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[Ovid]

What is your price range? I may be a Canon person, but I would gladly recommend other brands once I know what you want to do and your price range.

Entry level, below $600, any brand.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

I dont know how you can disagree. Nothing i said was factually incorrect.
All the brands do make good gear.
tarius1210 didnt give us a price range or what he wants to do with the camera, so its hard to recommend much based off of "a really really really good SLR." For my needs my E-30 covers that very well.(But none of the 'regulars' here would even think about recommending an Oly system and some have gone as far to call Oly a useless investment)

And I would throw Oly into the sony and pentax "innovating" mix as well, Oly brought live view and in body IS among other things to the table, which everyone has copied in some form or fashion.

I should have bolded the part.

Your statement was correct, I just disagreed with you that everyone would recommend Canon or Nikon.

My point is that it is actually the opposite. In terms of innovation, Canon and Nikon lost lots of ground to Pentax and Sony. Even a Canon loyalist like me can't help but be happy that Pentax and Sony are pushing innovation, so that the CaNikon wont rest in its laurels and start creating exciting products. Canon lately has been in a slump, the 50D was not a large improvement over the 40D. The Rebel T1i is a freaking joke, being an XSi with video (The XSi on the other hand was a huge innovation, bringing pro quality to a low-cost lens).

When Pentax announced that the low end cameras will have weather sealing, and the mid-range cameras will have pro-level sealing, I am sitting down, hoping and praying that Canon is paying attention and will implement such improvements for the 60D and the future successor for the T1i.

Which is why I said, when it comes to innovation and excitement, I am not so privy to recommend the old guard.

Thanks! and let me first off state that the price difference between the two is pretty big. But usefulness? You would have to like the 50mm a lot to buy a prime at that focal length. But considering conventions and whatnot, where lighting may be bad but not candlelight bad, the speed of the 24-70mm will probably be adequate.

Just to expand a bit on 50mm lenses. Its a perfectly middle ground focal length for portraits and environmental full body shots on Full Frame. Even on a crop you can get this versatility from it. You basically have to keep moving around and to acquire the right angle and distance for framing shots.

Excellent

I will definitely buy the 24-70mm L, I will let you guys know when I finally pull the trigger and buy the bad boy so that you can give me tips.

 

[fart]

Entry level, below $600, any brand.

without knowing anything else about your needs, the general advice elsewhere in this thread applies. basically, with the most entry levels of entry level it's pretty hard to go wrong with any of the major player's introductory kits, but be somewhat wary about buying non-canikon (sony is probably your best 3rd party bet). at the 600$ level you aren't really putting yourself too far into a system, so just go with the one that feels best.

Hcore: i think you should spend more time experimenting on limited means before dropping more than a grand on a lens. that's just crazy old me talking though, so go ahead, ignore the fairly sound advice of most people in this thread, and do whatever you want.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

without knowing anything else about your needs, the general advice elsewhere in this thread applies. basically, with the most entry levels of entry level it's pretty hard to go wrong with any of the major player's introductory kits, but be somewhat wary about buying non-canikon (sony is probably your best 3rd party bet). at the 600$ level you aren't really putting yourself too far into a system, so just go with the one that feels best.

Hcore: i think you should spend more time experimenting on limited means before dropping more than a grand on a lens. that's just crazy old me talking though, so go ahead, ignore the fairly sound advice of most people in this thread, and do whatever you want.

I mentioned it before, but the strong increase in price for all lenses is keeping me away from buying them (for the time being). I am very happy with what I have, since 80% of the time it provides me with what I want. With that said, I am also keeping an eye on my special lenses because once the prices fall down to more reasonable levels, I will be buying them.

I heeded your warning, but I also mentioned that the appreciation of lens prices will keep me from buying them for the short term. In the long term, I am having a better idea of what I should buy based on my experiences.

BlueTsunami has it right when it comes to giving advice without being combative. You could be true, but if your tone is more combative than helpful, people will not be so willing to listen.

Entry level, below $600, any brand.

I agree with fart, Canon and Nikon would probably be best at that price range. The D40 and the XSi are both superb cameras for beginners.

With that said, I am hoping that CaNikon will look at the competition and take the innovations they introduced, instead of ignoring them. The innovations introduced by the other SLR makers are great and should be standard.

