So Many Cameras To Choose From... Help Me Choose A DSLR

[buzz_fledderjohn]

Hello everybody,

First of all let me say that Pbase is a great website, and it's very useful. I especially like the option that lets you browse random galleries, sorted by the camera make. Very useful. Some of you make amazing photographs!

I want to buy a good digital SLR camera. For the last few weeks I've been studying this and other websites to find out which camera will suit me best. I can't make up my mind though. There are so many great cameras... it's not an easy choice for me. So hopefully you people can help me a bit with it.

It will probably help if I tell you what I intend to use it for. In the near future, I am going to do freelance web / graphic design / photography. For this, I need a good, professional camera. I have the skills so I don't want an "entry level" camera. Here are my requirements:

Megapixels: between 10.1 and 12.8 - something like that. Should be good enough for most print jobs, no? Again, I also plan to do print, not just web design.

Lenses: the camera should be able to fit a wide variety of lenses.

Sharpness: this is very important to me. I want to be able to shoot photographs on a high resolution that stay sharp... both "normal" (ie landscapes) and close-up shots (for textures, for example).

Variety: I'm not going to limit myself to just sport photos, or landscapes, or just portraits etc... Basically, I want to be able to shoot "artistic" photographs, but also realistic, professional ones.

Colours: it should be able to produce rich colours.

Examples: I'm not sure if this helps but here are a couple of photographs I really like, and hopefully I will be able to shoot similar photos with the camera I'm going to buy.

> Great portrait, I like the colours and depth in this one:
http://www.pbase.com/sofo/image/61480260

> This one is very professional, and I like the DOF:
http://www.pbase.com/nunoboavida/image/87432739

> Lots of action going on, but still perfectly sharp:
http://www.pbase.com/tbonanno/image/49097135

> Great nature shot:
http://www.digitalfrog.nl/wp-content/up ... Flight.jpg

> The DigitalFrog guy makes great party pictures too:
http://www.digitalfrog.nl/wp-content/up ... edited.jpg

> The colours...
http://www.pbase.com/firstbrook/cumbria

> Very professional work:
http://www.pbase.com/naooooo/people

> Black & white photography... high contrast all the way! I love Anton Corbijn's work:
http://media.anti.com/tom_waits/orphans ... bijn_1.jpg
http://www.mynetcologne.de/~nc-wittmaje/Joyd.jpg

^ First pic is of Tom Waits, a brilliant artist, and the second picture shows one of my favourite bands, Joy Division.

> Another Tom Waits shot, this time in colour, but slightly desaturated:
http://media.anti.com/tom_waits/orphans ... bijn_2.jpg


Well, hopefully that helps. I know some (if not many) of these pics are photoshopped, and that the person behind the camera is the most important when taking a great picture. And additional equipment also counts... but these examples kind of show what I'm looking for in a camera.

Looking forward to see what you people come up with. Thanks!

EDIT: about the budget... well, it shouldn't be more expensive than, say, a 1D III.

[jdepould]

If you can afford a 1D Mk III then just get it (or a D2xs/D3). Most of your requirements are moot, all DSLRs have good color rendition, if you get a Nikon or Canon the lens choices are ridiculous, sharpness has nothing to do with body.

If you're shooting any sports, you'll probably want a high frame rate, so a D200/300 or 30/40D is going to be a minimum.

Assuming you don't have any previous investments in glass, just go try them and see which fits better.

[dougj]

I echo what jdepould posted. A mid- to high-end body will do all of this.

The variety of photos you linked to use an assortment of different lenses, these will cost more than the camera body. Buy quality glass from the beginning as the lenses will long outlive the body. Pick a starting point for what you like to shoot, and go from there. You'll also need to learn post processing, which is not difficult.

[bug322]

It will probably help if I tell you what I intend to use it for. In the near future, I am going to do freelance web / graphic design / photography. For this, I need a good, professional camera. I have the skills so I don't want an "entry level" camera. Here are my requirements:

If u are so good u should probably already know what's out there

[buzz_fledderjohn]

Thanks for the replies. So if I'm not mistaken it doesn't really matter which make / brand I get?

If u are so good u should probably already know what's out there

I said I have photographic skills. I know how to shoot a nice picture, and I know a thing or two about composition and everything. I'm not saying I'm the best photographer in the world. It's just that I've only recently started to read up on DSLR, so my knowledge about that kind of stuff is limited. Besides, there are so many cameras and lenses out there that it's basically a jungle of information, unless you fully devote your time to photography. And I'm not going to do that, I just want a good camera.

[buzz_fledderjohn]

You'll also need to learn post processing, which is not difficult.

