ralper

The reason I ask is because mine,a Sony DSC-S85 is getting a bit old, and, I've always been bothered by the shutter delay. It does take great pictures and I'm thinking of giving it to my oldest son. I'm thinking of buying a newer model.

Which model do you have? How do you like it? Why? Would you buy it again?

(Post some photos for examples if you like)

tomcatt

Rob,

A couple of quick thoughts before I head for bed.

The delay is common to nearly all digital cameras, other than those of the SLR variety. Even the latest, highest-end advanced Nikon, Canon etc non-SLR models have a moderate to severe shutter lag. If you want instant response you will have to move to a DSLR.

Tomorrow I'll dig up some more detailed information on this, along with some links.

Before I got the Nikon D70, we used a Sony DSC-S75 we bought back in 2001. It took reasonable photos, had a pretty good lense for this class of camera, and it certainly filled the bill until the DSLR offerings met my needs and budget.

Hilly still uses it, and she loves it.

I meant to ask you, did you ever move Liz to digital?

Tom

ralper

Tom

Not yet. That's the other reason for this thread.

What made you buy the Nikon over the Canon. We have some lenses from the Canon EOS (35mm film version) and they will work with the digital EOS. What are your thoughts?

tomcatt

Rob,

Back in, oh around 1984-85 or so, I wanted a 35mm SLR, I also wanted autofocus, and I wanted a Nikon. They had come out with a consumer model, the N2020, with autofocus, and it was reasonably priced. I wound up getting that, along with a consumer-level Nikon 35/70AF f3.5/4.5 zoom, and what was probably my smartest purchase, a Nikon 70-210AF F4 zoom. The small zoom is your basic snapshot lens, but the 70-210 (I found out later) is tack sharp across the range, with great optical qualities. The so-called experts proclaimed it a real sleeper of a lens.

Over the years I moved a lot of film through that setup, but eventually film, processing and prints got to be too expensive; I also never had much luck scanning prints to the level of quality I desired. I still shot ocasionally, but we then got the Sony digital and I packed away the Nikon gear hoping for the day when a DSLR would fall into my budget.

Fast forward several years, while I continued to keep tabs on the DSLR news. I knew that Nikon would not abandon their lens mount, and I also knew that the AF lenses would be able to take advantage of most, if not all, of the DSLR features.

In 2003 the Nikon D100 captured my interest. It was at the upper limit of my price range, but I thought perhaps one day I might be able to swing it. Then Nikon announced the D70 in late 2003, first showed it in early 2004, and after reading how much better it was in most ways compared to the D100 while being several hundred dollars cheaper, it became a no-brainer.

I wound up buying the camera/lens kit, as the kit zoom has (like my 70-210) great optics at a great price. I am very satisfied with this purchase, and I would definitely do it again.

I don't have any knowledge of Canon other than what I've read. I do know that the EOS Digital Rebel is as good a camera as the D70, and it should accept all of the lenses from the film EOS.

Doug (Triple-H) recently got the digital EOS, like me (with Nikon) because he already had a selection of Canon glass. Hopefully he'll see this thread, or you might PM him for his thoughts and experiences.

Tom

paS2K

Amazing....I was also thinking that a new DigiCam thread would be nice

I'm surprised to hear about Doug Hood [HHH] and the EOS b/c he was encouraging me (in early 04?) that "Kodak was the way to go". Maybe b/c he lives in the Rochester area or b/c he knew that I would be a 'beginner'.... [I just sent Doug a PM so he should be here tomorrow....]

In any event, I'll be interested to see the recommendations from the Vintage crew....for various levels of ability. I have not yet taken the leap....

Triple-H

Kodak makes great cameras, I was very pleased with my first digital LS443 by Kodak. However, the switch to the Canon EOS Rebel (300D) was motivated by these facts
- I needed a newer camera because the technology is ever advancing
- I wanted way more optical power, my 3X was no longer cutting it for me
- I have been into photography since I was 13, had a B&W darkroom in my Mom's laundry room all the way through high school and took some Pro Photo classes at RIT
- I already own 2 Canon zoom lenses because my film camera is an EOS Rebel 2000
- I just decided to spend a bit more money on a digital camera because I wanted to be able to use the hundreds and hundreds of dollars I have already invested in my Canon equipment
- I can use all my film lenses on the digital back

Keep in mind with my background, apptitude towards photography, the graphic arts industry I work in, I'm not considered an amature photographer. I'm in that slightly more advanced group called prosumer. Because of this I really needed to step beyond the digital point-n-shoot (which are fine for what they do) so I could have the features I like such as interchangable lenses, time exposures, multiple braketing of exposures, precise location focus, big megapixel count and so on.

Hope that helps Jerry. I still think Kodak has some great stuff. In fact I was looking at the DX7590 if I did not go for the Canon EOS.

Triple-H

The first shot I took with my 300D...


My favorite subject matter...

goblueS2K

I just bought a Canon 20D SLR and will use my Canon D60 as a backup. I formerly had a Nikon Coolpix digital point and shoot.

The SLRs are great to shoot with because most of them have virtually no shutter lag, plus you can pick from a wide assortment of lenses.

I've taken many great pictures with the D60 and expect that I'll be able to do more with the 20D.

The only downsides to a digital SLR are price and the weight. My SLR plus medium zoom plus flash plus bracket total about 7 lbs.

Kyras

One year ago I bought the Nikon Coolpix 5700. It's a 5.0 megapixel with an 8x optical zoom lense. I have used it a lot and like it. Andy wants a digital camera too and we are not going to buy this one again, or another Nikon. We are leaning towards the Olympus Camedia C-740, 3 megapixel with a 10x optical zoom. The Nikon I have is too complicated for Andy to be happy with it. I had my camera quit in December, and when I sent it back for warranty, Nikon replied that I had bent the pins inside the camera for the flash card so that my warranty was void and they wanted me to pay $150. I bitched and got it done for free, however what they replaced was the main PC board and fuse. I think they lied about the bent pins so they have lost my loyalty. (I also have a Nikon 8008s, SLR from the early 1980s that I love.) My sister has the Olympic Camedia C-700 and loves it. I tried out the C-740 and find it's zoom much more conveniently located and easier to use than my Nikon 5700.

Triple-H

I chose the 300D over the 20D because the body was made from plastic and resulted in a lighter weight camera. I have lots of experience with Canon plastic bodies and have never had a problem, plus the lens mount is metal in the Digital Rebel (300D). No doubt the 20D has more features and is a swell product, but I just don't have that kind of cash and for the money, the 300D is very hard to beat.

I actually look forward to growing out of it, because in 5 years or more, technology will have taken such a great leap there will be lots of cool new features. So what ever new body I buy I'll be more than happy to put my EOS Rebel 300D up on the shelf next to my EOS Rebel G and EOS Rebel 2000, in fact by them I may even convince my brother-in-law to sell me his old EOS Elan.