SLR camera recommendations, with video

matubula

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May 7, 2009
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I'm thinking of upgrading my current camera, a Panasonic Lumix G1 (which I think was the first of the mirror-less micro 4/3rd type) to a full blown SLR, mainly because it can't take video.

I'm looking in the £300-500 range, so the entry level cameras. I know a little about photography but consider me a noob. Can anyone recommend one, or point me in the right direction?
 

FF MkII

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Apr 28, 2009
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Canon 450d is mine I think.... Or maybe a 500 can't remember off the top of my head but for an entry level DSLR I don't think you can go wrong
 

xingu

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Apr 26, 2009
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Yours is a 500D Steve and the xxxxD is Canon's entry range.

Is video your main concern? If so why not a Camcorder?

If you are going to head down the DSLR route then start with this site.

camerapricebuster.co.uk

get a list of all the ones within budget (Canon or Nikon), then head down to your local Jessops or whatever and hold as many as possible.

One make will fit your hand better, buy that make. Unless you have any friends that are deep into photography and have lots of lenses, it is good to be able to borrow them.

Steve has hands like a girl so that's why he got Canon. Men's men like me shoot with Nikon ;)

What would you like to shoot?

The main expense is glass, I would always advocate a better lens on a cheaper body rather than the other way round.
 

Lornek8

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Apr 21, 2009
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Yours is a 500D Steve and the xxxxD is Canon's entry range.

Is video your main concern? If so why not a Camcorder?

If you are going to head down the DSLR route then start with this site.

camerapricebuster.co.uk

get a list of all the ones within budget (Canon or Nikon), then head down to your local Jessops or whatever and hold as many as possible.

One make will fit your hand better, buy that make. Unless you have any friends that are deep into photography and have lots of lenses, it is good to be able to borrow them.

Steve has hands like a girl so that's why he got Canon. Men's men like me shoot with Nikon ;)

What would you like to shoot?

The main expense is glass, I would always advocate a better lens on a cheaper body rather than the other way round.

Long-time Nikon shooter myself. Totally agree with the the investing in glass vice body advice, especially with the short product life of today's cameras. With Nikon you used to be able to shoot with every lens they made for the past 50years or so (just recently changed though). You really can't go wrong with either Nikon or Cannon and I would recommend staying with either for the bredth of lenses available and quality of the glass.
 

Tener ds

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Mar 22, 2010
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do u guys use flash when taking pics of ur fish?
i was going to take some nice pics off mine but i don,t wont to scare the crap out off em.
i use a cannon D SLR.
 

matubula

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May 7, 2009
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Thanks for advice, and that's a great site, thanks Mike.

Video isn't my main concern, it's just that mine doesn't have any so that's what has prompted me. I did consider sticking with the Lumix G range, but that sort of means 'committing' to that range. And you've confirmed what I thought about, getting a half decent body then expand on the glass (is that term to use then?).

I popped in to Jessops earlier and handled the 1100D and 600D which both felt ok. I liked the swivel screen on the 600D which I'm used to having with my G1, but the viewfinders had no information which I'm not used to, is that normal? The G1 has an electric viewfinder with information aperture, shutter speed, ISO etc.

I want the camera to primarily take pictures and video of fish which is what my G1 does now, and just general work horse. I prefer using film cameras for most other things, and just use the digital to make sure I actually have a photo of it, and to tell what settings I should be using for the manual film.

Or maybe I should just save up for the next 50 years and get myself a Leica M9-P (in black) <3
 

Lornek8

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Apr 21, 2009
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do u guys use flash when taking pics of ur fish?
i was going to take some nice pics off mine but i don,t wont to scare the crap out off em.
i use a cannon D SLR.
I do but you need to use an external flash. The built-in flash found on SLRs are too close to the lens center making dealing with reflections difficult especially when shooting straight into the glass to eliminate distortion. One of the setups i've seen recommended uses a rubber hood around the lens to block out the flash & the front of the lens placed almost directly on the glass. I haven't had much luck doing this as most fish seem scared of the lens.
 

