Dslr

[Parthiban]

I know there's a few keen photographers on here so I'm thinking this is a good place as any to ask, I'm thinking of getting a DSLR and have settled on the Nikon D90.

Don't really know a lot about photography, more of a point and shoot kind so far, but I think it will be fun learning how to use a camera properly! Basically is this a decent choice? We have a film Nikon SLR from years ago we were happy with so that's the reason for sticking with the Nikon brand but reviews seem to suggest they still are at the head of the field.

I was thinking originally to get the body only and buy an 18-200mm lens separately, but hadn't realised how damn expensive these lenses are.........the alternative is to buy the D90 kit which comes with an 18-105mm lens - will this be enough for normal use?

Also all the photo stores seem to be trying to push expensive high speed SD cards, does it make a difference?

[DJ Wozza]

Sorry I can't help, I'd ask Niraj mate if I were you, or Jiberjabber as he is also very into photography.

[Tyger]

Yup, I have a cranky old D50 and the D90 is what I would buy if I wanted a new one.

If you possibly can the 18-200 VR is a good long term investment.

I have a 18-55 and a 55-200 and it drives me mad with the inconvenience.

As for pic quality, stick it on auto and press the button. You will be amazed.

Not sure about the new SD cards. I guess this only matters if you are rapid shooting, as it were.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d90.htm

[sparkystav]

Yup, I have a cranky old D50 and the D90 is what I would buy if I wanted a new one.

If you possibly can the 18-200 VR is a good long term investment.

I have a 18-55 and a 55-200 and it drives me mad with the inconvenience.

As for pic quality, stick it on auto and press the button. You will be amazed.

Not sure about the new SD cards. I guess this only matters if you are rapid shooting, as it were.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d90.htm

Its a shame apple dont make cameras yet lol

Only jokin mate,

[Tyger]

Don't speak too soon!

lol

http://images.appleinsider.com/quicktake-071211-1.jpg

This was like YEARS ago and ahead of it's time and very pricey!!

I think it only had about 1 pixel!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_QuickTake

[Ellz]

My dads got the D70 and still using his old lenses as they are all interchangable with Nikons SLR's. We've got a 18-70mm and a monster 70-300mm. The photos on auto come out great, but once you start playing with the f stops, shutter times etc you can start getting really good shots, just read up and take you time.

Another thing thats really handy is a gorilla pod, really handy when out and about and want a long exposure but havent got full size tri pod or a good surface to set up on.

http://joby.com/

[Damer]

Check out

www.chromasia.com

As well as great blog and library of images he also runs tutorials.

[Parthiban]

Thanks for the replies, I was hoping for a good pro-Nikon response - wherever else you look it would easily kick off a Nikon vs Canon (and now Sony bizarrely) debate but obviously people on here appreciate quality :winky:

@ Ellz: So will the lens off our old 35mm film camera work with the digital one (AF and all)? Although it won't have the fancy vibration reduction that the new lenses have.

@ Tyger: Yep the 18-200 would be the ideal solution, looks like the best compromise of size when retracted and monster zoom but the cost is astronomical! The price difference between the body only and the kit (with the 18-105 lens) is about £130 - but the 18-200 is well over £400!

I know you are getting a lot more for the money, but as a very amateur photographer can't decide whether it's really worth spending so much extra if I won't really ever need to use it

[Mincey]

I've had a D40X for about a year now and I love it (although I am lusting after a D90 body....). I bought a 70-200 lens to supplement the kit lens and then got frustrated at the Festival of Speed because I always had the wrong lens on. An extra £400 later I've got the 18-200 lens and life's great. I would like a macro lens though. Have a look at www.dpreview.com

[Ellz]

As far as im aware Nikon havent changed there lense swapping tradition, Both the lenses we've got where from our old SLR Nikon. Its amazing at the price of those, DSLR have dropped massively. To give you a comparison. My Dad payed £900 for the body alone, for the D70 and that was in Maylaisa so was cheaper than here in the UK. This was a fair few years back though when DSLRs where a new thing.

[Ellz]

I've had a D40X for about a year now and I love it (although I am lusting after a D90 body....). I bought a 70-200 lens to supplement the kit lens and then got frustrated at the Festival of Speed because I always had the wrong lens on. An extra £400 later I've got the 18-200 lens and life's great. I would like a macro lens though. Have a look at www.dpreview.com

When doing my Photography A level i brought a macro "add on" for about £40 worked really well, also had really wide angle bit one that give the bowl type effect

[Anees]

I don't know much about photography, but a guy at work bought the Nikon D90 a few weeks back and I must say, the quality of the images is just in a different league to anything else I have seen - just so sharp and clear and vibrant. The technology is amazing. He bought lenses, extra Battery, larger flash etc - think it cost him just under a grand. But he plans on doing a few weddings during the summer to get some of his money back :)

[Parthiban]

Not a bad idea doing some weddings to make the money back, although I doubt anyone would want to hire me!

