in want of a big-girl camera and need your help!

[iggbees]

soooo i've decided that as a present to myself for getting into graduate school i want to buy myself a big-girls camera. the one that i have right now (samsung i6) is a great point and shoot, but i'm looking for something with a little more oomph. i honestly don't know where to start. i saw a posting for a canon s3 and that's basically the type of camera i want, i actually really like that camera (especially that it's pretty small).

any advice would be great!

[ukcatfan]

What do you want to get out of it? Any particular features? What will your typical shooting situations be?

Kevin

[iggbees]

ah yes. that probably would have been good for me to say...

i'm looking for something that i can kind of learn more complicated photo techniques with, i'm basically just tired of the crappy pictures that i get with point and shoot cameras. i'm interested in being able to not only take daytime photos, but nice night time shots. i also want something that i can attach various lenses to, because i'd like to be able to get some nice distance shots.

i really still have a lot to learn about cameras, so i don't exactly know everything i'm looking for. i'm really looking for a good learner dslr camera.

[tinksdad]

If you want to try different focal length lenses then you will need to get a DSLR. Some great choices out there right now for any budget. Nikon has the D40x, Canon has several options as well as Pentax.

All the DSLR have manual settings and some have several different mode settings to get you started.

Try going to your local camera store and handle a couple of their offerings. Look for the way it fits your hands and what seem logical/intuitive to you.

[ukcatfan]

I recently bought my first DSLR. It is the Pentax K100D. I have been extremely pleased with it. It is one of the best deals around for price vs. features. I came close to geting the Nikon D50, but the Pentax just had more to offer. It also can use many older lenses that can be found used for very cheap. If you look at Nikon, be aware that the D40 and D40x can only use lenses with their own focusing motor in the lens, so you are limited to a subset of Nikon lenses. Those are also the more expensive lenses.

Kevin

[jann1033]

depending on how involved you want to get you could either go with a dslr or one of the "bridge" type cameras like the s3. there although you can't change the lenses, the zooms they have would cost a lot of money to get the same range in a dslr. if you are used to a normal point and shoot, i think most of the bridge cameras( i only have looked at a few up close and personal, canon, minolta( don't think that is around anymore) panasonic, kodak) offer some sort of manual controls as well as a number of "scene" modes...so if you just want to start learning the basics like shutter speed, imo that might be the way to go as you can use the scene modes meanwhile.

plus you are talking in the $300 vs thousands for a dslr( you are talking about large zooms which you can spend $100s to more likely $1000+ for) the body is just the beginning and even the used pentax lenses are getting higher priced now that there is more of a market for them. just thinking on a student budget....

more and more i believe a dslr with a cheap lousy lens isn't much better than a good bridge that at least might have a decent lens so you really can't imo look at getting a dslr and then buying a few cheap lenses & keep it under $1000 with a good range of focal length...at least it sure hasn't happened for me, maybe non canon brands are way cheaper but from what i've seen they don't really appear to be that much less expensive

so if you really want to get into photography and have the budget and time to learn to use the camera, get a dslr .....if you have a limited budget, not a lot of spare time and want nice snapshots with a little room to grow get one of the bridge cameras
any you can checkout at dpreview or steve's digicams http://www.steves-digicams.com/hardware_reviews.html
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/

[Pugrpooh]

I have a bridge camera, the Sony H5. I'm kind of in your position in that I had a point and shoot and want to learn more with manual controls and I really like the 12x optical zoom. I don't know about the Canon S3, but the H5 (or H2 for a cheaper version), accept different lenses. The Sony site has telephoto, wide angle, and macro lenses plus different filters offered for sale.

It takes excellent pictures, but some of my low light pics have a lot of noise at higher ISO levels. Other low light pics using different settings come out great.

Happy shopping!

[jann1033]

I have a bridge camera, the Sony H5. I'm kind of in your position in that I had a point and shoot and want to learn more with manual controls and I really like the 12x optical zoom. I don't know about the Canon S3, but the H5 (or H2 for a cheaper version), accept different lenses. The Sony site has telephoto, wide angle, and macro lenses plus different filters offered for sale.

