I am looking a for a digital slr under 1000, i want to be able to take great movement shots and shots of my fish and the sun sets, i dont know i want the best over all camera that can take a picture of what i see and it turns out like that. I hope you get what i mean. Thanks josh
Best camera?
- Thread starter js_bass
- Start date
TitusvileSurfer
New member
Nikon D80 would be the "best" for around $800. I personally prefer the Canon 400D at $650 over the D80, and the Canon 40D at $1200 blows the D80 out of the water. Pun intended.
Of course, the most important part in all of this is the glass. To hope I get what you mean by "i dont know i want the best over all camera that can take a picture of what i see and it turns out like that" because it doesn't even sound like you know! lol Anyway, a 50mm lens will take a picture exactly like we see it with our own eyes. > 50mm will include more than we see with our eyes (wide angle) and < 50mm will include less than we see but close up (zoom). You might spend $650 on the camera, but you might spend $1500 on the lens. I cant speak for the Nikkors, but Canon lenses I know. You can find cheaper models which may appear on paper to be much the same for hundreds of dollars less. You do get what you pay for in the end though.
Oh by the way, partial as I am to Canon the Nikon is a great camera. I would not recommend the Sony model though. It has widely documented noise issues, something you really don't want.
One other point with your statement "i dont know i want the best over all camera that can take a picture of what i see and it turns out like thatâ€Â. Maybe you don’t want a DSLR as taking a picture of what you see misses the whole point. Please take no offence when I say a DSLR may be out of your league. There are some excellent, much less expensive, high megapixle cameras which are point and shoot. They will give you very nice images and are great all around cameras. Just be warned a DSLR is a money pit hobby much like reef keeping. You don’t just buy the tank but the skimmer and sump and pumps and salt and test kits and everything else as well. DSLRs are much the same way. For non DSLR cameras and I am bias to Canon, the Powershot S5 IS 8.0 @ $400 and Powershot A560 7.1 @ $140 come to mind for alternatives you may want to check out.
Of course, the most important part in all of this is the glass. To hope I get what you mean by "i dont know i want the best over all camera that can take a picture of what i see and it turns out like that" because it doesn't even sound like you know! lol Anyway, a 50mm lens will take a picture exactly like we see it with our own eyes. > 50mm will include more than we see with our eyes (wide angle) and < 50mm will include less than we see but close up (zoom). You might spend $650 on the camera, but you might spend $1500 on the lens. I cant speak for the Nikkors, but Canon lenses I know. You can find cheaper models which may appear on paper to be much the same for hundreds of dollars less. You do get what you pay for in the end though.
Oh by the way, partial as I am to Canon the Nikon is a great camera. I would not recommend the Sony model though. It has widely documented noise issues, something you really don't want.
One other point with your statement "i dont know i want the best over all camera that can take a picture of what i see and it turns out like thatâ€Â. Maybe you don’t want a DSLR as taking a picture of what you see misses the whole point. Please take no offence when I say a DSLR may be out of your league. There are some excellent, much less expensive, high megapixle cameras which are point and shoot. They will give you very nice images and are great all around cameras. Just be warned a DSLR is a money pit hobby much like reef keeping. You don’t just buy the tank but the skimmer and sump and pumps and salt and test kits and everything else as well. DSLRs are much the same way. For non DSLR cameras and I am bias to Canon, the Powershot S5 IS 8.0 @ $400 and Powershot A560 7.1 @ $140 come to mind for alternatives you may want to check out.
Last edited:
mcliffy2
New member
Do some research on the Pentax K10D, it was Popular Photography's Advanced DSLR of the year OVER the Nikon D80. It is less expensive (BH has the body for 650-700 I believe, so you can get it with a good lens for under 1k, 200 or so less than the D80), and it offers a number of features Nikon doesn't. The key selling point for me was the built-in image stabilization, with Nikon, you have to add 200 or so to every single lens for image stabilization that equals the Pentax's built-in functionality.
People will argue the lens selection isn't as wide, but Pentax offers numerous choices (along with the usual 3rd party options) and the Pentax is backwards compatible with Pentax 35mm lens (I don't think Nikon offers this).
People will argue the lens selection isn't as wide, but Pentax offers numerous choices (along with the usual 3rd party options) and the Pentax is backwards compatible with Pentax 35mm lens (I don't think Nikon offers this).
Aimiel
New member
You could do worse than a Nikon D80. I have one, and am not the least bit disappointed in it's pictures. I've had many cameras, dearly loved my Kodak Retina Reflex and still have a Canon Elph film camera, but love my 10.2 megapixel digital Nikon. The zoom lens it came with is the best all around lens I've ever had. I can zoom from 18-135mm and get most any shot. Later, when I get a few things for my tank, I'm planning on getting another lens or two, and have a very wide range to choose from. It is economical (especially when compared to what it cost a year or two ago) and you simply can't fault a Nikon... unless of course you can afford: http://www.hasselblad.com/promotions/h3dii.aspx
jedininja
New member
The most important thing about DSLRs are the lens. You can even take a cheaper dslr like the original Rebel and add an L lens to it and get amazing pics. But you cn also buy a 5d for a few thousand and put a crappy lens on it and you'll get not so sharp pictures.
