherwise is surely smoking crack.

If your D70 still works, I'd keep on using it. Unless you know you're going to get some phenominal feature out of a newer camera that you just can't live without, then why upgrade? You don't need more pixels. You don't need higher shutter speeds. And to the best of my knowledge, neither the D200 nor D80 have a feature that will see through clothes. So unless you do something moronic like drop your camera in a river, I say just keep on truckin' with it? But then again, it doesn't look nearly as impressive as a D1x, does it? :-)

[John Stutz]

P.S. Ken might not need Photoshop, but us mere mortal photographers still do. Don't remove that app just yet!

Btw, did you notice how much he relies on Photoshop to correct for barrel and pincussion distortion. Funny, I've never even thought about that since the two lenses I use 99% of the time are completely distortion free. I did happen to borrow a (non-nikon) camera/lens that had terrible distortion and I didn't know what to do about it. I guess Photoshop can clean that up.

[BigD]

Ken's site is amazing!! A wealth of info! I can read on this for weeks. Thanks for sharing that link. :banana:

[Tre]

I was raised on Olympus, was reborn on Nikon, and then converted to Canon where I've been ever since (minus that little Sony Mavica stint).

Although Canon always gets their cameras to market first, I would have to argue that Nikon has the best out-of-the-camera images. I've been saying that for about 4 years now and although the latter-day Canons have shown a lot of improvement in the color department, the Nikon group (which includes Fuji) is still noticeably better.

My old Canon 1D is still chugging along, though, and it's hard to think about replacing the old boy...especially with a Nikon. I'd hoped to have made a move by now, but will probably wait until the winter before making any purchases. Given the relationship I have with my current camera and the fact that it's never let me down, I should probably keep shooting until he gives up.

Oh well, that's my take. Thanks for the link, John.

[jasons805]

As long is it is manual I could careless what I use. Any camera can take a good pic as long as it works.

[BigD]

As long is it is manual I could careless what I use. Any camera can take a good pic as long as it works.

A lot of times the quality of lense used can make a big difference.

[jasons805]

A lot of times the quality of lense used can make a big difference.
Well for me not so much quality(as long as it can focus) but the range of the lens. I got a cheap 500mm lens and 2x doubler for like 100 bucks, and had the option of getting one a bit cheaper that had a plastic lens(passed on the plastic). But ya a good lens can give you alot more options