Digital SLR

I am contemplating buying a Digital SLR and lenses. What would you recommend ??

I already have a Nikon F2 with a few lenses for film work but I want to compete in the digital arena! Is the new Sigma SD9 the one or not ???

John Shaw said:

I am contemplating buying a Digital SLR and lenses. What would you
recommend ??

I already have a Nikon F2 with a few lenses for film work but I
want to compete in the digital arena! Is the new Sigma SD9 the one
or not ???

Click to expand...

The safest bet in town is the Canon D60.

tim martin said:

John Shaw said:

I am contemplating buying a Digital SLR and lenses. What would you
recommend ??

I already have a Nikon F2 with a few lenses for film work but I
want to compete in the digital arena! Is the new Sigma SD9 the one
or not ???

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

since you have nikon lenses, look at the d100 or fuji s2. after reading all the reviews and panel discussions, I am going for an s2.....

It's a nice thought to use all your existing lenses on a new Digital Nikon body but not all F mount lenses are the same. Unless you are using current lenses on your F2 you won't have autofocus and won't have shutter priority/program mode if you don't have AIS lenses. If you're shooting pre '77 non-AI lenses you may not be able to use them on a new body at all without modification.

Steve "who bought his F2 brand new" Padilla

John Shaw said:

I am contemplating buying a Digital SLR and lenses. What would you
recommend ??

I already have a Nikon F2 with a few lenses for film work but I
want to compete in the digital arena! Is the new Sigma SD9 the one
or not ???

Click to expand...

John Shaw said:

I am contemplating buying a Digital SLR and lenses. What would you
recommend ??

I already have a Nikon F2 with a few lenses for film work but I
want to compete in the digital arena! Is the new Sigma SD9 the one
or not ???

Click to expand...

If you are John Shaw, the well known "macro worker" - I have your nice and interesting book - you should consider some other aspects. Biggest problem of all DSLRs is dust on the sensor. It will not be remarkable at open apertures, but will show strong effects when aperture stop down. Therefore it will be necessary, especially for outdoor workers, to clean the sensor. All from the nikon F80 derived cameras have some problems, Nikon and Fuji don't recommend self cleaning - suggested is shiping the camera back to Nikon/Fuji. Best camera with the possibility of self cleaning is the Canon D60, which has a strong glass filter above the sensor prohibiting risk of damage the sensor.

I'm an outdoor worker too, this was the main reason for me - former even a Nikonian - to change to Canon. Another reason ist the fact, that all these bodys, derived from the F80 don't be able to work with lenses without D-chip, you cannot use any distance tubes, no bellows.

If you want to take a look for macro work with the D60 you my look at http://www.orchideen-kartierung.de , choose Canon D60 and English language.
--
H. Kretzschmar, Germany

I would start be asking why you want a dSLR at all. The current gen use a chip that is too samll, resulting in loss of about 1/3 of the reoslution of your lenses. You may be better off with an integrated camera ..e.e. the Oly 20N or Nikon 5700.

Alterhatively, the new full chip cameras from Canon and Kodak are the harbingers of the first true dSLRs and may be worth your attentiuon, esp the Kodak since it uses Nikon lenses.

John: I shoot just about all landscape/outdoors. With my Fuji S1, dust has been a tremendous problem. Canon, with its CMOS sensor, seems to be the least prone to dust of the D-SLR's. I think the new Kodak full-frame 14N will have a CMOS sensor also so it should be a good choice. My next D-SLR will be the SD9 which I will have in a week. One of the main reasons for my choice of this camera is the look of its larger printed images (11x16) and its sensor cover and design. I am firmly convinced the sensor is inherently sharper than the Bayer sensor and will produce, pound-for-pound, better images. Complaints of soft images are found throughout all the digital forums. Although many of my S1 images look very good, many also have a "soft" feel to them and I can't figure out why. This will not be a problem with the Foveon chip. Yes, I know the SD9 has some real problems and limitations (noise at 400 ISO, night shot image problems), but it has some real strengths too. Download some of the sample images from the D-SLR's you are considering and print them out equivalent to a reasonably large size - 11x16 or above. The look of these images will help you decide. I picked five random SD9 images and printed them to 12x18 and the ALL looked great - even next to my medium format 16x20. (Don't read into that - I am not saying they are even close).
Hope this helps

Horst Kretzschmar said:

John Shaw said:

I am contemplating buying a Digital SLR and lenses. What would you
recommend ??

I already have a Nikon F2 with a few lenses for film work but I
want to compete in the digital arena! Is the new Sigma SD9 the one
or not ???

Click to expand...

