canon dslr lenses type?

Hengky W

I'm thinking of getting a canon 500d dslr but I'm confused about all the available lenses. My question is what's the difference between EF lens L series, EF lens non L series, and EF-S lenses. What does USM means? And if I'm trying to get a non canon lenses (like tamron, sigma), what type should I get? How do I know which type of lenses fit with the canon 500d?

Thanks a lot in advance

Answer
The 500D will use both the EF and EF-S lenses

USM is the Canon designation for their fast auto-focus lenses (Ultrasonic Motor)

The only issue with lenses fitting on EOS cameras are with the 35 mm and full frame 1D and 5D camera bodies. The EF-S lenses interfere with those cameras mirrors.

Question about Nikon DSLR camera lenses?

Jen

Can every model of Nikon cameras fit every type of lens? sorry if that doesnt make sense but say you have a Nikon D800 and a Nikon D90. Can the lens on one of them fit onto the other camera?

Answer
Yes. All AF, AF-I and AF-S lenses will fit both the D90 and D800.

Because the D800 is a full frame camera, it automatically crops the image frame if you use one of your DX lenses. FX lenses can be used on both cameras.

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DSLR camera lens; HELP?

ILOVETHERA

Ok.=)
I have a standard Nikkor lens. I what to find out what lens are best with what!
Please answer what these lens do:
-Telophoto
-Macro
-Zoom
-Others

And please, what lens do you recomend for:
-Landacpe
-Sports
-Portraits
-Everything

One last question...I promise! =)
Ok, flashes-I dont get them!
-What types do what
-What possiton of the lens does what effect
-When do you use the flash and how.....

I know this is alot but I would REALLY appreciated it! THANKS A BUNCH!

Answer
Time to do some reading:

http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/how-to-choose-a-digital-slr-camera-lens/

http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/tips-on-how-to-use-camera-flash/

These sites will also help you:

http://www.digital-photography-school.com
http://www.kamerasimulator.se/eng.?page_id=2
http://www.illustratedphotography.com/photography-tips/basic

Going to fireworks tonight, what type of settings should I use on my dslr camera?

Chelsea Sm

So I recently got a new dslr camera, I'm wondering from experienced DSLR users, what are the best settings for fireworks..like iSO, shutter spead, lens opening, etc. I've never tried to take pictures of fireworks, so I don't want to try to go thru the Hastle of trying to change settings during the fireworks, thanks a ton!

Answer
Put your camera on a tripod.
ISO on 100, medium aperture, manual focus on infinity.

One possible method is this:

Set your shutter speed to "Bulb" and use a remote shutter release.

Take a piece of matte black fabric (like velvet) and hold it in front of the lens to keep out any stray light you don't want there. Quickly lift it away just before the actual explosion of the firework. That way you won't get trails heading upwards, but only the best part of the show. Do this either just for a single bang, or repeat the process to get several of them in the same photo.

This technique can also work for lightning, although you have to be very very quick, since lighting is a lot less predictable than fireworks.

P.S. changing settings is not a "Hastle".... it isn't even a hassle..... it's what it is all about! You should embrace the opportunity to try out new things and improve your skills.

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Did CANON ZOOM LENS FD 35-105mm is suitable for CANON T3i/600D?

Panos

I Have a CANON ZOOM LENS FD 35-105mm and i want to know if is suitable for CANON T3i/600D cuz i want to buy CANON T3i/600D and if is suitable i dont have to buy the lens that comes with it and i will buy body...Thank You..

Answer
No, your "FD" mount 35-105mm lens will NOT mount to a modern Canon DSLR. When Canon, in 1988, copied the Minolta Maxxum 7000 auto focus 35mm SLR (which was introduced in 1985 and set off the auto focus revolution), Canon unwisely abandoned the "FD" mount for the "EF" mount.

Nikon, on the other hand, has kept the same lens mount, the "F" mount, since around 1959. So a Nikon lens made in 1959 can, with some limitations, be used on any current Nikon DSLR.