 

[mrkgoo]

without knowing anything else about your needs, the general advice elsewhere in this thread applies. basically, with the most entry levels of entry level it's pretty hard to go wrong with any of the major player's introductory kits, but be somewhat wary about buying non-canikon (sony is probably your best 3rd party bet). at the 600$ level you aren't really putting yourself too far into a system, so just go with the one that feels best.

Hcore: i think you should spend more time experimenting on limited means before dropping more than a grand on a lens. that's just crazy old me talking though, so go ahead, ignore the fairly sound advice of most people in this thread, and do whatever you want.

I agree entirely. Nothing against some of the smaller guys on the market,(they have great stuff, from what I hear, and are innovating a lot), but Canon and Nikon just have such a huge support behind them, you can easily find help, used-gear, new gear, etc. That has to account for something.

Also agreed with the stepping up slowly. a Cheap 50mm f/1.8 is a must have for beginners. It just teaches you so much and gives an indication of where you might want to go after that.

 

[fart]

BlueTsunami has it right when it comes to giving advice without being combative. You could be true, but if your tone is more combative than helpful, people will not be so willing to listen.

this is fair. i'm not well known for being the most patient person in the world. go ahead and call me on it if you see it/it bothers you.

 

[BlueTsunami]

If your willing to buy second hand, there's some great bodies you can get for real cheap (shit, a Canon 30D goes for like $500 used now). To put things in perspective, two years ago I paid $700 for my Rebel XT and kit lens. Sure it was new but even I would like to upgrade to the 30D (mainly do to the build quality and bigger body).

 

[fart]

yah, there aren't many reasons to buy a new camera body (and yet we all do it so often anyway...)

 

[Tf53]

I just want to pop in and say that I really like the way the discussion has developed for the past couple of pages. Good job keeping it nice and professional, everybody.

On a more equipment-related note, I currently have a Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 that gets far too little use because of its weight. I originally envisioned it as a walkaround lens, but I find myself strolling around with the EF 50mm f/1.4 instead just because it's a fuckton lighter. I've even thought of selling the Sigma and getting a Sigma 30mm f/1.4 instead, but I don't want to be left without a zoom lens when I need it (like visiting the Oceanarium in Lisbon during our honeymoon). I could just swap it for the newer version when I get better funding, I guess. Any other options? I am (and will be for the forseeable future) rocking a 40D.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

If your willing to buy second hand, there's some great bodies you can get for real cheap (shit, a Canon 30D goes for like $500 used now). To put things in perspective, two years ago I paid $700 for my Rebel XT and kit lens. Sure it was new but even I would like to upgrade to the 30D (mainly do to the build quality and bigger body).

yah, there aren't many reasons to buy a new camera body (and yet we all do it so often anyway...)

You know what is scary? a new 40D can be bought for $800.

Camera bodies drop in price really fast once the new version is out. The XSi can be bought for a low $500 price, and a used one can be bought for much cheaper.

I agree with these two gentleman, buy a used quality midrange body.

Heck, if you are willing to spend a little more, you can get a new midrange for a body that isn't so brand new.

this is fair. i'm not well known for being the most patient person in the world. go ahead and call me on it if you see it/it bothers you.

Trust me, your opinion is sound.

Being here, I kind of forgot about the real reason why I started posted here. Me bitching about the increase in lens prices.

Of course, I learned so much about aperture and bokeh that I will stay here. You guys are just awesome.

 

[toxicgonzo]

Anyone know of a good 1080p camcorder? What about a DSLR camera that records 1080p video? Is it worth it? Should I wait a little longer before that gets more widely adopted?

 

[mrkgoo]

Somehow, down the line, I missed this:

yes and no. there's a large monetary cost to keeping a large capability margin that isn't linear with the size of that margin. furthermore, using gear with limitations can force you to get creative. this, in particular, is why i love primes.

I love me some light primes too.

what do you mean by image quality? is it sharper? if so, do you have a consumer level tele zoom (if not, your teles will naturally be superior to your normals and wides) and is it significantly sharper than that? similarly with contrast, etc. if you have some intuition like this after shooting your lenses, try to turn that intuition into a quantitative notion.

