Good SLR for traveling

Hal

I just wanted to ask the photographers here their preference in SLR cameras for traveling. I've outgrown my point and shoot (In fact they made fun of it at the last Hyderabad IM meetup Yeah, billy, I'm lookin' at you) and I'm looking for a reasonably-priced SLR. $750 with a lens.

I used to shoot lots of slides with a Pentax 35mm and I have several very good Pentax zoom and fixed focal length lenses, which would fit on a new Pentax digital body. The Pentax K200 is getting some good reviews, too. It scores better than the entry-level Nikons and Canons over at dpreview.com, as long as you shoot in RAW.

But I always keep coming back to the Nikon D80 or the Canon XTi.

I really like the small size and ease of use of the point-and-shoot so weight and size is an issue. I also want something with a good response time and the ability to easily override all the auto settings.

Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions?

Wanderer22

Check out the Panasonic G1. It falls between the small sensor point&shoots and a large DSLR. Seems to have very good image quality and can even take interchangeable lenses from other cameras via adapters. It's not a DSLR so no mirror making it quite compact. It makes use of an electronic viewfinder which has been getting rave reviews.

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/PanasonicG1/


w22

Merchant

It's hard to go wrong with the entry-level DSLRs of the major brands. They all do the same things; you just need to make sure that the usability is to your liking -- menus, placement of buttons, how easy it is to change the ISO, etc.

If you are not dead set on an SLR, give the Canon G10 a look. It's a high-end point and shoot, with manual controls, generates RAW files, and has a hot shoe for a Speedlight flash. Also has a sound recorder and shoots 640 x 480 video.

Hal

Thanks. I have been checking out the new Canon Powershot SX10. But for another $150 I can get an SLR. Decisions, decisions.

That's another that has been recommended. The electronic viewfinder in my old Olympus is terrible. I have to rotate every picture and it's so dim as to be almost illegible. Point and pray.

Darmabum

hal, I too have been recently agonizing over replacing my Nikons (fully automatic Nikon FM-2's)(I'd always carry two bodies - one for B&W, one for color transparency film)( and no less than three lenses), I'm an old guy, haven't shot film since they stopped making Kodachrome 200 (my favorite India-film). I shoot video now but still want something to capture some high quality stills.

The G10 is very appealing, though I myself would like a little more telephoto than the G10 provides. While the megapixels of the G10 are awesome, something like 14, you have to ask yourself - what do you really want to do with your photos? Any camera that gives you 10 megapixels will produce great 8X10's.

The best price I've seen on the G10 (and this is Today's Price) is just over $400. Add a case and possibly a flash and you're close to $500. For $150 more you could get yourself into a Nikon (I'm a Nikon fan, and have been for over 30 years) N60 Kit - which includes two lenses, camera bag, 4G card, etc. The N60 will give you just over 10 megapixels, plenty of resolution for most of us.

Think of what you shoot, too. If you're a portrait-general-scene-kinda-guy, the G10 would do it all for you. But for those photographs of mine (however few there might be) that required a longer lens, every time I look at those photos, I forget about the space in my baggage or the weight or cost of that longer lens.

The Nikon N60 kit will weigh you down considerably more than the G10 would. But for me, in my mind (with photography being so important for me) if I were to be leaving tomorrow, I'd go with either the N60 or N80 (a two-lens kit would run you just short of $1000).

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Hal

Thanks.
The Redrock plateau? I spent a fair bit of time in Moab and the Green River Area about 20 years ago. Extraordinary country.

Bhaswaran

Hal,

If I was at your place, I would choose an SLR, thats what I can say. All SLRs presently availble are pretty good, though I am not sure about how old lenses will perform on D-SLRs. A digital sensors has slightly different properties than film, and there may be something about coating on the glasses. You may consider asking as expert regarding this before trying out old lenses on Pentax D-SLR.

I personally use Nikon D80 with the kit lens 18-135 Dx (27-200 mm equivalent in 35 mm format) and I am pretty happy with it. I would refer it. The superzoom ensures that you need not change lenses in a dusty atmosphere as in the Indian Subcontinent, and it also covers almost all photographic situations. I also carry a Nikon F75 with 19-35 ultrawideangle for color slides and Black & White negatives.

