I'm not using my film SLR anymore so I'm looking for a entry level digital SLR with hoefully a decent (640x480 ish) movie mode. Budget around £500 ish. I might even look at 2nd hand units, and try and shift my older cameras at the same time. Any suggestions?
Digital SLR with movie mode?
- Thread starter Sparky191
- Start date
You say that, but olympus has unveiled the E-330, which has a live preview by putting a ccd in the way of the viewfinder, so I don't think it will be too long before we get movie modes in Dslrs.olv said:
However, to answer Sparky's question, no, you cannot buy a Dslr with movie mode, so you either want to be looking at a high-end point and shoot like the Fuji 9500, or a low-end Dslr, like the Nikon D50 or Canon 350D.
Kimmett
Soldato
- Joined
- 5 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 9,302
KIMMETT said:
Oh great, Movie modes in Professional cameras, Maybe a mp3 player and a Cell phone too ? Email... where will it stop!
Im sorry but I am totally agaisnt all this mutipurpose stuff. Would anyone actually like to see movie modes in SLRs ?
If it can produce a movie mode then It would be able to do a live preview. Which I dont think I would like to see in an Dslr. I have to stand for tradition here.
Deleted member 11679
Deleted member 11679
Phoenix_Cosmos said:
I agree, I stepped up to SLR because it is going away from the trend of getting all the gadgets into as smaller space as possible...the quality increases because of the build of the camera.
Adding in gimmicks like this would just nulify their real purpose somewhat and you'd find anybody and everybody buying them for none other than because they can afford to blow cash on them.
Don't get me wrong, I agree as well, a digital slr is supposed to be a professional tool, and if adding random functions in that people don't want detracts from that, or decreases the quality, then there is absolutely no point at all.
However, added functionality without detriment to other functions is fine. The new E330 thing also has a function whereby you can have a liveview, as the mirror locks up, and then you can look at the swively lcd screen. I reckon that there have to be some people who can use that (press photgs, holding cameras above their heads?), and I don't think that would neccesairly decrease the quality of the camera. I wouldn't use it, but thats not the point
.
....................
Soooo, back on topic, someone who actually knows about dslrs might wanna give Sparky some options for £500! I think that the general concencus here is to go down to a shop, try them out and see which you like best, then get them to price match to the internet.
Kimmett
However, added functionality without detriment to other functions is fine. The new E330 thing also has a function whereby you can have a liveview, as the mirror locks up, and then you can look at the swively lcd screen. I reckon that there have to be some people who can use that (press photgs, holding cameras above their heads?), and I don't think that would neccesairly decrease the quality of the camera. I wouldn't use it, but thats not the point
.....................
Soooo, back on topic, someone who actually knows about dslrs might wanna give Sparky some options for £500! I think that the general concencus here is to go down to a shop, try them out and see which you like best, then get them to price match to the internet.
Kimmett
Associate
- Joined
- 18 Sep 2005
- Posts
- 932
- Location
- Cardiff
Your question has essentially been answered, it's either and SLR with no movie mode, or a high end P&S.
As it's being discussed, I may as well chuck in my opinion on "superfluous" features in SLR's. I'm kind of on the fence here. Experience tells me that a tool designed for one job and one job only will perform far better than a multipurpose one, however, I welcome certain features, such as LCD live preview...
You can't beat a proper ttl viewfinder, but you can compliment it, and I feel that's what an LCD preview would do. If I had a dSLR with such a function, I would rarely use it - but there would be situations where I would find it infinitely useful, most notably at bizarre angles where it's either hard or just plain uncomfortable to look through the viewfinder.
For example, I enjoy looking at things from a different perspective by having my tripod extremely low on the ground. The only way I can see through the viewfinder at this level is either to lay on the ground behind the camera (not fun in a wet field) or to take "trial and error" shots to guess composition. A live preview would allow me (at an angle) to compose such a shot with far greater ease.
As it's being discussed, I may as well chuck in my opinion on "superfluous" features in SLR's. I'm kind of on the fence here. Experience tells me that a tool designed for one job and one job only will perform far better than a multipurpose one, however, I welcome certain features, such as LCD live preview...
You can't beat a proper ttl viewfinder, but you can compliment it, and I feel that's what an LCD preview would do. If I had a dSLR with such a function, I would rarely use it - but there would be situations where I would find it infinitely useful, most notably at bizarre angles where it's either hard or just plain uncomfortable to look through the viewfinder.
For example, I enjoy looking at things from a different perspective by having my tripod extremely low on the ground. The only way I can see through the viewfinder at this level is either to lay on the ground behind the camera (not fun in a wet field) or to take "trial and error" shots to guess composition. A live preview would allow me (at an angle) to compose such a shot with far greater ease.
Last edited:
Associate
- Joined
- 18 Sep 2005
- Posts
- 932
- Location
- Cardiff
Having said i'd buy a dSLR with a live preview, I wouldn't unless it had a Nikon F mount...
So i'm unlikely to ever get one :/
That said, dSLR's are becoming cheaper and, in turn, more popular. So you never know!
So i'm unlikely to ever get one :/
That said, dSLR's are becoming cheaper and, in turn, more popular. So you never know!
Associate
- Joined
- 18 Sep 2005
- Posts
- 932
- Location
- Cardiff
well, I didn't know that... Someone else has also just told me the same kind of thing.
In that case, when I decide that it's time to upgrade, i'll pay a close look at Fuji's SLR's
In that case, when I decide that it's time to upgrade, i'll pay a close look at Fuji's SLR's
Thanks for the info guys. I didn't realise the mechanics that some of you have hinted at without actually describing, make a movie mode so difficult to implement.
I'll have to conceed I really don't understand the reasoning to buy a DSLR just because you have an aversion to multipurpose devices. or that it would become more popular, even common if it was available. That just strikes me as a bit snooty/snobby. However I'll admit I do generally subscribe to the idea that less is more, but there are situations when its more convient to carry one multipurpose device than 3 or 4 specialist ones. Obviously the opposite is also true on occasion. Such is life. Theres no need to make a song and dance about it.
I'm not a purist, and while I am looking for good quality shots I'm not a professional and I don't have aspirations in that line. I did photography in college as part of my design degree (many many moons ago) and my wife and I are very keen on photography. Primarily as means of recording life, but also because we enjoy good photography/images. The point regarding a Nikon D50 or Canon 350D is well made and perhaps a high end point and click would suit me better. I definately will consider that.
Currently we have an older Canon SLR a few lenses and a few 35mm point and shoot compacts. We rarely use them now as we have a Nikon 3700 which, while only a cheap point and shoot, it generally takes excellent shots, especially sharp. It also has a excellent 640x480 movie mode. Generally where ever we are when we want to take photos its a life event where we'd also like a bit of video aswell. More of a video snapshot of an event. Certainly we would have no interest in a video recorder. The main drawback with the Nikon 3700 is that its too slow, both in terms of shutter speed, and you really need to work hard to get the quality out of it. Its over sensitive to lighting conditions for example. Probably common complaints with any point and shoot.
Then again because we have the 3700 perhaps we don't need a movie mode on the DSLR. Thats also a consideration. One of our 35mm compacts is a Fuji and is very good. However I'm not impressed by their digital camera's S5000/7000's as to my eye the images seem to be noisy and soft. Indeed I prefer our 3700. It would be nice to have the pixels for a A3 or A2 print should we desire it, but we're most insterested in image quality. Our brother in law is a professional photgrapher and you can really see the quality of image that his equipment produces. I'm not dismissing that his skills play a large part in that. But I would like to get closer to that quality of image.
Thanks for the all responses thus far. I didn't think I'd get this much of a response.
I'll have to conceed I really don't understand the reasoning to buy a DSLR just because you have an aversion to multipurpose devices. or that it would become more popular, even common if it was available. That just strikes me as a bit snooty/snobby. However I'll admit I do generally subscribe to the idea that less is more, but there are situations when its more convient to carry one multipurpose device than 3 or 4 specialist ones. Obviously the opposite is also true on occasion. Such is life. Theres no need to make a song and dance about it.
I'm not a purist, and while I am looking for good quality shots I'm not a professional and I don't have aspirations in that line. I did photography in college as part of my design degree (many many moons ago) and my wife and I are very keen on photography. Primarily as means of recording life, but also because we enjoy good photography/images. The point regarding a Nikon D50 or Canon 350D is well made and perhaps a high end point and click would suit me better. I definately will consider that.
Currently we have an older Canon SLR a few lenses and a few 35mm point and shoot compacts. We rarely use them now as we have a Nikon 3700 which, while only a cheap point and shoot, it generally takes excellent shots, especially sharp. It also has a excellent 640x480 movie mode. Generally where ever we are when we want to take photos its a life event where we'd also like a bit of video aswell. More of a video snapshot of an event. Certainly we would have no interest in a video recorder. The main drawback with the Nikon 3700 is that its too slow, both in terms of shutter speed, and you really need to work hard to get the quality out of it. Its over sensitive to lighting conditions for example. Probably common complaints with any point and shoot.
Then again because we have the 3700 perhaps we don't need a movie mode on the DSLR. Thats also a consideration. One of our 35mm compacts is a Fuji and is very good. However I'm not impressed by their digital camera's S5000/7000's as to my eye the images seem to be noisy and soft. Indeed I prefer our 3700. It would be nice to have the pixels for a A3 or A2 print should we desire it, but we're most insterested in image quality. Our brother in law is a professional photgrapher and you can really see the quality of image that his equipment produces. I'm not dismissing that his skills play a large part in that. But I would like to get closer to that quality of image.
Thanks for the all responses thus far. I didn't think I'd get this much of a response.
If you already have some Canon lenses surely a 350D would be a more logical choice than a D50/D70s ?
The point about not wanting extra features on a DSLR is a valid one I feel, as a DSLR is meant to be a (semi) professional piece of equipment, they weren't/aren't really designed to be used as point and shoot cameras, and I suspect a lot of people here would even be happy to see the Auto modes removed from some of the lower end models.
The point about not wanting extra features on a DSLR is a valid one I feel, as a DSLR is meant to be a (semi) professional piece of equipment, they weren't/aren't really designed to be used as point and shoot cameras, and I suspect a lot of people here would even be happy to see the Auto modes removed from some of the lower end models.
TBH I was always planning on just selling everything I had, just to start afresh. I know its old gear and not worth anything. Those fuji's seem well regarded in this forum, so maybe I won't dismiss them out of hand. Prices seems on par with the Nikon D50
Last edited: