Can Digital be better than Film?

[Dr Mordrid]

Think digital;

Canon Digital Rebel (can use many EF/EF-S Canon SLR lenses)

Nikon D50 or D70, depending on your budget

Pentax *ist DS (can use some existing Pentax SLR lenses)

Dr. Mordrid

[Nowhere]

But it's not the same feeling...each shot more thought out, filters, different films, darkroom...yummy

[Dr Mordrid]

Damn the feeling....I'm too old & crabby to mess with chemicals anymore

Dr. Mordrid

[Nowhere]

Damn the feeling....I'm too old & crabby to mess with chemicals anymore

Dr. Mordrid

I suppose you're hoping Lizie won't read that

[xortam]

And here I am with my crappy little Canon Powershot S70 I've been thinking about getting a SLR though.

I've got an S70 also ... and a Nikon 8008 film SLR and a Minolta 35DL Weathermatic underwater film SLR to boot. The digicam sure is handy though.

God, I do miss the smell of fixer in the morning ... smells like victory.

[Dr Mordrid]

I spent over 30 years around fixer between my darkroom and the one at work.

Given that I'm asthmatic enough is enough

Dr. Mordrid

[Liquid Snake]

I was thinking of Canon's new Digital Rebel XT. I'm already used to Canon's cameras, and I also don't have any lenses that I can use. I ruled out the Pentax since it uses SD cards; I already have a number of CF cards. I'll look into the Nikons.

In the mean time, I could play around with my dad's old film SLR. It's a Minolta Maxxum 7000 that's about 20 years old.

xortam, I remember we had a thread about the S70 in the Digital Imaging forum last year. Since then I've taken over 2500 shots with it. Nice little camera, I always have it with me wherever I go.

[VJ]

Think digital;

Canon Digital Rebel (can use many EF/EF-S Canon SLR lenses)

Or just a thad higher (in built quality, features and price): Canon Eos-20D (great camera)

Nikon D50 or D70, depending on your budget
Pentax *ist DS (can use some existing Pentax SLR lenses)

Nikon D70 has been surpassed by the D70s. It doesn't bring many new features though (some connection thingy, other improvements are offered to D70 users by means of a firmware update to v. 2.00).
Similar as to the Canons, many existing Nikon-mount lenses (Nikon, Sigma, ...) can be used on the dslr range.
There are continuing rumours of Nikon releasing a D200 (would fit in the middle of the D70 and the D2x, sort of a successor to the D100), but nothing official.


Jörg

[xortam]

... xortam, I remember we had a thread about the S70 in the Digital Imaging forum last year. Since then I've taken over 2500 shots with it. Nice little camera, I always have it with me wherever I go.

That's a pretty impressive count of shots. I don't know what I'm up to but I doubt I'm at half that. I mainly got it for my annual backpacking trip which will be at the end of summer. I probably use it once a week or more. I've been documenting the progress of a new housing track being built near us.

[Dr Mordrid]

I've been hammering my Digital Rebel since getting it for XMAS last year. Great little camera.

Dr. Mordrid

[az]

Take a look at the Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D - it's not cheap and it's "only" got 6 mp, but it has the fastest AF, image stabilization with every lens, manual controls (without having to use the menu), and used lenses are cheap.

AZ

[Liquid Snake]

Actually I don't have 2500 shots. It's about half of that. But I don't reset the image counter after a CF card change, so the image counter is up to about 2500 right now.

I've considered the 20D, and I've played around with it at a local store (with a EF-S 17-85 IS lens). It's very nice, but I don't want to spend over a grand on the body. I figured the 500 I'd save by going for the Rebel XT over the 20D could buy me a good lens. The Minolta 7D looks very interesting with the built-in image stabilization, but it's quite a bit more than I want to spend.

BTW, isn't this in the wrong forum?

[xortam]

... BTW, isn't this in the wrong forum?

Good point. But while we're on a tangent ...

Actually I don't have 2500 shots. It's about half of that. But I don't reset the image counter after a CF card change, so the image counter is up to about 2500 right now. ...

I don't understand the discrepancy. I also don't reset the counter and I'm only up to 388 (seems like many more shots than this). I also have shot many long videos with this little guy and it really comes in handy. I bought a 1 GB CF card so I can shoot video as well as lots of raw images.

I've been trying to settle in on a lightweight rugged case that would protect the camera during backpacking. I started off with an REI accessory pocket ...



... which exactly fits the width of the S70 but leaves about 1 1/2" on top (which is no problem). The problem is that it takes a little too long to remove and replace the camera into the case. It offers scratch protection yet only a little impact protection for the camera. I just picked up this rugged case ...



... which is roughly the same weight but offers great protection and is easier for access to the camera with it's clam shell design. The case is too wide which allows the camera to flop from side to side but I'll fit it with some foam padding to fill it out. The REI case has a nice flip-up belt attachment which is really quick to take on and off while the Accucase has a traditional closed webbing loop for attaching to a belt.

Have you found anything more appropriate for this type of use? You probably don't have the same kind of requirements in a case as myself.

[Liquid Snake]

I don't understand the discrepancy. I also don't reset the counter and I'm only up to 388 (seems like many more shots than this). I also have shot tons of video with this little guy and it really comes in handy. I bought a 1 GB CF card so I can shoot video as well as lots of raw images.

Err, I dunno. But the last shot I took is named IMG_2527.JPG. In total I have 1200-something shots. I guess I deleted about half of the shots I took, because they came out bad or whatever.

I've been trying to settle in on a lightweight rugged case that would protect the camera during backpacking. I started off with an REI accessory pocket ...

... which exactly fits the width of the S70 but leaves about 1 1/2" on top (which is no problem). The problem is that it takes a little too long to remove and replace the camera into the case and it only offers scratch protection and only a little impact protection for the camera. I just picked up this rugged case ...

... which is roughly the same weight but offers great protection and is easier for access to the camera with it's clam shell design. The case is too wide which allows the camera to flop from side to side but I'll fit it with some foam padding to fill it out.

Have you found anything more appropriate for this type of use? You probably don't have the same kind of requirements in a case as myself.

I use the leather case that Canon offers as an accessory for the S70 (I think it's the PSC-30). It goes on my belt and makes it pretty easy to get my camera out when I need to. It's a nice case but it doesn't have much in the way of padding so I guess it wouldn't be appropriate for your use.

[xortam]

... I guess I deleted about half of the shots I took, because they came out bad or whatever. ....

I've only deleted a few shots but I'll probably start cleaning out some of my saved photos when I get around to doing more with them. Does the counter continue to increment even though you delete the last image on the camera? I can try this out myself quick enough. I guess you're saying that you delete on-camera and the counter does always increment regardless.

... I use the leather case that Canon offers as an accessory for the S70 (I think it's the PSC-30). It goes on my belt and makes it pretty easy to get my camera out when I need to. It's a nice case but it doesn't have much in the way of padding so I guess it wouldn't be appropriate for your use.

It also probably weighs five times as much. Every gram counts when I go backpacking. I wish they had a camera battery that would last me the entire four-day trip.