Canon 400D (Rebel Xti, Kiss X)

[Groucho]

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=canon_eos450d%2Cnikon_d60%2Cpentax_k200d%2Cpanasonic_dmcfz20&show=all

That's a side by side of the 3 camera's plus my current one (FZ20).

The K200D has many features on it that I like (as most of them do), and basically it was not on my list because I have not seen one in person yet. There is a camera store near our mall that I'll have to check to see if they have it as that would be another option.

I would want to get a decent telephoto/zoom lens at around 200mm and f/2.8. Are Pentax compatible lenses as easy to find as C and N?

Pentax does have a 200mm F2.8 prime lens (which is about $1,000, Canon has one for about $700, Nikon doesn't have one, note than the Canon does not have IS), but they don't have a 70-200mm lens. Instead, they have a 50-135mm F2.8 which is smaller and about half the weight of a 70-200mm F2.8 and covers about the same focal length as a 70-200mm does on a film camera. It's also much, much cheaper than the C/N 70-200mm. On the third-party front, Sigma's updated 70-200mm F2.8 and Tamron's long-delayed 70-200mm F2.8 will both be available for Pentax. Those lenses will be about $700-800, and will have IS on the Pentax, whereas you'll have to spend more than 2x the cost and get OEM lenses that have IS on the C/N front.

Now, are Pentax lenses as easy to find? Well, it depends on where you're shopping. You probably won't find any in Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Office Max, or wholesale stores. You will find them in most decent-sized camera stores, and at nearly all internet sellers of camera gear, like B&H, Adorama, Beach, Amazon, etc, etc, etc.

Also, FWIW, it was mentioned earlier how the viewfinder is "busier" on the XTi than the D60 because of more focus points. The focus points are completely invisible on the Pentax viewfinders until they are actually lit up, so that's not a concern with them.

 

[undertheseas]

Any suggestions? I can't spend a lot of money but I'd like to have a wide angle for our up-coming trip. Sorry if this has been asked before, I tried searching the forum but it didn't find anything. TIA!

 

[boBQuincy]

The "kit lens" 18-55 is fairly wide and low cost. For a little wider the (in) famous Zenitar 16 works well for a manual focus, manual aperture lens. It is semi-fisheye on a 1.6x camera but for all but critical use it is either not noticeable or easily corrected.

 

[jann1033]

how much is too much? tokina and tamron have some wide angle zooms for around $400...the kit for canon you can pick up sometimes for under $100. maybe check out some used? ( keh, adorama, fredmirands,b&h all sell used stuff)

 

[frugal_mar]

Do your friends/family have a specific DSLR? If so, it is great to share lenses. I have Nikon as well as a good number of my friends. We are always borrowing lenses and sometimes the bodies too. For a family wedding, I borrowed a friends D80 so I could shoot with three bodies, my own D80 & D50 and his D80. It was a big help. When he went to Florida, I lent him 4 of my lenses.

I also have 80-200 F2.8 that one of another one of my friends uses at swimming meets. He is saving up for his own.

 

[tyedye]

The one thing that does concern me with me K200 is that I read some reviews somewhere (can't remember where as I've been reading about all these for quite some time now) that it was not a great camera for sports pictures. Now granted I'm not a professional photographer and am not taking pics for sports illus or anything but one of my main reasons for getting a dSLR is to get better pictures of my kids playing sports (mainly soccer and swimming, some basketball and then whatever else they choose to participate in).

frugal mar-I mentioned earlier that I do have a friend who has a Canon Rebel dSLR and another with a D70. Not sure what lenses they each have as I have not had a need to ask as I can't use them currently.

All the entry level dSLR's have features that are good, all have some bad or not so good features and all are missing a few things that would be nice to have been included. As has been mentioned on this board all are capable of taking good pics if one learns how to use the features available to them. I just need to decide which camera and compatible lenses has the features that will benefit me the most for taking the kind of pictures I want.

Maybe the answer is that any would fit my needs since they all have so much to offer, so I just need to decide. Since it does involve money and an investment into that line of products, it is not a decision that I can make easily. So I still haven't made up my mind and I'll keep reading and researching.

 

[Groucho]

The one thing that does concern me with me K200 is that I read some reviews somewhere (can't remember where as I've been reading about all these for quite some time now) that it was not a great camera for sports pictures. Now granted I'm not a professional photographer and am not taking pics for sports illus or anything but one of my main reasons for getting a dSLR is to get better pictures of my kids playing sports (mainly soccer and swimming, some basketball and then whatever else they choose to participate in).

