Moved from OT: Official Photography Thread

We've been having a really good, detailed discussion in the Admin forum about photography over the last 10 days or so and I know there are a lot of people on here interested in photography that could get some useful information others on the forum.

So ask your questions, post good deals, guides, tips, and post your pictures or galleries for critique or help. If you're going to post pics though, either keep them to a minimum or link to your gallery on Flickr, PBase, DeviantArt etc so it doesn't take three weeks for the thread to load.

What's your favorite camera and why?

I want to do a freebie site for the camera david got =P

TSJ is an excellent photographer. ILU BB.

How do you guys feel about the Rebel Xt/Xti as a starter camera?

[quotef3e9faf05e="samz465"]How do you guys feel about the Rebel Xt/Xti as a starter camera?[/quotef3e9faf05e]
I'd go with a Nikon, you'll get a much better 18-55mm lens to start out with, so you can get good pictures right away.

This page has to do with Canon XTi vs. D40x (not D40 but pretty much the same except for megapixels) but it'll give you a good idea of the pros and cons
http//www.dpnotes.com/canon-eos-400d-digital-rebel-xti-vs-nikon-d40x/[]http//www.dpnotes.com/canon-eos-400d-digital-rebel-xti-vs-nikon-d40x/

i like noodz

-dan

Canon makes great gear and I've always been a fan, however their lower-end models seem pretty cheaply made compared to Nikon's. I was thinking of buying a 30D back before I did the I-Deal site and got the D80. I went with the Nikon primarily because it was the best camera in the selection (vs an XTi and a Sony Alpha), thinking that I might sell it to buy the 30D. But after I got it I was impressed enough to keep it and put the extra money towards more gear. Just last week I bought the Nikon 55-200mm VR and an external flash.

I think you'd be happy with a Canon, but unless you already had some Canon gear (lenses, etc.) or got a really great deal, I'd go with a Nikon DSLR. And if you move up just a couple hundred bucks to the D80, you get a whole lot more camera for the money, including the ability to autofocus a heckuva lot more lenses than the D40 is capable of.

BTW the XT and XTi are older models, discontinued or soon to be so, since the Xsi is the current model in that line. So if you do go Canon you might find some good closeout deals on them. And I would suggest the D40X if you go with an entry-level Nikon -- it has the same 10MP sensor as the D80, just a few fewer features. The D40 uses an older 6MP sensor.

As heheh said, the Nikon 18-55mm kit lens is a very good lens, especially compared to most kit lenses. And the 55-200mm VR lens is a great buy, I just bought one for my D80. For barely over $200 you get a razor sharp telephoto with vibration reduction that rivals professional glass costing well over $1000. Nikon has always been known for the quality of their lenses, even down in the consumer-grade realm.

Here's some pics of my D80 that I just snapped with my old 4MP Canon P&S. Excuse the messy desk and noise in the some of the pics

The Lowepro Slingshot 100 bag. I need to upgrade to the larger 200 model.
http//morrisonline.us/pics/nikon" alt=""/img_3432.JPG[/img359f786dad]

The Rocket Blower and a filter kit in the top compartment.
[img="359f786dad]http//morrisonline.us/pics/nikon" alt=""/img_3436.JPG[/img359f786dad]

The D80 and gear in the bag. As you can see I have it pretty well filled up.
[img="359f786dad]http//morrisonline.us/pics/nikon" alt=""/img_3437.JPG[/img359f786dad]

D80 + 55-200mm VR + SB-400 Flash, the Rocket Blower, and the 18-55mm kit lens
[img="359f786dad]http//morrisonline.us/pics/nikon" alt=""/img_3440.JPG[/img359f786dad]
[img="359f786dad]http//morrisonline.us/pics/nikon" alt=""/img_3442.JPG[/img359f786dad]

EDIT fixed the screwed up captions

[quote66b63d3b4a="Veek"]TSJ is an excellent photographer. ILU BB.[/quote66b63d3b4a]

Thanks, babycakes. ;)

You're pretty good yourself. We should get together and take pictures of each other naked.

That's a pretty nice bag, David. For some reason I thought it was smaller. Is that the one you're selling?

I went out yesterday and took some pics. Unfortunately only a couple of them were worth doing anything with, and even then they're still pretty shit.

