Advice for SLR replacement as family quality camera

[pmgd]

I need a new 'quality' camera for the family. We currently own a new small Canon P92 for extreme portability and a 15yr old pentax SLR with 28-80 & 70-210 lenses.

I have decided on a high-end non-SLR for the ability to get a big zoom (no lenses to carry anymore -hurrah) and the availability of a movie mode (no video to carry -just in case- on holiday).

Application is capturing family events, landscapes and architecture on vacations.

I have a deadline of an August purchase and am currently leaning towards the Nikon880, unless someone here can convince me otherwise or you've heard rumors of another possible to be released in the enxt 6 months.

One particular feature I'd like to have (in theory) is depth of field preview. I believe only the A2 has this – and it is almost never mentioned in reviews. How come? Is this not a really useful feature? Perhaps the digital ability to instantly review the actual pic taken renders it unecessary?

As requested, here are the answers to the questionnaire:

Budget: Upto £800 – sufficient for any of the current high-end nonSLR digital cameras
Size: Happy with a SLR-type size
Mpix: At least 6 – I'd like to do blowups .. but also crop significantly and still get good res.
Zoom: 28-200 vital. [ 35 + adaptor is OK ]
Image Quality: 8
Manual Controls: Vital .. but also excellent point&shoot
Usage: To complement our small family digital (Sony P92) for wide angle, landscapes, holidays, special events
Prints: I'd like to aspire to take good enough shots to blow up to big prints
Indoor: Yes .. no nighttime shots
Action: not usually
Models: Minolta A2, Minolta, A200, Nikon8800, Canon Pro1

[speaklightly]

Pmgd-

I see you as being right on the borderline between a consumer type dSLR and a fixed lens digital camera. You mention the Nikon 8800 and others like it in the Nikon line, that would include the 8700 and the 8400 (necessary to get that wideangle you desire)

It is just my personal opinion of course, but the prices of those Nikon fixed lens digital cameras are fast approaching the cost of a Nikon D-70. Here in the United States, Nikon is offering a $200 rebate on the D-70 kit, bringing the price down to about $ (US) 850 or about 500 English Pounds. With a dSLR like the D-70 you would have much higher (ISO 1600 max) available to you on the D-70, rather than the lower (400 ISO) that is available on the 8400/8700/8800.

The kit lens on the D-70 is excellent and it would give you the wide angle you desire, and then add the telephoto and you would still be within your budget. Just a suggestion.

Sarah Joyce

[pmgd]

Sarah - yes I am on the borderline ..but have moved away from SLR for the following two reasons:

1. 28-200 zoom for dSLR is expensive and mostly unavailbale (am I wrong?).
I *really* dont ever want to change lenses again.

2. SLR doesnt do movie - which I know is sort-of a gimic but I think it would enhance my usage enormously.

I did look at the 8700 and 8400 but they didnt appear to offer anything more than the 8800 - which has other additional features.

[timmciglobal]

Well...

They do make a 18>125 dSLR lens which is 28.8>200 once you factor in crop.

Tim

[dwig]

Personally, I recently went for the CP8400 for much the same use. Tele is limited (~85mm equiv) without relying on the digital zoom. Nikon's tele attachment gives slightly over an equiv of 240 but ups the price. I chose the 8400 for the 24mm wide angle w/o attachments. I use this much more frequently than longer teles so opted for the WA as part of the native capability with the option for a tele attach. I also gain the option of a WA attach for even wider (~18) angles. My previous main digicam is a CP950 (35-105 equiv) and a W63 attach (~28 equiv). Works fine but only 2mp and not wide enough for my warped tastes.

I'd second the nomination of the 8400, perhaps with the tele attach, and the 8800, with a WA attach if you need wider than its native 35mm equiv. A D70 with something in the range of an 18-125 would also be a good candidate. There's also an Olympus C-8080, of which I have no personal experience, that covers 28-140 (equiv) without attachments.