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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 23, 2007 - 10:20am PT
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It looks like I may be able to get a used dslr with my holiday bonuses...Of course I am chomping at the bit, but wondering if it is worth waiting til after the holiday season.
I will probably buy from Keh online, or go to B&H here in the city in person.
Do you, who have some experience in selling/buying camera crap, think that there is generally a good influx after the gift-giving season? Enough to merit waiting?
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SteveW
Trad climber
Denver, CO
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Dec 23, 2007 - 10:42am PT
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Happie
I don't know about the waiting, but I always had
great experiences with mail order from B&H.
I got a couple of old Olympus OM-1 SLR bodies from
them and they worked well.
Hope you get a great deal!!!!
Happy Merry and Merry Happy!
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Dec 23, 2007 - 12:08pm PT
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both B&H and KEH have been good to me in the past... I don't think you can go wrong there.
I can't answer your question, though, whether or not to wait. Gotta think that the time between Christmas and tax-day is the period to shed inventory. Also, when does the new gear get to the shelf? That might be another date to wait for.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Dec 23, 2007 - 12:27pm PT
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I got a almost new D200 for sale. I have two of them and looking to buy the new D300.
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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Dec 23, 2007 - 06:51pm PT
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Hey Happie,
Both of those outfits are top notch. Since you're so close, however, I recommend heading in to B&H. Their service is great and they have quite a used gear selection. Not to mention you'll be in awe of their store. Tons o' stuff!
Any idea what you're looking to get? Buying new (new used too) gear is fun! I just picked up a 100-400mm L IS and the Canon 15mm f/2.8 fisheye! LOVE the fisheye! It's the sharpest lens I have ever shot. Sharper than any Canon "L" lens I have used, including the 300mm f2.8! Colors and contrast are incredible!
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 23, 2007 - 07:04pm PT
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Thanks everyone. I definitely would go to B&H in person. Went once and found they have more used gear than shows on the website when I did.
What am I looking to get? A few months ago when I started thinking about it, I decided to go Nikon over Canon, but it isn't carved in stone.
And it/s really the price that will be the deciding factor, unfortunately. It's only been since the release of the Canon Rebel and the Nikon D40 that new dslr's came to a price I could handle. Even so, $6-800 is too high for me. I'm looking to get a camera and one starter lens for around $500.
When the Nikon d40 came out, the reviewers gave it a thumbs down. I can't remember what the reasons were, but it made sense at the time. One reviewer said, you may as well go with a D50 for just a little higher price.
And so, I had been thinking the D50 would be it, since that, the D40 and the Canon Rebel were in the opening price points. That camera isn't available as often as some others, though. There was one listed on keh last week, and now it's already gone. But now it seems that there are other styles that fit the range, so I am going to start researching again.
The time I went to B&H, the guy was pretty helpful, but I have to admit I am a little uncomfortable about it because I really don't even know what questions to ask, when shown the various options. I don't seem to be able to retain detailed information that I read very well. I worry that I'll go in there, and get sold something simply because it fits the price I am looking to spend.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Dec 23, 2007 - 07:12pm PT
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I don't know if this will help, but maybe:
first decide what you want to use the camera for, landscape, action/sport, etc...
that should determine a lot about the camera, lens, etc.... you've already gone over that in your mind 'cause you're thinking beyond a point-and-shoot.
You could go to http://www.photo.net and read what people have to say about the cameras your are thinking about (in the gear section) and look at images that people have made using the gear you are thinking about getting...
And also read all the reviews on line...
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BadInfluence
Mountain climber
Dak side
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Dec 23, 2007 - 07:19pm PT
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Happie go to the store. the upstairs is used equipment. the thing w/ d40 it only uses digitial DX lenses so you are limited that way. if you could find a used d70 d80 d200 i would reccomend those. don't know much on the d50 but i heard it has good high iso photos
Bob, imo the d300 upgrade from d200 is not worth it. wait until the d3 (something like the d3x) upgrade comes out
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Dec 23, 2007 - 07:21pm PT
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Bad...I have two d200 bodies....wouldn't mind selling one to check out the d300...from what I understand not really that much of an upgrade.
