Advice/opinions needed re digital SLR cameras

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Just a bump to see what you guys are shooting with these days. I have seen Neo's work with the Sony, I have followed them a little closer over the last year. I also have seen what Pete has done with his sideline shoot at the Redskins game years back, but I am not sure what he used, I think he said it was a Canon.

Just interested to see what everybody else is shooting with these days. Anybody shooting with something different? Anybody switch to Full frame? I have upgraded my equipment dramatically, with all my lenses and the 2 camera bodies I have now. I am shooting with a D300s with a battery pack (8 fps) today and have a D200 backup. I have a 70-300 f/4.5-5.6 VR zoom lens, I have a 50mm f/1.4, a 17-55 f/2.8, and a 12-24 f/4. I am debating selling the 17-55 to purchase the 24-70 f/2.8 and I am going to purchase an 85mm f/1.8 before I shoot my next wedding in a few weeks. Oh how I wish I could afford the 85mm f/1.4. I was going to invest in a long lens, 70-200 f/2.8mm or even maybe a fixed 300mm, but I cannot afford one right now for the limited time I would use it. I just discovered an awesome website that rents lenses so when I need a long lens I will just go through them and rent a fixed 400. For instance when I figure out a way to get onto the Redskins sidelines for th 9/11 game this season the fixed 400 would be a great lens to have. :)

Anyway, just wanted to talk shop a little. Goaldeje, what do your photographers use. I would imagine you guys are using D90's?
 
They're using D200's right now, believe it or not. There have been a lot of rumors we are going to release some sort of proprietary camera system that supposedly perfects green screen technology. I have seen the camera and the work it produces and it is impressive, with no Photoshop work. I saw it two years ago at the corporate offices, but apparently they had troubles with it when they field tested it in the school division. Supposedly, they are fixing the problems and are looking to roll it out everywhere.
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Goaldeje said:
They're using D200's right now, believe it or not. There have been a lot of rumors we are going to release some sort of proprietary camera system that supposedly perfects green screen technology. I have seen the camera and the work it produces and it is impressive, with no Photoshop work. I saw it two years ago at the corporate offices, but apparently they had troubles with it when they field tested it in the school division. Supposedly, they are fixing the problems and are looking to roll it out everywhere.
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Click to expand...

My old company just upgraded to the D300s for schools just last fall for the first time. They were still using the D200 last spring.
 
Yeah, the church division is the low division on the totem pole, I doubt we get upgraded anytime soon...
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Just to put in my two cents, because I have owned and borrowed several brands and models over the years....

Canon and Nikkon are the only ones you need to spend any time at all looking at. To keep it as simple and basic as possible, any Cannon or Nikkon over $150 is a deal, regardless of resolution, lens, etc.

By default, they already have a far superior lens to anyone else in the market. IMO Nikkon, due to their technological advances in lenscrafting, have the best lens. That being said, I still have to give the edge to Canon as far as overall quality, ease of use, etc.

As far as cameras to stay away from - avoid Fuji like the plague. Not only is the quality below sub-par, but they break if you look at them wrong. They have issues with the aperture locking up, and their electrical issues are too numerous to describe. I believe they only got in the market because of brand recognition, and didn't bother to spend money on R&D, or bother to put out a quality product.

Oh, and I am a BGO arcade whore, I know exactly who you are :D

edit:just realized I'm extremely late to this party :laugh:
 
Elephant said:
E, I am gonna have to disagree about the Fuji. They just created one of the top rated cameras on the market right now:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1009/10091910fujifilmx100.asp
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I will admit I have not seen that, because I swore off Fujis for good about a year ago. I just had nothing but horrible experiences with them, even on cameras that got rave reviews.

I came to the conclusion that a lot of the fan reviews were based on pricepoints, because the cameras were total garbage. I don't know, maybe Fuji came to their senses finally. I will take your word for it, but they still won't get a dime from me. I have bad luck, and if I bought one it would surely be the factory defect and I'd rip out what little hair I have left lol.