[img66b63d3b4a]http/" alt=""/img142.imageshack.us/img="142/5564/dsc1525pd7.th.png[" alt=""/img66b63d3b4a][=http//img="142.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc1525pd7.png][img66b63d3b4a]http/" alt=""/img142.imageshack.us/img="142/5564/dsc1525pd7.th.png[" alt=""/img66b63d3b4a]

[img66b63d3b4a]http/" alt=""/img134.imageshack.us/img="134/7205/dsc1490ms2.th.png[" alt=""/img66b63d3b4a][=http//img="134.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc1490ms2.png][img66b63d3b4a]http/" alt=""/img134.imageshack.us/img="134/7205/dsc1490ms2.th.png[" alt=""/img66b63d3b4a]

[img66b63d3b4a]http/" alt=""/img134.imageshack.us/img="134/7573/dsc1520ht4.th.png[" alt=""/img66b63d3b4a][=http//img="134.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc1520ht4.png][img66b63d3b4a]http/" alt=""/img134.imageshack.us/img="134/7573/dsc1520ht4.th.png[" alt=""/img66b63d3b4a]

[quote942250fba0="theysayjump"]That's a pretty nice bag, David. For some reason I thought it was smaller. Is that the one you're selling?

I went out yesterday and took some pics. Unfortunately only a couple of them were worth doing anything with, and even then they're still pretty shit.[/quote942250fba0]
Yeah, that's it, the Slingshot 100. What you see there is all that fits in it, so if you don't plan to carry more gear than that, it's great. I love the sling carry design, you don't have to take it off to remove the camera -- just rotate it around to your front and it lays perfectly horizontal with ready access to the camera flap.

Click here[=http//www.lowepro.com/about-us/news-and-events/product-videos]Click here for Lowepro's Product Videos page, and the Slingshot demo video is at the bottom left. They show the largest 300 model, which is way more than I need. The 200 model should be about perfect for me.

[b942250fba0]EDIT[/b942250fba0] Forgot to mention, I'm flying up to NYC Wednesday, attending the Yankees/Orioles game at Yankee Stadium Wednesday evening, then a business meeting Thursday morning on Long Island and flying back Thursday night. Not a lot of time for sightseeing, but I still expect to snap some shots with the new tele lens, at least at the game and while being driven around the city.

I have a Canon Rebel XT.... takes fairly decent shots though I still need a lot of practice. I also have the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 and a Sigma 70-200 f/2.8.

some shots I have taken

Gulf Fritillary


Coopers Hawk (well more than likely not a Sharp shinned hawk)


Painted Lady


Scissor Tail


Pin Oak

Posted some pics of the Yankees game Wednesday night in the Admin forum, figured I'd drop a couple off here.

Man, I learned to really appreciate the D80. I was taking shots in the dark without flash that looked pretty darn good (all things considered). Yeah there's some noise at ISO 1600, and it was tough to get sharp shots -- if I had a monopod they would have been a lot sharper probably. VR is nice but at 200mm f/5.6 handheld it was a still a challenge to not blur the shots. If only I could afford a f/2.8...

I'm really impressed with this relatively inexpensive 55-200mm VR lens too. I was pulling in half-way decent shots from across the stadium, hand-held, on an overcast day and into the night.

Nothing much artistic here composition-wise, just mostly ordinary, touristy type photos, but I was still getting to know the D80 and new lens while also trying to enjoy the game. I grabbed a few random pics and resized them in Picassa to post here. The full res pics look even better, although some of the low-light ISO1600 shots show some obvious noise at full res.

BTW A-Rod got robbed on a 2-run RBI that should have been a homer -- the fans were understandably upset at the call. The ball cleared the wall and bounced off the yellow stairwell you can see in the first stadium pic above (right above the 385ft mark on the wall), and back into the field. The umps convened in the infield, along with A-Rod, and ruled it a double, much to A-Rod's and the fans' dismay.

http//morrisonline.us/pics/nyc_2008-05-21/DSC_0793.JPG[" alt=""/img67838998d6]

Memorial Park/Retired Numbers section, from all the way across the field. Medium zoom.
[img="67838998d6]http//morrisonline.us/pics/nyc_2008-05-21/DSC_0797.JPG[" alt=""/img67838998d6]
... and full zoom (200mm).
[img="67838998d6]http//morrisonline.us/pics/nyc_2008-05-21/DSC_0798.JPG[" alt=""/img67838998d6]
[img="67838998d6]http//morrisonline.us/pics/nyc_2008-05-21/DSC_0799.JPG[" alt=""/img67838998d6]

