The NIKON Thread (Talk About Nikon Stuff here)

[Pm@c]

Originally Posted by kin0kin

You can get the D50 body at carsandmosher for 570CAD + tax. Get someone from the states to forward you a 50mm 1.8 (cost no more than 115USD to get it here as oppose to 179CAD + tax locally) and you can pretty much take awesome pictures both in and outdoors, with and without flash in most cases

Is the D50 a decent camera though? Is the D40 better? Plus I want to get into some macro. I love seeing some of the pictures on here of bees and draonflies and spiders. Its interesting to see them up close and personal like that,and I would be very well interested in these types of photographing. But at the same time I would also like to photograph landscape and portrait, so I guess it all depends on what lenses I have right? I still like to get a body suggested for me, I have had like 10 different suggestions for a body.

[Old Pa]

Originally Posted by skyline889

Another question, what do you guys do when you get in a rut? I've been getting bored with my shots and local scenery lately and can't think of anything interesting to shoot. It seems like everyday and everything just looks the same after a while. Every now and then I fall into a rut like this and it takes me a while to find something interesting to shoot, any ideas?

Yup. All the time. That's when I go to my local library and look at the art photo books for the ways other people see and photograph stuff. Gets the juices flowing.

[dj_mocok]

Originally Posted by Pm@c

Is the D50 a decent camera though? Is the D40 better? Plus I want to get into some macro. I love seeing some of the pictures on here of bees and draonflies and spiders. Its interesting to see them up close and personal like that,and I would be very well interested in these types of photographing. But at the same time I would also like to photograph landscape and portrait, so I guess it all depends on what lenses I have right? I still like to get a body suggested for me, I have had like 10 different suggestions for a body.

All those cameras, be it D40, D50, 20D, 300D, 400XT, etc... can take beautiful pictures. Heck, even a decent "prosumer" camera can take amazing pictures.
Is there any reason why you wanna go DSLR? I'm not trying to discourage you, but seems like you want a camera that can do "everything" for you, landscape, good macro, etc...

If you don't have that much budget, you might wanna consider a good, high end, prosumer camera too. I took many beautiful pictures ranging from macro to long telephoto shots using my Panasonic FZ20.
But of course, if money is no object, then it's different story.
I know top of the range prosumer can cost as much as (or even more) than some entry level DSLR kit, but it offers you convenience.

Basically, a prosumer gives you a very versatile, convenient, and (generally) cheaper solution for taking pictures. It can create beautiful pictures too.
A DSLR is much more specific for certain range/type of shot (according to the lens of course).

But both can take beautiful pictures.

[kin0kin]

The D50 is decent enough and the fact that it can use a variety of lenses is really a bonus over the D40....which is now sold for even more than the D50. Like some have said, these bodies are good enough, the only thing you should ask yourself is if you need the bells and whistles of the higher end model. You can take very awesome picture with the D50 and there is more to skill than the camera like others have said. Here's some pictures taken with a D50 and a tamron SP90:








not my pictures though.

[Pm@c]

Those are beautiful pictures indeed. And yes, I want a DSLR because I want to get more into it than just prosumer. And as for the specific types of pictures, Im just wondering if this camera is compatible with all the types of photos i can take (and someone confirmed that to me by saying it is compatible iwth the different types of lenses). Im just wondering if this body will allow me (with different lenses) to take all these different photos. and more specifically macro (I love those pictures you posted kin0kin, even if they arent yours, it helps me to know that this camera is capable of nice photos).

[kin0kin]

Yup, the camera is good enough. I was indeed hoping that the pictures would convince you that the camera will not hold you back as far as taking good PQ is concerned. You can take all kinds of things with it as long as you have the right lens and tools, couple it with some good skills, you're good to go. Like I've said earlier, the cams are good enough, it's just whether you need the bells and whistles of the higher end models.

[nogrot]

Personally, I was happy with my D70 purchase when it was available and although I could not afford the D100 at the time, I found out that there were a few things about the D70 that made it better (to me) at the time:

-better battery life (500-600 shots easily per charge)
-newly updated flash system, i-TTL, which is known for being exceptional
-much faster speed and write-from-buffer-to-card-time
-instant-on with power switch

Things that the D100 had that I wished were on the D70 were:
-metal body
-portrait grip
-better viewfinder?

D70 and D70s can be picked up for peanuts right now, and I recommend these models to my friends because of the reasons above, as well as the fact that 6mp is PLENTY of resolution for prints for most amateurs. My other main reason, is that the D70 uses two control dials (unlike the newer D40/50) just like all of their higher-end models (D200, D2*, etc.) and their film models before that. That way, if they ever want to upgrade bodies later, as I ended up doing, they will be more used to the body. Also, it seems easier to learn and experiment in Manual when you have separate dials for Aperature and Shutter speed. This is just my experience, however.

I have read some posts from D100 fans that feel they are an incredible body with image quality that is better than the D70. I haven't used one, so I can't attest to anything past the fact that it is a great body.


Switching gears, anybody read all these crazy rumors about a D3 model with a full-frame-ish (1.1x) sensor being announced at PMA? I hate to say it but I find the idea really exciting. Maybe it's good I am keeping my old primes after all.

[dj_mocok]

When are they gonna introduce D80s with ability to meter AIS lenses?

[mb3k]

Originally Posted by dj_mocok

When are they gonna introduce D80s with ability to meter AIS lenses?

9 months after the D80 release?
I just got my D80 not too long ago, hopefully they don't come out with the D80S anytime soon

[skyline889]

Originally Posted by dj_mocok

Have you guys ever put too much cleaning solution and it actually left dried out smudges on the lens?

I was using the cotton swab that comes with the Giotto cleaning kit, and as instructed, I sprayed the tip first before using the swab to clean the edge of my lens. It scared me for awhile because after wiping it, I got a circular dried smudge on the lens. Luckily I could wipe it off using lenspen.

If you put too much solution, can this happen? or is it because the cleaning solution is dodgy?


PS: When bored, shoot different type of things. Since you've been doing landscapes, try shooting portraits (your friends/family) or you can do street B&W photography. You'll never know what you'll come accross outside on the street, you can get lots of interesting images on the street. I love street photography and really wanna do it, but I'm too embarassed carrying my camera around in the city and shooting something that most-passerbys won't find special, I'll look like a tourist or a weirdo (try shooting hydrant or traffic light on the street). Guess street photographer needs to have fairly thick skin eh?

Originally Posted by fureshi

you can always trying shooting with a lens of a different focal length. it'll force your composition to be different than what you've been used to.

Originally Posted by Old Pa

Yup. All the time. That's when I go to my local library and look at the art photo books for the ways other people see and photograph stuff. Gets the juices flowing.

Thanks for the help guys. I think I might try checking into the library to find some new ideas and interesting places to shoot. Also, does the D50 do native B&W shooting? That might be an interesting venture in digital. (The only time I shoot B&W is with film.)