It takes excellent pictures, but some of my low light pics have a lot of noise at higher ISO levels. Other low light pics using different settings come out great.

Happy shopping!

you are right about that...i think most were thinking of actual lenses that you take off and replace with a totally different lens...I think the lenses that go with the bridge type cameras are more like teleconverter or filter type lenses that you attach to the lens that is permanently attached to the camera but they do add more angle or zoom..

[ukcatfan]

plus you are talking in the $300 vs thousands for a dslr( you are talking about large zooms which you can spend $100s to more likely $1000+ for) the body is just the beginning and even the used pentax lenses are getting higher priced now that there is more of a market for them. just thinking on a student budget....

You can get a K100D with kit lens (18-55mm) and their 50-200mm for less than $700 after rebates. After the crop factor of 1.5x is accounted for, it is a range of 27-300mm. That would give around 11x zoom range. It would not go as far on the telephoto end as a typical superzoom, but it would start significantly wider than most of them and have much better IQ. I personally need the ability to go as wide as 27mm more than being able to zoom in to 400+mm. Plus with the K100D, you get IS on all lenses.

The OP might be better suited with a superzoom in the $400 range, but only she can decide that. I just want to let her know that the mandatory over $1K level to go DSLR is no longer around like it was a few years ago. She might even want to wait a few months to see how all the new models from everyone pan out before deciding.

For example, if long telephoto is a very important feature, then the Olympus E-510 seems to do that for a pretty nice value IMO. It is not out yet, but will be soon. You get a little more noise with their smaller sensor, but this newer model has IS built in, so high ISO is not needed as much at the tele end as it was on their current models. Sony will likely be introducing some new models soon as well.

I feel like Canon is being too arrogant lately and only concentrating on the high end market. The XTi was certainly not a major enough upgrade to make many XT users want to upgrade. It is without any doubt not the "Revolution" they promised. Nikon is making some decent offerings to the entry and mid level markets, but the features do not add up to what the market hungry players are now offering. C & N had better watch out or they are going to miss out on a bunch of new DSLR users and then a few years down the road they will feel the pinch when those users upgrade and stick with their Pentax, Olympus, Sony, etc. instead of moving to a C or N.

Kevin

P.S. I forgot to mention that I think the Olympus is a nice selection for tele end b/c it has a 2x crop factor instead of the typical 1.5-1.6x at the entry level.

[DisneyGirl4188]

I also have a Pentax K100D. It is a great camera. I have spent a little under $1000 and have four lenses.

I had a Kodak z740 (10x zoom) and it was a nice camera, but I wanted to be able to do more. It just wasn't capable of doing what I wanted a camera to do. I researched a long time to find the dSLR that was right for me. I chose the Pentax because it was a great price and (mostly importantly for me) was the image stability in the body (my Kodak didn't have that, nor do the other dSLRs). It is bigger and heavier than my Kodak, but I feel it's completely worth it.

Owning a dSLR can be an expensive hobby, but starting out it doesn't have to be.

[iggbees]

thank you so much everyone! :thumbsup2 i had no idea there were things called bridge cameras. you're right in thinking that's probably what i'm looking for. i want something easy to learn and has will follow me through my hobby at least for the time being. i like the idea of scene modes, because i still want the simplicity of the point and shoot. my sister had a kodak with a 12x zoom, which was a really nice camera, but after 3 years the camera just quit working. she went to turn it on one day and it wouldn't budge. we tried everything we could think of to get it to work again with no avail.

anyway, this is great info for me. i really love photography, but really have no idea where to start learning about it. i should probably pick up some books...

[YEKCIM]

A few links you might want to use as a starting point:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/best_cameras.html

http://dcresource.com/buyersguide/

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare.asp

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sidebyside.asp

~YEKCIM

[Pugrpooh]

Also, something else I remembered. The other day I read an article that stated that dslr cameras are going to take a huge drop in price this year. They mentioned a starting price of $299 for a dslr.