Jeter at bat. With the full res photo you can zoom into his face and still make out facial detail. Pretty impressive.
[img="67838998d6]http//morrisonline.us/pics/nyc_2008-05-21/DSC_0813.JPG[" alt=""/img67838998d6]

A-Rod at bat, just before he hit a baseline double, and then after he slid into 2nd base. Goofing around with angles on this first shot, just to change things up.
[img="67838998d6]http//morrisonline.us/pics/nyc_2008-05-21/DSC_0840.JPG[" alt=""/img67838998d6]
[img="67838998d6]http//morrisonline.us/pics/nyc_2008-05-21/DSC_0843.JPG[" alt=""/img67838998d6]

Jeter at shortstop
[img="67838998d6]http//morrisonline.us/pics/nyc_2008-05-21/DSC_0849.JPG[" alt=""/img67838998d6]

I took this shot randomly (no composition effort) while walking out of Yankee Stadium towards 153rd St. I was just playing around with the camera, it being dark and all, and I was walking as I snapped so it's not entirely sharp. I converted it to b&w in Picassa and thought it looked neat for some reason. I regret not taking some more of these street shots to play around with.
[img="67838998d6]http//morrisonline.us/pics/nyc_2008-05-21/DSC_0861.JPG[" alt=""/img67838998d6]

those are some good pictures.

probably about as close as i'm going to get to the old stadium.

-dan

Just a nudge up and a question - I'm thinking about getting a DSLR as I'm tired of carrying around my Canon S3 IS and not being able to manually focus the thing...

I've always been a fan of Canons but at least two of my friends have and highly recommend the Nikon D40. I'm crap at photography and want to learn without breaking the bank, I'd like to be able to buy an extra lens or flash, so I'm thinking the lower base price on the Nikon, over, say the Canon XSi would be good.

Anyone want to weigh in?

Ask doylnea, hehehhehe or CG, they all have or will have D40(x)s.

Deemo and I both love our D80s but if you're on a budget and are looking for a somewhat easy learning curve, get the D40. I think CG is getting one with the kit lense and a 55-200mm VR lense for under $600.

Nice pics Dmorris. I just got this cam
http//i27.tinypic.com/wapv2r.jpg[" alt=""/img2576545b50]

I had a rebel xti, the lens got messed up, took it to best buy and they just told me to bring back the whole cam and I would get a new one, so they gave me store credit and I got the canon xsi. I really like the live view on this.

[quote5c4b777e7a="theysayjump"]Ask doylnea, hehehhehe or CG, they all have or will have D40(x)s.

Deemo and I both love our D80s but if you're on a budget and are looking for a somewhat easy learning curve, get the D40. I think CG is getting one with the kit lense and a 55-200mm VR lense for under $600.[/quote5c4b777e7a]

I owned a Nikon D50 for a couple of years, until I foolishly sold it, thinking I didn't need/want an SLR anymore. However I was very wrong. The mistake I made was not really learning how to use the D50 as more than a point and shoot.

I have a D40 on the way now, with just the kit lens. The reason I decided to pass on the zoom lens is because I want to learn more about the camera itself and how to use it before I start adding accessories.

My advice is to go with the D40 kit as well. Then, find someone local willing to go out and shoot with you, or at the very least, some folks online that will give you honest critiques of your photos. From what I've read, there's a lot of room to grow with the D40.

Get the D40, learn to master it, get a collection of lenses that suits your needs. Don't get lenses for the sake of buying them though. You'll end up sinking a lot of money into gear that you don't really know how to use, and end up selling it.

Just my 2 cents P

Agreed, the D40 is quite capable, and one of its greatest benefits is light weight and compact size, making it much easier to carry around. Some pros prefer the D40 to the D80 as a portable backup to their multi-thousand $$$ heavy, bulky pro-level cameras, simply because of its light weight.

