# Digital Cameras



## Supe (Oct 5, 2009)

I was able to get my hands on MILF's Canon Rebel XSi this weekend and take some shots in my backyard. After having been accustomed to the "nicer" pocket cameras all my life (Fuji Finepix, a few Kodaks, etc), I was absolutely blown away by that thing. It's awesome to be able to focus so easily, have such a quick shutter response time, play with the color settings, and most importantly, capture motion so easily. In my 8 billion trips to the aquarium, I never got any good pictures because all of the pocket cams were terrible at motion capture.

Does anyone have any experiences on cameras in the $1000 price range? I'm thinking of picking up the Canon EOS Rebel T1i. I can get it for under $800 shipped with the lens kit and a 16GB SDHC card. That sucker is 15.1MP, and supports 1080HD video, although I'm not much of a video taker. Since I don't get much out of my car hobby in the winter months and I travel quite a bit, I'd like to dabble in amateur photography a bit, and I think this would be a good transition piece with room to upgrade by swapping in some good glass.


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## roadwreck (Oct 5, 2009)

digital camera reviews

http://www.dpreview.com/

I'm looking for a good price on the Nikon D60


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## Supe (Oct 5, 2009)

roadwreck said:


> digital camera reviews
> http://www.dpreview.com/
> 
> I'm looking for a good price on the Nikon D60



The Nikons had some good features, but what I liked about the Canon for the $ value was higher MP's (normally I wouldn't care, but I'd like to have some of my photos run off as full sized prints and framed), and a faster FPS time which is important to me for catching launches at the drag races. I know the Canons also do exceptionally well in low light conditions even with the factory glass, which is also a plus for me because I hate using a flash unless it's absolutely necessary for some reason.


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## wilheldp_PE (Oct 5, 2009)

Supe said:


> The Nikons had some good features, but what I liked about the Canon for the $ value was higher MP's (normally I wouldn't care, but I'd like to have some of my photos run off as full sized prints and framed), and a faster FPS time which is important to me for catching launches at the drag races. I know the Canons also do exceptionally well in low light conditions even with the factory glass, which is also a plus for me because I hate using a flash unless it's absolutely necessary for some reason.


An 8" x 10" print at 300 dpi (about the upper limit of current printer technology...you can print higher resolution, but you won't notice any increase in quality) only requires 7.2 megapixels. So unless you are planning on printing poster-sized pictures, anything over that is pretty useless. Paying for megapixels over feature-sets, usability, and optics quality is kinda like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

In addition to dpreview.com mentioned by roadwreck, I recommend reading the in-depth reviews by Ken Rockwell. That guy is a professional photographer, and really seems to know what he is talking about.


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## IlPadrino (Oct 5, 2009)

Supe said:


> I was able to get my hands on MILF's


Who's mother?


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## Supe (Oct 5, 2009)

IlPadrino said:


> Who's mother?


The MILF I'm currently dating's two-year-old daughter.


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## Supe (Oct 5, 2009)

wilheldp_PE said:


> An 8" x 10" print at 300 dpi (about the upper limit of current printer technology...you can print higher resolution, but you won't notice any increase in quality) only requires 7.2 megapixels. So unless you are planning on printing poster-sized pictures, anything over that is pretty useless. Paying for megapixels over feature-sets, usability, and optics quality is kinda like cutting off your nose to spite your face.
> In addition to dpreview.com mentioned by roadwreck, I recommend reading the in-depth reviews by Ken Rockwell. That guy is a professional photographer, and really seems to know what he is talking about.



Definitely looking at larger than 8x10 photo prints. Will have them run off at a print shop, not an at-home printer. Thanks for the link, time to do a little reading.


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## IlPadrino (Oct 5, 2009)

Supe said:


> The MILF I'm currently dating's two-year-old daughter.


Now I'm *really* confused... what does the mother's two-year-old daughter have to do with this? I'm trying to corrupt this thread, but you're making it creepy!

:dunno:


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## Supe (Oct 5, 2009)

IlPadrino said:


> Now I'm *really* confused... what does the mother's two-year-old daughter have to do with this? I'm trying to corrupt this thread, but you're making it creepy!
> :dunno:



You asked "who's mother?" The mother I am dating, is the mother of her two year old daughter. I thought the answer was pretty clear-cut :screwloose:


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## EM_PS (Oct 5, 2009)

Supe managed to graduate from 'every mother's nightmare' to 'every daughter's nightmare' 

We have the Canon 20D - don't remember the specifics in comparison to the Rebel but more feature laden w/ higher range of photographic settings. the rebel is hard to beat price-wise but is more of an everyday consumer SLR vs the so-called pro-sumer category.


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## Ble_PE (Oct 5, 2009)

I've thought about getting into the dslr game, but I'm not quite ready to put up that kind of money for something that really isn't even a hobby at the time. Maybe once Mini-ble gets a little older and starts to play some sports I'll reconsider.


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## EM_PS (Oct 5, 2009)

very true, i use our point-&amp;-shoot Lumix (top-notch Leica optics) probably for 98% of my picture taking needs. Wife &amp; oldest daughter more into the features an SLR affords


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## Supe (Oct 5, 2009)

error_matrix said:


> Supe managed to graduate from 'every mother's nightmare' to 'every daughter's nightmare'
> We have the Canon 20D - don't remember the specifics in comparison to the Rebel but more feature laden w/ higher range of photographic settings. the rebel is hard to beat price-wise but is more of an everyday consumer SLR vs the so-called pro-sumer category.



Realistically, that's probably what I'd need. I prefer something closer to point and shoot, rather than spending my lifetime trying to uncover every last feature, mode, and adjustment. Most of the cameras in this range seem to fit the bill for what I'm looking to do.


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## benbo (Oct 5, 2009)

IlPadrino said:


> Now I'm *really* confused... what does the mother's two-year-old daughter have to do with this? I'm trying to corrupt this thread, but you're making it creepy!
> :dunno:


How dare you not keep up-to-date with Supe's romantic escapades!


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## Supe (Oct 5, 2009)

benbo said:


> How dare you not keep up-to-date with Supe's romantic escapades!



Unfortunately, I think my romantic escapades may take a JR-esque halt and stop at this one. Sadly, my title of Serial Monogamist may have just been reduced to Monogamist.


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## OSUguy98 (Oct 5, 2009)

we recently got a Canon D60 for one of our bridge inspection crews... it's been a good camera so far (8-9 months of daily use)... The battery life in that thing is amazing, I think they went for almost a month before they had to change/recharge batteries...


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## Supe (Oct 5, 2009)

OSUguy98 said:


> we recently got a Canon D60 for one of our bridge inspection crews... it's been a good camera so far (8-9 months of daily use)... The battery life in that thing is amazing, I think they went for almost a month before they had to change/recharge batteries...



That's pretty good. Was the D60 the plastic housing or the beefier metal ones? I know the older D60 were supposed to be much more rugged in terms of heft and feel, while newer ones may have gone to the plastic housings, though that may be an X/T series thing.


