israel

<p>Yeah, it's time to replace my G9 and I was considering Sony and generated a fun comparison. As we know, big sensor means top performance, right?<br /><br /><br /><br>

Not that all things are equal - R1 has a better focal range; but the RX100 has a faster lens at 28mm.</p>

<div></div>

<p>I want to buy a 7D<br>

> which costs what? A lot of money. Buy a cheap body that shoots video and a decent lens. Yeesh...<br>

<br />I was thinking the 18-135 kit lens isn't too horrible, </p>

<p>Too horrible? Please, there's nothing wrong with it.. Buy an 15 -85 with the money you wont be spending on a 7d - you will be happy. So say all the reviews. Or buy the 18-135. HCB would have loved it, and so would most people on the planet who shoot photography. </p>

<p>I have a Holga. I have a D300. Ne're the twain shall meet.</p>

<p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/camera-lost-sea-returned-help-social-networking-174129626.html">http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/camera-lost-sea-returned-help-social-networking-174129626.html</a></p>

<p>Just how tough is your average (<a href="http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=AqkvU1TYa.g1LOgiuFLesINBq594;_ylu=X3oDMTFka3BkYnE0BG1pdANCbG9nIEJvZHkEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01lZGlhQmxvZ0JvZHlBc3NlbWJseQ--;_ylg=X3oDMTNlOGk3dnMwBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDMGJlNzRmNGMtNmMyYS0zYTdiLTk5NDEtNGQyZjY5NDAwNDIxBHBzdGNhdANvcmlnaW5hbHN8dG9kYXlpbnRlY2gEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdlBHRlc3QD;_ylv=0/SIG=12ifahepc/EXP=1323797837/**http%3A//www.tecca.com/solution/pick-the-right-dslr-for-the-job/">DSLR</a>) memory card? Apparently tough enough to survive a year at the bottom of the ocean.</p>

<p>What about monitor clarity? I find Macs to be far superior when needing to look at an image vs Windows?</p>

<p>I unlike things all the time on facebook. I dont take it seriously.</p>

<p>I have worked as an IT journalist since 95. The only thing that counts in that industry is that you know what you are doing. Looks don't count. Spending money on any kind of marketing is not as important as developing that one big app that may sell to Google for a billion dollars.<br /><br />When the CEO (his secretary, rather) of one company said leave your camera at home; I'll shoot the event on my iPhone, I knew they would kvetch about the price of the article I was writing for them too. I was right; but that's how they think. </p>

<p>I like primes when travelling; they are not as threatening as a big ole zoom and that works for me. </p>

<p>I recommend the 60/2.8 AF-S Micro. I use it for repro and product shoots on my D300 - great lens. Good for portraits and low-light work too!</p><div></div>

<p>A Chassid watching a Lag bOmer bonfire, Breslov Yeshiva, Tzfat</p><div></div>

<p>How is it the tracking is better with Nikon glass than 3rd party products? Are all built-in lens motors not created equal?</p>

<p>A good lens would go further than a new camera</p>

<p>I've travelled a lot in the Middle East and southern Africa (was only ever pickpocketed & mugged in Johannesburg, no surprises there). I always carry my camera with the strap wrapped around my wrist. You can at least hold on to it if someone tries to grab it. Also, it's more comfortable and gives me more control when taking pics. YMMV.</p>

<p>Kodachrome: 1935-2010</p>

<p>You're right, how could I have forgotten the printer? I must say that's something I am looking forward to, tired of looking at my stuff on screen.</p>

<p>Bearing the above in mind, yours and my previous responses, here's an alternative list:</p>

<ul>

<li>20D</li>

<li>18-55 IS</li>

<li>50/1.8 or EF-S 60/2.8 Macro</li>

<li>Flash, 2x lights, stands, softbox, umbrella, tripod n ballhead</li>

<li>External LCD monitor, external drive, 1GB of extra RAM</li>

</ul>

<p>What do you think? I realize this differs from my original list, and it's not time-specific (rather it depends on whether or not I have that much money to spend on my hobby right now) but...</p>

<p>David, thanks for your thoughtful response. Having thought about it I realise that my photography has developed due to my location. When I moved to Israel 6 years ago I had a Nikon EM which I was using to happily snap shots of friends and random street scenes. Id done a course and knew how to work in a darkroom and handle my own printing. But at the time, as an immigrant, I never had an opportunity to set up a darkroom, etc and so I moved on, like so many of us, to digital.</p>

<p> Having left crime-ridden South africa I was suddenly freed up to photograph everything and anything: my cameras went with me everywhere. Every morning now I walk to the neighbourhood bakery and take my 6MP dSLR with me - I would NEVER do that in South Africa, it's way too dangerous.</p>

<p> Some trends have become apparent:</p>

<p> I'm living in a small town with a lot of art galleries; I'm frequently asked to take shots of paintings and jewelry. I used my G9 for this until it broke but I have toyed with the idea of lashing out on a setup that would allow me to do product photography. You know, a flash, tripod, macro lens, a couple lights, an umbrella and softbox.</p>

<p>I do have in mind to shoot something to illustrate a Jewish prayerbook for the festival of Passover next year. Are you familiar with the work of Israeli photographer, Yuval Nadel? Check out http://yuvalnadel.com/</p>

