Camera discussion ex 60009 thread

For railway stuff I run a Canon 5D3 with a Sigma 50mm F1.4 DG HSM Art, Canon 24-105L f4 and a Canon 70-200L f4. Very pleased with results and the Sigma 50mm is a belter even if it does lack the flexibility of the 24-105. TBH the difference between the top brands is very small and you'd probably need to view hefty enlargements before any noticeable difference could be detected. This discussion reminds of hi-fi enthusiasts who spend a fortune on systems capable of frequencies only a bat could detect.

 

The difference between hi-fi enthusiasts and photographers is that hi-fi is prone to a LOT of indeterminable subjective woo and frankly, bullshit. Like £1,000 mains leads, gold-plated wall sockets, £1,000 audio cables and pieces of Mpingo wood carefully placed around the room to absorb resonances and voodoo in free air.

Never mind the turntable that's a cool £125,000...

 

What's interesting is that some pictures I took with a film Nikon (F60) recently - a £5 purchase from an audio fair, oddly enough - looked really superb - that used a Nikon 50mm lens too.

Maybe my mistake is called Pentax?

 

I'd hesitate to make a recommendation other than to analyse what you really want of a new camera ( body or system ), consult friends to see what they use and how they feel about their cameras and then go along to your nearest Jessops / WeX / Calumet store and ask to see and handle as many of the display models as you need to make a decision, and don't be tempted to rush into it. Some shops will rent equipment to you if you feel you need a trial period.
My Nikon gear came from Calumet in 2014 and I am happy with it and with the service from Calumet, would I make the same decision today - I don't know as I have seen great results from lighter cameras from Sony and Fuji, as Ian says it's all down to personal choice. Having taken my Nikon gear to Iceland for a weekend break in 2015 I decided it didn't really fit the 'happy snappy holiday camera' bill so bought a Panasonic Lumix TZ70 which is light, slips in the pocket and produces good images ( now I've learned how to use the thing ) though not up to the D800 standard.

Nor should you overlook the secondhand market, the big dealers will have used equipment for sale but I can also recommend Ffordes of Beauly ( well worth a visit if you're up in Scotland for GB XI ).

Happy hunting.

Scott

 

If it doesn't have a 42mm screw thread lens mount I might be inclined to agree, my SPF was as I said my favourite 35mm camera, I never liked the feel of the cameras after they migrated to the K mount and started miniaturising which was what led me to buying Canon (EOS30) when autofocus became common. Again personal preference , at the time I felt the comparable Nikon bodies just felt too small in my hands.

Ah Fred I've got Gratispool transparencies from the 70s that have aged far better than Agfa CT18 from the same period !. I just wish I could have always afforded Kodachrome.

 

Bloody hell, I was expecting a 60' one for that price!

 

That's great advice. A lot of it comes down to ergonomics and what camera feels "right" in the hand, although you do tend to get used to whatever you've got fairly quickly.

I don't think you can go too far wrong with any current Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, Pentax, etc. The primary advantage of the Canon and Nikon systems is that there's a great choice of lenses and accessories (both OEM and third party). However, if the other systems have everything you need and feel better in hand and functionally, then the images they take will be just as good as the "big two". I personally have a liking for the "retro" look and feel of the Fuji cameras, but I've invested in the Nikon system, both in gear and familiarity, so I don't think I'll change in a hurry.

 

My god Fred, that's going back! I remember my grandad had all his films processed by them, and he gave up photography in the 1950s!

 

Plenty of Pentax photographers in photo charter circles, you can use any K mount lenses straight onto a digital body, with varying degrees of automation. I currently use a K1 and K3, I have a water resistant kit which can be useful for times when the weather is less than pleasant (https://www.flickr.com/photos/arleimages/albums/72157662532768968) I have on occasion swapped lenses with film Pentax users.
FWIW Mike Esau, on of my photo heroes, uses Pentax equipment

 

I was looking through your Flickr site last week and you have some great stuff on there, particularly the night shots.

THIS one is really good imo.

 

As a creative/artistic technique HDR can be very effective, but I think the scene has to be chosen with care.
Over-emphasised HDR can indeed be horrendous, especially if it's in that 'middle ground' where it's taken too far to enhance the image but not far enough to create something artistically surreal.

 

I have seen some truly awful 'oil painting' type pictures out there, not for me. I have been going the other way and experimenting with recreating some of the old colour film effects. Worth downloading the PS plugin Google Nik Collection, there are some good things to experopiment with in there and it's free

 

Not for much longer, I'll wager, DxO have acquired it, so get it while you can I reckon!

 

Thanks for that, interesting to know. Mike Esau, now there's a name I remember

Given I've had my K110 for eleven years now, occasionally it plays silly sausages (refusing to fire the shutter even when everything is apparently okay) and I have never cleaned the sensor on it ever, do you think it's worth pointing it towards those nice people at Asahi Photo in Brentford first?

 

Crikey the K110 is quite old and doesn't have shake reduction. I had K100D and that was a real dust magnet, so if you have never cleaned your sensor it is probably pretty filthy! You would definitely benefit from an upgrade to a more modern camera- better resolution and dynamic range. A K5 would be good...but would cost £250-300 used.

 

Thanks for the advice.... do I really need shake reduction though?

I think a little trip for my camera to Brentford is in order then. I've never looked at the sensor, always felt it best left undisturbed; a mate of mine bought a bottle of methanol to clean his Nikon sensor with.

 

The K5 uses a removeable, rechargeable battery(which also fits K7, K3 and K1) and also you can get an adapter for aa batteries.

 

Well, I've gone mad and bought a second-hand Pentax K5-II off eBay for £295. Boxed, all accessories, just some very light wear on the base.

Fingers crossed - now I need to investigate memory cards for it, and then ready my K110 for a trip to Brentford.

Thanks for all the advice here

 

A very good camera, excellent hi ISO quality with that sensor. Focusing much improved over earlier Pentaxes, but not up to Nikon standards. I still have a K5, same sensor but earlier version autofocus and back screen

 

I picked it up today.

Scary.