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digipix

digipix

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Trevor
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Hi
Advice and help needed if you will:my camera is a compact is a Nikon coolpix 8800, zoom nikkor ED-8.9-89mm-1:2.8-5.2 lens.

I mainly shoot landscape,still life/close-ups and some portrait.As the camera has a fixed lens I have looked at adding a wide angle and telephoto attachment from Nikon,the price would cost around £500-£600.I have had this camera from the beginning,so should I consider keeping it and adding the 2 news lens attachments?Or buy a DSLR with a wide angle and telephoto!
Do any Dslr cameras have a preview screen?

Budget £1000.00---£1500.00

I do like most need quality shots and use my camera most days.

Thanks for any advice
digipix (retired but still learning)
 
digipix said:
Hi

Do any Dslr cameras have a preview screen?

i presume you mean live preview screen ?

in which case the only ones i can think of are

olympus e 410 & 510 also the new canon 40d

a good place to look (website) is warehouse express.com as they have many cameras listed all in detail.
Click to expand...
 
The Olympus E510 gets a rave review in this months Digital Photographer, has live preview, and comes in at [I think] £699 with a good kit lens. I think its MusicMan that is using one and I am sure he can tell you more about what other lenses, etc, are available for it.

However, with that kind of Budget, I would be tempted to look at a Nikon D80, or even a D200 which can be bought for about £850 in the UK, and still leave you enough for one lens, and may decease in price more when the new models are released towards the end of the year. Ok, no live preview, but is that really an issue if you can take the pic, review it and in most cases, take again if not happy?

The Canon chaps/chapesses will be able to advice more about what canon can offer in your range, and then of course, Sony are making serious inroads in the DSLR market too.
 
Thanks for the info, yes I meant live pre-view screen,thank you!

might look at the Canon!
digipix
 
If photography is a passion and you want to make the most of it then go the dslr route, apart from the ones mentioned above dslr cameras tend not to have preview screens but all have review screens.

If you want to stick with Nikon then the D200 body will cost around £750 leaving you £750 for lenses memory etc. Be warned though that this will only be the beginning of it, there's always something else that you 'need' or want to expand your kit as the years go by.

/edit tsk spelling...
 
PART 2

having given my solitary typing finger a rest :D
£500-600 seems a lot of money for 2 attachments for what is basiclly a point & shoot camera.

how much control does it have?? eg aperture, shutter speed ,exposure compensation etc,also how much do you want??

if first answer is not much and second answer is a lot then a dslr is for you
 
Ladylens,
Thanks for your advice,what lens are you useing with your D200.

Enjoyed your galley!

Thanks
digipix
 
Steep said:
If photography is a passion and you want to make the most of it then go the dslr route, apart from the ones mentioned above dslr cameras tend not to have preview screens but all have review screens.

If you want to stick with Nikon then the D200 body will cost around £750 leaving you £750 for lenses memory etc. Be warned though that this will only be the beginning of it, there's always something else that you 'ned' or want to expand your kit as the years go by.
Click to expand...

I understand what preview does, please explain what review allows!
many thanks
digipix
 
digipix said:
Ladylens,
Thanks for your advice,what lens are you useing with your D200.

Enjoyed your galley!

Thanks
digipix
Click to expand...

Currently using the Nikon 18-70 kits lens that came with the D70s [predecessor to D80 in essence] I got prior to adding the D200, a sigma 70-300 [a very cheap lens and now due replacement but has served very well] and my baby, a sigma 10-20 wide angle that I adore. Thanks for the comments about the gallery, much appreciated.

I think the big advantage to Nikon [and Canon of course] is the range of lenses and accessories available, both manufacturer and third party kit.

As has been said, I think the DSLR route is the route to go, if you are going to spend £500-600 it might as well be on something you can expand on further, than something that ultimately is still going to be limited.

Good luck with whatever you decide on, and lets see some pics :thumbs::D



edit

live preview - means you can see the picture on the LCD screen before you take it, like looking through the viewfinder.
review - means you can only view the picture on the LCD screen after its been taken - usuallt the case with the majority of DSLR's, but does include lots more info, such as histograms, shooting settings etc, that allow you to shoot again with some adjustments from previous shot, if you are not quite happy with it.
 