Along with abandoning the "FD" lens mount, Canon has further confused things by their lower-cost "EF-S" lenses which are designed for their crop-sensor cameras such as the one you're considering. Canon screwed their consumers again by making the "EF-S" lenses unusable on their full-frame (6D, 5D, 1D) DSLR cameras. So some unknowing consumer buys aT3i and 2 or 3 "EF-S" lenses and later decides to upgrade to a Canon full-frame DSLR and discovers that their "EF-S" lenses are now useless.

Although Nikon also has lenses specifically designed for their crop-sensor cameras (the DX lenses), they chose to protect their consumers by allowing DX lenses to be used on their full-frame FX (D600, D800, D3x, D4) DSLR cameras by allowing the DX format lens user to "tell" the camera its a DX lens so the camera automatically crops the FX sensor to the size of the DX sensor. Yes, some resolution is lost but at least those DX lenses can still be used.

Buy the camera of your choice but be aware of the fact that Nikon has considerably more backwards compatibility as well as some degree of forwards compatibility.

canon 1v zoom lens?

chupacobra

can anyone recomend a zoom lens for my eos 1v......................................since its a pro camera it seems like the only thing that is recomended are L mount lenses.$$$....
it doesnt have to be a canon lens. vivitar, sigma, etc. but a zoom lens.

Answer
There's no rule saying that you have to buy an L lens for a pro camera. It's just highly recommented as the quality of the lens matches the capability of your pro range camera body.

To cover a wider range, you can try canon EF 28-135 IS, sigma 18-200, tamron 18-250 or other similar zoom lenses that would meet your needs. There are many to choose from depending on your needs (e.g Wide angle, mid-zooms, tele zooms).

However, do check that the newer models of 3rd party lenses (non-canon) are compatible with your 35mm 1v as some lenses are made just for digital bodies.

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canon 1v zoom lens?

chupacobra

can anyone recomend a zoom lens for my eos 1v......................................since its a pro camera it seems like the only thing that is recomended are L mount lenses.$$$....
it doesnt have to be a canon lens. vivitar, sigma, etc. but a zoom lens.

Answer
There's no rule saying that you have to buy an L lens for a pro camera. It's just highly recommented as the quality of the lens matches the capability of your pro range camera body.

To cover a wider range, you can try canon EF 28-135 IS, sigma 18-200, tamron 18-250 or other similar zoom lenses that would meet your needs. There are many to choose from depending on your needs (e.g Wide angle, mid-zooms, tele zooms).

However, do check that the newer models of 3rd party lenses (non-canon) are compatible with your 35mm 1v as some lenses are made just for digital bodies.

Which Canon DSLR camera zoom lens should I get?

livin life

I am looking into getting a zoom lens for my Canon Rebel T3, and right now I only have the lens it came with and am wanting to get a zoom lens but am not sure which to get. I am needing on that isn't too crazy expensive. I guess $800 at the most. I am just wanting some recommendations on which lens you would recommend. thanks :)

Answer
The EF-S 55-250mm lens is pretty much designed to go with your kit lens that came with the camera. It's a great starter telephoto lens (big zoom lens, it will let you see things that are quite far away). It's cheap, it won't cost you much and the build quality will resemble that of your current lens.

I don't think you need an L series lens, I think you'll find the size and weight of it too much to handle, even though the 70-200mm F/4L is one of the smallest L series lenses. I would recommend the 55-250.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/543923-USA/Canon_2044B002AA_EF_S_55_250mm_f_4_5_6_IS.html

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Best lens for my camera?

Q. i dont really know that much about photography, but im learning..
i have a,
Canon Rebel XS ESO 1000D
& i want to buy a Fisheye lens ... help! .. what do i get?

Answer
Canon doesn't have a ultra-wide fisheye lens for 1.6x cropped cameras... the EF 15mm f/2.8 fisheye is designed for full-frame cameras... on cropped sensors it will work like a 24mm lens with strong distortion, instead of giving a circular image with a big angle of view, so it makes no sense using this lens on your camera.

The Sigma has some very-ultra-wide-angle fisheye lens, like the Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Circular Fisheye:
good news: the angle of view is 180°
bad news: price over $1000

But if you can work with a rectlinear (non-fisheye) ultra-wide lens, the Canon EF-S 10-22mm has a very good sharpness, very low distortion and low chromatic aberration. The built quality is not up to the price range, but the image quality is better than expected for the price. It will work like a 16-35mm lens on a 35mm camera.

