O/T Looking for a DSLR camera

[Bob Green]

Newbie question but would I be right in thinking that image stabilisation is something that can be swtiched off if I'm using a tri-pod ?

All the camera's I'm looking at have either image stabilisation or Vibration reduction (as Nikon call it) within the lenses.

On my Canon lenses, yes and I guess this also applies to Nikon.

[Matt Seabrook]

You should switch off IS or VR when on a tripod. If you don't you could induce shake.

[Lurksalot]

Olympus tend to have it in the camera body so that ANY lens you use can take advantage of image stabilisation , you can turn it off or you can turn off just the horizontal element so that you can still pan with vertical stabilisation , even on old manual legacy lenses .

[Fat Albert]

QUOTE

Sorry I wasn't aware a bridge camera could shoot at 3200iso with very very little noise or can it? The F1 car was shot in very very low light hand held at ISO 3200 if so I am talking rot if not may be you would like to retract that statement

Matt

With what body & lens did you shoot the F1 picture? And how much do they cost?

[Norman Verona]

Albert, you're missing the poinr. If you want to take pictures like Mats you need a decent lens on a SLR camera.

Whatever it costs or weighs isn't relevant.

[Matt Seabrook]

Sorry I wasn't aware a bridge camera could shoot at 3200iso with very very little noise or can it? The F1 car was shot in very very low light hand held at ISO 3200 if so I am talking rot if not may be you would like to retract that statement

Matt

With what body & lens did you shoot the F1 picture? And how much do they cost?

This is the sound of back peddling.

There are some good bridge cameras on the market but I haven't found one yet that is as versatile as my trusty D60(the two photos aren't taken on a D60). If I need to put on a 10mm f3.5 lens I could if I want a 300mm f2.8 I could. With DSLR cameras there is a penalty for lenses that are 10x zoom. The sharpness drops  off so good quality lenses dont normally have such a long reach. I dont see why a bridge camera would be any different. I am fit enough to carry an 8kg camera bag up the 1200 steps at Sigiriya rock in 35c Sri Lankan heat and as long as I am I will stick with my DSLR. If one day I am too unfit or a bridge is better than my DSLR then I will change. Just a question why do the pros still use DSLR cameras if the bridge will do the same job just as good?

[Ragged Racing]

I am using a Canon 550d and getting great results. Got it from Jessops before xmas for about £650 bit thought spending a bit extra on a slr would be worth it. Probably wont use the video much but it's there if I do. I wouldn't worry to much about MP as you will only really notice the difference between a 18MP image and a 12MP image at full size which you probably won't end up doing much.

[Matt Seabrook]

Agreed Mega Pixels sell cameras 10mp is enough for most people. I have a photo enlarged to 24x24 inch produced from my D60 and its still sharp. Unless you want to make posters 10mp would do nicely. In fact to many mega pixels is a bad thing on a cut down sensor on that you will get on an consumer camera as in low light you will end up with more noise.

[Mark (smokey mow)]

Thanks again for all of the advice, I finally decided to go for the Nikon D5000 and picked one up yesterday.  I've spent the last day doing a few walks photographing various things and generally having a play, so far am very pleased with it.

Here's one I made earier

[Matt Seabrook]

Well done and its a great camera.

P.s. What lens did it come with?

[pistonbroke]

Gots ta know ,  what kinda deal did yous get wiv de Nikon  

edited for grammar  

[Lurksalot]

Thanks again for all of the advice, I finally decided to go for the Nikon D5000 and picked one up yesterday.  I've spent the last day doing a few walks photographing various things and generally having a play, so far am very pleased with it.

Here's one I made earier

Very Good .........

Now , the shadows are a bit dark and the sky/lower brickwork a bit 'blown out' ( overexposed)

With the Olympus you could have iso bracketed and taken 3 shots with 1 at different ISO speeds , then blended the 3 together and got a more detail in both the light and dark areas of the picture      

I'll get my coat  

Nice Camera,  I am sure you'll enjoy it  

[Blatman]

With the Olympus you could have iso bracketed and taken 3 shots with 1 at different ISO speeds , then blended the 3 together and got a more detail in both the light and dark areas of the picture

D5000's can do bracketing as can many of the Nikon DSLR's. It's not just an Olympus thing

[Lurksalot]

With the Olympus you could have iso bracketed and taken 3 shots with 1 at different ISO speeds , then blended the 3 together and got a more detail in both the light and dark areas of the picture

D5000's can do bracketing as can many of the Nikon DSLR's. It's not just an Olympus thing

ISO  in one shot  

[Mark (smokey mow)]

Now , the shadows are a bit dark and the sky/lower brickwork a bit 'blown out' ( overexposed)

With the Olympus you could have iso bracketed and taken 3 shots with 1 at different ISO speeds , then blended the 3 together and got a more detail in both the light and dark areas of the picture      

I'll get my coat  

Nice Camera,  I am sure you'll enjoy it  

Yes I'm sure I can do that but haven't reached that page in the rather thick user manual yet

Totally agree though, I wasn't too happy about the heavy shadow on the first two arches either but the sun (yes it was sunny!!) was very low in the sky at that point which didn't help matters.  I'd also only had the camera for a couple of hours when I took that so barely had a clue how to use it