New camera anyone...

[WildWest]

So I thought to post here and see if there was anyone sharp enough in the hobby to advise me in a direction or at least give their point of view.

We currently have a Canon G2 camera at 4 mega pixel. Great camera and has served us well. But we need to do better as we must get more precise shots of our lighting product in operation during dusk, evening hours. Shooting this kind of thing is not always easy. But we are thinking that we can do it with better equipment. We are being required to submit photos for magazine articles and such about our work and the photographers out there are KILLING us in cost. Aside from the fact that you still don't own the pictures and a year or so later you can't use them anymore. What a racket these guys got going on and I REFUSE to bend to this. My wife has some photography background from her art classes at the state university and we are capable of dialing it all in.

Any thoughts on camera's in the 600 dollar range? Are we really picking up that much by simply going a mega pixel more? Any ideas of cameras that tend to do the night work better? Am I dreaming here or do I really have to drop the coin to get a tool that will do the job? 1000 plus etc.

[EchoWars]

Seems the problems with many digital cameras is in dealing with low light. Read some of the reviews here, and perhaps ask a few 'Q's at the forum:

http://www.dpreview.com/

[Morden2004]

But my Canon Digital Rebel XT (EOS 350D) is a very capable workhorse. At 8 megapixels it will generate massive images.

But, more importantly, with an ISO adjustable to 1600 I can hand hold indoor shots with normal room lighting - perhaps 2 100 watts lamps. This is one of the best features of this camera - a high-performance 8.0 Megapixel CMOS Sensor and DIGIC II Image Processor. Together they provide an amazing ability to shoot in very low light.

If your needs are slightly more towards the professional end then have a look at the Canon 20D or the 5D (12.2 megapixel) both of which have advanced professional features.

But for the biggest bang for the buck I doubt you can top the 350D Digital Rebel XT.

Of course, I'm biased :yes: and truly amazed at how well this camera performs. For more details on the 350D look here (http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=139&modelid=11154)

The sample shot shown here was taken just a minute ago using just the 60 watt bulb in the lamp over my computer desk and the light from my 19" LCD monitor. This message is on the monitor. The shot was hand-help at 1/60 sec at f4.64 using an ISO of 1600. It was shot using my 28-105 Canon EF zoom at 90mm.

Paul

[gyusher]

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Sony/sony_dsch1.asp

Look this over. . . I am buying this camera. . . Just sold my 4mp Sony Mavica CDC-400 after over 40,000 pictures. . .

[ProAc_Fan]

WW the Canon G2 is all you need to take great pics. You must however learn to use the manual mode and set the correct exposure instead of relying on the camera's AE mode to do it for you. When shooting in low light or at dusk set your exposure by taking the reading from the sky. Once you know those settings reframe the desired image and ignore the camera's suggestions that the exposure is incorrect. If the pic is taken during sunset then take your readings by aiming to the left or right of the fading sun, lock the exposure, reframe and fire away. If you don't wish to use a tripod then bump the ISO up to 400 to increase the shutter speed so you can hand hold the shots.

Mike

Oh and if you have to have a new camera Paul's Digital Rebel XT is a great choice. The Nikon D50 or D70 is also very nice. I'm not a fan of any of the Olympus DSLR's as they tend to make noisier images especially at high ISO's.

[Wornears]

I agreed with ProAc Fan -- Your current camera can do the job for you in manual mode.

A tripod or monopod is good (essential) insurance when shooting low-light conditions. They have saved my butt many times in dingy, poorly lit garages and amatuer race shops and race tracks -- with a Canon G3.

I can't hammer too much on professional photogs for digital racing actions shots or the like though -- they were worth the cost and basically "renting" of their work because I could never really master full-frame, tight race action photos: cars always partially in the frame, out of frame, in focus, out of focus, etc. But if the subject is stationary, and I have a tripod (and time), you can't stop me -- or you!

[WildWest]

WW the Canon G2 is all you need to take great pics. You must however learn to use the manual mode and set the correct exposure instead of relying on the camera's AE mode to do it for you. When shooting in low light or at dusk set your exposure by taking the reading from the sky. Once you know those settings reframe the desired image and ignore the camera's suggestions that the exposure is incorrect. If the pic is taken during sunset then take your readings by aiming to the left or right of the fading sun, lock the exposure, reframe and fire away. If you don't wish to use a tripod then bump the ISO up to 400 to increase the shutter speed so you can hand hold the shots.

Mike

.


AHHHH HAAAAA!!! :thmbsp: :yes: Now that's what I'm talkin about! Good constructive advice. :yes: I have gotten some damn good shots with the G2 and really figured that it could handle what I needed. I also had done the best by manual mode but never quite remembered what I did when I got good results. I have to buckle down, go out front of my own house and....Pratice, practice, practice until I get this down pat every time. This phucker will work. I just have to "get to work". is all. Thanks Mike...I'll get started tonight and let y'all know or for that matter, SHOW you how things are coming out. :banana:

[ProAc_Fan]

WW for $20 or so pickup a copy of Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure. It is THE Bible on creative exposures. Try moviemars.com. That's where I bought mine.