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## IlPadrino (Oct 5, 2009)

Supe said:


> You asked "who's mother?" The mother I am dating, is the mother of her two year old daughter. I thought the answer was pretty clear-cut :screwloose:


Ok... my bad for not keeping up to date. But you've got to admit: "MILF" and "two-year-old daughter" aren't often used in the same sentence unless you're a catholic priest.


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## TouchDown (Oct 5, 2009)

My wife has a Canon Digital Rebel. Absolutely loves that thing. Takes great pics. Digital SLR is the way to go.

As for other cameras out there... dunno, but I don't think you can really go wrong with one of these.


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## OSUguy98 (Oct 6, 2009)

Supe said:


> That's pretty good. Was the D60 the plastic housing or the beefier metal ones? I know the older D60 were supposed to be much more rugged in terms of heft and feel, while newer ones may have gone to the plastic housings, though that may be an X/T series thing.



It has a plastic housing... they haven't had any issues with it as of yet... Thankfully the guy notorious for dropping cameras into the rivers/streams retired a few years ago


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## Supe (Oct 6, 2009)

OSUguy98 said:


> It has a plastic housing... they haven't had any issues with it as of yet... Thankfully the guy notorious for dropping cameras into the rivers/streams retired a few years ago



Good to know, thanks.

I'm currently leaning more towards the XSi now than the T1i or the Nikon. I like the fact that the Canons have the LiveView capability with the LCD screen, and everything I'm reading on the HD video and additional MP's of the T1a doesn't justify the added expense, as the video capabilities are mediocre at best in terms of image stabilization, etc.


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## OSUguy98 (Oct 6, 2009)

Supe said:


> Good to know, thanks.
> I'm currently leaning more towards the XSi now than the T1i or the Nikon. I like the fact that the Canons have the LiveView capability with the LCD screen, and everything I'm reading on the HD video and additional MP's of the T1a doesn't justify the added expense, as the video capabilities are mediocre at best in terms of image stabilization, etc.



One other thing about the D60... your image stabilization comment reminded me... That's another one of the comments the crew have had about it... It has yet to take a blurry picture... In fact one of the crew leaders sat in the UB-75 (reach-all,etc) bucket and waited for a few tri-axles to roll across the span and make the boom shake a good bit... still took a perfect picture....


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## rosseria23 (Oct 7, 2009)

Take note that the cost is not only on the main SLR camera. Your future investment comes in for the lens. Some lens are much more expensive than the main camera.


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## Supe (Oct 7, 2009)

Well, I bit the bullet and bought the XSi last night. Was a bit over $800 after shipping with the camera body, lens kit w/stabilization, tripod, spare battery, 16GB SDHC card, and travel case. There were just some sacrifices with the Nikon that I didn't want to make, and I really liked the way the Canon actually felt in my hands.


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## Ble_PE (Oct 7, 2009)

Supe said:


> I really liked the way the Canon actually felt in my hands.


That's what she said.


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## Supe (Oct 7, 2009)

ble31980 said:


> That's what she said.


Repeatedly.


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## roadwreck (Nov 3, 2009)

Supe said:


> Well, I bit the bullet and bought the XSi last night. Was a bit over $800 after shipping with the camera body, lens kit w/stabilization, tripod, spare battery, 16GB SDHC card, and travel case. There were just some sacrifices with the Nikon that I didn't want to make, and I really liked the way the Canon actually felt in my hands.


So how do you like the XSi? I just found a deal on one with a couple of lenses (18-55mm kit lens and 55mm-250mm EF-S lens) I couldn't pass up. Now I just have to wait for the thing to arrive to start playing with it.


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## Supe (Nov 3, 2009)

roadwreck said:


> So how do you like the XSi? I just found a deal on one with a couple of lenses (18-55mm kit lens and 55mm-250mm EF-S lens) I couldn't pass up. Now I just have to wait for the thing to arrive to start playing with it.



Love it! Easy interface, great battery life. The only downside I've noticed thus far is that the flash is notoriously slow for recharging between a string of shots, and the only other thing which MAY be possible that I'm not 100% sure about is whether it's possible to adjust aperture and shutter speed independently of one another. Other than that, it has performed flawlessly and I've taken some great shots with it. In fact, the picture of MIAF was taken with the XSi  The 18-55 is a decent starter lens, MIAF has the 55-250 but I haven't tried it yet.


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## roadwreck (Nov 3, 2009)

Supe said:


> Love it! Easy interface, great battery life. The only downside I've noticed thus far is that the flash is notoriously slow for recharging between a string of shots, and the only other thing which MAY be possible that I'm not 100% sure about is whether it's possible to adjust aperture and shutter speed independently of one another. Other than that, it has performed flawlessly and I've taken some great shots with it. In fact, the picture of MIAF was taken with the XSi  The 18-55 is a decent starter lens, MIAF has the 55-250 but I haven't tried it yet.


I ordered the 55-250 lens too. That was part of the deal, Canon was offering an instant rebate of $200 if you purchased the 55-250 lens with the XSi and the 18-55mm lens. I had planned on getting a 55-200mm lens with whatever camera I purchased anyway so this was a no brainer. I'm looking forward to fiddling with it, to bad I have to wait for it to show up (the downside of ordering online). I'll have to see if I can find subject material as interesting as yours to shoot.


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## Supe (Nov 4, 2009)

roadwreck said:


> I ordered the 55-250 lens too. That was part of the deal, Canon was offering an instant rebate of $200 if you purchased the 55-250 lens with the XSi and the 18-55mm lens. I had planned on getting a 55-200mm lens with whatever camera I purchased anyway so this was a no brainer. I'm looking forward to fiddling with it, to bad I have to wait for it to show up (the downside of ordering online). I'll have to see if I can find subject material as interesting as yours to shoot.



I've taken some random shots of downtown Gastonia, some cemetery photos, etc. I'll see if I can shrink them to manageable size and post a few.


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## roadwreck (Nov 4, 2009)

Supe said:


> ...the only other thing which MAY be possible that I'm not 100% sure about is whether it's possible to adjust aperture and shutter speed independently of one another.


Does page 75 of the manual help answer this question? I don't have the camera yet so I can't try it out. I have been reading the manual on and off most of the morning. :tardbang:

http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/0300000933/EOS...-EOS450D_EN.pdf


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## Supe (Nov 4, 2009)

Muchos gracias!


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## PE-ness (Nov 5, 2009)

Is it liquid resistant?


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## Supe (Nov 6, 2009)

I don't believe so, though they do make one of those water resistant "armor" skins for it.


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## wilheldp_PE (Nov 20, 2009)

I got my...

Rebel XSi w/18-55mm kit lens,

50mm f/1.8 II Lens,

Remote Control,

8GB Memory Card, and

Gadget Bag

last night. I'm still waiting on the 55-250mm Lens (it's on backorder). I took some practice shots around the house, but didn't have anything exciting to photograph (like a MIAF). Then I started to read the instruction manual (I know, it's against the man code), and learned a lot about f-stops, shutter speeds, and ISO. Now I just need to practice and figure out which setting work well with each other.

I can see this hobby getting really, really expensive, especially given the prices of the nicer lenses.