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 23, 2007 - 10:42pm PT
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For a "cheap camera," I would probably stick with Fujifilm Finepix. The S9000 has 10x optical zoom, compared to 6X with the one I have now(which I bought 3.5 years ago). It has some manual settings, or can go fully automatic. Also, I think the stabilization has been improved.
It's still bulky compared to the pocket-sized cameras though. But I don't tend to take my camera up routes. I am not really an "on the fly" photographer, and prefer to either be acting as photog, or not.
The thing that has been frustrating for me, in the last year, is that I feel I can't "get" the shot I am looking for with my camera, and I think that any P&S is going to be a similar frustration.
I can't remember the technical terms used, but it's like - when I "see" my shot, the camera just can't get wide enough to include the scene I want, without being zoomed out further than I desire.
Of course, I know that there are great photographers who capture wonderful shots with the most basic of cameras.... so maybe I'm just in denial. I certainly am expecting to see a big dip in the quality of my shots when I started shooting with the slr and get used to the adjustments. But, I hope that eventually I'll improve.
If not, then I just have to accept that I'll never be more than a mediocre9to less than mediocre) photographer, and in that case, would probably go back to an automatic with with some manual adjustment options.
One thing that does worry me, about the slr's, is that I am guessing that I'll need to plunk down some big cash for various lenses. But at least I can buy them one at a time.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Dec 23, 2007 - 10:46pm PT
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Happie...the Canon G9 is supposed to be a amazing little camera...you might want to check it out. I just spend a few thousand on getting a couple of DX lens and stop using my old film lenses...something else to think about.
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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Dec 23, 2007 - 11:47pm PT
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Glad you're not getting a D40, happie! There are plenty of reasons not too. For one, there isn't an AF (AutoFocus) motor in it. SO, if you plan to use any third party lenses, it's a no go as only a couple of them have AF motors built into the lens. Also, the body is a really stripped down camera, as far as features. In the end, you'd be wanting a lot more camera in a short period of time.
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BadInfluence
Mountain climber
Dak side
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Dec 24, 2007 - 08:53am PT
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happie don't forget espicially if you want to take macros and landscapes is you Need a tripod. imo save $$ for a good tripod and ball head(gitzo). that's the problem w/ photography it costs too much money!
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 24, 2007 - 09:06am PT
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Thanks for the info Khanom. The d4o is out, for the reasons mentioned above. I go on Photosig.com to learn about photography, and have checked out some other sites too, and the one thing that has jumped out at me from d40 buyers was that they were very quickly disappointed. I guess the camera is fine for someone who really wants a P&S but wants to look look they are 'in the game' of shooting.... Most people trying to improve their work are like "Gaaaargghh!!!"
As for the tripod - oh, I already learned that one! Knowing nothing, I went to a local shop and told them I wanted to start using a tripod for macro. I told him I didn't want to spend a LOT of money.... He asked about my camera and I had it along with. D'ya think the guy might have told me it was a waste of my money to buy a cheapie? No. He said "This'll do ya just fine, and your camera weight will be okay with it." And sent me out the store with a piece of equipment that is shakier than me on a day when I've had too much coffee. Luckily, it really WAS cheap.
Nice shot, BI!
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Euroford
Trad climber
chicago
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Dec 24, 2007 - 09:46am PT
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i've been mighty damn happy with my D40, the simularities between it and the d80, even the d200 are huge. i've spent time with them both, and for the price, ya just can't beat the d40.
the 18-55 lens that came with it is great, and i've added the 18-200vr which is exceptional.
this is about the only thing that gets me, it can't take the 50mm f/1.8. that would have been really nice when i was at the shed last week. but how often am i going to use a lens like that anyways? not very. i'll probobly just buy it anyways and manually focus.
the d40 is a hella good camera at a great price. the d200 is an exceptional camera. IMO, everything in between, is more money than the d40, and less camera than the d200, and kind of a waste.
