OT: Digital SLR still camera advice?

Wes C. Attle wrote on 2/27/2007, 4:21 AM

The latest digital SLR still camera quality looks outstanding. I'm thinking to pick one up soon. Anyone have experience or advice to share relating to the newer models?

I'm considering 10 megapixel and above.

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Wes C. Attle wrote on 3/3/2007, 8:54 PM

I got a little more time to spend with the camera today and produced some much improved shots. Just focus & exposure were the main adjustments for me. :-)

I opt for the advice above. I left the default sharpness at 3, and for some 8x10 prints I use a sharpen prints option (actually in msft Digital Image Pro) which produced the best results. This option is at the print step and surprisingly produces near perfect results. I have yet to produce good results by actually actually modifying the sharpness in the file

Next up, RAW file testing...

Coursedesign wrote on 3/3/2007, 9:59 PM

Canon photos are often a little soft and need a bit of sharpening in your photo application.

Except for the Digital Rebels (XT, XTi). They are set up differently, to be more "snapshot ready" with the assumption that the owner is a bit less of a Photoshop enthusiast.

DJPadre wrote on 3/4/2007, 2:17 AM

never had an issue with sharpness on my 24-105L or my 50mm 1.8 cheapy

Coursedesign wrote on 3/4/2007, 8:12 AM

No, we were just saying the Canon 1.8/50mm is one heck of a lens, really one of their best designs in many ways. I shot many magazine and album covers with that one, even when I had a bunch of other lenses.

Wes C. Attle wrote on 3/9/2007, 12:49 AM

Since you bring up lenses. My next question is for casual but near-perfect macro photography of flowers and stuff, do you recommend the Canon $50 "Close-up lens" add on for my 17-55 2.8 IS lens? Or do you think that's crap and I should get on of the real macro lenses?

DJPadre wrote on 3/9/2007, 1:41 AM

try the 100mm macro.. its fairly new, and it can be a botch to focus, but bokeh is butter smooth... BUT.. get it wrong, and your DoF blur can blow out to somethind horrid..

MH_Stevens wrote on 3/9/2007, 7:44 AM

Put glass before pixels. I have a quality early Olympus that was 1.3 MP (their first and it cost $1250) that I passes to my son and for 6x4 it still takes pictures as good as my 4 MP camera. Best value now are the 8mps, but if you want 10 and can't afford it then just wait a few months.

rextilleon wrote on 3/9/2007, 9:03 AM

No---the I think Canon makes a 100mm lens that does a very nice job with Macro.

Coursedesign wrote on 3/9/2007, 10:09 AM

I had the Canon 100mm macro lens for many years and loved it.

Now if that is used with an APS-sized sensor (30D, XTi, etc.), it becomes a 160mm equivalent which is not easy to work with for macro use.

Not recommended in my opinion, anyone trying that would soon hate it, other than for a few rare situations.

totally lost wrote on 3/9/2007, 1:57 PM

I've got the point and shoot Panasonic 10 mega pixel cam that shoots in 16 x 9. I LOVE 16 x 9! Has anyone tried the Panasonic DSLR that shoots 16 x 9?