Camera lens mumbo-jumbo! How the hell do I know what this means?

huvik

I'm buying a Nikon D60 (DSLR).
It comes with this lens:
18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens

What does that all even mean....
And how do I know what other lens I need to buy also?

I need to be able to shoot professional photos of ALL kinds (motion, nature, fashion/model, headshots, everything).
How do I know what kind of lens I need and what that one it comes with does?
mumbo-jumbo - funny word =]
Edwin, thanks for the info, but don't be an assho1e about it. Of course I'm not a professional; I simply want somewhat professional quality photos - there is a difference. No need to be a snob about it.
Thank you David M!
Great info, definitely helped.
I actually am going to take a digital photography class at my local community college, the problem is that I have to buy the camera beforehand!
Thanks, best answer as soon as it allows me.

Answer
Basically this is what it all means.
18-55mm is the focal length of the lens. You can zoom from 18mm wide angle to 55mm normal to slight telephoto.

F3.5-5.6 is the max aperture of the lens or the widest it will open up. At 18mm you have a max aperture of F3.5 at 55mm it is F5.6.

AF-s means that it is an autofocus lens that has a focusing motor in the lens. This is important because your camera does not have one in the body.

DX: I'm a Canon guy and I don't know what this means but it has got something to do with the model of lens.

VR means vibration reduction. This is the same as what Canon calls Image Stabilization. It basically helps compensate for camera shake.

You will know what lenses you need by what you need to shoot. This is a good lens and camera to start with but they are not at a professional level. If you want to shoot professionally you need to learn how to use everything and when to use it. You will also need to spend a considerable amount of money.

The following list of lenses is the size of the lenses you need for the situations you listed not the actual lens as there are many choices depending on your needs and budget.

Landscapes 12-24mm

Sports: 70-300 should get you started.

Fashion, model, and head shots: The lens you have should get you started. There are better faster lenses but you can figure that out later.

Nature: This will depend on what you are photographing. Wildlife you can use the 70-300. For close ups of flowers or bugs you will need a macro lens. There are several to choose from in different focal lengths so check out the specs on them if your interested.

I also suggest you take a class and learn how to use an SLR camera. You and your pictures will be happier for it. Check out camera shops in your area or a community college. Most offer beginner courses in photography.

Hope this helps

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How to choose a digital camera that will have better lens quality?

maymylileu

Help...any one can give me the idea whether to buy digital camera of Nikon CoolPix Series or Canon PowerShot Series. Which brand bears a clearer and better lens. Besides, i don't understand the meaning of the CCD, (like: 1/2.3"CCD) .Anyone.....Pleeez?

Answer
Canon and Nikon both made their names as optics companies. Quality will be the same between the two and while some may match their lenses for quality, no one beats them. You can't go wrong with either one.

As for CCD, it's an acronym that stands for charge-coupled device. This is an analog imaging sensor that is also commonly used in video cameras. Look at an older video camera and you'll often see "CCD" printed on the side of the camera somewhere near or on the lens. When you see 1/2.3" CCD, this denotes the size of the CCD sensor in the camera. A 1/2.3" sensor measures roughly 6mm by 4.5mm...Not very large but adequate for most point-n-shoot cameras.

I want a compact digital camera. How do I choose in regards to lens quality, CCD quality, etc?

RWC

Main factors:
Lens Quality
Brand
Good CCD/CMOS
Low Purple Fringing
Low noise at high ISO

Answer
This is a very difficult question to answer, although after reading digital camera tech's answers, I would think twice about Sony and I would add reputation for good customer service to the list of how to choose a camera.

The only way for an individual to know the answer to most of these questions is to read reviews at several sites and ask friends. Many review sites have sample images that you can look at, including ISO tests. It's a good thing that you know about purple fringing as this is the evil among lower price digital cameras.

Some random thoughts...

Lens quality - You'll have to trust the reviews and start with the known brands. Nikon and Canon make good lenses. Schneider and Leitz are good lenses that are used on Kodak, Panasonic and Leica cameras.

