Camera help for Lawchick
Dec 23rd, 2007 | 03:45 AM
#21
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,067
Likes: 0
mcnyc - definition of "heavy" and "easy to carry around" depends on alot of things. First, how big are you? - I am a 5'2" female and a camera that feels heavy to me does not feel heavy to my 6' husband. Second, how long at a time are you going to be carrying it. When I travel I literally have it on my shoulder (or in my bag which is then on my shoulder) about 15 hours a day or more. I walk 10 miles or more some days. Before I got my Canon Rebel I borrowed a friends Nikon D50 but I was only carrying it around for 2-3 hours at a time. It didn't bother me. It's the day after day of a trip that makes it feel heavy.
I've had several "prosumer" digital cameras (Nikon 5700, Minolta Dimage) and they are lighter than the SLRs but when you add on the converter lenses, which I do, they are getting up there in weight. The Panansonic is by far the lightest. But I would never use a camera just because it is light. Otherwise I'd just use a pocket sized point and shoot (which I also always carry as my back up - and in some cases it takes fantastic shots). But the Panasonic is the best of the prosumer cameras I've used (except the Olympus UZ2100 which was incredible, but only a 2mp and Olympus has not been able to make a higher mp camera anywhere near as good).
Even the SLRs fit in a large sized pocketbook, you don't need a special camera bag, and they are lighter than the film SLRs which many of us carried around for years. But for me at least, it's too heavy to be comfortable and since there is an alternative it's just not worth it to me.
I've had several "prosumer" digital cameras (Nikon 5700, Minolta Dimage) and they are lighter than the SLRs but when you add on the converter lenses, which I do, they are getting up there in weight. The Panansonic is by far the lightest. But I would never use a camera just because it is light. Otherwise I'd just use a pocket sized point and shoot (which I also always carry as my back up - and in some cases it takes fantastic shots). But the Panasonic is the best of the prosumer cameras I've used (except the Olympus UZ2100 which was incredible, but only a 2mp and Olympus has not been able to make a higher mp camera anywhere near as good).
Even the SLRs fit in a large sized pocketbook, you don't need a special camera bag, and they are lighter than the film SLRs which many of us carried around for years. But for me at least, it's too heavy to be comfortable and since there is an alternative it's just not worth it to me.
Dec 26th, 2007 | 11:30 AM
#22
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,129
Likes: 0
Hi Isabel,
Thanks for your helpful, detailed response. I'm looking for something that feels just right in my hands. I used to be a pro with film SLR cameras (Minolta), but when I went digital, I went for the everyday kind of camera. Nice & lightweight in the pocket, but not so great in the picture department.
Was thinking about the Nikon D40x, but am hesitant to get a camera with VS in the lens and not the camera itself. Probably will just go with a prosumer camera in the meantime, but still look for a digital SLR in the meantime. I'd love to get a Nikon D80, but it's just way too much for my budget. And by the time I save up for the camera, it'll be old news and I'll have a new camera to aim for (which will end up with me using the camera money for travel, which isn't a bad thing).
Thanks for your helpful, detailed response. I'm looking for something that feels just right in my hands. I used to be a pro with film SLR cameras (Minolta), but when I went digital, I went for the everyday kind of camera. Nice & lightweight in the pocket, but not so great in the picture department.
Was thinking about the Nikon D40x, but am hesitant to get a camera with VS in the lens and not the camera itself. Probably will just go with a prosumer camera in the meantime, but still look for a digital SLR in the meantime. I'd love to get a Nikon D80, but it's just way too much for my budget. And by the time I save up for the camera, it'll be old news and I'll have a new camera to aim for (which will end up with me using the camera money for travel, which isn't a bad thing).
