Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with SLR

Transition Lenses: SLR to DSLR

yamel — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:10:20 -0800

When is an old camera lens good enough to influence which DSLR body to purchase? I never had an expensive kit, but have one prime lens used on my Yashica FX-3 Super 2000 that I quite like. It's identifying marks include Carl Zeiss Planar T* 1,7/50.

So, I went from really liking photography to moving to digital point and shoots and am now ready to move back to enjoying photography with a DSLR. Is this lens, along with a so-so telephoto, enough to influence what to buy? There's so much confusing information about adapters that I'm not quite sure if this is even possible with the lenses I already have.

By the way, I do understand that this would limit me to manual focus. I'm completely comfortable with this unless you can tell me there are other features other than autofocus I'd be missing out on.

Thanks!

Left Hand of...Photography?

Oktober — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:58:27 -0800

Is there such a thing as a left-handed SLR? My fiancee has limited use of her right hand, but she's rapidly outgrowing her little Canon point and shoot. Ideally, I'd like to get her a (relatively) entry level SLR with left-handed controls. Digital or 35-mm is fine, as I'm open to whatever bizarre eastern European models the hivemind can find. Under $750 would be ideal.

What's a good film SLR for a beginner?

biochemist — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:11:06 -0800

I'd like recommendations of a good ~$200 film SLR for a beginner. I'll be using the kit lens for now. I can't afford a digital SLR. I know the cost of film/development adds up, but for now I just need something to get off my feet. I've been doing photography for years, but I never learned beyond point-and-shoot cameras. Something that's compact and fairly new would be great, but not required. I like to take nature and portrait shots.

Film like digital pictures...

ashaw — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:30:11 -0800

Photography-filter: As a total beginner to photography, I've been learning all about the basic techniques with my new DLSR. However I've been recently getting very inspired by film photography shot on 35mm film like Lomos, Yashica T4s. How can I emulate this style on a Digital SLR? [More inside] I've done my homework which has amounted to "Use film to look like film". But if I absolutely have to use a DSLR how would I achieve effects similar to the following photos:

I like the hues in the back of this one and this one (NSFW).
I like the lo-fi 'fogginess' (is that the right word?) of this one and this one.
I like the washed out bluish hues of this one and this one.

I love little things like light leaks, vingnetting and accidental quirks which I'm willing to accept is near impossible to achieve.

Post production techniques? What kind of camera settings should I use?

I try to shoot film when possible, but as a student it's prohibitively expensive.

Cheese! Wanted a Sigma DP2 but having doubts, recommendations?

doctor.dan — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:54:12 -0800

I've been thinking of buying a new point-and-shoot camera for a while. I've had some lame experiences with previous point-and-shoots (blurry photos, bad colour balance, etc), so I'm asking the green for some advice. I initially had big hopes for the Sigma DP2 because of its SLR sized sensor, but have been reading some very mixed reviews.

Any recommendations for a small-factor camera that shoots gorgeous pictures, as the DP2 does, but without the supposed downsides?

I've had a read through a similar previous question, but don't really know what I'm looking for.

camera recommendation for graphic designer?

MaddyRex — Fri, 29 May 2009 12:13:52 -0800

What's the best camera for a cash-poor graphic designer? I'm making my big camera purchase & I realize I'll have to compromise on something. I don't know too much about cameras but I know a lot about graphic design & I'm looking for something that will basically help someone with currently minimal photo skills (I promise I'll work on them) generate clean, high resolution images. My price range is around $400. Ideally I'd want something that's at least semi-portable.

How important is it to have a dSLR? One photographer I know recommended the Canon Powershot g10 for a graphic designer. Another told me this was a total waste of money & that I should go straight to a dSLR. Thoughts? Help! Thanks!

Bokeh my balls with this Kodak camera

rileyray3000 — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:04:30 -0800

I just got a kodak ZD 710 with manual controls. How do I shoot bokeh balls with it? So I'm a camera novice and I ask you to please bear with me.

I got a Kodak ZD710 last month. It's not an SLR but it's not a point and shoot either. It's got some decent manual controls on it, or so the reviews said.

