Help me choose a DSLR
DW and I are looking to get our first DSLR. Completely unhappy with P&S for several reasons, turn on time, auto focus and shutter lag, poor indoor performance etc. I have some experience having previ...
Forum Discussion
PUCamping - I just bought a Nikon 3200 before the start of our current six week motorhome trip after an EXHAUSTING consideration of all options. I got the 3200 with the kit lens 18-55, 55-200, and prime 33mm f1.8. Here is what I think after having the Nikon for seven weeks.
Works well out of the box. Standard kit lens by far the most useful. I used the telephoto maybe 10 times in the last 6 weeks. I have not used the prime lens once. Of course I am shooting landscape and not indoor people shots. Nikon fires up and is ready to go quickly. The image stabilization on zoom lenses very useful. It focuses rapidly. Picture quality is good as far as looking at the results on my Macbook Pro with 13" retina screen. Flash on Nikon annoying. Pops up all the time when camera is in auto.
Now here is the rub. The best pictures of Grand Teton park were taken with my almost two year old Motorola Droid one morning when I was out bike riding. The light was just right and the pictures were taken on that camera because I had it with me in my pocket. Nikon back in coach.
I also took some sample pictures using my 32 year old Olympus OM2n with Velvia 50 film when I bought the Nikon seven weeks ago. Without a doubt the color and tiny details better on the film. When you looked at the results magnified the Nikon looks like a fine art print and the Velvia looks like an artist painted the picture with a brush and oils.
I would have bought an Olympus OMD instead of the Nikon if I could have found any dealer in San Diego that actually had a chrome one in stock I could touch and feel. I loved the look of the Oly. I looked like my 32 year old Olympus. Now after seven weeks I am glad I went with the Nikon. Nikon half the price and likely a better picture taking machine. I would get 3200 and not 3100. 24 mega pix better than older camera.
I still think film gives a better result when you want to take the time, but the Nikon is a very good camera.
Works well out of the box. Standard kit lens by far the most useful. I used the telephoto maybe 10 times in the last 6 weeks. I have not used the prime lens once. Of course I am shooting landscape and not indoor people shots. Nikon fires up and is ready to go quickly. The image stabilization on zoom lenses very useful. It focuses rapidly. Picture quality is good as far as looking at the results on my Macbook Pro with 13" retina screen. Flash on Nikon annoying. Pops up all the time when camera is in auto.
Now here is the rub. The best pictures of Grand Teton park were taken with my almost two year old Motorola Droid one morning when I was out bike riding. The light was just right and the pictures were taken on that camera because I had it with me in my pocket. Nikon back in coach.
I also took some sample pictures using my 32 year old Olympus OM2n with Velvia 50 film when I bought the Nikon seven weeks ago. Without a doubt the color and tiny details better on the film. When you looked at the results magnified the Nikon looks like a fine art print and the Velvia looks like an artist painted the picture with a brush and oils.
I would have bought an Olympus OMD instead of the Nikon if I could have found any dealer in San Diego that actually had a chrome one in stock I could touch and feel. I loved the look of the Oly. I looked like my 32 year old Olympus. Now after seven weeks I am glad I went with the Nikon. Nikon half the price and likely a better picture taking machine. I would get 3200 and not 3100. 24 mega pix better than older camera.
I still think film gives a better result when you want to take the time, but the Nikon is a very good camera.
