[rkg]

Originally Posted by gkrishn

Did this happen at canon's own service center or at deendayal at cmh road???

it is from canon's own service centre at malleswaram. at first the guy said "it looks like exposure problem but they dont have expertise to repair and it has to be sent to delhi. it will take 15 days time". so i gave it for repair. after 20 day i went to collect.it is still in delhi.they promised it will be back in a week. after 10 days no information at all. i called canon 24 hour call centre number and got one nambiyal number ( person who looks after canon in south) i had to make more than 15 calls to get an estimate of 10.5 K without actully given the reasons in writing for the same. then i asked them to return and they did so after few more calls.
at my insistance they told me orally entire assembly has to be changed. what surprised me is if entire assembly has to be changed how the camera shows the objects in low light or inside home but not in balcony or outside? is enitre assembly is wrong i should not have been able see objects inside home?
what is your say on this


Deen dayal told me on phone that this is common problem in canon it costs me Rs 4-5 K without even seeing the camera. then i went o malleswaram centre

[kvish]

Originally Posted by navin

I am not into birding but a fast tele will help with school sports and the occasional trip to a sanctuary or a zoo (not the Mumbai zoo).

of the lot you have listed above the f2.8 tamron or sigma look very interesting as does the 50-500! any idea of the prices on these lenses?

the pentax 50-135 is not long enough and $1000 to boot.

The Sigma 50-500, aptly called as the BIGMA, retails for around $1000.
The other two are expected in the same price bracket too. (but still unavailable).

Check out the pentax lens roadmap here:
http://www.digital.pentax.co.jp/en/lens/roadmap.pdf

[tsk1979]

BIGMA is actually a nice lens. There is a Sigmonster, a 200-500F2.8 in the offing too . But you need arnold to carry that lens for you

[navin]

Originally Posted by kvish

The Sigma 50-500, aptly called as the BIGMA, retails for around $1000.

I just did some shooting (my family had a get together and some of them got their dSLRs along) with a 20D and a 70-200/2.8 IS lens. I found it uncomfortable. funnily I was happier when the 70-200/2.8 IS was put on a heavier cam (in this case an older EOS 1). In short unless you are getting a big camera dont get a BIG lens.

I also used the 16-35/2.8 and 17-55/2.8 and for low light family photos I prefer the 16-35 to the 17-55. Yes the 17-55 had more range but the 16-35 was lighter and hence I was able to get into the action faster. plus I think the 16-35 had less distortion at the edges. However for my use the 17-55/2.8 will do.

The other camera i used today (Sat night) was the Sony R1. Damn it is sharp. For a ZLR (zoom lens reflex) it a killer cam. why dont they make more like them? Sony also makes a killer video cam that is now available in the grey market it is the CX7, it takes 6 mega pixels stills as well and it might well be best digcam/videocam combo out there. It was great fun following the kids (3-5 years olds) with the CX7.

[tsk1979]

IF only Sony R1 had longer zoom and a better bulb mode, I would have got that.
The lens alone is worth 1000$+

[navin]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

IF only Sony R1 had longer zoom and a better bulb mode, I would have got that.
The lens alone is worth 1000$+

you are right if it could retain it's sharpness and go 24-200 (8x zoom) it'd be a killer cam, then again if they cold only slap on decent sized sensors on the Fuji S8000fd or Oly 560UZ...aaah if wishes were horses....

BTW I suspect Sony will have a 24-140/2.8-3.5 version out soon. this coupled wiht a 2x teleconverter might be "IT" (compact, dust sealed, etc..).

After playing around with a 16-35 and 17-55 I much prefer the IQ of teh 16-35 but given that I intend to get a 2 lens solution the 17-55 is more suitable. GKrishn/Tanveer that 16-35 is a killer lens. I used it on the 20D and on an EOS 1Ds-II along with a 70-200/2.8 (which is too heavy for the 20D), no way i could live with a 16-35/70-200 combo. Best situation was when I put a 17-55 on the 20D and the 70-200 on the 1Ds. The 1Ds focuses so fast even in poor light. Reports are the 40D is about as fast as the older EOS (1Ds-II) and the E3 with SWD lenses is even faster in AF. I never knew AF could be so fast.