Sharper, yes, but seems to hit focus better than most of my other lenses. Certainly there appears to be little to no image degradation at any aperture, at any focal length. Less purple fringing. And so on. Contrast, yes, and the colours are more pleasing (I like warmer shots). I concede that this is in comparison to my normals and primes, so I may not be comparing the same thing. There's just a consistency about my 70-200 f4L that isn't there with any of my other lenses. Every shot has great image quality (though not necessarily a compelling image composition and artistically), so just on those technical merits, I think it outdoes my other lenses. I can't say for certain whether it's an 'L' thing or not, as I don't have any other 'L' lenses to compare to.

i think you'll find that a) the differences are smaller than you think and b) regardless, this experimentation will help you to get to know your equipment better, which can only improve your shooting. i've spent a fair amount of time shooting boring test patterns with all my gear specifically so that i can pre-visualize the result of shooting something with each of my lenses. have a lens that's not sharp in the corners wide open? use it to your advantage in your compositions (although don't pay too much for it of course :X)

I spend way too much time shooting nothing as it is. I've sat there with a tripod with each of my lenses going through test shots at every aperture to find the limits of my lenses. And yes, the differences are often a lot less than people think. The kit lens can nearly match my 17-55 f/2.8 in the right circumstances. It's good to know the limit.

I also admit that many of my other lenses are EF-s, so their limits are much more apparent on my body.

this is pretty debatable.

counter-argument 1: if you walk into a mine to shoot a piece of coal, sure it would be nice to have an f0.9 superlens to try to handhold the shot, but that gigantic aperture is going to make pretty much the entire frame out of focus (unless the piece of coal exactly matches the curvature of field...) and ultimately the picture, although it may be bright enough and acceptably sharp along the several pixels in dof, will be crap. you would have been better off learning how to add light to a scene or support for a longer exposure.

counter-argument 2: a larger sensor would also have given you a stop or two more SNR. this may not get you back all of the DOF, but it won't introduce any optical aberrations like a huge aperture will, will work for all of your lenses, and may actually end up being cheaper for you.

Sorry, I didn't mean you should be shooting absolutely wide all the time. I guess it's a personal preference of mine. I tend to sacrifice DOF for a better exposure in low light, not being either proficient with a flash (nor have one), and while I have tripods, I barely use them as they are cumbersome. I have been know to use them from time to time, but they're definitely a skill I need to learn.

What I should have probably said was that the wider the aperture lens you get the better - it affords more options. Well. To a certain extent. Like you said a flash may be better, and that's certainly versatile.

i'd go for the 85/1.8 on the canon side too. the major benefit of the L is a _completely_ flat field. this is, coincidentally, why it does so well on (the very common on the internet) flat field MTF tests. the maximum aperture is too big for 99.99999% of portraits, quite frankly, unless the subject of your portraiture is the milky way.

A lot of people go for a more blurred background and sometimes distractingly miss out the focus on the other eye - but a lot of that time, it doesn't matter because the viewing size doesn't make it that apparent. It's always a balance between how out of focus you want the background to be vs. how much DOF you want the subject to be in.

 

[fart]

I just want to pop in and say that I really like the way the discussion has developed for the past couple of pages. Good job keeping it nice and professional, everybody.

On a more equipment-related note, I currently have a Sigma 24-70 f/2.8 that gets far too little use because of its weight. I originally envisioned it as a walkaround lens, but I find myself strolling around with the EF 50mm f/1.4 instead just because it's a fuckton lighter. I've even thought of selling the Sigma and getting a Sigma 30mm f/1.4 instead, but I don't want to be left without a zoom lens when I need it (like visiting the Oceanarium in Lisbon during our honeymoon). I could just swap it for the newer version when I get better funding, I guess. Any other options? I am (and will be for the forseeable future) rocking a 40D.

what about trading the 50/1.4 for the 30/1.4? alternatively, you could swap the 24-70 for an 18-55 kit lens and a 30/1.4.

 

[fart]

Anyone know of a good 1080p camcorder? What about a DSLR camera that records 1080p video? Is it worth it? Should I wait a little longer before that gets more widely adopted?

panasonic GH1?

