flyingfreak78 0 #1 January 18, 2005 hey guys! i want to start taking DIGITAL photos now and look for the "best" still camera for this purpose to buy. Any recommondations? I heard about the Canon 300 digital or "rebel" and the 20D? Cheerz! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 0 #2 January 18, 2005 There's no "best" camera IMO, since everybody wants something different, but if there was, the 300D isn't it... If you aren't already stuck to one system or the other, ie have expensive lenses, I'd get either a Canon D20 with a Canon wideangle fixed lens or a Nikon D70 (which you'd have to get modded for the remote) with a fixed Nikkor wideangle lens. Both are great camera's. If you can handle (much) more volume and weight on your head, and have the cash, the new Nikon D2X is great, and the Canon 1Ds mark II is also fantastic. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jumpmunki 0 #3 January 18, 2005 i'd go with the 20D mate, good frame rate 8 mega pixels ......... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jose 0 #4 January 20, 2005 The best one is the one that you can afford. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vdschoor 0 #5 January 20, 2005 QuoteThe best one is the one that you can afford. That's the right answer, although I agree that the 20D is a way better camera than the Digital Rebel (300D) the digital rebel is an awesome camera. People claim they need 5fps, you don't.. it just takes a bit more effort to get the picture you want. The only problem with the digital rebel that i have run into is the buffer size, it's too small. Eventhough the specs of the digital rebel are 3fps, it is not.. at least not all the time, and that is the ONLY limitation that I have found with the digital Rebel. I know people are saying there are all kinds of problems with the camera, I have not run into one that I could blame on the equipment to this day, and I have used the camera a lot. It's been on about 450 - 500 jumps and has taken over 13000 shots already and it's still functioning like new. Iwan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #6 January 21, 2005 QuoteI know people are saying there are all kinds of problems with the camera, I have not run into one that I could blame on the equipment to this day, and I have used the camera a lot. Exactly my experience and well. Reading the manual can help, too. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
psw097 0 #7 January 21, 2005 I had a shutter failure at 6800 frames on my 300D - I also purchased one of the first ones a week after it was released. When it came back from Canon the shutter looked differnet, I'd heard they had changed the design some and it was more reliable. I've had no trouble since - well, except for sensor dust that drives me insane. A couple grand in Canon mount lenses makes it hard to switch to Olympus to get rid of dust though. The busrts issue is not that bad, I can get upwards of 30 frames in freefall in JPG-large/fine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vdschoor 0 #8 January 21, 2005 QuoteI had a shutter failure at 6800 frames on my 300D - I also purchased one of the first ones a week after it was released. When it came back from Canon the shutter looked differnet, I'd heard they had changed the design some and it was more reliable. Hmm.. I bought mine the day BestBuy had it, which was pretty much immediately, but haven't had a problem with the shutter yet, and I'm at about 13000 shots.. Quote I've had no trouble since - well, except for sensor dust that drives me insane. A couple grand in Canon mount lenses makes it hard to switch to Olympus to get rid of dust though. What does Olympus have that keeps the dust out? I won't switch for the exact same reasons, I have invested way too much money in the Canon system to switch now, but I'm curious... Quote The busrts issue is not that bad, I can get upwards of 30 frames in freefall in JPG-large/fine. Yeah I know, I'm not really worried about the freefall shots, sometimes on the exit I wish I had a larger burst available.. For example a balloon jump or helicopter jump the only thing that counts there is the exit shot. If you take 1 picture as they are standing on the edge, then you already lose a shot for the actual jump.. It's a trade-off.. so far it hasn't gotten me in trouble, but a larger buffer would be a nice to have... Iwan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
psw097 0 #9 January 21, 2005 I did similar with Ritz camera - I obviously got an unhappy one. Mine failed during a hike. I do change lenses a lot, often times next to a waterfall or some other water/dirt spewing thing. Its on its way to Mt. Fugi tomorrow. Olympus has a supersonic wave filter. It shakes the dust off. The E-1 needs a few key tweeks before I'd think about switching - I still like shooting film so my Canon mount lens would need to stay for my film body. The thought of 2 systems sucks. I'll probably wait for affordable full frame sensors from Canon, at least 1.3, they might wake up to the dust problem by the time that happens. Agreed on the bust rate. I like shooting raw and it really blows in raw. Its not the same as the Elan 7 that can burn up a roll before the plane leaves the frame, that's for sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sargeatlarge 0 #10 January 21, 2005 I have used Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Konica, Pentax in film and digital format. Basic principle to remeber: cameras read light, not dark and in the end, it's the same light that goes through the lens and onto the format that you are using. Knowing the camera is always the basic rule. I presently use canon....I have all the lenses for film from fisheye through to telephoto. However, you can't use those on the digital bodies. Certain old Nikon lenses will fit the new bodies so there is a cost saving there. But the Nikon D70 does not use a cable release so you would have to upgrade that particular body. The point to be made is that each camera has certain advantages and disadvantages. Do you need 6 or 8 megapixels? How much do you want to blow your prints up? My view is that most of the gear these days does the job if you know how to use it. For example, I always used the aperture scales on the lenses when I shot in print film, however canon autofocus lenses no longer retain those so you have