entry level, mid range and pro dslr is there a difference?

[mangobreeder]

Exif is intact but to clarify.

No flash, hand held, point and shoot.

that makes me feel a whole lot better, as it the approach i would have gone for

in terms of kit, ill report back im about to upgrade form a 400D upto a 60D (£650 new)

 

[kidscruff]

The XZ-1 has a great advantage over most other compacts due to the f/1.8 lens (at wide end of zoom).

So the competition - advanced compacts - do. Sure the £150 compacts don't but saying it has an advantage over them is obvious, it costs twice the price so you'd rather hope it has something.

Yeah, you're right there. I was (rather badly) making the point that features like fast lenses and larger sensors of 'advanced compacts' make them so much more capable in low light than their bog-standard (and half-the-price) brethren. Yet they're all labelled 'point and shoot'. Most obvious statement of the year, perhaps!

 

[Raymond Lin]

that makes me feel a whole lot better, as it the approach i would have gone for

in terms of kit, ill report back im about to upgrade form a 400D upto a 60D (£650 new)

Well, also bearing in mind that consciously I did a few things that most people won't do.

1 - I stuck it on iso 100, not auto
2 - I knew it'll be at 1/15th so I paid attention to my technique when taking the photo
3 - I put it on spot metering, most people would leave it on evaluative or matrix
4 - shooting into the light is "easier" to me...I actually like it. Most photography beginner book will tell you not to.

But other than that, av, iso 100, point and shoot.

 

[mangobreeder]

Well, also bearing in mind that consciously I did a few things that most people won't do.

1 - I stuck it on iso 100, not auto
2 - I knew it'll be at 1/15th so I paid attention to my technique when taking the photo
3 - I put it on spot metering, most people would leave it on evaluative or matrix
4 - shooting into the light is "easier" to me...I actually like it. Most photography beginner book will tell you not to.

But other than that, av, iso 100, point and shoot.

That is interesting. I would have been tempted to turn the iso up to about 400 to 800

 

[Raymond Lin]

That is interesting. I would have been tempted to turn the iso up to about 400 to 800

Yes, to bump the shutter speed up.

I trust my technique (and the IS in camera) instead. although the IS does not help with moving people, such as her strumming the guitar.

 

[Raikiri]

I probably would have shot ISO 200 at 1/30s, doesn't look like there's much movement.

Nice shot though, regardless. Wouldn't mind seeing a crop to see if there's much/any motion blur.

 

[Raymond Lin]

 

[Raikiri]

Cheers, looks good to me. Would love to pick one of these up, going to see how the x10 compares though.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Noticed it's quite noisy. There is actually less noise in the original...lol

For once I am putting up the before and after

Left is straight out of the camera.

 

[Howard]

In fact - an appendix to my previous thoughts - not having the kit can make you better when you do have it. I think I'm a better photographer for the years of swearing at my D200s inability to produce usable material at above ISO800. The thought process of 'how else could I do this?' is valuable, flicking a D700 to ISO3200 doesn't teach you anything.

Couldn't agree more, especially the part highlighted. I've been using a 350D from 2006 up until a few weeks ago when I bought myself a 60D. I don't think I've been above ISO800 on it yet.

The 60D is such a wonderful upgrade though, but I've (aside from the crappy Sigma 70-300mm I recently replaced with a Tamron 70-300 with optical stabilisation and ultrasonic focusing) never really blamed my equipment for my lack of ability. And as such I've been learning the 'right' way to achieve decent shots.

I <3 the ISO performance of the 60D versus the 350D mind you. ISO800 looks like about ISO200 on the 350

 

[greedy123]

Yeh I have to agree, equipment may get a better 'quality' shot, but the shot itself, subject, framing, timing etc. is down to the photographer. It depends on what the end product will be if its worth the upgrade. There's no need for a 21MP dslr if all your doing is putting pics on facebook.

Here's my favourite I took on a compact:

The only thing I wish about it was that it was a higher resolution, I wouldn't change it otherwise.

 

[greedy123]

double post sorry

 

[alchemistkevin]

What compact was that? Quite impressive.

 

[Rojin]

Canon PowerShot S80.

 

[Hodders]

Consumer/prosumer/pro camera equipment is just the same as cars. Jenson Button will get round a race track in a mini cooper faster than I will in a Ferrari. A pro will take a better picture with a entry level DSLR than a non-expert will with a Pro level DSLR.

Every now and then you will get a beginner who will have a natural ability to compose/see a picture. Just alike you get a natural talent in a race driver.

 

[Mp4]

.

Ahh La Defence Paris

Fantastic place!

Nice shot too!

Nice photos again Raymond!

I'm still plodding along with my 400D - still yet to upgrade been going to night college for a year now and much much better at my photos. Just the processing which gets me as i can't make my own feel/look etc.

 

[alchemistkevin]

Consumer/prosumer/pro camera equipment is just the same as cars. Jenson Button will get round a race track in a mini cooper faster than I will in a Ferrari. A pro will take a better picture with a entry level DSLR than a non-expert will with a Pro level DSLR.

Every now and then you will get a beginner who will have a natural ability to compose/see a picture. Just alike you get a natural talent in a race driver.

I like that analogy.