What I should have probably said was that the wider the aperture lens you get the better - it affords more options. Well. To a certain extent. Like you said a flash may be better, and that's certainly versatile.

it's another tradeoff. wider aperture lenses give you more options for DOF, exposure, etc. but are bigger, heavier, more expensive, introduce optical aberrations, etc.

oh, so i ended up shooting flash at comicon, and this is relevant, because it isn't always an either-or proposition. what i ended up doing is shooting big aperture + flash. i opened up a wide (35/1.8), big aperture lens to pull in background ambient and then whipped up a snoot with some posterboard and gaffer-like tape to get this kind of spotlight effect. it was hilariously difficult to manage exposure manually on the run, but a good learning experience and lesson.

A lot of people go for a more blurred background and sometimes distractingly miss out the focus on the other eye - but a lot of that time, it doesn't matter because the viewing size doesn't make it that apparent. It's always a balance between how out of focus you want the background to be vs. how much DOF you want the subject to be in.

there's a very good series of posts on the TOP (theonlinephotographer.com) about how the amount of DOF is not necessarily logically related to the amount/degree/quality of OOF blur. that said, you're right in that viewing size is key, because the definition of DOF (and hence in-focus) actually depends on viewing size.

 

[MrSeaneyC]

Anyone know when the new Canons are due to be announced?

I'm sure the 40D was August 2007 and 50D was August 2008 so i'm kinda expecting one soon. Not that I'm actually interested in a 60D at all unless it really explodes with a megaton of features, i just want the 40D price to drop through the floor so i can buy one to compliment my 20D.

And Tf53 are you serious? I use the Sigma 24-70/2.8 for half of my stuff and don't find it that heavy at all on my 20D, if anything, the camera is too light for the lens and the setup feels unbalanced, rather than heavy. That said I used to regularly wander about race tracks with my Sigma 9D and 50-500 so maybe i'm thankful for something so much lighter!

 

[giga]

And Tf53 are you serious? I use the Sigma 24-70/2.8 for half of my stuff and don't find it that heavy at all on my 20D, if anything, the camera is too light for the lens and the setup feels unbalanced, rather than heavy. That said I used to regularly wander about race tracks with my Sigma 9D and 50-500 so maybe i'm thankful for something so much lighter!

That's exactly the point. The fact that its heavier than the body just illustrates how much weight it has, which most people don't like.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Anyone know of a good 1080p camcorder? What about a DSLR camera that records 1080p video? Is it worth it? Should I wait a little longer before that gets more widely adopted?

Canon T1i shoots 1080p @ 20fps and 720p @ 30fps. Its currently retailing for like $800 with Kit Lens. Drop the kit lens and just get the body, get a 50mm lens and I would think that would be a sweet setup.

 

[mrkgoo]

Anyone know when the new Canons are due to be announced?

I'm sure the 40D was August 2007 and 50D was August 2008 so i'm kinda expecting one soon. Not that I'm actually interested in a 60D at all unless it really explodes with a megaton of features, i just want the 40D price to drop through the floor so i can buy one to compliment my 20D.

And Tf53 are you serious? I use the Sigma 24-70/2.8 for half of my stuff and don't find it that heavy at all on my 20D, if anything, the camera is too light for the lens and the setup feels unbalanced, rather than heavy. That said I used to regularly wander about race tracks with my Sigma 9D and 50-500 so maybe i'm thankful for something so much lighter!

Before the 40D, however, it was an 18 month cycle. The switch to a 12 month cycle may be a once off, or it could be the new thing in the face of more heated competition. REgardless, I'm curious too. I think the 60D WILL have an explosion (or miniplosion) of stuff, as every second model is where it seems to make sense to upgrade. I'm guessing video, and contrast focus (touch screen too?). The video mode may have proper controls to make it actually useful. There's also talk of them going to a slightly larger sensor size (1.3x).

 

[fart]

Canon T1i shoots 1080p @ 20fps and 720p @ 30fps. Its currently retailing for like $800 with Kit Lens. Drop the kit lens and just get the body, get a 50mm lens and I would think that would be a sweet setup.

the big sensor cams with video all have bothersome rolling shutter though, which makes them ill suited for handheld camcorder duty. the GH1's has a smaller sensor with quicker readout, lenses with continuous AF in video, and iirc continuous aperture (so metering adjustments look smooth)

oh, and

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LMV40M_lP...AAlM/RvXlVXBIiYU/s1600-h/44309_1249560837.jpg

panasonic GF1 (g1 mini-me), 20/1.7 and 45/2.8. i think someone's finally going to get the big sensor compact right.

