Moving from film to digital at last :)

sunny2004

This thread is not exactly true as I have already got a few digital cameras some crappier than others the best one is the Sigma SD10, none of them would make me feel like my nikon F3 and F4 can be finally put away.

My budget is 1200 euros.... for the body and a kit lens. will pick up the rest as I go along...
I am familar but no expert on models.. I wanted to stay with nikon but am not sure exactly why.. maybe the lenses I already have, who knows..

I like the eos 40d, the d200 from nikon and the canon D5...

Anyone got any ideas, I am in need of some direction !

Thirdfox

For 1200 you might be able to get a D80 with 18-200mm VR II lens... it would cover a massive range (28-300mm in 35mm terms). Of course you could still use your old lenses (remember to factor in the 1.5x dx focal length multiplier).

DaireQuinlan

It depends on what nikon gear you have already lens wise. If you have a bunch of AIS or manual lenses then the D200 is the only option to go for if you want to keep on using them (well strictly speaking also the d300 when it comes out, and the D2 and D3 but I presume we're being realistic here ). If you only have AF lenses then any of the other Nikon digitals will work except for the D40x as far as I know (only AFS lenses will work with the D40x).

If you're thinking of going Canon then I'm sure the hordes here will be only happy to oblige ! If that though, what are you thinking of doing with your nikon gear ?!?

Thirdfox

Give the Nikon gear to me I'll give it a happy home.

...D40(x) works with more lenses than most Nikons I believe (it just doesn't autofocus with non-AFS/AFI lenses). (Pre AIS lenses work without modification to the lens). Keep in mind focusing with a dSLR is a lot different compared to film (no more focus aids - except for a little green dot). The viewfinder is normally smaller too

DaireQuinlan

Thirdfox wrote: »

Give the Nikon gear to me I'll give it a happy home.
...D40(x) works with more lenses than most Nikons I believe (it just doesn't autofocus with non-AFS/AFI lenses). (Pre AIS lenses work without modification to the lens). Keep in mind focusing with a dSLR is a lot different compared to film (no more focus aids - except for a little green dot). The viewfinder is normally smaller too

AFAIK though only the D200 and up can actually meter with AIS lenses though right ? And they're the only ones that have the little widget that catches the aperture lug on older lenses aswell, none of the cheaper digitals have that (for some stupid reason, otherwise I would have bought a nikon digital body long before now)

sunny2004

Thirdfox wrote: »

For 1200 you might be able to get a D80 with 18-200mm VR II lens... it would cover a massive range (28-300mm in 35mm terms). Of course you could still use your old lenses (remember to factor in the 1.5x dx focal length multiplier).

cheers.. regarding the lens, I would never use a lens with such a massive spam 28-300mm what f stop has that ??

I am interested in a lens that is say 24-85mm in 35mm terms... for starting out !

sunny2004

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

It depends on what nikon gear you have already lens wise. If you have a bunch of AIS or manual lenses then the D200 is the only option to go for if you want to keep on using them (well strictly speaking also the d300 when it comes out, and the D2 and D3 but I presume we're being realistic here ). If you only have AF lenses then any of the other Nikon digitals will work except for the D40x as far as I know (only AFS lenses will work with the D40x).

If you're thinking of going Canon then I'm sure the hordes here will be only happy to oblige ! If that though, what are you thinking of doing with your nikon gear ?!?

I have a real bunch of manual lenses... 24, 28, 50, 105, 135, 180 and a 300mm
they are all manual from the 1980's

sunny2004

Thirdfox wrote: »

Give the Nikon gear to me I'll give it a happy home.

...D40(x) works with more lenses than most Nikons I believe (it just doesn't autofocus with non-AFS/AFI lenses). (Pre AIS lenses work without modification to the lens). Keep in mind focusing with a dSLR is a lot different compared to film (no more focus aids - except for a little green dot). The viewfinder is normally smaller too

I was after something more substantial than the d40...

