[xanda]

Hello again...please read my post below about my situation...and this may seem like the daftest question ever posted on this forum but...

After getting so excited about buying a dslr etc. i have started having second thoughts about whether i need one At the back of my head i think that i do really want one.
But i look at really amazing photos taken with really good cameras and think 'Wow! i wish i had a camera like that then i could take amazing photos too!' but then think...well...is that really about the camera or is it that the person is just more experienced/ better photographer? i think i am a pretty good photographer (decide for yourself My Gallery ) but i don't know whether a dslr would make my pictures a lot better etc.?

Please persuade me to buy a DSLR! because i need to make a proper decision before i part with a large wad of money...so please give me the PROS/Advantages of a DSLR (Nikon D80 at the moment) vs. my little Fuji s5500!
PERSUADE ME PLEASE!!

[Angela]

Since when did "need" come into buying a new camera!!? "Want" is good enough for me!

You have some great shots there so I think the sky will be yuor limit with a dSLR and yes, whilst I realise that a good photographer can take super shots with a box brownie, I think you'll enjoy the scope the dSLR will give you.

[fionaB]

i think need v wants is something u need to take into conisderation..... also where do u want to go with your photography....... are you forever pushing your boundaries or are you happy to stay where you are..... are you willing to learn and learn more or are you happy to let the camera do it all on auto for you.

If you are the first of both scenarios then yes go for a DSLR but if you are the second i think there are plenty options available that will give you more than your present camera but not as much as a DSLR. remember what is the point of having a camera with the vast scope a DSLR has to offer if you are not going to use it.
after all its not the camera that makes the picture in the first place, its the person taking the picture.
however........ do take what i say with a pinch of salt as I personally have never used a DSLR.... although one day I WILL have one.....even if i have to rob a bank! lolol
whatever way u go dont rush into it.. go have a look at various cameras listen to what people say about them especially folks that already have them.. hold them feel them use them.... then and only then, make your decision!
and good luck!

Fi

[xanda]

hmmm... i am definitely the first of those two...i definitely want to learn more and get better at it and be more experimental...and i will most probably use all the features of the camera...not just auto all the time...i guess the main thing i want to know is that it will make a big improvement to my photography and will be a worthwhile investment because photography is something that i am very interested in/ serious about and also see as a future career allongside design or other form of art. So do you think that a DSLR is definitely a good thing to get with these things in mind?

[fionaB]

the amount of difference it makes to the photographs is down to you as the photographer. IMHO anyway. there are some folks that buy a nice pricey DSLR thinking that suddenly their photographs are gonna be superb. it doesnt work like that as I am sure you are well aware of. the SCOPE however for improvement will be vast!

Fi

[Rob Barron]

To be honest, your gallery on DeviantArt is not really helpful in this regard as the vast majority of your pictures there are strongly manipulated.

Don't get me wrong, that isn't a criticism of manipulation, I do a lot of that too at times. Just that in terms of 'Can a DSLR help you improve on what you are currently producing?' it is hard to say because most of your images there were not produced ONLY by using the camera you have now. Does that make sense?

So, on a general level, would you benefit from a DSLR over a compact or produmer camera? My answer is an unequivocal YES. Now, I am entirely of the school of thought that says a top photographer can get a superb shot from a Kodak Brownie but let's take it another way: A top photographer using both a compact AND a DSLR could produce a better picture with the DSLR.

Leaving aside an eye for a picture and technical expertise, a DSLR has a bigger sensor than most compacts. Now, a bigger sensor is not the same as higher resolution. You can but a cheap compact with 10 megapixels but it won't get you the photos of the DSLR because the sensor size is important with rgards resolving the image coming through the lens. Also, a DSLR has a very advanced processor that is unmatched by a compact. The Canon DSLRs use a Canon Digic II Processor which is absolutely superb and would knock spots off a compact camera doing the same thing.

The ability to use a wider range of lenses, have greater control, have a more advanced processor system, top notch RAW photos and a system that grows with you as you buy further lenses and things in the future really does mean a DSLR is the best option if you can afford it.... and they are now at a price that makes them far more affordable than they used to be.

Do you NEED a DSLR? No but then I don't NEED to drink anything other than water to stay alive but I sure enjoy a bit more variety! You WILL appreciate the differences within days of owning one, of that I promise you. I know there are some very advanced prosumer cameras out there and some of them do come close or even match the quality of some DSLRs but then they actually cost much the same as a Canon 400D or Nikon D50 anyway!

As you are considering a career move here, there really is no question in my mind: get a DSLR now so you can progress with it and not need to change in mid-stream.

Cheers,
Rob

[xanda]

thanks for that Rob, was v. helpful

[Dave]

You'll hopefully find no-one will force you to buy a DSLR on here, as we all know it's the photographer & not the camera that makes the difference. The camera you currently have is capable of producing great shots. However there are limitations to it vs a DSLR. Some of those are :-

You can't interchange lenses for say a 10mm wide angle like here :- http://www.pixalo.com/community/phot...oon-10193.html (Note this is with a Nikon D200, so a Nikon D80 would produce similar results)

You can't open up the aperture to throw the background out of focus to same degree as DSLR lenses, like here :-


If examples like the above are not killers & you're not going to be printing A4+ prints, then it's more a personal decision to upgrade.....but hey , that's 90% of us members in same boat then

[xanda]

hmmm.. well i definitely want to print A4 and possibly A3 later on...and although there is a manual setting on my current camera it is very fiddly to change the aperture and shutter speed and the 'manual' focus is next to useless which can be very frustrating when trying to force it to focus through a window or on a very close object.
I did buy a wideangle and telephoto add on lens for it, both of which never really got used due to it taking too long to change over extension rings etc. which is a bit annoying as they were pretty pricy. So although in my mind i can see that i would definitely benefit a lot from a DSLR, i just have trouble imagining the extra scope it might give me. Also, where does the exposure meter appear on the D80? is it in the viewfinder?
(p.s. those are some amazing mono shots! that lens is a wideangle presumably?)

[Foxesbrew]

I think one of the major advantages of the DSLR is the variety of lenses you can use. Ihave a Nikon D 50 which i am very pleased with,i believe a few more lenses of superior quality will be better for me than a more expensive back.You obviously want if not need a DSLR so make your mind up get it i am sure you will not regret it.

[Dave]

Xanda, just looked at some of you pics & can see you have a good eye for a shot.

Re wide angle shots, yes a wide angle Sigma 10-20mm lens circa £300. Have you considered the s/h route for DSLR's, as you can get a Nikon D70 for around £250 these days !!! Dog shot above & 90% of all my gallery shots are with the D70.

Alternatively if oyu want to buy new, the Canon 400D is also a cracking camera & a fair chunk less than D80.

Finally, from your photo's it's clear to see you have the skill to justify a DSLR ... the question is do you want one ? Best option is to find someone who will lend you one for a weekend....take it out, take some shots & see how you get on with it. You wouldn't buy a new car without a test drive, would you

[xanda]

hmmm...i have looked into the canon cameras but generally picked up that most people thought that they weren't as intuitive and as well laid out as the nikons...whats your opinion?
I have also looked into second hand d70s etc. but the d80 just caught my eye and i really wanted something with at least 10mp so i just stuck thinking i would get that one and havent really looked at much of the canon ones
What are the major differences between the d70 and the d80?

Thanks