Of the three, go with the Xti. Look VERY hard at the Pentax K10D!!!!.

They who think they know, will not know, but they who think they do not know, will know...

I would also look really hard at the K100D special...

Any of the three will serve you equally well. And all three will be technologically obsolete in 18 months. That doesn't mean they will suddenly take bad pictures, just that the state of the art will have passed them by within that time..

All three are made by a manufacturer who has proven they know how to design and build quality cameras. All three are roughly similar in quality and flexibility..

Believe me, any choice you make will work out well for you. The stuff you want to shoot is well within the capabilities of all three. My advice is to buy the one that fits best in YOUR hand and the one that offers the best deal. If you have to choose between physical comfort and price, go with physical comfort. A camera that doesn't FEEL right won't get used much..

One last bit of advice, ignore the fanboys, for any brand. They are all idiots. They can be identified by the bulk of their posts being about what is WRONG with the other options rather the strong points of THEIR choice..

STOP Global Stasis! Change is good!.

Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos..http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington..

Believe me, any choice you make will work out well for you. Thestuff you want to shoot is well within the capabilities of all three.My advice is to buy the one that fits best in YOUR hand and the onethat offers the best deal. If you have to choose between physicalcomfort and price, go with physical comfort. A camera that doesn'tFEEL right won't get used much..

I'll second that. After much reading / research I went to buy a Nikon D40, and came out of the shop with a Pentax K100D because I liked how it felt in my hand. This is more important than the minor technical differences between the cameras, which all do the same thing in the same way..

If you have small hands you might find the Canon and Olympus models more comfortable; if you have larger hands youmight prefer the chunkier feel of the Nikon / Pentax models..

Enjoy!Mike..

Mike703 wrote:.

If you have small hands you might find the Canon and Olympus modelsmore comfortable; if you have larger hands youmight prefer thechunkier feel of the Nikon / Pentax models..

Enjoy!Mike.

I see this quote alot and it just shows how subjective things are. I have been using SLR's and now DSLR's for 35 years. I have some of the biggest hands of anyone I know, and my new XTi feels great, so the statement that the XTi is better for those with smaller hands does not always apply. As mentioned above, you have to try them out yourself..

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Mike.

Http://www.liquidartgallery.com.

'For every complex problem there is a solution that is obvious, simple..and wrong'..

As you have said you're very much into learning and actually enjoy doing so, the likelihood is that you'll go far. That being so the Canon XTi should offer you the most expansion possibilities. Canon 30D or Nikon D80 would be even better and quite a considerably more pleasant to use. So before you buy any of the three you listed, do try them side by side with either of those two even though it might stretch the budget..

John.Please visit me at:http://www.pbase.com/johnfr/backtothebridgehttp://www.pbase.com/johnfr..

Have to agree with the Canon XTi and it's greater options for expansion and growth, particularly in terms of lenses...

We're talking a beginner here although one with a firm sense what kind of photos he wants to shoot. The truth is, ALL the systems offer ALL the lenses that the OP will need to perform the kind of photography desired..

Indeed, much of the percieved advantage that Canon has in it's own lens catalog is in expensive designs that few amateurs, even the most serious amateurs will ever need, much less even hear about..

Also if you are talking about cheap third party lenses, I'll grant you that more third party junk lenses are offered in the Canon lens mount than about any other mount. But when it comes to cheap good third party lenses, the differences even out some. Do the clunkers REALLY count?.

But again, I think for the OP (and for most amateurs), I would be surprised if many go beyond one or two additional lens purchases. And those purchases are likely to be firmly in the medium priced/medium quality range. (or will be if they are smart). And there is no shortage of selection for any of the systems..

Canon is not the brand I personally would buy, but it's a good system. It's just that I think that few of the percieved advantages of buying the most popular system, just because it's popular hold up to close scrutiny. The Canon entry level cameras need to be evaluated on real features, price, and quality just like the rest.STOP Global Stasis! Change is good!.

Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos..http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington..

Not a he..and you only get one chance at editing.STOP Global Stasis! Change is good!.

Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos..http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington..

No offense taken  I am just happy to be getting some good info!.

Regarding lenses I'm really looking for 2 lenses right now-the main one being a zoom (200 mm / equiv) for taking photos of my boys playing various sports..

We do a lot of hiking to the most beautiful views, and need a lense that will also capture that. (Also my reason for wanting a light camera-I have to carry it.).