<p>I quite enjoy his depictions of religious Jewish life and I suspect that if I go this route I will need a tele in some form or another in part because the religious are somewhat anti-photography. That said, if I was to work on a special project i would get permission prior to shooting.</p>

<p>So yeah, that's it. I may be fortunate enough to visit Asia and the USA over the next five years if I can get steady work but will see how that goes.</p>

<p>What do you think? I realize this kinda clashes with my original list but hey, sometimes one has to go with the flow</p>

<p>My plan is not driven totally by budget. I know that the bulk of my shots are between 1X-8Xmm; ISO average between 80-800, and 2/3 at variable apertures from f/3.5 and up. I reckon the 20D can handle that.</p>

<p>I do some low light work but mostly its daylight stuff. I dont see this changing much.<br /><br /><br>

Jim, if I was to go a prime-only route the 50 would not be my lens for daily shooting; I'd rather go for the 28/2.8. Wide and fast enough and new, costs as much as the 17-85.<br /><br /><br>

Stephen, yeah, if I had the money I'd buy it all now, and, because I intend trading my old kit from another brand, I will be getting more than my $800 will buy me. But that will only be when I rerturn to my home country where I know I can get good prices for used equipment. While I am on the road I intend taking advantage of the pricing here, on average 20-30% less!<br /><br /><br>

Matthijs; Why not the 18-55 IS kitlens? - well, the lack of USM is a factor. Would you say it's better in terms of IQ than the 17-85? In terms of focal length I agree, the 100/2 has me covered. Only I won't be near it for another month or two. Though you have raised an interesting point:<br>

> buy the 18-55 IS AND a 50/1.8 for low light, supplementing it with the 100/2 in a few months time.<br>

<br />Dan South; yeah, I have in the past toyed with the idea of just using the G9, and it's great for daylight photography, but at night or indoors... I have a bunch of images that are unusable because of noise when I made my once and only attempt to photogrpah an indoor concert with a Point n Shoot. Never again.<br /><br /><br>

Shadforth; ya, I hear you. 2012 is around the corner and I am tempted to buy a Nikon EM, 75-150/3.5 zoom and 50/1.8 E-Series lenses just in case. Funnily enough the only two images I have had published were made with that setup. No auto nothing, no more than 1 FPS, AF my tochus... Should never have e-bayed it :(</p>

<p>The 300d was my 1st dSLR. I still miss it. It handled rather well for an entry-level camera and the only complaint I had (at the time) was the slow start-up. To get around that I left it in sleep mode whenever I felt I would be using the camera a lot, e.g. on the street.</p>

<p>I had the firmware hack (Google that) and that allowed me to shoot comfortably at high-ISO. The attached image was shot with the crummy kit lens everyone slags off, at 1600 ISO; f3.5; 1/15th sec.</p>

<p>I have no complaints with this shot.</p>

<p>Reasons why you won't like the 350D? it's smaller than the 300D. The ergonomics are bad and it took Canon several years to get that right with the 450D. The 450D, however, is one heck of a noisy camera at high-ISO. and its images are also very "plastic" in look and feel, IMO.</p>

<p>I sound like that Rockwell bloke :-)</p><div></div>

<p>I like mine a lot! It's sharp, contrasty, CA-free. It's the only lens I will hang on to when I upgrade my kit.</p>

<p>Ya well, we all know that the 85/3.5G AFS Macro should have at least been an f/2.8- 'nuff said.</p>

<p>Tempest</p>

<p>In the past my heaviest setup was a Nikon D200 + Tamron 17-50/2.8. I traded it in eventually as I always ended up leaving it behind because of the weight and ltd. focal length, taking my G9 instead.<br /> <br /><br />>> What's in your camera bag,<br /><br />As I'm travelling right now, it's pretty minimal:<br /><br /> * Nikon D40<br /> * Nikkor 18-55 VR<br /> * Nikkor 35/1.8 Dx<br /> <br /><br />>> and what would you choose if you were building from scratch?</p>

<p>While I have the weight sorted, I am pretty restricted in terms of high-ISO performance and my focal length options, so next time around I may look at:</p>

<p>* Nikon D5000<br /> * Nikkor 18-105 VR<br /> * Nikkor 50/1.4 Dx<br /> * Nikkor 35/1.8 Dx</p>

<p>But I have to buy that stuff 1st - ha ha</p>

<p>Im taking my D40 and 35/1.8 with me to Tel Aviv today</p>

<p>Following an interview I did today in Jerusalem with Noam Shalit, the father of kidnapped IDF soldier, Noam Shalit, I decided to stick around at the prime minister's office next door as both Hilary Clinton and Machmoud Abbas were inside holding the latest round of peace talks. All the mainstream press were there: news teams, camera crews and photojournos.</p>

<p>While everyone was shooting Canon there was a single Nikon shooter; worked for a Japanese paper. Of course I was curious to see what the Nikon pro was using and sneaked a peak: Nikon D200, Nikkor 18-200 VR</p>

<p>This is the 2nd Pro I've met here who shoots with this setup.</p>

<p>If this is the case I really don't see why we need to be so obsessed with spending thousands of dollars on the latest gear when professionals make do with tech that is often knocked for having "poor high-ISO performance" (D200) & "distortion, vignetting, and soft at the long end" (Nikkor 18-200 VR)... ?</p>

<p>Photo taken while waiting for Hilary Clinton to appear following the latest round of peace talks. Nikon D40 & 35/1.8 DX lens</p><div></div>