Camera - what lenses

Bumpyroad wrote:
one problem with those non-interchangeable lens cameras, and my canon has a 27x zoom or something like that, is that they have tiny sensors, much smaller than APS-C. that starts to lose definition when doing serious cropping.
bumpy

Have to agree. The smaller pixels necessary to give a high count in a small sensor produce much more higher noise figures. While the small sensors allow for thinner cameras, nothing beats a full frame sensor camera.

Of course, you can go overboard - anyone want to pay $42,500.00 for a 50 MP Hasselblad H5D-60 Medium Format DSLR Camera?

one problem with those non-interchangeable lens cameras, and my canon has a 27x zoom or something like that, is that they have tiny sensors, much smaller than APS-C. that starts to lose definition when doing serious cropping.
bumpy

tpi wrote:
One of the beauties of these 20ish megapixel DSLRs with a good zoom lens is the ability to crop. You can heavily crop a picture taken with a 200 mm lens for far greater telephoto effect and still have plenty for a good web image or small to medium print.

I can see this if you save the pictures in raw mode, but would it still be true for jpeg files? Are those 20 megapixels preserved in the jpeg compression? I've got 10 or so megapixels and the pictures start to look pretty soft when I zoom in on them.

I bought a Canon SX30is for our trip to Alaska a couple of years ago. It has a 35x optical zoom with image stabilization. Good HD video. A very good all around camera that was in the $350 range.

Bumpyroad wrote:

Now I have lens envy.... Since we are talking lens lets share some pictures..

Mentioned I have two very similar lens one for close up, one for distance both with large apertures..

the 18-55mm lens is on the camera almost all the time, here is a recent photo from Pictured Rocks since you mentioned visiting parks...



this second one was from last night. Dark auditorium, no flash allowed, without the ability to get folks to stand still. Camera in aperture mode caught shots like this from about 150' away...



Happy shopping and happy shooting...

Bryan

Wayne Dohnal wrote:
I'm going take a serious look at the Tamron 18-270.

I highly recommend it. it is used for about 95% of my shots with my D5100.
bumpy

One of the beauties of these 20ish megapixel DSLRs with a good zoom lens is the ability to crop. You can heavily crop a picture taken with a 200 mm lens for far greater telephoto effect and still have plenty for a good web image or small to medium print. In fact these days I usually walk around with a 24-70 or even a fixed 35 mm lens and crop to taste. Of course if you want to print it big you'll need to compose it properly (with the correct lens) right out of the box.

For me the raw processing has been a big plus. I'm not always able to get perfect exposure. In the raw processing software I can usually get it close to what I want-very helpful for unusual lighting situations.

I use a Nikon D3100 with an 18-55 and 55-200 lens. Having just made a trip to 3 NPs, I think the multiple lenses are not the best solution. There were a lot of pictures that came out below par, or we totally skipped, because it's such a pain to keep changing lenses. The hardest part is when hiking and you're trying to juggle the body, lenses, and lens covers to take a quick shot and keep moving. If it weren't for the $1k price I'd already have the Nikon 18-300 VR lens. I'm going take a serious look at the Tamron 18-270.

troll3193 wrote:
save money on the body and put it in good lens..

Bryan

yep, that is one advantage to the NEX system. you can start with the 18-270 plus the cheapest body, the 3? which has an adequate APS-C size sensor and later can add a 5-6, or 7 as you deem necessary.
bumpy

The last time I was asked "What lens", I went through my Lightroom index sorted by focal length & over the 40,000 images the majority were taken with my 24 - 70mm lens. Second most used was my 17 - 35mm, and 3rd a 70 - 200mm. I shoot mostly landscapes so I tend to stick with the wider angles. Mixed cameras -some with a Nikon D200 or D300 DX sensor camera, and the rest full frame D700. These are all pro f:2.8 lenses, however the choice of focal lengths wouldn't change using slower consumer lenses.

I do have a 300mm f:2.8 lens that I love - it even works well with Nikon's new 2X teleconverter, however I really can't justify the cost for the few times I actually use it - mostly birds & other wildlife.

I have used the D300 with Nikon's 18 - 200mm DX Lens and been impressed with it as a "single lens" solution. Not good with a teleconverter, and a bit slow for low light conditions, but the VR is good & the lens quality is acceptable for a consumer lens.