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Letters from My Advice Column
I have a photographic advice column in a local community newspaper. I'm
going to post some of the letters I receive, and my responses, to rec.photo.digital. Dear Steven: I'm looking to upgrade from my Canon G6, which I love, to a digital SLR. But before I spend a lot of money, I wondered if there are any alternatives that would give me a longer zoom range, better images in low light, and faster response when I press the shutter release button. Mike in San Jose --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mike, good questions. There are alternatives to a D-SLR that will give you a longer zoom range, namely the "super-zoom" point and shoot cameras. The new Canon PowerShot SX10 IS is one example of a super-zoom, with its 28-560mm lens. But I'm sure that you were aware of these cameras, so I assume that your concern is whether or not these super-zoom models solve the issues that you have with your G6 in terms of low light capability and response time. Unfortunately, they do not. If you want better low light performance you'll need to upgrade to a digital SLR. The much larger sensor of the digital SLR means larger pixels, which improve the low-light performance. If you want faster response (lower shutter-lag and auto-focus lag), you'll need to upgrade to a digital SLR. The focusing system of a digital SLR uses a technology called phase detection, which is much faster than the contrast detection system used on point and shoot cameras. This is how the digital SLRs have eliminated the very annoying lag time between the time the shutter release button is pressed and the picture is taken. There's another issue that you didn't mention, and that's the lens performance. Those wide range zoom lenses are big compromises and don't perform well across the entire zoom range. For the best quality images you want to use lenses with a much narrower focal length range. This means buying two or three lenses for the D-SLR to cover a wide range of focal lengths. This is where the real expense is when you buy a D-SLR. You could spend only $500 on the D-SLR body, but another $600-1000 on two or three good lenses. On the plus side, there are now some very good bundles of camera bodies and decent quality kit lenses. You can get started for $800 or so with a Canon XSi and a 18-55 IS lens and a 55-200 IS lens. Nikon has a similar kit with their D60 body. Eventually you may want to buy a longer telephoto lens and wider wide-angle lens (or maybe you already have some lenses from an old film SLR). I generally advise people not to try to substitute a super zoom P&S for a D-SLR because usually the reasons that they're considering a new camera are dissatisfaction with they're current P&S and the super zoom P&S will have the same issues as the compact P&S. On the other hand, if image quality, low light performance, and response time are not big concerns, then the super-zooms are an economical way to have a camera with a very wide zoom range. Also, if image quality is not a big concern, your G6 can take converter lenses which can add more telephoto and wide angle range to the existing lens. These converters can be useful, but don't expect too much in the quality department! Steve |
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[TROLL] Letters from His Imaginary Advice Column
On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:19:46 -0800, SMS wrote:
I have a photographic advice column in a local community newspaper. Translation: Here's what he wrote in "Notepad" on his computer this morning. I'm going to post some of the letters I receive Translation: Here's one of the questions he posed to himself as an alter-ego to keep his few brain cells busy. SMS, do everyone a favor. Go out and actually buy a camera. You've proved time and time again that the closest you ever get to a camera is a downloadable user manual. Why do you insist on making such a complete ass of yourself. Better yet, go play with that "computer controlled geyser" that you installed in Yellowstone park. Remember that? I hear it needs repair again. For the rest of you that don't know what a bull**** troll this SMS actually is, do a google search for that topic. He makes up stories that outlandish just for attention. Just like this thread he's starting. He's never even touched a real camera in his lifetime. |
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[TROLL] Letters from His Imaginary Advice Column
TROLL SPOTTER wrote:
On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:19:46 -0800, SMS wrote: I have a photographic advice column in a local community newspaper. Translation: Here's what he wrote in "Notepad" on his computer this morning. I'm going to post some of the letters I receive Translation: Here's one of the questions he posed to himself as an alter-ego to keep his few brain cells busy. SMS, do everyone a favor. Go out and actually buy a camera. You've proved time and time again that the closest you ever get to a camera is a downloadable user manual. Why do you insist on making such a complete ass of yourself. Better yet, go play with that "computer controlled geyser" that you installed in Yellowstone park. Remember that? I hear it needs repair again. For the rest of you that don't know what a bull**** troll this SMS actually is, do a google search for that topic. He makes up stories that outlandish just for attention. Just like this thread he's starting. He's never even touched a real camera in his lifetime. Easy answer, let SMS supply the name of the publication in question and post a photocopy of the article. Dave Cohen |
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[TROLL] Letters from His Imaginary Advice Column
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Letters from My Advice Column
On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:19:46 -0800, SMS
wrote in : I have a photographic advice column in a local community newspaper. Rossmoor Times. Big fish in tiny pond. I'm going to post some of the letters I receive, and my responses, to rec.photo.digital. The blind leading the blind. This is too funny. -- Best regards, John [Please Note: Ads belong *only* in rec.photo.marketplace.digital, as per http://bobatkins.photo.net/info/charter.htm http://rpdfaq.50megs.com/] |
