Possible new user A75 or 300d

[wildgoose1uk]

Hi

Photography is very much a hobby for me but one I enjoy. I currently run Olympus OM40 and various lenses. Time to relace the gear and am considering going over to digital as I think it may have matured enough to be comparable to film. Q1. Do I need to go for a digital slr to get the same results or would one of non slr's be just as good. I see that one of the canon's allows things like manual control and suchlike. Sorry if it is a pleb question but total newbie to digital arena

[Jon]

Depends on what the lenses you mostly use are. The A75 has a fairly restricted zoom range - about 35-105 mm range 35 mm. equivalent. If you like wide angle work, or longish telephotos, you'll be better off going with something other than the A75. Maybe the 300d, bearing in mind that there's a 1.6x multiplier on all the lenses so an 18 mm. will give you 28 mm equivalent, and a 135 gets you better than 200 mm. equiv. You also need to remember that the 1.6 x multiplier throws off the old 1/focal length rule of thumb for safe hand-held speed - you need to use the corrected focal length, and may want to look at getting Canon's IS (Image Stabilized) lenses for anything beyond "normal".

The A75 has a pretty good out-of-box "macro" capability, which you can supplement with close-up lenses. Of course there are close-up and macro lenses and extension tubes for the 300d, as well.

I also find that using the panoramic stitch tools can often supplant use of wide angle lenses for landscapes, but not for anything with fidgetty subjects.

Both of the cameras will allow manual control, so you're fine there.

Actually, if you're looking at the A75, I'd move up a step and check the A80 instead. The back LCD screen will swing out and pivot so you can use it at odd angles, and that's quite handy at times. It zooms to 38-114 mm equiv. (where I fall back on panorama stitch), and is a 4 Mp camera, but otherwise, they're quite similar.

The Digital Rebel/300d will give you more flexibility for growth, even if (and I don't particularly recommend this) you start with the 18-55 (28-90 equiv.) kit lens. It lets you use external flash as well. The 6 MP will give you better resolution, too.

The PowerShot Pro 1 has TTL viewing (on an LCD viewfinder) and a 28-200 equiv. fixed zoom lens with 8 MP total, but I think I'd stay with the 300d in the same price range. You get more flexibility, and the smaller sensor with higher pixel count in the PS Pro has some disadvantages with image noise..

I made the jump about 2 years ago, giving up my 3 Canon FD-mount cameras and ?? lenses for an Eos D60 when I realized I'd been using my Kodak DC260 and DC290 in preference to the film cameras. I've since added an A80 as a small, take-with camera and find the combination very good (although I'm still drooling over the Eos 1D Mk II).

[ijohnson]

well said.

Add that you are expected to do some post-processing work with the SLRs.

[wildgoose1uk]

Thanks for the tips. I went out and got myself an A80 the other day and have to say that I am pretty pleased with it so far.

I think the 32mb card will allow for 20 or so shots but have a 512 on order as well as a card reader.

This will be my first real foray into digital cameras. I may have thought about an slr but they are expensive so I thougth it betetr to test the waters first with something like the A80.

And now I see the A85 is out ... but it still looks like I made the right choice.

My one criticism t date is that everybody in the shot seems to get redeye! Still, that's probably for another forum.

[RoB_m]

good choice on the A80. the A85 has a smaller sensor and no pivot LCD screen. i've had the A80 since january and have been able to make some spectacular images. it's no SLR but with the right eye and some digital savviness you can make the most of its limitations.

good luck! have fun.