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Need advice on my first camera (1 Viewer)

melop

melop

A biology student
[Nikon 70Ds in the end] Need advice on my first camera

I'm so glad that I'm going to have my first SLR camera.
Thinking of Nikon D70S + VR 80-400mm. Some seller suggest me to
buy 70-200mm + 2x. I'm not familiar with camera at all, could anyone give me some advice? Thank you!
 
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For the D70s I'll give a BIG yes for the Nikon 80-400mm VR not so much.

I love my D70 and the D70s is probably even better with the bigger LCD (.2 inches larger) and various other improvements.

I'd get the Sigma 80-400 OS, I've heard from people who own it that it is much faster to focus than the Nikon 80-400 VR and just as good optically.

I wouldn't spend the $1,500 on the Nikon 80-400mm VR if I had the money, I have used it and found it too slow to be so much money. The Sigma 80-400mm OS is around $500 cheaper. Nikon really needs to bump up their lenses to compete with Canon and even Sigma (best budget lens producer around).

Stay away from TCs even though the 70-200 is great you will loose a lot of quality and versatility with even the best TCs. Remember, with a 2x your 70-200mm would become a 140-200mm and then a 210-600mm with the 1.5x crop factor.
 
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Thank you for your detailed reply. So do you think Canon's better than Nikon?
I'm quite confused about the Canon D350 and Nikon D70s, it seems that D350 has higher dimension(8m px), but it is much cheaper than D70s. Why's that? Should I choose Nikon or Canon?

Need more advice.
 
melop said:
Thank you for your detailed reply. So do you think Canon's better than Nikon?
I'm quite confused about the Canon D350 and Nikon D70s, it seems that D350 has higher dimension(8m px), but it is much cheaper than D70s. Why's that? Should I choose Nikon or Canon?

Need more advice.
Click to expand...


Hi:

The D70 is a great camera. So likely is the D350 which I have never used.
The poster above likes the D70 as do I. He thinks Sigma lenses are a better deal than Nikon. Nikon telephoto lenses are generally EXPENSIVE. The good news is that Sigma is really doing a nice job in that area.

Re MPixels: MPs just are not the whole story. Not even close. Get the MP race out of your head. It is not that they are not important (for example, it's nice to have extra MP so you can crop a shot if your shooting small birds without losing resolution.) It is just that there are many other things that can add to the price of and results you get from a camera: focusing ability, buffer, frames per second, noise handling and high ISO performance, flash abilities and systems... etc.....

Look at the whole camera.

I liked the D70 because, when I bought it, it offered me a lot more control over exposure and metering than the Canon. I also liked the Nikon flash system. I compared cameras over a year ago though and have not done so lately. I remember the Canon in the same price range did not offer spot metering and that alone sent me looking at Nikons. Some folks might not find that even important.

Many folks buy Canon, in part, cuz of the lenses Canon offers. They have a broader selection of telephoto lenses that Birders are often concerned about.

I use the Sigma 500mm for birding with my D70 and have no regrets.

You can't go far wrong with either Nikon or Canon IMHO.

Good luck

Cheers,
Craig Ryder
 
Thank you for the reply. I begin to worry about Nikon's warranty problem.
They say it's not so good in China.
 
Hi melop
Have a look at the canon 20D with the sigma 80-400 OS lens a great combination.
I own a Nikon D100 but i think it is a no contest against the 20D which is much sharper & doesn't underexpose like the D70 & D100 models.

Cheers Cashie B :)
 
Now that I have read that you are considering the Canon EOS350D I'd say go for it!

The 350D does 3fps just like the D70 and comes in black standard, it also has an optional battery/vertical grip and a MUCH better selection of lenses than Nikon.

I don't know much about the reliability of the 350D since it is so new but the selection of lenses Canon offers trumps that of Nikon and the 8Mp figure is, although not much of one, an advantage over the 6.1 of the D70.

Put simply: Go Canon if you are considering it, you will be glad you did when you go to upgrade to higher end lenses or make your initial telephoto purchase.
 
Ni hao,

Sorry I am a bit late to this thread. If there is a big difference in price, I would save money on the camera and keep it for lenses. Lenses are not changing much, but cameras are. Cameras will not last as long and will lose value much faster !

HTH,
Mike.
 
Em... then I think Canon 350D and it's 100-400mm lens are what I should go for.
 
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Today I have my first DSLR camera. Nikon 70Ds finally. And the VR 80-400mm Nikor too.

When I set off this morning, I actually wanted to buy Canon, but 350D is just too small for me. 20D is great, but the money is great too. Then Nikon 70Ds is the only choice.

Unfortunately, the 70DS kit has been sold out, and I don't have any standard lens yet.
 
Great choice, i use the same combination with great results.
I tried the the Sigma and Nikon 80-400 vr at a camera show, the Nikon is lighter and focused about the same.
The Nikon also auto detects when panning, and in camera reviews is opticaly superior.
 
My wife got the photography virus from me and uses the 80-400 VR with her D70, with outstanding results.
Here's a sample of her work taken at this combo yesterday, hand held, @400mm, fully open (F:5.6). The large red rectangle is a 1:1 crop of the small one. It's a great combination for nature shooting. The lens does not focus fast, but when set correctly - it is a winner.
 

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What a wonderful picture it is!
How far is the bird? It must be very close.

Birds in China is difficult to appoach these days.
 
Thanks. It was 5-6 meters away.
During Spring and Automn time we have here a birding paradise - when millions of birds migrate from Europe to Africa and vice versa, parking here in Israel for several weeks or even months - mainly at the northern lakes area. Thousands of flamingos, cranes, pelikans and dozens of other species fly over here and land to rest and eat. It's also a great time for predators... Here are two shots taken some time ago of a floc of cranes.
 

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Yes they are the Grus grus. In this particular floc there were about 12,000 species. 6,000 of them left after several weeks, and 6,000 stayed longer and were fed by the local natural reserve organization and local farmers. They are fed in order to preserve the crops in the fields and the fish in the lakes...
Some landed wounded and were healed by local vets. As said, it's a birders paradise.
 
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