Which Digital Prof SLR To Buy ?

Unless you use Adobe Lightroom

This is true to a limited extend (sometimes I do use Lightroom myself). RAW files can be modified in a much more fundamental (non destructive) way. Aspects like the colour space (eg sRGB vs Adobe RGB) and colour mode can only be changed in RAW files.

However it is true that by shooting in RAW you have more options (exposure, tone curve, white balance, etc.) to correct the picture in postprocessing than you would have if you were shooting JPEG’s only.

Unless you use Adobe Lightroom

Hi All
Thanks for the advice! I think I will be experimenting with the RAW+JPEG option on my day off as im an only using JPEG at the moment. Still I have got until Sunday to get the hang of it:D

Phill

www.outflankeduk.com – my website

When you shoot RAW only, the camera will attach a basic JPEG anyway for viewing and indexing purposes.

Not all digital cameras allowed viewing the image when shooting RAW only.

The gamut is defined by the colour space you have selected in the camera; Adobe RGB has a wider gamut than sRGB. This applies to RAW as well as to JPEG.

Can’t argue with that. Issues caused by colour space differences between the camera, editing software, monitor and printer, each of which can often be set up to handle a variety of colour spaces continue to cause trouble for the uniniatiated, this includes myself at times. Colour control for the average user seems more art than science.

However it is true that by shooting in RAW you have more options (exposure, tone curve, white balance, etc.) to correct the picture in postprocessing than you would have if you were shooting JPEG’s only.

Which was the main point I was putting across.

Save images as RAW and if the camera has a RAW+JPEG mode use that. RAW gives a wider gamut which allows one more latitude in rendering the useable image and RAW+JPEG allows an image file for the built in viewer and also a quick index when files are saved to computer disc in the absence of an OS plug-in to view RAW thumbnails in a directory viewer.

For the built-in viewer and quick indexing of files it is not necessary to shoot RAW+JPEG. When you shoot RAW only, the camera will attach a basic JPEG anyway for viewing and indexing purposes. RAW editing programs (eg Adobe Lightroom, ACR, Nikon Capture NX, Capture ONE LE, etc.) also use that basic JPEG for indexing.

The gamut is defined by the colour space you have selected in the camera; Adobe RGB has a wider gamut than sRGB. This applies to RAW as well as to JPEG. However it is true that by shooting in RAW you have more options (exposure, tone curve, white balance, etc.) to correct the picture in postprocessing than you would have if you were shooting JPEG’s only.

I am rapidly approaching DSLR decision time too, but my brand choice is probably already made. I’ve been a Canon man for years A-1 T90 EOS-30. But why oh why does each itteration of the Digital EOS family have to be smaller than the last. How do you hold a 30D or 400D with a half decent length lens on it.
Any ideas when the 40D is due for release.
Comments appreciated from you folk who are already doing it. “Grip firmly with both hands, tuck your elbows in to your ribs as hard as possible” doesn’t appear to fit any more.
Be lucky
David

I have finally got around to making my mind up and have gone for the Canon 30d and a 100-400mm Canon lens. Its a great bit of kit, now i just have to learn how to use it…

Save images as RAW and if the camera has a RAW+JPEG mode use that. RAW gives a wider gamut which allows one more latitude in rendering the useable image and RAW+JPEG allows an image file for the built in viewer and also a quick index when files are saved to computer disc in the absence of an OS plug-in to view RAW thumbnails in a directory viewer.

Software supplied with the camera may provide the plug-in for viewing RAW files created by that camera but maybe not those created by other cameras which can save RAW+JPEG and will almost certainly be more limited than a RAW processing program such as Lightroom.

Once you are sure of getting reliable exposures under all lighting conditions you can always switch to RAW only saving data storage space and a little time in storing images – not a great saving on the latter in my experience and with the price of memory cards and their large capacities these days not of much utility for saving card space.

There again, each to their own methodology.:)

I have finally got around to making my mind up and have gone for the Canon 30d and a 100-400mm Canon lens. Its a great bit of kit, now i just have to learn how to use it!:D
heres one from the BBMF show (more to appear on my website in the next few days)
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Phill

www.outflankeduk.com – my website

Hello all

Hi folks. I’ve followed this thread with great interest over the last few weeks and thought I’d finally post. I’m a complete novice to the photography game, but have always seen great photo opportunities that I never manage to catch quite right. So following the untimely death of my trusty Sony Cybershot, I’m considering replacing it with a DSLR instead, to see if it’s the camera or my lack of talent ruining all my attempts at taking good photos!

Obviously if it transpires that’s it’s me letting the side down, any gear purchased can be sold on and I can go back to a standard digital camera and try and find another hobby!

With that in mind, I’ve been looking at the Canon EOS 400d and the Nikon D40x. I’ve never used either so am not biased towards a particular make. Both seem to be available for around the same price so I was wandering is there anything in particular that makes one slightly better than the other?

Here’s a photo I took with my trusty sony back in 2005. It’s in Canada in the middle of a storm we thought was going to end the world! I know the foreground isn’t focused properly and it’s not the best photo in the world! But it was taken with the camera in my hand in what felt like gale force winds! I was still proud of it, but from that moment on, I’ve always though I could of maybe done better with a better camera!

Apologies for the hijack by the way!

I have a Sony Alpha 100 and very good it is proving to.

Following up to that here are two pic’s taken at the weekend by others using my cameras as I was in the front cockpit.

The close up was on a Dynax7D with a Minolta Reflex 500 f8 and the other on a Sony Alpha with Minolta 75-300mm zoom.

Neither pic’s were taken by folk familiar with the controls (one not that familiar with cameras in general) I just set them up and described the focusing indications.