Brand - The same names come up. Nikon, Canon, (even) Kodak, Olympus... I'd like to include Pentax, but it doesn't seem their film expertise has transferred over to digital yet, as they are quite conservative.

CCD/CMOS - Most are made by Sony. CMOS is Canon's. One thing that you CAN do is look for the sensor size. They are measured in a very arcane manner and their size is expressed in terms of inverse numbers. The larger the number on the bottom, the smaller the sensor. In point and shoot cameras, look for a 1/1.8 size as opposed to the more common 1/2.5. In general, a larger sensor will give better images.

Fringing and ISO noise - See reviews of the cameras that you are interested in after looking them over based on the first three items.

Here are some review sites:
http://www.dpreview.com
http://www.imaging-resource.com/
http://www.dcresource.com/
http://www.dcviews.com/
http://www.steves-digicams.com/
http://www.megapixel.net/html/reviews.php
http://www.letsgodigital.org/html/
http://bobatkins.com/photography/digital/ (esp. Canon)
http://www.kenrockwell.com/ (esp. Nikon)

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Whats the best camera for SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY?

enchillada

very interrested in sports photography, and im looking for your opinion of the best cameras for sports photography. any help is appreciated.... yes, i know its going to be expensive

Answer
I would say the Canon 1D Mark III which is the next generation after the 1D Mark II that I have. This series makes up the majority of sports and photojournalist cameras now. I would recommend fast lenses. I have :
17-35 f/2.8 L (the 16-35 is the newer version)
24-70 f/2.8 L
70-200 f/2.8 L IS (the best general purpose sports lens)
500 f/4.0 L IS (a huge lens that is often used by pros)

good camera for sport photography?

appleshuff

Hi guys I'm planning to buy a camera to use on sport photography (volleyball), what do you suggest I should buy?

Answer
Marco M's three points are good.
Any halfway decent camera has high ISO (for nonblurry pictures), what you should look for instead is the speed at which the camera takes pics and captures pics onto the memory card. And how quickly it can focus.

Some digital SLRs have a 'sports' mode that takes multiple pictures per second, but some are not that fast (I think mine only takes 2 frames per second (fps). Nowadays they take 5 fps and more). But this doesn't help if your camera takes a long time to download the pics onto the memory card. The more fps, the faster your camera needs to record these pics onto the memory card (or it will get backed up and you will have to wait before you can take any more pictures - this happens with my old canon D30). I believe this is referred to as buffer speed (or buffering speed). I've lost some good shots this way.

Also some cameras/lenses have trouble focusing in fast action (if you use autofocus instead of manually focusing your camera yourself). I believe this is called 'hunting'. If a lens/camera hunts a lot, you will miss the shot.

I myself use an automatic film camera for fast action (it's faster than my digital camera), but that's because all my cameras are lower end. A cheap film camera is faster than a cheap digital camera. Though I'm sure the more expensive digital SLRs are fast. And expensive.

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DSLR camera for beginners?

Laly

Can somebody please tell me what is a good DSLR camera for beginners? A camera with plenty of features but user friendly. Thanks!

Answer
Any of the entry level cameras from Canon, Nikon or Sony are fine. They all have pluses and minuses, but apart from minor differences, they are all excellent cameras. You need to go into a camera store and see which one fits best in your hand. The one that has the buttons and dials where they fit best into your reach is the one that will be easiest to use. Another deciding factor is if you have a group of fiends that are into photography. If so, I recommend getting the same brand as the friends. This way, you can learn from each other on camera adjustments and you can borrow each others lenses if you like. I loan out a lens to my friends who shoot Canon. My Nikon friends are out of luck.

The lowest priced dSLRs are fine. They tend to have the smallest and lightest bodies. For me, they feel a little small, especially when I am using a larger lens, so I have never liked these bodies. when you step up to the next level, you are getting a few more features like more shots per second, more autofocus points, things like that. In general, you are getting the same sensor, so the images will not be any better.

Sonys have built in vibration reduction, so you never have to by a stabilized lens, this is cheaper in the long run, but the build in stabilization is not tuned to each individual lens, so it is not quite as good over the full range.

