Researching Cameras

[ColleenG]

Is there a good website to research DSLRs? I know a lot of you guys use either Cannons or Nikons. What is the difference between the two? Thanks for the help.

 

[zackiedawg]

Dpreview is a pretty good site, with reviews, comparisons, and forums set up for each brand. Other review sites might be worth a look too, like Steve's Digicams, or Image Resource.

Difference between Canon and Nikon...really, not much when you get down to it. Or Olympus, Pentax, or Sony for that matter. A DSLR is a capable camera, and much of it comes down to the user being comfortable with the camera, having or learning skill to get the most out of it, and pairing it with the right lenses for the situation at hand. There are great photographers using every brand of camera in the DSLR market, and there are bad photographers using every brand too. The good photos mostly come from the good photographers...but a few slip by due to the camera alone.

 

[ukcatfan]

Let me throw http://www.dcresource.com/ in the mix. I have always found the reviews there to be the most unbiased. DPReview always seems to dog the little guys and unnecessarily praise the big guys. I also like Steve's, but he does not get very technical. As for brand, I have to agree with zackiedawg that you should start out considering all brands when starting from scratch. If you don't, you might miss out of the camera that would have been perfect for you.

 

[ssanders79]

You can check out Ken Rockwell's site. It is very Nikon biased, but he does have a recommended camera's page. Ken's site along with other online customer reviews from B&H and Amazon helped me choose the D40 over a Rebel.

Just remember when you make your purchase you are buying into the brand. Even though you might not have the budget to get all the gear upfront, you will most likely want to add to your gear in the future. Make sure you are comfortable with all the products in a camera maker's line.

Most importantly go to a store that allows you to hold the camera. Make sure it fits well in your hands.

I decided to buy into the Nikon brand because the lens mount accepted old glass. It might be all manual, but this opened up my opens when lens shopping.

In all I spent about 6 months researching brands before I made my purchase.

 

[Angrypenguin]

I wanted to agree with what most people have said here. Keep in mind you're buying into a system, not a specific camera necessarily. dpreview I've found is a great source; pcphotomag isn't too bad either. However, I do need to respectfully disagree with ssanders about Ken Rockwell. He's about as biased as they come, his articles and advice are poorly written, and I don't even think he's that talented of a photographer.

I chose Canon because of the wide selection of lenses available. Go to the store, hold the cameras, see how they feel. Test the menus, and evaluate what features you need for the type of shooting that you want to do.

Good luck, have fun!

 

[boBQuincy]

I would have to second AngryPenguin's opinion about Ken Rockwell. Those of us that have studied photography for some time can separate the facts from the fantasy but for a newbie or someone looking for their first SLR Ken's site offers some pretty dangerous advice.

He *is* entertaining though!

DXOmark is another interesting site that give a basic number for sensor "goodness". One of the interesting things is that there is often little significant difference between brands.

 

[jfinke]

I would have to third Angrypenguin's opinion. Ken has figured out if you write a lot of controversial or wrong items you get a lot of hits which translates into ads view and affiliate links.

 

[ColleenG]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. Now I have a place to start.

 

[ssanders79]

I want to defend myself. As a few of you really seemed to bash my post. I used Ken's site to specifically read more on the D40. I used various other websites and photmags to really make my decision along with hands on use at the box stores before I ordered from B&H.

After re-reading my post I still do not see where I specifically said to use Ken's site as gospel. In fact, I was very clear in labeling his site Nikon biased.

 

[bob100]

I want to defend myself. As a few of you really seemed to bash my post. I used Ken's site to specifically read more on the D40. I used various other websites and photmags to really make my decision along with hands on use at the box stores before I ordered from B&H.
After re-reading my post I still do not see where I specifically said to use Ken's site as gospel. In fact, I was very clear in labeling his site Nikon biased.

right, - but it could a problem for those that don't realize his site is for entertainment and not real camera advice. I find his UFO / space alien beliefs entertainment!
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nm/aliens/index.htm

 

[boBQuincy]

I want to defend myself. As a few of you really seemed to bash my post. I used Ken's site to specifically read more on the D40. I used various other websites and photmags to really make my decision along with hands on use at the box stores before I ordered from B&H.

After re-reading my post I still do not see where I specifically said to use Ken's site as gospel. In fact, I was very clear in labeling his site Nikon biased.

No bashing meant or intended, just a difference of opinion.

 

[ukcatfan]

Ken Rockwell Facts

* Ken Rockwell is the Chuck Norris of photography

* Ken Rockwell's camera has similar settings to ours, except his are: P[erfect] Av[Awesome Priority Tv[Totally Awesome Priority] M[ajestic]

* Ken Rockwell doesn't color correct. He adjusts your world to match his.

* Sure, Ken Rockwell deletes a bad photo or two. Other people call these Pulitzers.

* Ken Rockwell doesn't adjust his DOF, he changes space-time.

* Circle of confusion? You might be confused. Ken Rockwell never is.

* Ken Rockwell doesn't wait for the light when he shoots a landscape - the light waits for him.

* Ken Rockwell never flips his camera in portrait position, he flips the earth

* Ken Rockwell ordered an L-lens from Nikon, and got one.

* Ken Rockwell is the only person to have photographed Jesus; unfortunately he ran out of film and had to use a piece of cloth instead.

* When Ken Rockwell brackets a shot, the three versions of the photo win first place in three different categories

* Before Nikon or Canon releases a camera they go to Ken and they ask him to test them, the best cameras get a Nikon sticker and the less good get a Canon sticker

* Once Ken tested a camera, he said I cant even put Canon on this one,thats how Pentax was born

* Rockwellian policy isn't doublethink - Ken doesn't even need to think once

* Ken Rockwell doesn't use flash ever since the Nagasaki incident.