Hi all have been folowing this thread for a while and am starting to look (save up) for a DSLR. Now I was thinking of going for the Canon EOS 400D, but then I saw the Sony A100 which is around the same price but you can get it with a 18-70 and a 75-300mm lenses.

Does any one have some experiance of this or should I just aim for the Canon?

I have a Sony Alpha 100 and very good it is proving to.

Being a long time Minolta user, starting with SRT-101s (best available SLR in 1968 IMHO – excellent metering and high quality Rokkor lenses with a no fiddling bayonet mount) in the late 1960s and followed by the X-700, Dynax 7 and then going digital with Dynax 7D and having collected useful Minolta AF mount fitted glass the Alpha was a natural progression.

My only reservations with this was that it did not have the dedicated exposure comp’, flash comp and frame shooting mode dials and no second thumbwheel for shutter speed adjust (almost essential if driving fully manual exposure) and thus requires a little mental adjusting after the Dynax 7 and 7D (although these are still very much in use). Having said that, and with my limited experience of Canon/Nikon many of their camera models are not as well served controllability wise as the Alpha, IMHO the fewer visits down obscure menus or button presses the better. I get a feeling I am going to be pounced on here.

One other thing is the non-availability of a vertical grip. This latter is of little concern to the aviation photographer but is if you shoot lots of other stuff – my arthritic hands are assisted much by a vertical grip here. Also being able to pack two batteries at a time into a grip, as with the D7D is very useful.

There are some good pieces of Minolta AF mount glass available second-hand at the moment. I have tried a Minolta Reflex (mirror) 500mm f8 with some success on the Alpha.

IMO well worth a serious look.

Hi all have been folowing this thread for a while and am starting to look (save up) for a DSLR. Now I was thinking of going for the Canon EOS 400D, but then I saw the Sony A100 which is around the same price but you can get it with a 18-70 and a 75-300mm lenses.

Does any one have some experiance of this or should I just aim for the Canon?

These reviews could be of help to you
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydslra100/
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos400d/

Hi all have been folowing this thread for a while and am starting to look (save up) for a DSLR. Now I was thinking of going for the Canon EOS 400D, but then I saw the Sony A100 which is around the same price but you can get it with a 18-70 and a 75-300mm lenses.

Does any one have some experiance of this or should I just aim for the Canon?

A-ha family pics means posing and light (not to mention indoor outdoor, controlling the background and the difference in equipment: I don’t think 100-400L is the right lens to take a pic of your kid, a good prime 50 or 85 would be more like it). Besides you don’t get to pose your a/c or direct the light. From my limited serious amateur POV its a whole different ballgame.

Now if there are great portrait photographers who also happen to be great aviation photographers then my apologies. But there are other more accomplished resources where you can learn from the experience and insight of others who are more attuned to this.

I use a 300d for both and got a Canon 50mm 1.8 USM for £65 new – its soooo sharp and clear you could shave with it !!!

Regards

1) 1.6x is crop factor not really a focal length multiplier. http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/dslr-mag.shtml

Quite correct see also:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/dslr-mag.shtml

Further the multiplying factor quoted e.g. 1.6 (or in my case 1.5) is a ball park figure. The true figure can be obtained by checking the sensor size, calculating the diagonal (good ol’ Pythagoras) and then dividing that into the 35mm diagonal which is calculated using Pythagoras and the dimensions 24mm and 36mm. In my case this works out to 1.53, i.e. not quite 1.5.

If you can use your old SLR lenses, an expensive investment, remember that the digital bumps the focal length by a factor of something like 1.6. So your OK old zoom lens takes on a nice increase in zoom factor!…………….In lookin at used gear, try to find out how many times the shutter has fired! Someone who shoots a lot can burn through the shutter mechanism in a couple years and then dump it on EBay to avoid the expensive repair! Also, watch for lost pixels on the CCD.

1) 1.6x is crop factor not really a focal length multiplier. http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/dslr-mag.shtml

2) I believe only on a Canon 1D body can you actually find out the real # of shutter actuations. On a X0D, or XX0D body it can always be reset using the EOS utility. I believe Nikon’s give you true shutter activation or so I am told.

3) While you can never believe the shutter activations on a non 1D body, you can get your shutter replaced for $250 from Canon Service too.
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I have been running my Canon 10D for two years now with one of my favorite airshow lenses being my 75-300 ( 1:4-5.6). Works pretty well, but no stabilization and it had better be nice and sunny!

If you can use your old SLR lenses, an expensive investment, remember that the digital bumps the focal length by a factor of something like 1.6. So your OK old zoom lens takes on a nice increase in zoom factor!

In lookin at used gear, try to find out how many times the shutter has fired! Someone who shoots a lot can burn through the shutter mechanism in a couple years and then dump it on EBay to avoid the expensive repair! Also, watch for lost pixels on the CCD. At two years old, I have 3 that have failed on my Canon….so….buyer beware.

My son ordered his 400d on Saturday from Tesco and received it this morning, i was not so fast and guess what the price has gone back up. Oh well just have to wait till they bring it back down again, mean while i’ll look forward to his results. Will post anything aviation wise he takes.

Paul

Your son will just have to “loose” it then 😉

That price was absouletly cracking. They were been snapped up all over the internet!

My son ordered his 400d on Saturday from Tesco and received it this morning, i was not so fast and guess what the price has gone back up. Oh well just have to wait till they bring it back down again, mean while i’ll look forward to his results. Will post anything aviation wise he takes.

Paul

I would like to thank everyone as well you’ve all been a great help!
well done on your purchase im going to jessops as well…..especially as i know a couple of members of staff so hoping for a good deal;)

phill

www.outflankeduk.com – my website