Suggestions and tips regarding new dslr buy wanted

Hi everyone

So,now the time has come to upgrade the tools to match the ideas and visions.

I've so far used the Casio Exilim EX F1 Pro (wich i bought mainly for the highspeed option). My passion for photography is big and i love all aspects of it and all styles. That is where the Casio has nothing left to offer. So the logical question to ask now is wich one to buy?

I've ended up with two choices so far amongst all the cameras i've been studying:

The Canon 5D Mark II and the Nikon 3DS. The pricetag is a factor,but i look at it as a long term investment.

Any thoughts on these two in regards to handling,optics (quality and lenses) etc?

Both the Canon and Nikon models you have named are far more camera than you need. They're heavy, expensive, and tough enough to absorb the hard use professional photographers sometimes put them through.

Lenses are far more important than bodies. You would be much better off spending that money on a less costly body and a good lens or two.

Finally, pros choose between the two bodies you mention because of the lenses associated with them, not because one body is better than another. So your question doesn't make much sense.

If you bought a Nikon D5100, or better yet a Canon 60D.

Why do you want to spend so much money on something you may not need?
--
Marty
http://www.fluidr.com/photos/marty4650/sets/72157606210120132
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my blog: http://marty4650.blogspot.com/
Olympus E-30
Olympus E-P1

Consider the Canon 7D, it takes beautiful pictures, has tons of growth in use potential, is highly customizable, very versatile for sports and nature photography, and did I mention it takes beautiful pictures? Unless you have specific need for FF, it may suit you. I went through the same selection process last year thinking I wanted a Canon 5d mkii or a Nikon D700, but when I saw pictures from and looked closely at the 7D, that's what I ended up going with, and it has proven to be an "ultimate" camera for me (mind you, I have put 4 of Canon's top lenses on it also which makes a HUGE difference). Good luck choosing.

As others have suggested, the two cameras that you mention are a massive step up if you have only ever owned a Casio compact. (If you are a long time film SLR photographer then they might be right for you, but they are very different cameras.)

Photography is 90% the skill of the photographer and 10% the equipment that he uses. If you are very serious about your photography you should consider how to improve your skills, e.g. by taking a photographic course.

What camera you buy is relatively unimportant - you will be limited by your own skills rather than the capability of the camera for a long time to come. Pretty well any entry level DSLR will do with the kit lens and a telephoto zoom lens. You might also want to look at mirrorless cameras like the Olympus Pen series, the Panasonic G series, the Sony NEX series and the Samsung NX series. You might even be better off with a top of the line compact like the Canon G12 or S95, Nikon P7100, Olympus XZ-1 or Panasonic LX5.

After you have decided whether or not to take a photography course, go into a store and try out a few of the above cameras to get an idea of the different sizes.
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Chris R

Thank you for the comment

Like i said: The The Canon 5D Mark II and the Nikon 3DS are so far the two options i've considered. Mainly because they have most of what i need now and in the years to come. I'm about to take a 3 year education in Media design where Photography will be my main focus.

I'm not the typical "point and shoot" photographer,and as far as skills go i'm not totally blank;-)

My most important needs in a camera housing would be:

• a environmentally sealed casing (for nature photography wich i do a lot of in all kinds of weather in any season)
• a powerful prosessor (for quick response and speed)
• a powerful image-processing engine (i will be doing a lot of timelapse photography,sports photography etc...)
• a good sensor
• a decent AF system with at least 10 focal points (in some places and cases there's just no time or room for anything else)
• a mount wich is compatible with AF and MF lenses.
• last but not least live view and a decent remote fuction.

The types of photography i will be doing are: Timelapse,Sports,Portraits,Land/Waterscapes,Animals and Astro.

Thank you for the tip
I'm going to take my time on this one.

The Norwegian guy said:

Thank you for the comment

Like i said: The The Canon 5D Mark II and the Nikon 3DS are so far the two options i've considered. Mainly because they have most of what i need now and in the years to come. I'm about to take a 3 year education in Media design where Photography will be my main focus.

I'm not the typical "point and shoot" photographer,and as far as skills go i'm not totally blank;-)

My most important needs in a camera housing would be:

• a environmentally sealed casing (for nature photography wich i do a lot of in all kinds of weather in any season)

Click to expand...

Canon 5D MkII isn't environmentally sealed. Note that you need weatherproof lenses as well.

The Norwegian guy said:

• a powerful prosessor (for quick response and speed)

Click to expand...

This doesn't really mean anything. All DSLRs have quick response.

The Norwegian guy said:

• a powerful image-processing engine (i will be doing a lot of timelapse photography,sports photography etc...)

Click to expand...

Again, I am not sure what you mean by this. Timelapse photography doesn't require fast image processing. Do you need a high fps rate? If so, how high and what buffer capacity?

The Norwegian guy said:

• a good sensor

Click to expand...