Sony has just introduced the H7 and H9 with more features than my H5, at cheaper prices. If what they say in the article is true, it might be worth it to you to wait a few months. Three years ago, I bought my Canon 3.2 mp Elph for $350. I thought that was a good price.

[DisneyGirl4188]

anyway, this is great info for me. i really love photography, but really have no idea where to start learning about it. i should probably pick up some books...

I recommend Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson.

[YEKCIM]

Also, something else I remembered. The other day I read an article that stated that dslr cameras are going to take a huge drop in price this year. They mentioned a starting price of $299 for a dslr.


Don't hold your breath...

~YEKCIM

[iggbees]

ok, so i did a little bit of searching and i found something that i like... the nikon d40. it's a bit expensive, but i like the options it has and i also like the pictures that it takes. i was actually really impressed by the night shot on dc review. i think everyone is right saying that i need to go and look and feel them out at a store before i buy. ideally i'd like to get one before my trip in july, but that's totally workable.

[handicap18]

I was going to suggest looking for a Nikon D50. Its pretty much the same as the D40, but will accept more lenses. The D40 is limited to lenses that have a focus motor in them (lenses that have AF-S in their description), the D50 has a focus motor in the body and can use any AF or AF-S lens. The D40 will work with lenses that only have AF, but they will not auto focus, only manual focus.

For some people this wont be a big deal, however if you want to get more into photography the D40 is somewhat limiting and sooner rather than later you'd need to upgrade the body. There are a lot of lenses that have AF-S, however many of the prime and "low-light" inexpensive lenses like the 50mm f/1.8 are AF and will not auto focus with the D40.

The D50 is still available, but is being phased out and can be found for not much more than the D40 (which is also going to be phased out soon as the D40x has recently been announced). Many nikonians consider the D50 one of the best Nikon made. Thus far its the only Nikon dSLR that hasn't needed a firmware update and until the D40 came around (it has the same sensor as the D50) is the best Nikon dSLR (and one of the best overall) for high ISO performance (ISO 800 & 1600, good in low light situations).

Also don't rule out the Pentax K100D. It pains me to mention another company other than Nikon. :teeth: but as a fine upstanding Dis photo board member I find that I should give you your best possible options (on the dSLR side anyway). It is inexpensive and very similar to the Nikon D50. Canon's least expensive is the Rebel XTi, but it is more expensive than the D40, D50 and K100D

Good luck with your shopping.

[jann1033]

I was going to suggest looking for a Nikon D50. Its pretty much the same as the D40, but will accept more lenses. The D40 is limited to lenses that have a focus motor in them (lenses that have AF-S in their description), the D50 has a focus motor in the body and can use any AF or AF-S lens. The D40 will work with lenses that only have AF, but they will not auto focus, only manual focus.

For some people this wont be a big deal, however if you want to get more into photography the D40 is somewhat limiting and sooner rather than later you'd need to upgrade the body. There are a lot of lenses that have AF-S, however many of the prime and "low-light" inexpensive lenses like the 50mm f/1.8 are AF and will not auto focus with the D40.

The D50 is still available, but is being phased out and can be found for not much more than the D40 (which is also going to be phased out soon as the D40x has recently been announced). Many nikonians consider the D50 one of the best Nikon made. Thus far its the only Nikon dSLR that hasn't needed a firmware update and until the D40 came around (it has the same sensor as the D50) is the best Nikon dSLR (and one of the best overall) for high ISO performance (ISO 800 & 1600, good in low light situations).