 

[sneaky77]

Entry level, below $600, any brand.

I bought a samsung gx-10 and I am very happy with it,with the $$ I saved because is an older model and was like $400 or so I was able to buy an extra lense and a couple other things for the same price.

 

[hulkamania-owns-you]

don't get an olympus 1030sw. technically i took it out of its box a year before it leaked on me, but of course that came in just a few days after my technical warrany period on the receipt

followed all instructions, always kept care of it with nice case, cleaned it, etc. got it for hawaii where it lasted, but it let water through the doors when it was taken into a pool for a brief period of time.

the thing is hosed, no allowing of drying let this one come back to life. now after the fact i have searched on google and im far from being the only one to experience this crap.

i knew it wasnt the best camera at the time, but i wanted something that would be rugged. i took it dirtbiking and around water, i have dropped it, got it wet, pissed and shat on it, and it almost kept ticking.

 

[mrkgoo]

don't get an olympus 1030sw. technically i took it out of its box a year before it leaked on me, but of course that came in just a few days after my technical warrany period on the receipt

followed all instructions, always kept care of it with nice case, cleaned it, etc. got it for hawaii where it lasted, but it let water through the doors when it was taken into a pool for a brief period of time.

the thing is hosed, no allowing of drying let this one come back to life. now after the fact i have searched on google and im far from being the only one to experience this crap.

i knew it wasnt the best camera at the time, but i wanted something that would be rugged. i took it dirtbiking and around water, i have dropped it, got it wet, pissed and shat on it, and it almost kept ticking.

I was looking at a waterproof P&S. The battery doors all seem like a weak point to me.

 

[MrSeaneyC]

That's exactly the point. The fact that its heavier than the body just illustrates how much weight it has, which most people don't like.

Well the lens is actually lighter than the 40D, it just feels unbalanced more than some lenses. Not really surprising as it's probably 4-5 times the length of the 50/1.4, although probably only about twice the weight.

I was just surprised that they mentioned the overall weight was the issue rather than the fact it felt unbalanced. Ever since I ditched my 1D i've always wanted to get a grip for my 20D but just never got round to it.

Back to 60D speculation, 1.3 sensor is one of the things that would make me jump in at the deep end instead of languishing in the refurb market and just picking up a 40D. 1x would be even nicer but obviously that's never gonna happen whilst the 5D has its overpriced ass hanging around. (overpriced for me, not for what it is I guess)

 

[BlueTsunami]

the big sensor cams with video all have bothersome rolling shutter though, which makes them ill suited for handheld camcorder duty. the GH1's has a smaller sensor with quicker readout, lenses with continuous AF in video, and iirc continuous aperture (so metering adjustments look smooth)

oh, and

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LMV40M_lP...AAlM/RvXlVXBIiYU/s1600-h/44309_1249560837.jpg

panasonic GF1 (g1 mini-me), 20/1.7 and 45/2.8. i think someone's finally going to get the big sensor compact right.

That is true about the rolling shutter (definitely disconcerting when I had viewed some videos a ways back).

And I'm digging that Panasonic. Hopefully the detachable Electronic Viewfinder is real good. I can see mirror based viewfinders being put to pasture when EVFs become much better. Oh and, pancake lens <3

 

[mrkgoo]

the big sensor cams with video all have bothersome rolling shutter though, which makes them ill suited for handheld camcorder duty. the GH1's has a smaller sensor with quicker readout, lenses with continuous AF in video, and iirc continuous aperture (so metering adjustments look smooth)

oh, and

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LMV40M_lP...AAlM/RvXlVXBIiYU/s1600-h/44309_1249560837.jpg

panasonic GF1 (g1 mini-me), 20/1.7 and 45/2.8. i think someone's finally going to get the big sensor compact right.

