Useful Cameras???
[views:9487][posts:62]_____________________________________
[May 15,2005 11:12pm - LtdEc-1000 ""]
Hey, Ive been goin to shows for awhile now, and have taken up interest in photography again. I currently have a nikon n80, and a few filters, but im lookin to move up to digital, so as i dont have to go through the whole, changing my film after every 28-some shots thing. I have a job, and im saving up for a good digital SLR, so any suggestions on a camera between the 700-1000 range that takes good quality shots, and is pretty durable would help . Thanks.
[May 15,2005 11:15pm - succubus ""]
start with the d70
stay with nikon so that you can use your lenses and stuff
i have d70, d100 and d2x
good luck
[May 15,2005 11:18pm - the_reverend ""]
I have the D70, D100, and D2H.
the D70 is great bang for the buck. you can find them for 899 with a rebate and the D70s is coming out soon.
there is also a d50, but it's a little too low end.
on this board, succubus, wade, and myself use the D70.
[May 15,2005 11:25pm - blue ""]
this person has good taste in guitars.
[May 15,2005 11:34pm - LtdEc-1000 ""]
Whats the difference between the d70, and the d70-s? And how difficult is the move from film to digital? I used to be pretty serious into photgraphy, but its taken a backseat to various other things. What really sparked me back into it was (i think it was) the reverend, who was shooting at the haste the day/extol/embrace today/mercury switch show at drifters. I saw the photos and have been taking pics for about three weeks straight.
(To blue: I have been playing guitar for 4 years now, and I run the ltd through a line 6 hd147 head.)
[May 15,2005 11:49pm - blue ""]
fantastic choice.
[May 15,2005 11:52pm - the_reverend ""]
d70 and the d70s don't have much difference to them.
basically, the color look up database for auto whitebalence on d70 is 30K, where the d70s is 300K.
the focusing will be a little more acurate.
3d matrix II metering and a lot of other things taken from the D2X.
[May 15,2005 11:55pm - LtdEc-1000 ""]
do you know when the d70-s will be released?
[May 15,2005 11:57pm - the_reverend ""]
er... I thought it should be out next month...
not sure though.
they are basically putting all the fw stuff from the D2x in all their lesser cameras (d2hs, d70s)
[May 15,2005 11:58pm - wade ""]
good camera ain't shit with shit glass but you probably know that. I'm PRETTY happy with my D70. Major issues when shooting shows with no flash. Neon like colors (esp. reds|oranges) with poor gradation. battery lasts a long-ass time, too. I hope to shoot shows with something better at some point. I got stupid a couple months ago and upgraded my film capablities rather than enhance my digi interests by getting a used mamiya RZ67. for promo work, etc.
[May 15,2005 11:58pm - the_reverend ""]
specs:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_d70s.asp
the LCD will be 2.0" instead of 1.8".
[May 15,2005 11:59pm - succubus ""]
but yer mamiya is sAweet Wade!
[May 16,2005 12:03am - the_reverend ""]
the colors from that mamiya kill.
the d2H seems to be able to aproximate that look when you process it a little.
very contrasty.
[May 16,2005 12:06am - wade ""]
succubus said:but yer mamiya is sAweet Wade!
fuckin thanks! i rented one a handful of times over the past 5-6 years. thing is smokin' and it makes me appreciate photography, as gay as that sounds. I'd gotten used to instant gratification.
film, though....$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
[May 16,2005 12:07am - wade ""]
aaand i still need the prism finder and a good Minolta light meter.
it's like buying the Hummer, just making it, and not being able to afford the gas.
[May 16,2005 12:10am - succubus ""]
where did you rent it from?
eventually i'd love to play with it..but i've invested too much $$ in digi now
and yer right about film $$$$$ unfortunately
[May 16,2005 12:12am - wade ""]
ummm, Calumet Cambridge and before that E.P. Levine (Boston).
oh yeah, I need good lights now, too. gonna get a set that can be used safely with digi SLRs so that'll be cool. I want a HUGE softbox, etc. and a ringlight. YOU HAVE TO TRY A RINGLIGHT.
[May 16,2005 12:15am - wade ""]
shit, sleep is upon me (insert voice of...i don't know, some character from the Mortal Kombat movie...shit, i gotta play that game, it's right in the next room...). work mere hours away.
[May 16,2005 12:15am - the_reverend ""]
I want to get the sigma ring light, but I have no real use for it
there is not iTTL nikon option, on the new sigma.
carina's novatrons were good priced.