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rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
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Dec 24, 2007 - 09:54am PT
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My wife bought a Canon 30D from B & H mail order. No problems what so ever. Just make sure you get an extra memory card. It's worth it!
Robert
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TradIsGood
Recently unshackled climber
the Gunks end of the country
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Dec 24, 2007 - 10:51am PT
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Hmm. I have D70. And a couple lenses - a digital one and the zoom I used with the N80 when I traded up to the D70.
If only I had not looked at a D80 the other day...
:-)
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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Dec 26, 2007 - 01:04pm PT
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OK... Let me just point out some of the bigger reasons NOT to get a D40, once again... Even though Happie has already decided against it.
* No lens motor in body means non-AF-S/AF-I lenses are
manual focus only
* Disappointingly RAW+JPEG setting only records Basic quality
JPEG's
* No status LCD panel on top of camera (we hate to see these
go)
* No exposure or white balance bracketing
* No hard buttons (without customizing) for ISO or White
Balance
* No depth-of-field preview
* Occasional visibility of moire artifacts (although seldom)
* Fixed exposure steps (1/3 EV)
* Disappointing automatic white balance performance in
incandescent light
* No RAW adjustment with supplied PictureProject, only simple
conversion
* Limited image parameter adjustment (especially for color
saturation)
The lack of an autofocus motor SERIOUSLY limits the number of lenses you can use with this camera. You can't use very many of the Nikon lenses, for one. It really puts you back into an upper-end amateur Point-and-Shoot camera. The image quality will be better, for sure, but the camera is so stripped of the features that you buy into a DSLR package for that it's a moot point.
I guess the big question you can ask yourself, when considering a D40 is this: Can I buy a nice Point-and-Shoot camera and be happy with that for at least a few years? If so, then, great. Buy a D40. If, for a second, however, you even *think* you might want to expand your photography, experiment with different lenses, do larger prints, etc. Then don't even consider the camera. You can buy far better cameras on the used market for far less! You can pick up a Canon Rebel XT or a 20D for a $2-300 less than a D40. You can get a Rebel Xti for less. You can pick up a Nikon D80 for roughly the same price, or less if you hunt. You can pick up a Pentax K10D (which is a phenomenal camera, btw) for the same price. Even the Sony Alpha is a better camera and, guess what? Less $$$$.
And if you think you're going to buy this and sell it for decent coin in the future when you figure out you've outgrown your camera... Guess again! Camera prices drop like rocks now days. Think Cadillac; you drive it off the lot, it just lost %40 of it's value. Within the last year, the buy-and-sell camera game has really changed as technology has grown and come to us faster! You can count on your purchase being worth about half what you paid in about a year, year and a half time frame.
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Euroford
Trad climber
chicago
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Dec 26, 2007 - 04:48pm PT
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okay, first a couple of points. ^^ this guy, knows a fukload more about cameras than i do. this is either a liability or an asset when getting camera advice.
"OK... Let me just point out some of the bigger reasons NOT to get a D40, once again... Even though Happie has already decided against it."
not that it matters, buy whatever you want, but i love my little d40 and want to defend it, and i just got done driving 7 hours and need something to do while i wind down.....
"* No lens motor in body means non-AF-S/AF-I lenses are
manual focus only"
this is totally 100% true. but probably doesn't matter absolutely one bit to anybody except a person that already owns a bunch of old nikon lenses. chances are, the 18-55 is all you'll ever need. otherwise, the 18-200 vr is almost definitly all you'll ever need. you'll be bummed about not being about to use the fast 50mm lens, but even if you bought it, you'll probably not use it much. especially for outdoors stuff.
