Manitobamonster wrote:[...].
I will be doing mostly outdoor photos I stormchase aswell as hunt a lot and love wildlife. I enjoy the night timelightning shows over the prairies here in Canada and being able tocapture them in pictures. What I am wondering which of the 2 CamerasI mentioned the Pentax K10D or the Nikon D80 would best fill thisbill?.
Any of these cameras will fit the bill. However Nikon system bill (price) will be considerably higher .
Edvinas..
I've just purchased the Samsung GX-10 (read Pentax K10D) & so far find it excellent. Functionality is very good, as is image quality & performance - cost wise the twin lens kit is very competitive & significantly less than the D80.
Simon.
Http://www.landscapephotographyuk.com/.
North Wales photographs - Snowdonia & Anglesey..
Manitobamonster wrote:.
I will be doing mostly outdoor photos I stormchase aswell as hunt a lot and love wildlife. I enjoy the night timelightning shows over the prairies here in Canada and being able tocapture them in pictures. What I am wondering which of the 2 CamerasI mentioned the Pentax K10D or the Nikon D80 would best fill thisbill?.
If weather sealing is important (and it seems it might be for you), then easy - Pentax. Otherwise, well... I think... Pentax (provided you can get a good service for it where you live)..
BTW, I own Nikon (D200) and very happy with that, so no bias here..
Cheers,.
Alexhttp://rundadar.smugmug.com.
'...turtles are great speed enthusiasts, which is natural.'J. Cortazar..
You need to make sure yoiu have read this review of the K10D as well as the DPReview review:.
Http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/K10D/K10DA.HTM.
I considered the K10D but the lack of full reviews avaliable last November when I bought led me to go with the D80. On paper the K10D was better. The reviews since have justified my choice..
For me the narrower dynamic range (0.7 to 1.0 stop over the entire ISO range) would be enough but then also there are WB "problems" that I would prefer to be without (Most of my shooting is low available light). Finally the inferior low light AF would have caused me difficulties. These features may be less important to you (though I feel that dynamic rang is important to all)..
Both are good cameras..
Chris Elliott.
*Nikon* D Eighty + Fifty - Other equipment in Profile.
Http://PlacidoD.Zenfolio.com/..
Have you considered the Olympus E510?.
Initial reviews have been very encouraging and seems to be a lot of camera for the money..
I picked one up on Saturday and am very impressed with it so far...
To me says Nikon simply because there's more choice in telezooms than for Pentax.Don't wait for the Nikon D-whatever, have fun now!http://www.flickr.com/photos/j_wijnands/..
Manitobamonster wrote:.
I am fairly new to the DSLR scene my currentcamera is a Rebel XTI but it is the wifes camera and I need to getone for myself..
Have you considered another Canon for yourself, maybe a 30D? That way you and the wife could share lenses, flashes, accessories, etc more easily. May be more cost effective in the long run. Or do you not like Canon?..
I went through the same gyrations earlier this year. Being an avid outdoors person living in the southwest I've had problems with dust in my Canons and Nikon film cameras. When I discovered the K10D was dust and weather resistant it became a no brainer. The Pentax has far exceeded my expectations. You can pick up some nice used fixed focal length teles with the K mount for those long shots at very reasonable prices...
Thanks for all of your help !! Very appreciated !..
Just new to the DSLR scene thought I would try different things on the market make sure which one is best for me before I settle right into a brand for life. Yeah goin with another Canon would make the most sense but variety is the spice of life so may as well try another ! LOL What yer sayin makes a ton of sense but it seems I have to learn the hard way to get it through my thick skull thanks for the reply though !Have a great one !..
See below for the main question and avoid the history..
I was so relieved when I found this thread - hoping to find answers to the exact dilemma I am facing..
I had bought a Canon S5IS, but after two cameras had to go back with defects I decided I might leap into the deep end of DSLRs..
I bought a Nikon D80 with 18-135mm but was appalled by my initial results. Of course this was partly due to my inexperience with the camera and DSLRs in general, but also significantly due to camera shake. Also I found the exposure much more hit and miss than the S5IS - which produced consistently good shots in all lights, with or without flash (mostly in Av mode and long focal lengths).