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pas2005

I am also looking at reviews of the canon sx10is.
i need a camera on treks/hikes with a little bit of interest in birding. can any one who has similar interests help me decide whether to go for a super zoom digicam like sx10is or a entry level dslr.
thanks.

nikhilsegel

Dear Hal,

I to have been researching the whole DSLR thing a a jig. The experience I have is from the following perspective, I started with a Voigtlander, progressed to a Yashika and finally ended up with a Nikon N/F (depends where you are) 60 then progressed up the path to acquire 3 Very Good Lenses a 24 Prime a 50 Prime and an 80 to 300 Tele, filters, a big bag, a tripod and so on and so forth till I was lugging a pro bag on all my travels and cursing on two facts,
a) the camera was never with me when I really wanted it as it was in the room cos I was too lazy to lug it around
b) the camera was with me and there was nothing I really wanted to shoot
c) I was flying too and fro and could either carry my laptop or the camera or else I would be overweight.

Keeping the above in mind I switched to some really good point and shoots.

Now the bug to go back to a DSLR is in me and despite all my angst I am considering the D90 despite my wife insisting that I not go there as it will end up being under used.

If you really want a DSLR don't compromise on the budget for the body, compromise on the lens which you can add on later.

I like the D90 because its more of a downgrade of the D200 as opposed to being and upgrade of the D80. There are 4 new aspects to the D90 as opposed to the D80 ... The sensor is a CMOS and not a CCD which puts it in the more PRO end of cameras, It has a 3" LCD which is always better than a 2.5 when you are wanting to fiddle around with images, it has live view and it has a video mode.

So I would plug a D90 with an 18 to 105 zoom as your first buy and then ditch the zoom for a 20 or 14 Prime, a 50 Prime and a nice 80 to 200 zoom ..

Otherwise, stick to a slightly more pro point and shoot.

Cheers

Nikhil

OceanTragic

I've just bought a Sony Alpha 300 and I'm very happy with it, but I'm sure you'd be happy with the results from any of the main entry level DSLRs. Going back to SLRs after years of digicams was heaven, fast shots, no lag, beautiful colours.

I too had Pentax based lenses but I sold two of them and bought myself a second-hand Minolta 50mm f1.7 lens for the new Sony and that lens is stunning.

Obviously I'm gonna recommend the Sony A300 otherwise I wouldn't have bought it but have a good look at its features that kill the opposition:

• Tiltable-screen: once you've had one you'll never want to go back, shoot above crowds, shoot from the hip, shoot up in the sky without straining your neck. Brilliant.
• Quick-AF Live View: it's apparently the best live view implementation at that cost
• In-body stabilisation (which the Pentax's have too) is excellent as I can buy a whole host of old lenses

The A300 is better value than the A350 for me as I don't need 14mp. The A200 doesn't have a tiltable screen.

Hal, please feel free to PM me if you've got any questions or want some sample pictures.

OceanTragic

Slightly off-topic, but...

Whatever you choose, get yourself a Lowepro Slingshot, it's a brilliant addition.

pravman

Why not the Olympus E420 or its siblings? DPreview.com gives high marks for it. $750 would get you the body + 2 lenses! A cousin of mine uses it. I love its small size and lightweight handling in comparison to my Nikon D70.

Here's what the dpreview.com reviewer, Lars Rehm, had to say in conculsuion about the Olympus E-420:

"In conclusion, the E-420 is an ideal walkaround camera with a great feature set and unrivalled customizability. The image quality issues described above very slightly tarnish the positive overall picture but if compact dimensions and pocketability are high up on your list of buying criteria the E-420 should still be one of your favorites. I certainly found myself sticking it into my pocket even on occasions when I would not usually have taken an SLR with me and anything that gets you to take more images can only be a good thing."

Yogesh Sarkar

For US$750 (if buying from US) you can get Canon XS (1000D) + 18-55IS lens + 55-250IS lens, which is a pretty good option.

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nikhilsegel

Choices Choices..

I would go back to saying the following:

a) Do you need a DSLR or a HIGH END point and shoot
b) If you need a DSLR which brand would you want to be joined at the hip with, a constant struggle as once you invest its a to and fro of buy and sell components, lenses will come and go .. bodies will come and go .. but you rarely sell everything lock stock and barrel and then change. Perhaps you should see which brand suits you .. goto a few shops and try out the feel of the cameras and see which one fits your grip and mindset the most.
c) If you decide on a brand, research the accessories and lenses that are easily available and at what price band.

Cheers

lesjeff

I would recommend the D80. My wife and I purchased one a month ago in preparation for our January trip to Bangalore and Delhi. It takes great shots and is packed with features. Just my opinion. Now, as we get closer to travel (our first trip to India) I am second-guessing pulling out an expensive camera every time I want to take a shot, but I don't know if/when we'll ever get back and I want my pictures to be the best they can, and I figure the 200mm lens will come in handy. Thoughts?