The best DSLR for a beginner professional photographer

Well, the time has come for me to update my digital camera. Coming from 35 mm classical film, all manual settings camera and a Canon G6, the only way I’m going is to buy a DSLR.

While this may seem as a straight forward solution to the fact that I’ve finally reached the capabilities of my trusted Canon G6, there are a lot of factors to consider: my style of photography, the subjects, future needs and most importantly COST.

With limited financial resources, I need to find the best DSLR + lenses that will cover all my needs for at least 1 – 2 years from now on. I also need a system that will allow me to shoot landscapes, nature, macro photos and portraits in studio.

My Canon G6 main specifications look like this:

Body:

• Max resolution: 3072 x 2304 pixels
• ISO rating: 50, 100, 200, 400
• Auto focus type: TTL, 9-point, FlexiZone
• Min shutter: 15 sec
• Max shutter: 1/2000 sec
• Storage types: Compact Flash (Type I or II)

Lens

• Aperture range: F2.0 - F3.0 / F8
• Zoom wide (W): 35 mm equivalent
• Zoom tele (T): 140 mm equivalent
• Normal focus range: 50 cm
• Macro focus range: wide 5 cm / tele 15 cm

Taking this camera to its limits in the field and also in a small studio, I’ve discovered that I really need:

Body:

• Max resolution: at least 10 megapixels (12 megapixels would be ideally)
• ISO rating: 100, 200, 400
• Auto focus (fast, but not very fast, I “shoot” mostly static subjects)
• Min shutter: 15 sec (more would be better)
• Max shutter: 1/2000 sec

Lens(es):

• Wide: at least 28 mm equivalent (I really need it for buildings and landscapes)
• Normal + portrait: 50 – 80 mm equivalent, as good as can be
• Macro: 100-150 mm equivalent, the best possible for small objects (like fruits, vegetables, etc)

After 2 months of reading all possible camera and lenses reviews, here are my conclusions, hopefully you’ll find them useful if you’re looking for the best digital system that your limited financial resources can buy:

1. ALWAYS start with the lenses, the DSLR is as good as the lenses you put on it.
2. ANY DSLR is far better in terms of its capabilities than you can use (as a beginner, of course), YOU are the one who is supposed to take those capabilities to their limits.
3. Except for differences in style of photography, DO NOT choose your camera based on a brand preference (I obviously prefer CANON, but I’ve found quite a few reasons that would make me buy a Nikon).

With cost in mind, I’ve limited my “preferences” to two cameras: Nikon D80 and Canon 400D (Rebel XTI) - I think that both cameras would be more than enough for what I want to do with them, it does not matter witch one I buy, is just the matter of lenses that will make the difference.

The thing that I like about these cameras: Canon’s 400D low noise throughout the sensitivity range and EOS Integrated Cleaning System versus Nikon’s D80 bright viewfinder and support for SD and SDHC cards.

The rest of the options, settings, etc. are more or less the same, with 10 megapixels each, a cropped field of view for lenses of 1.6 for Canon 400D and 1.5 for Nikon D80, with the mention that there are a few settings on the Nikon (like customizable automatic sensitivity - ISO) that would make it a better candidate.

The really important factor in deciding what camera to buy is the COST OF THE LENSES:

If I buy the CANON, here are my options:

1.Going really cheap:
a. Landscape, architecture, portrait - kit lens – Canon EF- S 18-55 mm (28 – 90 mm equivalent) F/3.5-F5.6 to F/22
b.Portrait, nature, macro - Tamron AF 55-200mm (90 – 320 mm equivalent) F/4-5.6 Di II LD Macro

Total price = 886 USD
Canon Digital Rebel XTi SLR with EF-S 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 Zoom Lens = 707 USD
Tamron 55 - 200mm F/4.0-5.6 DI-II LD Macro = 179 USD

2. Going for far better lenses:
a. Landscape, architecture, portrait - Canon EF-S 17-55mm (27 – 90 mm equivalent) F/2.8 IS USM
b. Portrait, nature - Canon EF 70-300mm (112 - 480mm equivalent) F/4-5.6 IS USM
c. Specialized macro lens - Tokina AF 100mm (160 mm equivalent) F/2.8 Macro 1:1 AT-XM100 Pro D

Total price = 2560 USD
Canon Digital Rebel XTi SLR = 620 USD
Canon EF-S 17-55mm F/2.8 IS USM = 1000 USD
Canon EF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 IS USM = 540 USD
Tokina AF 100mm F/2.8 Macro 1:1 AT-XM100 Pro D = 400 USD