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[TROLL] Letters from His Imaginary Advice Column
On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:12:20 -0600, TROLL SPOTTER
wrote in : SMS, do everyone a favor. Go out and actually buy a camera. You've proved time and time again that the closest you ever get to a camera is a downloadable user manual. Why do you insist on making such a complete ass of yourself. Excellent advice. -- Best regards, John [Please Note: Ads belong *only* in rec.photo.marketplace.digital, as per http://bobatkins.photo.net/info/charter.htm http://rpdfaq.50megs.com/] |
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[TROLL] Letters from His Imaginary Advice Column
Dave Cohen wrote:
Easy answer, let SMS supply the name of the publication in question and post a photocopy of the article. Type "Cupertino Courant" into Google's search box, then click on "I'm Feeling Lucky." It's just a local e-newspaper that one of my friend's puts together and e-mails to about 15,000 local residents every week. I help him out occasionally with some content in the technology area. |
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[TROLL] Letters from His Imaginary Advice Column
On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:25:17 -0800, SMS
wrote in : Dave Cohen wrote: Easy answer, let SMS supply the name of the publication in question and post a photocopy of the article. Type "Cupertino Courant" into Google's search box, then click on "I'm Feeling Lucky." It's just a local e-newspaper that one of my friend's puts together and e-mails to about 15,000 local residents every week. Email. Funnier yet. I help him out occasionally with some content in the technology area. Deity help him. -- Best regards, John [Please Note: Ads belong (only) in rec.photo.marketplace.digital] |
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Letters from My Advice Column
On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:19:46 -0800, SMS, finding yet another field
to play "expert" wrote: I'm looking to upgrade from my Canon G6, which I love, to a digital SLR. But before I spend a lot of money, I wondered if there are any alternatives that would give me a longer zoom range, better images in low light, and faster response when I press the shutter release button. Mike in San Jose --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mike, good questions. There are alternatives to a D-SLR that will give you a longer zoom range, namely the "super-zoom" point and shoot cameras. The new Canon PowerShot SX10 IS is one example of a super-zoom, with its 28-560mm lens. But I'm sure that you were aware of these cameras, so I assume that your concern is whether or not these super-zoom models solve the issues that you have with your G6 in terms of low light capability and response time. Unfortunately, they do not. If you want better low light performance you'll need to upgrade to a digital SLR. The much larger sensor of the digital SLR means larger pixels, which improve the low-light performance. No, while a DSLR is a solution for *you*, it's not what Mike asked for. Funny, isn't it, that soon after you got on this "DSLR Über Alles" kick, a letter appears that gives you another opportunity to spread your opinion du jour. Everything that Mike wanted is available in Fuji's S100fs. Much wider zoom range, much better low light performance, faster response when the shutter is pressed and very good to excellent IQ, also besting the G6. If Canon made it you almost certainly would have recommended it, especially since it uses Li-Ion batteries, your personal "must have" feature. Eh, SMS? |
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Letters from My Advice Column
On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:30:33 -0500, ASAAR wrote in
: On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 09:19:46 -0800, SMS, finding yet another field to play "expert" wrote: I'm looking to upgrade from my Canon G6, which I love, to a digital SLR. But before I spend a lot of money, I wondered if there are any alternatives that would give me a longer zoom range, better images in low light, and faster response when I press the shutter release button. Mike in San Jose --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mike, good questions. There are alternatives to a D-SLR that will give you a longer zoom range, namely the "super-zoom" point and shoot cameras. The new Canon PowerShot SX10 IS is one example of a super-zoom, with its 28-560mm lens. But I'm sure that you were aware of these cameras, so I assume that your concern is whether or not these super-zoom models solve the issues that you have with your G6 in terms of low light capability and response time. Unfortunately, they do not. If you want better low light performance you'll need to upgrade to a digital SLR. The much larger sensor of the digital SLR means larger pixels, which improve the low-light performance. No, while a DSLR is a solution for *you*, it's not what Mike asked for. Funny, isn't it, that soon after you got on this "DSLR Über Alles" kick, a letter appears that gives you another opportunity to spread your opinion du jour. Everything that Mike wanted is available in Fuji's S100fs. Much wider zoom range, much better low light performance, faster response when the shutter is pressed and very good to excellent IQ, also besting the G6. If Canon made it you almost certainly would have recommended it, especially since it uses Li-Ion batteries, your personal "must have" feature. Eh, SMS? No, it's just a matter of him trying to morph himself into a self-proclaimed digital camera expert. He's picked a mission, just as he did when he tried to pass himself off as a cellular expert. Neither mission is based on any real experience or expertise, just supposition, so reasoning with him is a waste of time. I know -- I tried. All I got for my trouble was to become another mission for him. -- Best regards, John [Please Note: Ads belong (only) in rec.photo.marketplace.digital] |
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