Rating the new DSLRs

In this order, so far. This is based on images out there and reports
of camera function/problems.
1. Nikon D3 (the new God of image quality and function)
2. Nikon D300 (looks like a major step up from the D200)
3. Canon 40D / Olympus E-3 (Canon for image quality, Olympus for
build, speed and handling)
4. Panasonic L10 (too expensive for plastic, cheezy P&S build)
5. Sony A700 (possible focus issues and high priced accessories)
6. Canon 1DMkIII (major focus issue)

In article .com,
RichA wrote:

In this order, so far. This is based on images out there and reports
of camera function/problems.
1. Nikon D3 (the new God of image quality and function)
2. Nikon D300 (looks like a major step up from the D200)
3. Canon 40D / Olympus E-3 (Canon for image quality, Olympus for
build, speed and handling)
4. Panasonic L10 (too expensive for plastic, cheezy P&S build)
5. Sony A700 (possible focus issues and high priced accessories)
6. Canon 1DMkIII (major focus issue)

How would you know? You don't know **** from Shinola.

On Nov 11, 4:04 am, RichA wrote:
In this order, so far. This is based on images out there and reports
of camera function/problems.
1. Nikon D3 (the new God of image quality and function)
2. Nikon D300 (looks like a major step up from the D200)
3. Canon 40D / Olympus E-3 (Canon for image quality, Olympus for
build, speed and handling)
4. Panasonic L10 (too expensive for plastic, cheezy P&S build)
5. Sony A700 (possible focus issues and high priced accessories)
6. Canon 1DMkIII (major focus issue)

But the 40D is quite a bit cheaper than the D300, so I don't think you
can easily rank them like that if you take that into account too (but
if you take price into account things do get complicated). And what
problems does the Sony have? (is it just posts in dpreview, or is
there some actual widespread problem?)

And, well, I'm fairly sure that if someone gave me a 1dmk3 or a
panasonic l10, I'd get the canon... I'd focus manually if I had to .
For what it costs, though, I'd think twice at the moment if I was
shopping for one and it has AF problems.

RichA wrote:
In this order, so far. This is based on images out there and reports
of camera function/problems.
1. Nikon D3 (the new God of image quality and function)
2. Nikon D300 (looks like a major step up from the D200)
3. Canon 40D / Olympus E-3 (Canon for image quality, Olympus for
build, speed and handling)
4. Panasonic L10 (too expensive for plastic, cheezy P&S build)
5. Sony A700 (possible focus issues and high priced accessories)
6. Canon 1DMkIII (major focus issue)


the 'possible focus issues' for Sony is rubbish - it consists of two
post on dpreview questioning the accuracy of the A700 with lenses around
16mm-18mm.

Since every single DSLR made has focus issues with fast wide lenses, it
is irrelevant. Nikon and Canon suffer just as badly from tiny FF/BF
errors which are magnified with lenses like 14mm f2.8 if you own one,
and with very approximate focusing with slower ultrawides because the
fine pitch of image detail and the depth of field fools the sensors into
thinking the phase contrast is OK when it could be a bit better.

I would place both the Sony A700 (image quality very close to D300, same
sensor) and the 1D MkIII (plenty of pro users not reporting any problems
at all in the UK, despite the recall confirming they exist) above the
40D and L10. As for the E-3, no way of telling yet. Samples are just
arriving in the next week or two. I get one to look at soon, how soon,
no idea.

David

RichA wrote:
In this order, so far. This is based on images out there and reports
of camera function/problems.
1. Nikon D3 (the new God of image quality and function)
2. Nikon D300 (looks like a major step up from the D200)
3. Canon 40D / Olympus E-3 (Canon for image quality, Olympus for
build, speed and handling)
4. Panasonic L10 (too expensive for plastic, cheezy P&S build)
5. Sony A700 (possible focus issues and high priced accessories)
6. Canon 1DMkIII (major focus issue)

And why not list the 1Ds Mark III? At 21 megapixels, the images
are stunning; far above anything else out there.

