Hi,

I just need some support on what to buy, and I'm quite settled in either Pentax K10D or Canon Powershot S3 IS. Yes I know one's a DSLR and one's a super zoom, but price is an issue since I dun shoot professionally, nor am I loaded.

But however, I do want your opinion about these cameras and others (u know my budget since I mentioned both of the cameras in different categories rite?Loxl)

I've heard alot of ppl telling me about Nikon D40 and D40x, and etc. I've not actually gripped them, but the 2 above I've pretty seen the manual settings, the EVERYTHING la. Kinda lazy to mention features.

Well, I hope to get feedback regarding those two, or any other superb cameras in the same price range.

Thanks

both are in the same price range? if budget allows, definitely k10d..

it really depends on what you want. the canon s3is is a great ultra zoom camera but it is obvious that its image quality will never be on par with dslr cameras. however, it provides hybrid functionality as it can record movies (in stereo) and the video quality is excellent.

on the other hand, if image quality is what you want and nothing else then maybe Pentax K10D will be suitable. if i'm not mistaken, it is still above the 3k price. i think recommended price is at rm3888 or something like that.
thats quite a lot of difference between the 2 cameras. you can get the s3is for around rm 1400 + . Unless u are talking about k110 d or k100d which is both priced around RM2300-2600.

you cant really compare semi pro cameras with dslr cameras. The latter will always yield better images but will be harder to use and require much time and effort to take great pics. with the s3is, it is easier to lug around and also much user friendly. you might want to consider getting a prosumer camera like the s3is or panasonic FZ8 or sony h9/h7 and decide later whether you need a dslr later.
just my thoughts

Price range diffferent, usage also different. How to compare?
If like that can compare, then i suggest you buy camera phone. Can shoot and can call some more. Lagi worth.

hahahha

since u say u dont shoot professionally,u can get S3 IS ,which is a very good camera even im using,have a look at my sig for my gallery.also DSLR is never ending story which u can spend unlimitedly on lenses .at 1st my 1st choice was a Nikon D40, though cant afford other accesories or more lens,which i surely get addicted. as u get the s3 is u can use auto or program mode, and slowly learn manual by s3 is.

actually prosumers have nice picture quality as well.

IMO the difference between prosumer and DSLR would be flexibility.

a prosumer comes straight away with tele and macro modes while DSLR you're stuck with kit lens. so at default, prosumer wins on flexibility. you can go around anywhere and snap.

on the other than DSLR's flexibility is that you can change lens, additional cost but your flexibility is pretty much limited by your wallet.

as to better image, really it depends. i've seen plenty of prosumer / compact users that take better shots than DSLR users.

yea gold fries is right , there are plent of prosumer/compact users take good shots example CompMac who uses an Olympus prosumer

This post has been edited by sherren: May 22 2007, 04:44 PM

i'm a Fujifilm prosumer user myself. and i still have Olympus P&S too.

usually i put it this way
1. if you're lazy to lug lens around, you don't like the hassle of changing lens and you're not willing to spend on lens = go prosumer
2. you don't mind lugging lens around, don't mind the hassle of changing lens and you're willing to spend on lens = you should consider DSLR

even now, after spending nearly 4k on DSLR (4k is small figure la for DSLR users) i still haven't got my macro lens. plans spoiled when someone offering me 18-200mm lens.

martin parr took better images with his k750i compared to some of the images i have seen from dslr cameras. in fact, when i used my bro in law's sony alpha, all i used was the green picture on the dial. sad..

wah lao
Prosumer compare to Pentax Semi Pro K10D?

He didnt even states what he want to shoot with in the first place. how to give opinion on which to choose

hehe. K100D would be a more appropriate comparison, even so the K100D still costs more than the S3 IS.

Just Get S3 IS ,save $$
becarefull of shin chan will poison u kau kau


Good Choice

This post has been edited by sherren: May 22 2007, 04:58 PM

i think he meant k100d not k10d as it is RM 3880!!

K100D has a few nice stuff
1. AA battery (good or not, depends on your preference)
2. comes with IS
3. SD card (good if you want to kongsi card with your P&S)

but it is ugly in my opinion
the lettering on the camera looks like at was written with correction fluid

i should spray-paint my 350D in bright red.

nah....the canon 350d looks good as it is
maybe can spray white stripes
VENOM!

Since you dont shoot professionally, go for the Panasonic FZ-50! A great prosumer!

got budget then go for dslr la, prosumer cant learn much as dslr weh

but dont take the D40

That's a no brainer question. If you have the $$, K10D+ raw, don't bother with S3 or the D40(x)

oh really?

