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Just can't do it (FZ30 -> DSLR)

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IF you never needed the 12X IS lens in the first place, sure you can replace your FZ30 cheaply (can you still buy a KM???). But a dsLR w/kits lens is NOT the same as a FZ30. Not even close. The FZ30 may be sharper, has about a 4:1 zoom advantage, and will probably focus better in low light. I know my kit lens won't bother to focus indoors because it's only F5.6 at full zoom.

Sure, now you can get some nice primes at $300 a crack or so, but primes are a pain when you're used to a 12X zoom.

Just for fun, can you list the lenses you have with your KM?
 
A nice post with an excellent photo that really adds to what you've said. I agree with you about the seriousness of a DSLR, and don't want this to interfere with shooting like with your folks. You pretty much have the DSLR and lenses I'm thinking of getting, thought DS instead of DL (minor point I'm sure).
Vaards said:
Vaards said:
Anyone own both the FZ30 and a DSLR? Which do you use when,
and when you travel, what do you take?
Click to expand...
I have.
fz20 and Pentax ist DL - smallest cheapest and les noisier DSLR on
market.

The most interesting thing - One week ago I bought lens which cost
me the same price like two Pana Pana.

Yesterday I bought lens which one costed me the same price like
pana pana.

And the most interesting thing - when I just used Panasonic, I
calculated how expencive my camera is! Now I am buying lenses like
bread - thinking about Canonists who pays 2 times more.

Best advantage is High Quality fixed lenses - I mostly use
14mm/f2.8. and 50mm/f.1.4 + ISO 1600 and sometimes ISO 3200
(actually it is the same noise level than with panasonic fz20
ISO200... Tested with Neat image both etc).

The worst thing... I was in Burma one month ago... And my back pack
was so heavy and full - Small tripod, ist DL, 14mm; 50mm; 18-55mm;
70-300 APO...

But I was really happy with low light pics on streets. And with my
wide angle possiblities, for example:



So - if you ar CRAZY with photography (like I am), then you MUST
buy DSLR. If not, then... Think about it more and more.

Ohhh... One more fact! I am office employee who usually walk around
meetings in suit and long black coat... And now I carry with me
backpack with lenses, lenses, lenses... ;-)

Some my folks also were fz20/fz10 users who moved to DSLRs. Their
photo activites went down dramatically... Somehow DSLR adds
seriosity to all this and reduces fun from all this. :)

Vilnis

P.S. I shooted with fz10 nearly 20 000 pics. And with fz20 = 25 000
pics. After I boght DSLR --- > fz20 just some 100 pics from
begining of november. Mainly to compare it with sigma 70-300 (sigma
is worse than panasonic - other collection of my lenses are better).
Click to expand...
 
E-1 - just can't do it. Don't want to flame the 4/3 wars, but I don't think it's for me. For one thing, I just don't see the lenses I want available. The other is that one advantage of a DSLR is clean high iso, and the Pentax can do much better than the E-1 there. Too bad only Oly's got the dust shaker thingy.
Rossuziers said:
Unda Covalava said:
That's what I'm looking at, a Pentax, but the DS. Interesting, you
and others have said the same thing. I might just be too used to
all-in-one convenience to go DSLR at this point. Maybe in the
future I'll pick one up with a 50mm 1.4 just for portraits.
Click to expand...
No interest in the E1??? That's a tough little 5mp that's going
cheap & if it'll accept the Leica 'OIS' lenses, assuming more than
just that initial 14-50mm will be offered, ya might get your 'OIS'
cake & eat it too eventually...
--
The Amateur Formerly Known as 'UZ'pShoot'ERS' 'Happy Shootin'



*
[email protected] * http://www.pbase.com/rrawzz * EffZeeThreeZero /
CeeEightZeroEightZeroDoubleUZee / CeeTwoOneZeroZeroUZee /
EOneHuderedAreEss
Click to expand...
 
Barry Fitzgerald said:
Primes used to be better 25 years ago, now thats not the case.
Click to expand...
Sorry, in my opinion that statement is a nonsense. You will struggle to find a zoom that will match the equivalent quality prime at any focal length.

The Canon 16-35mm 2.8L(£1000 lens) was extremely soft below 20mm and very average after that. The prime L glass was in a different league, mind you so was the price. I am now rambling.

My point, is simple, SLR's are infectious once you start and before you know it you are spending crazy money, carrying a large Lowepro on your back; thinking about that quality compact, superzoom you left at home.

Oh, and on the timings issue. Changing lenses to get the shot can often lead to missing it.

Andy
 
quite a lot so there is another option if you have old film camera lenses?

Get yourself a secondhand DSLR body from somebody who is on the 'get the latest' jag and buying the 5D to compliment their D20 etc :-)

Normally I take the FZ30 as prefered camera and occasionallly put the DSLR bag in the car as well.

Maybe, just maybe I will buy a good DSLR lens some time in the future, though it is a slippy slope to start on :-) I enjoy my cost effective FZ30.

What I want is similar with a larger sensor. The D60 at 800ISO was pretty similar to the FZ30 at 80ISO when I compared a couple of shots, not a proper test.
 