My main reason for wanting to move up to SLR is the speed. With my P&S, and those of family/friends, the dreaded shutter lag has caused me (and them) to miss some fantastic sports shots. When I decide on which SLR, I will also get a high speed card for sequence shots..

I also love to play with settings, etc, which I think will be lots of fun on a SLR. It seems there is more opportunity for creativity with a SLR than I can get with P&S..

I wish I could take features of all the ones I am looking at and combine them...until then, I just need to see which one will take the best shots of my kids. I think the sporting aspect is the most critical for my decision. I assume certain cameras and lenses are better at it than others..

I am driving myself nuts!! I do realize though that I am so fortunate to have this be the most difficult decision in my life right now. I am a lucky woman! I just need to decide...aagghhh!..

And while ALL manufacturers let some lemons slip thru QC, chances are, you'll get a good one. Don't waste a bunch of time deciding, the sooner you buy, the sooner you can start taking picutures..

As much as I have tried to avoid recommending my personal favorite, I just can't stop myself!.

Look into the E510 2 lens kit. For $950 USD or so, you get working anti-dust, Live view (great for landscapes, close-ups, etc), and in body image stabilization (great for those quick grab shots and low light situations - this is something you want). PLUS you get two of the best kt lenses on the market right now. Lens #1 is a modest wide angle to short tele ( 14 - 42mm lens = 28 to 84 mm equivalent). Lens #2 is a short tele to medium tele (40 - 150 mm lens = 80 to 300 mm equivalent). They are a little slow, but VERY small and very sharp for a kit lens.



I love my E500, if you want to see some photos I've done with the older version, go to: http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarringtonSTOP Global Stasis! Change is good!.

Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos..http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington..

You are correct in assuming DSLRs are better for sports and action. I think you will want Image Stabilization for sports, that's really gonna help with sharpness issues from camera shake..

I'm not sure how much you know about photography in general, so I apologize if I'm getting too basic. But when we say a lens is 'fast' or 'slow', it has nothing to do with subject speed or action photography; at least not directly..

A 'fast' lens allows more light in, and that allows you to shoot at a faster shutter speed, thereby be better able to stop action. While a 'slow' lens lets in less light forcing you to use a slower shutter speed reducing your ability to stop action. It is always a compromise between lens speed, image quality, and modest cost. (you can pick two!).

Technology has created some workarounds for a slower lens, you can always increase the iso so that the sensor is more sensitive to light and thereby offset the slower lens at the cost of a slight increase in image noise. Most cameras do a very good job with noise at iso 400 and below. And iso 400 is more than adequate for most sports photography. Noise gnerated by higher iso can be handled rather well by anti noise features built into editors or by standalone software..

You can also rely on image stabilization, by minimizing camera shake, you are better able to hand hold a camera steady at the slower shutter speeds. some manufacturers claim ridiculous results for IS in low light, but if you can get the equivalent of 1 or two extra f/stops out of your lenses, you should be happy because you are beating the odds..

My advice is to select the sharpest lenses you can afford. In the long run, I think you will be happier with the photos from them..

STOP Global Stasis! Change is good!.

Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos..http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington..

I'm currently going through the same process & have a similar short-list..

I take 95% landscape shots & the weather seals on the K10D appeal. My only "concern" is the 4/3 aspect of this & the OLY as I wonder is this as suited to landscapes as the 3/2 aspect. Both sound great cameras..

Canon doesn't appeal as much to me personally, no weather sealing, no dust removal (effective anyway) & no IS - pretty useful on windy mountain tops !!.

Not an easy thing choosing a DSLR now, the choice is excellent & all seem good..

Good luck.

Simon.

Http://www.landscapephotographyuk.com/.

North Wales photographs - Snowdonia & Anglesey..

Good questions, Simon..

Aspect ratio is pretty much a question of personal taste..

I use a 4/3s camera and I like it a lot for both landscapes and nature photography. Some times I crop to a wider aspect ratio, but other times I crop to a square, or leave it at 4/3s. I have also experimented with panoramas as well. The newer 10 megapixel 4/3s cameras will give you a bit more flexibility to crop to taste if you want to go that route..

As I have said elsewhere, I prefer a square format and the 4/3s format for most of my photography because I like the esthetic window that they produce. Images in that format seem more intimate and personal to me..

I would remind you that Ansel Adams, probably the greatest landscape photographer ever, usually used either a 4X5 or 8X10 view camera. That aspect ratio is very close to 4/3sSTOP Global Stasis! Change is good!.

Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos..http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington..

Is the clear choice..

You're going to have a hard time getting the Xti and lenses to meet your criteria and budget. And you will certainly not have any form of IS in the package at that price..

The D40X with the 18-55 kit lens and the 55-200VR lens should be close to a $1000. This at least gets you IS on the longer lens..

Both the E510 and D40X with their respective "long" lenses will do OK for sports provided you are close enough and it's during the day with good light..

Biggest benefit for the Oly is the inbody IS, so later when you want to get a longer faster lens for sports you can get an excellent one for about $700 that will be stabelized..

Whereas for the D40X you'll need to pony up about $1500-1600..

Good luck, I know it's tough working with a limited budget. So make sure you get what you want or else it will just cost you money in the long run..

Gene..

I am done reading reviews. Definitely done reading folks arguing about a plethora of minute details (many of which I don't understand (YET), LOL). I now realize it's my decsion, and I have made it. Phew!!.

I am ordering the Oly 2 lens E-510 today and will pick it up at the store tomorrow. Also getting an extreme III card, 2G I think, and a bag. I already have an Oly XD card from my P&S, but am getting another because I will probably use both cameras. I need to get an external hard drive for storage-any recommendations?Any other things I definitely need to start?.

Now for my real question:.

Baseball is in full swing here, and it will be my first experiment with my new camera. What would you folks recommend for settings with the tele kit lens? One of my sons plays short stop and the other center field. Both do some pitching. Both love to make diving catches, slide into base, and swing the bat. I want to get the best action shots possible from the sidelines. I KNOW I will have to play around, and I can't wait, but a good starting point would be most appreciated..

For my other son...he will be presented with a new black belt degree in karate soon. Inside shots, OK light/no flash. Any recommendations for a starting point there? I think for that situation, I'll go to the dojo before the "big day" and just shoot until my finger cramps. Then when the day arrives I'll have a good idea of what settings to use..

Thank you all so much for your help. I am so excited about the camera! I can't wait to start experimenting and learning. Hopefully I'll be able to help another newbie out some time!.

In the meantime, I am sure I'll be back to ask questions to help me learn more about the E510. I'll also be practicing a lot-my kids may end up disowning me, LOL, but, practice makes better!.

Thanks again!!~Sue..

Simonkit wrote:.

I'm currently going through the same process & have a similarshort-list..

I take 95% landscape shots & the weather seals on the K10D appeal. Myonly "concern" is the 4/3 aspect of this & the OLY as I wonder isthis as suited to landscapes as the 3/2 aspect. Both sound greatcameras..

Pentax uses the 2/3 aps-c size sensor...

I am ordering the Oly 2 lens E-510 today and will pick it up at thestore tomorrow. Also getting an extreme III card, 2G I think, and abag. I already have an Oly XD card from my P&S, but am gettinganother because I will probably use both cameras. I need to get anexternal hard drive for storage-any recommendations?Any other things I definitely need to start?.

WIth the camera, two lenses, a memory card and a bag, you're ready to go!! No point buying anything else until you know what you want, which will depend on your style of photography. For example if you do portraits or low-light work you might want a fast prime lens like a 50mm/1.4... if you do landscapes you'll probably want a polarising filter... wait and see. You've got plenty of nice new kit to get used to..

An external hard drive for backup is a good idea, they are very cheap and any reputable brand (Western Digital, LaCie etc.) should be fine. Small differences in read-write speeds etc. and the sorts of thing that computer magazine reviews get excited about are not significant for backup purposes..

One other useful purchase if you don't have it already - a copy of photoshop elements. It does a lot more than the software usually bundled with cameras does and allows a huge range of tricks such as correcting lens distortions, reducing noise, sharpening pics, applying special effects, etc. etc..

Now for my real question:Baseball is in full swing here, and it will be my first experimentwith my new camera. What would you folks recommend for settings withthe tele kit lens? One of my sons plays short stop and the othercenter field. Both do some pitching. Both love to make divingcatches, slide into base, and swing the bat. I want to get the bestaction shots possible from the sidelines. I KNOW I will have to playaround, and I can't wait, but a good starting point would be mostappreciated..