I think the main reason for that is because it has a fairly small buffer - it can take fewer photos in continuous shooting mode than most of the competition. (I think Olympuses have similar limitations but I don't remember off the top of my head.) It's kind of a shame that they did it as in many ways, the K200D is a "K10D Lite" and the K10D could shoot JPGs forever until your memory card was full without slowing down, and many RAWs before slowing down.

Of course, this doesn't mean that you can't get terrific sports photos - certainly people got great sports photos before continuous shooting or motor drives were common, but it is a disadvantage compared to the competition. However, there are certainly other advantages, you have to decide what is most important.

One thing that is pretty cool is that you can bolt on a DA* lens and keep shooting in the pouring rain while most other DSLRs get packed away. That could lead to some good sports photos with mud and such. No other entry-level DSLR (and not all mid-level ones) have weathersealing like that. Again, it's all about deciding what features are most important for you.

 

[undertheseas]

Yikes! I had no idea they were that much. OK, can anyone recommend a good inexpensive point-and-shoot wide angle camera? I'm thinking $150-200 is my price range. Am I way out of line? Thanks so much for your help!

 

[DizzyV6P]

If you have an XTi, what happened to your kit lens? If you want to save money, there's no need to get a new lens if you already have a kit lens and aren't willing to spend the money to upgrade to a better lens. A point and shoot isn't going to get much wider than 17mm anyways.

 

[JR6ooo4]

If you have an XTi, what happened to your kit lens? If you want to save money, there's no need to get a new lens if you already have a kit lens and aren't willing to spend the money to upgrade to a better lens. A point and shoot isn't going to get much wider than 17mm anyways.

unless you want a low light wide angle (if it exists- like an f1.4). But that will be maybe $800.

Mikeeee

 

[ukcatfan]

It sounds like you are looking for something wider than the kit (18mm and effective 28mm). I have not ever heard of a p&s wider. You might look for a used lens.

Kevin

 

[DizzyV6P]

If its wider than kit you have a few options, none of which will have decent low light except for ONE, if you can find it.

Tokina 11-16 f/2.8
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/554035-REG/Tokina_ATX116PRODXC_11_16mm_f_2_8_AT_X_116.html

These three have had great reviews:
Canon 10-22 f/3.5-4.5
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/351542-USA/Canon_9518A002_EF_S_10_22mm_f_3_5_4_5_USM.html

Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6 (I borrowed a friends for my Med Cruise and found this to be an incredible lens)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/381610-REG/Sigma_201101_10_20mm_f_4_5_6_EX_DC.html

Tokina 12-24 f/4
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/360349-REG/Tokina_ATX124AFPROC_12_24mm_f_4_AT_X_124AF.html

All are $499 and up.

 

[tyedye]

I found this on steves digicam's: Re the pentax

Continuous capture in the Hi mode setting allowed me to shoot 10 JPEG images in 5.3 seconds before the buffer filled using Large mode (the camera took 5 seconds to save these files to the memory card) and 4 images in 1.6 seconds using RAW mode (the camera took 11 seconds to save these files to the memory card). Continuous capture in the Lo mode setting allowed me to shoot 8 JPEG images in 5.2 seconds before the buffer filled using Large mode (the camera took 5 seconds to save these files to the memory card) and 4 images in 2.8 seconds using RAW mode (the camera took 10 seconds to save these files to the memory card).

And for the Canon XSi

Continuous capture mode allowed me to shot 16 JPEG images in 4.8 seconds before the buffer filled using Large mode and 6 images in 2 seconds using RAW mode.

And like I said I'm not a pro so either model here would be more than sufficient.

Continous auto focus times were almost identical. I posted info for the XSi instead of D60 due to the fact I'm kinda leaning against that one now.