I thought by manual controls it meant I could hand adjust the 10x lens. Turns out no. Not by hand anyway. But there are some other ways to do it. Here's a link to the camera

I want to shoot some bokeh type photos with this. Is it possible? Take a look at the PDF of the manual and tell me. And if so, what're the settings I'd use for this camera?

Cheap DSRL for low-light?

Monday, stony Monday — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:20:21 -0800

What cheap kit should I get to take relatively low-light photos? So I found out that shooting hockey indoors is out of my price/skills range. Still looking for a camera. My subjects would be people in low-light situations, at close range (players on the bench, people in the crowd). Later, I'd use that setup to shoot family gatherings. Ideally, I'd like to spend less than $1000. I own no lenses, or body. It seems that a DSLR with an APS-sized sensor + a fixed lens would offer me the best compromise in terms of low-light performance vs. weight vs. cost.

This leads me to:

This Nikkor lens + a D40 (or D60 if I should) seems like the cheapest/lightest setup with a "normal" (like a 50 mm lens on a 35 mm camera) perspective. Amirite? Is there a good reason to avoid the D40?
Should I step up to a Sigma 30 mm/1.4? Here in Canada it's more than double the price.

Fast 50 mm lenses are relatively cheap. Would putting one on an APS body be an hindrance, given that I intend to shoot in close quarters (e.g.: people in a living room)?

Finally, am I overthinking this? Would whatever cheap kit zoom be enough for my purpose? For "shooting around a hockey game", a zoom would be nice since I could get relatively "close" to the players on the opposite bench.

Oh, and should I care about stabilisation, since I'm shooting people?

Upgrading from a 20d to ...

pbh — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:41:14 -0800

Digital SLRs: Canon 10-series or Digital Rebel in low light? I've been borrowing a Canon EOS-20D for the last few weeks, and I think I'm ready to finally buy a DSLR. I have a bunch of lenses for an old EOS Elan-IIe, so I'm more or less wedded to getting a Canon DSLR. Most of my photos are candids in low light. With the 20D, I've been shooting with a 50mm F/1.8 prime and I've been pretty happy.

It looks like I can get a new Digital Rebel Xsi and a used 40D for about the same price locally (no meaningful warranty on the 40D though).

I've looked at previous discussions on AskMeFi about low light, the 20d, and so on, but I can't figure out:

1. In what ways a recent digital rebel would be a downgrade from the 20d that I've been shooting with?
2. Is the light sensitivity any different? I've been reading some comparisons (e.g., this) and it doesn't seem to make a difference within the same format, but the rebel feels a little blurrier/slower so I'm not quite sure.
3. Should I be considering anything else, like robustness of the body, weight, or how configurable it is? I'm obviously not a pro, but I'm likely to be traveling a fair amount with it.

Bad blue fringing from nowhere.

Jimbob — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:48:49 -0800

What might be causing the really bad (never before seen) blue-fringing around the guy on the left's shirt in this photo my wife took? This photo was taken on our Olympus E-500 DSLR in RAW mode, 14-50mm Zuiko lens, polarizer filter, with some simple exposure adjustment as the only post-processing. Other photos of this group of people have the same problem around this guy's shirt, but we've never seen any blue-fringing (common with point-and-shoot digital cameras) with this camera before, around anyone or anything, in the last 2 years / 60,000-odd photos. No visible fingerprints on the filter or lens.

What's the verdict - chromatic aberration from the lens / polarizer? Some encroaching problem with our camera? We've captured an aura? Or just bad luck?

Best low-light lens for Nikon D80?

bollockovnikov — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 05:03:51 -0800

I am looking for a lens for my Nikon D80 that works well in low-light conditions. Something relatively compact and not too expensive would be best. I already own a 18-200mm VR lens, which is OK in low light, but not very compact.

I would obviously like my new lens to be useful in a range of situations, but I am more interested in the portrait to 10 metres range.

I do not own a flash unit and don't intend to buy one.

Thanks

TMI, Camera ! TMI !

duckus — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 09:36:35 -0800

I am a lame newbie who does not know how to operate her SLR. Please help me make this box go away ! Every time I take a picture with my Nikon D40 there is an informational box on my LCD viewfinder that displays the following settings: Camera, Metering, Shutter, Aperture, Exposure Mode .. etc. It Will Not Go Away, no matter how many settings I muck about with.