With regard to the lenses, it does seem the 18-200 is the one everyone's talking about. Even Ken Rockwell was saying that's the only lens you'll ever need, which isn't good as that's why I was thinking about getting one in the first place!

However, I can't find the body only for less than £550 (and they're not even in stock) but I can get the kit with the 18-105 lens at Dixons at the airport for £620! At that price it makes more sense to get the kit and try it out, and if not happy can always eBay and get the 200 later :)

[Tyger]

To be honest you have to be careful not to fall into the same trap as Home Cinema freaks and DIY PC makers can.

The numbers game.

Just because the spec sheet and a few snazzy graphs look BIGGER and BETTER and HIGHER than older models doesn't necessarily translate to better sound, a faster PC or better pictures.

A pro photographer with a disposable camera could probably get better results than you or I with the latest greatest Nikon!

If cost is an issue I would go for the 18-200 lens and a cheaper older body. (A pro would shudder at the distortion that you or I would not notice and recoil at the thought of this lens and swear that you need many different lenses specializing at different ranges!)

The huge number of megapixels on the D90 and similar is just gonna eat up memory card space, hard drive space, increase download times and you will need a faster PC to process the images.

If you are not going to be PRINTING OUT images >A3 size then you would be better off going for no more than a 8 megapixel camera, allowing you more to spend more on the lens.

[Mincey]

If you are not going to be PRINTING OUT images >A3 size then you would be better off going for no more than a 8 megapixel camera, allowing you more to spend more on the lens.

Seconded!

[Parthiban]

A pro photographer with a disposable camera could probably get better results than you or I with the latest greatest Nikon!

True, but according to a lot of photo pros (including that Ken Rockwell bloke who seems to know what he's talking about) the newer the SLR, the better the picture.

It makes less of a difference to someone who knows what they're doing as they'll really leave the camera on "auto", but if you're a point and shooter then the automatic capabilities of the newer cameras are far superior to an older model.

And it's not that the cost is a massive issue, I just wasn't sure about paying so much more for the lens if I'm not really going to need that much of a zoom. And now that I've found it so cheap with the lens (as above) I'll go with that and can always eBay it and buy the other one later if I feel I need it.

Totally agree about the megapixel argument, but in terms of the actual electronics and CMOS sensor there is a difference. So much so that I've actually read a few reviews that state the D90 is no worse a camera than the older but more expensive D300 purely because of the updated electronics.

Does anyone know about the SD cards though? Is it worth spending more on a high speed one?

[Steviewevie]

Does anyone know about the SD cards though? Is it worth spending more on a high speed one?

I'm no expert on this, but I thought it was generally worth getting the higher-speed ones, especially for higher-end cameras.

Don't buy one from a camera store though, they'll be much cheaper online !

[TheDon]

well i hope i can be of a little help here..

Firstly a D90 is an awsome camera.. it came out a month after i picked up my D80 body and 18-105 lens!! no fair!

But i will say that if you have never messed with a DSLR it will be a little too much and unless you work very hard learning and reading 90% of the cameras ability will remain a mystery and waste.

Now if your just getting into it something like a D40x (10mp) is a definate good option.. a D50 if you can get one is a good medium starter as well.

I moved up from a D50 to a D80 in about 12 months and over 8000+ photos on the D50.. and tbh if i had gone for the D80 to start i would have struggled with the options and lacked the ability to change the settings enough. after 12 months of reading and learning i still had loads to learn when i got the D80.. in june i will be going to the D300 as im a lot more competant at setting and metering my own photos sucessfully.

As for SD memory cards the best option is SDHC.. i just picked up a sandisk Ultra 3 16gb class 4 memory card for £35.. the class's are as follows:

Class 2 = 2mbs write time

Class 4 = 4mbs

Class 6 = 6mbs

Currently SDHC ranges from 4gb to 32gb..