The drawbacks of the D40 series compared to their more expensive brethren include more limited selection of AF lenses, as the D40's can only AF with specific Nikon digital AF-S lenses, while the D80 and above can AF with almost any AF capable lens, including those made for film SLR's, which is handy for those who already have Nikon gear. Many of the cheaper DSLR lenses (like Sigma, Tamron, etc.) won't AF with the D40 neither. Also the D40 is a 6MP while the D40X is 10MP, same as the D80. 6MP is still plenty of resolution for prints up to 8x10 though. The D80 also has other features such as (IIRC) faster burst mode, more AF points, and a few other things, but again until you gain the experience and need for those advanced features, you won't miss them. By then, you can upgrade if necessary.

Being as I currently shoot a Nikon, I tend to favor them, but I was a die-hard Canon fan before I got the D80, and like them too. I still prefer Canon P&S models to Nikon's, and my old Canon G3 4MP P&S still gets used a lot as a secondary, portable camera. But I think the Rebel's are made pretty cheaply compared to the similarly priced Nikon's, and I think Nikon makes slightly better glass. When you get into the pro-level models I consider it a closer race between the two brands though, with both having very strong followings in the pro digital world. In fact I think Canon and Nikon make up the vast majority of pro shooter gear -- all the other brands combined don't add up to the market share of either one.

Speaking of gear, I just ordered the upsized Slingshot 200 bag, Slik titanium tripod legs (couldn't justify carbon fiber at this point), and a Bogen/Manfrotto ball head. This is a damn expensive hobby, it's a good thing I got the D80 as a freebie...

Yeah, I'm torn about whether or not I can afford it. I found out that my landlady in Hawai'i is going to give me back my damage deposit ($800) which I didn't think I'd see again since I left the country, but I also found out that I owe over $500 to the hospital in Hilo for getting a doctor to sign a note saying that I was ok to take SCUBA diving lessons (word to the wise, when you go to a dive shop to inquire about lessons, do NOT say "I have a heart murmur" unless you are very wealthy or have amazing insurance).

Meh...the thing is I love my S3 IS, and I know that on selling it I wouldn't get it's value. It's only about a year and a half old and still a great camera. Too big too keep though if I'm getting a DSLR.

lisighli decisions. Maybe once I finish off ps3.givafree.....

Yeah I'd also recommend the D40 if you want a low-cost way of getting into dslr shooting. The lens it comes with takes great shots so you're set to go right off the bat. That's why I got a d40x but I kind of regret not having bought the D80. I have the 50mm 1.8 lens now that I have to manually focus with...

There were a lot of d40 deals in the last month or two. I think the best deal I saw recently was a d40 with the kit lens for $450 shipped.

Random photo for your critique, this was taken with my S3 IS at South Point on the Big Island of Hawai'i (southernmost place in the USA). I think it might need a bit of darkening up and perhaps some contrast. I'm not great at B/W.

http//hilojen.orangellous.com/images/small/080413_sp_windmills.jpg[" alt=""/img2e11b3816a]

What do you guys think of the D60 vs the D40? There's a good deal on the D60 with both the 18-55 and 55-200 lenses.

[quoteee2c37dd4f="JennyWren"]What do you guys think of the D60 vs the D40? There's a good deal on the D60 with both the 18-55 and 55-200 lenses.[/quoteee2c37dd4f]

Do you ever see yourself needing to make a print over 11"x14"? I doubt it, so go with the D40. I know it's tempting to get the next model up, but I would suggest saving the money and putting it towards gear or a bag.

Take the money you save by getting a D40, and put it towards a 55-200 VR lens. The Vibration Reduction makes it a bit easier to pull off a no-tripod shot when you're zoomed in. I've seen those lenses used/refurb for as low as $140.

Yeah the difference is mostly about print size.

Still, the D60 has some new features like dust reduction and I think it comes with a VR 18-55mm lens. I guess it depends on what kind of deal you get.

Personally, I'd go with the D60 over the D40, for the features that hehehhehe mentions. It's a newer, more advanced model. It might also AF with more lenses than the D40, but not certain as I don't remember all the D60 specs.

And I know some may disagree, but as far as I'm concerned, you can never have too much resolution. Remember that resolution is not only about print sizes, but also crop sizes. I may not want to print at 11x14 or more, but I might want to crop out a portion of an image and print it at 5x7 or 8x10. I'm constantly amazed at the amount of detail I can get out of my 10MP images after zooming in and cropping an area out. You can't do that with lower resolution images.

http//www.flickr.com/photos/theysayjump/2700700117/