Also don't rule out the Pentax K100D. It pains me to mention another company other than Nikon. :teeth: but as a fine upstanding Dis photo board member I find that I should give you your best possible options (on the dSLR side anyway). It is inexpensive and very similar to the Nikon D50. Canon's least expensive is the Rebel XTi, but it is more expensive than the D40, D50 and K100D

Good luck with your shopping.
you forgot the rebel xt which is now around $600 with the kit lens( could be less some places) so i think more than the pentax cheaper models but at least it used to be less than the nikon d50( having not checked lately)

not trying to start a dslr war either btw but you guys with the under $1000 dslr kits have my admiration for your self control in buying lenses:) I guess I just do not have that same steely determination :lmao: as that was my original intent (approaching) $3000 ago i mean:rolleyes: :eek:( only tripled it and i only "need" about another $1000 worth of stuff, ok $1600, course then i will want a body upgrade:confused3 ...and the beat goes on....but i did get a $100 back on the body so....what a bargain:rotfl2: :rotfl2: :rotfl2: ( really i am happy with it and am not sorry i got it just wouldn't consider it an inexpensive purchase. i really think of the lenses as investments)

see reason for editing....

[photo_chick]

For the record... There are still Canon Rebel XT bodies out there new. Around Christmas I saw the body only locally for around $300 (just after the XTi came out, and that was a sale). You can find it with a kit lens for under $500 if you look around.

Not going to get into the whole Canon/Nikon debate here.. Just wanted to point out that you can still pick that one up for a good price if you look around. Personally I have the Rebel XT and my FIL has the Nikon D50. Both are great cameras.


jann1033.... I have not kept to a small kit out of any sense of self control, I have a lack of funds!!!! Somehow my extra money keeps getting spent on video games and vacations!

[Groucho]

One other point worth mentioning is that the Nikons and the Pentaxes use exactly the same sensor. If you shoot in raw, you'll get the same quality, the only difference is the lens... and the Pentax has a good a kit lens as any. The big difference is that the Pentax has image stabilization in the body, which is a huge difference IMHO.

Jann, I hate to say it, but I think part of the problem with big lens buys is that you're using a Canon... it seems like many of the cheaper lenses are not all they should be and are there to encourage you to buy the L lenses. The extra cost of IS adds significantly, too, something that Pentax, Sony, and now Olympus buyers don't need to pay for with every new lens. (Of course, Pentax is about to release a $900 and a $1,000 zoom, so they're not immune to the big-dollar lenses, but most aren't that pricey!)

Back on topic, based on the OP's original post, I would say that a DSLR is probably a better choice than a bridge camera. If she truly wants to be able to do more and get better quality, then she'll probably quickly outgrow the bridge camera (especially when trying to do night photos) and will have to move up to a DSLR. In the long run, you'll probably save money - and I doubt you'll be able to pick up a DSLR for another cheaper than the K110D ($400 after rebate) any time soon!

The current rebate offer ends in five days, but there will probably be another one soon afterwards.

[Master Mason]

C & N had better watch out or they are going to miss out on a bunch of new DSLR users and then a few years down the road they will feel the pinch when those users upgrade and stick with their Pentax, Olympus, Sony, etc. instead of moving to a C or N.

Kevin
Kevin, I don't know about that, as prices fall, and more and more people can make the move from either film SLR's or P&S to dSLR's the market itself is growing. Think back to the 80's and how many film SLR companies were around and doing just fine. The SLR market is not a zero sum one, it will be growing, and as prices fall, it will grow rapidly for a while. And back in the 80's C & N were never the lowprice leaders, they didn't want the low end, they were happy with what I would think of as a mid teir entry point.

[iggbees]

Back on topic, based on the OP's original post, I would say that a DSLR is probably a better choice than a bridge camera. If she truly wants to be able to do more and get better quality, then she'll probably quickly outgrow the bridge camera (especially when trying to do night photos) and will have to move up to a DSLR. In the long run, you'll probably save money - and I doubt you'll be able to pick up a DSLR for another cheaper than the K110D ($400 after rebate) any time soon!

The current rebate offer ends in five days, but there will probably be another one soon afterwards.

where is this rebate? or is it just an automatic rebate? i took a look at the camera and it's in my price range for sure. just need to look at the specs!

also, is the pentax k100d that much better of a camera than the k110d?

reading the reviews i'm actually really impressed with the camera. i love the anti shake (granted i will have a tripod) but it's always helpful when you're taking a quick shot.

