Going D-SLR, But Which One?

[F1sh]

I have been toying with the idea of upgrading from a point and click to something that can give me a little more.

The 2 main cameras that I have been looking at was the Konica Minolta Dynax 5D and the Canon 350D. But at VMAX this weekend someone let me try their Canon 20D and said it was worth looking at over the 350D.

Now the main use will be for motorsport piccies, so I need something that works well at speed.

I dont really have a budget so to speak, but I would like to get it soon. Just so I can practice before I go on holiday.

Thanks
Fish

[GetCarter]

Consider the Nikon D70s. Google some reviews.

Have a nice hol.

Steve

[simpo two]

F1sh said:

Now the main use will be for motorsport piccies, so I need something that works well at speed.

Well I'm not going to mention Nikon at this point - damn, just did - but make sure you leave enough in your budget for a fast telephoto with AF-S focusing - it's many times faster to focus than mechanically-driven lenses.

[F1sh]

One advantage of going with either of the canon's at present (until end of the year) would be I can get £650 worth of free accessories.

Fish

[Jenny Taillier]

Minolta gets two mentions in one week - we are on a roll here!

Some comparison info here might help;

www.letsgodigital.org/html/review/konica_minolta/dynax/5D_EN4.html

J

[gopher]

F1sh said:

One advantage of going with either of the canon's at present (until end of the year) would be I can get £650 worth of free accessories. Fish

I've been thinking of a canon, is this an offer made by a retailer or just something you can get?

cheers

Paul

[Jenny Taillier]

And of course its Sony Konica Minolta as of this morning.

Should be good for the future of Minolta.

J

[simpo two]

One thing that strikes me as odd is that the left dial on the Dynax 5D (and maybe 7D?) seems entirely taken up with white balance.

I tried a Minolts film SLR for a while before buying a Nikon F70. The Minolta was fine for quality and preformance but the disposition/importance assigned to controls/functions didn't relect my needs.

Conclusion - it's a personal thing!

[theboyfold]

Jenny Taillier said:

Minolta gets two mentions in one week - we are on a roll here! Some comparison info here might help; <a href="www.letsgodigital.org/html/review/konica_minolta/dynax/5D_EN4.html">www.letsgodigital.org/html/review/konica_minolta/dynax/5D_EN4.html</a> J

Edit to add:

Just found out it's released warly Sept for £599.99 body only.

Has the 5D just been released? They must have known I was umming and erring over the 7D as it was too much! I'm going to have to have a look for one of these...

>> Edited by theboyfold on Tuesday 19th July 12:47

[F1sh]

Gopher, from what I can find its a canon thing. Pixmania and Jessops are both doing the offer.

Fish

[master yoghurt]

F1sh said:

One advantage of going with either of the canon's at present (until end of the year) would be I can get £650 worth of free accessories. Fish

That's to make up for the poor quality of the camera and lens.

Come over to the Light Side Padwan. You know it makes sense, the FARCE is stronger here.

Master Yoghurt.

[K50 DEL]

Having google (and magazine) reviewed extensively around this subject, the conclusion seems to be go for the best Canon you can afford, the 350D lacks many of the manual features of the models above it, but is fine for novice use, the 10D is good, but takes a while to warm up, the 20D is the king of the "reasonably priced" units and the Professional range are just that...professionally priced and oriented.
I have also heard good things about the Nikon D70, but haven't yet found a review that recommends it above the Canon.

[Jenny Taillier]

This weeks (23 July) Amateur Photography has a group test and according to the cover it includes every DSLR available at £1,500 and under. They list 17.

J

[havoc]

Jenny Taillier said:

This weeks (23 July) Amateur Photography has a group test and according to the cover it includes every DSLR available at £1,500 and under. They list 17. J

Might just have to have a gander at that...am starting to think that a good D-SLR is the way to go.

A friend has got himself a D70, but I'm reluctant to "copy", and I've always liked Canon's. Can anyone comment on the 10D vs the D70 (sensibly please!!! ), and whether there are any good alternatives to these two?

Thanks.

[Ex-biker]

How about this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30070&item=7532240537&rd=1

[simpo two]

havoc said:

Can anyone comment on the 10D vs the D70 (sensibly please!!! ), and whether there are any good alternatives to these two?

Both are now old models, the 10D especially so, so if you're after a bargain you will do well. I read a review in a Mac magazine that put the D70 a whisker ahead... BUT

BUT

BUT

Don't become obsessed with reviews. You will simply end up choosing what the reviewer chose and inherit their likes and dislikes.

We often have brand loyalty and will often buy Brand A over Brand B, even if on paper it's not quite so good. If you do, that will steer your choice by heart rather than head.

If you know what kind of photography you like doing, you will know what features and controls you need/want/like most. That will help. For example, when starting a new SLR setup in 1999 I headed first for Minolta, purely on the grounds that my father had had one in the 1970's. However I was surprised to find the layout completely wrong and I took it back, eventually choosing a Nikon F70. That wasn't perfect either but was the best option available short of designing my own camera!

Another important aspect is feel. A camera needs to feel right in your hands and have the controls you use most in the right places. So my advice is to fix your budget (remember you will probably want to buy extra lenses, flash etc as well), draw up a shortlist of the best that each maker has to offer for that budget, then go and see them for real in a camera shop. Then you can compare specs. All DSLRs are very competent and will all give excellent results in the right hands, but if you see that Camera A has some feature you need and Camera B doesn't (eg 1/500th flash synch) that might then swing the decision.

[F1sh]

Master Yoghurt, so which was you recommending??? The Nikon or the Minolta?

I will drop into the shop later this week and check out 3 camera's. Nikon D70(s if they have it), EOS 20D and the Dynax 5D or 7D models. Then see which one feels the best in hand, so to speak.

With only 50 quid difference between the Nikon D50 and D70, I would pay the extra.

Thanks for all the advice.

Fish

[F1sh]

Ex-biker said:

How about this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30070&item=7532240537&rd=1

Thanks for the thought, but this is out of my budget.

Fish

[Trackside]

F1sh

I bought a D70 about 2 months ago, specifically for motorsport use. I'm very pleased with the results I've got from it and the more I find out about it, coupled with more and more use, I'm sure (I hope...) my pics will only get better.

Anyway, if you take a look at Snetteron pictures thread on the Britcar forum, they're all ones I took on Saturday with the D70 and 300mm AF-S zoom lens.

Trackside.

[simpo two]

F1sh said:

Master Yoghurt, so which was you recommending??? The Nikon or the Minolta?

It was Yoghurt-speak for Nikon.

I think...