buying a DSLR, please help!

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haas
Posts: 694
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 5:06 pm

buying a DSLR, please help!

Post by haas »

So I'm upgrading my SLR to a DSLR. I think I've settled on buying the Nikon D80 mainly because it is compatible with my lenses, inlcuding a Nikon ED 70-300mm. For all you photographers out there, what do you think about this camera? Pros and Cons.
Alan Evil
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Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2003 1:08 pm

Post by Alan Evil »

Get the best Nikon you can afford, especially since you've already got lenses. I too am drooling over a D80. Just need to save a little but more money...
[size=75]You are as bad as Alan, and even he hits the mark sometimes. -charlie

"Not all conservatives are stupid, but most stupid people are conservative." - John Stuart Mill[/size]
travelinyouth
Posts: 97
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 12:02 am

Post by travelinyouth »

I work at Ritz Camera and all I do is play with that damn Camera!!! It is SICK NASTY!! Get it! Don't get the 18-135 though it kinda sucks and the chromatic Aberations are very apparent. Also think about getting the 70-300 VR ED IF lens if you can swing it. The VR is clutch when you get out to the far end of the telephoto. Otherwise you won't be able to hold it steady enough. Other than that yeah buy it!!!
Alan Evil
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Joined: Fri Oct 10, 2003 1:08 pm

Post by Alan Evil »

What's wrong with the 18-135? It's hard to make a really good catch-all lense like that. Is it worse than other, similar lenses?
[size=75]You are as bad as Alan, and even he hits the mark sometimes. -charlie

"Not all conservatives are stupid, but most stupid people are conservative." - John Stuart Mill[/size]
chester
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Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2002 3:55 pm

Post by chester »

get Nikon 50mm 1.8 lens...it's less than $150, or if you can afford it, get the 50mm 1.4...around $350 Best damn lens I have...and I have alot of lenses...

If you are going to get a slow lens like the 18-135, then don't spend the money on Nikon glass. They reserve the good glass for their fast lenses and you will spend $1300+ for the good glass. You will get more bang for your buck if you get the Tamron 28-300. I have three Tamron lenses and have ran side by side test on them. They will go head to head with Canon or Nikon lenses any day.

I've yet to put a D80 in my hands, but from what I've heard from others, the bells and whistles aren't worth the extra money you are paying over the D70. I have two D70's and haven't had a problem with either. I still use them to play around with when I don't feel like lugging around my bigger cameras. I do know that they've gone down in price quite a bit since the D80 has come out.

The D80 also takes a different type of card. Not that it really matters much if this is your first camera.
[size=84]Women are like tea bags. They don't know how strong they are until they get into hot water.[/size]
Wes
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Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2002 3:46 pm

Post by Wes »

chester wrote:..and I have alot of lenses...
Ha, maybe teh understatement of the year? You have more bodies then most people have lenses! And, the mad skilz to pur them to use, no doubt.

I will second the Tamron being killer as well. I have the 28-75 F2.8, and take maybe 90% of my climbing photos with it, along with some of the people stuff. Great lens for the money.
"There is no secret ingredient"

Po, the kung fu panda
Mazz
Posts: 100
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2004 10:34 pm

Post by Mazz »

I'd say if you settled on the D80, then get it. It's only real drawback is that is will not operate with
a manual focus lens. If you wanted to save money for better lenses, then maybe forget the D70
and get a D50. That way you won't feel screwed when the next best thing comes out in a few
months. The main questions you need to be asking yourself is what are you mainly going to be
shooting and how large do you want to be able to print.

As for lenses - you might want to consider an 18mm to whatever. Otherwise, you might be left
wanting for a wider view. You may want to check out this site:

http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/index.html
www.lightontheland.com
haas
Posts: 694
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 5:06 pm

Post by haas »

thanks for all the help. I've found a D80 for $700, which is only about $40 more than the cheapest D70 I've found. Right now I'm mainly concerned with quality images for the new guidebook to the Flatirons in CO that I'm writing. I also want to improve both my action and landscape photos without paying for prints while going through the learning process. I tried that awhile ago and it became really expensive really quickly. I have two lenses that I'm satisfied with currently, a 28-70 and a 70-300 and both are compatible with the D80 so I'm psyched.
Paul3eb
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Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2003 1:49 am

Post by Paul3eb »

haas wrote:Right now I'm mainly concerned with quality images for the new guidebook to the Flatirons in CO that I'm writing.
hell yeah! congrats on the authorship, sir ;)
and great loves will one day have to part -smashing pumpkins
OZ
Posts: 129
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2004 3:55 pm

Post by OZ »

A $700 D80? Where did you get it and do you have it in hand?
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