[May 16,2005 12:17am - succubus ""]
ringlight..note taken..i'm off to bed soon too...hmm the rev didn't play god of war tonight..i like watching him play it
night!
[May 16,2005 12:18am - wade ""]
get the norman or calumet ring. but yeah, you'd need a battery pack and a good meter to use it well and by that i mean, use it at all.
I want all Profoto like Mark Seliger.
[May 16,2005 12:18am - the_reverend ""]
damn it!
I forgot to play it.
oh well, bed time.
[May 16,2005 12:18am - wade ""]
pass out time.
[May 16,2005 12:20am - the_reverend ""]
maybe I'm not thinking the same thing...
ring light like this:
[img]
why do you need the battery pack for that.
granted, I just bought a battery pack.
[May 16,2005 12:22am - wade ""]
the_reverend said:maybe I'm not thinking the same thing...
ring light like this:
[img]
why do you need the battery pack for that.
granted, I just bought a battery pack.
i'm thinking the larger rings that are basically studio flash units that cord into power packs.
[May 16,2005 12:23am - the_reverend ""]
hm... like alienbees packs.
[May 16,2005 12:26am - wade ""]
the_reverend said:hm... like alienbees packs.
again, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$. I wrote Ross Halfin once and he said, "well we're photographers so we'll always spend more than we make." thanks dick.
[May 16,2005 8:45am - DreamingInExile ""]
I've been looking into the D70 and D100's for a while now, if the flash sync is faster on the D70s then on the D70 then it'll be the perfect camera for me to start with, because I can't afford a D2h, D2x, or a FujiFilm S3. The D70 is also slightly less bulky then the D100. I've used the D100's at one of my last jobs (I worked for a school portraits company) and they're nice cameras, but too bulky to hold for an entire day.
My big question to you guys is I need a nice flash too, what do you guys(and gal) reccommend for a flash?
[May 16,2005 8:51am - ~Carina~ ""]
SB800
[May 16,2005 9:05am - DreamingInExile ""]
~Carina~ said:SB800
thanks Carina
now I just need enough income to cover the $2000+ shopping list that I'm gathering up...
now, lens suggestions...
I have a Quantaray - 28-90 and a Quantaray - 70-300 for my N65, any suggestions for other lenses?
[May 16,2005 9:21am - the_reverend ""]
um... a D2H isn't that much... they are going for under $2K. but if you are worried about size, it's massive compared to the n80 body.
the flash synch on the D70 is only 1/500 cause they have an electronic shutter on the CCD.
the SB-800 is the only flash worth a penny for digi-nikons.
the d100 is the esentially same size as the d70/d70s. the d100 just weights a little more (due to the metal substructure). So, you don't mean bulky, you mean the D100 is heavier than the D70.
I would give the Q 28-90 and 70-300 a grade of a D. If you are going to stick with lower end lenses, buy the D70 kit with the 18-70 lens. remember with the 1.5x crop,
28-90 = 42-135
70-300 = 105-450
the kit lense @ 18-70 is pretty good. at shows it good for me up to 30mm
18-70 = 24-105
[May 16,2005 9:33am - ~Carina~ ""]
in terms of lens suggestions...sine you want to prioritize i owuld ask what do you primarily want to shoot
[May 16,2005 9:34am - ~Carina~ ""]
I had something else to say but we had a firedrill and i just came back in and now i forget!
[May 16,2005 9:49am - ~Carina~ ""]
ok i remembered...
ritzcamera is one of my affiliates so if you are going to get it there, please go through me!
thanks!
[May 16,2005 12:21pm - wade nli ""]
wade said:good camera ain't shit with shit glass.
period.
[May 16,2005 12:23pm - the_reverend ""]
agreed... I know so many people that buy cameras and then but 28-200's on them... I just want to grab them and shake them
"WHY DID YOU JUST SPEND $2000 ON A CAMERA TO PUT A $180 LENS ON IT!!!"
my favorite 2 lenses are the 70-200 and the 17-55dx which are over $3K together
[May 16,2005 12:29pm - ~Carina~ ""]
you mean you see so many people who buy Camera$ with their parents money and don't know how to use them and don't know about photogrpahy so they have crappy lenses.
[May 16,2005 12:31pm - ~Carina~ ""]
"WHY DID YOU JUST SPEND $2000 ON A CAMERA TO PUT A $180 LENS ON IT!!!"