"* Disappointingly RAW+JPEG setting only records Basic quality
JPEG's"
i didn't even know it had that setting. i don't use RAW. i don't have enough time to care about shooting RAW. chances are you won't either. if you do, then spend ALLOT more on the camera, your computer, your monitor, your printer, and quite your job so you have enough time to actually edit all of those shots.
"* No status LCD panel on top of camera (we hate to see these
go)"
you get all of your settings instantly on the rear LCD with the info button. the rear lcd is easier to read and right in front of your face, unlike the top LCD which you have to flip the camera for. i'm glad they didn't put a top LCD on it. if your a holdover from shooting 35mm film you might miss it.
"* No exposure or white balance bracketing"
true. but you probobly won't use this anyways, a holdover feature from the film days. shoot, look at the lcd, adjust exposure or WB as needed.
"* No hard buttons (without customizing) for ISO or White
Balance"
this "customizing" requires like two menu clicks.
"* No depth-of-field preview"
again, shoot, look at the nice big bright lcd, adjust and shoot again. btw: the LCD on the D40 is allot nicer than that on the D80.
i found the other stuff nitpicky enough that i didn't have much of an opinion.
in a nutshell, i think the D40 is a great stepping stone camera for those looking for primarily more speed than a point and shoot, but don't need nearly as much horsepower as a D200, D300 ect. i shoot 500-2000 pics with mine a week, climbing, biking and work (construction sites and working high on the outside of skyscrapers). probably what i like BEST about it, is that its small, light and cheap enough that i'm happy to carry it with me almost everywhere.
if i had a D200, i'd seriously think twice about carrying it when i'm more than happy to have the d40 with me. if i dropped it and smashed it, i think i'd be more concerned about loosing the shots than the camera, so long as i happend to have the 18-55 and not the 18-200vr on it at the time.
it is a serious step up from the PAS camera's i used to carry around. wish i would have bought it sooner.
but really, i'm no authority on this stuff, i'm just a dude that likes to take photos. not a photographer. i think thats the target market and i think nikon nailed it.
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Blowboarder
Boulder climber
Back in the mix
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Dec 26, 2007 - 05:39pm PT
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I just bought my wife a d40 with the 18-55 and the 55-200VR lens and we both love it.
I'm a total camera tard and she's a pretty talented photographer but doesn't know a lot of the technical jargon nefarious spouted upthread.
I'm looking for a massive zoom lense now, maybe a 70-300 or something and while I'll have to manually focus it, that's kind of the fun, right?
And for women (who aren't climbers) without massive arm strength, the d40's small size kicks ass.
I was shooting with my cousin's d3 yesterday at christmas and while it's faster focusing, I'd rather have the d40.
my couple pennies...
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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Dec 26, 2007 - 06:16pm PT
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Well, while it might be technical jargon, the above mentioned items *do* matter to photographers. Bracketing, for instance is not a left-over from film days, at all. Tons of people still bracket. And, with the digital darkroom, and the Dynamic Range limitations of digi cameras compared to film, it's probably more important than ever to know how to bracket photos to get solid blended exposures for scenes which a digi cam is simply not capable of capturing. Otherwise, I hope you like solid white skies and blown highlights all over the place.
I'm not saying the D40 is a bad camera, at all. I think from a business stand-point, it makes all the sense in the world for Nikon to have released it. Facts are facts, however, and rather than really being a DSLR it much more easily fits into the pro-sumer series of cameras. Very similar to the Fuji S9000 series. Or even the S7000 series. There are actually more fully featured pro-sumer PAS camera out there that are cheaper.
Again, my thoughts were towards persons who think they might want to expand on their skills and picture taking ability in the future. If you've already budgeted for a Mustang and know that you do, or will want, a Mustang then why buy a Pinto knowing you're going to sell it, take a loss on it and end up with a Mustang? Again, for folks who just want a nice camera to take great snapshots with, the D40 is great!