If you are John Shaw, the well known "macro worker" - I have your
nice and interesting book - you should consider some other aspects.
Biggest problem of all DSLRs is dust on the sensor. It will not be
remarkable at open apertures, but will show strong effects when
aperture stop down. Therefore it will be necessary, especially for
outdoor workers, to clean the sensor. All from the nikon F80
derived cameras have some problems, Nikon and Fuji don't recommend
self cleaning - suggested is shiping the camera back to Nikon/Fuji.
Best camera with the possibility of self cleaning is the Canon D60,
which has a strong glass filter above the sensor prohibiting risk
of damage the sensor.
I'm an outdoor worker too, this was the main reason for me - former
even a Nikonian - to change to Canon. Another reason ist the fact,
that all these bodys, derived from the F80 don't be able to work
with lenses without D-chip, you cannot use any distance tubes, no
bellows.
If you want to take a look for macro work with the D60 you my look
at http://www.orchideen-kartierung.de , choose Canon D60 and
English language.
--
H. Kretzschmar, Germany

Click to expand...

--
http://www.lightreflection.com

rick decker said:

John: I shoot just about all landscape/outdoors. With my Fuji S1,
dust has been a tremendous problem. Canon, with its CMOS sensor,
seems to be the least prone to dust of the D-SLR's. I think the new
Kodak full-frame 14N will have a CMOS sensor also so it should be a
good choice. My next D-SLR will be the SD9 which I will have in a
week. One of the main reasons for my choice of this camera is the
look of its larger printed images (11x16) and its sensor cover and
design. I am firmly convinced the sensor is inherently sharper
than the Bayer sensor and will produce, pound-for-pound, better
images. Complaints of soft images are found throughout all the
digital forums. Although many of my S1 images look very good, many
also have a "soft" feel to them and I can't figure out why. This
will not be a problem with the Foveon chip. Yes, I know the SD9 has
some real problems and limitations (noise at 400 ISO, night shot
image problems), but it has some real strengths too. Download some
of the sample images from the D-SLR's you are considering and print
them out equivalent to a reasonably large size - 11x16 or above.
The look of these images will help you decide. I picked five
random SD9 images and printed them to 12x18 and the ALL looked
great - even next to my medium format 16x20. (Don't read into that

• I am not saying they are even close).

Hope this helps

Horst Kretzschmar said:

John Shaw said:

I am contemplating buying a Digital SLR and lenses. What would you
recommend ??

I already have a Nikon F2 with a few lenses for film work but I
want to compete in the digital arena! Is the new Sigma SD9 the one
or not ???

Click to expand...

If you are John Shaw, the well known "macro worker" - I have your
nice and interesting book - you should consider some other aspects.
Biggest problem of all DSLRs is dust on the sensor. It will not be
remarkable at open apertures, but will show strong effects when
aperture stop down. Therefore it will be necessary, especially for
outdoor workers, to clean the sensor. All from the nikon F80
derived cameras have some problems, Nikon and Fuji don't recommend
self cleaning - suggested is shiping the camera back to Nikon/Fuji.
Best camera with the possibility of self cleaning is the Canon D60,
which has a strong glass filter above the sensor prohibiting risk
of damage the sensor.
I'm an outdoor worker too, this was the main reason for me - former
even a Nikonian - to change to Canon. Another reason ist the fact,
that all these bodys, derived from the F80 don't be able to work
with lenses without D-chip, you cannot use any distance tubes, no
bellows.
If you want to take a look for macro work with the D60 you my look
at http://www.orchideen-kartierung.de , choose Canon D60 and
English language.
--
H. Kretzschmar, Germany

Click to expand...

--
http://www.lightreflection.com

Click to expand...

I fear, all your hope for the SD9 will be destroyed - it looks like the absolutely looser camera. All pictures published hitherto show a lot of dust, perhaps yet built in by sigma. This camera will have no chance against any of the other 6Mpix brands.
--
H. Kretzschmar, Germany

Horst: I am sure you have good intentions but I will have to disagree with you. You need to recognize something for its strengths and not just for its weaknesses. I have to be honest and say that I trust the 6 random images I printed out to 11x16 and I trust Phil's review. I would be glad to offer to have a shootout (with you or anyone) after I get my SD9. There are many photo opportunities on the Big Island of Hawaii. I would be glad to offer you, or whoever, a nicely discounted stay at my B&B http://www.silveroaksranch.com . We could put together a series of shots, do some large prints and see how the SD9 performs against 6mp cameras.

Of course your camera would have to be a 6mp or greater. A good way to have a vacation and do some photography! And then we could post our results and you could either strutt around or have a crow dinner!

Horst Kretzschmar said:

I fear, all your hope for the SD9 will be destroyed - it looks like
the absolutely looser camera. All pictures published hitherto show
a lot of dust, perhaps yet built in by sigma. This camera will have
no chance against any of the other 6Mpix brands.
--
H. Kretzschmar, Germany

Click to expand...