 

[jann1033]

Yikes! I had no idea they were that much. OK, can anyone recommend a good inexpensive point-and-shoot wide angle camera? I'm thinking $150-200 is my price range. Am I way out of line? Thanks so much for your help!

i'd go to fred miranda or someplace with lots of reviews of lenses and look at the reviews for older wide angle lenses ( they'll probably have tons of reviews, see how far back they go which will let you know how old they are) then watch for one or two that sound good to come up on one of the used places i mentioned before. there are some other places with used canon lens...they were in my old bookmarks i can't get to now but google used canon lenses and you should get some hits..i got my kit on ebay for $60. it's just the photo places usually grade the lenses so you know you aren't getting some fogged up piece of junk. you won't get L lenses for 200 but i bet you can find a decent older one, just make sure it's "ef" ...third party( ie sigma, tamron, tokina) might be trickier as far as being sure they would work if they are really old

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

I hope someone can give me some advice. I have only had this camera a short time and I'm still learning how to use it. I have just had a simple point and shoot digital before this one. I will be taking it with me to WDW in a couple of days and I'm not sure if I should take the filters and the hood (I assume that is what it's called, it came with the lens) with me. If so how should they be used? The filters I have are a UV, polarizer and florescent. I am not planning on doing anything complicated since I am still learning. I want to take great pictures but I need to keep it simple. I also have a telephoto and wide angle lens but I have decided not to take them because I don't want to carry that much. Help!!

 

[JR6ooo4]

I hope someone can give me some advice. I have only had this camera a short time and I'm still learning how to use it. I have just had a simple point and shoot digital before this one. I will be taking it with me to WDW in a couple of days and I'm not sure if I should take the filters and the hood (I assume that is what it's called, it came with the lens) with me. If so how should they be used? The filters I have are a UV, polarizer and florescent. I am not planning on doing anything complicated since I am still learning. I want to take great pictures but I need to keep it simple. I also have a telephoto and wide angle lens but I have decided not to take them because I don't want to carry that much. Help!!

a polarizer is nice in mid day light, to cut glare and sometimes helps with color saturation.

the lens shade is nice to cut lens flare when shooting towards the sun.

UV light is not in the sensor range, so all it does it protect the lens. Unless it is a cheap filter and then it degrades the image.

I carry three lenses with my Canon rebel XT
the Canon 70-300 IS
Canon 28-135 IS
canon 50mm

that is considered light travel for an SLR..
Just have fun, you can get great shots with only one lens.

Mikeeee

 

[ukcatfan]

The only time I do not use a lens hood is when I am taking shots with the built in flash. It will serve you better for protection than the UV filter. I am pretty sure that a fluorescent filter only serves as a protection filter with digital, like the UV. I do not use either. I would bring the polarizer though.

JR6ooo4, I do have to question your comment on mid day use of the polarizer. The filter should be at its least effectiveness when the sun is directly overhead. It would still help on reflections then, but should have no effect on the sky. Honestly, mid day is the perfect time to put the camera up and go to the pool or have a nap in the room. Mid day FL sun is tough lighting to get good pictures.

Kevin

 

[Pea-n-Me]

What are you using for a camera bag? Are you going to be missing out on certain photo ops with just one lens? Which lens are you bringing? I'm a little worried for you where you said you want to get great pictures.

I want to take great pictures but I need to keep it simple. I also have a telephoto and wide angle lens but I have decided not to take them because I don't want to carry that much.

 

[JR6ooo4]

The only time I do not use a lens hood is when I am taking shots with the built in flash. It will serve you better for protection than the UV filter. I am pretty sure that a fluorescent filter only serves as a protection filter with digital, like the UV. I do not use either. I would bring the polarizer though.

JR6ooo4, I do have to question your comment on mid day use of the polarizer. The filter should be at its least effectiveness when the sun is directly overhead. It would still help on reflections then, but should have no effect on the sky. Honestly, mid day is the perfect time to put the camera up and go to the pool or have a nap in the room. Mid day FL sun is tough lighting to get good pictures.

Kevin

correct, by mid-day I meant all that time between late morning and early evening...

MIkeeee

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Thanks everyone for the advice! I really appreciate it!

What are you using for a camera bag? Are you going to be missing out on certain photo ops with just one lens? Which lens are you bringing? I'm a little worried for you where you said you want to get great pictures.

I am just going to use my small backpack in the parks. I am not going to have the camera with me all the time. Just too much to carry. Plus I already have a ton of pictures from down there so basically I will just be taking pictures I already have but with the new camera. I will have the
70mm lens with me. I would like to take the other ones but just don't want to carry them. I'm sure I will miss out on certain pictures but I will still be better off than I would be with my old camera. I could still change my mind in the next 36 hours and take another lens but as of right now I doubt it.
Thanks!!!!!