What advances would convince you to buy a new camera

As a D70 owner (yes, not even a D70s) I've wondered what it would take in a new camera to convince me to part with some hard earned $$.

Of couse everyone is different, but I thought it would be interesting to hear what is important to other people and what they would like to see in advancements, whether they exist today or not, that would convince them to buy an new camera.

For me, the one advancement that would get me out tomorrow to buy an new camera is not more MP, not faster FPS or focusing, for me the biggest thing would be a larger dynamic range for the sensor. If they could develop one that was like film, that is about 5 stops, instead of the current 3, I would have no problem abandoning my D70. (and while we are at it, why not develop a dynamic range that is the same as our eyes, about 11 stops. One can dream...).

But, knowing my luck, I would buy the 5 stop sensor, then 6 months later there would be the 6 stop sensor, and then 6 months later......

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'Photography is shapes and light, and everything else is only equipment'

More cash in pocket would be the biggie for me.

Image wise, improved DR followed by less noise would be the biggies.

Handling wise, the addition of MLU and more focusing points (but the 80 has this and it wasn't enough to overcome my flat wallet)
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A small but growing collection of my photos can be seen at
http://www.pbase.com/poliscijustin

1. If you wait for the latest and greatest you will always wait forever and miss many opportunities.

2. When Canon had the Digic I processor it was so slow if affected the owners performance and creativity. Digic II is fast enough it's not much of an issue. Digic III just came out, but it's become less important. This pattern always repeats itself.

3. When the performance does not hinder you then it's good enough to buy, anything faster is icing on the cake and may not be worth the price premium. That's why you will see continued strong sales of the Nikon D50 if Nikon continues to make them. If not they will disappear quickly, as they are a great buy.

For a P&S I chose the new Canon A630. The extra features were worth the money over the A620, but the price of the A640 I could not justify as I felt I got little more for another substantial price increase.

For Nikon while the D200 may be better at some things over the D80 they probably won't affect me. The D80 is much lighter, and for me that will make a difference.

Once you can put your finger on what's important to you then you will know how to make the final decision. Be sure to hold one and play with it before any decision. Many reviews of what authors like are still opinions. Educated or not they may not match your opinion, which is more important.

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Aris!

Muskwa said:

Muskwa wrote:
As a D70 owner (yes, not even a D70s) I've wondered what it would
take in a new camera to convince me to part with some hard earned
$$.

Click to expand...

When I bought my D70 2 1/2 years ago I told myself I would use it until the next improved model with larger viewfinder, MLU and more dynamic range came out that cost less than what I paid for my D70 when I bought it...

The D80 is the same price as what I paid for my D70 so I wait...

Time is on my side...

The D70 does everything I need it to do for now and I get great prints 12x18 inches for camera club print competition....

So, I'll use it either untill the D80 or D200 bodies come down in price well under $900...

Or untill my D70 dies...

I'm having fun trying to kill it!

Bob
--
'Photography is more about depth of feeling than depth of field'
http://www.pbase.com/mofongo

Muskwa said:

For me, the one advancement that would get me out tomorrow to buy
an new camera is not more MP, not faster FPS or focusing, for me
the biggest thing would be a larger dynamic range for the sensor.
If they could develop one that was like film, that is about 5
stops, instead of the current 3, I would have no problem abandoning
my D70.

Click to expand...

Look on the Fuji d-SLR forums your wish might be granted

I agree with you. I am still happy with my D70. I'm just speculating what it would take, and you are right, if the D200 or D80 drop in price in a year or two, that might be what it takes.

Thanks for the reply!

Mofongo said:

When I bought my D70 2 1/2 years ago I told myself I would use it
until the next improved model with larger viewfinder, MLU and more
dynamic range came out that cost less than what I paid for my D70
when I bought it...

The D80 is the same price as what I paid for my D70 so I wait...

Time is on my side...

The D70 does everything I need it to do for now and I get great
prints 12x18 inches for camera club print competition....

So, I'll use it either untill the D80 or D200 bodies come down in
price well under $900...

Or untill my D70 dies...

I'm having fun trying to kill it!

Bob
--
'Photography is more about depth of feeling than depth of field'
http://www.pbase.com/mofongo

Click to expand...