Simple DSLR cameras for beginners?

Q. I want to get into professional photography and would like to upgrade my camera with a simple DSLR camera. I am looking for a reasonably priced one. If you have any suggestions all would be appreciated. !Mucho aprecia! :)

Answer
Most reputable manufacturers make some excellent entry level DSLR cameras.

What you should look for is one with an adequate number of dedicated controls conveniently placed so you do not have to take your eye off the viewfinder to manipulate. My initial strategy was to set the camera in manual mode set ISO 200, aperture at f8 and speed at 1/125s and vary these depending on lighting conditions and required effect, as one would in an old manual 35mm SLR.

The Pentax K100d super was my first DSLR, an upgrade from my Fuji F700 compact which had the RAW option and a good number of dedicated controls for a compact, rather than menu options.

The Pentax was chosen because of its low price and the fact that I had lenses of 35mm vintage for the Pentax K mount, which work very well with it, so I did not have to spend a huge amount of money on digital lenses. Image stabilization in the Pentax is accomplished via sensor shift rather than being a lens function, which means that all attached lenses are stabilized regardless of vintage.

Lenses for Canon and Nikon DSLRs are great but rather expensive and 35mm lenses may be used but unlike the Pentax with limited functionality.

I would recommend you go to a shop and ask to handle the different cameras and see which one feels more comfortable in your hands and the controls easier to manipulate. That one will most probably give you the best photos and the greatest pleasure.

Good Luck!

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camera package advice?

Payton

So im looking at packages such as this one: http://www.amazon.com/T3i-75-300mm-Telephoto-Accessory-Kit/dp/B005KUGXJW/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1368422743&sr=8-11&keywords=canon+rebel+t3i+packages
does this look like a good deal? do you know of any packages that come with canon brand accessories? Im looking for stuff under 750$ and want more lenses, filters, a memory card, and possibly a remote. thanks

Answer
http://www.amazon.com/T3i-75-300mm-Telephoto-Accessory-Kit/dp/B005KUGXJW/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1368422743&sr=8-11&keywords=canon+rebel+t3i+packages

This package isn't worth the money. A couple of flimsy tripods I wouldn't trust using with a point & shoot compact digital camera much less a DSLR. Canon's worst lens ever, the 75-300mm. A couple of cheap image degrading screw in attachments. Forget about this so-called deal.

Look at B&H for better deals. B&H has the T3i w/18-55mm zoom lens for $599.00 after a $50.00 'Instant Savings' that ends June 1, 2013. B&H also has a two lens kit - T3i w/18-55mm zoom and 55-250mm zoom - for $599.00 after a $200.00 'Instant Savings' that ends June 8, 2013.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com Just do a search for canon t3i and then make your decision as to which deal is best for you.

Looking for quality video camera recommendations?

KEVIN L

I'm very close to purchasing the Canon EOS Rebel T4i in a package that includes an 18-135mm and 55-250mm lens....Is this better than the T3i? Is there other brands that shoot better quality video/photos?

Answer
HD Camcorders and DSLR Cameras interpolate the video, which means of every 25 frames of video, 4 or 5 frames are taken by the lens assembly; the other frames in between these are filled in by the camcorder inner circuitry, thus giving you not true video. It looks like this -one frame from the lens assembly, 7or 8 from the electronic circuitry, one frame from the lens assembly, 7or 8 from the electronic circuitry, one frame from the lens assembly, 7or 8 from the electronic circuitry, one frame from the lens assembly, 7or 8 from the electronic circuitry, from front to back of the video. Near impossible to edit, even when you have the Multi port processor computer with the big 1GB Graphics card and a Sound card that is required to edit, view, watch and work with the files these camcorders produce.

DSLR Cameras, all Makes, all Models, all have the same problem when video taping some long videos, all overheat at the 13 to 18 minute mark, depending on the Make and Model. This is unavoidable, it all has to with the fact, video is an afterthought in DSLR camera production.

