SLR Camera Advice

[Linford]

It's what they tell you and some people do but there's a lot of keeping costs low so a lot gets filmed with 5D II

The Panasonic SD900 I have does deliver that 1080p/50, and was comparable to the 5D II in price

Not being able to focus automatically makes it very difficult to shoot action video which is what I wanted it for. I wouldn't mind upgrading at some stage to a video cam which I can swap the len's on but that is a good bit more wedge. I've got access to a very decent video tripod with fluid head and a dolly to run it around on which others rightly say is a must.

 

[ttcycle]

What I meant by that is production/film/commercial budgets not costs of cameras.

As with everything 5D II has limitations for filming and you need to think what your needs are- photographically and in videography.

Which brings us back to Cookie's requirements for his DLSR.

 

[Linford]

If the content of the footage is good enough, the TV co's would be happy to use camerphone footage - like that woman having a racist rant on the underground last month.

I looked long and hard at the DSLR for video for a couple of months, but drew the conclusion that there was too much of a trade off in video quality to justify buying a DSLR to do that in the end - served the journo's well when they were filming al the riots in the middle east though as they entered the countries as tourists without apparent video equipment so there is an argument in that situation.

 

[blockend]

Unless you have a specialist angle like motor sports or shooting cheetahs - in which case you'll require some long, wide glass and a big budget, I'd opt for a mirrorless 4/3 camera, or if you're set on a DSLR, a Canon 550D at around 500 nicker. The kit zoom isn't very good, but it's ridiculously cheap in the package and as I said, it will take old SLR lenses via an adapter. You'll lose AF and being a crop frame sensor, your 50mm full-frame standard will be 80mm (which suits me fine - have you priced up an 80mm f1.4 or f1.8 portrait lens for a full framer?) and it's hard to find wide lenses that aren't slow zooms, but it's still a helluva camera for the money and shoots great vid.

Most people will throw stones but if you only shoot stills and haven't got a shutter finger like an Uzi, think about a nice film SLR. Cheap as chips and the loss on DSLR trade-up will keep you in all the fillum you'll need.

 

[Linford]

Unless you have a specialist angle like motor sports or shooting cheetahs - in which case you'll require some long, wide glass and a big budget, I'd opt for a mirrorless 4/3 camera, or if you're set on a DSLR, a Canon 550D at around 500 nicker. The kit zoom isn't very good, but it's ridiculously cheap in the package and as I said, it will take old SLR lenses via an adapter. You'll lose AF and being a crop frame sensor, your 50mm full-frame standard will be 80mm (which suits me fine - have you priced up an 80mm f1.4 or f1.8 portrait lens for a full framer?) and it's hard to find wide lenses that aren't slow zooms, but it's still a helluva camera for the money and shoots great vid.

Most people will throw stones but if you only shoot stills and haven't got a shutter finger like an Uzi, think about a nice film SLR. Cheap as chips and the loss on DSLR trade-up will keep you in all the fillum you'll need.

Mine is filming horses over jumps in an arena. Not Cheetah speed, but they still don't hang around, and the courses usually get them doing figures of 8's so they are in your face and in the distance, then back in your face. It is hard enough though just keep them in shot a lot of the time with the zoom without having to worry about making sure they are in focus.

Would agree with playing with old school film, but you can run a hell of it off hoping to get one decent pic out of a reel.

 

[Oxo]

I would go with Nikon or Canon, both very popular, quality brands with wide range of lens, both new and used, available. However, I suggest you handle cameras from both manufacturers as both they have a different feel to them. The layout of the controls and menus systems, the feel of the camera in your hand etc. are personal preferences and you will prefer one to the other.

 

[Dave7]

What happened to the original question?

 

[cookiemonster]

Cookie, what do you need it for? Ie what photography are you going to be shooting? Nature as is Macro or will you need a telephoto ie bird photography.

Do you need fast frame rate? ie capturing fast moving objects/sports etc
How large do you need your files to be?
What's your budget etc?
Will you be printing them etc?

Sorry, just picked up the messages now. Fast frame rate - probably as I will be shooting nature (insects) as well as other things, Don't know about file size, budget approx £500, printing - yes, probably.

I was thinking of this - http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/83410/show.html

 

[Linford]

Sorry, just picked up the messages now. Fast frame rate - probably as I will be shooting nature (insects) as well as other things, Don't know about file size, budget approx £500, printing - yes, probably.

I was thinking of this - http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/83410/show.html

That has the same frame rate as mine. If I were looking at high frame rates, I'd consider a second hand cam of higher spec with that budget like the Canon EOS 60D TBH

 

[annedonnelly]

Might be worth checking out your local camera club - enthusiasts are always upgrading their kit and might have some good second hand gear for sale.

You might also need to think about a macro lens if you want to photograph insects. I think my lens is similar to yours and I can't get really close up to small insects - but they usually fly off anyway!

 

[ttcycle]

For fast frame rate cookie, it'll cost you shedload of money - several times more than your budget I'm afraid- I wonder how fast you would need it for insects though? What is your understanding of a fast frame rate - is that to stop the images blurring ie when the insects walk around (as that's unrelated to frame rate- just trying to gauge your experience and knowledge with cameras and technical elements) or because you need lots of multiple shots to capture a certain detail in movement? What may be worth doing is as Linford suggests going secondhand (however, you need to know what pitfalls to look for so you don't end up buying something that's not in good condition) or getting the camera you're talking of and upgrade the lenses later on.

 

[Linford]

Big lens to get the light in /tripod/remote control, something goey like a cream cake to bring the bugs into frame, and a very brigh sunny day.

I could probably do it on my EOS1000D in sport or manual mode, but you lose depth of field when you run up the shutter speed - unless you use a flash

 

[Dave7]

Sorry, just picked up the messages now. Fast frame rate - probably as I will be shooting nature (insects) as well as other things, Don't know about file size, budget approx £500, printing - yes, probably.

I was thinking of this - http://www.jessops.com/online.store/products/83410/show.html

Frame rate is important but so is the 'lock on' speed e.g. if photographing birds in flight you won't better the Canon 7D but with your budget you would have to go 2nd hand for that.

 

[Linford]

Back in the old film days, I used a flash to capture a moment (1/8000 second). I have got a slave flash kicking around somewhere which could be set up to properly illuminate an area from a distance with the cam flash acting as the trigger for it and then you can run a much slower shutter speed.

 

[ufkacbln]

Too many factors to discuss in full so here is my (biased?) solution.

I wanted an SD card as I use an Eye-Fi card
Small and portable
SLR format

I bought an Olympus E420 a few years ago to tour with mainly as it had all the features I needed and the size was a clincher

Since then I have invested in an Olympus PEN, which is even better. Small compact form and the lens size is not too bad either. Does video as well which the E420 does not.

The big suggestion I would make is extend the budget to buy a package if you can.

When I bough the E420 and the PEN I saved a coupe of hundred over buying the basic model and the second lens separately