Best Camera Setup for Z Cars

[Mike]

I'm considering the purchase of a good camera setup, ie: DSLR with interchangeable lenses. How many of you are into photography? After pondering the whole Canon/Nikon thing, I think I'm going for a Canon. But, my question is probably more suited toward the lens choices. If you are at a show, what kind of lens setup do you like? Would you spring for the f2.8 or go with something less expensive like the f4 's?

I've been looking at the Canon 7d, but, have been holding off until I hear about their new model coming out by the end of the year. I could spring for a 5d, but, don't really want to spend that kind of money right now.

Anyway, what do you guys use or think?

Mike

[Arne]

Mike, I'm shooting an old Nikon D40. Not at all state of the art anymore, but small, light and still takes great pictures. I have the kit 18-55 for general use, and a 55-200VR for longer shots. Also a very small, but bounce-able speedlite SB-400. The entire package was selected for size and light weight, so as not to weigh me down while hiking.

At least 90% of my photography is outdoors, so the slower ~f4.0 lenses are fine for me. If you are going to shoot much indoors (and the space is too large for a bounce flash), you may want a faster lens. For whole car shots, I like using the longer lens from farther away, tends to segregate the subject from the background. Of course, for small detail shots you will want a different lens.

Re: Nikon v. Canon - I've selected a Nikon the last two two times I went camera shopping from scratch, both 35mm and now digital. Started fresh both times, no holdover lenses, so I was open to any brand. I found that the Nikons felt better and more balanced in my hand than the Canons. So my recommendation is to find somewhere to go pick them up, touch them, hold them. Find out which brand/model fits your hands, which one feels best. Any of the major brands make good cameras, find the one that fits you best. Don't obsess over the specs, they are all overkill for average use.

Edited May 21, 2012 by Arne

[26th-Z]

Mike, I just bought a Canon 60D and love it. It has the features of the 5 and 7Ds at far less the price. Although I have nothing against Nikon products, I agree with Arne's comments. I prefer the Canon products for about the same reasons; weight, feel, comfort. Most everything I shoot is hand-held in all sorts of lighting situations and the Speedlite flash features work well for me. I have a globe top attachment for the flash which is real nice for interiors. I like the image stabilization feature of my 200mm telephoto and went to a lower f-stop (1.8) for my 24mm wide angle. The wide angle is very nice for architectural and interior shots. I also have a general purpose - 55-105 zoom. For car shows, I like to use a star filter to emphasize the chrome dazzle.

[steve91tt]

I've shot professionally for the past few years and I agree with the comments above. You aren't likely to push the abilities of a modern camera at a car show so any modern SLR body will do just fine. Lens choice is a personal taste. I like narrow depth of field shots to isolate the subject from the background. The faster the lens (F/2.8 better than F/4) and the longer the lens (200mm better than 18mm) the narrower the DOF. I also like the perspective you can get with a very wide lens like a 18mm on a full frame 5D, 7D, D700, etc. If you go with a crop sensor like on a D60 or D90 then you will need a wider lens to get the same effect. Camera shopping is fun! Good luck.

[Reverend]

I have Canon 600D, its basically the same camera as 60D. I think there is more lenses to Canon than to Nikon

[steve91tt]

I'd have to respectfully disagree. Nikon makes a complete line of lenses and the Sigma lenses also fit the Nikon body. I generally coach people new to photography to get what ever camera body feels best to them as the features of modern SLR's are all good enough for general photography. If you can't decide between Canon and Nikon go Nikon. Nikon cameras are generally more durable, they have a better flash system and if you want to upgrade your equipment in the future the Nikon pro bodies are better than the Canon pro bodies. If you would have asked me 5 years ago I would have said the opposite but in my opinion Nikon leaped ahead of Canon when the D3 was released. Canon has been playing catch up since. Just my $0.02.

[240260280z]

I like the Panasonic SLR-like for combining convenience, distance, glass, and noise.

I bought my daughter a Canon T2 plus a telephoto and she takes wonderful shots with it.

Of course these days it is the digital post editing that can make a photo "pop".

As above, get what you like. Further more, it is great to have a small compact with good glass to have in your pocket when you don't want to drag the camera bag.

These two sites should help a lot:

http://www.dpreview.com/

http://www.steves-digicams.com/

[JonnyRock]

I sport a Canon T2i as I appreciate the ability to shoot HD video as well. My standard setup is a 18-135mm kit lens and the f1.8 50mm lens. I've got nothing against Nikons, but I'm a Canon guy.

[Arne]

I've got nothing against Nikons, but I'm a Canon guy.

I've always ended up with Nikons, but there's nothing wrong with Canons. Hard to go wrong with either of those.

I like the Panasonic SLR-like for combining convenience, distance, glass, and noise.

I like those as well, except that the zoom and auto-focus on those is simply not fast enough to suit me. That's why I ditched the point-n-shoots and went DSLR.