No way. I have a fz20 and i liked it a lot.

this month I took a minolta 7d, a 28-75 2,8 minolta lenses for a super offer at 200$, A 50 1,7, AND THE FAMOUS BEERCAN 70-210 F4 at 100 euro.
Total 1200 euro.

When I have the fz20, i like my shot alot, I was always unhappy about something of my shots. Colour, noise, too much of post processing needed.

Now it's a pleasure. evfery shot i taake is good. the best, that are the most, need only the raw conversion. Lenses are sharper the fz20 at every aperture.

Colour are tremendous, real. Noise is incredible, at 1600, the noise is the same of fz20at iso 200. flash system, wireless , h sync, pc sync.

No way. If u are serious, i'd like to begin to work with photography, dslr is the way. The prosumer are good only with sunny condition, but when the condition are difficult, better dslr.

he only camera I'd buy now is a very little f10, for when in the night I want a little camera!!!
Unda Covalava said:
rennie12 said:
I use the FZ15 very occasionally when I want the full f2.8 and less
noise (gasp - said the magic word) - carry the FZ30 every day. I
find I simply never use the Canon or its 2 stabilized lenses any
more, though I cant bring myself to sell it.

I plan to buy the TZ1 soon as its available and expect to carry it
in a belt sheath literally every minute of every day.

The FZ30 gives excellent 13x19 prints up to about a 50% crop with
ISO 80 & 100 and very good 13X19 prints with slight cropping at ISO
400 with use of Noice Ninja and careful postprocessing.

The one thing I do prefer is the color rendition of the Canon - but
not enough to carry it, it seems.

--
Best wishes, rennie12
'Do not wish for things to be as you would like them to be -
Wish to like things as they are'
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
http://www.pbase.com/jon1976
 
Hi Unda,
I have 3 digital cameras!!!

my 1st was the Oly C-2100 with OIS and 10x zoom, which I loved, then I bought the DSLR OLY E-10 and I really like that one too, but it's so big and I wanted a faster camera that was smaller , so I bought the FZ5 in Jan of this year. I have been using the FZ5 now because of it's size and burst mode, which I LOVE!!!

I will not part with any of my cameras because they all have a little something to offer me, so my suggestion would be, maybe try to save a bit more money to keep the FZ30 for occasions when you want a smaller camera to take and once you save up, get the DSLR for those "other" shots you want.
Just my 2 cents!

When I only had the point and shoot and the DSLR, I ended up using the DSLR for my action shots, like water skiing, or took it to the park for my son, but there were times I took the smaller Oly 2100 too, just becasue I wanted a smaller camera.
Kim Kaila
Unda Covalava said:
I just can't get myself to get a DSLR. I have the money set aside
(yet again) but just can't pull the trigger. On my last trip, the
FZ30 performed admirably. I used the full 35-420mm of zoom, macro,
all the ISOs, and the O.I.S. I even took some movie clips and used
an external flash.

I want a DSLR for more useable high iso, shallow depth of field
portraits, and more dynamic range. I can't afford to have both, so
if I get a DSLR I'd have to give up the FZ30. That's the sticking
point. At this point, I just can't give up the 30 and all that it
offers in one package.

Anyone own both the FZ30 and a DSLR? Which do you use when, and
when you travel, what do you take?
Click to expand...
 
At that moment DS were out of business and I got DL... DL has (for me) one BIG problem - does not have TTL. Just new one system - P-ttl. That means - it is not compatible use this camera with cheaper TTL flashes. Like SIGMA PA 500 EF SUPER. It burns everything. Because flash is doing small TTL preflash and waits signal from sensor (mirror). But there is no responses and flash goes on at full.

But from other side - some folks mentioned that DL has better sharpness, little bit less noise and focusing works a tad faster than with DS.

Problem with smaller wiefinder... Actually I din't find any difference (I have pentax SLR mz6 film camera).

If you can wait - take DS2!

If you can't deside at this moment - September is next milestone. Pentax will introduce presented brand new model (like Nikons D200). I guess I'll go for this one. Still keping DL for home needs, etc.
 
I upgraded to the DSLR just a week ago and got the KM5D with Antishake built in( turns any lens into an OIS like lens), got a 28-300mm lens from ebay for $144 and a 50mm F1.7 prime lens for $68. One lens for outdoor and one for indoor. The 28-300 is 42-450mm (35mm equivalent) which is almost identical to the FZ30 and the 50mm prime lens is way too good for indoor shots without flash. It is a learning curve specially coming from the FZ30( I miss the LCD and live preview) but it think it is worth it when the pics comes out. Altho you get better pictures on your first try with the FZ30.

But.. I still have the FZ30. Its a great camera, easy to use and took over 2000 pics in 2 months.Best one lens solution! Trashed my friends d50 pics when he was trying to learn it, but now that hes good he's the one doing the trashing :-) . If the TZ1 turns out to be good, Ill probably let go of the FZ30. The KM5D with 42-450mm(35mm equiv) + the TZ1 should be a perfect team up. I hope.
 