[ukcatfan]

Kevin, I don't know about that, as prices fall, and more and more people can make the move from either film SLR's or P&S to dSLR's the market itself is growing. Think back to the 80's and how many film SLR companies were around and doing just fine. The SLR market is not a zero sum one, it will be growing, and as prices fall, it will grow rapidly for a while. And back in the 80's C & N were never the lowprice leaders, they didn't want the low end, they were happy with what I would think of as a mid teir entry point.

I am not really talking in terms of price. I am talking about features. C&N will always have something that will be available to the entry level buyer. I consider the XTi that model right now. Most people going DSLR are not going to just go buy the cheapest for that reason. I am not saying that. But, consider that many people are considering the switch right now and even more are coming with the lowering prices. A very large portion of them have no predisposed opinions for a brand. For example, if you did not know anything about brand history, preference, etc. which would you buy with similar prices:

DSLR model 1 with 10MP or
DSLR model 2 with 10MP and IS built in the body

My point is that there are many uninformed buyers out there that do absolutely no homework before buying. We are truly a minority portion of the buyers. Realistically, which one of the above do you think the uninformed buyer will pick? I am also not saying that C&N are going to fade away. I am saying that they are risking their market share by not keeping up with the competition on features. I totally agree that there is room in the market for more big players than there currently are. These new offerings should be a wake up call to C&N.

Also, for the record, I am a Canon fan. I have had the A70, A520, S1 IS, and now S2 IS. I was practically set on the XT until I handled one and was disappointed. The next level up was too much $$$. I then liked the D50, but felt a little guilty going with the main competition to Canon. I almost went with the *ist DL, but hesitated and the price went up to more than I felt it was worth. That is when the K100D was released and I was sold. In terms of feel and handling, the Pentax seems very similar to the Nikons to me. I have never looked back. I also only have about $100 invested in Pentax specific gear and do not plan much more, so I am not locked in the system if C&N become more attractive a few years from now.

Kevin

[ukcatfan]

where is this rebate? or is it just an automatic rebate? i took a look at the camera and it's in my price range for sure. just need to look at the specs!

also, is the pentax k100d that much better of a camera than the k110d?

reading the reviews i'm actually really impressed with the camera. i love the anti shake (granted i will have a tripod) but it's always helpful when you're taking a quick shot.

The anti shake is the only difference between the K110D and the K100D. When I got my K100D, it was only about a $90 difference, so I thought it was worth it.

Kevin

[Groucho]

where is this rebate? or is it just an automatic rebate? i took a look at the camera and it's in my price range for sure. just need to look at the specs!

also, is the pentax k100d that much better of a camera than the k110d?

reading the reviews i'm actually really impressed with the camera. i love the anti shake (granted i will have a tripod) but it's always helpful when you're taking a quick shot.
You'd turn the IS off when on a tripod, FWIW. The IS is really the only difference between the K110D and K100D - the K100D is probably a touch heavier because of it, but I don't think significantly so. I'd definitely go for the K100D, then you won't be wondering what you're missing by not having IS, and probably won't have any need to upgrade bodies for a while.

You can get rebate info from the Pentax SLR (http://www.pentaxslr.com/home) site (also linked in my signature), it's $50 off the K110D or K100D, plus lots of lens and flash rebates, and if you buy a few at once, you get a bigger rebate.

The only real "Achilles Heel" of the K1x0D is that it's got a small buffer, meaning that it can't take many pictures in a row (5 with jpg, 3 with raw) compared to some of the competition. The slightly older *ist DS and DS2 are larger (11 jpgs) but no IS, and the K10D is unlimited jpgs in a row (and a ton of other new features), but is a good amount more expensive, and larger and heavier.

[iggbees]

The anti shake is the only difference between the K110D and the K100D. When I got my K100D, it was only about a $90 difference, so I thought it was worth it.

Kevin

that's exactly what it is now. i think i'm going to order that camera. after looking at the specs it looks perfect for me. on steve's digicam he even says that it's a great one up from a point and shoot and will follow you through your increased interest.