IMO. A prosumer can learn just as much as having a dslr. The only difference is that you cant change the lens. Macro on prosumer? get a +10 close up filter then you're ready to go. Wide angle? get an adapter. and the long zoom is really a benefit for alot of people.

wow, unbelievable, this is what i learned while i using my semipro, ya i learned that technique

wow, i really cant believe that you just dont get the whole idea. Didnt anyone tell you that it's not about the camera, it's how you use it?

and what you pointed out was just those non relevant fact about the whole idea which im trying to say at the 1st place. maybe i didnt make it clear. that's my bad.

But im done telling yada yada and bla blas to shallow type people like you, And that's part of the reason why i stopped posting pics here, cant learn much at all. IT's the simple truth, sorry to others if they feel offended reading this.

Im off this thread. Have a good time here m8.

to the mods: this was never a flame or anything, i just wanted to point out something which is very true in the photographic world. I just wan someone to know. That's all i can say.

This post has been edited by R a D ! c 4 L: May 23 2007, 06:56 PM

Rad!c4L,

Sad words. I understand your plight.

actually a DSLR helps me to learn better, just because i paid more, heck i'd better get more serious at it.... but its just the photographer...haha

Prosumer models like the PANA-FZ, FUJI-6500FD and FUJI 9600 would be better bridges to DSLR. Non-retractable lenses with zoom ring and large body does resemble that of a DSLR thus you get the feel already. Practise shooting thru the view finder......

OK. I liked to thank u all for the opinions( I've not read ALL of them YET)

My previous camera was C-770 Ultra by Olympus which prolly is the reason why I love photography now.

First of I did mean K10D. I've seen it. I love it. I've held it. I've shot with it.

Same goes with the S3 IS.

What I wanna shoot? Well, I dun shoot professional, but I do want quality pictures from the outset, (I dunno how to edit).

When I said that my budget range is between the 2 cameras. Meaning. From RM1699 (S3 IS) to RM3688 (i think, for the Pentax K10D). I know most noobs confuse 100D and 10D, but I'm not.

I know the range is big. BUt the thing is, it's kinda hard for amateurs like me to see the diff between the two. 6MP and 10MP is a big diff, but on prints, can't seem to see diff. I really like the quality of ISO noise of both cameras. Manual settings are good. Performance is steady in all settings.

But remember, super zooms can still take videos. Which I do wanna take from time to time. SLR's can't. And again, SLR is ssurely to pwn me. I would not know how to even USE different lenses.

By now, u'll prolly guess the budget isn't really the issue here. Which hence, prompt me for advise, not only for these two cameras but others in the same price range.

Prosumer, I consumer with semi professional needs? If that's the defination, then I'm prolly there.

Thanks again for all the comments thus far!! ^^

Radical >> FZ-50? Sorry, haven't heard of that model yet. Me amatuer ma.

I also understand your trouble. Got a few professional ppl working in Mags and writers who write there. MAybe u can teach me some skillz some time?

But I didn't know u could get different lenses for a super zoom camera

tongyam >> What's wrong with D40. Everyone is heralding it....

Alamak>> DSLR's does have it's cons for amatuers like me.

wlcling >> That's not true. It's just how much u can balance ur skill with ur camera. It took me awhile to appreciate the P mode on my C-770. After that I was bz playing with WB, ISO, F length, Shutter speed.

julchin >> Again, have not heard these models. Care to explain?







This post has been edited by Rithrade: May 24 2007, 11:08 AM

Actually really nothing wrong about D40, just shallow minded ppl seems to diss it.

If u are the one want to try on DSLR and want a good jpeg output quality and will not buy lens like nobody business, this is a very good camera.

Good ISO, auto WB, fast and quiet focusing.

Actually i really not bother to reply those "D40 vs <enter camera model> " thread now in here becoz of too many shallow ppl minded here, what reflect on Radical post.

When those ppl saw those thread, what 1st their post? "Hey, dun bother to buy that camera, nikon want to make ur moolah, what is that piece of crap can do without a internal focusing motor??"

But they fail to mention the pros of this camera

d40 is good for its price, but rather than saying it's crap, its better to say get another model,- if you have the budget

performance to price, its really good

The models I was talkting about are the ones like Panasonic FZ-30/FZ-30 and FUJIFILM 6500FD or 9600.

These are bridge cameras where in this case it bridges from the prosumer to the DSLR as it has many SLR like features. For example some of the models have hotshoe for external flashes and a non retractable Lens barrel with manual focus ring which you can use to practise before making the leap.