Consumer Level HD Camcorders and DSLR Cameras have 4 problems. 1) Blurry, fuzzy, out of focus areas closely around people in videos taken by consumer level HD camcorders. 2) Any movement, even a wave or lifting an arm, while in front of a recording Consumer Level HD Camcorder and DSLR Cameras, results in screen ghosts and artifacts being left on the video track, following the movement. Makes for bad video, sports videos are unwatchable. 3) These Consumer Level HD Camcorders and DSLR Cameras all have a habit of the transferred to computer files are something you need to convert, thus losing your HD quality, to work with your editing software. 4) Mandatory maximum record times - 1 hour, 30 minutes, 8 minutes, 3 minutes â four different times advertised as maximum record time for some Consumer Level HD Camcorders and DSLR Cameras. No event I have ever been to is that short. Either take multiple camcorders and DSLR Cameras or pack up with out getting the end of the event on video.

MiniDV is currently the most popular format for consumer digital camcorders. MiniDV camcorders are typically more affordable than their HDD and DVD counterparts. Each MiniDV tape will typically hold an hour of footage at normal recording speed and quality. MiniDV tapes are available for purchase at not only electronic and camera stores, but also at drugs stores and grocery stores, making them easy to find while your on vacation. There are literally hundreds of MiniDV camcorders available; both in standard and high-definition. And add the fact that to get a HD camcorder that could produce better video quality footage, one would have to spend in excess of $3500 for that camcorder that could produce higher quality video

http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part1_camcorder_choices.htm

http://simplevideoediting.com/learn/part2_connect_camcorder.htm

http://usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/camcorders/consumer_camcorders/vixia_hv40#Overview

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Any suggestions on entry level dSLR ?

Heseri

I'm think about buying a digital SLR camera for a long time. There are a lot of choices out in the market and I still can't make a decision.
Nikon D40 and Sony A200 are the two in my mind. Sony has a 10.2 mega pixels over Nikon's 6.0 mega, but I probably won't print out any photos bigger then A4. Nikon D60 and Canon 450D are also under consideration. Does it worth paying more for a entry level? Any another suggestion about other products?

Many thanks

Answer
Any of the entry level cameras are good, but you need to consider a little more into the future.

Remember that buying an SLR/dSLR is buying into a camera system. The lenses, speedlights, accessories are not universal.

Whichever entry level system you buy, look at what you can do upgrade wise. Nikon has a wide range of lenses that span back to the 70s that still work on all Nikon SLR/DSLRs made(some with some limitations). Canon is similar as well as Sony/Pentax(Pentax sold their SLR/DSLR business to Sony, so they use the Pentax camera mount.

Generally sticking with the Nikon/Canon brands are safest.

The biggest expense, and what should be given the most time is picking lenses. The DSLR market has become a "disposable electronic" like Walkmans, headphones and such. Every year or two, the camera makers come up with better camera bodies, better sensors, faster FPS. The one constant is the lenses. A good lens made back in 1980 is still a good lens today. Just make sure that you get the best lenses you can afford. Then when you are ready to upgrade, your lenses will go with you.

Also, do not be fooled by the "megapixel myth". More mp does not make better images. All it gives you is the ability to print larger or crop deeper into an image.

I've had plenty of great 8x10 images from my Nikon D50(6.1mp) as well as a 2mp point and shoot camera I started out with.
Image noise(or lack thereof), quality lenses, proper exposure and proper focus have more to do with getting good quality images than do megapixels.
Unless you regularly need to print bigger than 11x14, then a 6mp camera will do just fine. Even then, there are ways of doing some upsampling with software that can expand the usable size of a lower mp camera(Photoshop bicubic smoother, Aline Skin Blow Up, Genuine Fractals).

Are camera speedlights universal?

colorblind

I understand that lenses for dSLRs are very proprietary when it comes to companies (ie get a Canon camera and you can't use Nikkon lenses), but what about speedlights and other flashes? I'd like to start experimenting with off-camera lighting and i'd like to get a strobe that i can use for whatever dSLR i might buy in the coming years.

Answer
In today's world flash units are as proprietary as lenses. This is due to what's called TTL and is really a misnomer for "Off Film/Sensor Flash Metering". Minolta patented TTL back in 1980 and its first application was in the Minolta CLE which was the result of a partnership with Leica. Its next appearance was in the Minolta X-700 which had a line of TTL dedicated flash units such as the 360PX and Auto Macro 80PX.