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## Supe (Nov 20, 2009)

wilheldp_PE said:


> I got my...
> Rebel XSi w/18-55mm kit lens,
> 
> 50mm f/1.8 II Lens,
> ...



I've found that after a couple weeks of use, I can instinctively adjust most of that on the fly pretty close to perfect after one or two test shots. I've made a couple user-defined color modes, heavy on the saturation for outdoor shots like flowers, etc. I can get a good idea of where I want my ISO speed depending on how much light I have, same with the shutter speed and aperture. I find myself adjusting shutter speed most of all. When you get that 250 lens and zoom in, you'll realize how well the image stabilization really works. It's incredible.

I swear I will post some color photos soon. I just downloaded a ton off the camera, took over 2 hours since my laptop only has a USB 1.0 port. My laptop is finally taking a dump after 8 years, so I have a new Dell Desktop on the way.


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## roadwreck (Nov 20, 2009)

wilheldp_PE said:


> I got my...
> Rebel XSi w/18-55mm kit lens,
> 
> 50mm f/1.8 II Lens,
> ...


hmmmmm...

...Rebel XSi with kit lens and the 55-250mm lens (which is on backorder) you say? Buy from Amazon?

I'm having a lot of fun with mine. I took over 700 pictures in the first week mostly just playing around with the different settings and seeing what everything did. Sadly I haven't used it much this week, I've been so swamped at work I just having had time.

Yes, this could become a very expensive hobby. How do you like that kit bag? I'm on the look out for a good deal on one. Currently I'm just using an one that I had from and old film SLR. It's only big enough for the camera and one lens so I'd like something a little bigger.

Here's some pics I took the first week though (the resolution of these is significantly reduced for web uploads).


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## benbo (Nov 20, 2009)

Nice pictures. But I liked the sample picture (B&amp;W) that Supe posted better. I don't think that had to do with the resolution, focus or photographic skill though.


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## wilheldp_PE (Nov 20, 2009)

roadwreck said:


> hmmmmm...
> ...Rebel XSi with kit lens and the 55-250mm lens (which is on backorder) you say? Buy from Amazon?
> 
> I'm having a lot of fun with mine. I took over 700 pictures in the first week mostly just playing around with the different settings and seeing what everything did. Sadly I haven't used it much this week, I've been so swamped at work I just having had time.
> ...


That kit bag is nice. It has all kinds of internal dividers that you can move around to set it up to meet your needs. It will hold the camera with 1 lens mounted, both of the other lenses, and still have a pretty big compartment open for accessories or another 2 lenses. Plus, it has a zippered pouch on the inside top, and two more on either side of the bag.

Yes, I did buy from Amazon, but don't tell Supe. He might not be happy when he finds out that we paid less for both the kit and the 55-250 than he did for just the kit. In fact, I probably got that 50mm lens thrown in for less than what he paid too.


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## roadwreck (Nov 20, 2009)

benbo said:


> Nice pictures. But I liked the sample picture (B&amp;W) that Supe posted better. I don't think that had to do with the resolution, focus or photographic skill though.




Sorry, I'll have to stay on the lookout for better subject material.


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## Supe (Nov 20, 2009)

wilheldp_PE said:


> That kit bag is nice. It has all kinds of internal dividers that you can move around to set it up to meet your needs. It will hold the camera with 1 lens mounted, both of the other lenses, and still have a pretty big compartment open for accessories or another 2 lenses. Plus, it has a zippered pouch on the inside top, and two more on either side of the bag.
> Yes, I did buy from Amazon, but don't tell Supe. He might not be happy when he finds out that we paid less for both the kit and the 55-250 than he did for just the kit. In fact, I probably got that 50mm lens thrown in for less than what he paid too.



The prices were significantly higher everywhere when I looked, Amazon included. Looks like I bought everything just before the holiday price drops came. No big deal though, I did get the tripod thrown in and also have a ginormous memory card. I don't regret the purchase at the price I paid since it's come in very handy both at work and on my road trips.

As for the case, it definitely fits everything you need it to, but if you carry it slung over your shoulder, the plastic clips for the strap will begin to squeak and drive you insane.


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## roadwreck (Nov 20, 2009)

Supe said:


> The prices were significantly higher everywhere when I looked, Amazon included. Looks like I bought everything just before the holiday price drops came. No big deal though, I did get the tripod thrown in and also have a ginormous memory card. I don't regret the purchase at the price I paid since it's come in very handy both at work and on my road trips.


I'm sure a few months from now they'll be selling these things for even less then what we paid. This is the way things go when it comes to electronic gadgets.

I got myself a ginormous memory card also and I already had a tripod.

I'm interested in that 50mm f/1.8 lens too. Seems like a great lens for the price. I have seen a few reviews where people complain about the durability of the lens but all in all mostly positive reviews. I imagine it's build quality is somewhat similar to the kit lens. It seems to step up to a better lens from there you have to go to the 50mm f/1.4 lens, which is four times the price.


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## wilheldp_PE (Nov 20, 2009)

roadwreck said:


> I'm interested in that 50mm f/1.8 lens too. Seems like a great lens for the price. I have seen a few reviews where people complain about the durability of the lens but all in all mostly positive reviews. I imagine it's build quality is somewhat similar to the kit lens. It seems to step up to a better lens from there you have to go to the 50mm f/1.4 lens, which is four times the price.


Or the f/1.2 lens that is 10x the price. The 50mm lens is noticeably brighter than the kit lens, but the build quality is almost exactly the same. Almost everybody that reviews it say it may not be perfect, but it is one of the greatest deals on lenses you will find.


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## roadwreck (Nov 20, 2009)

sadly the best picture I took that week was this one, which wasn't taken with my XSi. The only camera I had with me at the time was my 4yr old, 5mp, Canon SD400 digital elph.


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## roadwreck (Jan 4, 2010)

Maybe I need to think about quitting this engineering gig and get into photography.


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## Supe (Jan 4, 2010)

Must be nice to live somewhere with an actual landscape! Best "landscape" picture I took lately was a bunch of ice crystals on a patch of red dirt.

Have I mentioned that I hate the Carolinas yet?


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## chaosiscash (Jan 4, 2010)

Supe said:


> Have I mentioned that I hate the Carolinas yet?


Even though I don't live there now, I still call the Carolinas home. So let me be the first to say:

"Delta's ready when you are."


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## Flyer_PE (Jan 4, 2010)

^^Well played!


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## roadwreck (Jan 4, 2010)

Supe said:


> Must be nice to live somewhere with an actual landscape!


I don't live there. It was a 6+ hour drive to get there from where I live. I bet you could get somewhere that was scenic in 6 hours.


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## Capt Worley PE (Jan 4, 2010)

chaosiscash said:


> Supe said:
> 
> 
> > Have I mentioned that I hate the Carolinas yet?
> ...


^AMEN!


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## Supe (Jan 4, 2010)

chaosiscash said:


> Supe said:
> 
> 
> > Have I mentioned that I hate the Carolinas yet?
> ...



I'm ready, my paycheck isn't.

I'm sure it would be far more tolerable in the eastern half of the state if I lived somewhere near, well, civilization.