I saw that, and that thing looks awesome. Panasonic have been on such a roll with cameras of late. They introduced a 25mm equivalent lens on their new P&S, 720p 30fps AVCHD lite video on a water proof cam, their Lumix LX3 looks awesome (aspect ratio changes without loss of resolution, plus wide angle), the G1 with proper video and so on.

 

[fart]

if it's the same LCD as the LX3/G1, i don't think you'll need that detachable EVF.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Anyone ever use http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/ to check out the optimal aperture and (in zooms) focal length for their lenses? The blur index tool is interesting to use if just to get an idea where the sweet spot in your lens may be. They test lenses on both crop and full frame sensors.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

Before the 40D, however, it was an 18 month cycle. The switch to a 12 month cycle may be a once off, or it could be the new thing in the face of more heated competition. REgardless, I'm curious too. I think the 60D WILL have an explosion (or miniplosion) of stuff, as every second model is where it seems to make sense to upgrade. I'm guessing video, and contrast focus (touch screen too?). The video mode may have proper controls to make it actually useful. There's also talk of them going to a slightly larger sensor size (1.3x).

I think there will be a shutter life increase when it comes to the 60D.

Canon has been secretive about the shutter life of the XSi, XS, and T1i. It makes sense why they have been so secretive, the rated shutter life of the the newer three Canon models are 100,000, twice as much as the older "lower-end models." While it is good in terms of people buying the low-end models, it also doesn't look good to have the midrange models be just as reliable as the low-end models.

I am betting that the 60D will have a shutter life increase to 150,000, which puts it on par with the 5D mark II.

 

[XMonkey]

Before the 40D, however, it was an 18 month cycle. The switch to a 12 month cycle may be a once off, or it could be the new thing in the face of more heated competition. REgardless, I'm curious too. I think the 60D WILL have an explosion (or miniplosion) of stuff, as every second model is where it seems to make sense to upgrade. I'm guessing video, and contrast focus (touch screen too?). The video mode may have proper controls to make it actually useful. There's also talk of them going to a slightly larger sensor size (1.3x).

Ya, the 60D should be impressive. I hardly consider the 50D much of an upgrade over the 40D, outside of the screen. I know DPReview found the 40D to have better dynamic range as well as better ISO performance than the 50D because of the smaller sized pixels in the 50D, and the 5 megapixel advantage it has wasn't even very apparent.

 

[fart]

60D: http://www.canonrumors.com/2009/08/1-slr-coming-in-august-cr1/

i'd put my money on spec list 2 and the sources that say no lower end FF and no more APS-H.

i like imaging resource's lens tests, but you still have to test your own lenses because of sample variation and because the blur index metric doesn't tell you what things look like. photozone, imaging resource (slrgear) and dpreview are all excellent sources of MTF tests for pre-purchase consideration though.

has anyone actually had a shutter go out yet? canikon shutters are so ridiculously overengineered, you very rarely see them malfunction.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

has anyone actually had a shutter go out yet? canikon shutters are so ridiculously overengineered, you very rarely see them malfunction.

Give me 3 years and I will hit that 100,000 number, so far I am at 15,000 and doing great.

I have no intention of replacing my camera until my Canon XSi's shutter dies. Of course, finding out that the expected shutter life is twice that of the XT and the XTi was a very pleasant surprise.

 

[fart]

you may be waiting a while then. if you grep back through the thread you'll see rentahamster put like 150k or something insane on a d40, and then the _sensor_ broke. the freaking sensor malfunctioned before his lowest-end-nikon shutter did! and i'm convinced that's only because he's in a tropical climate.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

you may be waiting a while then. if you grep back through the thread you'll see rentahamster put like 150k or something insane on a d40, and then the _sensor_ broke. the freaking sensor malfunctioned before his lowest-end-nikon shutter did! and i'm convinced that's only because he's in a tropical climate.

That's a good thing, I bought a battery grip of my XSi for the portrait photography and an extra battery. I certainly hope my "Consumer Level" SLR wont die on me so soon.

150,000 acutations and it broke, holy crap.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Supposed top cover of the "soon to be announced" Canon DSLR

Manual Function button up front, new On/Off Switch, No Scene modes (the shit like Portrait/Landscape/Sports) and Pop Up Flash. The lack of scene modes points to this being geared towards professionals (even the xxD series Canons have scene modes). The Pop Up flash has me puzzled.