The E-510 is hard to beat at the current price point (especially the twin lens kit)

The kit lenses are superb, very sharp, and small and light. They cover the range of 28-300mm in 35mm Equiv terms, and the in-body IS works a treat.

I have one, theMusicMan has one and i think one or two others also have one.

(Actually i have two, as i bought a 510 twin lens kit for a chap in work on my ebay account, he then decides he does not want it (Before it arrives!), and has asked me to sell it on - so if you want one at £510 Plus Postage inc 4gb card, drop me a PM :D)
 
digipix, review is checking the shot on screen after you have taken it, you use the viewfinder to set the shot up instead of looking at the screen to do it.
 
preview ,scene shows in monitor before before taking photo.


review, scene shows in monitor after taking photo.
 
digipix said:
I understand what preview does, please explain what review allows!
many thanks
digipix
Click to expand...

'Preview' lets you see the shot before you take it and 'review' lets you see the shot after you've taken it.
 
LadyLens said:
Currently using the Nikon 18-70 kits lens that came with the D70s [predecessor to D80 in essence] I got prior to adding the D200, a sigma 70-300 [a very cheap lens and now due replacement but has served very well] and my baby, a sigma 10-20 wide angle that I adore. Thanks for the comments about the gallery, much appreciated.

I think the big advantage to Nikon [and Canon of course] is the range of lenses and accessories available, both manufacturer and third party kit.

As has been said, I think the DSLR route is the route to go, if you are going to spend £500-600 it might as well be on something you can expand on further, than something that ultimately is still going to be limited.

Good luck with whatever you decide on, and lets see some pics :thumbs::D



edit

live preview - means you can see the picture on the LCD screen before you take it, like looking through the viewfinder.
review - means you can only view the picture on the LCD screen after its been taken - usuallt the case with the majority of DSLR's, but does include lots more info, such as histograms, shooting settings etc, that allow you to shoot again with some adjustments from previous shot, if you are not quite happy with it.
Click to expand...

Then I guess you download to a portable storage/screen to review if your out on a shoot!
 
me thinks at this point it's worth saying that which camera you decide on i'ts a MUST that you have a play with it prior to buying as the need for it to feel right in your hand is important.
 
digipix said:
Then I guess you download to a portable storage/screen to review if your out on a shoot!
Click to expand...


Not at all, just check the image on the cameras LCD screen, if in doubt take several shots, usually bracketing them, and check the shooting info.

Digi, take yourself off to a Jessops or similar, and get them to demonstrate what modern Dslr's do in terms of the screen on the back. DONT buy straight away, have a handle of several cameras, and decide what you like the feel of in your hands, how the controls work, ease of menus, etc, before narrowing down your options. Then shop around for the best prices on your choices, possibly posting here again, as many here will know where to get the best value, best prices.
 
daftbugga said:
me thinks at this point it's worth saying that which camera you decide on i'ts a MUST that you have a play with it prior to buying as the need for it to feel right in your hand is important.
Click to expand...


Thanks for your wisdom, I will do!
 
LadyLens said:
Not at all, just check the image on the cameras LCD screen, if in doubt take several shots, usually bracketing them, and check the shooting info.

Digi, take yourself off to a Jessops or similar, and get them to demonstrate what modern Dslr's do in terms of the screen on the back. DONT buy straight away, have a handle of several cameras, and decide what you like the feel of in your hands, how the controls work, ease of menus, etc, before narrowing down your options. Then shop around for the best prices on your choices, possibly posting here again, as many here will know where to get the best value, best prices.
Click to expand...

I'll take myself for a test run around the retailers tomorrow,thank you!
 
Definately go for a DSLR.

All manufacturers have a range of Macro lenses but if you are really into closeups and Macro, Canon do a fantastic macro (MP-E 65mm) lens that allow greater than 1x magnification without additional kit for £700.

I noticed that your inital post said you like landscapes - one thing to bare in mind is that the Olympus does have the live preview mode and is the cheapest option but it does have a 2x crop. This means that to get a very wide angle (e.g. 15-20mm in 35mm Equiv terms) you will need to buy a very expensive lens ~£1179. Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax/Samsung all have crops between 1.5x and 1.6x and so wide angle lenses for landscapes are signigicantly cheaper (between £290 for a Simga and £650 for a Nikon, Canon's equivalent is £475).
 