[tsk1979]

Canon AF is fast, except for entry level where its more of a Joke.
As for E3, most users say its blazing fast, and finally even the viewfinder is great.
In the E510 level the best and brightest viewfinder I have looked through is the K10D. After a 350D it seems as if the sun has gone Nova.
I would suggest you stay away from Canikon for you needs. You will find fulfillment in either Pentax or Olympus, because frankly speaking, they are better cameras with more features.
Buy the E-3. You will overshoot your budget, but in the long term it would be cheaper.
Just get the 12-60SWD and the 70-300, and you are all set.
Worrying about sharpness, shoot at F6 or something like that, don't open the lens fully wide. You lose a stop, but IS will compensate for that.
Moreover pixel peeping will come into play only on crops, even with blowups you need to really screw up the image to mess up things such that some PP cannot fix it.

[navin]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Canon AF is fast..As for E3, most users say its blazing fast..I would suggest you stay away from Canikon for you needs. You will find fulfillment in either Pentax or Olympus, because frankly speaking, they are better cameras with more features.
Buy the E-3. You will overshoot your budget Just get the 12-60SWD and the 70-300...

Pentax just does not have a decent long lens (70-300mm in FF). Oly however has decent lenses (12-60 and 50-200) but is a good $600 over my budget (while the Canon 40D is $300 under budget), besides I cant borrow lenses from my relatives. My niece (who has a EOS 1Ds, and a host of f/2.8 - I played with the 16-35/2.8 and 70-200/2.8 IS last night - lenses has volunteered to let me borrow the lenses if I need them).

This along with the fact that I have a 420EX flash (got it with my G2 in 2001) gives Canon the edge.

[ravibhat]

My experience woth digital cameras:

I have used FinePix S7000 digi cam its fantastic. At present I am using Kodak C763 which is pathetic. When I discussed about digi cams I came to know only Canoon and FinePix Fuju film digi cams are very good.

However best photographer can make wonders with any camera

As far as Cam Corder goes its Sony always.

My Next digi cam will be canoon adn finePix one each.

Regards,

Ravi.

[snaronikar]

Can anybody sugggest where can I get 1GB Memory card for Olympus. The current cust quoted by GK Vale is around Rs.2000/-. Where can I get at much lower cost in Bangalore? OR Should I try in online shopping like ebay/timesshopping etc? Need suggestions

[rkg]

Originally Posted by snaronikar

Can anybody sugggest where can I get 1GB Memory card for Olympus. The current cust quoted by GK Vale is around Rs.2000/-. Where can I get at much lower cost in Bangalore? OR Should I try in online shopping like ebay/timesshopping etc? Need suggestions

go to SP road .i hope you know where it is. try any shop. you should be getting it for 800-1000 with one year warranty.of course it will be not be having the factory packaging.
i got sony memory stick pro duo 2 Gb for 1100/- in may 2007 with one year. 1 gb was quoted 700/-
same price was quoted for XD card also( for oly and fuji)

[Samurai]

Here is a bunch of high ISO shots taken by a new E3 user using out of the box settings and very little PP.

E-3: A little toughness test at Thai Boxing (imgs) [Page 1]: Olympus SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

[navin]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Here is a bunch of high ISO shots taken by a new E3 user using out of the box settings and very little PP.

thanks samurai, i'm still in 2 minds.

based on prices from Bhphotovideo
canon 40D (with 17-55, 70-300/VR, BGE2n) = $3000 (I have a 420EX flash)
Oly E3 (with 12-60, 50-200 (non SWD), FL36 and HLD4) = $3875

in favour of Canon
1. Share 420EX flash with my G2
2. Exchange/Share lenses with relatives (in particular the 70-200/2.8 IS)

BTW I am now also thinking of getting a digi frame like the ones from digital spectrum.
The Perfect Digital Picture Frame
Digital Spectrum | NuVue NV800 Plus, 8.0" Digital | U40114

[Samurai]

Strictly by technical merits, E3 is the superior package. But you will lose the obvious advantage of sharing lenses and the local support/resale network of Canon.

I think you have researched enough, you know all the pros and cons, it is time to make your decision.

[gkrishn]

Originally Posted by Samurai

it is time to make your decision.

,Also i need to see those pics taken at 24mm at 2.8 at less than 1/10s...