Decent DSLR Camera

Taken with the similar Fuji Finepix S6500fd.

These are low resolution, compared to the originals, so they won’t stand being enlarged.

It might be a great compact, at a good price, but as an owner and user of both types of camera I say you will never get as good flying shots with the compact – certainly no where near even an entry level DSLR.

I can completely see your point to be honest, having used it at Legends. It takes about 2 seconds to record the shot onto the memory card, during which time the screen blanks out and you can’t shoot – makes it so hard to spot and keep hold of fast moving Spits and P-51’s – I had to keep zooming out to catch them again and then zooming back in.

As such, its back to Curry’s for a refund. Unless anyone on here wants it – Cost £99.99 last week, less than 200 shots taken, will take £90 or make me an offer. (It’s a Fujifilm S5700 btw). Might be useful for someone, but as stated above, it’s not really for airshows.

Anyone selling a DSLR for £200ish?

Steve

Sorry, yes that is what I meant.

You’ll need one with a 46mm screw thread.

Don’t forget to get a IR lens filter. You’ll need it if you’re shooting aircraft in flight in dodgy light.

Can’t see any on ebay, only UV filters. Is that a similar thing?

Well, following some advice on the Historic Aviation forum on where to go, settled on Halfpenny Green. Not a lot at all happening –

But this was all that was happening. So off to Cosford instead – it’s free after all!

Any tips/advice welcome. I’m still trying to figure out M,S,A,P modes and getting the hang of aperture settings, ISO’s etc

Steve

Settled on a Fuji S5700, which is not quite as advanced as a DSLR, but has loads more features than a compact. And it was only £99 new from Currys!

Complete waste of time and £99 towards a DSLR!

It might be a great compact, at a good price, but as an owner and user of both types of camera I say you will never get as good flying shots with the compact – certainly no where near even an entry level DSLR.
Also you won’t have the creativity envelope a DSLR offers.
Compacts are good for museums, tight flight lines and always having with you for those unexpected occasions.

I’ve just sold a really nice, hardly used Nikon D50 with lens for £220 on Ebag, so good deals are around.

I use Nikon, always have so made sense as I have alot of lenses.
As for the best DSLR, it always seems to be between Canon and Nikon, the gap in performance and quality is very narrow since both came into digital
photography. Nikon always seem to have the edge as far as I’m concerned though.

I’m surprised some of the top photogs here haven’t put an answer up though?

A nice bridge camera choice, but slightly better might have been the S6500fd – slightly bigger, but with a manual zoom feature – rather than the electric rocker button. Only a few quid (if any) more. I got one from Fuji direct, refurbished, on their website. It’s now in it’s second year of use.

It also has a manual focussing ring, but it is still electronic, making it slow. I find auto focus is usually fine, though.

Don’t forget to get a IR lens filter. You’ll need it if you’re shooting aircraft in flight in dodgy light. Some reviewers think that purple fringing is cured, but that’s not true in all circumstances.

Video guide to S6500fd [click].

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Settled on a Fuji S5700, which is not quite as advanced as a DSLR, but has loads more features than a compact. And it was only £99 new from Currys!

All I need is somewhere to test it…Anyone got any ideas for tomorrow, preferably with some flying warbirds. Preferably not Duxford, going there next week

Any ideas?

well they are not going to include minolta and konica kit under the search when they dont exist anymore are they.:rolleyes:

The Sony Alpha’s capable of some very good results, you just have to look at Pen Pusher’s photos to see that. The only downside at present is that you may not have quite the same choice of lenses.

that couldnt be further from the truth. There is a myriad of kit for the A200, since Sony very smartly retained the minolta and Konica lens system, which means the a200 is compatible with every single minolta and Konica lens ever built, right back to the early eighties, and there is a huge choice of them on ebay. You can even get an underwater kit for the camera.The other big advantage is that the image stabilization is built into the body, which means if you buy any old lenses, you still have stabilisation.

Hi All

Personally I am a Canon man myself, probably because when I bought into SLR concept, for those who can remember that far back, the camera was a Canon FTBn!

In this electronic age, the prospective buyer should note the general condition of the equipment and also most importantly, how many frames have been exposed?

The above question is important for the following reasons:-

1> In the old days, it was rare for an SLR under normal use to
wear out!

2> In today’s age of electronics, I know people who have shot so
many images, that the camera has just stopped working through
shear use, remember a few years old and they are rarely worth
repairing!

Perhaps I am just old fashioned, but I would be wary of buying second hand on Ebay, you just cannot guage the condition of a camera by a picture!

Regards

WF

Im in a similar situation (not with the betting) Warehouse express are doing the Sony A200 for £290 with kit lens, or if you look around Ebay you might get a 350d or similar with kit lens for that sort of cash, I think the long term ownership is a big factor in what you get, hence me taking 1 1/2 weeks in trying to decide. I think even though Canon are a bit more expensive than say the sony or Olympus, Things like lenses are that bit cheaper as you have a much wider option of what make to buy.

Hope that makes sense.

Obviously you’ll have to buy second hand, but you should be able to get entry-level Nikons or Canons in that price range. D40, D50 or the Canon equivalent, that kind of think. Or maybe an Olympus E500 – not quite an Canon or Nikon, but a decent camera nontheless.

bump

Anyone?