 

[giga]

No scene modes but pop up flash? Hopefully it gets a commander mode like Nikons.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Considering the "leaked" 7D image

Point of interest now is mainly the Flash button, one has to wonder if the 7D is actually legit

 

[fart]

i'm starting to buy these 60d/7d rumors. i don't know if it makes much sense strategically, but i think it's likely we'll see both on sept 1. it's also looking like this a850 full frame fellow will be coming soon too (although that one doesn't make any sense to me either -- sony/minolta really seems to be into pointless differentiation).

hopefully we're only about a month from the d700x and pro primes announcements from nikon (35/1.4, 28/1.4-2 plzzzzzzzzzzzz)

 

[VNZ]

Here's hoping for a continued APS-C (ie. 1.6x crop factor) prosumer line from Canon, be it called 60D or 7D. I want to upgrade from my 500D at some point, but I decided to go for some pretty expensive Canon EF-S lenses that I don't want to part with.

 

[XMonkey]

7D doesn't make any sense, especially at the rumored prices Best Buy had in its system. The 5D MarkII is just too awesome right now to even try putting another product near it's price range. I bet that is the top of the 60D.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Do any of the non 1D cameras have a Manual Function button? That'll be pretty useful for something like Mirror Lockup (or anything else customizable).

 

[fart]

7D doesn't make any sense, especially at the rumored prices Best Buy had in its system. The 5D MarkII is just too awesome right now to even try putting another product near it's price range. I bet that is the top of the 60D.

yah, i dunno. i definitely would not try to sell a cheaper FF than the 5d2 if i were canon. i don't think the rumored sony is a threat at all, and it will just cut into the higher margin 5d2 sales. the 7d rumors don't add up to a d300s competitor (too slow), and pushing 5d2 costs down with higher volume is the best competition against the d700.

the rumored 60d makes much more sense, strategically.

 

[Grimlock]

I think I just had an aneurysm right after I saw this: A combination backpack-beltpack from ThinkTank. Considering I'm on my 4th camera bag (a Kata 3n1-30), this thing would've solved ALL of my camera bag issues. But the price.....yeesh!

 

[fart]

thinktank gear is seriously worth every penny. i love my urban disguise 35 more than is probably healthy.

lowepro also has a line of hybrid packs you might want to check out (fast something?)

 

[BlueTsunami]

There's rumors that Leica is using Canon's 5DMKII sensor in their new M9 (which is supposedly supposed to be announced in September). Rumored price is EIGHT THOUSAND US DOLLARS. Oh Leica!

 

[fart]

knowing leica they'll probably take the filter stack off the sensor again too. M8 users all have a set of IR cut already, right? :lol

 

[Zyzyxxz]

the big sensor cams with video all have bothersome rolling shutter though, which makes them ill suited for handheld camcorder duty. the GH1's has a smaller sensor with quicker readout, lenses with continuous AF in video, and iirc continuous aperture (so metering adjustments look smooth)

oh, and

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_LMV40M_lP...AAlM/RvXlVXBIiYU/s1600-h/44309_1249560837.jpg

panasonic GF1 (g1 mini-me), 20/1.7 and 45/2.8. i think someone's finally going to get the big sensor compact right.

whoa now that is hot!

It should share lens compatibility with Olympus 4/3rds right?

 

[fart]

yes and no. lens needs a firmware update (they say they're working on them all though). i'm more interested in new m43 pancakes, personally. current 4/3rds lenses are too big, and alt lenses are too long (although it does give you a lot of good short tele to tele prime options)

 

[fart]

new specs from CR. the plot thickens... DUN DUN DUN

http://www.canonrumors.com/2009/08/7d-specs/

18mp, 8fps, 19 af points. makes even less sense. what the hell, canon?

 

[golem]

Some quick shots from my E-P1... kit lense 14-42mm

Olympus:

 

[BlueTsunami]

Those are great! I wonder how the IQ is with the 17mm Pancake lens.

Olympus:

<33333

Edit: Wow, I'm looking at the Dpreview review of the E-P1 and it's totally usable at ISO1600 (with some Noise Ninja applied). That's pretty good.