I'm really digging the throwback look of that Fuji though.
 
Dude, I would love one, but it is $1500.

I have a friend who is a photographer for the Ravens and he told me that it is an awesome camera! Just a nice point and click style camera that is capable of images like a high end DSLR.

Other than that, I wouldn't own a Fuji. If I had to do it all over again, I would go with Canon.
 
Elephant said:
Dude, I would love one, but it is $1500.

I have a friend who is a photographer for the Ravens and he told me that it is an awesome camera! Just a nice point and click style camera that is capable of images like a high end DSLR.

Other than that, I wouldn't own a Fuji. If I had to do it all over again, I would go with Canon.
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Yeah, the price definitely makes it not worth the gamble. But damn I love the look of it. I have a think for vintage/faux vintage anything. Just recently I was salivating when a buddy of mine busted out an old Canon Super 8 camcorder :laugh: He's willing to part with it cheap as anything, but a quick google shopping search told me it might be next to impossible to even find the film cartridges for it. It's a damn shame too, because I love the look of the old film.
 
I'd like to have a DC that has at least 12 MP, 10X Zoom or more, easy to use, not big and bulky, and very affordable.

Bah.
 
Goaldeje said:
Saw this on Twitter, thought it seemed to fit here:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awq90APEVgw&sns=tw[/media]
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Strange, it shows no link until you click the quote tab. I was about to make an invisible camera joke too :D

I tried reposting the link, and it won't allow it. It automatically puts it in media tabs, which make it vanish. Badass vid though.
 
Burgundy Burner said:
I'm with you BB. And maybe someone will explain the digital vs. optical zoom thing. :square:
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Simply put, optical zoom is when the lens actually enlarges an object by moving closer to it. Digital zoom isn't really a zoom, it just enlarges part of the picture.

Just picture walking toward an object being the equivalent of optical, and looking through a magnifying glass at something is digital zoom.
 
Sort of...but digital zoom isn't even like looking through a magnifying glass. The camera is essentially "making up" the picture, so its a false zoom. Optical zoom is true image data, digital zoom is the camera's best guess.
 
Ding, ding, ding! Both of you are correct and Lanky nailed it perfectly.

However, I was looking for opinions on the other subject matter. Any ideas out there?
 
Elephant said:
Just a bump to see what you guys are shooting with these days. I have seen Neo's work with the Sony, I have followed them a little closer over the last year. I also have seen what Pete has done with his sideline shoot at the Redskins game years back, but I am not sure what he used, I think he said it was a Canon.
Click to expand...

Good memory E. I shot the Skins games with a Rebel XT, and a Canon EF 70-300mm USM III. I upgraded... LOL the XT was obsolete when I bought it, as the XTi was already out for 6 months. Anyhow, staying close to what I had, I picked up a 2Ti body this winter. I had added the Canon EF-S 10-22mm Ultra wide zoom a bit over a year ago.

I would love to upgrade the zoom to one with two mode image stabilization, but can't justify it being I'm not really doing any action shoots. Of course, if I upgraded, I could pick up some more side work. The zoom I have now works well enough for the candid stuff I like to shoot.

I love the ultra wide angle. More often then not, I'm shooting close to the subject, and the effect on landscapes and wider shots is just crazy.

I use the EF 18-55 the least, though it's a wonderful all around lens. I finally got to shoot a little with the new body a couple of weeks ago. It's been an odd year, and just hadn't had the time to play with the new toy, so getting to shoot one my favorite subjects, pin up girls, it made for a great day.

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The only bad part.... had to fight for a spot to shoot from constantly. I like shooting the pin ups for file images to use in other works like this....

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Great job Pete! I am finally learning to use the wide angle myself and love it. I wish I could justify the cost of the 14-24 f/2.8 that Nikon has, but will make due with what I have since it's a nice lens and I have other needs.
 
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