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Which Camera To Buy...
harish_agawane
Registered Users Posts: 34 Big grins
Dear All,
I been using Olympus E-520 since long time now time is to upgrade, please suggest which camera sud I buy.
Thanks,
Harish.
I been using Olympus E-520 since long time now time is to upgrade, please suggest which camera sud I buy.
Thanks,
Harish.
0
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What is it about the Olympus E-520 that you need to improve upon?
What is your general budget?
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Wedding and wildlife are potentially greatly different requirements, for the camera, lenses and lighting. I am unfamiliar with your customs regarding weddings, but I gather they can cover several days of shooting, and many locations.
If flash is not allowed then a camera body with good low-light and high-ISOs is a benefit. The Nikon D700, D800 and Canon 5D MKII and 5D MKIII seem common choices (or soon to be common choices).
Then choose amongst lenses according to your style of shooting. I prefer to use zooms for most flexibility and speed of operation, along with a large aperture prime (or two) for both very low light and better depth-of-field control.
For Canon I can recommend the following as a wedding solution:
Canon EF 17-40mm, f4L USM (wide angle zoom)
Canon EF 24-70mm, f2.8L USM (standard zoom)
Canon EF 70-200mm, f2.8L IS USM (telephoto zoom)
Canon EF 50mm, f1.4 USM (standard angle fast prime)
Canon EF 135mm, f2 USM (moderate telephoto fast prime)
Canon 580EX II flash with a suitable flash modifier, greatly improves low-light photography as key or fill light, as well as providing focus assist light.
For wildlife the 5D MKIII appears to have a much improved autofocus section, but the 1D X is likely better still.
Then add some long telephoto lenses. More information on the lens choices here:
http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=39768
Both Canon and Nikon do seem to have the best overall systems, as well as generally larger used choices too. If you have the money for the newest bodies, the Nikon D800 and Canon 5D MKIII look to be great choices for that combination of weddings and wildlife.
We're talking a lot of money for new full-frame bodies and lenses, not to mention flashes and accessories to make all of this work. Both companies also offer crop bodies, and both companies are likely to produce even better crop bodies in the next year or so.
For a bargain system a used Nikon D7000 or Canon 7D are both very nice wedding bodies, although not as nice as the previously mentioned bodies for wedding work. Crop cameras do give telephoto lenses a smaller field-of-view, which translates to longer "reach" for distant subjects (compared to full-frame bodies.)
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
I understood what you said but main prob is that I am not doing anything commercial, I do have plan but it will take time so spending so much of money on body is not possible to me.
i am looking something which will help me for all kind of photography where I can learn more.
How much do you have to spend?
Basking in the shadows of yesterday's triumphs'.
But what is it you want to learn? In particular what do you want to learn that you think your current camera won't do for you? Our recommendation for sports (Long lenses, high FPS) may be different than wedding or concerts (good high ISO performance and better autofocus in low light)
There is no such thing as a single camera solution to the "... all kind of photography where I can learn more.", let alone trying to do this on a minimal budget.
Set some realistic photographic goals, like social and portrait photography to start. You can accomplish this with a basic dSLR and a couple of lenses, plus some flash and flash modifiers.
For instance, the Canon XT/350D is an old camera body that you can find used, and it should not be expensive to purchase. Add a high-quality standard zoom lens and a flash with modifier, and you have a recipe for a system that can cover maybe 80 percent of a wedding needs and most other social situations. Add a fast prime lens to help in those situations where flash is not allowed.
For example, I can purchase a Canon 350D/XT body, with cables, battery, charger and CD (basically most of the original components) in "EX" condition at KEH.com for $205USD.
http://www.keh.com/camera/Canon-Digital-Camera-Bodies/1/sku-DC029990756650?r=FE
Add a standard zoom lens like the Tamron SP 17-50mm, f2.8 XR Di II LD IF for around $500 new, or $350 used (I don't find a used one for sale just now), and add a Sigma EF DG Super flash for around $250 new or around $150 used, and then a flash modifier which you can make yourself, and you have a basic system with very good image quality, for around $700USD. Add a Canon EF 50mm, f1.8 for around $100 additional, to help with even lower light with no flash.
If the $700 is too much, you might try an older Olympus dSLR based system, for instance.
Do remember that light is more important than lenses, which are more important than camera bodies, for most applications. For every interesting scene, almost no matter what type of photography, light comes first. Sometimes that means waiting for the perfect light, like in landscape photography, and sometimes that means carrying and creating the perfect light, using portable flash and flash modifiers.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums