Should I switch to digital for this trip?

[katha_chalotorn]

Hi all.

 

This may sound like the should-I-move-to-digital questions that have

been asked and answered many times before. But my search of the

forum didn't turn up any thread that is specific to my situation, and

so your opinions would be much appreciated.

 

I'm a newbie. I currently have an F75 with a 28-105 and a 50/1.8

lens. I also have a P&S coolpix 4300. I'll be in Paris this X'mas,

and expect to take a lot of pictures in low-light situations (e.g.,

in museums and of X'mas street lights). My original thought was to

use the F75 with the 50/1.8 and fast films such as Fuji Superia Xtra

800. Then, having read about the low-light capability of dslr's, I'm

starting to wonder if I would be better off with either the D70s or

the D50 instead.

 

My budget is quite limited. I can at most afford the D70s with its

kit lens. I have the following thoughts:

 

1) If I go with digital, I don't think I'll use the 50/1.8 lens with

it due to the multiplication factor. So, I'll be using the kit lens,

whose widest aperture is 3.5. So, in terms of light sensitivity, the

benefits of, the D70s or the D50 will be negated by the slow lens,

and I will not be better off with it. Am I correct to think this way?

 

2) Whenever I shoot in low light using films, the pictures tend to

come out yellowish. In this respect, am i correct to say that the

D70s or the D50 will be better because I can adjust the white

balance? If I stick with films, is there a filter that I can use to

correct for the yellow tone?

 

As mentioned earlier, my budget is about $1,300. I've played with a

D70s before (my inlaws's). I like it although it's a bit big for my

hands. I'm also considering the D50, which is quite close to my F75

in terms of size and ease (or lack thereof) of operation. However, I

really hate the fact that Nikon took out the status LCD light and the

DoF preview. So, I feel that if I buy the D50, I will still be

wanting a better camera shortly.

 

Any advice would be much appreciated, especially if you like taking

pictures in low light. If there's any combination of camera and lens

that fits into my budget (say a D50 and a faster lens), I'd like to

hear about it as well. Thanks.

[Richard Williams]

You should get excellent results with your existing film gear and Fuji 800, so low light work might not be a good enough excuse to add a digital body :-) However, dSLRs like the D70 also work very well at this sort of ISO (unfortunately very few P&S digitals do - the Fuji F10 is one exception). Can you stretch to, say, the D70s kit plus a 35/2 (or the Sigma 30/1.4)? It doesn't sound like you'd be that happy with the D50, and although you could save money by buying a D70s body without the 18-70 kit lens, the kits are good value and you get a nice, versatile zoom.

[charlie_johnson1]

Save your money and go for a better camera and lens combo after Christmas. Place a order to B&H Photo for some 24 Exp. Fuji Superia CZ 800 and 36 Exp. Superia CU-1600 for your low light shooting. Also get some Fuji Press CH-400 in 36 Exp. for general shooting. If you don't have a travel monopod or tripod, I would suggest getting one. I prefer Bogen, they are very good and easy to use.

 

Your 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 and 50mm f/1.8 are far superior lenses than any of the new DX kit lenses that Nikon has developed for the D70, 70s, and D50. I think you would be better saving up and getting the D200 after the holidays. Your other best choice would be picking up a D1, D1h or D1x from Ebay. You might find a D1 or D1h package within your budget but maybe not a D1x. The older D1's may have lower mega pixels but can meter any AI-S lens Nikon has ever made. Your present gear would be more compatible with the D1 family or the D200 than any of the D100, D70, D70s, and D50. This purely my biased and humble opinion, I happen to own a D1 and prefer the older AF lenses built for the film bodies.

[ShunCheung]

If you are moving to digital, you need some infrastructure behind the DSLR itself: CF or SD memory cards, storage devices to store your images during the trip, a computer and image editing software such as PhotoShop .... You should factor the cost for those unless you already have them.

[peter_obaldo]

May I also suggest to invest in a monopod and/or lightweight tripod as you would surely need this if you plan on taking pictures in very low light situation. Just to throw you off a bit, Fuji Film F10 has excellent performance at high ISO. This camera could be had for less than $300.00. This should give you more $$$ for souvenirs. Good luck....sounds very exciting to be in Paris during the holidays. Wish I could also go there.

[jbq]

It might make more sense to keep your current equipment for now, get a monopod, and maybe get some faster glass (e.g. a 35/2 and a 85/1.8). Switching to a totally new process just before a trip isn't always a good idea.

 

It'll be a good idea to buy film in the US before you leave - you'll save money compared to buying it in Europe (I remember buying a few rolls in a Paris suburb and having to ask if the price was for a single roll or a 5-pack).

[dave wyman]

I see a problem going with a new camera - will you be able to master the controls in time for your trip? Will you put the camera in auto mode or fumble around for a while working with ISOs, focus areas, exposure compensation, bracketing, etc?

 

Personally, I can't function without a telephoto, and if I were you, I might frankly forget the digital camera and pick up a longer lens for the film camera. However, it's the photographer, not the camera or the lens, that makes or breaks the photograph.

 

Those issues aside, Katha - it's almost 2006! Sell off (if you can) your film gear, donate it, or put it in a box in the garage and forget about it, give your film away. Go with your instinct: purchase a D70 or D70s, and make sure you include the kit lens. After you use your new camera, you will wonder why you stuck with film for so long.

 

You can make photos with ISO 800 and there will be virtually no grain. Frankly, that probably won't help you make low light photos in museums without some sort of support, but you won't have much luck with your current film camera and zoom lens. You won't have problem with x-mas lights, though, with the kit lens.

 

You'll have a much better chance with low light subjects with that 50mm lens you've already got, if you plan on hand holding your camera. There's no reason not to take that lens with you. Crop factor? Walk backwards approximately five feet.

 

Together with the kit lens, your 50mm lens (great for museums and smokey Parisian jazz clubs) - will be all you need.

 

As for waiting until after Christmas, hey, your trip is >before< Christmas. Get a D200? A 35mm f/2? This is like a dog chasing its tail, an endless way to contemplate spending more money. The D70s (maybe you can still find a D70 at discount) is within your budget and its a wonderful camera.

 

Yes, you'll need plenty of storage space, so you'll want a couple of CF cards - prices have really dropped. If you aren't taking a laptop with you, or some other mass storage device, then you'll need to purchase more CF cards and possibly ration your shots - but you'll have far more photos to make than you would have with film.

 

One other issue - battery power. Unless you plan on making several hundred photos each day, you can probably make it through on one battery if you recharge it each night. I don't use the onboard flash very often and I try not to look at the LCD after every shot. I do have a spare battery for my camera, but I've yet to use it, even making hundreds of photos in a day.

 

But the D70, take the 50mm lens, get plenty of CF cards, and have fun in Paris.

[larrybc]

Katha Chalotorn wrote:<br>

 

<br>> 1) If I go with digital, I don't think I'll use the 50/1.8

<br>> lens with it due to the multiplication factor. So, I'll be

<br>> using the kit lens, whose widest aperture is 3.5. So, in

<br>> terms of light sensitivity, the benefits of, the D70s or the

<br>> D50 will be negated by the slow lens, and I will not be

<br>> better off with it. Am I correct to think this way?

<br>

<br>Basically, you're looking at a loss of 2-stops. But on the other hand, I can't imagine relying on a 50mm field of view, even on a 135 format camera, for shooting museum interiors. Depending on the print size you want, you could actually do ok with ISO1600 is which a stop faster than Superia 800, plus the white balance will probably be better than your film prints (depends on your lab, really). So I would think you're only losing one stop.

<br>

<br>> 2) Whenever I shoot in low light using films, the pictures

<br>> tend to come out yellowish. In this respect, am i correct to

<br>> say that the D70s or the D50 will be better because I can

<br>> adjust the white balance? If I stick with films, is there a

<br>> filter that I can use to correct for the yellow tone?

<br>

<br>Yep, I've found easily accurate WB to be a big benefit of digital. BTW, it's not reall the low light that is causing it, it's the colour temp of the light source, which from the description, it sounds like it is incandescent light.

<br>

<br>> As mentioned earlier, my budget is about $1,300. I've played

<br>> with a D70s before (my inlaws's). I like it although it's a

<br>> bit big for my hands. I'm also considering the D50, which is

<br>> quite close to my F75 in terms of size and ease (or lack

<br>> thereof) of operation. However, I really hate the fact that

<br>> Nikon took out the status LCD light and the DoF preview. So,

<br>> I feel that if I buy the D50, I will still be wanting a

<br>> better camera shortly.

<br>

<br>Well, if it's any consolation, the viewfinder mag. is so tiny in the D70 and D50 that I don't find the DoF to be much use at all. It's more useful to look at the LCD view for that.

<br>

<br>> Any advice would be much appreciated, especially if you like

<br>> taking pictures in low light. If there's any combination of

<br>> camera and lens that fits into my budget (say a D50 and a

<br>> faster lens), I'd like to hear about it as well. Thanks.

<br>

<br>Depends on the price diff. in your area. You might be able to buy a D50 with a Sigma 18-50/2.8 for the same price as a D70 with 18-70/3.5-4.5 but that's only a guess. Really, though, I would bet that the D70 with 18-70/3.5-4.5 kit lens will be just fine for your trip. I frequently visit Gary Voth's India gallery to see what can be done with that very simple combo:

<br>

<br>http://www.vothphoto.com/recent/india%202004/inda2004_main.htm

<br>

<br>His high end Canon gear got stolen when he arrived in India so he shot his entire trip with a D70+kit bought locally. Gorgeous photos.

<br>

<br>I enjoy available light shooting so I did buy a 50/1.4 and a 24/2.8. The 50/1.4 for bokeh reasons, and the 24/2.8 because I wanted something small and somewhat faster for indoor shooting. The ability to use ISO800 for most shots, and ISO1600 for those rare occassions makes it easier to get along with a max aperture of 3.5 in the digital world compared to the film world.

<br>

<br>I would also suggest a very lightweight tripod (I didn't find a monopod useful enough on past trips). Just buy something inexpensive like the Velbon 343e or the Slik Sprint Pro. Either tripod is under USD$100 I think, and very small and light. Either that or bring a decent table top tripod.

<br>

<br>For storage, CF cards are cheap enough that you could probably get by with 2GB worth of cards and shoot in JPG mode (some people may jeer me for that suggestion). In fact, I'll bet you could do ok with just 1GB worth of cards. There must be photo labs in Paris that can burn your images to a CD for you. You don't need a laptop or an external storage device (although they are handy). You will need at least one spare battery, though. You'll also need a voltage outlet adapter so you can plug your charger into a French outlet. I'm pretty sure the charger itself can handle 220V, though. It just needs that prong adapter.

<br>

<br>Having said all this, I have to warn you that buying a DSLR and learning the nuances of digital shooting one month prior to your big trip is pushing it. Also, for a lot less money, you could just buy film and a tripod and go with your existing gear. Heck, you could buy yourself a couple of fast primes or a fast zoom as well. But if you do decide to buy a DSLR for the trip, concentrate on learning to identify blown out highlight situations, and remembering to reset the various camera settings back to your defaults (ie: don't shoot a day's worth of landscapes using the incandescent white balance from last night!).

<br>

<br>Enjoy your trip!

<br>

<br>larsbc

[gregory_gardner]

1) Don't take a new camera on a one-time trip before becomming really familiar with it.<p>

2) Don't take pictures inside museums, it's tacky. Just enjoy the art fully while you are there. If you want a keepsake of the museums contents, buy a book.<p>

3) Paris looks better in black and white. Why? I don't know, it just does -- so be sure at the very least to get some B&W prints if you are shooting color negatives. Also, B&W avoids the nasty issues with color balance.<p>

4) Paris has a lot of small streets and tight areas, so be sure to have the wide angles covered.<p>

5) Have fun!<p>

[leicaglow]

I just bought a D50 and am very impressed with the ISO 1600 setting and how little "grain" it has. Reviewers have also mentioned that it may be better for low light than the D70.

 

But here's my beef: The 18-55 Nikkor in the kit is a piece of cr*p. I'm thinking about scrapping it and sticking with D series AF lenses. So, I would save a little money and buy the D50, but spend a little more on a better lens.

[katha_chalotorn]

Thanks for all your kind replies. To Gregory, thanks for bringing up the point of tackiness. It's not really the art objects that I'd like to take pictures of. As you said, we can buy books of those pictures. In fact, I think a lot of museums prohibit photographing in their display galleries. However, I often find the interiors of several European museums to be very impressive. For example, I think the interior of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna alone is worth the admission price. I've tried to find books of these interiors, but with no success.

 

Thanks again for all your advices.

[craig_shearman1]

Katha,

If you were shooting at home and driving to your destination I'd say stick with your film system. But if you're flying, this may be the time to go digital. 800 and 1600 speed film will be ruined by airport X-ray machines, particularly if they have to go through more than once (one time going over, another coming back, maybe two passes each way if you have a connecting flight and change terminals and go through security again). You might be able to get hand inspection at a U.S. airport but it's virtually impossible in Europe. If you do make the switch to digital, do it soon and starting shooting a lot so you'll be used to the camera before your trip.