For this it would be a good idea to use shutter priority (you choose the shutter speed and let the aperture do what it will) so that you can freeze out motion. 1/500 or faster, if light permits, should be fine - use 1/1000 if you can. It is perfectly possible to get sharp action shots at slower speeds than this but it requires a little practice, so to start with, go for the fastest shutter speeds you can for the light. If the light is poor, and your chosen shutter speed would require the lens to open up more than it can, increase the ISO (detector sensitivity) rather than slowing the shutter speed - better to have a little digital noise on the pictures than have them blurred..

For my other son...he will be presented with a new black belt degreein karate soon. Inside shots, OK light/no flash. Anyrecommendations for a starting point there? I think for thatsituation, I'll go to the dojo before the "big day" and just shootuntil my finger cramps. Then when the day arrives I'll have a goodidea of what settings to use..

Yep - checking out the venue in advance is an excellent idea. You'll probably need close to the widest aperture on your lens, and again high ISO (say 400 / 800) to compensate for the indoor light. Don't forget to set the white balance for whatever lights are present (tungsten or fluorescent) or your pictures will end up strange colours. (This can be corrected on a PC of course but it's best not to have it in the first place). I think the Oly cameras have a good custom white balance setting, so at the start of the session you can shoot a pic of a piece of white paper and it calibrates itself from that. Presumably the lighting won't change indoors so if you do that at the start you're all set..

Have fun and post some of the results...Mike..

Congratualtions! You'll love your new camera..

My son played HS football the long lens will do very well for baseball. The biggest problem will be finding a good position to shoot from. The best spots are usually fenced off from spectators. In bright sunlight, use the sports mode. that will probably be all you need to do..

My son and I have studied Tae Kwon Do for years, I am no longer active (age), my son is preparing for his Black belt test. Our school allows flash photography during demonstrations. It seems kind of rude to use flash during a test though some spectators don't often realize this..

For martial arts, flash really IS the best thing to use, since it's flash will help freeze action. For those times when you can't use flash, manually set the ISO to 800 or so. and see if you can get some decent photos that way. if that won't work, try setting ISO to 1600..

Now this will cause some noise (various colored speckles in patches of solid color especially in dark and light patches). But this can be minimised pretty well with your photo editor. for particularly tough noise, third party anti-noise software is available. Generally, the higher the iso, the more likely it is you will see noise..

You will also want to set your shutter speed to 1/500th of a second or higher in shutter priority mode. (you set shutter speed, the camera chooses the best lens f/stop). Because the shutter speed is so short, depending on the available light, the f/stop will be pretty wide open (small number), so the depth of focus will be pretty shallow (this means the area of the shot that is sharp isn't as big as it could be)..

What I do, is get there a little early and take a few test shots with the lighting that will be used during the event. Then I look at the photos on the viewscreen and decide if I want to try and raise the ISO or try to shoot at a lower shutter speed. It is a trade off between noise with the ISO opton or not completely stopping the action. Sometimes it's one way sometimes another. And sometimes the noise or the blur create a better photo than a perfectly sharp and solid photo would be..

At this point, for available light shooting, experience is the best teacher. You'll have to shoot a lot of duds before you get the hang of it.STOP Global Stasis! Change is good!.

Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos..http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington..

Also take a look at the fourthirds only web sites. One I particularly like is..

Http://fourthirdsphoto(DOT)com/.

Replace the text (DOT) with a realand no spacesaround it.STOP Global Stasis! Change is good!.

Now that you've judged the quality of my typing, take a look at my photos..http://www.photo.net/photos/GlenBarrington..

Mike703 wrote:.

For this it would be a good idea to use shutter priority (you choosethe shutter speed and let the aperture do what it will) so that youcan freeze out motion. 1/500 or faster, if light permits, should befine - use 1/1000 if you can. It is perfectly possible to get sharpaction shots at slower speeds than this but it requires a littlepractice, so to start with, go for the fastest shutter speeds you canfor the light. If the light is poor, and your chosen shutter speedwould require the lens to open up more than it can, increase the ISO(detector sensitivity) rather than slowing the shutter speed - betterto have a little digital noise on the pictures than have them blurred..

Have fun and post some of the results...Mike.

It would seem intuitive to use shutter priority to maximize the shutter speed but it's wrong, particularly with a zoom that changes apatures with the zoom level..

Use apature priority and just set it for the minimum. Then the camera will choose the fastest shutter speed that gives you a properly exposed picture.The advise to raise the ISO is good..

A member of the rabble in good standingLM..

Answers to specific camera/lens questions and to post some of your first shots..

