Nigel Atherton
WDC Editor
Reged: 16/05/2006
Posts: 486
Loc: Ministry of Magazines, London
|
|
What do you think about the two new DSLR launches this month from Canon and Nikon. They're both so similar in spec and price that comparisons will be inevitable.
Both are talking up the video capabilities of the cameras. Canon's is full 1080p HD while Nikon's is only 720p, but Nikon has that articulating screen.
On the stills front (yes, they shoot stills too! :-O) the Canon is 15MP, Nikon is 12.3MP, Canon's screen is 3", Nikon's is 2.7", Canon shoots 3.4fps, Nikon shoots 4fps, Canon has 9 focus points, Nikon has 11. And so on.
In short, neither is radically better or worse than the other in any area - at least on paper.
Price wise the Canon RRP is about £150 more, but we all know what happens to the street price!
|
IvorETower
Little Buttercup
Reged: 15/11/2006
Posts: 2306
Loc: Camberley, Surrey
|
|
Both are over-priced for what they offer (IMHO) compared to other cameras in their respective ranges.
It's now getting very confusing for some first-time buyers, or amateurs who wish to move up from entry-level models (but who have yet to really grasp the basics of technical matters)
--------------------
Too many cameras, too many lenses.......
|
El Sid
Going potty
Reged: 14/04/2003
Posts: 10740
Loc: Sussex-by-the-Sea
|
|
My first reaction is one of 'Ho-hum, so what...' but then of course I realise that these are the thin end of the 'lets stuff everything we can think of onto the camera' wedge designed by marketing bozos to appeal to the must-have-but-can't-use brigade of techno freaks.
I know this makes me a something of a reactionary old Luddite but guess what?... I don't care........ 
--------------------
Nigel
Completely BSRIPN 
ElSid Gallery
Terrorist?............or potential photographer?....... 
There are no people more opressed than those who willingly opress themselves
|
beejaybee
Marvin
Reged: 18/07/2007
Posts: 6281
Loc: Really Here In Name Only
|
|
^^^ WHS ^^^
|
Roy5051
Still blank
Reged: 02/09/2001
Posts: 1065
Loc: Somerset UK
|
|
Why has photography become so complicated? I used to love my old manual Pentaxes, but am now the first to admit to taking most of my pictures on Program. I am so afraid of digging into the various Menus and messing things up, that Program it is, except on the odd occasions when I really push the boat out and switch to Aperture Priority.
Surely we do not need all this technology shoe-horned into an SLR. I know you don't have to use it, but surely there is a place in the market for simpler SLR cameras.
--------------------
Roy
Why do people with expensive cameras say you don't need one to take good photographs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roy5051/
|
Roger_Provins
Made-it Man
Reged: 22/10/2005
Posts: 4358
Loc: Gloucester, UK
|
|
Quote:
... but Nikon has that articulating screen.
It appears that it only articulates to several fairly odd positions - swivelling from the bottom of the camera! Weird 
--------------------
Rog
|
El Sid
Going potty
Reged: 14/04/2003
Posts: 10740
Loc: Sussex-by-the-Sea
|
|
Quote:
Why has photography become so complicated?
A bad habit humans find hard to break. Take something simple and then complicate it. Look at golf... The basic premise is oh-so-simple; take a ball and see how few times you have to hit it to get it into 18 different holes - the rules on the other hand seem to run to hundreds of minutely printed pages.... 
Quote:
...but surely there is a place in the market for simpler SLR cameras.
But it's probably not big enough for the big boys to play in. It will be interesting to see if Leica do come up with a digital R series camera to replace the DMR concept - but even if they do rumour has it that it's likely to have AF plus it'll still have all the white balance and other options that most digital SLRs are equipped with....
--------------------
Nigel
Completely BSRIPN
ElSid Gallery
Terrorist?............or potential photographer?.......
There are no people more opressed than those who willingly opress themselves
|
Nigel Atherton
WDC Editor
Reged: 16/05/2006
Posts: 486
Loc: Ministry of Magazines, London
|
|
Quote:
Quote:
... but Nikon has that articulating screen.
It appears that it only articulates to several fairly odd positions - swivelling from the bottom of the camera! Weird <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />
It would seem more logical to hinge the screen from the left but I suspect they can't because Olympus has the patent on that. Hence Sony's tilting-but-not-pivoting solution and this bottom pivot from Nikon. I think it works okay unless you want to view it from the front of the camera for self portraits. Its useless for for self-timer shots because the screen sticks out from the bottom, so you can't put it down on a table, and you won't even see the screen if it's on a tripod.
I still think detachable LCD screen with a 360° ball joint that fits on the hotshoe would be a great solution. They could either put extra contacts on the hotshoe for power and A/V out, or have a connection cable to the A/V out port.
|
Nigel Atherton
WDC Editor
Reged: 16/05/2006
Posts: 486
Loc: Ministry of Magazines, London
|
|
Quote:
Quote:
...but surely there is a place in the market for simpler SLR cameras.
But it's probably not big enough for the big boys to play in.
I suspect a lot of people here would love a digital version of the Nikon F or Canon F1. I'd love to see that too, but I know the demand would be so small it would cost a fortune. The users of this forum are not very representative of the overall market.
The fact is, they make the cameras they do because that's what the millions they spend on research tells them that most people want.