Unfortunately (or fortunately?) the D80 also had a fault (is it just me that gets the duff cameras?) and now I am thinking that the image stabilisation of the K10D would make it a much better choice. As for lens availability I am happy to go the third party route..
I would love a D80 with 18-200 VR but it's out of my budget range and I am trying not to be tempted to extend my budget to accommodate it! But if it really is the better choice I may do. I must admit thought I am finding it hard to ditch the Canon/Nikon mentality. I keep thinking just forget the choice, just toss a coin and start enjoying the thing! but I fear that regretting my decision my tarnish my enjoyment. (I'm like that!).
Here is my main question though:.
I have more than averagely shaky hands will the Pentax system (or Nikon for that matter) help me more, less, or the same as for an average person? I can see reasons why any of these may be the case..
Incidentally, the person who exclaimed that Everyone here says that the 18-200 [VR] might be hard to find, well pentax don't even have one... is surely missing the point of the K10Ds built in system!..
BerksPics wrote:.
I have more than averagely shaky hands will the Pentax system (orNikon for that matter) help me more, less, or the same as for anaverage person? I can see reasons why any of these may be the case..
The plus point for built in IS is that you get it with every lens. The downside is that your VF image is not stablilised. If you have very shaky hands that will be important. To be able to see clearly in the VF at 200mm is a great advantage and for higher tele settings will become vital..
Re your D80 plus 18-135 did you take steps to get the sharpest image possible?:.
1. Set JPEG sharpening to +1. I stick with auto tone (i.e contrast) except in really high DR shots..
2. Use a higher ISO to bump up shutter speed for a given aperture. I keep mine set on 200 ISO to match my D50. The deterioration in image quality up to ISO 400 is negligable and, at ISO 200 the dynamic range is marginally bettter..
3. Remember at 135mm you need the reciprocal of the focal length AT 35MM to cope with average camera shake. Thus you need a minimum of 1/200th. At f5.6 or f8 that will be eailier to achieve at ISO200 or ISO 400..
4. You may want to consider an inexpensive VR lens with the D80. The 55-200 VR gets very good reviews especially considering that it is a kit lens. That will set you back a lot less than the 18-200 (which I now sometimes see going for around 450). 18-70 you really should have no problem witha shutter speed to overcome camera shake. It is the tele end that you need to cover..
5. A final thought. Will your more than averagely shakey hands get worse? If so even if in body IS will suit you now will it do so later. You are of course buying into a system..
Incidentally, the person who exclaimed that Everyone here says thatthe 18-200 [VR] might be hard to find, well pentax don't even haveone... is surely missing the point of the K10Ds built in system!.
But does Pentax even have an 18-200 non-VR zoom? The lens is unique to Nikon though Sigma have their OS model that will be available for some other models including Pentax as well as Nikon. How much does that cost.? You may still need something like that to stabilise the VF image and get the range. The only review I have seen of the Sigma (on a Canon mount) was not over complementary:.
Http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/sigma_18200_3563os/index.htm.
As best I know Pentax do not even have an 18-135 let alone an 18-200. I am not expert on their lenses but a brief search gave me this list:.
Http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showcat.php/cat/46.
Hope my thoughts help!.
Chris Elliott.
*Nikon* D Eighty + Fifty - Other equipment in Profile.
Http://PlacidoD.Zenfolio.com/..
If you stormchase ( gadzooks ) and shoot wildlife you are outdoors in poor conditions and to me that means a hardened weather resistant body. That gives you :.
The Canon 30DThe Nikon D200The Pentax K10DThe Samsung GX10 ( essentially identical to the K10D ).
Basically the GX10 and K10D have in-camera image stabilization, whereas you have to pay for it in every lens with the Canon or Nikon. On the other hand the lens choices are a bit better ( albeit quite expensive - even used ). Also in-body image stabilization is not quite as good as in-lens stabilization. If you shoot from a tripod it's a non-issue..
I'd suggest you investigate these and try them out in a store if you can - it's all about handling and comfort..
Give you already have a Canon .....
However it's relatively easy to resell the Canon and recover most of your funds and replacing it with a similar Pentax or Nikon is easy, so perhaps not as critical as it seems. It would depend on your lens collection..
StephenG.
Pentax K100DFuji S5200Fuji E900PCLinuxOS..