[iggbees]

You'd turn the IS off when on a tripod, FWIW. The IS is really the only difference between the K110D and K100D - the K100D is probably a touch heavier because of it, but I don't think significantly so. I'd definitely go for the K100D, then you won't be wondering what you're missing by not having IS, and probably won't have any need to upgrade bodies for a while.

You can get rebate info from the Pentax SLR (http://www.pentaxslr.com/home) site (also linked in my signature), it's $50 off the K110D or K100D, plus lots of lens and flash rebates, and if you buy a few at once, you get a bigger rebate.

The only real "Achilles Heel" of the K1x0D is that it's got a small buffer, meaning that it can't take many pictures in a row (5 with jpg, 3 with raw) compared to some of the competition. The slightly older *ist DS and DS2 are larger (11 jpgs) but no IS, and the K10D is unlimited jpgs in a row (and a ton of other new features), but is a good amount more expensive, and larger and heavier.

thanks so much!

[DisneyGirl4188]

I ordered from beachcamera.com I believe the camera is $535.00 right now with a mail-in $50 rebate. I ordered on a Wednesday and had my camera on Saturday (with standard shipping). You will love this camera!

[ukcatfan]

thanks so much! do you know where the best place to buy a combo from would be? i checked out amazon and they only have a 18-55 mm f 3.5/5.6 lens, not what the rebate is for though. or should i just buy everything seperately, body and a starting lens or 2?

I bought from Beach Camera. Their sister site is Buydig, but prices and availability can be different. Both are well respected and do not try to pressure you into things you do not want or do any bait -n- switch deals. The best around is typically thought of as B&H Photo, but Adorama is another well respected one. Check to see what those four are offering right now.

The DA 18-55mm is known as the "kit" lens and is a pretty decent lens for the price. Look for a body and kit lens combo. Mine was only $17 more than the body alone. You still get the rebate on the body when you buy the combo BTW. A very nice complimenting lens would be the DA 50-200mm. That would give you 27-300mm in terms of 35mm film format (the typical descriptive range). Another very nice lens to add is the 50mm f/1.4. It is a prime lens meaning that there is no zoom. The benefit is that it allows a much wider open aperture than a zoom. This helps with low light and creating a shallow depth of field (area in focus).

Or, you could do what I did and just get the kit and buy some used lenses. I have three lenses and all three together were less than $100. My tele lens is not as nice as the DA 50-200mm, but it was only ~$25. I also have a 50mm prime, but it is a manual focus f/2. It was ~$40. I bought both from KEH.com, but there are tons upon tons of used Pentax mount lenses around.

Kevin

[iggbees]

thank you everyone! i'm so excited to get my new camera now! i was actually really impressed reading the reviews of the camera and it seems that everyone is really happy with it. it's much better than the nikon d40 and the canon is out of my price range.

i think this weekend i'll go to barnes and nobles and pick up a book or 2 on cameras. i really love photography.

[Jeanne B]

that's exactly what it is now. i think i'm going to order that camera. after looking at the specs it looks perfect for me. on steve's digicam he even says that it's a great one up from a point and shoot and will follow you through your increased interest.


Great choice!! I have the K100 with the 18-55, 50-200 and 50mm 1.4 lenses, all for less than $1000. I ordered the camera w/ 18-55 lens from beachcamera, the 50-200 from Amazon and the prime lens from OneCall.

[Groucho]

thank you everyone! i'm so excited to get my new camera now! i was actually really impressed reading the reviews of the camera and it seems that everyone is really happy with it. it's much better than the nikon d40 and the canon is out of my price range.

i think this weekend i'll go to barnes and nobles and pick up a book or 2 on cameras. i really love photography.
Congrats! But to be fair, the D40 isn't all that much different than the Pentaxes, but it doesn't have the backwards lens compatability (the Pentax works with any Pentax lens ever, the D40 only works with newer Nikon lenses - the D50 works with many more Nikon lenses) or the image stabilization. It's also a touch "dumbed down" to appeal to a first-time DSLR buyer, some feel that it's done at the expense of being a worthwhile choice, which is why the D50 is usually recommended instead.

