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Cameras?

oz_audio_toddoz_audio_todd
in Other Pastimes

Hey Guys,
Pretty sure there are a couple of Camera guys on here, so here is my situation:
I have a Nikon Coolpix compact(ish) camera. Takes great piccys a lot of the time, and actually takes AA batteries (I like that! :) ), but has some limitations: Sometimes I cant zoom in or out far enough (obviously not for the same picture) and I cant focus the dam thing manually! (grrrrrrrrrrr).

So if I want to get a SLR that will do better, what do I need to look at/ consider/ pay?

The cool pix suggests that the zoom range is 22 - 600 mm (and I have no idea if that includes the 1.5 correction factor thingy that the guy at the shop was talking about with SLR lenses).

I have heard that there is not enough difference between the Cannon and the Nikons, but they all try to sell you Cannon (?!)

Thanks Guys,
Todd

Comments

  • TwodogsTwodogs

    Toddus !!
    How much do you want to spend ?
    I'm an expert in photography, so long as it's point and shoot, I get confused with field of depth and aperture settings, Iris. SAE ? remember that one. Don't know what it means but it sounds official.
    One thing to consider is that SLRs can be thought of as 2 parts, body and lens. There is some argument for buying a professional body 2nd hand, they are built to last 4ever, theoretically. Whatever you do don't let the salesman sell you an SLK - that's a car.
    Hope that helps, if you need any relationship advice - you should ask for "Gee Emm".

  • JohnRJohnR

    22-600

  • oz_audio_toddoz_audio_todd

    hahahaha, Dogs, you're a nutter! :P Good to hear from you!
    Wasn't SAE something to do with how sensitive the film was??
    I was sorta thinking of may be a $K, but I think the best that will get me is like 300mm if I'm lucky(?)
    And yeah John - Nikon Coolpix L810 - "angle of view equivalent to that of 22.5-585 mm lens in 35mm [135] format" (whatever that means in the real world)
    T

  • JohnRJohnR

    You have a 22-585 (EFL) lens and sometimes you can't zoom in or out far enough?

    Ah... or you are saying you have an old Coolpix which doesn't have that range and the new one does?

    Just trying to understand what you need.

  • oz_audio_toddoz_audio_todd

    I have a Nikon Cool pix L810. That's all I have, just the one camera
    Sometimes cant get wide enough, sometimes cant zoom in close enough...
    I have no idea what EFL is.. :)

  • JohnRJohnR

    EFL is equivalent focal length, you just said above what it means :) It's the length of lens that you would have if you were using a (35mm) film camera.

    When you say you can't get close enough, you mean like to photograph a bug or a flower or something like that? In that case, you will be needing a macro lens.

  • TwodogsTwodogs

    EFL is Effective Focal Limit - the error in focus when changing the zoom ratio.

  • oz_audio_toddoz_audio_todd

    Actually, the camera sometimes does refuse to focus on things that are relatively close when I zoom in on them too! :)
    And I meant if I wanted to zoom in on a bird or something like that in a tree, I cant get zoomed in enough.

    So, what do I need to get/ look at/ consider/ pay then?

  • JohnRJohnR

    A long ladder ;)

    Seriously, if 585mm is not long enough, then you need to figure out how to get closer. Or be prepared to pay.

  • SeanoSeano

    Or get arrested for trying to shoot down light aircraft...

  • TwodogsTwodogs

    What's she doing up in the tree anyway ?

  • JohnRJohnR

    Hah hah!

  • oz_audio_toddoz_audio_todd

    wow, that's a serious looking lens!

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