Mike

[WildWest]

Kewl... The wife is going to be at Barnes and Noble book store today in fact. I'll see if she can find it there first. Thanks for the tip! :thmbsp:

[ProAc_Fan]

Great WW its a fascanating read. $17.46 at B&N according to their website.

B&N (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=Po1M7VGCqd&isbn=0817463003&itm=1)

[WildWest]

WW for $20 or so pickup a copy of Bryan Peterson's Understanding Exposure. It is THE Bible on creative exposures. Try moviemars.com. That's where I bought mine.


Mike

Local store didn't have it. So I went to that site and dropped the plastic for 20 bucks shipped. Looking forward to the info in it. It would be great to dial in my own photography and save the millions that photographers charge. Plus, I'll own the rights to what ever the hell I shoot! :thmbsp:

[ckelly]

Dave,

Another good book is one called "How to do Everything with Digital Photography" by Dave Huss. It's an easy to read, hands on kind of book.

The full details of the book are:

Title: How to do Everything with Digital Photography
Author: Dave Huss
Publisher: McGraw Hill
ISBN: 0-07-225435-1

Chris

[ckelly]

Dave

Have you got any pics you can show us? maybe we can all help by looking at them.

Chris

[WildWest]

Actually I have tons of pics. All on the office PC, not here on the lap top at home. BUT good news!!!

Talk about blessings.

My company is a member of the Illumination Engineering Society of North America. We are southern Arizona chapter members. About two weeks back we called the local chapter President to inquire about a photographer whom was good enough to shoot the kinds of pictures that we need. Anyway, turns out he was very expensive (typical) and we canceled the appointment at our office with him. Well he didn't get our phone message and showed up anyway. To make a long story short. He wishes to build a portfolio based on exactly the kinds of pictures that we need. He will shoot our various jobs for no cost and let us have all the pictures we want as long as we don't try to sell them. OMG This is such a score! I am going to run this guy around to several jobs and get a chitload of killer pictures. The guy was real impressive too. Been in the business for over 20 years out of San Fransisco.

Our camera problems are solved. Well, for the immediate future anyway. :banana: :thmbsp:

[WildWest]

We did this residential street lighting job. Part of it was installing well luminaries on various neighborhood signs. The plant behind this one really caught my attention. Pictures are getting better and better... :yes:

[ckelly]

Dave that pic is good :)

chris

[WildWest]

Well the Understanding Exposure book hit and I've been reading it. So far so good and I'm getting much closer to my goal :yes:

But I can see while this G2 may work for the short term, I really need to step up to the plate and buy something better. Oh well, later...

[ProAc_Fan]

WW after a couple of days with my Olympus C-8080 I can highly recommend it. I haven't had a chance to take any outdoor night shots yet ( it's been raining or I've been working) but from what I have seen this camera is the bomb. Best part is Olympus discontinued this model in N.America because it was so good people were choosing it over the newer pricier E-Volt 300. Thus the asking prices are more in line with the Powershot G6 or Nikon CoolPix 7700 even though this camera will dust those two. This is easily the best chunk of glass on any non D-SLR camera.

[WildWest]

Neat! But non digital you say?

[ProAc_Fan]

Oh no didn't mean to cause confusion WW. The camera I bought is certainly digital but it's a fixed lens camera as opposed to a Single Lens Reflex camera with a mirror. Obviously with a SLR camera you have a much wider range of lens to choose from and frame advance is faster as well. Here's an unedited pic of the Niagara Gorge I took today in rather overcast conditions.

gorge (http://auctionboutique.com/usersdirs/1511/pa280443.jpg)

Mike

[old_tv_nut]

The C8080 is not an optical "reflex" because it doesn't have a mirror. It doesn't fit the so-called "Digital SLR" category defined by retailers because the lens is not removable. BUT:
The eye-level viewfinder is a second small LCD that shows you what the image chip is capturing, not a parallel optical viewfinder - so it's just like an SLR, except you can't change the lens.

By the way, the lens has a nice range: 5x, 28mm-140mm equivalent.
One thing I wish it had is stabilization for hand-held shots. Base sensitivity is a little weak, at ASA 50, but of course it can be cranked up if you must.

[old_tv_nut]

I know, I know, this thread is useless without pictures -
so, go to my thumbnail page

http://www.bretl.com/Geneva%20Bern%20Oct%2005\geneva%20bern.htm

to link to some full-size samples (caution, the actual files are large, about 1.2MB to 1.9MB each, which is why I can't post them here)