With an X-700 in Auto Mode (Aperture Preferred) and a 360PX in TTL Mode the flash set the flash sync shutter speed and the camera controlled the flash duration based on the f-stop chosen. So I could confidently use an ISO 160 film and either f5.6 or f11 and bounce off a 12' white ceiling with perfect results.

The same is true of today's DSLR's with TTL and a TTL-dedicated flash.

However, if you are willing to give up TTL, there are flash units that can be used with various DSLR cameras. An excellent choice would be the Vivitar 285HV*. This flash features a Bounce Head as well as a Zoom Head (but no swivel head), has a Guide Number of 120, has 4 Auto f-stops (f2, f4, f8 & f11), has Variable Power (1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/16) and most importantly a Trigger Voltage of ~6V which makes it safe to use on your DSLR. Its fairly simple to use: just set the correct flash sync shutter speed on your camera and then 1) Set the ISO you're using on the flash and 2) Choose an f-stop based on the distance you're shooting from by looking at the dial on the side of the flash and set that f-stop on your lens. No TTL compatibility but an excellent flash for less than $100.00 brand new. Add the Wide-Angle panel and your coverage is from 28mm to 105mm. Since the unit doesn't have a swivel head you'll probably want to buy a flash bracket that allows the flash to swivel so you can use bounce flash in portrait orientation. Vivitar offered one and still may. Its a left hand grip but quite comfortable to use. You can occasionally find them on eBay.

* If the flash doesn't say "285HV" DO NOT USE it on your DSLR. The older versions have a very high trigger voltage and may fry the electronics of your DSLR.

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Help with a Nikon sports lens?

Easton Gre

i just asked this question but you told be about the camera
i was wondering what is the diffrence between the nikon 18-200mm lens and the 70-200 mm lens why is the 70-200 mm lens wayyy more expensive does it zoom in farther? or not?

Answer
It's more expensive for a couple of reasons:

1. It's an FX lens. Compared to the 70-200mm, the glass elements in the 18-200mm are physically smaller. Smaller lens elements are easier to make. The tradeoff is that you can't really use them on an FX camera. The 70-200mm lens was designed to work on both.

2.It has a wider maximum aperture, a constant f/2.8 across its entire zoom range, compared to a variable f/3.5-5.6 on the 18-200mm. Lenses with wide maximum apertures need larger glass elements. Are we detecting a pattern here? :)

3. It's a professional lens. It uses five extra-low dispersion glass elements, which are very difficult to make, it has internal focusing, three autofocus lock buttons, nine aperture blades for neutral bokeh (and 18-pointed sunstars!), and frankly the thing is built like a tank. Every nice, special, amazing feature you can pack into a lens like this, it's got.

The bottom line has to be whether these extras are worth it to you. You almost always get what you pay for with lenses. If one costs twice as much as the next, there's a reason. Only you can decide whether it's a good reason.

(And no, they both zoom to a maximum of 200mm.)

Hope this helps!

Nikon lens slr camera?

jojo23

What's a decent lens for a slr camera? Is a 70-300mm good for sporting events?

Answer
Apart from telezoom reach, action events need a fast (f/2.8) lens, all the vibration reduction (VR) you can get, as well as fast and reliable AF. Nikon 's 70-300 mm only has f/5.6 at the 300 mm end, which may just be adequate under the brightest of circumstances, but will let you down under less favourable lighting conditions.

However, a 300 mm f/2.8 prime lens will set you back a cool US$ 5,500, so you may want to have a look at the AF-S 70-200 mm f/2.8, which is just over $2,000. A somewhat older, second-hand 80 (not 70mm) -200 mm version in good nick can usually be found for less than $ 1,000 , although you'll lose some of the AF-speed compared to the latest version.

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what NOT to clean your camera lens with?

alfredhitc

What are some things most people would think is good to clean thier camera lens with but isnt good?

Answer
First of all it's prudent to try to never have to clean your lens. I accept though that this is impossible with a P&S camera. However with an SLR you can buy a UV filter for the lens which will protect the lens for its entire life.