The manual is lost, and I'm at a loss as to what to google.

Please help ! I'd like to see the pictures I'm taking !

I need a good camera.

zardoz — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:12:19 -0800

I want a camera. I'm not quite satisfied with just an SLR or just a video camera, but one that can do both. If I had the money I'd buy one of each, but it's more economical and practical to just get one. I'd like to get a Nikon digital SLR, if for no other reason than the ability to change lenses. For video, I'd like a 3CCD video camera, but this doesn't seem to be part of any digital SLR that I can find (is the hardware for 3CCD too bulky?).

Which brings me to a corollary video question: is there a big difference between "HD" video cameras and 3CCD video cameras?

In short, can anyone suggest an SLR that has good-to-outstanding video quality? I seem to remember reading on a tech blog very recently that Nikon or Olympus is releasing a video SLR but I can't find anything. One that is under US$1000 would be ideal.

Old Lens with New dSLR?

awesomebrad — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 20:41:32 -0800

dSLRfilter - What will a dSLR think about my 30 year old lens? I've recently started photography as a hobby, and have been using a very old Nikon EM from 1979 that my parents had lying around the house. It only has one lens, a 50mm f/1. Series E, which I quite like. My limited but growing understanding of dSLRs tells me that because I won't be getting a full frame camera, the image is going to be different in some way because the lens is designed for film. What is that something? Is there anything else that will prevent it from working with a new camera?

Bonus: thoughts on Nikon D40 v. D60? I'd go with the D40, but I'm a bit concerned about not having a dust removal system...how big of a problem is that?

What cheap non-digital SLR for sis?

Cantdosleepy — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 07:57:59 -0800

Which NON-digital, cheap SLR should I get my sister for her birthday? Hi all,

My sister is off to NZ for a year (heading from England). She's got a point'n'shoot digital for shots of her buddies and stuff, and she really enjoys taking snaps. She's pretty arty, and so I want to get her an SLR that she can use to take more hobbyish pictures of NZ's amazing scenery.

Due to limited funds, we're talking non-digital, and we're probably talking ebay (.co.uk). We're talking a camera that appears in multiple auctions a day, as I have to win one in the next five days.

So which are the classics of the SLR world? I've heard the Pentax K1000 is a classic (and the ~£50-75 finishing price is about my affordable limit).

There seems to be a world of Nikon F-series recommended, too. But the endless differnt types are pretty imtimidating. I'd like a camera that is as manual as possible, and will give her a great grounding in the key basics of manual photography.

Help me, camera gurus!

SLRockin

tmcw — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:08:26 -0800

My roommate's looking for a $4-600 SLR + Lens combo. That's pretty much it. He doesn't have any lenses that are worth porting over, so no influence on brand in that area. I have a Canon, though, and some good lenses, so I might lend one to him if he gets something similar. He shoots mostly daylight city, events, type of stuff: not as much landscape or low-light, but I'm sure he'll cover the range. I'm not sure what to go with at this particular time (with the seeming explosion of prosumer cams), but there must be something good to get at this price point?

Thanks for any info!

Guides/tricks for my new DSLR?

meerkatty — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:55:24 -0800

Please help me use my new DSLR camera. Are there guides/tricks for specific cameras online? I took a course today on how to use my new Canon Rebel xti, which came with a handy password protected guide online. (The guide was far superior to the camera manual - with explanations of when and why you would use a certain function, complete with photo examples.) The course was a little basic for my needs but I can't take the more advanced part of the course for a few months. Are there guides along these lines available online?

Big bonus points for anyone who has the password for Henry's School of Imaging Canon xti Part 2 guide.

camera buying shy

chickaboo — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:41:46 -0800

I need a new digital camera. Don't roll your eyes. I do need some help. I am looking for something that is fairly compact, costs less than $500, and has a decent zoom. I had a canon elph that recently died on me, but I was really frustrated with the zoom on it, it was really crappy.