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Euroford
Trad climber
chicago
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Dec 26, 2007 - 06:27pm PT
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if we are comparing the D40 to a Pinto, its probably a good time to point out thats its not so much what your driving, but what you the driver decides to do with it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2qxaCJBnIc
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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Dec 26, 2007 - 06:46pm PT
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hahaha! Nice, Euro! I used to work on the pit crew for a 9 second car and there were some FAST pintos and Vegas out there! Good show!! =)
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 26, 2007 - 09:13pm PT
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Well - thanks everyone, for the input.
It's just a matter of "doing" now, as in plunking down the cash...
I've been watching craigslist the last few days and there has been some a D50, D70 and a D80 listed today. I was really hoping to snag the D80, but haven't heard a thing. The other two, I only emailed just a short while ago. Most likely I will hear form one or the other....
I definitely want to be able to "grow" with the camera and lenses I will be buying. I sure WISH I could afford a 200, but I simply cannot. The camera I get will just have to do for at least a while, and that should be okay, because I have never had an slr before. I currently have a Fujifilm S3000 and use the manual settings(Not much to do, of course.)
Of course, I am a little concerned as to how I'm going to finance a macro lens...hahaha. I really enjoy shooting macro when I'm out hiking. So I will have to find a way.
And Radical - wow! What a generous offer(sending your lens for me to try out) that I simply cannot take you up on! Even if I did decide to go Canon, it's just too big a responsibility to borrow someone's gear like that. Thank you though.
I think I'll keep my eye on C/List for another day and see what shows up in the after xmas listings. And if that doesn't happen, then I will go through Keh.
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Euroford
Trad climber
chicago
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Dec 26, 2007 - 09:41pm PT
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i wouldn't worry too much about having a "macro" lens. most lenses will allow you to do a whole lot of macro photography. perhaps with some limitations, but fun non the less.
#1 BD Knifeblade racked on a BD ovalwire, shot with the D40 and kit lens. cropped but not resized, otherwise unedited .jpg straight from the camera.
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 26, 2007 - 10:44pm PT
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Well - it looks like this is what I'll be doing:
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/pho/520102589.html
His reason for selling is that he's switched to a Canon 5D, says the camera/lens is in great condition, and 7900 shutter actuations.
If anyone knows a reason this girl and camera should not be bound, speak now or forever hold your...."cheeese!" (I know...that was cheesy...).
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 26, 2007 - 10:56pm PT
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ahhh...I see I have a lot to learn now!
I'm glad to know that I can do my "bug and funghi" shots off the bat, then.
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bob d'antonio
Trad climber
Taos, NM
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Dec 26, 2007 - 11:02pm PT
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Happie...Buy, have fun and shoot a lot of pictures.
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Euroford
Trad climber
chicago
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Dec 26, 2007 - 11:02pm PT
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i hate sounding like a broken record, but, I'd really think twice about paying more for a used d50 than you can get a new d40 for.
oh, i see it does at least come with some stuff. probobly a bit of a toss up. eh, whatever, go take some pitures!
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Blowboarder
Boulder climber
Back in the mix
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Dec 26, 2007 - 11:05pm PT
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Also, the D50 is discontinued. Not sure if that matters in the scheme of things regarding parts and repair or not but thought I'd mention it.
I'm sure you'll be stoked with whatever deal you go with, happy shooting.
My LowePro strap I got is totally pimp too, alas, the d40 with the 55-200vr will fit in the LowePro Topload Mini case I got but with room for noting else. Need to upgrade to something bigger, who's got a camera case they'll defend?
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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Dec 27, 2007 - 12:22pm PT
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$550 for a D50 sounds really high!
You can get a Nikon D80 for $575-600, Rebel XT for $350, a Canon 20D for $450, a Pentax K10D with lens for $600ish, and on and on....