On Nov 10, 8:28 pm, acl wrote:
On Nov 11, 4:04 am, RichA wrote:

In this order, so far. This is based on images out there and reports
of camera function/problems.
1. Nikon D3 (the new God of image quality and function)
2. Nikon D300 (looks like a major step up from the D200)
3. Canon 40D / Olympus E-3 (Canon for image quality, Olympus for
build, speed and handling)
4. Panasonic L10 (too expensive for plastic, cheezy P&S build)
5. Sony A700 (possible focus issues and high priced accessories)
6. Canon 1DMkIII (major focus issue)

But the 40D is quite a bit cheaper than the D300, so I don't think you
can easily rank them like that if you take that into account too (but
if you take price into account things do get complicated). And what
problems does the Sony have? (is it just posts in dpreview, or is
there some actual widespread problem?)

First point, you are right about the Canon, I'd compare it to the Sony
A700 before the Nikon.
Second point, the focus problem with the A700 is new so we'll have to
see if it's more than a few people.

On Nov 10, 8:55 pm, David Kilpatrick wrote:
RichA wrote:
In this order, so far. This is based on images out there and reports
of camera function/problems.
1. Nikon D3 (the new God of image quality and function)
2. Nikon D300 (looks like a major step up from the D200)
3. Canon 40D / Olympus E-3 (Canon for image quality, Olympus for
build, speed and handling)
4. Panasonic L10 (too expensive for plastic, cheezy P&S build)
5. Sony A700 (possible focus issues and high priced accessories)
6. Canon 1DMkIII (major focus issue)

the 'possible focus issues' for Sony is rubbish - it consists of two
post on dpreview questioning the accuracy of the A700 with lenses around
16mm-18mm.

Since every single DSLR made has focus issues with fast wide lenses, it
is irrelevant. Nikon and Canon suffer just as badly from tiny FF/BF
errors which are magnified with lenses like 14mm f2.8 if you own one,
and with very approximate focusing with slower ultrawides because the
fine pitch of image detail and the depth of field fools the sensors into
thinking the phase contrast is OK when it could be a bit better.

I would place both the Sony A700 (image quality very close to D300, same
sensor) and the 1D MkIII (plenty of pro users not reporting any problems
at all in the UK, despite the recall confirming they exist) above the
40D and L10. As for the E-3, no way of telling yet. Samples are just
arriving in the next week or two. I get one to look at soon, how soon,
no idea.

David

Here's a couple shots, one with the 40D and one with the A700, just
JPEGs at 800 ISO. They seem similar and they both look good.
The Canon body (in Canada) is about $120 less.

Canon:
http://www.pbase.com/andersonrm/image/88743153

Sony:
http://www.pbase.com/andersonrm/image/88743210

On Nov 10, 9:10 pm, "Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)"
wrote:
RichA wrote:
In this order, so far. This is based on images out there and reports
of camera function/problems.
1. Nikon D3 (the new God of image quality and function)
2. Nikon D300 (looks like a major step up from the D200)
3. Canon 40D / Olympus E-3 (Canon for image quality, Olympus for
build, speed and handling)
4. Panasonic L10 (too expensive for plastic, cheezy P&S build)
5. Sony A700 (possible focus issues and high priced accessories)
6. Canon 1DMkIII (major focus issue)

And why not list the 1Ds Mark III? At 21 megapixels, the images
are stunning; far above anything else out there.

I hadn't personally seen any images from it yet.

RichA wrote:
On Nov 10, 9:10 pm, "Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)"
wrote:
RichA wrote:
In this order, so far. This is based on images out there and reports
of camera function/problems.
1. Nikon D3 (the new God of image quality and function)
2. Nikon D300 (looks like a major step up from the D200)
3. Canon 40D / Olympus E-3 (Canon for image quality, Olympus for
build, speed and handling)
4. Panasonic L10 (too expensive for plastic, cheezy P&S build)
5. Sony A700 (possible focus issues and high priced accessories)
6. Canon 1DMkIII (major focus issue)
And why not list the 1Ds Mark III? At 21 megapixels, the images
are stunning; far above anything else out there.

I hadn't personally seen any images from it yet.

There's samples on Canon's sites.
FWIW, I'd have to disagree wrt Roger's comment that they are
far above anything else out there. They looked okay, but
also as if NR had been applied to low iso shots. Perhaps
some NR was applied to keep the jpeg file size down.

Unless you have used the cameras you have no clue what you are talking
about.
All of these cameras are far more technically capable than the aesthetic
talents of all but a few potential users.