September 1, 2008 More Thoughts on Choosing a DSLR
My previous post on Going Digital initiated in an interesting discussion with Trader Eyal on DSLRs and he even posted on it himself, having just got a Nikon D60. A little more research has yielded some interesting info about how to go about choosing a DSLR.
A great site that has given me a lot of food for thought is KenRockwell.com. Here are some interesting articles:
- Nikon D90 Review
- Nikon D60 Review
- Nikon D40 Review
- The Megapixel Myth (or why megapixels count won’t matter for you and I)
- The Seven Levels of Photographers
- Film vs. Digital (or why I am probably better off with digital)
And more on the megapixel myth over here by NY Times tech writer, David Pogue:
This is an interesting video review of the Nikon D60 and the Canon XSI (via Trader Eyal). Actually, it is more interesting for the comments made about the video. The reviewer eventually goes for his Nikon D60 over the Canon and this spurs a ridiculous amount of criticism from the Canon fanboy camp. I mean really, isn’t it personal preference when it comes to picking your SLR? My brother and sister will probably shoot better photographs than I ever will regardless of the camera they are using.
Swaying between the D40 (not the D40X) and the D90. The excitement about Live View? Okay, it might be nice to have but then I like using the viewfinder to keep me focused on the picture at hand. Can I accomplish great photos on the D40? Probably. Am I inclined to be a measurebator as Ken Rockwell derides and go for the D90? Probably. It’s tough being me.
Anyway, here are some photos I took during smoke breaks during work with my Nokia N95 8G.
I want a DSLR to be able to control my shots better. The question really is does all this tech make me a better photographer? I think the answer to that question is summed up by Alan, a commenter on Trader Eyal’s blog, with the following:
“That’s an expensive pen you have, you must be a good writer”
Tags: dslr, megapixel myth, Photography, photos
- 3 comments
- Posted under Play
Permalink #
eyal
said
I noticed from your comments on considering the D40 (as opposed to D40X) that you were greatly influenced by Rockwell. You need to watch out a little, not everything he writes makes sense, there’s some criticism out there about his need for bombastic claims / controversial statements to generate traffic and attention. In all his reviews that I read he goes for the ‘underdog’ D80 v. D200, SB600 vs. SB800, D40 vs. D40X/D60.
Some of his material is useful but overall I think you’ll find a better mix of opinions from both professionals and enthusiasts on forums like photo.net and dpreview.
At any rate you’re knowledgeable enough to look up the specs on your own and decide for yourself what’s best for you. If you know someone who owns the models you’re considering then that would be the best way to get your hands on them for a while longer than just standing inside a store – as valuable as that is vs. just reading online.
On the megapixel thing, a common statement that it’s highly unlikely we’ll make huge prints yada yada but the extra pixels are oh-so-useful for cropping when you can’t get near enough and still have a decent sized photo left afterwards. However, if you’re going for the 70-200mm VR or 300mm then you probably won’t have to crop too much
Good luck with your decision..
Permalink #
Eshin
said
Aww, you are just jealous that you’ve got competition as the font of knowledge.
These articles were just useful for me in getting a different perspective. You know me… I sway in one direction and then sway in the other. Thankfully, it is not going to be an impulse purchase in any case since it is still a hefty purchase for me. Actually I’ve got over the worst part of it and resisted the two day purchase impulse.
I want to hold and feel the D40, D60, D80 and D90 before deciding. I remember that from picking up my F80 (aside from the film issue, still a great camera I enjoy picking up and using).
It merely helps remind me what most of the folks I know who do photography say – the most sophisticated camera in the world won’t help you shoot good photos. Composition, technique, experimentation, etc, etc, “yada yada” all factor into that.
Anyway, waiting for the D90 to hit the stores means I have plenty of time to do research. I haven’t found a store in SG where I won’t feel I’m on the back foot yet… so, as you aptly advise in your post about bargaining, I want to know what I’m paying for.
The megapixels issue is one thing that I had a sneaking suspicion about – e.g. the D90 is 12MP while the D60 is at 10MP – this is a non-issue when it comes to dealing with the sales people for me to be honest. Again, also, Live Preview is nice but as I mentioned to you, I do like to use the view finder to give more focus on what I’m shooting.
I’m just trying to balance the fact that I was happy with my F80 and really am just trying to move to digital to eliminate the film issue. Of course, I do have to suppress the geek inside who wants all the widgets. This is after all my first serious foray into digital.
Besides… if I speak to el revez, he’ll tell me I should stick to film!
Permalink #
eyal
said
Cathay Photo is The place to get photo gear in Sg. They’ve been around forever and are well known for professional attitude, honest prices etc. Other than that it’s the normal shops in shopping malls.
Waiting is good. Took me a couple of months to pull the trigger, price dropped since I first looked at it, so that was nice. Take your time and enjoy the research