You know, I owned the FZ30 and recently moved to a DSLR. You cannot compare.

Anyone who thinks that the FZ 30 comes close to a DSLR is deluding themselves.

I initially bought the '30 cause I thought it would cover all bases in a small package and I will admit that if it had been able to take noise free images at iso400 I might have kept it. But it doesnt even come close. The performance and functionality one gets from a DSLR is worth every cent.

It is honourable to defend the '30, it is what it is and for what it does its a fine cam. But any serious photog would be limiting themselves with the '30 once the novelty of the all in one zoom wears off.

xk
 
Just thought I'd add my 2 cents. I had an FZ5 and really liked it. However, the noise issues (at least for my taste) with the FZ cameras bothered me. I also found it harder to control the depth of field.

I sold my FZ5 and got an KM5D (which as of today is now part of SONY). This camera turned out to be great. For the type of photos I enjoy taking (mostly family and vacation), I realized I did not need such a long zoom. I also learned, you don't need expensive glass to get amazingly sharp photos on a DSLR.

Here is my set up:

KM5D ($599)
Promaster 7500dx flash with Ultrasoft diffuser ($140)
KM Kit lens 18-70 AF (came with camera)
M 35-70 AF lens (ebay $24)
M 50 AF lens (ebay $50)

Using this set up I get comparable results to the FZ5 and in many situations, much better quality photos because of low noise and shallow DOF. Again, I'm talking about mostly indoor and outdoor shots of my kids and vacation pics.

I think the only way you'll know if a DSLR is right for you is to buy one and test the hec out of it, before the return policy of the store expires.
 
xk... you're comments were ok up until this point... I urge you to take it back!
xk said:
But any serious photog would be limiting
themselves with the '30 once the novelty of the all in one zoom
wears off.
Click to expand...
I take offense to this comment ... I consider myself to fit into the serious photographer category... I make money off my pictures, and I 'wow' people with my pictures... I'm not saying its better then a DSLR but its not a limiting camera at all... Its not the camera that makes the serious photographer, its a smart photographer that makes the good pictures no matter what the equipment is.

No serious digital editing on these [FZ30] galleries... just slight adjustments...

http://70.30.252.167/fz30/fog/
http://70.30.252.167/fz30/chess/webstory/
http://70.30.252.167/fz30/cias/

now from the FZ20
http://70.30.252.167/fallfluzi/windows/
http://70.30.252.167/fallfluzi/urbdec/
http://70.30.252.167/fallfluzi/falcol/
http://70.30.252.167/fallfluzi/badlan/
http://70.30.252.167/fall/

Low light action FZ20
http://70.30.252.167/f8races/

My Aviation gallery... most elite aviation photo site on the web
22 pictures from the FZ20
4 pictures from the FZ30 so far

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?sort_order=views%20DESC&first_this_page=0&page_limit=30&&emailsearch=mighty_mike88%40hotmail.com&thumbnails=

other FZ30 aviation stills
http://70.30.252.167/fz30/bbif/nosejobs/

and thats not the half of it...
--
Mike from Canada



http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?sort_order=views%20DESC&first_this_page=0&page_limit=30&&emailsearch=mighty_mike88%40hotmail.com&thumbnails=
 
Hi there. I was not trying to say my KM5D is better than the FZ5 as a camera. I sust wanted to share my own experience.

Also, to me these indoor photos look great just the way they are. At least in my experience they are better than what I was able to do with the FZ5.
 
Get off it man. No one is criticizing your abilities. And it is not my intent to to offend any photog. But the fact of the matter is that the fz30 is limited. It is what it is and like I said a fine cam (best in its class as far as Im concerned). Notwithstanding that every other digicam manufacturer has limitations as well.

In general as one grows as a photographer and gets better, there will come a point where (and I dont care how good you are) the equipments capabilities will have an impact on the things you can do.
And for the record its not fair to compare a digicam with a dslr.

By the way I ve seen your aircraft pics and they are very good. Think of what you would be able to do with a dslr. Yes I know its more money etc. but thats not the point. And Im not suggesting anyone get rid of their panny either.

Keep shooting.
xk
 
Since getting my Pentax DS2 in december I have hardly used the FZ20

I have moved from mostly long tele to wide shots with the pentax.

I bought a long (100-330) lens for the pentax and have used it once.

The BIG difference with a dslr is that a good lens is so sharp, with good colour and contrast that you start to lose interest in the better-than-average lenses which come with the FZ models.

I now shoot almost exclusively, well, actually exclusively for 3 months, with either a 50mm F1.7 or my new 16-45 F4.

The problem with dslrs is that if you get an average lens (most kit lenses) you will most likely be less than satisfied. The 16-45 cost me USD$400 with a $100 rebate (not yet received) reducing that. This lens and the 50 prime give me far more satisfying images in good light than the FZ20 ever did.

There is no real advantage with a dslr and an average lens...and pentax glass is very affordable, both new and used. :-)

Happy choosing

Regards

Trevor Ginaus
http://trevorg.smugmug.com
 
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