Be careful buying on CL, happie. There are great deals out there and there are also sharks. I'll email you a great place to find good deals - current used prices rather than inflated prices from people who don't know any better.
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 27, 2007 - 01:31pm PT
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Thanks you guys - Maybe it is being in NYC that prices aren't as low as you guys are finding, I don't know... There have been a few listed on C/L that fall under $500 for the D50 or under $650 for D80. But each time I have tried to contact the people, I never heard back.
It seems like people must go to Keh and see what the price lists are for the gear they are selling and then price their stuff accordingly.
Nefarious - Thanks for the link> It's giving me problems logging in, says the username/password is invalid. But I will try a little more.
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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Dec 27, 2007 - 01:38pm PT
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A lot of what you find on Craigs is people who bought their 300D Rebel back when they first came out and seem to think they're still worth $6-700. Not so. $250 is more like it. I've learned after a few attempts it's not worth the time to try to inform them of why their camera is still listed 3 months later, when making an offer to them.
Craigs can also be a pain for the reason you listed, Happie. Half the time, people jsut don't respond to you.
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 27, 2007 - 09:24pm PT
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Well - I had a turn of events!
I had pretty much decided to buy that D50, and though in the conversation with the seller I had said "interested, and would like to look" at the camera, it was about a done deal in my mind, so long as he showed up and the camera was as he'd said.
Seeing you guy's responses that $500 was too high for the camera didn't feel so good, but I'd already set the appointment....
But, then the guy delayed our meeting time. He left me a text message asking for a later time and a few moments after I accepted the later meeting, I got a call from another seller with a D70 at the same price as the D50.
I felt bad, but I did what any person would do, and canceled the meeting with the first guy with a white lie, saying I wouldn't be able to make the appt after all, had to check my schedule and get back to him. And I set up a meeting with the other seller.
I just got home(with a very nice D70 with a 50mm f/1.8D lens) and emailed my apology to the D50 guy and told him the truth.
He may be PO'd but when I think of how many times people have just bailed on me, simply not shown up, and then given lame excuses, I think what I did was not all that awful. Had he not delayed the meeting, I probably would have been too much of a chicken to change my mind and would have bought the D50...So I guess I should be grateful!
Anyway - I am very excited to start learning about this new camera.
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Euroford
Trad climber
chicago
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Dec 27, 2007 - 09:29pm PT
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cool, after all this drama, we expect pics to be posted. common, you line in nyc, no shortage of subject natter.
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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Dec 28, 2007 - 12:08pm PT
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Nice, happie! Enjoy your new camera! I've heard nothing but good things about the D70! It should serve you well as you grow with it! =)
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 28, 2007 - 12:17pm PT
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Thanks! Now the learning begins....
I'm just beginning to go through the user manual, and just tested a few shots so far. Everything is set on fully automatic, and here's the first "Teddy Pic:"
This really was just an off the cuff. I'm in between dog jobs and only had a few minutes. So - snap, snap, snap! Transfer and choose one of the bunch... I cropped out some crap because my carpet had some crumblies on it and Ted was laying across a phone wire; he lost a foot in the process... hahaha.
And, I did "auto adjust" on the layers in P/Shop.... So, I have a long way to go. But - I think I am really going to enjoy having the better camera.
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Wes Allen
Boulder climber
KY
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Dec 28, 2007 - 12:36pm PT
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Glad you were able to find something that will work for you! It is lots of fun, and you can learn a ton with digital. Not sure about nikon, but canon has a cool utility that will show you what settings were used, along with the active focus point, and that can help you learn why a photo was blurry/not sharp/or not exposed right. You can then take that info, and apply it right away.
Nefarius, I love my canon fisheye as well - very sharp, and a love the colors - esp. they way it handles nice blue skies! I just picked up a new Mark III this morning. Nice, and seems to be working fine, despite all the people that are reporting issues with it. It is raining here though, so no way to test my 300 and AI Servo yet...