~~~
not everyone has an awesome woman who lends her man her 70-200...
[May 16,2005 12:32pm - wade nli ""]
~Carina~ said:you mean you see so many people who buy Camera$ with their parents money and don't know how to use them and don't know about photogrpahy so they have crappy lenses.
well yes. i moreso love people that spend ultra Ks and still suck at taking good images!
[May 16,2005 12:55pm - ~Carina~ ""]
EVEN MORESOSO when you see their photos on webiste and in magazines =)
[May 16,2005 2:13pm - DreamingInExile ""]
I have all intentions on buying good lens to start with when I buy my camera, I know the 2 lenses I have aren't all that great (they serve the purpose for the moment though) that's why I'm asking questions. I want input from people that do this on a regular basis. I'm not looking for a super expensive setup, just something to get me started with a Digital SLR (and being a nikon guy, that's why I'm looking into the D70s, because it's not super expensive). I'm just looking for opinions and input.
I'm kind of looking into buying all my gear together (camera/lens/flash/CF Card/etc.) so I have a decent platform to start on. I'd love to shoot shows, but to get hardware like that into a venue (eg The Palladium) you need a photo pass that I'll never be able to acquire (because I'm a nobody) I like shooting landscapes, and being a graphic artist, I use lots of those shots for stock art when I design. I also do album covers/layouts, and having the ability to shoot a show, I can get pics of the band in action for the layout. I'm not one for studio photography (although I did all the post processing for a school portraits company, so I know what's involved there)
So, any suggestions for other equip to go along with a D70s would be very helpful.
[May 16,2005 2:16pm - the_reverend ""]
buying it all together is usually more $$
d70s kit, sb-800dx, 1GB cf.
[May 16,2005 2:18pm - DreamingInExile ""]
the_reverend said:I would give the Q 28-90 and 70-300 a grade of a D.
I'll agree, but my current SLR isn't a super nice one either, I've got a Nikon N65, it's a middle of the road camera. and it came with the 28-90, I needed a lens with Macro capability hence the inexpensive 70-300 (was the best option for me at the time).
the_reverend said:um... a D2H isn't that much... they are going for under $2K. but if you are worried about size, it's massive compared to the n80 body.
I know the D2h isn't "expensive" but seeing since I don't have the >$2k to spend on a body and pick up other equipment at the same time, it's a waste for me to buy a camera that nice until I have the gear to back it up.
the_reverend said:the d100 is the esentially same size as the d70/d70s. the d100 just weights a little more (due to the metal substructure). So, you don't mean bulky, you mean the D100 is heavier than the D70.
yeah, I was referring to the weight not the overall size, sorry I should have clarified that.
[May 16,2005 2:22pm - DreamingInExile ""]
the_reverend said:1GB cf.
would it be worth the extra $130 for a 2GB CF?
[May 16,2005 2:23pm - the_reverend ""]
you can get a D2H for $1600 referb some places.
but I think the D70s is what you want and we're not going to convince you otherwise.
[May 16,2005 2:26pm - DreamingInExile ""]
yeah, I'm not a "great" photographer, and I think the D2h would be overkill for what I'd be doing. if I were as cool as you or carina, maybe I'd consider something better, but for a starting point the D70s is about right
Nikon - Nikon D70s Digital SLR w/18-70MM F3.5-4.5G AF-S DX Lens - NEW! $1,199.99
Lexar - 1 GB Professional Series 80X CompactFlash Memory Card w/WA $139.99
Nikon - SB-800 AF Speedlight Flash $369.99
Subtotal: $1,709.97
[May 16,2005 2:44pm - the_reverend ""]
you can ebay the sb-800.. I got it for $320 - $50mir.
and you don't need that lexar card, get a sandisk II ultra for $80-ish.
[May 16,2005 2:45pm - DreamingInExile ""]
ok, I was just using the shopping cart on ritz camera to price things out. I was probably going to buy a SanDisk card, because that's all I use with my little pos Canon S200
[May 16,2005 2:50pm - ~Carina~ ""]
remember if you shop at ritz, please let me know before and i will give you my url to use and i can check to see if i have coupons
[May 16,2005 2:54pm - DreamingInExile ""]
~Carina~ said:remember if you shop at ritz, please let me know before and i will give you my url to use and i can check to see if i have coupons
much appreciated Carina! I'm probably not going to be buying for another month, so I can see what I've got for b-day cash too