Spec me a Digital SLR camera

[thepharcyde]

I currently have a Fujifilm S5500 (SLR looking camera). Even though close up pics are good, landscape pictures really really lack clarity and definition.

I think it is because the megapixels on the camera is quite low compared to todays standard. I purchased the camera 3 years ago, so has serviced me well.

The 2 I have been looking at are

Canon EOS 350D (8.0 MP) Nikon D40 (6.1 MP). I have around a £400 max budget and in that would like to get some kinda zoom lense capable of taking decent landscape shots

Here are a few shots recently taken on my hols with my Fujifilm, and as you can see the landscape shots are really poor. Does anyone know if I can change the lense on the fujifilm camera I have or is it fixed?

Just to add I goto a lot of motorsport events, so would need a camera which is able to take decent moving shoots without bluring all the time.

Thank you

 

[Greg]

I had a 5500 just like you. Its a cracking little camera, but i soon found its limitations!

I upgraded last november to a 400D and have never looked back since.

the 5500 is a prosumer camera meaning, its a semi professional one. Its an SLR style but doesn't have all the advantages of an SLR (to name one, the changeable lenses).

I'd personally recommend the canon, but as said in every single 'WHAT DLSR' Thread, go and try them yourself and handle them. They are probably both worthy camreas, but its all down to personal preference.

Greg

 

[Nicos Rex]

In part your problem is not the number of megapixels you have to play with.

The B&W shot and the first landscape are rather heavily overexposed which has killed a lot of the detail.

If you look carefully at the last shot, in the lower part of the frame (which is a tad underexposed) the apparent level of detail is far higher.

As for photographing motorsport, almost any modern kit has a high enough shutter speed to freeze motion. The trouble is that you may not be able to use that fast shutter speed in anything but the brightest conditions without cranking up the ISO to the level where noise becomes unacceptable. The technique is to have a slightly lower speed and pan the camera, keeping the car in the place in the viewfinder you want it and then take the shot as you continue to pan. This takes a LOT of practice but when it works you will get the vehicle nice and sharp with a blurred background which gives a much better impression of speed.