You will need a fast write time when you are shooting in JPEG and Raw.. and especialy when shooting in rapid succession.. i.e. a burst of 30+ photos it can take 20+ seconds before taking another batch of photos with a slow card.. but only a few seconds with a fast card..

www.7dayshop.com is your best friend for batteries, chargers, filters, pods, batteries etc.. bit like a play.com for photographers (VAT free in jersey)

dont get too caught up with lenses...

I have about 4 -5 lenses... as initialy i felt the need to have lots as its what the pros do.. isnt it? cost me loads... but 90% of my shooting is done with a 18-135 lens... which has enabled me to actualy take better photos as im taking photos not changing.. stopping, remetering.. adapting etc etc..

I shoot a lot lighter these days.. on average i take one lens, a body and a Battery and a 16gb card.. before it was 5 lenses, two bodies, 6 batteries, chargers, cards... cleaners etc etc etc..

the D40x seems to be your most cost effective option at the moment.. and will give you amazing quality.. and will allow you to enjoy learning.

[bigdavegrr]

The D90 is a very good piece of kit, the bonuses of being able to pump up the ISO to over 1,600 and still get noise free pictures is amazing, as well as the ability to record 720p HD video with it.

If you do go down the Nikon route, i'd go for the 18-200 VR lens, it's lovely. Another nice toy to have in the bag is the Nikon 50mm F1.8 lens. A lot of people think big aperture means big money - but in this case it doesn't. You can get them for about £80 and they're one of the sharpest lenses around.

[Tyger]

Agree with TheDon.

Gonna upgrade to the D90! lol

No, seriously if you can pick up a D40x or D50 and the 18-200 VR then you will be overjoyed and still have some money for beer.

Edited December 15, 2008 by DJ Wozza
Non Gold member offering an item for sale. It is strictly forbidden for non-Gold Members to offer, (or hint at offering) items for sale on the forum

[Parthiban]

well i hope i can be of a little help here..

Cheers mate, that was a really helpful post :)

The reason why I want to get a D90, is that we tend to buy something and then hang on to it for years, so always buy the best available at that time.......I don't mind a learning curve, and looking forward to trying to figure out exactly how to use one properly (as really don't have much of a clue at the mo) so body wise I'm pretty set on the D90 :D

With regards to the lens, I had a play with both of them again at my local Jessops, and while the 18-200 is great, besides the price, the other thing that puts me off is the weight of it. As a non-pro photographer I want a decent balance of portability to awesomeness (real word, honest) so the 105 seems a better choice in that respect. In addition, as I can get the kit for £620, and can't find the body for less £550 (£570 in stock) it's a no brainer to buy the kit and I can always decide later whether to sell this lens and buy the other.

Thanks for the info on the SD cards too, is there a difference between the branded ones and unbranded ones? I usually go for Sandisk memory cards, but it seems you can get an unbranded class 6 16gb card for the same price as a branded class 6 8gb card. Also what sort of file size would each photo take up in both JPEG and raw modes at full quality and resolution?

[Guest inicol63]

Ok i too have the Nikon but i have the d70 a great camera even if you can only point and shoot.

I guess i would be looking at the Nikon D90 aginst the Canon 450d.

I would buy with two lenses 18-55 and 18-200

On the other side not sure i would be spending the sort of money these camera would cost if you are only starting out on the slr course.

Ian

[Parthiban]

Here's an example of the type of SD card I was talking about

Integral 16GB class 6

I can't even find a 16gb sandisk class 6 card and yet the integral one is half the price of it. Is it too good to be true, or is it just a case of all the tech is the same, and you're just paying for the brand name?

Regarding prices, I have to say that it's amazing you can get such good cameras for the price of something like a D40, but I really don't think £600 is a lot for an SLR with a lens whether you're a beginner or not :shutit:

The Nikon F401 my dad bought many many years ago cost something very similar, so in real terms we'll be getting the D90 for pennies comparatively

[Guest inicol63]

I agree it not a lot for a camera if you are going to take up photography but if it used only for two weeks holiday and left in a draw for the rest of the year then it is a lot..

Ian

[TheDon]

once you get your camera if you fancy a little trip somewhere i dont mind fast tracking a bit of learning for you if you want.. will save a lot of bugger ups.

Memory.. you definately get what you pay for as its very easy to get corruption of the files.. especialy during rapid write times. average 10mb for a Jpeg & Raw.. for example with my 16gb card i can get 890 photos which is about the life of the Battery also.

If its just Jpeg your looking at about 2000 or so photos, personaly i love to shoot in raw mode as you can ensure that you get the photo you want!

Get on amazon and buy yourself the D90 Digital Field guide... best £10 you will ever spend.. trust me!