what are you shooting with?
 

I'm still trying to decide what direction I'll go in for my next DSLR, and for a change, the products out there are pretty competitive, making the decision harder. In the past, I shot with all canon, but was disappointed in the quality of the 30d. What's good in studio conditions, and what's good in low light?
Should I give Canon another shot with the 5d or even the Mark series?
Should I give Nikon a try? How about Sony (who is supplying censors to Nikon now for some models), or Leica?
Any input from photographers would be appreciated.

Bump for an answer :)

I shoot all Nikon (SLR) & Canon point and shoot...

which model Nikon SLR do you use?

<-- 1D Mark II

:thumbsup

go for the Kodak, it comes with a docking station

sorry, just trying to get 30 posts so I can link. :-)

sorry, just trying to get 30 posts so I can link. :-)

d100 & d200. Still use both. They are workhorses.

I got the 40d, its a step up from the 20d.Im not hot on the canon lens to tell you the truth. Here a review on the nikon d300 http://www.scottkelby.com/blog/2007/archives/811

that's what I've heard about them. I was reading up on the d300, and found out the image sensors are made by sony now, so I started considering the a700.

the 30d lens wasn't impressive either, and the standard lenses that comes with the 20/30/40 leave a lot to be desired. I suppose that can be said about a lot of stock lenses though.

I have been using a Canon EOS 5D for the last month. Been shooting with the EF 24-105mm IS USM F4 Lens But I have a CA247028LEF Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens enroute to me now. I also use a Fisheye lens for special shots like this:
http://claudia-marie.com/tour/07/1113jack/003.jpg

There are 2 very serious companies when it comes to Dslr.
Nikon and Canon.

You would be hardpressed to tell the difference other then usual color differences that the two different cameras produce.

In photography the camera is probably worth about 5&#37; of the total equation to produce a great picture.

From Canon you can either go the 40d(crop sensor) or 5d (full frame). i would say the 5d as it is a sweet camera for portraits.

On the Nikon Side go for either a d200 or d300.


It depends on your budget though. I would spend more on other aspects then the body.

I would have agrees without thinking too heavily about a year ago. However, now that Sony is stepping it up, and even Nikon is buying sensors from them, i think i'd be foolish to not at least consider them.

My reason for considering Leica is a little more about my love for their 35mm equipment, and the fact that I really WANT it to be an exceptional camera (particularly for the price).

I shoot very amateurish stuff so I use mainly point and shoot cameras and home video cameras but I would recommend for you anything SONY....I'm waiting for my old JVC digital homevideo camera to break so I can buy a sony but the JVC keeps on tickin...For stills, I started way back in 2000 with a Sony Mavica where the pics were stored on a floppy disk..I broke two of them and before the second one broke, I bought a hot fuji finepix point and shoot from a girl that I was about to shoot...The upclose pussy shots sometimes came out blurry while with the Mavica, I could have my hand shaking between a woman's legs and the Mavica never failed to produce clear upclose vagina shots...I was so happy when that camera broke and I bought a sony cybershot..

And I can't wait for my JVC to break so I can buy the Sony vidcam that puts the media straight on a DVD.

I've had the Canon for years and now recently got a Nikon, much happier with it...

Photography is about lenses and pro bodies. For Dslr's it is 2 companies.

The best Senosr in the Industry is Fuji's hands down. However the body and the lenses are from Nikon.

So Sony might make a great camera for the enthuiast or even an amateur, but the market is between Canon and Nikon.

Anyway like I said it has to do very little with the camera body...lenses are way more important then the body...


Leica??? Thats a throw back to 40 years ago when photojournalists used them....go check what photojournalists use now most of them are using a Nikon D2hs or a 200d or a Canon 40d or 5d...

Well, to go along with what you said, Leica makes exceptional lenses, which is really what they are bringing to the table again. Leica has only recently entered into the market, btw, so you can't compare their share to canon or nikon. Market share isn't always a good indication of quality, it's typically a better representation of perceived value.
At $5600 I'm not surpised that there aren't many people walking around with a Leica. Oh, and the navy photo journalists are starting to use Leica again, btw.

I've used Canon DSLR's for the past 7+ years, and hated the D30 and D60 models, but the problem for me was the lame autofocus capabilities on those cameras. Once that was fixed with the 10D, I've loved using Canons.

You don't say why you're disappointed with the 30D's quality. Is it the quality of the images? Or the camera's construction? Or something else?

About 99% of the shoots I do are with studio strobes (Profoto) and I get great results. I occasionally shoot with on camera (Canon) strobe with the camera usually set in Program mode, and get good results like that too.

I've always liked the Canon's ability to yield a good skin tone... and when you're shooting porn a good skin tone is very important. From conversations I've had with Nikon users, I understand it's harder to get a good skin tone from a Nikon DSLR. Canons use different sensor technology to Nikons, I believe, so that may have something to do with it. I also have a few tricks (like setting the Kelvin color temperature a little high) that probably help too.

You're welcome to hit me up on ICQ if you want more info.

Canon 20D body for me. The lens, the lighting, the photographer and the model all count for much more than the camera body in most cases.

I use a Canon 1D Mark II, Shoot with a 16-35 and a 24-70 and occasionally a 70-200 all 2.8. I've been using this camera since October 2004.. 100,000 + frames and counting.. great camera. Before that I had a Canon EOS 1n film body.

Dude, you have exactly the same equipment as me :thumbsup

I also have 50mm f/1.8 prime lens. Do you have that one too?

The 20D seemed to me to be less vibrant than some of the other camera's I've shot with (even older Canon's), and skin tones seemed a little muted, as did reds in general. I was also not a fan of the noise levels at high speed/low light. It seemed to have a very small successful range when it comes to iso, and I also agree that the auto focus wasn't great. I shoot a lot of low light photography, and felt like I had to do a lot more in post with this camera than I should have had to, considering I was shooting manually.

I've heard a few things about the 30D's construction being flawed, including a mention once about that being the reason it was so quickly replaced.
I've been shooting with canon 35mm and DSLR fexclusively for 9 years, so I'm not going to let one model ruin it for me, but I also think it wise to consider all options, particularly after having an experience found disappointing.

Thanks for the input!

Seems like we shoot with very different set ups. I use Profoto 2400 watt-second packs, and use them outdoors if possible too. For interiors, I'm at ISO 100 or 200, 1/200th second shutter speed, and aperture set anywhere from f11-f18 usually... it's definitely not low light! My experience within those parameters has been very good.

I like the 20D autofocus, though occasionally it can be indecisive. I really hated the D30 and D60 autofocus systems though. I shoot fast, and almost threw my D60's at a wall so many times when they couldn't focus at all.

I shoot in such low light, so frequently (by choice), that I gave up on auto focus at all with the d30. I thought it was garbage. However, the 5d, the 1d mark II and the Leica M8 are all the most commonly highest rated cameras for good quality at iso's of 400 or higher, so I'm looking at the Canon once again.
I'd love the Leica, but for that price...

hmmmm i have a ghetto camera ;[

Get the brand new Nikon D3 its $5k

its got everybody drooling about its low light capabilities.

Leica has good lenses however what lens you use right now?

If you want good skin tones get the Fuji S5, it is a nikon d200 body and it uses nikon lenses so you can't go wrong.


The Leica is something I would buy if I wanted the best point and shoot as it is compact and not huge like a dslr.

But it aint made for shooting models, which i am assuming it is what you are wanting?

Yes, it's what I want it for. However, it's absolutely anything other than point and shoot. It's about the most manual camera you can get. Are you sure you aren't confusing the point and shoot models with the SLR?
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/re...leica-m8.shtml
That's the DSLR, but there are a number of point and shoot models.

I just got the 40d as well and love it!

I didn't know leica had zooms? or does it?

Yes, that's what I've ben reffering to.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/im...silver-top.jpg

The M series only uses primes ;)

there are 3 zoom lenses that are coming available: and a 28-50mm on the market now.

ahh gotcha..
get it. even if it's for yourself ;)
let me know how you like it.

Whoa... who is this guy?


BTW, we use a 40d and I am impressed with some of the shots, yet disappointed in others. Would anyone care to look at the metas in a couple of pics and give me some pointers?

If so, should I optimise them and post or just email me [email protected] and I will send the jpg full quality.

Would help me out a lot with these new sites we are building.

What are the conditions of shots you aren't comfortable with? Are they low light? Fast action?



post away, I'm sure it can't hurt

Mainly I guess the lighting a bit and the skin tone seems off from the other pics. The thing is, that in the sets there will be a row of nice ones, then one that is way darker or off tone and the photographer barely moved an inch. We hired a photographer for these sets but he is using our cam, it is brand new and we are still getting used to it. Funny seems like some of the sets we shot are pretty nice, but he has some good angles and poses etc.

I wish I knew what the lighting we use was called. We bought one of those horizontal setups with the multiple 4ft bulbs, pretty nice, but not top quality, and a few high wattage standing lights.

here are a couple samples, i believe the info is still intact.

http://www.40galleries.com/km1.jpg

and

http://www.40galleries.com/km2.jpg

Thanks...

BTW Anyone recognize her? :winkwink:

I shoot with my dick.

Kelsey Michaels, yea she emailed me and only wants to do g/g now or work with her boyfriend lol.