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## Flyer_PE (Jan 4, 2010)

As a general rule, power plants aren't located in garden spots. Some are better than others though. The worst one I have encountered is Cooper Station. It's in the middle-of-nowhere Nebraska.


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## Supe (Jan 4, 2010)

Flyer_PE said:


> As a general rule, power plants aren't located in garden spots. Some are better than others though. The worst one I have encountered is Cooper Station. It's in the middle-of-nowhere Nebraska.



Dominion over in St. Paul, VA is the worst one I've been to. You don't even see it until you literally 'round the mountain. Closest city is Bristol, TN.


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## Flyer_PE (Jan 4, 2010)

At least the mountains are pretty. All Nebraska has is corn as near as I can tell. The nearest town to Cooper is Omaha. One of the guys working there referred to it as "Tree Hugger U". On the advice of my boss at the time, I ended up staying at a "hotel" that was adjacent to a truck stop about 10 miles from the plant. Nothing like the sound of dozens of diesel engines to lull you to sleep. What a hell hole.


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## chaosiscash (Jan 4, 2010)

Portsmouth, Ohio. Not a power plant, but part of the nuke business. Probably one of the more depressing parts of the country I've been too. I was there in winter, and everything is grey. On the other hand, the people at the plant I was working with were great.


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## Flyer_PE (Jan 4, 2010)

I liked the people at Cooper. I was there right after they finished combining so all the corn fields were just mud and stubble. I did find it humorous that the welcome sign said something about "The Arbor State" and I didn't see much in the way of trees. It seems that if it won't go through a combine, they don't want it growing.


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## Supe (Jan 4, 2010)

The people of St. Paul just add to the demeanor of the plant. Completely clueless craft who took zero pride in their work whatsoever.


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## Supe (Mar 29, 2010)

OK, took some new photos this Saturday at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals. Canon 450D, 400 ISO, 55-250 f/5.6, 1/2000 shutter speed. The last one is my favorite. Big pics, so I put up links rather than pics.

http://gallery.barrymorrison.com/albums/us...mp_15a7544c.jpg

http://gallery.barrymorrison.com/albums/us...mp_0623e92c.jpg

http://gallery.barrymorrison.com/albums/us...mp_ca95916d.jpg

http://gallery.barrymorrison.com/albums/us...mp_4b3fbe13.jpg

http://gallery.barrymorrison.com/albums/us...mp_e0067847.jpg

http://gallery.barrymorrison.com/albums/us...mp_46038c46.jpg

http://gallery.barrymorrison.com/albums/us...mp_9a85024a.jpg

http://gallery.barrymorrison.com/albums/us...mp_faefd78c.jpg

http://gallery.barrymorrison.com/albums/us...mp_4bee9962.jpg

Most of these were taken from 27 rows up in the stands. They've been reduced about 60% and lost some quality during the resize. Not bad for a camera you can buy at WalMart and an upgraded lens. Tire wrinkle and exhaust pulses at 200+ mph is cool stuff.


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## roadwreck (Mar 29, 2010)

cool shots. I agree, the last one is the best.


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## MA_PE (Mar 29, 2010)

Supe:

great pictures. Do they run all four lanes at the same time?

Nothing like some "goodyear fallout" permeating the air.


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## Supe (Mar 29, 2010)

Yes, this was the first race (since the 60's anyways) where they ran all four lanes at once. It was a disaster. Neat to feel what 32,000 horsepower feels like, but the tree wasn't working properly, the racers didn't know how to stage, and all the rounds were 4 wide, including eliminations, so people couldn't tell who got lane choice, who they were up against, etc. It was quite the fiasco, and there were a bunch of DQ's.

It'd been over a year since I had been to a national event... almost forgot what nitro smelled like!


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## roadwreck (May 12, 2010)

Ever walked through the clouds?


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## Desert Engineer (May 13, 2010)

Cool photo. What settings did you use?

I recently purchased the canon t2i kit. I'm starting to look like a Japanese tourist when we go out.

I'm looking to get more lenses. What are your thoughts on used lenses from eBay or craigslist; or gray market or refurbished lenses (Adorama lists the prices for both). I'm nervous about buying new, but I want to get more for my money.


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## wilheldp_PE (May 13, 2010)

I don't know about used lenses, but you need to get the sub-$100 50mm fixed power lens from Canon. It's a great lens for the money.


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## Supe (May 13, 2010)

I wouldn't hesitate to buy used lenses from a reputable source. The people who actually can afford this stuff and trade it in typically take very good care of their glass. The vendors are usually pretty good with the description of the glass' condition as well.


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## roadwreck (May 13, 2010)

Desert Engineer said:


> Cool photo. What settings did you use?
> I recently purchased the canon t2i kit. I'm starting to look like a Japanese tourist when we go out.
> 
> I'm looking to get more lenses. What are your thoughts on used lenses from eBay or craigslist; or gray market or refurbished lenses (Adorama lists the prices for both). I'm nervous about buying new, but I want to get more for my money.


Really the only setting of any note for that picture was the exposure length, which was 0.6 seconds. I was standing in some shallow rapids, so the long exposure length caught a lot of water running past my feet and made that frothy white cloud look. I have a few other shots with different exposure lengths. Here are the settings for the shot

Model: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XSi

ISO: 100

Exposure: 0.6 sec

Aperture: 22.0

Focal Length: 21mm

This one is actually my favorite






It's a lot easier to tell I'm standing in water on that one as the other picture except for the exposure time with was 1/4 of a second.

This one had a 0.6 exposure lenght, but a higher ISO (200) and a larger aperture (20)






I don't think I'd have any issue with buying used lenses as long as it was from a reputable source. Like Supe said, people trade in their lenses all the time when they upgrade, buying used is a great way to add to your lens collection with minimal damage to your wallet. And the "nifty 50" by canon is a great value. The autofocus is a little slow and loud and for a camera like mine with a 1.6 times field view crop you end up with an effective focal length of 80mm which can be a little zoomed in at times, but for the price (less than $100) you really can't beat it.


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## Desert Engineer (May 13, 2010)

I took some photos on a recent trip to san diego. I uploaded them to flickr (this is my first attempt at uploading). http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/...57624056671608/

I had some good results, but they could have been better with a tripod or monopod. Let me know what you think, and how i could have made them better. I plan to go back in a couple of weeks.


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## roadwreck (May 23, 2010)

not a shot I took with my DSLR, but I thought it was cool just the same.


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## Supe (Jul 7, 2010)

Took a bunch of pictures of MIAF and junior this past weekend, and was in desperate need of flash fill to get rid of some shadows. Naturally, every built-in camera flash is entirely useless, and looks like a police interrogation before post processing, so I said screw it and ordered a Canon 580EX-ii flash, which is basically the mack-daddy of all flashes on the market today. Ordered a battery grip for the camera too to help give a better hand position when trying to support this monster.


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## roadwreck (Jul 7, 2010)

Supe said:


> Took a bunch of pictures of MIAF and junior this past weekend, and was in desperate need of flash fill to get rid of some shadows. Naturally, every built-in camera flash is entirely useless, and looks like a police interrogation before post processing, so I said screw it and ordered a Canon 580EX-ii flash, which is basically the mack-daddy of all flashes on the market today. Ordered a battery grip for the camera too to help give a better hand position when trying to support this monster.


