jobo1

<p>For wildlife on a budget, I'd agree with the FZ-8. It goes long, but not wide.<br>

The LZ-8 is smaller and cheaper, but doesn't have the reach you'd need for wild animals.<br>

http://www.photo.net/photo/8355923<br>

(an example pic taken with a predecessor to the FZ-8, at max zoom)<br>

I guess the question is, how often will you be in a position to take pictures of wildlife, and conversely, how upset would you then be if you could't...</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Since you want to use this system for architecture, you should check that you can get rid of the lens distortion in post.  Especially the Canon 24-105 is tricky in this regard, but should be supported soon by DxO.<br>

As for the tabletop photography, you need to figure out the size of your subject and work from there.  Extension rings for the 50mm lens could be a cheap way to get closer:<br>

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=718716<br>

 </p>

Just another reason for using a card reader: it's much faster.

 

Have you considered the WiFi enabled SD card, with a CF adapter? Should work, and you'd have the camera on your computer in seconds...

You could start with

http://www.photo.net/learn/

, especially

http://www.photo.net/learn/point-and-shoot-tips

An excellent start! I would just get the kit lens (18-55), it is hard to beat for the price.

The digital cameras are optimized for autofocus: Half of the light goes to the AF sensors, the viewing screen does not have focus aids, and the stated viewfinder magnification needs to be divided by the crop factor (e.g., .95x/1.5=.63x for the K10D). Moreover, digital seems to be more sensitive to focus errors than film.

 

In other words, you may want to try before you buy, and consider adding a viewfinder loupe and/or another focusing screen to your budget.

 

All Pentax K mount lenses will work, but be careful with others: I had problems with an old m42 to bayonet adapter getting stuck to the mount.

The main source of noise (poisson noise) depends only on how much light hits the sensor, i.e., shutter time and aperture. A picture taken at ISO 1600 and one taken at ISO 800, with the same shutter time and aperture and brightened by one stop in post, have the same amount of poisson noise.

 

Then there is readout and reset noise, which is "constant", and shows up more when you underexpose and later brighten the picture. As you say, it has an impact mainly in the darker areas of the picture.

You could get a Wein SafeSync, if the trigger voltage is the issue.

Sigma DP 1? If it ever is released...

I'm surprised this link hasn't come up yet: http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm

 

I have no relation with Mr Krages, et c.

http://strobist.com for general technique (specifically lighting 101, link in left sidebar), http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/ for Canon-specific and historical stuff, mainly on hardware.

I use this one, btw, it also exists in a non-AF version that should be even cheaper. The build quality actually is close to the proverbial yoghurt cup...

 

http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/cosina_100_35_pentax/index.htm

http://www.peakoverload.com/blog/photography/a-guide-to-lens-markings/

 

Any K mount prime (i.e., single focal length, non-zoom) macro lens should work OK.

In the shooting menu is the FEC setting you may need to use. I set it to -1EV, and use a large aperture (2.8), high ISO (1600) and longish shutter speed (1/20) to gather ambient light.

AIUI:

 

Sensors are smaller than the film, and "crop" the picture.

 

You need to tell both the lens and the shutter to take the picture at the same time, the standard PC sync contact on the lens can be used.

 

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/digital-view.shtml

 

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/cameras/digital-view.shtml

Imaging Resource has shown that the noise reduction in RAW is affected by the noise reduction setting (duh). I don't know if you can turn it off completely, but the difference between using the standard and the lowest setting is notable.

Look at pentax. A K100 is quite cheap, and hardly different from this year's model (K100 Super). Used manual-focus K-mount lenses also go for a song and will work on the camera.

I don't think it is a case of the camera being the problem here. An adjustable tabletop tripod and a slave flash (perhaps with a diffuser), plus the time to learn to use the above, should suffice to get a good picture. Maybe some magnifying lens(es) as suggested above, if the planes are really small.

The OP did say "I research the best gear" and "I want a good tripod". There are many of the latter, depending on purpose, so a budget would help narrowing the field down. As for a positive contribution, I offer the following link.

 

http://www.bythom.com/support.htm

 

"If you need a less expensive solution and know you won't be shooting with lenses over two pounds (basically under 300mm), there's another solution [at $600+] I can recommend that gets you almost everything the other does"

Working at full zoom, as suggested above, is what I'd try first. It both reduces the maximum aperture (the proportion of light that hits the sensor) and increases working distance making the flash less powerful (light falloff = distance squared).

 

If it doesn't help, you could also get some Neutral Density filter or diffuser (think pringles can lid) and tape it in front of the flash. It will reduce the amount of light that reaches the subject.

I had the Tamron 18-250, and would buy it again. It's great for holidays, small and light, and has the best image quality of the off-brand superzooms (very similar to the kit lenses mentioned above, slightly below the Nikon 18-200). If you want to use the long end, you need good light or to get the Sigma with OS.

 

For portraits, I've got another Tamron, 28-75/2.8. You already have these focal lengths 'covered' but if the zoom range works for you too (try it), it gives you more options in terms of aperture choice and low-light capability.

At your budget, the Canon 400D probably has the best AF system for low light, or a used Canon 20D if you want better ergonomics. Both have very good noise characteristics at 1600, better than 35mm film and most/all the digital competitors (at the same price). Upgrading your lens may be more important than the body you choose, though.

 

http://www.clarkvision.com/imagedetail/film.vs.digital.1.html

The Ultra 2 is fast enough for in-camera writing (maybe 10% or so slower than Extreme IV).

 

http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=6007

 

Perhaps more importantly, if you choose your card and reader carefully you can gain a 100% increase in upload speed.

If you want to use manual mode to any extent, you'll be happier with the two control wheels of the 20D. If you can, try how they feel in the hand; the XTi was uncomfortably small for me.

The bad news is that indoors action is one of the most demanding areas of photography, and that the FZ50 is the proverbial jack of all trades (except that it has no wide-angle).

The good news is that it has a flash shoe, so you can add an extra flash for better results. An SLR setup is of course better, but significantly more expensive.