Hey guys,
Im looking to buy a new camera, lens.....
My old Olympus has just died out on me and it’s going to cost too much to get it fixed. Any advice anyone has will be more then useful.
Thanks
Im

The Canon Powershot G7 is a great buy.
Find out more on this site:
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/co...;modelid=14321

My other favorite would be the Nikon D2Xs & it is absolutely fantastic
Check it out here:
http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php...oductNr=25414#

These are two of my recommendations.
Well,I dont know your budget,type of use,quality that you are looking for,for me to suggest any suitable camera.

Thanks Harsha,
Mainly for wildlife photography,
will have a look at the links.
Thanks buddy.

If you don't want to go the SLR route then look into the new Olympus SP-550 UZ: 18x ultra zoom which will be out soon. You can read about it at http://www.dpreview.com/news/0701/07...mpusp550uz.asp

Thanks again for your posts.
Think I'm going go with this one.
Please let me know what you think.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/spec...on_eos400d.asp

sorry forgot to mention its working out to about USD 1250 incl of accessories
( extra lense, extra battery, charger, warranty, 2 memory cards...)

The Canon 400D is one of the most ubiquitous DSLRs around. Doesn't make it the best of course.
If you choose that route rememebr you will need to buy a really good lens, especially if your aim is wildlife photography. You will need at least a 300mm lens but preferably longer, and they don't come cheap. Look at other DSLRs from other manufacturers, Nikon, Sony, Pentax, Olympus. Sony, Pentax and Olympus have built in shake reduction which works with all lenses, and is very handy with big lenses. Canon and Nikon have special shake reduction lenses, which get to be serious money. Also consider things like batteries, memory card, sensor cleaning (built in or not?). Seriously if you are going to spend money on a DSLR look into it really well. And do not go off everything on dpreview - they have a heavy Canon bias.

Try this link, it is still warm from last week
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34937100
regards - tom

Jambo Hetismij,
Sorry guess I’m bugging you guys with all my boring question, but I’m only going to get one shot at this and I don’t get to have a look or the camera before I buy it so I’m depending on your comments and suggestion on this.
The price that I was quotes included a 75 -300 Tamaron lense, any good??
Thanks again for all your help
Regards
Imraan

Imraan
I did some searching for reports on the Tamron 75-300 but found nothing.
Here are three web sites I like so you might try further searches there.
http://www.dpreview.com/
http://www.steves-digicams.com/
http://www.photozone.de/
You're looking at the Canon 400D, a Canon lens of that zoom range would be better than the Tamron, but, I can't suggest one. Of course the Canon lens will be multiply times more cost than the Tamron. Tough choice sense the Tamron is probably ok and a Canon may not be worth the extra cost to you.
regards - tom

I just got a Nikon D80 and I am so thrilled with the pictures! Check it out!

We bought our daughter a Canon Digital Rebel. It took some awesome pictures (however I am in no way an expert).

Imraan: "I don’t get to have a look or the camera before I buy it so I’m depending on your comments and suggestion on this.
The price that I was quotes included a 75-300 Tamaron lense, any good??"

That's one big risk, Imraan...not looking before buying? I wouldn't worry about the camera, but the lens? I don't know the Tamron 75-300. It may well be good. You won't know until you try it out. My experience with third party lenses is that whether or not the image quality is respectable, the responsiveness of the lens is questionable...you can just about hear them creak and groan into action. By then, the subject has fled. You really do need to try a lens out before committing yourself, and to rely on nothing more than the advice of other people (including me) is foolish.

John

africa travel...I am looking at getting the d-80 for my bday in march. I was thinking of ponying up and buying the 18-200 lens with it. Did you get the 18-135 kit lens, and what do you think of it?

Amen to John's advice. If you have only "one shot at it," I'd strongly recommend sticking with Canon lenses for a Canon body, or Nikon for Nikon. Safari-goers here have been raving about the Canon 100-400 IS. And, since it's a telephoto, also get a short zoom.

Remember, even though it seems expensive now, your camera gear is really a small part of the total safari cost, and the lenses, if they are good ones with be with you for many years (I still have perfectly good Canon lenses that are nearly 20 years old, and they still take wonderful pictures.)

I am a firm believer in staying with the lenses made by the camera manufacturer. I got rid of all my second source lenses long ago after having problems with them (maybe bad luck but unwilling to take any more chances), and have had very good luck since.

Everything I've read (since I do not do technical quality checks myself) is firm on the fact that quality glass is even more important now with digital than it was with film.

And Image Stabilization or Vibration Reduction is a real help in low light conditions--the difference between fuzzy, disappointing pictures and shots that are sharp.

Jim

"Safari-goers here have been raving about the Canon 100-400 IS. And, since it's a telephoto, also get a short zoom."- Jim

Or, if the cost of that option is a worry, get the Canon 70-200 IS with a 1.4x or 2x teleconverter, same brand of course. Yes, I know that bothers some people who believe it's too much of a compromise with image quality (mentioned in another thread). However, I don't believe you'll be disappointed. My wife uses the 70-200 with a 2x and finds image quality as good as, if not better than, the 100-400 IS. I'm a firm fan of the 100-400, as I've had one for 7 years, but I also recognise the super qualities of the 70-200. A beautiful lens, it will be excellent used solo for those closer shots; and will give you a fairly decent long focal length in combination with a 2x and the DSLR's crop factor for the more distant shots.

There's a number of good options you can consider, including an even shorter zoom (which I think Jim was suggesting), and in the end your budget will rule. But I repeat, try things out before buying.

John

John, assuming from the price reference you are talking about the 70-200/4, do you find that the relatively small maximum aperture at 400mm with the 2x TC to be too limiting? Seems like that would really limit you to only bright sunlight pictures. I chafe with the 5.6 maximum on my 100-400, I can't imagine having to deal with f8.

No question that the 70-200/4 is a great lens in a stand-alone capacity -- it has been getting some rave reviews.

Chris

Hi Chris

Knowing some of John's work, I think he'll be talking about the 70-200 f/2.8 and with 2 X TC will give you f/5.6.
The maximum you'd want to go IMHO. ;-)

Cheers
Marc

No Chris, I was aware of Imraan's price reference, but I was referring to the 70-200/2.8. I doubt I would ever consider a 2x with the f4 model (I shudder when people talk about using a TC with the 100-400, even though some seem to do very well with that combination). In the other thread, I thought the f2.8 model was being discussed...my apologies if I was mistaken. Imraan's budget, if he has to adhere to it, would rule out the options Jim and I have mentioned. I just hope he has the chance to trial before purchasing whatever he goes for, because if he doesn't and he ends up with something quite unsatisfactory, he may as well break his budget and go for the more expensive options in the first place.

John

Sorry for the confusion -- it seemed strange to think about the f4 version with a 2x TC. I am quite new to the DSLR world, so I recently went through the "what lens should I buy" struggle myself.

I am convinced that the extra money that the better lenses cost is well worth it, and that if you are serious about trying to take good pictures, you are going to end up upgrading anyway, so you might as well just go ahead and get the good glass in the first instance.

Chris