DSLR Photography Forum

Full Version: My New Camera Has Arrived!!!
You're currently viewing a stripped down version of our content. View the full version with proper formatting.
Yay! Big Grin

Here is a first image. Sorry there won't be many today, I have to practice a little and find out how everything works, and the weather isn't nice either.

Decaying Peony Blossom

[Image: 5_07_img_0012-01-copy.jpg]

Here is the original size picture (3576x2428). Image data: Sigma 24-135, 135mm, f/9.0, 1/100sec, ISO 100.

I used auto-levels and neat image on this, but I'm really quite happy with the quality that comes out of the camera. Hehe, this camera takes nice pictures! Big Grin Pity that I still have to point it in the right direction.
Woohoo! Congrats! And welcome to the Dark Side Big Grin
Congrats on the new camera!



u got ur self a 350d right ?

what did u upgrade from ?

/P.L
Hmm, it was a sidegrade, actually. My old camera is a Nikon D70. See also this thread. Smile
awww stupid me "hence the darkside.." lol Big Grin

Well once again congrats, and now we expect twice the quality/quantity from you, no pressure... Big Grin

/P.L
I thought that the 'dark side' is nikon!
since canon has the white L telephoto lenses
Congrats G!
woohoo... one more in the 350D camp!
I thought "the dark side" were Pentax? hahahaha.. <waits for flame>

Once you are used to the camera G, I'd love to hear your thoughts about how it compares to the D70, as this was a decision I agonised over somewhat.
In the end it was the price/availabily of Canon glass that made the decision for me (dispite the quality of the 350D kit lens).

I'd also like to hear how those Sigma lenses go. That first image looks very nice at full res, and I'd be very interested in hearing how the 80-400 one is too..
I think you absolutely did the right thing making sure you got a lens with image stabilisation at around the 400mm focal length.

Cheers
Adrian
Congrats G. Hope the new camera serves you well. I was actually a little surprised that you made this change. I have a little trouble calling it an upgrade. I suppose it is though to a certain extent. Anyway have fun. Smile
Yea tell us, is the grass really greener on the other side ? Wink

/P.L
Well here are a few first impressions...

The 350D is smaller and lighter than the D70. In direct comparision, the D70 looks and feels more like a pro camera, while the 350D seems to be a bit on the cheap side.

I don't consider this a disadvantage, though. The construction seems to be lighter inside the camera too. While the D70 has a noisy and tangible "clunk" when shooting, the 350D seems to move less mass inside, it feels like less vibration. I got some test shots where I should have had camera shake, but hadn't. Mind you I haven't got the IS lens yet, I'm shooting with the Sigma 24-135 only at the moment.

The Sigma 24-135 is quite a nice lens. The impression here also is somewhat cheap (rather plastic than metal), and the zoom ring seems to need a little oil as it's a bit hard to turn, but I expect this to get better with the time. Focussing is fast, and once I figured out how to use the focal points I suppose it's accurate. At the moment I use just the middle focus area. Did the same with the Nikon BTW. I find it too confusing when the camera focusses on the nearest object, which is almost always a patch of grass that needn't be in focus. The range of the lens, 24-135mm, is much better suited for my needs than the Nikon 18-70mm. Also the maximum aperture of 2.8 (Sigma) compared to the 3.5 (Nikon) is nice. I think the choice of the lens was quite ok for me.

Then there are pixels. 6 MP to 8 MP doesn't really make a great difference, but there is a little more room for crops. Oh well, one day I'll have 16 or 24 MP and I will be able to have some pictures printed really large. Aside from that, I think the Canon produces slightly less noise than the Nikon. They may be slightly softer than the Nikon pictures (as Mitch had mentioned they would be), but I can't be sure until I really take the same shot with both cameras.

Well that's all for now. I have to go out and shoot. Smile
Sounds to me you got winner in your hands.

Enjoy it!.

/P.L
Thanks for the comments G.. no big suprises there I think.
Did you get a kit lens at all, or did you just buy the body alone?
How does the RAW workflow and software compare between the two cameras? I've never used Nikon RAW files or their software before.
Its funny, although I have Photoshop CS2 and Capture One 3.7 (which supports the 350D), I still find myself using the Canon Digital Photo Professional software a lot - it is a lovely elegant little program to use.

I also mainly just use the central focus point for exactly the reasons you mentioned - I point where I want to focus then use focus-lock to re-compose the shot. It's usually quicker and easier than changing focus points unless you're using a tripod or know you'll be taking several shots with the same kind of composition, and even then if I'm using a tripod I'll often just focus using the central point and then lock the lens by switching it to MF.

Hope you enjoy it, and I look forward to seeing more of your pics Smile
Great stuff for the mini review - glad you're enjoying it. I too use the central focus point only - less room for error, and I suppose in theory it would make the AF faster too as it doesn't have to compute as many points.
Kombisaurus Wrote:Congrats G!
woohoo... one more in the 350D camp!
I thought "the dark side" were Pentax? hahahaha.. <waits for flame>

Bwahahahahahaha, we like to think of Pentax as the "en-light-ened" side!! Tongue
Paul.R.Lindqvist Wrote:Yea tell us, is the grass really greener on the other side ? Wink

/P.L

The glass is greener!
It's funny you know, I have been taking photos of "Rock Climbers" in climbing gyms with my Ds for the last five months and I just realised the old 28-80mm lens from the MZ-50 will cover what I need to do better than having to swap from the 18-50mm up to the 55-200mm for some shots. Sometimes what you already have is what you really "needed" all along. Smile