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Euroford
Trad climber
chicago
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Dec 28, 2007 - 12:40pm PT
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this guy is kind of like the PTPP of camera stuff, so in the same vane he offers up some possibly good tips but take it with a grain of salt i suppose. he does go through the camera settings really well and i found his D40 and D200 writeups very useful.
here is his dealio on the D70.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d70/d70-settings.htm
i do find auto-iso very useful. he changed his tune on that feature in more recent writings.
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maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Dec 28, 2007 - 01:04pm PT
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Happie,
I loved my D70 and shot more than 40,000 pics on it. Ditto what euroford says about the kenrockwell site. He's full of great info on how to use the settings and manipulate the camera to your benefit. I think the reason a lot of people don't like him is that he's not into shooting RAW and there's just so much there to talk about and discuss and spend time on. If you're a pro, RAW is a good thing. If you're a hobbyist (like most of us) RAW seems to be a waste of time and storage space.
Poke around on that website. There's a whole treasure trove of articles about Photoshop processing, file storage, ISO, White Balance and other good stuff.
Have a great time with your camera.
Mal
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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Dec 28, 2007 - 02:03pm PT
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Nice, happie! Great shot of teddy! =)
Wes - Congrats on the MkIII. Nice camera. Good luck with the AI Servo! Hopefully they get that issue worked out for folks afflicted soon! By 300, you mean 300 2.8? Very nice lens! I love shooting with that lens!
Mal said - "RAW seems to be a waste of time and storage space."
Aint that the truth, Mal! I have to buy new drives soon... AGAIN! I process the RAW files (save the RAW too), save them as TIFFs, (which I use as my digital negatives) save a copy of more popular/select TIFFs soft-proofed with profiles to match my printers and save a copy for the web. I also have copies of my highest selling prints in the offered print sizes.
All of this is stored on 2 external drives, one being a constant copy of the other for redundancy. I also have 2 DVD copies of everything, one of them off-site in a safe-deposit box.
All in all, it's much less work in the end when someone requests a print, but each "keeper" takes up a LOT of space!
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 28, 2007 - 03:34pm PT
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Well...I think I'll just take out a Lloyd's of London policy and use Brinks Armored trucks to safeguard and store my priceless Teddy pics.....hahaha.
I can imagine as a pro how utterly imperative it is for you to have foolproof systems. I bet in times of stress you have those awful sorts of nightmares - can't find the camera, then can't find the lens, then the shutter sticks, then the memory card falls down some sinkhole.... If you get all the way to where the system crashes in the dream - you probably wake your neighbors with the tossing and turning and gutteral grunts and whimpers!
Thanks for all the help guys, and also for that link Euroford!
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Wes Allen
Boulder climber
KY
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Dec 28, 2007 - 04:07pm PT
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Yep, 300 2.8 IS, and it is the nicest lens I have used. I had a 400 2.8 IS, but the 300 has better IQ. I don't do much AI servo with 10fps and fast action in bright sun, so I think the mark III should work out fine for me. I do still have a Mark II is can use for those times if I have the need.
Happy, you should look into some of the online photo hosting sites for basic backup - you can upload high res of your favorite shots, and then if you hard drive crashes you will have a copy off site. I would recommend picking up an external hd still though - you would be amazed at how fast the photos will pile up!
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maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Dec 28, 2007 - 04:35pm PT
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Thanks for the props radical. My favorite set of photos were at a friend's wedding in Ridgway this spring. Check them out at: http://ranchexitphoto.zenfolio.com/p479102591/
I had a blast at the wedding and, after sorting through the photos, thought that maybe I had a future as a wedding photographer.
Then I remembered the mother-in-laws...
Mal
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maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Dec 28, 2007 - 10:52pm PT
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Yeah, That's Jim and Angela. I blew it up and gave it to them for their 10th anniversary. That was about the only heterosexual kissing going on that day.
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