Recommend me a camera
Discussion
Having just spent 3 days at the Cologne Motorcycle show photographing stuff for news stories (print and web) I'm heartily fed up with the performance of my current camera setup, so I'm looking for some recommendations/hints/tips 
Currently using a Canon Eos 30D with a Sigma 18-50mm F2.8-4.5 HSM lens and a Sigma EF610 flash gun.
Nearly always have it set on Auto, as there usually no time to fiddle around with settings, 10 seconds and the person/bike/scene can be gone.
So what am I looking for?
Good low-light shooting
A 'live' rear screen so I can shoot with the camera held above my head and have some idea of what I am pointing at (current Canon is viewfinder-only)
Wide-angle lens, either with reasonable zoom or interchangeable to telephoto lens.
On the 'nice to have' list are light weight (kit gets heavy after lugging it around for days on end) and small size to make it easier to pack for foreign trips.
So, consumer-spec SLR? Bridge camera? or one of the new small-format interchangeable lens cameras like the Nikon N1?
Budget depends on how much I can get my boss to spend, but if i can show him the benefits then he usually coughs up
Currently using a Canon Eos 30D with a Sigma 18-50mm F2.8-4.5 HSM lens and a Sigma EF610 flash gun.
Nearly always have it set on Auto, as there usually no time to fiddle around with settings, 10 seconds and the person/bike/scene can be gone.
So what am I looking for?
Good low-light shooting
A 'live' rear screen so I can shoot with the camera held above my head and have some idea of what I am pointing at (current Canon is viewfinder-only)
Wide-angle lens, either with reasonable zoom or interchangeable to telephoto lens.
On the 'nice to have' list are light weight (kit gets heavy after lugging it around for days on end) and small size to make it easier to pack for foreign trips.
So, consumer-spec SLR? Bridge camera? or one of the new small-format interchangeable lens cameras like the Nikon N1?
Budget depends on how much I can get my boss to spend, but if i can show him the benefits then he usually coughs up
TheRainMaker said:
A Sony A7 would be perfect for you by the sounds of it.
Light - Yep
Small - Yep (for a DSLR anyway)
Good in low light - Yep
Back Screen can point down - Yep
Interchangeable lenses - Yep
I would recommend getting it without the kit lens and go for the Zeiss 24-70 F4
what he said... and FFrame too! you know.. gets more in shot when needed! Light - Yep
Small - Yep (for a DSLR anyway)
Good in low light - Yep
Back Screen can point down - Yep
Interchangeable lenses - Yep
I would recommend getting it without the kit lens and go for the Zeiss 24-70 F4
boyse7en said:
Nearly always have it set on Auto, as there usually no time to fiddle around with settings, 10 seconds and the person/bike/scene can be gone.
I'll go against the crowd here and say that changing that attitude and knowing what you're doing and practising it will be much cheaper and improve your photos much greater than getting new kit. 10 sec is A VERY LONG TIME
rottie102 said:
I'll go against the crowd here and say that changing that attitude and knowing what you're doing and practising it will be much cheaper and improve your photos much greater than getting new kit.
10 sec is A VERY LONG TIME
It is, but not long enough in a jostling crowd, often with flashing/changing lights, to be fiddling with too many settings. If I know what the picture is likely to be (ie, close up, bit of a distance etc) I try to set it to AP to work the depth of field and adjust shutter speed to suit. And no matter how good/quick I get with the settings, I still have no idea of framing most of the time as the camera has no rear screen.10 sec is A VERY LONG TIME
This is one I took, just to give you an idea...
Spotlights, lasers, smoke, flashes, and I'm about three rows back balancing on a bit of exhibition stand holding the camera over my head, which explains why the bike is cropped off (no rear screen on camera to see what I am doing)
boyse7en said:
It is, but not long enough in a jostling crowd, often with flashing/changing lights, to be fiddling with too many settings. If I know what the picture is likely to be (ie, close up, bit of a distance etc) I try to set it to AP to work the depth of field and adjust shutter speed to suit. And no matter how good/quick I get with the settings, I still have no idea of framing most of the time as the camera has no rear screen.
This is one I took, just to give you an idea...
Spotlights, lasers, smoke, flashes, and I'm about three rows back balancing on a bit of exhibition stand holding the camera over my head, which explains why the bike is cropped off (no rear screen on camera to see what I am doing)
Nope, you didn't convince me This is one I took, just to give you an idea...
Spotlights, lasers, smoke, flashes, and I'm about three rows back balancing on a bit of exhibition stand holding the camera over my head, which explains why the bike is cropped off (no rear screen on camera to see what I am doing)
Brief Review of the Canon Powershot G7X, Canon’s high-end compact camera http://thedigitalcamera.net/canon-powershot-g7x-th...
rottie102 said:
Nope, you didn't convince me
I'm not wanting to start an argument, but I'm not sure how to "practice" shooting in an environment that changes every few seconds. I'm at the shows to report news, and part of that includes taking photographs. I want them to be as good as possible, but I am in no way a professional photographer.How about - get the magazine etc to send a photographer so you can concentrate on newsgathering while he takes the photos. Both will be better as result.
If that's not an option then the best way to practice taking photos of a changing environment is to go to a changing environment and practice, sorry
Technically you have the right idea, but shoot RAW so you can correct colours and exposure nicely afterwards, and consider exposure auto-bracket if you have it. Also consider a wider angle lens to reduce framing problems (you can always crop off the psare bits later.
If that's not an option then the best way to practice taking photos of a changing environment is to go to a changing environment and practice, sorry
Technically you have the right idea, but shoot RAW so you can correct colours and exposure nicely afterwards, and consider exposure auto-bracket if you have it. Also consider a wider angle lens to reduce framing problems (you can always crop off the psare bits later.
You need whatever newish Canon has a tilting screen, and that's pretty much it. The image quality will be a lot better than your current camera at high ISO, and that lens is pretty wide. Maybe a Canon 16-35 (expensive!) or 17-40 (not as expensive but slightly slower) would be handy. Or something like a Canon/Sigma/whoever 10-20, 10-22 or similar. Depends how much distortion you want!
Apart from that, this sort of event is always quite tricky to shoot - so it's down to your skills and technique. There's no magic camera that will sort that!
Apart from that, this sort of event is always quite tricky to shoot - so it's down to your skills and technique. There's no magic camera that will sort that!
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