Versatile DSLR

> <aniramca.TakeThisOut@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1187461581.720102.191200@50g2000hsm.googlegroups.com...
>
>> Another criteria is economics... i.e. I do not want to spend money
>> for a professional (read - expensive) type DSLR which costs a lot of
>> money. If I can afford to spend over $3000, I may as well looking
>> for a digital back for my M645 or RB67 (any suggestion for a cheap
>> one, if available?).
>
>
> A MF Digital Back would cost around $25000 to $30000 and another $3000,
> would get you 3 years extended warranty on it.
>
> Roy G

Hi
Don't know if this will be of any interest to you -
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/find/newsLetter/Digital-Cameras-Newsletter-ZD.jsp
Your still looking at $7000 but I thought the last bit might be useful info
"If you currently own a Mamiya 645AF, Mamiya will upgrade your camera to
accept the ZD back at no additional cost when you purchase a ZD digital
back."
HTH

Tim
--
http://www.timdenning.myby.co.uk/
 >> Stay informed about: Versatile DSLR 

<snip>
>> Hi
>> Don't know if this will be of any interest to you
>> -http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/find/newsLetter/Digital-Cameras-Newslet...
>> Your still looking at $7000 but I thought the last bit might be
>> useful info "If you currently own a Mamiya 645AF, Mamiya will
>> upgrade your camera to
>> accept the ZD back at no additional cost when you purchase a ZD
>> digital
>> back."
>> HTH
>>
>> Tim
>> --http://www.timdenning.myby.co.uk/
>
> Thanks for your info Tim? What camera that you used on the photos in
> your website?
> About the camera back... it is still expensive to update my M645/RB67
> to become digital cameras. The costs that you mentioned can buy top of
> the line professional SLR!.
> It is also likely that my cameras are too old for updating into
> digital ones. You indicated a Mamiya 645AF. I think it is a fairly new
> Mamiya (c. 1999). Mine was a c.1980 camera (M645 1000s). I think this
> is getting out of my original topic, and perhaps I should switch to
> the rec.photo.equipment.medium-format usergroup.
> It looks like that I could not go into the digital age with old
> equipments, and it is a shame just by looking at the lens for my
> Mamiya. They are big and of excellent qualities.

Hi
The pictures on my website were taken with a Sony P&S
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/t1.html
A nice little camera to carry around but the pictures are very noisy

I've now got a Nikon D70s which I'm struggling to get to grips with - I'm
not a natural born photographer I think
The pictures on my Flickr pages wre taken with that - I use the name
Lusername on there
http://flickr.com/photos/lusername/

There are some groups on Flickr that might be of use to you - I think you
might have to sign up to see them though - but that's free

http://flickr.com/search/groups/?w=all&q=Nikon&m=names
http://flickr.com/search/groups/?w=all&q=Canon&m=names

Hope that's of some use

Tim
--
http://www.timdenning.myby.co.uk/
 >> Stay informed about: Versatile DSLR 

aniramca.RemoveThis@gmail.com wrote:

> It looks like that I could not go into the digital age with old
> equipments, and it is a shame just by looking at the lens for my
> Mamiya. They are big and of excellent qualities.
>
>

You might look for lens adaptors, or someone who can make them for you. I
have a Novoflex bellows which was manufactured to fit a Leica R4. I
bought it after determining that an adaptor was available and now use it
on Canon EOS SLRs. The price, even with the adaptor, was much less than
what used bellows to fit EOS were selling for. I suspect that off the
shelf adaptors may not be available for Mamiya MF lenses, but a good
machinist should be able to make one.
 >> Stay informed about: Versatile DSLR 

On Aug 18, 2:26 pm, anira... RemoveThis @gmail.com wrote:
> I am sure that this type of question have been raised thousands of
> time, but I just want to get some more opinions from the readers.
> I am thinking about a DSLR (finally). However, my requirements for a
> DSLR may be completely different from others. I do not want to buy a
> DSLR for the sake that it has the flexibility for having
> interchangeble lenses, but because it has a larger sensor.
> Another criteria is economics... i.e. I do not want to spend money for
> a professional (read - expensive) type DSLR which costs a lot of
> money. If I can afford to spend over $3000, I may as well looking for
> a digital back for my M645 or RB67 (any suggestion for a cheap one, if
> available?). Top of my budget will be a D80 or 30D range. Is the
> entry level DSLR (Is XT/Xti or D40/D40x any good?)
> I am open to suggestion on info related to non-popular DSLR. What zoom
> lens that comes as standard package with the camera, which will allow
> me the most possible range without changing lenses?
> I am aware that some readers will immediately comment or ask about the
> kind of photos that I am planning to take. All kinds... whatever the
> camera is capable. I usually buy the camera first, and utilize its
> limits or capability accordingly... without getting sucked into buying
> more accessories....ie. once I buy it, I have to live with it, and no
> plan for getting another set of lenses, accesories, etc.
> Thanks for your input.


