What Canon DSLR? (39)

8MP dslrs ... from brad to brand, model to model they vary in iso performance. Even a humble 2005, 4MP Nikon D2Hs does stellar at iso1600.

What this packing of smaller pixels does in current dslrs & full frame dslrs is create a kind of clinical harshness, which to me is less pleasing photographically (and to various people on forums) than the more natural smoother older cams like the 1D (Canon 4.1mp) , D1H (Nikon 2.7mp ... which is a super at iso 800, 1600).

Users also accolade the natural colour, natural skin tone straight out of cam of these older dslrs over current dslrs which users need to do a fair amount of PP to get satisfactory.

For sports, social & event photography, newspaper shooters et al working with these small files of older pro cams which require no PP is such a boon. Shoot & send.

With its 45 autofocus points, 8fps, natural colours & natural tones straight from the cam i would choose the Canon 1D over 5D, 5DmkII, 7D. Also the 1D has 1/16000th shutter & flash synch of 1/500th (neither of which the 1Ds III nor 1D IV hash) does wonders for say shooting indoor strobe lit basketball.

If i was concerned about light in natural conditions the Nikon 1DH over the current D300, D700.

These both are so low cost, can be had apprrox £250 each.

Edited 18 Jan 11, 8:41 PM by candlefire

Yes, I'd already decided that, just waiting for the money now

'Kiss the boot of shiny, shiny leather' - Velvet Underground

I just now read that review. It is rather gushing ... some may say fanboyish and possibly sponsor centered. Im sure nonetheless 7D is a fine cam.

I tend to read dpreview as it is more sedate (nee balanced) ... also a range of user opinion from dpreview & canon forum of those who have had 1D series, 1DS series.

Modern dslrs are like point & shoot compacts with larger sensors .. they have made them that easy. Just set it on auto & its ready to go.

I personally like to know that i had an input in the image i took. The older pro dslrs give this along with straight from camera colours & tones which modern high end & pro dslrs need sometimes a fair amount of PP to match and even then retaining that digital clinical harshness which needs more PP to make it look natural.

Edited 19 Jan 11, 7:58 AM by candlefire

You do know that both high end and low end dSLR's (and film SLR's), old and new both have auto modes?

And that if you use the built in "picture styles" features you can get pictures out of the box on both with tones and colours exactly to your taste?

The only reason I can think for buying a "pro" dSLR is for some of the specialist features - e.g. the extremely fast frame rate on some of the 1D line or the incredible noise capability on the 5D line.

Buying a more expensive camera just to make yourself feel like you're doing more work seems... well... backwards?

Indeed, giving yourself extra work is the mark of the amateur and dilettante. I did plenty of work when I had my own darkroom and any way to speed up workflow is always welcome. I often use the P setting when I'm in a hurry because you can quickly shift the programme by a flick of the thumbwheel anyway.

'Kiss the boot of shiny, shiny leather' - Velvet Underground

Ah, now I tried that out, and for my 'normal' shooting the cheaper CF cards are fine, but when I used them for sport I found I was being hampered.. most memorably taking a sequence of my son scoring a try in the last minutes of the cup final, where the technology just blocked me from the final couple of shots I would have liked to have taken

The change to 8-channel transfer circuits in the 7D from 4 channel in the 5D, 5D MkII and 1D mk iv can't be a bad thing either

'More than just a few quick flashes!'

Photography is for me personal contact.

By doing click click leave it all to the camera to sort out we are loosing our immersion in the moment and in the subject.

Any creativity is i feel more than technical, i feel we should give ourselves a chance to enrich our soul in immersion.

.........

Here is an amalgamation of my posts

To recap

I am saying for me :

1. only spend £250 ... not ££££ on 1DS3, 1D4,5DII, 7D.

2. this will get an Older pro dslr of 5-8 years ago as the Canon 1D, Nikon D1H which for the reasons stated in my post is preferable to me than the 1D4, 1DS3, 5DII, 7D.

redgerbil wrote: Indeed, giving yourself extra work is the mark of the amateur and dilettante. I did plenty of work when I had my own darkroom and any way to speed up workflow is always welcome. I often use the P setting when I'm in a hurry because you can quickly shift the programme by a flick of the thumbwheel anyway.

One of the main reason to get a 5-8yr older pro cam at just say £250 is

I.e. it speeds up the work flow over modern high end, dslrs.

You live not too far fro me Red ... when you have the 7D, i will be more than happy to drop the 1D off to you. Then you can see what i am saying.

The batch processing I do is pretty quick and straightforward. I use photoshop, and have set up automated 'actions' which I use to rotate the image, to add the copyright, then to add the title, and then to reduce the image once to about 300Kb, and then to reduce the image again to i-phone size.

So once I've done my initial selection, crop, and light adjustment, the rest is automated and doesn't take me any time at all

I've processed the best maybe 40 or so from 450 odd shots in an afternoon, including sending them out over the 'net.

I know if its a single shot it takes a lot more time, and I do take ages over my kinky club shots sometimes, but then I'm not dealing with dozens at one go, so I can afford the time and enjoy it.

'More than just a few quick flashes!'