Need Digital Help

fancycroozer · #1 07-20-2004, 02:00 PM

I've researched this thing to death and decided on the Nikon CoolPix 5700. But the more I read the more I see negative comments. Biggest complaint was that the batteries only last about 1 hr. I like the 5MP and the long zoom and the quality of the Nikon (atleast with their old SLR's). I've had a Nikon SLR for 30 years and just love it BUT recently on a trip to Europe had most of my film damaged so I'm going digital with reluctance (old habits are hard to break). What can you suggest with good quality? At this point I'm open for suggestions which are tried and true. Please, someone help.

Rhys · #2 07-20-2004, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fancycroozer

I've researched this thing to death and decided on the Nikon CoolPix 5700. But the more I read the more I see negative comments. Biggest complaint was that the batteries only last about 1 hr. I like the 5MP and the long zoom and the quality of the Nikon (atleast with their old SLR's). I've had a Nikon SLR for 30 years and just love it BUT recently on a trip to Europe had most of my film damaged so I'm going digital with reluctance (old habits are hard to break). What can you suggest with good quality? At this point I'm open for suggestions which are tried and true. Please, someone help.

I'm a Nikon SLR user too.

I've bought, used and sold on several digital cameras. Personally, I don't think they have the ruggedness of my Nikons. I would have gone for a Nikon digital SLR had Nikon not decided that none of my manual focus lenses are worth supporting on the D70/D100 (they do support them on the much more expensive D1/D2 though). As such, the D70/D100 are of less use to me than a chocolate teapot - not even the metering works with mf lenses.

Given that wonderful fact, I decided that if I'm going to go dSLR I shall go for Canon and get a Canon film EOS as well as a Canon digital EOS. At leats they'll share the same lenses.

In terms of zoom compacts, have you looked at the Canon S1? It's got quite a nice zoom length and looks like an SLR. The Panasonic FZ10 is good too.

Nikon's strange batteries are OK but personally I'd prefer something more normal like AA batteries. Canon's battery is the same as they use in their camcorders, I believe.

fancycroozer · #3 07-20-2004, 04:38 PM

Thanks for the input. You mean that our SLR Nikon lenses will fit Canon EOS?

Ray Schnoor · #4 07-20-2004, 05:08 PM

No, the SLR Nikon lenses will not fit any of the Canon digital SLRs.

Ray

Rhys · #5 07-20-2004, 06:37 PM

Nikon lenses will not fit a Canon camera.

Nikon AI and AIS lenses will fit but not function fully with digital cameras. The only Nikon lenses that will are the Digital AI lenses. Many of them won't work on older Nikons.

Basically, Nikon's made a pig's ear of compatibility as far as I can see.

Canon, on the other hand, when they dumped the FD mount in favour of the EF made compatibility between their film and digital cameras work perfectly.
As far as I know, only ED lenses will not work with EOS film cameras because they extend further inside the body than the EF lenses.

fancycroozer · #6 07-21-2004, 06:44 AM

Thanks all. I'm heading out to look at the Canon.

Jake Conner · #7 07-21-2004, 10:23 AM

Actually, since the Canon EOS has by far the biggest lens mount of any camera out there, you can (via adapters) use lenses from almost any system, including MF Nikons, on an EOS. Apeture is in stop-down mode only, but TTL metering, apeture priority, and manual mode are fully functional. A good page on adapters is here. You can even use Nikon AF lenses if you feel like it, though they'll of course be manual focus only.

Jake

Rhys · #8 07-21-2004, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake Conner

Actually, since the Canon EOS has by far the biggest lens mount of any camera out there, you can (via adapters) use lenses from almost any system, including MF Nikons, on an EOS. Apeture is in stop-down mode only, but TTL metering, apeture priority, and manual mode are fully functional. A good page on adapters is here. You can even use Nikon AF lenses if you feel like it, though they'll of course be manual focus only.
Jake

Now that's an interesting page. I checked with the local people: srb film service, in britain. They don't seem to have such an item listed so I emailed to find out whether they do them.

Having said that, it'd be of interest only if I were to put my 300mm + 2x teleconverter onto a Canon dSLR. Now that would give me a whopping 960mm lens equivalent. I do feel though that at $150 for the adaptor, it could well be better simply to sell one's existing glass and cameras in order to buy newer cameras and lenses rather than just buying an adaptor.

Jake Conner · #9 07-21-2004, 06:49 PM

Well, it depends what glass you have. I've got over $1500 in OM glass, including the legendary 90mm F2 macro (over a grand by itself, even today, and I don't think any of the modern macro lenses can match those specs), so if I got a digital EOS, I'd definitely get an adaptor to use it. How fast is your 300? It may be worth $150 to save it... EOS 300s go up to $3k for an F2.8, I believe.

Jake