Hope this helps. You can google for the models if you want more in depth reviews....

hmmm, im taking that you are referring that the super zoom camera is somehow a prosumer camera like the FZ-50 which offers a 12x optical zoom. The FZ-50 is a prosumer(or some may call it a bridge camera) camera manufactured by Panasonic. Here's a review about it:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfz50/

Yes, you can get filters to attach on it to achieve some desired effects like doing super close ups, here's a site that teaches you how: http://azone.clubsnap.org/insectguide/page01.html

It's quite a good camera, I wanted to go for this camera last time, but i chosed something else

Im just a normal student who just love to take photographs, no more no less the only advice i can give u is, shoot more with your own camera, once you understand the camera better, you can shoot better too. Train your compositions in your photos. Invest in photographic magazines like DIgital Camera(imported version) and Practical Photography. These are just two examples, but both of them are great. And lastly, be true to your own style, and shoot, shoot and more shooting.

I hope this sums up your questions for now, if u want more info just give me a pm then ill try to help you out

Radical>> Thanks for the really helpful reply. I've recently heard about S5 IS. The thing is, I'm now not sure whether to wait for the camera, or buy it in the US.

Most of my funds are already in USD to buy iPhone(I actually HAVE TO use the cursed Nokia since my Samsung broke). Anyways the price for the S3 came to about Rm1000. Even after adding a 4GB SD card, it's still RM1400. I was like ...!!

julchin >> I'll definately look it up! Thanks for bringing the camera's to my consideration! ^^

wlcling >> HAha, I've read many good reviews about it too.

Gadget >> Chill dude, I didn't diss any D40.

Haha, then there's no doubt that the S5is will burn your pocket for around 1800 XD

On paper it looks promising, but if you can wait, i think there'll be a review about this camera soon. Haha And furthermore the S3 is won a highly recommended review title from dpreview.com. Not sure about the S5, still, looks promising.

There's no way I can ask you which camera you should get, the ones i suggested are quite good cameras. It's up to you to decide

Btw, congrats on the iPhone

nono, not accusing u dissing D40, but the longer u stay here, u'll know who thsoe ppl im talking about

anyway, just go to buy any camera that u feel suit u, then start shooting

totally agree. even on prosumers you can learn stuff like shutter speed, aperture, iso, wb settings so on so forth. not only that, you could also learn composition.

a prosumer also has more flexibility than a DSLR on kit lens IMO.


this one is not because of the feature on the camera, this one is because of mentality issue. humans are like that, what cost us more we tend to take it more seriously. sad but true.

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Added on May 25, 2007, 2:59 pm

yes. totally agree on this too.

btw for the magazines, you can get them below RM 10 if you know where to find. back issues are fine, what you want to learn is the technique.

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Added on May 25, 2007, 3:05 pm



based on your 2nd statement, it's not worth you shelling out ~RM 4k just to snap like what you can do with a sub 2k camera.




not just prints, even on screen. you see, 10MP seems like it's 50% bigger than 6MP but then you must realize the numbers 10 and 6 are derived from multiplication of width and height of the captured image.

so in actual use, like when you resize your pictures to show off - both will end up being around 640x480 resolution (sub 1MP) so ultimately it goes down to other more important factors.

This post has been edited by goldfries: May 25 2007, 03:05 PM

Radical >> Thanks again for all the input! Must cheng leong pui sh1t cha ^^

ANyways, iPHone? Oh...*reads back post* But alot of M'sians say it's locked. Grrr. Anyways, I'll know if it's true when I get there. If I can't get the iPhone, then I'll just buy my S3 there and then. I heard S5 is also rare in the US too woh =.=

gold >> WEll, price was never really the big issue. It's just like a graphic card. If ur shelling out RM1XXX for mid range, might as well shell RM14xx for top range ma. +400 only what. U know what I mean?

Anyways, thanks for your 2 cents. CAn claim the leong pui sh1t cha ^^

you didn't get what i mean. if graphic card RM 1k for 8600GTS you add a bit more to RM 1.4k to get 8800GTS, that one i understand.

but this is camera and your comparisons / options were
RM1699 (S3 IS)
RM3688 (K10D)

it's different from graphic cards already. the graphic card analogy was alright if you were comparing prosumer with prosumer or 2 objects of the same class and close price range.

but the thing is your options were Prosumer vs DSLR, price gap about RM 2k

if the way the way you're going to use the camera suits one that's at RM1.7 price level, then it's no point spending nearly RM 4k just to use at RM1.7k level.

this would be unwise spending. understand better?

Umm, honestly, gold, all I was trying to say that money is NOT an issue.


I'm was just wondering if I should really splurg on a DSLR when I know I'm not good enough yet, and I do need video capture.

Not to mention, that if I do get a DSLR, I need at least UV filters, a good Joby tripod, telephoto lens, and one other lens.

That would instantly double the RM3k to about RM6k.

Sure, I have no qualms about RM6k, but do I need it. That's why I posted this thread in the first place.

I'm sorry if there was any miscommunication. And sorry for the late reply, just noticed actually.