Since my wife is a librarian, I have to say, don't forget the library when looking for a photography book. :) Your local library system may even let you search the collections online.

For lenses, I'd definitely recommend getting the "kit" lens, and the 50-200 is a nice pair. Plus, if you buy both at once, you get a $150 rebate, instead of the $100 you'd get if you buy them separately. The only problem is that Beach doesn't have the 50-200mm. (Occasionally they do but I think they sell out quick!) Adorama has the K100D w/kit lens for $540 and the 50-200 for $220, plus $16 shipping... so a total of $776, minus $150 rebate, $626. You lose a little bit due to a slightly higher price and shipping, but the extra rebate makes up for it.

Once you get that, the 50mm 1.4 should probably be your next lens... it's a stellar lens that's extremely good in low-light (in other words, it's very fast!)

[iggbees]

my camera is on the fex ex vehicle for delivery! i'm really excited to get it! i'll let you all know how it goes.

i think i'd like to buy the gorillapod as a easy to use tripod for my july vacay. i loved the gorillapod i bought for my point and shoot. made it so easy to take pictures and nice ones at that!

[Groucho]

There's three models of Gorillapod last time I looked... the small one will definitely not be up to holding your DSLR. There's the Gorillapod SLR and Gorillapod SLR Zoom, which you choose will probably depend on the lens you use. The basic kit lens and a 50-200mm will probably be OK on the SLR one, but I'm not sure of the weight recommendations off the top of my head, and don't have one so have no first-hand experience.

[ukcatfan]

my camera is on the fex ex vehicle for delivery! i'm really excited to get it! i'll let you all know how it goes.

i think i'd like to buy the gorillapod as a easy to use tripod for my july vacay. i loved the gorillapod i bought for my point and shoot. made it so easy to take pictures and nice ones at that!

Congrats! I guess we will not be hearing from you for a few days. Be sure to add your first shot to the first shot thread. I have not been able to b/c my firsts have had DW in them and she does not like her pic posted.

Here are a few ins and outs with it that I have found. Get to know the custom menu. It has some very important features in it, but must be turned on to have them active. In bright daylight with the kit, mine seems to underexpose a tiny little bit, so I use exposure compensation of around .3-.7. Every lens has a different "personality" and will require slightly different settings.

The kit seems to be the sharpest to me at around f/8 at 18mm to around f/10-11 at 55mm. I try to keep it in that general range when possible. Some shots just demand that the aperture be different, so just be aware that those can be a little softer. Every lens has this so called "sweet spot" aperture, so I just wanted to pass on my personal experiences. I also generally avoid shooting most shots completely wide angle unless I can't avoid it b/c the widest also tends to go a little softer than the midpoint area. Also, I am not trying to scare you with where it does not work the best, just letting you know how to get the most out of it. Even at the softest settings, it seems better than my S2 at its best.

Also, be aware of your DOF and take advantage of the DOF preview feature (there are two types, but I prefer the optical). Coming from a p&s, I was blown away by how much more control there is over the DOF.

Be sure to ask any questions that come up. You can post them here or PM me.

Kevin

[iggbees]

There's three models of Gorillapod last time I looked... the small one will definitely not be up to holding your DSLR. There's the Gorillapod SLR and Gorillapod SLR Zoom, which you choose will probably depend on the lens you use. The basic kit lens and a 50-200mm will probably be OK on the SLR one, but I'm not sure of the weight recommendations off the top of my head, and don't have one so have no first-hand experience.

haha. i could just imagine my new camera squishing my little bitty tripod. yeah, i looked online last night about which one to get. the dslr one seems to be the right one. i'm not really thinking of buying a huge lens any time soon and if i do, i think i'd get a real tripod.

