What kind of a photographer are you?

[Gary Sheynkman]

Lets be honest with ourselves. There are some of us here who have small 2-3 megapixel camerax they use for occasional shooting and other who have huge dSLRs that they lug around.

My dad has a Sony 717 (the 5mp monster) and i have an old 2mp sony cybershot. And while i dont like it that much (slow...settings bug.....bulky by todays stardard) it gets more use than my dads camera which is tucked aways around half way around the world from where we vacation.

So...another poll!

[JR]

I just point and shoot with my Canon S50. I haven't even had a chance to read the manual yet so it's stuck on Auto. I'm hoping that spending some time here will motivate me to learn some of the cool features of the camera (I know they're in there :)).

[Godsongz]

My Rebel so far goes with me just about everywhere. The honeymoon isn't over yet with this camera though, and I may someday end up with a smaller point&shoot digi to keep close when I don't always want to lug the Rebel.

[Jason Dunn]

Insightful question and comment Gary. :way to go: For my needs, I need two cameras. This will make a good front page post once we get going, but in a nutshell when I'm on vacation I decide if a specific event is one made for memories, or if the memories are secondary. ie: going to a nature preserve just screams "big dSLR", while going out for dinner with the family on vacation screams "bring the small S400 for a quick snapshot"...I need both types of cameras, no doubt about it.

[Suhit Gupta]

Well, I like my Canon EOS 10D very much. In fact I am currently saving up (or at least trying to save up, cost of beer in NYC makes this prohibitive) for a telescopic lens. I love astronomy and am hoping to invest in some sort of setup where I can plug the camera into a telescope of sorts. Let's see what comes out of this, I have some ideas. Any suggestions?

Anyways, even though the 10D is heavy, I carry it around almost everywhere. Though I also carry my Powershot S300, in case there is a point and shoot emergency ;-).

I am noticing a lot of people carry around two digital cameras. So what do you guys think? Is it worth it to carry one beefy camera that may require more setup time, and a light fast point and shoot?

Suhit

[bryus]

I traded my APS Minolta Vectis S1 SLR in for a Canon PowerShot S30 just 14 months ago and went fully digital. The Powershot was a reasonably priced camera with full SLR type functions and good picture quality. It also allowed me to keep my CF cards from my handheld.

I don't carry it with me, but I do use it whenever we go somewhere that may have phot opportunities.

JR,
Do read the manual that came with your S50, I am sure it is just an update of the one that came with my S30. Canon does a great job of explaining the functions and how to use them. It also explains what the settings mean, which is very important.

[JR]

JR,
Do read the manual that came with your S50, I am sure it is just an update of the one that came with my S30. Canon does a great job of explaining the functions and how to use them. It also explains what the settings mean, which is very important.

Thanks bryus. That helps me move it up the priority list. I'll read it this week.

[marlof]

I can't answer this poll. I have a film SLR (ancient Minolta X700), I have a point and shoot digital (Digital Ixus 300), an oversized one with tons of manual controls (Leica Digilux 1) and my latest addition, a large one body design (Sony Cybershot DSC-F828). I wouldn't exactly call the Leica and the Sony point and shoot cameras, since that's not exactly their forté.

[aroma]

I currently have a 35mm Film SLR and a Digital SLR. When I'm out and about, I take the Digital SLR and appropriate accessories.

- Aaron

[JR]

I currently have a 35mm Film SLR and a Digital SLR. When I'm out and about, I take the Digital SLR and appropriate accessories.

- Aaron

OK, it's time for my first "super-newbie" question: What does SLR stand for/mean?

[Suhit Gupta]

SLR = Single Lens Reflex.

Digital SLR cameras usually refers to professional camera that come with a body alone, and no lens attached. One has to pick a lens to fit onto the body. This is where you hear of the 28-80 or 28-300 lenses. That talks about what kind of lens you are getting.

Suhit

[Honda_Civic_Si]

Single Lens Reflex cameras also means that what you see through the lens is what you get in the photograph. Many of todays point and shoot digital cameras have a separate viewfinder, the SLRs do not - this is much better for photographs.

I have a new Samsung Digimax 360 Digital camera and I borrow my dad's film SLR. Both are a lot of fun, but my Digi camera is so easy to point and shoot. I like to adjust the aperture, film speed, F Stop, but sometimes there isnt enough time...

-Justin.

[Jon Westfall]

What kind of photographer am I? a bad one.

But perhaps I'll get better. My XDA II photo album (see personal site) still leaves much to be desired.

And of course, there's always www.badholly.com and www.eviltony.com that could use some refinement.

[sublime]

I'm a photographer of four days with great aspirations, very limited knowledge, and perhaps even more limited technology. After reading these posts and seeing pictures in different magazines, I've come to realize that a digital point and shoot will not be good enough for taking the awesome pictures I want to take. I guess then that this Powershot a70 is just to be considered my training wheels until I get a big, bulky camera with many big lenses to go with it.

[Bob12]

I didn't vote since there wasn't an appropriate choice. I have a digital SLR, a 35mm SLR, and a digital point and shoot and carry them all in a Pelican case. The digital SLR (currently a Canon EOS D60, soon to be replaced with a Canon EOS-1D Mark II) is my primary camera with the 35mm Canon EOS-1N serving as its backup. The point and shoot is a Sony CD400 which I use for "quick" shots and other everyday situations.