Sweet! Let us know how that works out. I need to look into getting a flash too. I took some pretty cool firework pics over the weekend. No flash necessary.


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## Supe (Jul 7, 2010)

The 430EXii is a lot cheaper, but everyone I know who has bought one ended up buying the 580 and using the 430 as a slave. I liked the 580 because I want to take night racing shots, and the 580 has a much higher output, faster recharge so you can get more out of burst mode, and provisions for an external battery pack.


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## Supe (Jul 12, 2010)

Took this picture of MIAF this weekend and did a little Photoshop work with it to make it look "authentic."

Lighting consisted of a halogen work light shone through a $.99 damaged Ikea computer chair mat that works as a perfect light diffuser. Flash was with the 580EXii off the ceiling and a bounce card at the flash itself for some frontal light. There's very little change to the lighting in this from the original photo as it was shot.


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## Master slacker (Jul 13, 2010)

Supe said:


> Took this picture of MIAF this weekend and did a little Photoshop work with it to make it look "authentic."


Nose rings are authentic to the 40's and 50's, right?


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## Supe (Jul 13, 2010)

"Vintage with a twist."

Is that better?


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## Supe (Oct 13, 2010)

Well, I've been itching BAD for a Canon 7D with a 17-55 f/2.8 lens. We're now venturing into the $2500 range.

Thing is, I really enjoy shooting, and I'm starting to see the deficiencies of the XSi. Low continuous shooting FPS, poor low-light performance, relatively slow and indecisive auto focus. I've been doing more racing and car photography lately, and have had a few of my shots chosen to be 2011 calendar photos. Also venturing a little deeper into portraiture and pinup photography, where the focus options are critical, and the prints are large enough where 18MP up from 12MP is noticeable. The 7D also has the fastest focus out of any of the Canon line, and can shoot 8FPS, perfect for starting line photography. It's also able to go up to 3200 ISO or better before seeing any degradation in image quality, whereas the XSi starts showing noise around 800. I'd really like to start doing photo shoots as a side gig...

Decisions, decisions...


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## snickerd3 (Oct 13, 2010)

Supe said:


> Well, I've been itching BAD for a Canon 7D with a 17-55 f/2.8 lens. We're now venturing into the $2500 range.
> Thing is, I really enjoy shooting, and I'm starting to see the deficiencies of the XSi. Low continuous shooting FPS, poor low-light performance, relatively slow and indecisive auto focus. I've been doing more racing and car photography lately, and have had a few of my shots chosen to be 2011 calendar photos. Also venturing a little deeper into portraiture and pinup photography, where the focus options are critical, and the prints are large enough where 18MP up from 12MP is noticeable. The 7D also has the fastest focus out of any of the Canon line, and can shoot 8FPS, perfect for starting line photography. It's also able to go up to 3200 ISO or better before seeing any degradation in image quality, whereas the XSi starts showing noise around 800. I'd really like to start doing photo shoots as a side gig...
> 
> Decisions, decisions...


then when would you race?


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## Paul S (Oct 13, 2010)

Supe said:


> Took this picture of MIAF this weekend and did a little Photoshop work with it to make it look "authentic."
> Lighting consisted of a halogen work light shone through a $.99 damaged Ikea computer chair mat that works as a perfect light diffuser. Flash was with the 580EXii off the ceiling and a bounce card at the flash itself for some frontal light. There's very little change to the lighting in this from the original photo as it was shot.


That's Hawt!


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## Supe (Oct 13, 2010)

snickerd3 said:


> Supe said:
> 
> 
> > Well, I've been itching BAD for a Canon 7D with a 17-55 f/2.8 lens. We're now venturing into the $2500 range.
> ...


Plenty of time between passes when waiting for the engine and trans to cool down. I also attend a lot of Outlaw and National Events where I'm only a spectator.

Besides, it seems like $2300 will buy me about a month's worth of gas for the thing.


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## roadwreck (Oct 15, 2010)

Blue Angels are in town, they just buzzed our office, glad I had the camera ready to go


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## snickerd3 (Oct 15, 2010)

cool shot!


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 15, 2010)

Closest thing we ever get to a fly-by at the office is when the power company sends the helicopter out to inspect the high voltage transmissionlines out behind the parking lot.


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## MA_PE (Oct 15, 2010)

that is a great shot. nice!

I saw the blue angels about a million years ago when I was a kid. They were fltying F-4J phantoms I believe (yep I'm old).


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## Supe (Oct 16, 2010)

Ribbit. (Shot with the XSi)


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## Supe (Oct 16, 2010)

Went for a walk with Junior while MIAF was at work. She decided to stand on the caboose in the center of town, and it was a bit higher than she'd anticipated!


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## MA_PE (Oct 17, 2010)

1) what a cute little kid.

2) those are some nice pictures!


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## Supe (Oct 17, 2010)

The new camera should take nicer ones! The lens will be the difference, as the 2.8 aperture will turn out some very nice bokeh.


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## Supe (Oct 19, 2010)

Camera was shipped yesterday, scheduled to be delivered tomorrow! :bananapowerslide:

Good thing, too, since I'll need something to take my mind off being violated by the doctor during my physical.

My Gary Fong Lightsphere showed up yesterday. It is, for all intensive purposes, a $50 potato salad container with a hole in the bottom. I must say though, it works as advertised. The 580EXii flash is pretty harsh, even coming off a bounce card. With the Lightsphere, I shot in pitch black, in crappy incandescent light, didn't matter - exposures and skin tones came out perfect nearly every time, and shadows behind the subject were virtually nonexistent. In checking the histograms for each picture, the curve was in the center far more consistently than without a flash, or with a flash and no diffuser. This thing's going to be great for portraits. The only downer is that you lose a lot of light with it, so you burn through batteries pretty quick by having to up the flash intensity.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 19, 2010)

> My Gary Fong Lightsphere showed up yesterday. It is, for all intensive purposes, a $50 potato salad container with a hole in the bottom.


Best of luck with your new fleshlight.


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## Sschell (Oct 19, 2010)

what about non-intensive purposes?

or extensive purposes?


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## Supe (Oct 19, 2010)

LOL!

Intents and purposes.

I mean, intense porpoises.


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## Sschell (Oct 19, 2010)

I'm picturing a dolphin all tatted up with a goatee... maybe a blowhole piercing.


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## MA_PE (Oct 19, 2010)

Dolphins are NOT porpoises!!

I'll let WikiAnswers explain.


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## Supe (Oct 21, 2010)

Got the camera and all accessories yesterday.

It weighs a TON with the lens on it. Probably close to double what the XSi weighs with an EF-S lens.

Eyepiece is loose. Online searching reveals they all come like that. It has two little tabs that lock on to keep it from coming off, but just more play than you'd expect from something in that price range.

Autofocus is lightning quick with the EF lens. Threw the cheapie lens on, and it had trouble focusing in low light. May just not like working with that lens under those conditions, but will do some investigating.