[jann1033]

haha. i could just imagine my new camera squishing my little bitty tripod. yeah, i looked online last night about which one to get. the dslr one seems to be the right one. i'm not really thinking of buying a huge lens any time soon and if i do, i think i'd get a real tripod.

i got a nice bogen monopod for about 1/2+ the price of a dslr gorilla pod and i think for me that's better since i dont have to find anything to attach it to...holds either 11 or 13 lbs( can't remember) model 676 b if interested

[iggbees]

so i got my camera today and i hit the jackpot! i was over my boyfriend's parents house and his step dad said that he had an old pentax that was given to him 2 weeks after returning it to the police when he worked for the airport, since nobody claimed it. in the bag was 3 old pentax lenses, a k1000 and a flash. i tried them out on my camera and they work! granted they are manual focus and probably 30 years old, but you can't beat free!

there was a 135mm, 50mm, and a 28mm. what an awesome way to start out my new camera hobby!

[ukcatfan]

so i got my camera today and i hit the jackpot! i was over my boyfriend's parents house and his step dad said that he had an old pentax that was given to him 2 weeks after returning it to the police when he worked for the airport, since nobody claimed it. in the bag was 3 old pentax lenses, a k1000 and a flash. i tried them out on my camera and they work! granted they are manual focus and probably 30 years old, but you can't beat free!

there was a 135mm, 50mm, and a 28mm. what an awesome way to start out my new camera hobby!

WOW!!! That is great. It sounds like those are primes, so they should be very nice optically. I have the manual focus 50mm SMC-A f/2 and it is nice in low light. Manual focas is not that bad. Post the f/# and the type (i.e. SMC-A, SMC-F) and we might be able to find some reviews of them for you. The type also determines what modes you can use. Also, are they Pentax brand lenses or a third party? You can always use the K1000 to do something different like B&W. Film is still better than digital for that. The flash will probably work on the K100D, but it would likely be in complete manual mode b/c the metering type has changed since then and the K100D needs P-TTL.

Kevin

[iggbees]

WOW!!! That is great. It sounds like those are primes, so they should be very nice optically. I have the manual focus 50mm SMC-A f/2 and it is nice in low light. Manual focas is not that bad. Post the f/# and the type (i.e. SMC-A, SMC-F) and we might be able to find some reviews of them for you. The type also determines what modes you can use. Also, are they Pentax brand lenses or a third party? You can always use the K1000 to do something different like B&W. Film is still better than digital for that. The flash will probably work on the K100D, but it would likely be in complete manual mode b/c the metering type has changed since then and the K100D needs P-TTL.

Kevin

hmm... let me see what the f/stop is. ok, all of the lenses are smc pentax-a's and they all have a f/1:2.8. i played around yesterday with the lenses a bit and they aren't that bad. i took this picture with the 28mm one:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b136/ineedkelp/IMGP0003.jpg

[ukcatfan]

hmm... let me see what the f/stop is. ok, all of the lenses are smc pentax-a's and they all have a f/1:2.8. i played around yesterday with the lenses a bit and they aren't that bad. i took this picture with the 28mm one:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b136/ineedkelp/IMGP0003.jpg

If they are SMC-A, then you can use all of the modes b/c the camera can control the aperture. Be sure to set the aperture ring to "A" to do this.

Here are a few links about lenses that you can look at.

http://www.pentaximaging.com/products/cameras/historical_products/

http://www.photodo.com/products.html

Kevin

[Groucho]

Wow! That's fantastic! K1000s alone still go for a decent price and are pretty much bulletproof... I used mine (along with my DSLR) on my last WDW trip.

To tell the speed, look on the aperture ring and tell us the lowest number listed there. The 50mm might be a 2.0 or 1.7... the 28mm is probably 2.8... and if the 135 is a 2.8 then you really did hit the jackpot, that's fast for a telephoto lens! And they're all Pentax SMCs... fantastic, those are all top-notch lenses. I'll be happy to take the 135mm off your hands if it's a 2.8. ;)

BTW, SMC means Super Multi Coating, which is the coating on the glass. Some independent reviewers have said that it's about the best coating out there. As you get into really old Pentax lenses, you'll see some MC ones, which is an earlier version.

As for the flash, that probably won't work - I haven't even bothered trying my old K1000 flash on my DSLR. The DSLR requires P-TTL, which is Pentax's Through-The-Lens metering, and so you need a much more modern flash than what the K1000 would have had.