They get it wrong sometimes – we laughed five years ago when Fujifilm built an MP3 player into a compact – but in Fuji's defence, I just think they were ahead of their time. This was before mobile phones all became multimedia devices. Samsung seems to do well with their cameras that double as multimedia music & movie players. A big hit with Japanese teenagers I gather.
But I don't suppose there are many Japanese teenagers using this forum!
|
Mat Gallagher
WDC Deputy Editor
Reged: 02/04/2009
Posts: 27
Loc: London
|
|
As much as I would also love a digital version of my old Canon AE1, or Olympus OM1, I think these two cameras look amazing. They really are powerful bits of kit and, despite the recent hike in manufacturer prices, are still pretty well priced for what they do. Plus, when it comes to taking a great image I now don't know if i'd give up the impressive metering systems, fast autofocus and ISO ranges of a modern DSLR.
|
Roy5051
Still blank
Reged: 02/09/2001
Posts: 1065
Loc: Somerset UK
|
|
Impressive metering systems are OK up to a point, but don't they make you lazy? ATEOTD the shutter can only record for a certain length of time and the aperture can only be a certain size, and the exposure is the same all over the frame. If one loses the ability to think, and leaves this to a machine, it is a slippery slope. Until camera manufacturers come up with a way of varying the exposure on different parts of the sensor/film, impressive metering systems will remain what they have always been - an averaging out of several readings.
Fast autofocus is great for those taking pictures of moving subjects, but as most photographs are landscapes and portraits, it really doesn't matter very much for most photographers.
The ISO ranges of modern DSLRs is of limited use, as most pictures taken at high ISOs are very noisy. The same could be said for fast film (ISO 1600 and over) and few people used that, as I am sure, few people use ISOs on DSLRs over 800.
Don't get me wrong - I love the automation of modern cameras, both film and digital, and most of my pictures are taken on Program - but I admit to being lazy. How many others are prepared to admit it, too?
--------------------
Roy
Why do people with expensive cameras say you don't need one to take good photographs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roy5051/
|
Nigel Atherton
WDC Editor
Reged: 16/05/2006
Posts: 486
Loc: Ministry of Magazines, London
|
|
Quote:
Don't get me wrong - I love the automation of modern cameras, both film and digital, and most of my pictures are taken on Program - but I admit to being lazy. How many others are prepared to admit it, too?
Ah, that's the downside of all labour saving inventions, be they auto cameras, calculators, washing machines or cars. We like the fact they save us time, and physical or mental effort, but they do make us lazy.
On that note, if you'll excuse me, I have to drive round to the corner shop for some milk ;-)
|
FujiSigmaNolta
I can pan!
Reged: 21/06/2005
Posts: 2028
|
|
In my opinion what these kind of cameras represent more is the advances in technology (I mean look at their size and what they pack in; now imagine what would a Kodak DCS760 with video look like).
To me the video mode would be a distraction and potentially lead me to missing good photo opportunities. Having said that, I would like to see a Sony A350 spin-off with video just to keep things interesting, as the Sony has the fastest Live-View AF and I wonder how would that be with video. Most of the times the AF on these video modes is either lagging or non-existent.
(nudge,nudge,wink,wink,Sony)
--------------------
Regards,
Luis
My Flickr mess
There are no duff cameras only duff photographers
|
IvorETower
Little Buttercup
Reged: 15/11/2006
Posts: 2306
Loc: Camberley, Surrey
|
|
I wish someone would make a reasonably-priced digital back for the Canon T90. Then I could start to use mine again. It was designed for interchangeable backs too
--------------------
Too many cameras, too many lenses.......
|
FujiSigmaNolta
I can pan!
Reged: 21/06/2005
Posts: 2028
|
|
...and me a nice digital back for my Kiev 6C. I keep writing to those crazy russians at the Arsenal factory to do one even if it has all the same quirks as the camera and I tell them that I'll buy it anyway, but to no avail... Maybe I shouldn't address them as "Dear crazy russians at the Arsenal factory"
--------------------
Regards,
Luis
My Flickr mess
There are no duff cameras only duff photographers
|
Paul_WDC
Staff
Reged: 18/04/2007
Posts: 41
|
|
On a side note, the Canon EOS 500D just landed on the WDC desk. We'll get the first sample images up on the site later today for your dissection!
--------------------
www.flickr.com/photos/djsosumi
"Joy in looking and comprehending is nature's most beautiful gift." - Albert Einstein
|
alanS
The Flameproof Dr Dust
Reged: 30/09/2005
Posts: 4737
Loc: Up North, England.
|
|
You'd better look after it, it's a very expensive piece of kit.
--------------------
Alan's defence lawyer claimed that "Booze played no part in his typo's."
|
Mat Gallagher
WDC Deputy Editor
Reged: 02/04/2009
Posts: 27
Loc: London
|
|
Slight change of plan - pics are embargoed 'til Monday, so we'll have to keep you in suspense over the weekend!
|
Mat Gallagher
WDC Deputy Editor
Reged: 02/04/2009
Posts: 27
Loc: London
|
|
Pictures now up...
www.whatdigitalcamera.com/equipment/galleries/sample-images/canon/11731/1/0/canon-eos-500d-test-shots.html
|
Mat Gallagher
WDC Deputy Editor
Reged: 02/04/2009
Posts: 27
Loc: London
|
|
The review of the D5000 is now up. Both cameras have reached the same 90% mark. Any thoughts... would you buy either? If so, which one?
http://www.whatdigitalcamera.com/equipment/digitalslr/1164/1/nikon-d5000-review.html
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
