Considering going digital and want help, please.

[Denbydog]

I'm considering adding a Canon DSLR to my current EOS 5 system. My only experience with digital has ben with 5 megapixel point-and-shoot Olympus. The one thing that has stopped me going digital has been the time delay between pressing the shutter release and the picture being recorded. I really want the image captured exactly when I hit the button especially as many of my photographs require considerable patience during the 'hunt' and often only one frame (perhaps two) can be taken at that critial time, often in lowish light with a fast lens. Having said that, there are times when a fast motorwind is important for preditor-prey shots. I can't justify either an EOS 1(for film) or 1D and I'm not sure I want to change from a film system, but it would be nice to try a relatively inexpensive digital camera with my existing EF-USM lenses. At the moment I'm considering perhaps a 30D (about £250 ? UK used) but worried about the image resolution when blown up to 10x8.

I've also looked at the 10D on sites like eBay going for £500-£700 (UK used prices again!!). Would the 20D be so much better? The various comments in this forum of a long lagtime to wake-up and another 30 seconds wait to take more than 9 frames for the 10D worries me.

Sorry if all this has been gone over previously. If so, I'd be grateful for direction to the appropriate threads.

Thanks

[JoeTampa]

If you're worried about lag time and startup time, look at the 20D. However, if startup time does not concern you, the 10D's lag time is minimal. I suggest a read on both at http://www.imaging-resource.com.


- Joe (Who's in London for another week if you'd like a go with the 20D)

[defordphoto]

The various comments in this forum of a long lagtime to wake-up and another 30 seconds wait to take more than 9 frames for the 10D worries me.

The 10D's startup time in minimal and you do not have to wait 30 seconds for it to write the buffer before continuing shooting.

That being said, the 20D is the cat's meow for prosumer dSLRs.

[tim]

I have the Digital Rebel/300D. Once focussed (which depends partially on the lens) the shutter response is basically instant. I tried my old Canon A70 point and shoot digital the other day, it feels like a toy compared with the rebel.

I have no idea where you got those times from. It takes about 3 seconds for the camera to turn on. On high res jpg settings it takes 4 frames at about 3 frames per second, and after that slows down quite a bit to maybe 1 frame per second. The 20D beats this easily, with a 0.3 second power on time and about 25 frames at 5 frames per second. Those are the two main advantages of the 20D over the 300D/Rebel to me.

[redbutt]

Given that the 20D is out there, and the price has come down ont eh 10D...get that if you were considering the D Rebel. The 10D is better than the D Rebel. I've got ~15000 exposures through my 10D and I love it (however it is now my backup as I aquired funding to finally get the 1D Mark II).

[cmM]

Compared to point and shoot digital cameras, the shutter lag is negligible on any DSLR. If you're on a really tight budget I think you should look at 10D - they are pretty cheap these days (used) due to the 20D.

[Groundworxs]

I had the 10D and really enjoyed it. There is a setting in the menu section that allows you to keep the camera on all the time after it has been turned on. If yu do this the camera is always ready. I often have the camera on for 6-8 hours and never had the batteries run out. I do use the grip and the extra battery. Even on a single battery you can shoot for many hours.
just don't forget to turn the camera off at night or you will have a dead battery in the morning. Any of the cameras you mentioned will produce pitures that look great at 8 x10 no concerns there.

Good luck

[psk4363]

1) I can't understand why you state that you can't justify an EOS 1 especially if you're "not sure I want to change from a film system" yet still contemplating spending £500-700 on a DSLR? It seems to me that a good used EOS 1 / EOS 1n with a power drive would give you a superb second body for far less than £500-700!

2) If, as it appears, you aren't ready to take the digital plunge then don't! I am convinced that one should really seriously research the transition to digital and be convinced that such a route is for you and your needs - especially with the extra outlay and the effect of the magnification factor on focal lengths by DSLRs.

3) If you're happy with film consider a film scanner as an intermediate step. Once you've scanned in your 'not quite perfect images' and manipulated them to your satisfaction you can have the converted back to transparency (by Microquiz here in the UK) or film.

My overall impression is that you're not ready for the move to digital - IMHO.

Cheers,
Barry

[psk4363]

JUst found this on E-Bay UK, an EOS 1n digital , £122 with just over 2 days to go:-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30020&item=3855769 693&rd=1

Another option maybe?

Barry

[Longwatcher]

I've also looked at the 10D on sites like eBay going for £500-£700 (UK used prices again!!). Would the 20D be so much better? The various comments in this forum of a long lagtime to wake-up and another 30 seconds wait to take more than 9 frames for the 10D worries me.


Thanks

Ignoring for the moment that I recommend the 20D or a 1DM2 or 1DsM2.

My experience with 10D and start up, lag and buffer full times.

Start up - count slowly to 3. "one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three" and it is up and running. Annoying at times, but only when you first turn it on.

Lag time - manual focus - blink

lag time - auto focus
- in bright light against contrasty object
-- my 50/1.4 - blink
-- my "L" series zooms- quick
-- my 75-300 IS - decent

- in low light against semi-contrasty objects
-- my 50/1.4 - usually blink
-- my "L" series zooms - varies widely from quick to some day
-- my 75-300 IS - someday my lens will focus :o

- in low light against dark non-contrasty subject
-- all lenses - "switching to manual"

Take another shot time
- if you take picture as fast as you can you will hit a buffer limit at 9 pictures and then wait 3 seconds to take the next for almost forever.

- If you take one per second average I can usually get about 15-20 pictures until I hit the buffer limit (then down to 1 per 3 seconds)

- If you just take batches of 2-4 pictures with a 30 sec or so wait in between you won't hit the buffer limit very often.

The true anoyance is when you hit the buffer limit and then fill up CF card at same time. Then it can seem forever to change the card out. Solution is just get a bigger card. Any 12x or faster card will pretty much go as fast as the 10D allows. Faster cards are only wise to get if planning on upgrading someday in the future.

Just my experience,

[Jon]

JUst found this on E-Bay UK, an EOS 1n digital , £122 with just over 2 days to go:-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30020&item=3855769 693&rd=1

Another option maybe?

Barry

Yeah. It's a 2 MP Kodak DCS-520 (built on a 1n chassis), not an Eos 1D of any flavour. I'd say, not an option.

[Denbydog]

[quote="psk4363"]

2) If, as it appears, you aren't ready to take the digital plunge then don't! I am convinced that one should really seriously research the transition to digital and be convinced that such a route is for you and your needs - especially with the extra outlay and the effect of the magnification factor on focal lengths by DSLRs.

3) If you're happy with film consider a film scanner as an intermediate step. Once you've scanned in your 'not quite perfect images' and manipulated them to your satisfaction you can have the converted back to transparency (by Microquiz here in the UK) or film.

One of the reasons for thinking about digital is that I need to capture images of some of the sites (everything from wideangle landscape to running deer to macros of plants and insects) that I survey and incorporate them into reports. I was hoping to use a semi-pro outfit like my EOS 5 without the need to get film developed and scanned, hence the interest in digital. I do currently use the 5mp Olympus point&shoot for landscape shots but it has definite limitations (and the shutter lag is extremely annoying) and can't do the detailed work.