3. A compromise:
a. Landscape, architecture, portrait - Canon EF-S 17-55mm (27 – 90 mm equivalent) F/2.8 IS USM
b. Nature, macro - Tamron 70-300mm (112 - 480mm equivalent) F/4-F5.6 Di LD 1:2 Macro

Total price = 1790 USD
Canon Digital Rebel XTi SLR = 620 USD
Canon EF-S 17-55mm F/2.8 IS USM = 1000 USD
Tamron 70-300mm F/4-F5.6 Di LD 1:2 Macro = 170 USD

If I buy the NIKON, here are my options:

1. Going for a kit + macro:
a. Landscape, architecture, portrait, nature - kit lens – Nikon 18 - 135mm (27 – 202mm equivalent) F/3.5-F5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX
b. Nature, macro - Tamron 70-300mm (105 - 450mm equivalent) F/4-F5.6 Di LD 1:2 Macro

Total price = 1320 USD
Nikon D80 Digital SLR Camera with 18-135 F/3.5-F5.6G ED-IF AF-S DX = 1150 USD
Tamron 70-300mm (105 - 450mm equivalent) F/4-F5.6 Di LD 1:2 Macro = 170 USD

2. A better deal (despite of the higher price):
a. Nikon 18mm - 200mm (27 – 300mm equivalent) F/3.5-F5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR with macro capabilities

Total price = 1600 USD
Nikon D80 Digital SLR Camera Body = 850 USD
Nikon 18mm - 200mm F/3.5-F5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR = 750 USD

As a conclusion, I need to decide what configuration suits my needs better:

CANON
Total price = 1790 USD
Canon Digital Rebel XTi SLR = 620 USD
Canon EF-S 17-55mm F/2.8 IS USM = 1000 USD
Tamron 70-300mm F/4-F5.6 Di LD 1:2 Macro = 170 USD

NIKON
Total price = 1600 USD
Nikon D80 Digital SLR Camera Body = 850 USD
Nikon 18mm - 200mm F/3.5-F5.6G ED IF AF-S DX VR = 750 USD

CANON system advantages:

1. Zoom range 28 – 480mm equivalent
2. Superb image quality from the Canon EF-S 17-55mm F/2.8 lens
3. Better macro
4. EOS Integrated Cleaning System
5. Low noise throughout the sensitivity range

CANON system disadvantages:

1. No image stabilization for the Tamron lens
2. Slightly higher price

NIKON system advantages:

1. A single lens – great versatility
2. Zoom range 28 – 300mm equivalent - Vibration Reduction throughout the zoom range
3. Minimum focus range: 0.5m (1.6 ft.)
4. Great “user experience”

NIKON system disadvantages:

1. Barrel distortion at 17mm
2. Zoom range to 300mm (compared to 480mm)

Lense tutorial, understanding camera lenses

While looking for lenses to buy for a digital camera, I’ve realized that there are many things about lenses that I didn’t know about and are important in determining the overall performance of a particular lens.

For example: Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM macro

Except macro and 60mm f2.8, the rest of the info should be researched in order to understand what “EF-S + USM” mean, especially on a digital camera.

Since I’ve already done my research (and not only for Canon lenses), here are my conclusions:

CANON lenses notations:

• EF - The EF lens mount allows all the Canon EF lenses to be used on any of the Canon EOS. EF stands for “Electro-Focus”: automatic focusing on EF lenses is handled by a dedicated electric motor built into the lens. All communication between camera and lens takes place through electrical contacts; there are no mechanical levers or plungers.
• USM - Ultrasonic motor drive - EF lenses equipped with USM drives have fast, silent and precise auto focus operations, and consume less power compared to other AF drive motors. There are two types of USMs, the ring-type USM and the micromotor USM. Ring-type USM is always preferred because of its superior performance and efficiency, and it allows for full-time manual focus operations without switching out of AF mode.
• IS - Image stabilizer - the Image Stabilizer (IS) counters camera movements and shakes by optically correcting such shakes with accelerometers and lens groups that move in relation to the shakes, thus minimizing or even eliminating minute vibrations from the image. A general rule-of-thumb to overcome such vibrations would be to set the shutter speed equal to or faster than the reciprocal of the lens focal length (e.g. 1/125s for a 100 mm lens). IS lenses can improve on this rule by up to three stops. That is, the same 100 mm lens could be used at 1/30s.
• L - series lenses - top of the line Canon EF lenses are designated as L-series. L-series lenses have superior optical performance and are typically built with a solid construction to withstand constant use and harsh conditions. They can be recognized by a red ring around the front part of the lens. Most recent L lenses have sealing to help resist dust and water. L-series lenses are more frequently used by professionals and serious amateurs due to their high price and large mass.
• EF-S - The lens mount is a derivative of the EF lens mount created for a subset of Canon digital single-lens reflex cameras with APS-C sized image sensors.

NIKON lenses notations:

• Nikon F-mount refers to a lens mount developed by Nikon for its 35 mm SLR cameras
• AF - auto focus designation, indicating focus driven by a motor inside the camera body.
• AF-S - Auto focus-Silent. Uses a “Silent Wave Motor” (ultrasonic motor) to focus quietly and quickly. Similar to Canon’s “USM” technology
• AF-I - Auto focus-Internal - driven by a coreless DC motor.
• ED - “Extra-low Dispersion” glass incorporated to reduce chromatic aberration. “Super ED” glass has been introduced as well.
• IF - Internal Focus - focusing is accomplished through the movement of internal lens groups, eliminating extension and rotation of the front lens element.
• DX - Lens designed for Nikon DX format sensors. The image circle matches the smaller sensor area of Nikon’s digital SLRs. A vignetted image may be produced if used on a 35mm format camera, although some DX lenses cover the full 35mm frame at longer focal lengths.
• VR - Vibration Reduction - uses a moving optical group to reduce the photographic effects of camera shake. Similar to Canon’s Image Stabilizer, Sigma’s OS
• D - Distance/Dimension - indicated after the f-number number. It means the lens is capable of using Nikon’s 3D Matrix Metering on bodies that support it. The lens transmits focus distance information, which is incorporated into the camera’s exposure calculations.
• G - Indicated after the f-number. G lenses do not have an aperture ring, and the aperture can only be controlled electronically by the camera body
• GN - Guide Number - aides in making flash exposures on cameras without automatic flash metering.
• Micro - Micro lenses are capable of high reproduction ratios for macro photography.
• N - Indicates the Nano Crystal Coat, a new type of lens coating that originated in Nikon’s semiconductor division.
• PC - Perspective Control - lens includes movements to control perspective and depth-of-field.

SIGMA lenses notations:

• APO - Apochromatic lens element(s)
• OS - In lens “Optical Stabilization”, analogous to Nikon VR or Canon IS
• HSM - “HyperSonic Motor”, in-lens ultrasonic motor, analogous to Nikon AF-S or Canon USM
• EX - “Excellence”, professional series.
• DG - Coatings optimized for Digital SLRs, still usable on 35mm or full frame
• DC - Lenses for DSLRs featuring APS-C size sensors only
• DF - “Dual Focus”, lens features clutch to disengage focus ring when in AF mode
• HF - “Helical Focusing”, front element of lens does not rotate (for when using circular polarizing filters)

TAMRON lenses notations:

• Di — “Digitally Integrated”, featuring coating optimized for digital SLRs, but still usable on 35mm or full frame
• Di II — Lenses for DSLRs with APS-C sized sensors only
• SP — “Super Performance”, professional lenses
• IF — “Internal Focus”
• LD — “Low Dispersion” elements
• XR — Extra Refractive Index glass
• VC — “Vibration Compensation”, in lens stabilization analogous to Nikon VR or Canon IS

TOKINA lenses notations:

• AT-X - “Advanced Technology-Extra” - lenses that are manufactured without compromise, using the most advanced design and fabrication technologies available
• F&R - the largest aspherical elements being employed in optical designs today. These give outstanding performance with very even illumination in the corners and correction of spherical aberration
• SD - Super Low Dispersion - to eliminate chromatic aberration, Tokina uses special glass material having super - low dispersion (SD) properties.
• HLD - High-refraction, Low Dispersion. Having higher refractive index and lower dispersion properties, HLD glass is far less likely than standard optical glass to create lateral chromatic aberration.
• Multi-Coating - Reflections off the surface of lens elements are reduced or eliminated by bonding multiple layers of a transparent anti-reflection chemical to the surface of the glass
• Floating Element System – many Tokina lenses employ floating element systems to provide optimum correction of astigmatism from minimum focus distance to infinity.
• IFS - Internal Focus System - The internal focusing system used by Tokina move each element group within the lens, but does not change the overall length of the lens.
• Focus Clutch Mechanism - Tokina AT-X PRO series lenses all feature the patented “Focus Clutch” Mechanism for switching the lens between auto focus and manual focus modes.