Lornek8

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Apr 21, 2009
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Thanks for advice, and that's a great site, thanks Mike.

Video isn't my main concern, it's just that mine doesn't have any so that's what has prompted me. I did consider sticking with the Lumix G range, but that sort of means 'committing' to that range. And you've confirmed what I thought about, getting a half decent body then expand on the glass (is that term to use then?).

I popped in to Jessops earlier and handled the 1100D and 600D which both felt ok. I liked the swivel screen on the 600D which I'm used to having with my G1, but the viewfinders had no information which I'm not used to, is that normal? The G1 has an electric viewfinder with information aperture, shutter speed, ISO etc.

I want the camera to primarily take pictures and video of fish which is what my G1 does now, and just general work horse. I prefer using film cameras for most other things, and just use the digital to make sure I actually have a photo of it, and to tell what settings I should be using for the manual film.

Or maybe I should just save up for the next 50 years and get myself a Leica M9-P (in black) <3
Nah, get a Hasselblad with a digital back. Then you can print billboard sized photos though cleaning the aquarium glass would be a nightmare.

Not real familiar with the Cannons but some cameras allow you to choose the info in the display, not sure if this is the case but can see it being a limitation.
 

Tener ds

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Mar 22, 2010
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I do but you need to use an external flash. The built-in flash found on SLRs are too close to the lens center making dealing with reflections difficult especially when shooting straight into the glass to eliminate distortion. One of the setups i've seen recommended uses a rubber hood around the lens to block out the flash & the front of the lens placed almost directly on the glass. I haven't had much luck doing this as most fish seem scared of the lens.
cheers for that Lornek8.ill look into the rubber hood.
i have also found that the fish don,t like the lens,but ive found if i leave the
camera there for a bit they start to ignore it.
 

Lornek8

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Apr 21, 2009
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cheers for that Lornek8.ill look into the rubber hood.
i have also found that the fish don,t like the lens,but ive found if i leave the
camera there for a bit they start to ignore it.
Only problem I have with the setup is flexability. You kinda have to draw the fish into the field as fiddling with zoom tends to startle fish. The other issue is that I shoot with a long fixed focal length macro lens and need to move towards & away from the glass in order to get focus. Thus if I get serious about shooting, which is rare now days, I pull out the tripods, light stands and multiple flashes. The other thing I will do is turn off the filters in order to minimize surface disturbance in order to get better light penetration into the tank.
 

xingu

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Apr 26, 2009
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There will definitely be a setting to show info on the LCD screen.

I never use 'live view' as Nikon call it, unless it is at night on a tripod, I use the old fashioned viewfinder.

Unless you really want the swivel screen I think the 550d is pretty much exactly the same camera so you could save yourself a few quid.

I don't use flash on any of my fish shots to be honest as I don't at this point have an external flash and the onboard one just doesn't work that well for the reasons above.

You are stood at the top of a very slippery slope by the way, the list of gear you want once you have bought the first lens and body just seems to grow and grow with each item getting more expensive!

I would recommend get the 'nifty fify' once you have learnt the basics, very cheap way of getting into fast, prime, glass.
 

matubula

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May 7, 2009
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I did like the Canon I held, and the 550d seems popular, but if I were go with Canon, I'd get the 600d just because of the tilty/swively screen. I saw a video review about the Sony A57 and thought it looked impressive, and at a similar price. My dad has one of the Sony alpha range so I can see how his feels.
 

Pete

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May 19, 2009
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I would go for the 600D as you prefer the screen
I have used my 550D for video but if I was doing a lot of video would get a good camcorder as its easier to get good results
I found I had to use a tripod with my 550d but the wife could use her camcorder hand held and get steady footage
 

xingu

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Unless your Dad has a shedload of lens that cover all eventualities I really would advise sticking with either Canon or Nikon.