Been thinking of getting a new DSLR camera but I have at the moment a olympus SP-570UZ bridge camera which is afew years old now it has 10 mega pixel , 20x optical zoom is fitted with a 4.6-92mm lens.
Now been looking at the cannon eos450 or 550 what differences would I get from this to my current camera .
Also is the cannon camera good and what other makes should I be looking at .
any help on this matter would be great thanks mick

You’d need a bag full of lenses to get the same zoom range. But… image quality will be better if you print big (poster size). You’ll be able to shoot in less favourable light and you’ll have more control over what’s in focus and what’s not.

Other brands – Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olympus, Panasonic…

Nikon and Pentax typically use Sony senors. Canon make their own. Olympus and Panasonic use a slightly smaller sensor and have smaller cameras to match.

Pentax, Sony and Olympus have image stabilisation built into the body. Canon, Nikon and Panasonic use image stabilisation in the lens. The plus of in-body stabilisation is all your lenses are stabilised, even 20 year old ones. The plus of lens based stabilisation is that it is often better, but not all lenses have it as an option (or old ones).

Most do video these day. On most you have to manually focus (the AF, if available, is crap). Sony and Panasonic are the only ones with good video AF. Olympus is OK. Note: not all models will have it, so if video is a requirement double check.

You’d be hard pushed to buy a bad one so check out what’s on sale. Camerapricebuster is worth a look.

You’ve done as much as you need to, Canon will satisfy all your current needs and develop new unforseen needs in the future. Other people will be along shortly telling you about Nikon which is the only real competition for Canon. Some will even try to tell you that there are other cameras available which will take the photo for you, face it that’s not photography, is it? Some will even tell you to buy cheaper crap equipment for some bizarre reasoning that the quality of the photo isn’t important. 🙄
If you’re moving to DSLR you won’t go wrong with Canon or Nikon as a springboard to a life of expensive hobbies.
Do you enjoy taking pictures?
How often do you take pictures?
Do you want to start a new hobby or just take snaps as and when?
Budget?

As a newb to the DSLR field myself, the choice does seem to be Canon, Nikon, and everything else.

Nikon was number 3 in the UK at the close of last year.

So you should obviously now ignore Nikon.

Ford is the biggest selling car brand in the UK by the way. You’d be mad not to buy a Ford. Ford will satisfy all your current needs and develop new unforseen needs in the future. 😆

“Most sales” does not imply “best” (because people will buy any old crap in a nice box). However, amongst the enthusiasts, my point stands I think.

Ford is the biggest selling car brand in the UK by the way. You’d be mad not to buy a Ford. Ford will satisfy all your current needs and develop new unforseen needs in the future.

If he wants a car with a proven track record, a car that will perform without problems, a car that is cheap(ish) to buy and run, then yes he’d be mad not to buy a Ford. He could always look at Opel to, or Hyundai, or Kia with their 7 year guarantee, or Dacia, or Skoda, etc…
Which cameras do the pros go for, and why? 😉

Pros look for availability of high-end lenses, the ones that start at £5k each. They look for rental services and professional services (repair, replacement worldwide) etc.

If that is indeed a requirement of the OP then Nikon and Canon would be first choice.

But.

I suspect it isn’t.

Maybe a Skoda with a better spec, cheaper upgrades and a lower price tag might suit him better? 🙂

don simon

the camera is only part of the equation… to say only Canikon is a bit short sighted

RD350LC

what is your requirement? size? video? still shooting? shooting in rain? how much money are you planning to plough into this in the long term? will you be wanting to use legacy lenses?

loads of things to consider and each system/manufacturer has advantages/disadvantages

if you want weather resistance than you probably want to get a Pentax (k20d, k7, k5)

Olympus DSLR lenses tend to be good value… while Sony/Zeiss very expensive

if you want video then its probably Panasonic GH2 (micro four thirds system) or Sony a33/a55

it may be worth looking at the micro four thirds system.. many of the advantages of an DSLR without the bulk – at the end of the day, the best camera is the one you have with you.. you will find by googling people achieve excellent results with this system even if on paper it seems inferior to DSLR interms of IQ..

often the argument against m43 is bogged down in pixel peeping and minor details

while Sony/Zeiss very expensive

Sony lenses are similar in price to everyone else.

Zeiss do their pro-level lens line-up which is similar in price to Canon and Nikon’s pro lens lineup.

Maybe a Skoda with a better spec, cheaper upgrades and a lower price tag might suit him better?

Octavia or Mondeo?

don simon

the camera is only part of the equation.
No shit?

to say only Canikon is a bit short sighted

By who?

Heh this thread has already turned into an STW bloodbath 😆

I hope the OP considers all his/her options instead of just 2 brands/systems though.. before making a decision he/she is happy with

Heh this thread has already turned into an STW bloodbath

They always do. 🙂

He wants an m4/3 really. He just doesn’t know it yet.

Its not a road bike forum

Waiting for the guy who posted this in multiple threads earlier to show up in here

Waiting for the guy who posted this in multiple threads earlier to show up in here

Really?

Why are 90% of the post on the other side about those stupid looking road monstrosities then?

