PHOTOS PLEASE

[hate]

now u can take a good picture

that other shit in this thread is embarassing

[hate]

couldn't give a fuck bitterly obsessed

you care

actually way too much

[l0g1c]

Am I doing it right?

[Fanatic X]

good enuff to enter a budweiser ad contest

[creep]

nice pics, fanatic.

[saturn]

Love it FX......China looks like a place with many different faces.

[Doombrain]

I'd love to visit China. great pics fx.

[hate]

Been there. Not that great.

Now, off to jet-set some more.

[Big Kahuna Burger]

jesus christ you're upset

[+JuggerNaut+]

apparently.

[Big Kahuna Burger]

hey

[plained]

upset?

get real

[chopov]

FanaticX, quite nice shots! ...but the last two (HongKong and Malaysia) are HDR, innit?

[hate]

jesus christ you're upset

thoroughly..

and it's more like god to you

[Fanatic X]

Haven't done HDRs in ages.

stare series

[MaCaBr3]

Hey guys, should I get a ND4 filter or a Circular Polarizer? I'm gonna go to Thailand soon and dunno what filter should is better in the harsh light conditions in Thailand to take beach shots etc.

[Doombrain]

Circular Polarizer ftw

[Dave]

A two stop ND filter is for making long exposures/minimizing depth of field during the day. Contrasty light is the same with or without an ND filter. The only thing that's going to tone down harsh light is film. Digital really doesn't have the dynamic range to handle harsh light no matter what filter you stick on it compared to your average print film.

[l0g1c]

Here is a picture I taked.

[lvlshot]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2402/2259416405_807b44fb44_o.jpg[/lvlshot]

Smart guys can figure out I'm using a cheap lens, hehe.

I like this one, too.

[lvlshot]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2190/2259469511_859b4c215a_o.jpg[/lvlshot]

[werldhed]

Oy, foto geeks. I need some advice. Didn't want to start a brand new thread, but feel free to move it if you want.

I'll be requesting a new dSLR as a gift, but I have no real experience with any. I don't really have any skill as a photographer, but I would like something that can be useful as I seriously try to improve. I've been wading through dpreview.com, but a lot of it gets to be gibberish to me.

My big question is whether it is worth it, as an amateur, to ask for a 40D vs. 30D vs. 400D. As a novice, it seems like it's not worth it to look beyond the 400D, and the price makes it more likely that someone would buy it for me. HOWEVER, I'd like to invest in a good camera, and I'm hesitant to get one that can be bought at Target. Will I see obvious increases in quality with the 40D? Can I justify asking for it?

I have a Powershot A95 already, and I know Canon has some shortcomings, such as the indoor whitebalance, built-in flash, and redeye. But is it any worse than other brands?
So... advice? Should I focus on Nikon instead? I noticed the D200 lacks the crispness of the 40D, but the 40D also seemed to have some resolution artifacts that the D200 did not. And if it turns out the 400D is good enough, should I think about a D80, as well?

How do lenses compare between the companies? What starter lenses should I ask for?

Or should I just ask for a used 5D instead? I'm in over my head. Thanks for any suggestions.

[PhoeniX]

If you shoot in raw (there's no reason not to) whitebalance isn't an issue.

Have you tried holding the 400D yet? It's pretty small so you may prefer the bigger camera.

[MaCaBr3]

It's quiet simple, if you can afford a a 5D, then buy one, in the long run - IF you are a real photography enthousiast - you gonna look into a full frame camera like the 5D anyway.

Otherwise as a first camera my 400D is a very nice little camera. But then again, I know it's size is an issue for lots of people, I myself have small hands, so the size didn't bother me. Also another main difference between the 40D and the 400D is that the 40D can do spotmetering.

[werldhed]

@phoenix: I have held the 400d before, but I haven't held the others, so I don't have a comparison. I'll try to get to a camera store as soon as I can to check them all out.

Fair point about the white balance, and for the most part I'd shoot in RAW, but if I'm on a trip and need to conserve space on my card, I might not.

@macabr3: I think my problem is that I'm an enthusiast (or at least, interested in photography), but I'm not very good. I'd like to make the effort to hone my skills, and for that I don't want to short-change myself on the equipment. Then again, I know the gear doesn't make the photographer, so maybe it isn't worth it. Is it better to focus on investing in lenses instead of the camera?

Hmm... the spot metering might be good for me. I'm not good at choosing proper exposures for odd scenarios.
Thanks for the suggestions.

[l0g1c]

Flickr has a feature where you can search by camera if that will help you in your decision making.

Tbh, I'd go for something mid-range or used. By the time you are experienced enough to identify the shortcomings of your camera, technology will have advanced and you can step up again.

I'm using a 20-year old camera and still learning some of the finer points of photography, so that's where I'm coming from.

[Doombrain]

there's a new 5d coming soon.