What camera should I buy? I'm thinking about getting into RAW photography...

Hello All,

I was told this was the place to ask this sort of question, if it
isn't, my apologies.

I've been mostly using iPhoto and it works for most of my needs, as I
tend to just use it as a photo database. When I want to edit, I hit
export and edit in Photoshop.

I have a brand new Casio EX-Z850 that works amazingly well for
point-and-shoot. The portability of the thing is unmatched, and it's
fairly powerful for such a small camera. (I have some example shots if
you'd like to see them, BTW)

I've just gotten into my head the idea of maybe buying a DSLR camera
with RAW enabled. I am trying to decide firstly if it's worthwhile. I'm
not a professional, but an enthusiast student who has, quite frankly,
not a ton of time to take photos. Despite that, I am really thinking it
would be fun to pick photography back up as a hobby.

I could easily just take my little camera around with me everywhere,
but I tend toward landscapes and the Casio is best for quick portraits.
Besides, I've been really itching to take some good macro and wide lens
photography.

I'm partial to Canon cameras, my first real camera was a Canon... a
Rebel 2000, and my father owns a great Canon SLR that I've gotten to
play with.

I've never used RAW before, but it seems like a fun challenge.

Finally, I would want a camera that is very compatible with the Mac OS.

Anyway...

Is now a good time to buy a DSLR? Should I wait for more cameras to
natively support Adobe DNG (if that will happen)? What camera do you
suggest I buy? (I am a student so funds aren't infinite, mind you) The
Rebel XT looks nice and reviews seem great... what do you guys think?
Should I save up for a new camera, or just stick with my little Casio?

Thank you for your time.

Alex Kadis wrote:
Hello All,

I was told this was the place to ask this sort of question, if it
isn't, my apologies.

I've been mostly using iPhoto and it works for most of my needs, as I
tend to just use it as a photo database. When I want to edit, I hit
export and edit in Photoshop.

I have a brand new Casio EX-Z850 that works amazingly well for
point-and-shoot. The portability of the thing is unmatched, and it's
fairly powerful for such a small camera. (I have some example shots if
you'd like to see them, BTW)

I've just gotten into my head the idea of maybe buying a DSLR camera
with RAW enabled. I am trying to decide firstly if it's worthwhile.
I'm not a professional, but an enthusiast student who has, quite
frankly, not a ton of time to take photos. Despite that, I am really
thinking it would be fun to pick photography back up as a hobby.

I could easily just take my little camera around with me everywhere,
but I tend toward landscapes and the Casio is best for quick
portraits. Besides, I've been really itching to take some good macro
and wide lens photography.

I'm partial to Canon cameras, my first real camera was a Canon... a
Rebel 2000, and my father owns a great Canon SLR that I've gotten to
play with.

I've never used RAW before, but it seems like a fun challenge.

Finally, I would want a camera that is very compatible with the Mac
OS.

Anyway...

Is now a good time to buy a DSLR? Should I wait for more cameras to
natively support Adobe DNG (if that will happen)? What camera do you
suggest I buy? (I am a student so funds aren't infinite, mind you) The
Rebel XT looks nice and reviews seem great... what do you guys think?
Should I save up for a new camera, or just stick with my little Casio?

Thank you for your time.

Frankly I think you are on the right track. You have answered most of
the question you need to answer before buying a camera. The only one I did
not hear is how does it feel in your hands. Go out and pick one up. move
the controls and see how it feels.

Good Luck

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia 's Muire duit

On Wed, 06 Dec 2006 01:08:47 GMT, Joseph Meehan wrote:

Frankly I think you are on the right track. You have answered most of
the question you need to answer before buying a camera. The only one I did
not hear is how does it feel in your hands. Go out and pick one up. move
the controls and see how it feels.

One more would be to check RAW software to see which brands and
models are supported. Some of them may have very limited options.
Fuji's own RAW support for some of their cameras is abysmal, and
only one other software option seems to be available. S7raw is
free, but owners of other brands of cameras may not be as fortunate.

Alex Kadis wrote:
Hello All,

I was told this was the place to ask this sort of question, if it
isn't, my apologies.

I've been mostly using iPhoto and it works for most of my needs, as I
tend to just use it as a photo database. When I want to edit, I hit
export and edit in Photoshop.

I have a brand new Casio EX-Z850 that works amazingly well for
point-and-shoot. The portability of the thing is unmatched, and it's
fairly powerful for such a small camera. (I have some example shots if
you'd like to see them, BTW)

I've just gotten into my head the idea of maybe buying a DSLR camera
with RAW enabled. I am trying to decide firstly if it's worthwhile. I'm
not a professional, but an enthusiast student who has, quite frankly,
not a ton of time to take photos. Despite that, I am really thinking it
would be fun to pick photography back up as a hobby.

I could easily just take my little camera around with me everywhere,
but I tend toward landscapes and the Casio is best for quick portraits.
Besides, I've been really itching to take some good macro and wide lens
photography.

I'm partial to Canon cameras, my first real camera was a Canon... a
Rebel 2000, and my father owns a great Canon SLR that I've gotten to
play with.

I've never used RAW before, but it seems like a fun challenge.

Finally, I would want a camera that is very compatible with the Mac OS.

Anyway...

Is now a good time to buy a DSLR? Should I wait for more cameras to
natively support Adobe DNG (if that will happen)? What camera do you
suggest I buy? (I am a student so funds aren't infinite, mind you) The
Rebel XT looks nice and reviews seem great... what do you guys think?
Should I save up for a new camera, or just stick with my little Casio?

Being a Canon user for a very long time, and now on my fourth Canon
Digital, I'd say go for the best DSLR you can afford, and save up to buy
high quality lenses over time.

The Canon software allows me to shoot tethered on my MacBookPro, and
from there it's an easy hop into Lightroom or Adobe Bridge, etc.

Welcome to r.p.d, b.t.w.

--
John McWilliams

Thank you all for your help. I guess I have to go to a few stores and
out some cameras!

Best,

Alex

Try to play with Canon EOS 350D or 400D or Sony Alpha100.

Martin
www.mybestphotos.batcave.net





Uzytkownik "Alex Kadis" napisal w wiadomosci
ups.com...
Hello All,

I was told this was the place to ask this sort of question, if it
isn't, my apologies.

I've been mostly using iPhoto and it works for most of my needs, as I
tend to just use it as a photo database. When I want to edit, I hit
export and edit in Photoshop.

I have a brand new Casio EX-Z850 that works amazingly well for
point-and-shoot. The portability of the thing is unmatched, and it's
fairly powerful for such a small camera. (I have some example shots if
you'd like to see them, BTW)

I've just gotten into my head the idea of maybe buying a DSLR camera
with RAW enabled. I am trying to decide firstly if it's worthwhile. I'm
not a professional, but an enthusiast student who has, quite frankly,
not a ton of time to take photos. Despite that, I am really thinking it
would be fun to pick photography back up as a hobby.

I could easily just take my little camera around with me everywhere,
but I tend toward landscapes and the Casio is best for quick portraits.
Besides, I've been really itching to take some good macro and wide lens
photography.

I'm partial to Canon cameras, my first real camera was a Canon... a
Rebel 2000, and my father owns a great Canon SLR that I've gotten to
play with.

I've never used RAW before, but it seems like a fun challenge.

Finally, I would want a camera that is very compatible with the Mac OS.

Anyway...

Is now a good time to buy a DSLR? Should I wait for more cameras to
natively support Adobe DNG (if that will happen)? What camera do you
suggest I buy? (I am a student so funds aren't infinite, mind you) The
Rebel XT looks nice and reviews seem great... what do you guys think?
Should I save up for a new camera, or just stick with my little Casio?

Thank you for your time.

On 6 Dec 2006 12:00:22 -0800, Alex Kadis wrote:

Thank you all for your help. I guess I have to go to a few stores and
out some cameras!

Even if they aren't yet willing to be exposed?

"Marcin" wrote in message
...
Try to play with Canon EOS 350D or 400D or Sony Alpha100.


And Pentax K series, as well as Nikon D50, D70s, and D80.

Alex Kadis wrote:

[snip]

If you're an area that rents photo equipment, I'd try renting a camera for a
few days to see if you like the look-and-feel of the camera & lens. You might
wind up spending a few hundred dollars in the process but you won't wind up
with a multi-thousand dollar regret.

I did that when deciding what size pressure washer to buyer. I kept renting
bigger and bigger washers until I found the one that worked for me. I still
have and love that pressure washer 6 years later. I never suffered from
buyer's remorse.

As far as "waiting" goes, my wife used to be in commissioned sales. She could
sell ice cubes to an eskimo and made a lot of money. Anyway, she used to
tell me these stories about "tweaks". Tweaks are those people that keep
coming back to the store week after week, year after year to look at the
merchandise and waiting for the model to improve, or waiting for the next
"improved" version, the price to drop or any of a number of other reasons.
One old guy used to check out the same washing machine for years. He
eventually died without ever buying a washer.

The salesman in the electronics department used to be driven truly crazy by
the "tweaks". Customers would forever come in to discuss product details and
what features the next model was going to have. They liked to discuss
products rather than buy and enjoy them.

I'm not saying you're a tweak at all but when you mentioned "should I waiting
for more cameras...", I thought I mention my wife's stories to give you some
perspective. I have a Canon 400D and I love it and there are many other very
good DSLRs. Don't die from old age while waiting for the next better model.