--
http://www.lightreflection.com

I wrote my statement, before Phils review was out - now I have read it, and I must say that I'm surprise. In Germany there was a distribution CD with a lot of original pictures original from Sigma available - more or less all pictures really bad, as I told in my statement. On the Photokina I as able to play a littlebit with the SD9, I must say I liked it, especially due to its AF, faster than those of Canon D60 and the 3 ones, derived from the Nikon F80.

Phils review without dout show the great potential of this camera, though there were some bugs perhaps to be changed by a software update. I only have one doubt: perhaps the used lens may play a bigger role. The Sigma 50 EX Macro, used on the SD9 is a wonderfull lens, one of my favorites. It has much better performance, especially on the D60 than the Canon 1.4/50 mm. Because of the special problems of DSLRs we have done a lot of resolution tests (using Norman Korens test chart) of different lenses - the absolutely best performer is my Sigma 50. Perhaps some amount of the real good resolution performance of the SD9 may depend on the much better lens.

Nevertheless, thank you very much for your invitationto Hawai - but it is littlebit far away from me in Germany.
I wish you all goods, every time good light and very much fun with your SD9.

Horst Kretzschmar

rick decker said:

Horst: I am
sure you have good intentions but I will have to disagree with
you. You need to recognize something for its strengths and not just
for its weaknesses. I have to be honest and say that I trust the
6 random images I printed out to 11x16 and I trust Phil's review.
I would be glad to offer to have a shootout (with you or anyone)
after I get my SD9. There are many photo opportunities on the Big
Island of Hawaii. I would be glad to offer you, or whoever, a
nicely discounted stay at my B&B http://www.silveroaksranch.com .
We could put together a series of shots, do some large prints and
see how the SD9 performs against 6mp cameras.
Of course your camera would have to be a 6mp or greater. A good
way to have a vacation and do some photography! And then we could
post our results and you could either strutt around or have a crow
dinner!

rick decker said:

I fear, all your hope for the SD9 will be destroyed - it looks like
the absolutely looser camera. All pictures published hitherto show
a lot of dust, perhaps yet built in by sigma. This camera will have
no chance against any of the other 6Mpix brands.
--
H. Kretzschmar, Germany

Click to expand...

--
http://www.lightreflection.com

Click to expand...

--
H. Kretzschmar, Germany

graphius said:

tim martin said:

John Shaw said:

I am contemplating buying a Digital SLR and lenses. What would you
recommend ??

I already have a Nikon F2 with a few lenses for film work but I
want to compete in the digital arena! Is the new Sigma SD9 the one
or not ???

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

since you have nikon lenses, look at the d100 or fuji s2. after
reading all the reviews and panel discussions, I am going for an
s2.....

Click to expand...

--The D60 has very little to offer over the D100 and S2. Considering that you already have lenses its a no-brainer.

If the extra $400 doesn't bother you, go for the S2, you won't regret it.

JoeR

Thanks Horst...I will be posting pictures in a week or so - good and bad.

Horst Kretzschmar said:

Horst Kretzschmar

rick decker said:

Horst: I am
sure you have good intentions but I will have to disagree with
you. You need to recognize something for its strengths and not just
for its weaknesses. I have to be honest and say that I trust the
6 random images I printed out to 11x16 and I trust Phil's review.
I would be glad to offer to have a shootout (with you or anyone)
after I get my SD9. There are many photo opportunities on the Big
Island of Hawaii. I would be glad to offer you, or whoever, a
nicely discounted stay at my B&B http://www.silveroaksranch.com .
We could put together a series of shots, do some large prints and
see how the SD9 performs against 6mp cameras.
Of course your camera would have to be a 6mp or greater. A good
way to have a vacation and do some photography! And then we could
post our results and you could either strutt around or have a crow
dinner!

Horst Kretzschmar said:

I fear, all your hope for the SD9 will be destroyed - it looks like
the absolutely looser camera. All pictures published hitherto show
a lot of dust, perhaps yet built in by sigma. This camera will have
no chance against any of the other 6Mpix brands.
--
H. Kretzschmar, Germany

Click to expand...

--
http://www.lightreflection.com

Click to expand...

--
H. Kretzschmar, Germany

Click to expand...

--
http://www.lightreflection.com

It appears that an advantage of the D60 is for long exposures, such as astro work. The 1Ds may be even better, at outrageous cost!

Also, if his lenses are older, he forfeits AF anyway (and possibly metering!) ... so getting new lenses isn't a big deal. I suggest looking at each mfg's lens lineup, and choose the lenses that will suit you; both Canon and Nikon have several wonderful DSLRs ... you cannot go wrong either way.
Ken

--

No 1D, very few lenses, no camera bag or teleconverters thanks to some thief. Also, NO Canon 1200mm f/5.6.