References:
www.canon.com
www.nikon.com
www.tokinalens.com
www.tamron.com
www.sigmaphoto.com

Basic photography tips

There are three technical elements that “make” an image

• Aperture
• Shutter speed
• ISO speed (sensitivity of the digital sensor)

1. Aperture

The aperture determines the amount of light that gets to the digital sensor. A SMALL number indicates a LARGE aperture, good lenses start with a maximum aperture of 2, better and more expensive lenses start at 1.1!

Apart from the quantity of light that is allowed to get through, the aperture also determines the DOF (depth of field).

The numbers you see on the side of a lens usually look like this:

F 22 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 5.6 | 4 | 2.4At F 22, the lens lets in a very small amount of light, it is at minimum aperture. At F 2.4, the lens lets in the maximum amount of light that it has been designed for.

Each number represents a double increase (or decrease) of the quantity of light that is allowed through the lens.

For example: at aperture 5.6 you allow 2 times more light than at aperture 8, and 2 times less light than at aperture 4

On “point and shoot” digital cameras you do not see this numbers on the side of the lens, the process of opening and closing the aperture is controlled electronically and has also increments like: 5.9 or 8.2

2. Shutter speed

The shutter is the device that controls the exposure time of the photo. The exposure time usually begins at 1/2000 sec. and goes up to 30 sec.

At 1/250 sec. exposure time, the shutter will let in 2 times more light than at 1/500 sec. and 2 times less than at 1/125 sec.

The exposure time determines how a photo will look, if it will be “shaken” or crystal clear. For example: you want to take a picture of a water fountain. You have two options, use a short exposure, or a long one. A short exposure (of 1/2000 sec.) will “freeze” the water droplets in mid air; the detail of every droplet will be clearly visible in the photo. A long exposure time (of 1 sec.) will create a special effect where the falling droplets traces unite to create streams of water.

Aperture Priority | Shutter Speed 1/25 | Aperture Value 8 | ISO Speed 50

Aperture Priority | Shutter Speed 1/1000 | Aperture Value 3.2 | ISO Speed 50

3. ISO speed

ISO speed is the third element that “makes” a photo. It is usually expressed with the following numbers:

50 | 100 | 200 | 400 | 800 | 1600 | 3200These numbers tell you how “fast” does the digital sensor react to the light sent through the aperture and shutter.

A small number means that it takes a relatively long time to take a photo, a large number, a very short time.

But things are relative in using the right ISO setting. On an average digital camera, the ISO goes from 50 to 400. The ISO speed 50 is usually used on bright sunny days, while the 200 and 400 ISO is used in low light conditions (like interiors or at night)

There is also a problem with the image quality regarding the ISO speed. At large numbers, 400, 800, the image will contain “noise”, so use the low ISO speed as much as possible.

Here is a table that will further explain how the aperture, shutter speed and ISO speed are used TOGHETHER to “make” an image. I’ll give a theoretical example of how this three indicators work together: At ISO speed 100 you select an aperture of 8 and the shutter speed is calculated by the camera at 1/250 sec. The same image*, mathematically speaking, can be created using the following settings:

ISO speed	Aperture	Shutter speed
100	16	1/60
100	11	1/125
100	8	1/250
100	5.6	1/500
100	4	1/1000

same image* - the same in theory but with different effects on the final, real image

As you can see, with the ISO speed constant, the aperture and exposure time increase or decrease in connection with each other; if the aperture allows more light into the camera, the shutter speed decreases to compensate and give the perfect exposure.

But what happens to these theoretical numbers if you set the ISO speed at 50? Take a look:

ISO speed	Aperture	Shutter speed
50	11	1/60
50	8	1/125
50	5.6	1/250
50	4	1/500
50	2.8	1/1000

You can modify the aperture, keeping the shutter speed constant, or you can modify the shutter speed, while keeping the aperture values constant:

ISO speed	Aperture	Shutter speed
50	16	1/125
50	11	1/250
50	8	1/500
50	5.6	1/1000
50	4	1/1250

full copyright, text&images © www.digital-cameras-help.com / published: January/20/2006