to know the scales in your head (a pain as my maths is dodgy at best). At present I have a 300D and a 20D and fixed focal length lenses. The photos on both are the same up to A3 or A4 size. I can't see any difference between those and the same types of shot my mates use on their Nikons. Hope this rambling response helps. SargeQuoteSarge Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites wadebaird 0 #11 January 30, 2005 You said that you have both a 300D and a 20D. What's the difference between the 300D and the digital rebel? Is the 20D worth the extra money? I am looking at getting a still camera for both tandems and skydiving in general. My main concern about the digital rebel is the burst speed / buffer size. I don't really want to spend all that money on the 20D just for the awesome buffer size as I won't be using any of the other features. I sure wish they made a version of the digital rebel with the basic features but a large buffer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites ltdiver 3 #12 January 30, 2005 300D and the Digital Rebel are one and the same. I'm happy to have bought the DR when it came out. It was the best bang for the buck. However, if I was buying new today I'd opt for the 20D in a heartbeat. Yes, the buffer size can help out for exits and high speed landing shots (say if you ever have a chance to witness a truely talented swooper). ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Sargeatlarge 0 #13 January 31, 2005 Hi Wadebird, Differneces are mainly in buffer size and megapixels. I have found the 300D quite OK for everything I do and 6.1 megapixels is ample foe enlargements up to A3 and A4. The 20D has 8 megapixels, but it is unnoticebale on normal sized prints. If you're inclined towards Canon, for the money, go with the 300D at present. Hope this helps. Kind regardsQuote SargeSarge Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites flyingfreak78 0 #14 February 2, 2005 Thanx for all the responses,guys I am presently on Canary Island and can buy camaras cheaper being a free trade zone. so there are digital rebel(american) and 300D(european) I believe the same thing, for 600 euros new , the 20D EOS is more than double so thanx again Rob AD"A" 352 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites mark135 0 #15 February 5, 2005 I was watching a show on discovery last week about digital tech and its history. they were saying it takes 7-8 megapixels to compare to a 35mm._______________ "It seemed like a good idea at the time" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites sneaky 0 #16 April 10, 2005 I ahve just bought a canon 20d... oustanding piece of kit, also from my other work I have got a Konica Minolta 7D, havn't tested yet, but I would go for a Canon 20d Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites The111 0 #17 April 17, 2005 QuoteHi Wadebird, Differneces are mainly in buffer size and megapixels. I have found the 300D quite OK for everything I do and 6.1 megapixels is ample foe enlargements up to A3 and A4. The 20D has 8 megapixels, but it is unnoticebale on normal sized prints. If you're inclined towards Canon, for the money, go with the 300D at present. Hope this helps. Kind regards Sarge Digging up an old thread here. What exactly is buffer size? I'm on Canon's webpage and they have a "Digital Rebel XT" (only slightly more $ than regular DR) and it is 8.0 Megapixel.www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites indyz 1 #18 April 17, 2005 The buffer is where the camera stores photos before writing them to the memory card. Most digital SLRs can take pictures faster than they can be written to the memory card. If the buffer is only large enough to hold one photo, you would have a long delay between taking pictures while the image is copied from the buffer to the memory card. A larger buffer allows you to continue taking pictures while the buffer copies to the memory card in the background. This is especially important on skydives when you want to rip off a lot of pictures really quickly, like at exit or deployment. Just by looking at the specs (larger buffer and improved memory card write speed), the XT should kick the original DR's ass in this respect. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites The111 0 #19 April 17, 2005 So is that directly related to the "fps" of the camera, how many pics you can take per second?www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites dragon2 0 #20 April 18, 2005 QuoteSo is that directly related to the "fps" of the camera, how many pics you can take per second? The fps drops when the buffer is full if writing the image from the buffer to the card takes longer than writing the pic to the buffer. This depending on which camera and which card you use is usually the case. With the D70 and a Sandisk II card the fps drops a little bit but not that much after the buffer is full. If you use a real slow card with the D70 the fps drop is much more noticeable. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0 Go To Topic Listing
wadebaird 0 #11 January 30, 2005 You said that you have both a 300D and a 20D. What's the difference between the 300D and the digital rebel? Is the 20D worth the extra money? I am looking at getting a still camera for both tandems and skydiving in general. My main concern about the digital rebel is the burst speed / buffer size. I don't really want to spend all that money on the 20D just for the awesome buffer size as I won't be using any of the other features. I sure wish they made a version of the digital rebel with the basic features but a large buffer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #12 January 30, 2005 300D and the Digital Rebel are one and the same. I'm happy to have bought the DR when it came out. It was the best bang for the buck. However, if I was buying new today I'd opt for the 20D in a heartbeat. Yes, the buffer size can help out for exits and high speed landing shots (say if you ever have a chance to witness a truely talented swooper). ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sargeatlarge 0 #13 January 31, 2005 Hi Wadebird, Differneces are mainly in buffer size and megapixels. I have found the 300D quite OK for everything I do and 6.1 megapixels is ample foe enlargements up to A3 and A4. The 20D has 8 megapixels, but it is unnoticebale on normal sized prints. If you're inclined towards Canon, for the money, go with the 300D at present. Hope this helps. Kind regardsQuote SargeSarge Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites flyingfreak78 0 #14 February 2, 2005 Thanx for all the responses,guys I am presently on Canary Island and can buy camaras cheaper being a free trade zone. so there are digital rebel(american) and 300D(european) I believe the same thing, for 600 euros new , the 20D EOS is more than double so thanx again Rob AD"A" 352 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites mark135 0 #15 February 5, 2005 I was watching a show on discovery last week about digital tech and its history. they were saying it takes 7-8 megapixels to compare to a 35mm._______________ "It seemed like a good idea at the time" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites sneaky 0 #16 April 10, 2005 I ahve just bought a canon 20d... oustanding piece of kit, also from my other work I have got a Konica Minolta 7D, havn't tested yet, but I would go for a Canon 20d Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites The111 0 #17 April 17, 2005 QuoteHi Wadebird, Differneces are mainly in buffer size and megapixels. I have found the 300D quite OK for everything I do and 6.1 megapixels is ample foe enlargements up to A3 and A4. The 20D has 8 megapixels, but it is unnoticebale on normal sized prints. If you're inclined towards Canon, for the money, go with the 300D at present. Hope this helps. Kind regards Sarge Digging up an old thread here. What exactly is buffer size? I'm on Canon's webpage and they have a "Digital Rebel XT" (only slightly more $ than regular DR) and it is 8.0 Megapixel.www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites indyz 1 #18 April 17, 2005 The buffer is where the camera stores photos before writing them to the memory card. Most digital SLRs can take pictures faster than they can be written to the memory card. If the buffer is only large enough to hold one photo, you would have a long delay between taking pictures while the image is copied from the buffer to the memory card. A larger buffer allows you to continue taking pictures while the buffer copies to the memory card in the background. This is especially important on skydives when you want to rip off a lot of pictures really quickly, like at exit or deployment. Just by looking at the specs (larger buffer and improved memory card write speed), the XT should kick the original DR's ass in this respect. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites The111 0 #19 April 17, 2005 So is that directly related to the "fps" of the camera, how many pics you can take per second?www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites dragon2 0 #20 April 18, 2005 QuoteSo is that directly related to the "fps" of the camera, how many pics you can take per second? The fps drops when the buffer is full if writing the image from the buffer to the card takes longer than writing the pic to the buffer. This depending on which camera and which card you use is usually the case. With the D70 and a Sandisk II card the fps drops a little bit but not that much after the buffer is full. If you use a real slow card with the D70 the fps drop is much more noticeable. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
flyingfreak78 0 #14 February 2, 2005 Thanx for all the responses,guys I am presently on Canary Island and can buy camaras cheaper being a free trade zone. so there are digital rebel(american) and 300D(european) I believe the same thing, for 600 euros new , the 20D EOS is more than double so thanx again Rob AD"A" 352 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark135 0 #15 February 5, 2005 I was watching a show on discovery last week about digital tech and its history. they were saying it takes 7-8 megapixels to compare to a 35mm._______________ "It seemed like a good idea at the time" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sneaky 0 #16 April 10, 2005 I ahve just bought a canon 20d... oustanding piece of kit, also from my other work I have got a Konica Minolta 7D, havn't tested yet, but I would go for a Canon 20d Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 0 #17 April 17, 2005 QuoteHi Wadebird, Differneces are mainly in buffer size and megapixels. I have found the 300D quite OK for everything I do and 6.1 megapixels is ample foe enlargements up to A3 and A4. The 20D has 8 megapixels, but it is unnoticebale on normal sized prints. If you're inclined towards Canon, for the money, go with the 300D at present. Hope this helps. Kind regards Sarge Digging up an old thread here. What exactly is buffer size? I'm on Canon's webpage and they have a "Digital Rebel XT" (only slightly more $ than regular DR) and it is 8.0 Megapixel.www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
indyz 1 #18 April 17, 2005 The buffer is where the camera stores photos before writing them to the memory card. Most digital SLRs can take pictures faster than they can be written to the memory card. If the buffer is only large enough to hold one photo, you would have a long delay between taking pictures while the image is copied from the buffer to the memory card. A larger buffer allows you to continue taking pictures while the buffer copies to the memory card in the background. This is especially important on skydives when you want to rip off a lot of pictures really quickly, like at exit or deployment. Just by looking at the specs (larger buffer and improved memory card write speed), the XT should kick the original DR's ass in this respect. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 0 #19 April 17, 2005 So is that directly related to the "fps" of the camera, how many pics you can take per second?www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 0 #20 April 18, 2005 QuoteSo is that directly related to the "fps" of the camera, how many pics you can take per second? The fps drops when the buffer is full if writing the image from the buffer to the card takes longer than writing the pic to the buffer. This depending on which camera and which card you use is usually the case. With the D70 and a Sandisk II card the fps drops a little bit but not that much after the buffer is full. If you use a real slow card with the D70 the fps drop is much more noticeable. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