SueSSS wrote:.

Any other things I definitely need to start?.

Maybe and external flash if you can afford it now..

Now for my real question:Baseball is in full swing here, and it will be my first experimentwith my new camera. What would you folks recommend for settings withthe tele kit lens?.

Aperture priority (AV)- wide open and adjust ISO to get at least 1/800-1/1000 for best sharpness. Even higher is better. Continuous AF and "burst" or contiuous drive mode. I would shoot jpegs for the larger buffer, faster clearing and more images per card..

For my other son...he will be presented with a new black belt degreein karate soon. Inside shots, OK light/no flash. Anyrecommendations for a starting point there? I think for thatsituation, I'll go to the dojo before the "big day" and just shootuntil my finger cramps. Then when the day arrives I'll have a goodidea of what settings to use..

This one could be tough. Even if it looks like "good" light it maybe kind of dark for the kit lenses at F3.5-5.6..

About all you can do is shoot in AV as wide as it will go adjust ISO to give you a decent shutter speed and if shooting at ISO 1600 maybe shoot in RAW for better post processing options and don't underexpose is using high ISOs..

In the meantime, I am sure I'll be back to ask questions to help melearn more about the E510. I'll also be practicing a lot-my kids mayend up disowning me, LOL, but, practice makes better!.

The "film" is free so shoot and shoot some more .

Gene.

Thanks again!!~Sue..

I'm getting my E510 tomorrow (Saturday). When I went to order it the other day from Best Buy (best price around here), it was sold out at all the stores closebyjust a few days ago all the stores had availability. I am taking this as positive news...so tomorrow I'll be taking a drive about an hour away to pick it up. Waiting for the battery to charge will be torture, but I should be shooting to my heart's content on Sunday!Once I have a decent photo, I'll post and ask a million questions ; ).

Can someone tell me how to post directly into the text? I have used photobucket in the past in other forumswill that work here as well?..

Once I have a decent photo, I'll post and ask a million questions ; )Can someone tell me how to post directly into the text? I have usedphotobucket in the past in other forumswill that work here as well?.

Yes, you just copy / paste the SECOND line under the picture, which is the direct link to the jpeg file (it should end in .jpg)..

Remember to shrink the pic for posting... about 500 - 600 pixels wide (file size of around 1MB) is plenty. (Sorry if this is obvious....).

MikeMike..

Excellent choice, and you won't regret it. The E-510 is an excellent camera with really nice, current features. I have the E-500 two lens kit, and use it to take shots of my daughter in competitive cheerleading and pole vaulting, as well as my son in wrestling and cross country (running). It also serves well as the overall family event camera. I just took it on a two-week vacation to several countries in Europe, and it did very well..

Be careful once you get remotely good at using the camera, you can expect friends, family, etc., to make you designated photographer at these events. I'm always getting other parents of wrestlers asking me to take shots of their kids..

The E-510 is an excellent baseball camera, even with the relatively slower kit lenses. The in-body IS will take care of a lot of problems that I face with my E-500 not having it. Just get out from behind the backstop, and dont' be afraid to use the camera over your head. You have 10mp to work with that will allow for a lot of cropping in post processing if the photo is off-centered or whatever. The E-510 has a liveview LCD, so with proper planning you could easily apply that function to some planned baseball shots..

The indoor martial arts pics could be tricky. However, the E-510 has less noise at higher ISO settings than previous Olympus DSLR models, so you'll be able to shoot at 800 or even 1600 ISO and get some very useable shots. With my E-500, if I use 1600 ISO I have a lot of noise, but most of it is red and blue dots, which is the easiest to remove using just about any noise filter application..

I concur with the above posts about using aperture priority. With the E-510, don't be afraid to bump up the ISO, as it is a relatively low noise camera, and the higher ISO will give you a lot more capability for a faster shutter for stopping action indoors without a flash..

If you want an inexpensive external flash solution, I highly recommend the Vivitar 285hv. You can usually find a used one on eBay for $40-50, but even new they're just $80-90. It is not TTL (full automatic and communicating with the camera), but it has an excellent automatic sensor on it that allows you to choose between four simple color categories for proper flash output. It can't get any easier, especially at that price. The genuine TTL Olympus flashes (FL-36 and FL-50) are hundreds of $ more. Thought you might appreciate the $ savings tip after just plunking down the $ for the E-510 kit..

Good luck and have fun!.

Chris..