So my advice is to go with Canon or Nikon because of the quality and selection of great lens. If you can only afford $1000, then get a used 6mp dslr and get a better lens.
So my advice is to go with Canon or Nikon because of the quality and selection of great lens. If you can only afford $1000, then get a used 6mp dslr and get a better lens.
TitusvileSurfer
New member
Going back to the money pit statement, Photoshop alone will run close to $1000 for a copy that is current with the times. You'll need a back pack to carry everything, I would guess about $200-400 for that. I would get at least a 2 gig memory card (I have a 4 and wish it was an 8) lets say $100. As Jedinija said, as any wise jedi would, the lens is the most important part in all of this. Good fast lenses "i want to be able to take great movement shots" are about $1000 EACH and you'll want 2-4++ of those (movement shots and shots of the sun sets are 2 separate lenses already). Your lenses will never be fast enough, so a hot shoe flash will be greatly desired eventually (helps stop the action). $200-400. If you want to take close-up shots of your corals, you will want a tripod and a remote shutter so you don't get camera shake (blur)...not to mention a 3rd lens. Tripods need mounting brackets ect. for the lenses. $300+. As you can see, this stuff adds up quick. $1000 isn't any better budget for a DSLR than for a 180 gallon reef tank. :/
EDIT: The best advise I can give you is to not hold back on glass. Buy fast lenses (f/2.8 or lower) and high quality. As the saying goes; bodies come and go but glass is forever! Go cheap on everything else if you must but buy worthwhile lenses or kick yourself later. If you had Canon I would recommend f/2.8 16-35 L II, f/2.8 24-70 L, f/2.8 70-200 L, f/2.8 100 Macro (don't own this one yet but know its good), f/1.2 85 L. I don't know the Nikon equivalents but know they exist. Good luck and join a Nikon forum, you'll probably spend almost as much time there as Reef Central!
EDIT: The best advise I can give you is to not hold back on glass. Buy fast lenses (f/2.8 or lower) and high quality. As the saying goes; bodies come and go but glass is forever! Go cheap on everything else if you must but buy worthwhile lenses or kick yourself later. If you had Canon I would recommend f/2.8 16-35 L II, f/2.8 24-70 L, f/2.8 70-200 L, f/2.8 100 Macro (don't own this one yet but know its good), f/1.2 85 L. I don't know the Nikon equivalents but know they exist. Good luck and join a Nikon forum, you'll probably spend almost as much time there as Reef Central!
Last edited:
Aimiel
New member
Good advice on lenses. You're right about prices. Lenses are also not something you want to buy used or from some 'cut-rate' internet fly-by-night outfit. I learned (about 20 years ago) the hard way. I mailed a check for over $600 for a lens to a company that had sent me a catalog in the mail. I got the run-around by phone for almost three months, then got a notice from the US Postal Service, asking if I would be willing to testify against them (they were being sued for mail fraud) if called upon. Of course I said, "Yes," but I never was called. I never saw a penny of that check. My mom heard about what happened and bought me that very lens for Christmas. Naturally, I've never forgotten the best Christmas present I've ever received. I've also never mailed a check to anyone since then, unless I knew who they are. I buy online with plastic: you don't have to pay for what you don't get.
By the way, Photoshop is $649 (less if you qualify for an 'upgrade' version, like I did: http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/photoshop/
You don't need the 'extended' version unless you're a doctor or math professor, or in the graphics industry already, in which case you should already have CS3 on your laptop.
I bought Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium because I'm studying computer graphics, and want to know how to use the best software there is. I especially like the fact that I can install it on up to three machines. I put it on my desktop and my laptop. It runs faster than any version of PS I've ever owned. The features are amazing.
By the way, Photoshop is $649 (less if you qualify for an 'upgrade' version, like I did: http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/photoshop/
You don't need the 'extended' version unless you're a doctor or math professor, or in the graphics industry already, in which case you should already have CS3 on your laptop.
I bought Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium because I'm studying computer graphics, and want to know how to use the best software there is. I especially like the fact that I can install it on up to three machines. I put it on my desktop and my laptop. It runs faster than any version of PS I've ever owned. The features are amazing.
Turbovinny
New member
get a used Canon 30D body and spend the cash on lens
Turbovinny
New member
This is why i alway buy from B&H no matter if they arent the cheapest their customer service is above par and shipping is blazing fast
CaptainNemo
New member
I am currently using Canon Digital cameras, but I started on Nikon back in the film days.
That being said, you are absolutely right! Pentax made some excellent glass, their corner to corner sharpness was/is quite amazing.
I have a close friend that has a converter to mount such glass on a Canon 1 series body, and the results are quite remarkable. granted you lose AF, but with the large viewfinder of a 1 series camera, and a split prism focus screen, his focusing is easy and spot on.
johnny
mcliffy2
New member
Heres the complete list of Pentax lenses that work with the K10D:
http://www.digital.pentax.co.jp/en/lens/
http://www.digital.pentax.co.jp/en/lens/