Features and customization of settings/preferences is astounding. This thing is packed.

Ergonomics are pretty good. Takes some getting used to on a few buttons, and you're more reliant on your left hand vs. the lower models where it's almost entirely with the right.

Haven't uploaded any pics from the card yet. Hoping to play around with it tonight and some this weekend to see what it can do, and to make sure it doesn't have the soft focus issues some people complain about.


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## MA_PE (Oct 21, 2010)

Sounds like christmas at supe's house.


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## Supe (Oct 21, 2010)

Spoiled by the fact that a 32 GB compact flash card that's fast enough to use with 7D at the full FPS cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $300!


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## Supe (Nov 2, 2010)

Been playing with the 7D quite a bit lately. In terms of image quality, it's spectacular.

The autofocus, while praised very heavily, is hit or miss. The full 19 point mode is useless, as it focuses only on the closest thing. The zone isn't much better. I've lost quite a few shots as "keepers" because they were very slightly out of focus. Basically, any portraiture, etc, HAS to be done with a spot focus and a smaller aperture to keep the subject in focus. Wide open at 2.8 with even some of the best glass Canon makes is sketchy at best.

When you DO nail that focus though... wow. Also got to play with some of the wireless flash functions last night as well. A little pre-flash to trigger it and voila! Works like a charm. Picture volume is starting to get up there though. Contemplating a SmugMug Pro account soon for unlimited file storage, and the ability to order prints. When I priced out photo printers and the associated ink costs, you're money ahead by just ordering through a lab. I grabbed a few 8x10's from Adorama at $1.25 each.


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## momech (Nov 3, 2010)

Supe said:


> Been playing with the 7D quite a bit lately. In terms of image quality, it's spectacular.
> The autofocus, while praised very heavily, is hit or miss. The full 19 point mode is useless, as it focuses only on the closest thing. The zone isn't much better. I've lost quite a few shots as "keepers" because they were very slightly out of focus. Basically, any portraiture, etc, HAS to be done with a spot focus and a smaller aperture to keep the subject in focus. Wide open at 2.8 with even some of the best glass Canon makes is sketchy at best.
> 
> When you DO nail that focus though... wow. Also got to play with some of the wireless flash functions last night as well. A little pre-flash to trigger it and voila! Works like a charm. Picture volume is starting to get up there though. Contemplating a SmugMug Pro account soon for unlimited file storage, and the ability to order prints. When I priced out photo printers and the associated ink costs, you're money ahead by just ordering through a lab. I grabbed a few 8x10's from Adorama at $1.25 each.


I have a SmugMug account (not Pro) that I've been pretty happy with. You can get a 3rd party uploader that greatly simplifies uploading photos.


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## Supe (Nov 3, 2010)

momech said:


> Supe said:
> 
> 
> > Been playing with the 7D quite a bit lately. In terms of image quality, it's spectacular.
> ...



Any suggestions for the uploader?


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## OSUguy98 (Nov 3, 2010)

We just got one of these for one of our bridge inspection crews.... awesome for a point and shoot...

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/...p;page=overview


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## momech (Nov 4, 2010)

Supe said:


> momech said:
> 
> 
> > Supe said:
> ...


Send to SmugMug by Omar Shahine


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## Supe (Nov 4, 2010)

Sweet, thanks! The POTN forums has a discount code that I think is 20% off, so I'll probably pull the trigger.


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## knelli (Nov 12, 2010)

Hi all,

Apparently we have some talented photographers in the group! However, I am not in that group and need some help picking out the right camera. I am looking for point and shoot that balances all the important things including: kids and pets, low light, fill flash in the daylight. When I press the button, I expect the camera to take the photo NOW, or you miss the important moment with kids especially! Also, I am an avid horseback rider, we pack into the mountains and all that jazz, so it has to be durable and take a lickin' and take a good photo when my horse isn't quite still. I had a Kodak EasyShare DX7440 that I absolutely loved until my husband spilled beer on it so now the shutter is stuck open!! I am not impressed by MP's, most of my photos stick to 4x6 or 5x7 size. The other items above are way more important! Also, must be easy to use! What would you recommend?

Below is the black friday list at Best Buy for this year.... Anything I should take note of? THANKS!!

Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18 MegaPixel D-SLR Camera w/18-55mm IS Lens $799.99

Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18MP D-SLR Camera w/18-55mm IS Lens, 55-250mm IS Telephoto Lens, SanDisk 8GB SDHC, Bag $999.96

Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.0 MegaPixel 4x Optical Zoom Digital Camera $149.99

Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.0 MP 4x Optical Digital Camera w/Rechargeable Battery, SanDisk 4GB SDHC Card, Bag $179.96

Canon PowerShot SX130IS 12.0 MegaPixel 12x Optical Zoom Digital Camera $179.99

Canon PowerShot SX130IS 12.0MP 12x Optical Zoom Digital Camera w/Mini Tripod, SanDisk 4GB SDHC Card, Bag $199.96

Insignia AA 10MP 2.7" LCD 3x Optical Zoom Digital Camera $59.99 *

Nikon Coolpix P100 10.0 MegaPixel 26 Optical Zoom Digital Camera $349.99

Nikon Coolpix P100 10.0MP 26x Optical Digital Camera w/Rechargeable Battery, SanDisk 8GB SDHC Card, Bag $399.96

Nikon Coolpix S4000 12.0 MegaPixel 4x Optical Zoom Digital Camera $129.99

Nikon Coolpix S4000 12.0MP 4x Optical Zoom Digital Camera w/Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery, SanDisk 4GB SDHC Card, Bag $159.96

Nikon Coolpix S70 12.0 MegaPixel 5x Optical Zoom Digital Camera $169.99

Nikon Coolpix S70 12.0MP 5x Optical Zoom Digital Camera w/Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery, SanDisk 4GB SDHC Card, Bag $199.96

Nikon D3000DX 10.0 MegaPixel D-SLR Camera w/18-55mm VR Lens, Camera Bag $499.98

Nikon D3000DX 10.0MP D-SLR w/18-55mm Lens, 55-200mm Telephoto Lens, SanDisk 8GB SDHC Card, 54" Tripod, Bag $629.95

Samsung TL105 12.0 MegaPixel 4x Optical Zoom Digital Camera $89.99

Samsung TL105 12.0 MegaPixel 4x Optical Zoom Digital Camera w/SanDisk 4GB SDHC Card, Camera Bag $99.97

Sony Cyber-Shot W310 12.0 MegaPixel 4x Optical Zoom Digital Camera $99.99

Sony Cyber-shot W310 12.0 MegaPixel 4x Optical Zoom Digital Camera w/SanDisk 4GB SDHC Card, Camera Bag $119.97


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## roadwreck (Nov 12, 2010)

If you are truely set on a point and shoot then these ones can be scratched off the list as they are DSLR's and not point and shoots.



> Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18 MegaPixel D-SLR Camera w/18-55mm IS Lens $799.99  Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18MP D-SLR Camera w/18-55mm IS Lens, 55-250mm IS Telephoto Lens, SanDisk 8GB SDHC, Bag $999.96
> 
> Canon PowerShot SD1400IS 14.0 MegaPixel 4x Optical Zoom Digital Camera $149.99
> 
> ...


