When do you know it's time to change camera/formats?

[hexar_hp5]

Hello All,

I'm just thinking out loud here and wondering if anyone would like to check my thinking.

Firstly I have to say that I'm am going to try and do this without sentiment, but as always it's probably going to creep in.

Okay, over the last month or so I have been doing some fairly extensive travel both with work and family. Most of it has included flying and hence airports, etc.

I have both digital and film cameras at home. The digitals are just little canon A590is p&s, well that's what I think the model number is and two hexar AF film cameras. I also have a canon FS4000U film scanner.

With my extended family dispersed over the globe and my wife requiring prints for her photo albums, both print and digital outputs are required.

On the travels I have only taken the little digitals.

The advantages have been I haven't had to worry about transporting film, developing, scanning, backend costs in time and money. I can see what the photo looks like straightaway.

The disadvantages have been I have found noise is horrible in lower light shots, which I have traditionally liked doing. I chimp at the output all the time and the people I have taken photo's of do the same. I find it horrible to compose using the lcd screen. The cameras output in 4*3 rather than the 3*2 I am used to, so I have to crop the photo's to print them. The viewfinder is awful compared to the hexars as is the response times.

So what do I do? Should I force myself to use the hexars more? Sell the hexars, though that would be a big step for me? Buy a small dslr?

Chimping is a crutch and I'm not sure if I would want to be without it on a trip where I couldn't retake shots. So that means either get really familiar with the film so that I know what the results are going to be.

I'm not a camera collector, so if a new camera comes in one has to go. I usually like to buy a back up of exactly the same type too.

Comments? Questions?
Thanks.

 

[mfogiel]

To put it really bluntly: if you like shooting in colour, stick with digital. As far as the choice of camera, it depends entirely on you, you can try anything from Canon G9 to Hasselblad medium format 50 mega pixels, or a field camera with a Betterlight scanning back. Since you have posted the question on this forum, you probably want something with a rf feel - well, I am not a fan of digital, but your options span from Ricoh GRD, through Sigma DP1 to Leica M8.

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

Use the hexars!
If you use them enough yu'll know what will come out. Then you don't need to chimp anymore.
Digital P&S seem to be nice and handy but as you mention, at high iso they certainly can't beat a good 400 iso film.
Maybe the new Panasonic LX3 will or the announced micro 4/3 system.

Cheers,

Michiel fokkema

 

[ldorsey]

Use the Hexars

Use the Hexars

I also have the Canon A590 IS that is used for those "just in case" happenings. It goes with me everywhere in my fanny-pack. I prefer to use my old YashicaMat and RolleiFlex MFs. I just can't beat the clarity I get with them compared to the p & s. I still prefer film even if it is a bit more inconvenient.

It all comes down to what you want to do with your pictures....

Is there a friend who has a camera that you might like and will loan it out to you?

Linda

 

[iamzip]

well, of course, people on this forum tend to like film. But for what you're describing, it really seems like you want a nicer digital camera. This would overcome the problems with low noise and composing with the LCD screen, plus the 4:3 ratio. If you don't mind lugging a dslr around, or maybe checking out some of the nicer compact digitals, that might really be your best bet.

 

[kxl]

Travel with both cameras, loading the Hexar with B&W film. Post your images on an online services from which your wife's relatives can vie and download images or order prints. Most, if not all of those online services also have some facility for ordering actual albums. You can do the same with B&W images -- just scan your negs and upload them.

The other option, as you stated, would be to dump your gear and buy a DSLR and an all-purpose zoom.

As to cropping, adjusting, etc... you'll just have to accept the fact that digital post-processing inevitably requires knowledge of Photoshop or similar software.

 

[Jason Sprenger]

I say use the camera that gets you the results that you prefer. For email and web-sites, you're tossing away resolution anyway, so for these a lab scan on disk would be okay, thus saving the FS4000 for printing enlargements from "the keepers".

But if the decision is for a higher quality digital, a little 8mp+ APS-C Canon or Nikon with a 24/2.8 and or a 35/2 might get you in the neighborhood of what you seek. My Rebel will shoot at ISO 400 pretty well and even 800 can be perfectly usable and with the smaller lenses makes a compact package. (Not RF small, but close.) And while the f2.8 and f2 are not screaming fast lenses, they are much faster than the zooms on most pocket cameras.

 

[akptc]

You mention wanting to shoot in low light. R-D1 plus a fast 50 or 35mm lens does the trick for me, I'd recommend an R-D1 - based kit.

Alternatively, a DSLR like the (smallish) Pentax K100D Super with an F2.8 zoom (24-60mm Sigma) has worked for me very well too. ISO 3200 on the Pentax is quite usable, I think.

Or, maybe try the Panasonic DMC-L1 with the kit Leica lens - very, very nice IQ and not too heavy.

 

[40oz]

Why not just use the better camera?

 

[back alley]

keep the hexars and carry/use for low light b&w, get yourself a sony a 200 for colour/travel/family shots.

my plan is the sony 200 and keep what i have for film.

the sony with kit lens is reasonably priced.