I had a couple of Coolpix cameras, and excellent they are, particularly for when you don't want to be burdened with all the gear and just stick a camera in your pocket. I'd try to hang onto it for just that reason.

As for investing in the add-on lenses, I really wouldn't bother, they're never going to match the performance of a good prime, and the wide angle versions are notorious for vignetting.

If there's a more adaptable and elegant solution to photography than the DSLR, it hasn't been invented yet. ;)
 
Hi DigiPix

Yup - I have an Olympus E-510 set up, with several excellent lenses covering the entire range required for all manner of photo work.

I do need to get myself the 70-300mm when it's released hopefully later this month along with the new Olympus E-3 professional level DSLR, though I will possibly be getting the 14-54 before this.

I recently purchased the absolutely perfect 11-22mm from Chillimonster, and I have to say that although I don't do much by way of wide angle shooting - it is an absolutely awesome lens.

For the price that has already been mentioned - £699 - you will quite honestly find it very hard to match in-camera features offered by the E-510, together with the excellent standard twin lens kit that comes with it. The in-camera Image Stabilising feature is excellent, effectively allowing for an additional 1 or 2 stops, and the image preview on the LCD is also excellent, allowing 10x zoom in on subject if required.

For your budget you could get yourself a fantastic set-up based on this.

Good luck with whatever you choose to purchase.
 
First of all I'd like to offer my grateful thanks to all of you for offering to much advice and guidance on my journey into Dslr's,thank you so much!

I popped into my local Jessop's this morning and handled the Nikon D200, felt very comfortable with a nice screen,best price so far £799.00 but I have asked Ian for a price!

Also handled the Canon 40D, also felt good and comes with EF-S 17-mm F/4-5.6 IS USM lens best price I have found is £879.00 (includes £50.00 cash back)

If I went with Canon I guess I would just require a wide angle lens and perhaps a 200/MM lens, bearing in mind the Canon comes with the above lens!

Given my last comment on lenses will these allow me to achieve the subjects of Landscapes,still life etc;

As mentioned I think I'll keep the coolpix 880.

thanks again
digipix
 
digipix said:
First of all I'd like to offer my grateful thanks to all of you for offering so much advice and guidance on my journey into Dslr's,thank you so much!

I popped into my local Jessop's this morning and handled the Nikon D200, felt very comfortable with a nice screen,best price so far £799.00 but I have asked Ian for a price!

Also handled the Canon 40D, also felt good and comes with EF-S 17-mm F/4-5.6 IS USM lens best price I have found is £879.00 (includes £50.00 cash back)

If I went with Canon I guess I would just require a wide angle lens and perhaps a 200/MM lens, bearing in mind the Canon comes with the above lens!

Given my last comment on lenses will these allow me to achieve the subjects of Landscapes,still life etc;

As mentioned I think I'll keep the coolpix 880.

thanks again
digipix
Click to expand...

Apologise,my top paragraph should have read 'so much advice'
 
hello again digipix

you say you went into jessops :thinking: is there other camera shops in your neck of the woods ??
jessops are o.k ish but in my experience a lot of there staff arent that knowledgable, that said some are so maybe you got lucky.

but if theres other camera shops it may be as well going there.

you mention the D200 * £799 which is of course BODY ONLY
to do the camera justice it deserves it needs very good glass
2 lenses to cover for example the range 18mm- 200mm would cost £1000 or more, your budget was???

another point is you may well find a D200 daunting as a D80 user i probably would.
another point being a D200 does not have a live preview facility mentioned earlier.


do you wear glasses ?? i dont but for some spec wearers it can be an issue i presumed in your original post that was the reason for asking about a preview screen.

the canon D 40 does have a preview screen and also includes 1 lens * your quoted price £879.

not that i'm saying buy a canon PERISH THE THOUGHT:nikon:

i note you make no mention of olympus dont you fancy 1 of them.??

end of essay:lol:
 
Thanks daftbugga
Interesting observations, I do wear glasses!
Perhaps I should consider the Canon deal as a lens is in the package,on the other hand perhaps I should buy a not so expensive body and spend more on the glass?

I have a Nikor zoom 8.9-89 1:2.8-5.2 on my coolpix 8800,bearing this in mind which one other lens would you recommend to allow me to shoot landscapes,still life etc (I can always add other glass as and when the budget allows)
Perhaps a good wide angle!