--
'Photography is shapes and light, and everything else is only equipment'

Oh, man. I don't want to look. I've got too much money in Nikon glass!!!

Kallel00 said:

Look on the Fuji d-SLR forums your wish might be granted

Click to expand...

--
'Photography is shapes and light, and everything else is only equipment'

Muskwa said:

Oh, man. I don't want to look. I've got too much money in Nikon
glass!!!

Click to expand...

Fuji d-SLR will be an F-mount body, so your Nikon glass is ok

I'd like to have a really small camera. Something like the FM3A that Thom Hogan predicted might get a digital sensor installed in it. The new Olympus E-400 is a nice tiny body, but the 4/3 lenses are fairly large.

I would also find it hard to resist a full-color sensor, like the one Fuji is working on, building upon Foveon's prior art. I hope we see it soon (within 2 years) in a Finepix S Pro camera.

Almost got it with the D80......looks like the D200s will be my next camera whenever it gets updated.

MLU is another feature I want in my next camera.
--
http://www.ianz28.smugmug.com

...would be my top priority. I keep wondering why Nikon doesn't promote the viewfinder of the D80 more, as it's one of the main things that put the D80 ahead of the pack.

More dynamic range would be great, and it would allow for a more gentle roll-off or shoulder towards the highlights.

I would also love better high ISO performance. This includes lower color noise, but the luminance noise I don't mind that much. The important thing is that the image keeps its detail level, while keeping noise manageble.

I guess the Canon 5D has most of this (large, bright viewfinder and great high ISO performance, but I do prefer Nikon's bodies and ergonomics, so I keep waiting

The D80 is pretty close, and might get me to upgrade, as the price is certainly rigth. Right now I have a D70, and I'm very happy with it. I don't really need/want more megapixels, but the brighter viewfinder of the D80 is tempting...

Thomas.

As a D70 owner now on my second DSLR, I can tell you what advancements and/or features have in the past have made me part with my money, and what in the future will lead me to do so again.

In the past: D2X
+ 12 million -- that's a lot of pixels. And I like that.

+ viewfinder -- 100% coverage is excellent for precise composition (I don't like cropping), and the brighter, larger size is nice with MF lenses
+ AF speed and accuracy

+ MF support -- I've got a few manual AI lenses that I use regularly, and metering is a nice bonus

+ vertical grip -- I shoot in portrait mode about 80% of the time, so the ergonomics of this are huge for me

In the future: D80, Canon 5D, Fuji S5, or whatever
+ High ISO performance -- clean files at high ISO (800+) are what I require

+ more DR -- with blown highlights and clipping a fact of digital capture, more DR would certainly be nice, as implemented in Fuji's S3

+ high performance, small package -- I wouldn't mind a smaller camera to pair with primes for when the X is too intrusive.

The high ISO performance is really the kicker for me, and my next camera will mostly likely supplement the D2X, not replace it.

To replace the D2X, the Next Big Thing is going to have to do everything the X does, better (built, ergonomics, image quality).

Todd

I'm not that concerned with a larger, brighter viewfinder but I do think it's about time for an affordable DSLR with a 100% field of view.

thomas1973 said:

The D80 is pretty close, and might get me to upgrade, as the price
is certainly right.

Click to expand...

You know, the D80 does sound quite close, except for the increased DR (though perhaps a marginal improvement).

The improved high ISO performance and viewfinder are strong selling points for sure.

Todd

For me the greatest advancement would be a camera that made birds invisible! This would allow me to focus on my other photographic interests.

More seriously, the feature I would love to have is not in related to the body, it is a very long and fast lens that one can actually hand hold for a long time. 17 lbs for a 600 f4 is crazy, can’t they fill them with helium?

Morris

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http://qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/~morris/POD

Nobody cares about this? I would love it. Do you think Nikon will ever do it? On the one hand, they have competitors who have it now. OTOH, they have already put out some well-received and well-priced VR lenses (and are certainly developing more) that would be rendered obsolete.

Sheri

"For me the greatest advancement would be a camera that made birds invisible!"

Especially the flying rodents, pigeons!

But I'm happy when I'm not standing directly underneath them.

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Aris!