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[Pfucata]

Soft-launch -- as I've always done, here's a heads up link in case anyone wants to read it early. It's a new look, the business people are nervous since there aren't a lot of ads and you can't use google ads or ad impressions, but I think the content comes across more clearly...

http://firingsquad.com/pfucata_digicam_guide_04/

Please do read the Editor's Note on page 3.

 

[LizardKing]

Glad I read that, very informative. I know more before I buy my next digital camera. I bought a Canon Powershot S400 last year and the pictures aren't always as clear as I'd hope them to be. Sometimes they look blurry (on automatic exposure) and sometimes grainy or dark and the lighting looks yellow indoors on some shots. So i don't know if it's just my camera or user error, but those SLR's look very interesting to me. Thanks for the info.

 

[TheQueen'sOwn]

Awesome! Thanks Pfucata!

 

[SickBoy]

I took a look at this last night, and I think the one thing that bothered me the most was that for all the time spent talking about depth of field, I think it would have been good to talk about how controlling depth of field is done. "It takes effort" sounds scary... but it really isn't that scary to stop down a bit.

...I also think the guide would have done well to discuss in slightly more detail the issue of interchangeable lenses and external flashes for DSLRs ...rather than just glossing over them in the "recommendations" section.

The recommendations look pretty decent, although I would contend that someone in the market may have cause to consider what type of media they use, especially if they think they might be prone to upgrading to a DSLR down the road.

All that said, I think it's a worthwhile guide for a beginning photographer... and it's not going to freak them out like some of the digital photo sites online might.

 

[VictimOfGrief]

Good read and gives me more cofindence going in and buying an SLR for my next digital camera. Thanks for the link.

 

[Pfucata]

Thanks for the feedback. It's a tricky article because I wanted to help both the first-time photographers as well as the intermediate enthusiasts find their camera. It's about buying the right camera and then learning to use it appropriately.

The thing w/controlling DOF is that on today's 1.6 crop small-photosite designs, you not only have to deal with stopping down, but diffraction error that starts occuring when you stop down too much or something as simple as keeping the shutter high enough. For you and me, DOF is intuitive. Exposure compensation has become intuitive. A lot of people don't want to have to deal with DOF and exposure compensation though. They find enough creativity in the composition alone, and would rather just go with a pure point-and-shoot camera.

I ultimately left out a more detailed discussion about lenses and flashes for the DSLRs because I still feel that you can make your choice between digicam and SLR by assessing your creativity through interest in controlling DOF. If you just want a super telephoto and a bright flash, you should go with the Lumix FZ20 and a Vivitar 283/285. The f/2.8 lens on the Lumix is quite good, esp. with the on-camera post-processing and while ISO 100 on a digicam is closer to ISO400 on a DSLR, try finding a 400/5.6 IS for the price of the Lumix...

I don't believe in the media issue much. Flash cards are extremely affordable now w/512MB Ultra II's going for only $50. By the time you buy your "n+1" camera, prices will have dropped even further.

 

[Pfucata]

Yay it's live. Interestingly, some people say it's too technical while others say it's not technical enough -- I guess that's just proof that there are two types of cameras...