What do you mean by this? Do you mean high resolution, high dynamic range or low noise at high ISO?

Do you really need a full frame sensor?

The Norwegian guy said:

• a decent AF system with at least 10 focal points (in some places and cases there's just no time or room for anything else)

Click to expand...

Do you need a fast AF system or an AF system with lots of focal points? Canon and Nikon have somewhat different philosophies on this. Apart from any benefits that lots of focal points may bring to AF, is there any other reason that you think that you may need lots of focal points?

The Norwegian guy said:

• a mount wich is compatible with AF and MF lenses.

Click to expand...

What MF lenses do you want to use? Canon DSLRs aren't compatible with older Canon MF (FD mount) lenses although you can use other MF lenses, e.g. Samyang.

The Norwegian guy said:

• last but not least live view and a decent remote fuction.

Click to expand...

AFAIK all DSLRs now have Liveview and can be used with a remote.

The Norwegian guy said:

The types of photography i will be doing are: Timelapse,Sports,Portraits,Land/Waterscapes,Animals and Astro.

Click to expand...

The two cameras that you have mentioned are very different. The Canon 5D MkII is a high resolution full frame semi-professional camera aimed at landscape, studio and wedding photographers. It isn't weatherproof and doesn't have particularly fast focusing or high fps. Sports and wildlife photographers would select the 1D MkIV or perhaps 7D instead.

The Nikon 3Ds is a lower resolution full frame professional camera with exceptional high ISO performance. It is aimed at photo journalists and sports and wildlife photographers. It certainly wouldn't be the first choice of studio or landscape photgraphers - they would go for the 3DX or perhaps even the D7000.

What lenses are you thinking of buying? With expensive cameras you need good quality lenses, especially for sports and wildlife photography.

At the moment you appear to be heading for a total spend (icnluding tripod, head, flash, lighting, etc) of $5-10,000+. Is this within your budget?

I still think that your best plan is to get a general purpose entry or enthusiasts level DSLR now and add additional lenses and other equipment as you need them for your course. If you finally decide to become a professional landscape photographer you will need very different equipment to a professional sports photographer. What equipment does the course director recommend that you get?

Also technology is changing quite quickly at the moment (see the Sony A77) and I don't think that this is a particularly good time to be investing heavily in expensive equipment - the technology might be significantly different when you finish your course. Better to spend less now and sell and re-buy everything when you finish.
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Chris R

Buying the very best you can find makes sense when you are buying things that have a very long lifespan. Like furniture. Pianos. Shotguns. or Houses. In other words... things that must last for decades.

But today cameras are just computers that happen to mount lenses.
Today these are things that are "good for about five years."
And it is important to remember, these are just tools.

Since cameras are so technological, they are subject to rapid improvement, and today's "best camera" could be eclipsed by a much cheaper camera three years from now. (Note... the exact same thing happened to personal computers, cell phones, and GPS devices.)

Had you purchased a $5,000 camera five years ago, it would still work, but you might be able to get more features and better results from a $1,000 camera today.

So why would anyone want to "start at the top" when they admit they are still learning, and will "need something better three years from now?" It is very likely that once they improve their skills and are able to use all those features, they will want something better. Say... in 2015?

You should regard cameras as "disposable technology devices" and buy exactly what you need right now, then upgrade later, when better and cheaper devices are available.

Everything you say you need can be found in a Pentax K5, a Canon 60D, or Nikon D7000 for around $1200. Or an Olympus E5 for a little bit more. (currently $1500).

Why spend three or four times as much?

The only exception to this is if you earn your livelihood from photography. Then you might need the best tools right now, to deliver the best results for your clients. And then you can depreciate the high cost of constant upgrading as a business expense.

One other exception might be if you hit the Powerball Lottery for $150 million, and are simultaneously diagnosed with a terminal illness and have no heirs you care about. In that case, buy whatever you want. Enjoy your money in your remaining time on this planet.

--
Marty
http://www.fluidr.com/photos/marty4650/sets/72157606210120132
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marty4650/sets/72157606210120132/show/
my blog: http://marty4650.blogspot.com/
Olympus E-30
Olympus E-P1

Thank you for that somewhat philosophical,logical and honest reply.

Like you said: "Everything you say you need can be found in a Pentax K5, a Canon 60D, or Nikon D7000 for around $1200. Or an Olympus E5 for a little bit more. (currently $1500). " That's the kind of answer i was looking for

Thank you for the reply...

It's not a course i'm taking but an education and i see that i may need to study the technology a bit more before settling for something that may cost more that it tastes

I would be a little careful about getting the Olympus E5.

Olympus currently seems to be devoting all of its resouces to Micro 4/3 cameras and there have been suggestions that the E5 will be the last DSLR that Olympus will produce (although they might produce a mirrorless camera that uses Olympus E-mount lenses). Although E-mount lenses work on a M4/3 camera they require an adapter and do not focus as fast as lenses designed specifically for M4/3.