Thank you
digipix
 
digipix said:
Thanks daftbugga
Interesting observations, I do wear glasses!
Perhaps I should consider the Canon deal as a lens is in the package,on the other hand perhaps I should buy a not so expensive body and spend more on the glass?



Thank you
digipix
Click to expand...

a less expensive body than a D200 yes in my personal opinion for what its worth.

and either a canon 40D or nikon eqivalant (typo ALERT)

the canon deal you mention with a lens * 17mm is fairly wide

as is a nikon lens * 18mm.
 
of course which ever you buy nikon/canon or whatever 2 lenses will cover a lot of you needs for example a 18-70 plus a 70-200.
 
daftbugga said:
thank you digipix i'm glad we can all help i's a good place to be here isnt it.and i know choosing a DSLR is very complicated
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Your right it can get a little confusing,and yes without the help of people like yourself and all the other experienced forum members it would have taken me much longer to learn about the switch over to Dslr's......my sincere thanks.

digipix
 
Hey digipix, you didn't respond to the comment about the Olympus E-510. Have you taken a look at that... it certainly is a lot of camera for your money.
 
hey musicman

please alter your signature , the bit about bad/inexperienced

it dont apply ,whats more I WANT IT :D
 
-I have found a Canon EOS-40D body only for £699.00 (warehouse express)

-or the above with EF-S17-85mm-F/4-5.6 IS USM lens kit for £879.00 all prices include Canon cash back.

As I have a 8.9-89mm 1:2.8-5.2 fixed lens on my Nikon coolpix would you suggest I just buy the Canon body saving £180.00 and put this to a decent wide angle lens!

thank you
digipix
 
theMusicMan said:
Hey digipix, you didn't respond to the comment about the Olympus E-510. Have you taken a look at that... it certainly is a lot of camera for your money.
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Hi the musicMan,

Apologies for not responding, you know I have been so engrossed in only concentrating on either Nikon or Canon for the reason someone mentioned earlier,more lens selection etc;

Hope the weather's better where you are in Wales than up north!

Thanks
digipix
 
digipix said:
Hi the musicMan,

Apologies for not responding, you know I have been so engrossed in only concentrating on either Nikon or Canon for the reason someone mentioned earlier,more lens selection etc;

Hope the weather's better where you are in Wales than up north!

Thanks
digipix
Click to expand...
No probs matey... good luck with whatever you choose.

Re weather.... you're kiddin me right... in Wales.. phah! it's hissing down here. :):)
 
theMusicMan said:
No probs matey... good luck with whatever you choose.

Re weather.... you're kiddin me right... in Wales.. phah! it's hissing down here. :):)
Click to expand...


Same here in Llangollens..!

All the best,oh enjoyed your galery,some nice shot's.

Trevor
 
theMusicMan said:
What...? my signature or an E-510 :clap:
Click to expand...

youre signature of course

it suits me a lot more than it does you :D

as for e-510 i wouldnt touch it with a bargepole.but dont tell digipix that:nikon:

joking apart i'm suprised he isnt considering an e_510
 
After yesterday's update on this forum, last evening my boss (wife of course) phoned her sister-in-law whom we only see 1-2 a year, after her conversation I spoke to my wife's brother and mentioned Canon as I knew he and his wife have a long interest in photography,Turns out they both use Nikon D200 moving over from film some time ago.

They have a whole range of Nikon lenses and have suggested I borrow a D200 body and some lenses for a while and see how I get on!

There suggestion in terms of budget is to go for Nikon either D200 or even D80 buy my wide angle lens 10-20mm and at any time use there large selection of lenses they hardly use!

They mentioned they have a flash unit to fit the D80 if I where to go that route!

Keep you up-dated

digipix
 
Well I loaned the D200 and it's been a week, just returned their kit.

I have after much dithering bought through a local camera club a D80, 3 months old and bought for £400.00 .

Bought a new Sigma 10-20mm lens from warehouse express.

Aim looking to buy the Sigma 17-70 next then perhaps a dedicated macro with the money I saved on the camera.

As mentioned earlier I want to shoot landscape, still life (a little product photography), people, am I going the right way with the lens collection?

Thank you once again
digipix
 
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