Heh this thread has already turned into an STW bloodbath

Don’t allude to people being short sighted then.
Wait for Molgrips if you want to see a bloodbath, he’ll pick up on the bit of my original post that was directed at him. As you have done. 😉

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB8wTs7xA_U[/video]

It was very nicely baited.

Octavia or Mondeo?

I spent ages intending to buy an Octy, then drove both and now own a Mondeo.

I think as analogies go, that carries through. Ignore this lot, go play with a few at a proper camera shop, see what you like.

Thanks for the info budget is around poss £600 but looking at the second hand market could get me a better deal.
As for picture`s no real subject anything goes for close up to landscape what sort of difference would I see from what I have 10 megapixel to lets say eos550 18 megapixel

DXO is handy for comparing cameras. Be careful with old cameras. Cameras are computers. They double in computing power every two years so buying an old ‘good’ camera rather than the latest mid-range camera may be a false economy.

If you don’t have any specific criteria then that canon is as likely to be as good a fit for you as anything else.

Maybe of no interest, but I am planning on selling my Canon eos 450d with the twin lens kit(18-55mm IS and 55-250mm IS lenses) with all accessories and original box etc in the near future. £450

Only selling due to computer woes at the moment, so its getting no use.

e-mail in profile if your interested.

My amateur efforts

Even if your not interested, I must say I was astounded at the difference between the 450d and my £200+ bridge. Despite a slightly lower megapixel count, the difference in quality is night and day.

Also be aware that more Megapixel doesn’t always mean better, have a good look at what you want to do, close up to landscape is a wide range. Seriously, the lens is probably more important than the camera from a photography point of view rather than a memory capturing point of view.
With regard to the car analogy, that’s more a question that at the lower end of the market there is much of a muchness and little difference.
@OP, you’ll not go wrong with either Nikon or Canon at that price. Get clicking and make the Manual button your friend.

RD350LC – Member

Been thinking of getting a new DSLR camera…

if you can’t decide between Canon, Nikon, or Other, go for the one that your friends have – so you can share lenses.

almost the whole point of an SLR is the ability to change lenses – but this will get chuffing expensive if you have to buy them all. Obviously you’ll want a few really nice prime lenses – of course you will – and they’ll be at least £400 each if you get the ones you want.

it’s so much cheaper if you can just borrow lenses from friends. But of course you’ll need something you can offer in return.

like a nice fast telephoto lens – £800.

how about: get a panasonic lumix lx5 instead.

and get an SLR when you become frustrated with the limitations of the LX5.

(this will take a while)

even then you’ll still find times to use the LX5 – because it’s smaller / lighter / cheaper and you’ll be happy to take it places where you be scared to take an SLR and it’s massive bag of lenses that you end up carting around.

just my opinion, i am an idiot.

I have a DSLR dilemma of my own.

I have a G9 at the moment and while it is a great all round camera its also has its limitations (frame shooting speed, focus, distance clarity for example) and I’ve been having a play about on a D300 and a D50.

My funds are limited (hey we are all in it together though so thats just great).

My dilemma is which Nikon (I have access to Nikon glass so its a no brainer): the D3100 (cheap and cheerful) or a D90 (older, more robust and more expensive). If I had the money it would be easy as I’d just get the D7000 and be done with it.

Anybody got any opinion either way?

I’ve just gone through a torturous selection process, and my wife is now unknowlingly waiting on a sony a55. I also looked at the 600/60, nikon 5000/7000, pentax k7/k5, and olympus e620. I chose the sony because it has…

1. A flippy screen, which will help with weird angle and covert shots, and which the pentaxes and nikon 7000 didn’t have
2. An excellent sensor, same as on the more expensive k5 and 7000
3. GREATLY superior focusing speed in live view, i.e. when you compose on the screen rather than through the viewfinder. Tried all of these cameras in the shops, and the difference between Sony’s design and traditional DSLRs is day and night
4. Fairly small and light, which is good because Mrs. Eye has small hands

Of the alternatives I was most tempted by the k5 because of its weatherproofing, but in the end I think the flippy screen will be more useful.

Of course I, like ahwhiles, am an idiot. Furthermore, I’m an idiot who doesn’t take photos.

Obviously you’ll want a few really nice prime lenses – of course you will – and they’ll be at least £400 each

I’m not sure what prime lenses you’re buying but £100 – £200 is typical for a lot of prime lenses from most manufacturers and £50 – £100 gives you a big choice of used primes.

Good zoom lenses start at £100 used too.

just my opinion, i am an idiot.

Of course I, like ahwhiles, am an idiot. Furthermore, I’m an idiot who doesn’t take photos.

I’m quite intrigued as to why you see youselves as idiots. No-one has called anyone an idiot further up the thread. Very strange…

maybe because i AM an idiot?

i find people react less badly to my stupid ill-informed opinions if i tell them that i’m an idiot from the start.

Whatever your mates/family have got… in my case it was Canon.

I bought a sony as I’d owned a minolta prior. Good cameras, dad has bought an a33 and it is very good except the battery performance which is poor compared to my a200.

Rick.

pentax user here – cheap legacy lenses available – OS in the body and rugged and nice to use and decent – I like sony too – canikons are great too – just a question of taste and what feels better in the hand – agree on the above comments re lugging a DSLR + lenses gets old quickly…

whatever you get invest time and learn the manul functions!

have fun

paul