If you are interested in the E-5, get some advice on the Olympus SLR Talk forum before buying.
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Chris R

Chris R-UK said:

I would be a little careful about getting the Olympus E5.

Olympus currently seems to be devoting all of its resouces to Micro 4/3 cameras and there have been suggestions that the E5 will be the last DSLR that Olympus will produce (although they might produce a mirrorless camera that uses Olympus E-mount lenses). Although E-mount lenses work on a M4/3 camera they require an adapter and do not focus as fast as lenses designed specifically for M4/3.

Click to expand...

Chris is absolutely right. The 4/3 system is either dead, or on life support. Based on who you talk to. Olympus has effectively abandoned this product line to devote all their resources to their new M4/3 cameras and lenses. There will be no more new 4/3 lens designs, and Sigma has discontinued 10 of the 14 lenses they offered in the 4/3 mount.

The E5 may be the last 4/3 camera ever made, and even it is essentially a "much improved E3".. getting a newer sensor, more resolution, HD video, and a much improved LCD screen. But the basic camera is identical to the E3. There wasn't much new tooling involved.

Having said that, the E5 will still have strong appeal to anyone who is heavily invested in Olympus Zuiko lenses (which the OP clearly wasn't). It is an outstanding camera and is incredibly well made, if a bit overpriced.

Which is why I would suggest those other three cameras as the primary option. I only tacked on the E5 since it is weather sealed and has all the other features the OP said he needed.

In fact, if you are looking for a system you can use for the next 20 years, I might also be leery about Pentax, even though I feel the K5 is the best camera among that group (K5, 60D, D7000).

Pentax has changed hands twice in recent years, and the last sale stripped it of it's very profitable medical equipment division. Ricoh is their current owner, and we really don't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing for Pentax's future. I suppose time will tell.

--
Marty
http://www.fluidr.com/photos/marty4650/sets/72157606210120132
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marty4650/sets/72157606210120132/show/
my blog: http://marty4650.blogspot.com/
Olympus E-30
Olympus E-P1

i see..
Thank you for your honesty

I've been thinking (and reading) today and like you all point out: It's the skillset and lenses that mostly defines a good photographer. Thinking of it,my main problem with my old model was that the optics could not be replaced and that the resolution was in the lower echelon.

Canon's 7D looks to be the top contender for now. A jump down in price and specs but has lots of tools to offer. Besides..it's years (litterally) ahead of my old model: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08010601casiof1.asp

The Norwegian guy said:

i see..
Thank you for your honesty

I've been thinking (and reading) today and like you all point out: It's the skillset and lenses that mostly defines a good photographer. Thinking of it,my main problem with my old model was that the optics could not be replaced and that the resolution was in the lower echelon.

Canon's 7D looks to be the top contender for now. A jump down in price and specs but has lots of tools to offer. Besides..it's years (litterally) ahead of my old model: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0801/08010601casiof1.asp

Click to expand...

Once you start adding lenses, the $$$ add up fast.

If I won the lottery, or started a business, and was interested in doing "all types of photography, all styles", I would buy a kit like one of the following four lens kits:

Pentax Version: 2.6 kg, $5500
Pentax K-5
FA 31mm f/1.8
DA* 50-135mm f/2.8
Sigma 70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro
DA 12-24mm f/4

Canon Version: 3.1 kg, $4900
EOS 60D
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L
EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro
EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

If you don't need the warranty, you could save money by buying used, or choosing different equipment. My point is that if you are really going for a full kit, the camera price is only a small part.

Michael Barkowski said:

If I won the lottery, or started a business, and was interested in doing "all types of photography, all styles", I would buy a kit like one of the following four lens kits:

Pentax Version: 2.6 kg, $5500
Pentax K-5
FA 31mm f/1.8
DA* 50-135mm f/2.8
Sigma 70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro
DA 12-24mm f/4

Canon Version: 3.1 kg, $4900
EOS 60D
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L
EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro
EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM

Click to expand...

Olympus Version: 3.2 kg, $4640
Olympus E5
Panasonic 25mm f/1.4
Olympus 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD
Olympus 50mm f/2.0 Macro
Olympus 11-22mm f/2.8-3.5

As you can see, the Olympus kit is slightly cheaper but the heaviest.
It is exceptionally well made, and every lens listed is weather sealed.
It will do fine in good light and at normal ISO.
The jpegs will be spectacular.

But it will disappoint you if you shoot a lot of available light shots at high ISO, due to the smaller sensor and older sensor technology.

--
Marty
http://www.fluidr.com/photos/marty4650/sets/72157606210120132
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marty4650/sets/72157606210120132/show/
my blog: http://marty4650.blogspot.com/
Olympus E-30
Olympus E-P1