DSLR's will give you the most flexibility and with a little getting used to can produce the best results. They will likely give you the best opportunity to get good pictures of moving objects. The major drawbacks of DSLR's is their size and learning curve (although they have automatic shooting modes). I have a Canon XSi DSLR and love it.

I also have an old Canon PowerShot SD400. That is the camera I carry just about everywhere with me, it's pocket sized and takes decent pictures. My wife has the SD1000. Same basic camera only a few years newer and with higher MP and a few more options (like more ISO speeds). These cameras are great for taking places when you want to be able to keep the camera in your pocket, but they don't take pictures anywhere near as nice as my DSLR.


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## Dleg (Nov 13, 2010)

I haven't checked this thread in a long time. Nice pictures Supe! Awesome Blue Angels shot, roadwreck! I've been itching to get a good camera for myself for quite a while now, but finances have not been working out. I bought my wife a Rebel XSi two Christmases ago, and she is hardly using the thing, so I think I will just "borrow" it and start learning my way around it.


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## knelli (Nov 13, 2010)

roadwreck said:


> If you are truely set on a point and shoot then these ones can be scratched off the list as they are DSLR's and not point and shoots.
> DSLR's will give you the most flexibility and with a little getting used to can produce the best results. They will likely give you the best opportunity to get good pictures of moving objects. The major drawbacks of DSLR's is their size and learning curve (although they have automatic shooting modes). I have a Canon XSi DSLR and love it.
> 
> I also have an old Canon PowerShot SD400. That is the camera I carry just about everywhere with me, it's pocket sized and takes decent pictures. My wife has the SD1000. Same basic camera only a few years newer and with higher MP and a few more options (like more ISO speeds). These cameras are great for taking places when you want to be able to keep the camera in your pocket, but they don't take pictures anywhere near as nice as my DSLR.


Thanks, I don't think I'm ready for the commitment of a DSLR, I just want something easy to use that takes fabulous photos. I find myself using the "action" or "sports" mode of a camera as a default as it blurs the least. My most important goal is to capture the moment. Many of my friends and family have cameras that delay just a bit when you take the photos, so they almost never capture the moment they intended to. If I could find a camera equal to my Kodak DX7440 i woul be very happy, and it was just 4 MP. It took great photos in every situation, the attached photos are both on auto setting taken on horseback.

I've seen a lot of good reviews on the Cannon Powershot S95 and the Nikon Coolpix S8100 (for photos, but bad reviews on video, which I don't care about)

Where is the best place to ask questions on specific camera models? Best Buy? Online?

THANKS!


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## mizzoueng (Nov 13, 2010)

good thread.

Wifey wants a new camera for xmas, but she wants point-and-shoot with SLR (or is it DSLR?) quality.

I've read enough reviews to know the "dont pay for super high MP" rule. She has a 3.2MP now which is on its way out. I am looking for something that is between a compact point and shoot and a SLR. THe ful body cameras seem to be the ideal choice, but which to go with??

I like the reviews of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20, I just can't find anyone that is selling it for the 279.99 MSRP listed on CNET. I will check out the links on the first page of this thread though, maybe some better ideas there.


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## wilheldp_PE (Nov 13, 2010)

mizzoueng said:


> good thread.
> Wifey wants a new camera for xmas, but she wants point-and-shoot with SLR (or is it DSLR?) quality.
> 
> I've read enough reviews to know the "dont pay for super high MP" rule. She has a 3.2MP now which is on its way out. I am looking for something that is between a compact point and shoot and a SLR. THe ful body cameras seem to be the ideal choice, but which to go with??
> ...


I use something similar to that Sony at work (don't know the model number), and it takes great macro (close-up) shots. It seems to be pretty pedestrian at everything else, though. I would probably steer clear of any full body camera that doesn't have interchangeable lenses. The larger body size usually doesn't translate into better pictures. They sometimes have better optical zooms than point-and-shoots, but it isn't worth the trade-off in portability.

My main complaint about all of the point-and-shoot cameras I have owned is their performance at night. I don't think I ever got a shot at night that was worth a damn with a PAS camera. My DSLR is a champ, though, especially with a tripod and a long shutter. Plus, the quality of your photos is directly related to how much you want to spend on lenses.

To answer knelli's question, definitely buy online, but from a reputable dealer (Amazon, B&amp;H, Crutchfield, etc.). There are a lot of fly-by-night places that have unbelievable deals on cameras, but a lot of them are selling the cameras at a loss and put the hard sell on you to buy an accessory kit at a substantial markup. If you wisely decline to buy the kit, they may or may not ship your camera. This scam is run A LOT...especially with cameras.


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## Dleg (Nov 13, 2010)

knelli, go to dpreview.com for ideas. The Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS just got a gold award, and would probably be a nice, compact point and shoot, and the Canon PowerShot S90 got a silver award a while back, and was the one I wanted to get because it seems like it would have more options in a point and shoot - it's basically Canon's G11 in a smaller body and different lens.


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## Supe (Nov 13, 2010)

The S95 is a great P&amp;S with an almost cult following.


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## Vishal (Dec 24, 2010)

First, thank you to all who have contributed to this topic. We have been thinking of upgrading from the P&amp;S and go the DSLR way. The biggest reason is that we want to capture all the special moments with our little one and P&amp;S has let us down a lot of times to say the least.

We are no pros when it comes to photography so there will be a learning curve but I believe that we are ready to invest that time if the results are worth it.

I am leaning towards T1i (500D) with 55-250 lens. I could go with XSi (450D) but the price difference isn't that much. We have a Sony camcorder for our video needs so the video capability on T1is isn't the reason for my inclination towards T1i. B&amp;H is offering T1i with 55-250 lens for $800. Does this sound right or I should consider waiting? Should I get XSi instead? Any comments/suggestions are welcome.


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## Supe (Dec 27, 2010)

I would suggest getting the T2i if you can spend the money. In terms of all out image quality, it's nearly on par with the much more expensive 7D, because they share the same sensor (the 7D has two of them). You would be hard pressed to ever need to upgrade your DSLR at that point unless you wanted to start getting into the pro/semi-pro models. If it's down to the XSi vs. T1i, if you really don't need video, all that's really left to decide is whether the difference in megapixels is worth the price difference.

Are you planning on shooting much at close distances/indoors? If so, 50mm on the low end may may not be wide enough to get the shots you want (consider that on a 1.6 crop body camera, which is anything other than the 5D and some of the 1 series, your actual zoom is 75mm). In that case, I would try to spring for the kit with both the 18-55 and 50-250, or to go with the kit lens that's a bit better all-around, the 28-135.

Also, be aware that the XSi has very poor ISO performance at 1600. On many indoor shots with poor lighting (which is way more often than you'd imagine), the T2i will have much better ISO performance at 1600 and up, especially with the lenses you're looking at getting. My 24-70 f/2.8L lens used indoors is a much "faster" lens (smaller numerically = more light at a given shutter speed), and I'm frequently shooting in the 1600-3200 ISO range unless I'm using my off camera flash (all the on camera flashes tend to be harsh and cast some bad shadows without a light modifier or dropping it's exposure from the menus).