I generally take snaps of family and friends - lots of children - but I also sew and would like to capture some of the detail in my work.

Any and all advice is welcome! thank you!

Is a broken camera lens useful for anything?

logic vs love — Wed, 28 May 2008 14:01:34 -0800

Can anything interesting be done with a broken SLR zoom lens? So, I dropped my digital SLR and the lens didn't survive. It was a 18-70mm zoom lens, if it matters. Now the barrel is tilted and it's nearly impossible to zoom in/out or focus. It was the kit lens so I'm not too upset, but I'm wondering if there's anything fun that can be done with it at this point? It seems such a waste to just toss it.

What entry level DSLR + prime lens to get?

rsanheim — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:57:32 -0800

I'd like to get an entry level DSLR with *only* a basic prime lens for under $600. Is this doable? My wife and I own a crummy Pentax P&S, and we would like something better. She has shown a pretty good eye for photography, so I'd like to get her something to help her develop her skills. Most of our shots are of people, in low light conditions and with moving subjects.

I've been thoroughly convinced that getting a fixed focal length lens is the way to go when moving into DSLR, and just avoiding the kit lens if at all possible. So my question is what DSLRs should we look at getting, and are there any nice combo deals that have just the body + 50mm prime lens we should look at? Is this possible to get while staying under roughly $600?

Can I take my SLR camera to the V Festival?

snarkle — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:00:42 -0800

Can I get legitimately take my SLR camera into the Melbourne V Festival tomorrow without having to smuggle it in or having a press pass? The FAQ on the website says "Am I allowed to bring a camera to the festival? Yes, as long as your camera is a personal camera without a professional standard zoom. "
This sounds like it would be ok to me.

Anyone been able to do this? I'd rather not have to return home to drop my camera off.

What's a cheap used SLR camera with video capability?

oneous — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 22:40:23 -0800

"Help me/others choose a cheap used digital SLR" (meaning *looks* like an SLR) Requirements are: <$250 on ebay good looking 30fps video capability <-- the kicker pretty fast user interface/performance

Help the pops!

outsider — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 11:01:32 -0800

Digital video / SLR equipment advice for a documentary my father is making. My dad is going up to alaska to make a documentary on the education system in tiny alaskan bush towns. He is an academic and is doing this on his own to supplement papers he is writing on the same subject. His budget is flexible, he does not want to buy junky equipment as he cant go back to reshoot anything.

He needs a digital SLR rig as well as a digital video camera. He is pretty adept at using film SLR cameras and is good with computers so he should be able to figure out whatever equipment he buys.

First the SLR: I have been looking at the XTi etc, these seem to be the standard issue entry digital SLR. He will be shooting all kinds of shots, from landscapes to portrait, so he will probably need a few lenses. Any advice?

Second the digital video camera, I know next to nothing about this. He will want to shoot in HD probably, or at least a high resolution, and the camera should be as small / portable / long battery life as possible. I know these things are usually mutually exlusive but hope there is something out there that will work. Another question is how should he handle files? I assume he will be filling up whatever storage media the camera takes pretty frequently, should he buy a number of tapes or memory cards or whatever or plan on taking a laptop / external hard drive to dump the video on to? How big will these files be?

Lastly is the processing software, he needs some basic video editing software that is not too hard to learn. This will all be done after he gets back from alaska.

Thanks for any help.

Good camera equipment for nature photography?

L. Fitzgerald Sjoberg — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 08:57:41 -0800

What sort of setup do I need for decent nature photography? I might be attending a meetup to take pictures of birds and nature. I've been considering getting a digital SLR anyway, so what are good choices, both in terms of specs and brands, for a body and lenses to take decent photos of birds and the like for a reasonable price?

SLR camera accessories?

gnutron — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:52:25 -0800

GiftFilter: My wife just treated herself to a nice SLR digital camera. I'd like to gift her some accessories or books to help her realize the camera's true potential. The camera in question is a Canon EOS Rebel XTI. It came with a telephoto lens, camera bag and UV filter. As far as accessories go, I was considering a gorillapod, a macro lens or other type of lens, or some interesting and informative books. Please recommend some cool stuff to enhance her photographing experiences!