DaireQuinlan

sunny2004 wrote: »

I have a real bunch of manual lenses... 24, 28, 50, 105, 135, 180 and a 300mm
they are all manual from the 1980's

D200 it is then. Honestly, those old manual Nikon primes are amongst the finest lenses ever made in terms of build quality, sharpness, contrast etc etc. You'd be daft to switch over to a completely different system TBH.

sunny2004

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

D200 it is then. Honestly, those old manual Nikon primes are amongst the finest lenses ever made in terms of build quality, sharpness, contrast etc etc. You'd be daft to switch over to a completely different system TBH.

cheers, to be honest I have heard nothing but "get Canon" for the Canon brigade, when I got those lenses Nikon was king,

elven

If you've been using nikon for years, surely the actual functionality of the camera will be more familiar to you as well, even if it is digital and has the extra stuff. I found it wasn't a big jump from my old canon eos 35mm to the 350D.

If you have nice prime lenses, it'd be a pain in the rear end to start from scratch again with a crappy kit lens too.

Paulw

You can get the Canon 40D on ebay for under 1,000. Shop around. Have a look at Kea-Photo. Very reliable.

The 40D is a brilliant camera. Great set of functions - live view, large LCD, 14bit files, 6.5fps, very good high ISO quality, and so much more. You will also then have a choice of all the Canon EF and EF-S lenses. Plenty to look through.

DaireQuinlan

Paulw wrote: »

You can get the Canon 40D on ebay for under 1,000. Shop around. Have a look at Kea-Photo. Very reliable.

The 40D is a brilliant camera. Great set of functions - live view, large LCD, 14bit files, 6.5fps, very good high ISO quality, and so much more. You will also then have a choice of all the Canon EF and EF-S lenses. Plenty to look through.

yeah, but does it mount old nikon lenses ?!?

Paulw

Thankfully no, but the OP did say he liked the EOS 40D.

Thirdfox

I thought Canon cameras did mount Nikon lenses with an adapter?

Roen

Yep, Canon's have a nice large throat on them, you can easily mount Nikon's, Zeiss's, Pentax's....etc on them. Some of the converters even give the AF confirm light and pass aperture settings back.

I was trying to get the Pentax 85mm ƒ1.4 SMC as it's such a good piece of kit to mount on my 5D, but they're prohibitively expensive and very rare. I ended up going for the Canon 1.2 variant instead.

So like Paulw said, Canon 40D

sunny2004

I just want to thank you all for your assistance,

Can I just say I wont be going over to the dark side,canon
as I have just bought myself a nikon d200

Cheers again and may god forgive the Canon users !!

elven

Congratulations on your new arrival

Now, post us some pics!!!

DaireQuinlan

sunny2004 wrote: »

I just want to thank you all for your assistance,
Can I just say I wont be going over to the dark side,canon
as I have just bought myself a nikon d200
Cheers again and may god forgive the Canon users !!

Might I tender my congratulations Sir ! A wise choice indeed

GristlyEnd

A very wise choice, excellent camera. I have one myself. Fantastic piece of kit. Now get yourself to the next meet

Thirdfox

I never understood why Canon is called the dark side...Nikon's bodies and lenses are nearly all black...

Is it more to do with the evil monopolistic ambitions of Canon in the pro-photographers area? a la the Galactic Empire

gandalf

Bah another joining that pack of perverts otherwise known as Nikon owners

Thank god I am a fine upstanding Canon user

sunny2004

Cheers everyone !
As a lifetime nikon man myself I am glad that I could make the move while still staying loyal to Nikon.. Reason is simple, I like the nikon bodies and nikkkor optics..


could i ask what goes on at these meets ? do we pray for Canon users ?

DaireQuinlan

sunny2004 wrote: »

Cheers everyone !
As a lifetime nikon man myself I am glad that I could make the move while still staying loyal to Nikon.. Reason is simple, I like the nikon bodies and nikkkor optics..
could i ask what goes on at these meets ? do we pray for Canon users ?

By the looks of things you'll be vastly out-numbered by Canon users ...
In all honesty (just in case anyone is actually taking all this seriously) I don't think there's much of a muchness between the two systems. In general, for starter-outers there's no reason other than personal preference to pick one system over another, and I think thats reflected in the advice given on boards for the most part. But for someone who already had a rake of Nikkor primes, it would be madness to switch to Canon, mount converters notwithstanding.

sunny2004

I agree. it was just some happy banter.
But I pray for them none the less !