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## Vishal (Dec 30, 2010)

Thanks for the detailed response Supe. I looked at Nikon D90 with 18-105 kit. It is a little expensive but seems to be worth the money especially since I won't be upgrading for a few years. T2i is Canon's response to D90 with 1080 video and higher MP's. However, it comes down to the same old debate between Nikon or Canon. A lot of sites have called D90 as a better choice but T2i is still untested.

One of the reasons I was considering D90 is that it comes with 18-105 kit. Considering that we have a 1 year old and if we get 55-250 kit with Canon (or with any other camera) it will be a hassle to carry and change the lenses while traveling with him. I don't want to be put off due to all the changing and carrying. May be once I feel comfortable with the camera I will consider adding to the lens kit. Any suggestions?


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## Dleg (Dec 31, 2010)

I'll have to agree with Supe here on the importance of the high ISO performance. I finally showed my wife how to ratchet up the ISO and not use the flash indoors, and our Christmas pics around the tree were soooooo much better than with the flash. IMO, if you're going to use a flash all the time, you might as well just stick with a cheaper point and shoot, because the image quality is the same. A DSLR gives you the ability to capture everything in natural light, but like Supe says, you gotta make sure you get the best performing DSLR (if you can), and maybe more importantly, the fastest lens you can afford. My wife shot all our Christmas photos with the XS and the kit lens, which is not terribly fast, but its stabilized so it sort of makes up a bit for it. If I had the cash, I would love get one of those f2.8L lenses...... "for my wife".


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## Supe (Jan 11, 2011)

Vishal said:


> Thanks for the detailed response Supe. I looked at Nikon D90 with 18-105 kit. It is a little expensive but seems to be worth the money especially since I won't be upgrading for a few years. T2i is Canon's response to D90 with 1080 video and higher MP's. However, it comes down to the same old debate between Nikon or Canon. A lot of sites have called D90 as a better choice but T2i is still untested.
> One of the reasons I was considering D90 is that it comes with 18-105 kit. Considering that we have a 1 year old and if we get 55-250 kit with Canon (or with any other camera) it will be a hassle to carry and change the lenses while traveling with him. I don't want to be put off due to all the changing and carrying. May be once I feel comfortable with the camera I will consider adding to the lens kit. Any suggestions?


Depending on what you shoot, that 55-250 is a great walkaround lens. Swapping lenses also isn't a big deal, either. Almost all of the non-L glass can fit in your wife's pocket book, small backpack, etc. If you pick up the T2i kit, you can usually get it with the 18-135 lens, which is a darn good lens given the price point and being a "kit" lens.

I ended up going mid-life crisis over the holidays and picked up the Canon 70-200L f/2.8 IS II for, well, a lot of money. But man, play with that lens a bit and you'll wish you'd gone Canon!


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## navyasw02 (Jan 11, 2011)

Supe said:


> Vishal said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the detailed response Supe. I looked at Nikon D90 with 18-105 kit. It is a little expensive but seems to be worth the money especially since I won't be upgrading for a few years. T2i is Canon's response to D90 with 1080 video and higher MP's. However, it comes down to the same old debate between Nikon or Canon. A lot of sites have called D90 as a better choice but T2i is still untested.
> ...


I was thinking about getting the new version. I have the f4 which is great, but I really need 2.8 sometimes for weddings. I have the 135L f2 which is great, but more limited than the 70-200.


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## Supe (Jan 11, 2011)

It was worth the money. Insanely sharp, quick AF, forgot how much I missed having IS. The two downers so far is that it hunts with the AF a bit more than I'd expected, and it weighs a frickin' ton. That thing has to weigh twice what the f4 does. Makes me not mind lugging around the 24-70 so much though!

That 135L is a heck of a lens, but until I plop down money for a full frame camera and have a solid indoor studio some day, I just can't make the switch to primes. I have a hard enough time getting things frame how I want with zooms.


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## navyasw02 (Jan 11, 2011)

Supe said:


> It was worth the money. Insanely sharp, quick AF, forgot how much I missed having IS. The two downers so far is that it hunts with the AF a bit more than I'd expected, and it weighs a frickin' ton. That thing has to weigh twice what the f4 does. Makes me not mind lugging around the 24-70 so much though!
> 
> That 135L is a heck of a lens, but until I plop down money for a full frame camera and have a solid indoor studio some day, I just can't make the switch to primes. I have a hard enough time getting things frame how I want with zooms.


Full frame is definitely the best thing I ever did. I've got a 5D and it's great, even though I'm getting to the point now where it would be nice to have some bells and whistles that modern cameras have. The 5D really isnt much more than the basics when compared to new cameras. I'll wait for the next iteration though, the 5D II wasnt much of an improvement for me.

My new toy though is micro 4/3rds. I got an Olympus EPL1 and it's great. I used to lug around my 5D and 30 pounds of lenses when traveling, but now I have everything I need and it can fit in my pocket. IQ isn't as great as the 5D obviously, but certainly on par with APS-C cameras.


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## Supe (Jan 12, 2011)

I get the feeling they'll incorporate a number of 7D features in the 5D MkIII, like it's AF system, and it should be a heck of a camera. One of the main reasons I went with the 7D though is the FPS for the race track, which is as good as it gets unless you go 1 series. I have a feeling that if I'm ever at the point where I'm deciding to buy a 5D, I'll probably end up with a used or previous generation 1D when the latest iteration is out.

That Olympus EPL1 is a neat little camera. Amazing what you can cram into a camera that small. The Sony NEX series blows my mind.


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## Dleg (Jan 13, 2011)

^I'd like to get something like the EPL1 or a NEX camera. I like the idea, and I like the size. The NEX comes with a flash, which to me is a plus - you have to buy one separately for the Olympus, correct?


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## navyasw02 (Jan 13, 2011)

Dleg said:


> ^I'd like to get something like the EPL1 or a NEX camera. I like the idea, and I like the size. The NEX comes with a flash, which to me is a plus - you have to buy one separately for the Olympus, correct?


The EPL1 and the replacement EPL2 coming in Feb both have flashes built in. I'd get the EPL2, but I just got the EPL1 before Christmas. Dont bother with the EP-1 or EP-2, they're just more expensive and you're paying for some scroll wheels on the back. Supposedly that's what makes it more "professional", but I find the controls on the EPL1 equally easy to use. It's a great camaera with its kit lens, but when combined with the 20mm Panasonic pancake lens, it's fantastic.


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## Dleg (Jan 13, 2011)

^Thanks for the info. I can't afford it right now anyway, so I will wait for the new model and skip the higher priced version.


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## navyasw02 (Jan 13, 2011)

Dleg said:


> ^Thanks for the info. I can't afford it right now anyway, so I will wait for the new model and skip the higher priced version.


One more thing - the Olympus EPL1 has in body image stabilization. I was toying with the idea of getting the Panasonic micro 4/3rds GF1 which is similar, but doesn't have it in body. The In body is great and is awesome, especially when you start mixing and matching lenses.


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