* Only Ken Rockwell can take pictures of Ken Rockwell; everyone else would just get their film overexposed by the light of his genius

* Ken Rockwell wanted something to distract the lesser photographers, and lo, there were ducks.

* Ken Rockwell is the only one who can take self-portraits of you

* Ken Rockwell's nudes were fully clothed at the time of exposure

* Ken Rockwell once designed a zoom lens. You know it as the Hubble SpaceTelescope.

* When Ken unpacks his CF card, it already has masterpieces on it.

* Rockwell portraits are so lifelike, they have to pay taxes

* On Ken Rockwell's desktop, the Trash Icon is really a link to National Geographic Magazine

* Ken Rockwell spells point-and-shoot "h-a-s-s-e-l-b-l-a-d"

* When Ken Rockwell went digital, National Geographic nearly went out of business because he was no longer phyically discarding photos

* For every 10 shots that Ken Rockwell takes, 11 are keepers.

* Ken Rockwell's digital files consist of 0's, 1's AND 2's.

* Ken Rockwell never focus, everything moves into his DoF

* Ken Rockwell's shots are so perfect, Adobe redesigned photoshop for him: all it consists of is a close button.

* Ken Rockwell never produces awful work, only work too advanced for the viewer

* A certain braind of hig-end cameras was named after people noticed the quality was a lot "like a" rockwell

* Ken Rockwell isn't the Chuck Norris of photography; Chuck Norris is the Ken Rockwell of martial arts.

* Ken Rockwell never starts, he continues

 

[Angrypenguin]

Ken Rockwell Facts

* Ken Rockwell is the Chuck Norris of photography

* Ken Rockwell's camera has similar settings to ours, except his are: P[erfect] Av[Awesome Priority Tv[Totally Awesome Priority] M[ajestic]

* Ken Rockwell doesn't color correct. He adjusts your world to match his.

* Sure, Ken Rockwell deletes a bad photo or two. Other people call these Pulitzers.

* Ken Rockwell doesn't adjust his DOF, he changes space-time.

* Circle of confusion? You might be confused. Ken Rockwell never is.

* Ken Rockwell doesn't wait for the light when he shoots a landscape - the light waits for him.

* Ken Rockwell never flips his camera in portrait position, he flips the earth

* Ken Rockwell ordered an L-lens from Nikon, and got one.

* Ken Rockwell is the only person to have photographed Jesus; unfortunately he ran out of film and had to use a piece of cloth instead.

* When Ken Rockwell brackets a shot, the three versions of the photo win first place in three different categories

* Before Nikon or Canon releases a camera they go to Ken and they ask him to test them, the best cameras get a Nikon sticker and the less good get a Canon sticker

* Once Ken tested a camera, he said I cant even put Canon on this one,thats how Pentax was born

* Rockwellian policy isn't doublethink - Ken doesn't even need to think once

* Ken Rockwell doesn't use flash ever since the Nagasaki incident.

* Only Ken Rockwell can take pictures of Ken Rockwell; everyone else would just get their film overexposed by the light of his genius

* Ken Rockwell wanted something to distract the lesser photographers, and lo, there were ducks.

* Ken Rockwell is the only one who can take self-portraits of you

* Ken Rockwell's nudes were fully clothed at the time of exposure

* Ken Rockwell once designed a zoom lens. You know it as the Hubble SpaceTelescope.

* When Ken unpacks his CF card, it already has masterpieces on it.

* Rockwell portraits are so lifelike, they have to pay taxes

* On Ken Rockwell's desktop, the Trash Icon is really a link to National Geographic Magazine

* Ken Rockwell spells point-and-shoot "h-a-s-s-e-l-b-l-a-d"

* When Ken Rockwell went digital, National Geographic nearly went out of business because he was no longer phyically discarding photos

* For every 10 shots that Ken Rockwell takes, 11 are keepers.

* Ken Rockwell's digital files consist of 0's, 1's AND 2's.

* Ken Rockwell never focus, everything moves into his DoF

* Ken Rockwell's shots are so perfect, Adobe redesigned photoshop for him: all it consists of is a close button.

* Ken Rockwell never produces awful work, only work too advanced for the viewer

* A certain braind of hig-end cameras was named after people noticed the quality was a lot "like a" rockwell

* Ken Rockwell isn't the Chuck Norris of photography; Chuck Norris is the Ken Rockwell of martial arts.

* Ken Rockwell never starts, he continues

That, sir, is EPIC.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

OMG ukcatfan - that is hilarious!

 

[ukcatfan]

I wish I could claim it as my own! I have received it multiple times in e-mails and have seen it on some other message boards. It is funny though. Funny b/c it is true!

 

[Gdad]

* Ken Rockwell ordered an L-lens from Nikon, and got one.

Classic-

 

[YesDear]

Colleen:

I am sorry that the photo geeks have stolen your thread and have started editorializing about the ego's of internet journalists! Yeah guys I am kidding here!

There are a number of good resources on the internet to get a myriad of opinions regarding photography equipment.

Mr. Rockwell, Ken to his friends, is probably the most talked about of his kind. Fortunately he is a true one of a kind!!!!!!! As you have seen, it is hard not to have an opinion about Ken!

Ken has actually accumulated a pretty nice collection or resources for equipment and lenses, particularly Nikon. Read the technical specs just don't read the opinions until you have one of your own!