[Bob12]

Sublime - when you go to a camera with interchangeable lenses, here's something to consider. Unless you are doing very specialized photography, you can quite often do everything you want with just a couple of lenses, a wide angle zoom and a telephoto zoom. For example, my two lenses (for my Canon SLRs) are a 17-40mm and a 35-350mm. I use the 35-350 at least 90-95 percent of the time. On my digital SLR, because of the multiplier factor of the imagers, they provide longer focal length ranging from 27mm to 560mm on the D60 and 22 to 455mm on the upcoming 1D Mark II.

[sublime]

For example, my two lenses (for my Canon SLRs) are a 17-40mm and a 35-350mm. I use the 35-350 at least 90-95 percent of the time. On my digital SLR, because of the multiplier factor of the imagers, they provide longer focal length ranging from 27mm to 560mm on the D60 and 22 to 455mm on the upcoming 1D Mark II.

Whoa. That's all Chinese to me: I didn't understand a word of it. Where's a "Smile and Nod" Emoticon when you need one? :confused totally:

[dartman]

I didn't vote since there wasn't an appropriate choice. I have a digital SLR, a 35mm SLR, and a digital point and shoot and carry them all in a Pelican case. The digital SLR (currently a Canon EOS D60, soon to be replaced with a Canon EOS-1D Mark II) is my primary camera with the 35mm Canon EOS-1N serving as its backup. The point and shoot is a Sony CD400 which I use for "quick" shots and other everyday situations.

I hope you keep that Pelican case chained to your wrist, especially after you get that Mark II! That case will be worth more than my car.

Looking forward to your take on the new camera. When is it due?

dart

[Suhit Gupta]

For example, my two lenses (for my Canon SLRs) are a 17-40mm and a 35-350mm. I use the 35-350 at least 90-95 percent of the time. On my digital SLR, because of the multiplier factor of the imagers, they provide longer focal length ranging from 27mm to 560mm on the D60 and 22 to 455mm on the upcoming 1D Mark II.
What make is your 35-350mm?

Suhit

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

It's a Canon L lens. Older make. It's pretty rare by now.

sublime: In very simplified English, focal length refers to the size and the field of view a lens gives. ~50mm in 35mm camera terms is what is considered "normal". Anything larger than that is a telephoto, smaller than that is a wide angle lens. A telephoto lets you enlarge things from far, and wide angles let you take in the scene.

[Bob12]

SG - the 35-350 is a Canon EF USM lens.

Dartman - not chained, but fully insured. Plus, at 33.5 pounds (15.2 kilograms), it's not likely many would be able to "run" off with it :) The Mark II is due by mid-April.

Sublime - Lenses for single lens reflex (SLR) cameras are designated by their focal length with 50mm generally considered 1 to 1 or full size. Anything less than 50mm is wide angle and the lower the number the wider area you can fit into the picture. 35mm or 28mm are generally very popular sizes. On the other end, the higher the number, the more telescopic the lens is. So a 350mm lens would be a 7 power telephoto (350 / 50 = 7). Imagers in most digital SLR cameras have a multiplier because of their size and structure. The Canon EOS D60/10D/Rebel 300D imager has a 1.6 multiplier so that a 35-350 lens becomes a 56-560 or from slightly more telephoto than normal (56mm or about 1.1 power) up to long telephoto (560mm or about 11.2 power). The new Canon EOS-1D Mark II has an imager multiplier of 1.3 so multiplying 35 & 350 (for the 35-350 lens) gives me effective focal lengths of 45.5mm or slightly wider than normal up to 455mm or about 9 power telephoto.

[Littleshmee]

Back to the original topic... What about in between?

I don't have an SLR, but I wouldn't consider myself a point and shoot person either - I only use auto modes for pictures at parties and whatnot.

So what category would a camera in, say, the Canon G series fall under?

We could come up with a new name, how about CASBY? (Can't Afford SLR But Yearns)

[bjornkeizers]

I only have a Canon Digital Ixus V2; it's only a 2mp, but it does make some fan-tas-tic pictures. It's small but quite heavy (all metal body!) I really like the style and size, but I want something a bit bigger - better optical zoom and higher MP. Might go for a DSLR, but probably not because of cost.

[ryaninc]

I have a Fuji 2600 digital point and shoot (2MP) and a JVC miniDV video camera which has a 1.3MP still mode. I use the Fuji mostly. It's only 2MP, but it works perfectly for me. I only use the still mode on the video camera when I just want to carry around one device. It's low resolution, but it comes in handy sometimes. :roll:

[JR]

What kind of a digi cam user are you?

Actually, I'm a "Man, I wish I'd remembered my camera" digi cam user. It never fails that I forget my camera at least half of the time I want to take a shot. :drinking:

[Suhit Gupta]

Actually, I'm a "Man, I wish I'd remembered my camera" digi cam user. It never fails that I forget my camera at least half of the time I want to take a shot. :drinking:
So perhaps you should get one of those cell phone cameras, or one of those thin little Casio Exilim units. Perfect to catch you/your friends in compromising situations. :-D

Suhit