I'd go for a Nikon D80, D200 is better, or a Pentax K10, the Canon
viewfinders aren't up to those cameras. Some DSLR viewfiders are porro
mirror, and unmagnified, so they are like looking trough a dim tunnel,
Canon 30D is a little better than this. With film SLRs you had the
cheapest cameras being the most manual, with DSLRs this is reversed,
cheaper cameras take away or make manual operation more difficult.
This is by haveing more controls in the menus rather than by on camera
controls. Lenses are similar the consumer lenses are more difficult to
manual focus. The Nikon D200 and the Pentax K10 both can use older
lenses, though you say you aren't interested, a nice feature to have.
I would suggest getting 2 lenses, an f2.8 17-50 Tamron, Nikon if you
want to spend the $, and a 70-300, Nikon has a nice VR lens in this
range. With any of the 10mp cameras they will give your Mamiya 645 a
run for its money with a good lens. Saw a 6mp blow away a 645 in a 50
person group shot several years a go.

Tom
 >> Stay informed about: Versatile DSLR 

aniramca.RemoveThis@gmail.com wrote:
> I am sure that this type of question have been raised thousands of
> time, but I just want to get some more opinions from the readers.
> I am thinking about a DSLR (finally). However, my requirements for a
> DSLR may be completely different from others. I do not want to buy a
> DSLR for the sake that it has the flexibility for having
> interchangeble lenses, but because it has a larger sensor.
> Another criteria is economics... i.e. I do not want to spend money for
> a professional (read - expensive) type DSLR which costs a lot of
> money. If I can afford to spend over $3000, I may as well looking for
> a digital back for my M645 or RB67 (any suggestion for a cheap one, if
> available?). Top of my budget will be a D80 or 30D range. Is the
> entry level DSLR (Is XT/Xti or D40/D40x any good?)

The Xti is fine, but avoid the D40/D40x. The D80 or 40D are better
choices. Two reasons to avoid the D40 are the limited lens compatibility
and the limited accessory collection.

> I am open to suggestion on info related to non-popular DSLR. What zoom
> lens that comes as standard package with the camera, which will allow
> me the most possible range without changing lenses?

So image quality is secondary is what you're saying? The wide range
lenses are always compromises.

For price, get the Xti or D80 with the Sigma Zoom Super Wide Angle
18-200mm f/3.5-6.3D DC Aspherical (IF) Lens (for Canon or Nikon as the
case may be).
 >> Stay informed about: Versatile DSLR 

In rec.photo.digital SMS <scharf.steven DeleteThis @geemail.com> wrote:
>
> The Xti is fine, but avoid the D40/D40x. The D80 or 40D are better
> choices. Two reasons to avoid the D40 are the limited lens compatibility
> and the limited accessory collection.
>

The only issue with the D40 is that it doesn't have an in-camera motor to
drive the lens auto-focus. So, any lens that requires it will not get
autofocus, but it could still be used manually. Considering the OP likely
doesn't even own a lens this is not a drawback at all.

>> I am open to suggestion on info related to non-popular DSLR. What zoom
>> lens that comes as standard package with the camera, which will allow
>> me the most possible range without changing lenses?
>

OP should look for a kit setup, like Costco sells ... or consider a 18-200 or
18-300 lens from a third party lens (the Nikon 18-200 is the best of the
bunch, but it isn't all that cheap ... ~$700).

> So image quality is secondary is what you're saying? The wide range
> lenses are always compromises.
>

I don't think he is saying that. He is comparing to a smaller sensor camera,
probably with built-in lens. He will likely do much better even with the kit
lens on a DSLR. Remember that price increases exponentially over quality when
it comes to lenses ... so a lot more money buys you a little more quality.

> For price, get the Xti or D80 with the Sigma Zoom Super Wide Angle
> 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3D DC Aspherical (IF) Lens (for Canon or Nikon as the
> case may be).

I don't hesitate to recommend the Nikon D40x as an option. Go for it. Go to
a camera store and hold the camera and play with it. See if it feels right to
you. The Canon Rebels are all too small for my hands, as is the Nikon D40.
However, the D80 is getting closer [still smaller than my D70, which I found
to be nearly of perfect size for me].

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse

We have more to fear from the bungling of the incompetent than from the
machinations of the wicked.
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