Post-processing as in Photoshop? Yeah, I'm good with PS... or do you mean something else?

[gemmf]

I think ANY DSLR should be able to take those images you posted above, but in the end it's totally up to the technique the photographer is capable of using including post processing, lighting etc etc. So it doesn't mean using a professional/expensive camera can automatically achieve these results straight out of the camera.

[sheila]

I think ANY DSLR should be able to take those images you posted above, but in the end it's totally up to the technique the photographer is capable of using including post processing, lighting etc etc. So it doesn't mean using a professional/expensive camera can automatically achieve these results straight out of the camera.

I totally agree! Expensive cameras and lenses do not a photographer make (as all the regulars to this forum will attest ). If you want a good high resolution camera, then look at the Canon 5D. Images need little if any sharpening, it handles high ISO extremely well and the colour is excellent. Then look at some good glass. Buy cheap and you end up buying twice.

Cheers
Sheila

[bug322]

http://www.news.com/8301-13580_3-9768037-39.html

I'm still learning with my 6MP D50 and i still do love it
glass is more important to me as MP i can easily make A3 size photo's with it.

regards

[buzz_fledderjohn]

I think ANY DSLR should be able to take those images you posted above, but in the end it's totally up to the technique the photographer is capable of using including post processing, lighting etc etc. So it doesn't mean using a professional/expensive camera can automatically achieve these results straight out of the camera.

Yeah, definitely. Higher prize definitely doesn't necessarily mean higher quality photography. In the future I probably am going to buy a cheaper / older b&w camera for personal use, see what I can do with that. It's the photographer who matters.

As for cameras... well, I've decided that the EOS 1D III (and even 1D II) is a bit too expensive for me right now.

Now I'm looking at the Nikon D80 with an 18/135mm lens. Can you tell me a bit about this camera? Is it good for print as well?

[pianisimo]

Hi, I'm brand new...

I am fairly new to this but I've done a lot of research (not to say my opinion is to be trusted). My dad bought a D80 a few months ago, and now I have a D50 that I bought second-hand off of ebay for under $400. Personally I like Nikons a lot better than Canons. The D80 is a great camera, but I would not get that lens. The 18-70 f/3.5-4.5 is a much nicer, and better-built lens. No plastic lens mount, no issues between the lens and the camera body (apparently the mount isn't strong enough to hold it up...some people have that problem). The 18-70 is a nicer lens than the 18-55 kit sold with the D40/X and, IMO, nicer than the 18-135. If you really want a nice lens, I think there are a few wider-angle zoom lenses that are all internal movement - the lens doesn't extend. As much as I hate to say it, maybe you'd be happier with a Canon. It can't hurt to try one out. But the XTi is the closest to the D80, I think. Either the XTi, the 5D, or the 30D. And Nikons don't have any mechanisms inside to clean the sensor or the mirror - which, so far, is my only dissapointment. Other than that I love Nikon stuff, especially the D80.

PS: If you need a lens and decide you don't want a zoom, or you get ready for your second lens, the 50mm f/1.8 is $110 everywhere and one of the best lenses available. Extremely fast, pretty well built, all around great. It just can't be used with the D40 and D40x because it lacks a motor and so do those bodies. But all of the other autofocus Nikons have a motor for lenses that do not, so you can use decades worth of lenses with the D80. You might also want to consider the D200, looking at your first post. Now that it's not the newest model it's gonna be cheaper.

[jdepould]

The 18-135 isn't going to be super sharp. It isn't bad, but it isn't a standout either. If you can swing it, pick up the 17-55 f/2.8, it's a lot sharper.

D80 isn't going to be as rugged as a D200/300, but optically it's pretty similar. The new pro bodies (D300/D3) also have ultrasonic sensor cleaning now, if that's a factor for you.

[bertone61]

most important things have been said, so I will not add anything....

just one thing, Corbijn is imho a super pro and he could have done the image you showed with a 10 buck cam. However, almost every digital camera can do such pics, though this one has been photoshopped a lot and this needs skill not expensive pro products (except maybe Photoshop Software)

[buzz_fledderjohn]

Hah, I love Anton Corbijn's work. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't his b&w shot of Tom Waits look like it's shot with a non-digital SLR? Could be me of course... in my opinion non-digital is better for b&w.

Thanks for the replies everyone! It helps me a lot. I think I'm going to buy the D80 with that lens this week, and perhaps I'll get that other lens you recommended too some time. Then again, the D200 looks great too.

Thanks again.

[buzz_fledderjohn]

Got myself a nice Nikon D80... thanks!