Secondly, when you do have to clean a lens, the first, most important thing to do is blow it clean with a blower brush. Simply setting about cleaning it with a cloth can cause all manner of problems. If there happens to be a little speck of sand or other abrasive material on the lens surface you could scratch the lens. Only after you blow it clean is it a good idea to start to use a cloth.

That said, I agree with Ben H in his recommendations. Methyl alcohol (available at most hardware stores) usually gets rid of most problems when a simple wipe of the micro fibre cloth doesn't work. Now don't coat the lens with the alcohol, if that stuff gets inside the lens it can also disolve some of the grease and cause the lens to jam. Instead place a drop or two in the middle of the lens and work outwards with your cloth in a circular motion.

His Windex comment is a bit unorthodox I'll admit and should be a "last resort" solution but it does work. I've not had a fungus problem so I can't comment if it works on fungus or not (though I suspect it does), however one problem I've had often comes from the seaside. I don't have a clue what the chemistry of the air is along the ocean but I've often found a real goo coating my UV filter. Trying to clean it dry doesn't work it simply smears things worse. Often alcohol also doesn't work, you're just smearing the goo around more.

In those situations I've found the Windex to work really well too. It seems to disolve that goo more thoroughly and leaves you with a lens in pristine condition once more. However, unlike my earlier advice, in this case you need a different technique.

First of all in this case you're trying to dissolve a coating of guck that accumulated from the air. A couple of drops isn't going to do that. I'd place several drops on the lens again making sure they stay in the middle and then I'd GENTLY work from the centre to the outside of the lens in a circular fashion. The stress is on Gently because you will have salt crystals mixed in with the goo that can scratch the lens. So what you're trying to do on the first pass is disolve them and get rid of them.

Keep in mind when you do this that you are also contaminating your cloth. If you use the same spot on the cloth in the next cleaning, you'll simply smear the goo back on the lens. So the second time you do this use a different part of the cloth or better yet, another cloth. Usually after three or four attempts the lens will come clean.

Once you've done that it's a good idea to thoroughly clean your cloth under warm running water to get rid of all the residue. Then hang it out to dry and when dry it's ready for the next time.

Another answer is to visit your local camera shop. Many still carry a lens cleaning fluid which usually works on lenses. The only problem is that this stuff is usually more expensive than the other solutions. On the positive side though if you bought a couple of those bottles, once they're empty you can use one for the alcohol and the other for the windex. This way you'll have these with you in your camera kit wherever you go.

I hope that helps a little.

all SLR cameras lens i want to understand?

XDXD

i want to know if all SLR brands can be used the same lens or different ones etc. like a Nikon lens on a canon camera or vice visa or other brands
thats A LOT of money you think anyone has made an extra extension to be place on lets say a canon camera and the extension is allowed to have any lens? because that would be very interesting product to buy

Answer
All camera manufacturers use a proprietary lens mount. Canon lenses for Canon, Nikon lenses for Nikon, Sony lenses for Sony, Penax lenses for Pentax, Olympus lenses for Olympus. The exceptions are Samsung and Fuji. Fuji DSLRs are built using a Nikon chassis and lens mount. Samsung DSLRs are built using a Pentax chassis and lens mount. Sony uses the Minolta Maxxum A-mount that dates back to 1985.

There are adapters that allow you to use a Nikon lens on a Canon or a Minolta SR (manual focus) mount lens on a Sony or Canon or Pentax or Olympus. The problem with adapters is that you have to use the lens in stop-down metering and manual focus. (Each camera requires a separate adapter).

The Tamron "Adaptall" adapters use the M42 screw mount on the lens and an adapter designed for each camera body. With it you could have a Pentax body and a Canon body and use the same lens on both cameras.

Minolta SR mount 250mm mirror lenses go for a premium on eBay and the word is they are being retrofitted with a Nikon mount. I've also seen a couple of SR mount lenses that have had the mount modified to mount to the Sony DSLR, supposedly with full metering.

All in all its still best to buy lenses designed for your camera.

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which DSLR camera is best?

Elizabeth

Im going to upgrade my kodak easy share digital camera its slow and the pictures are always blurry even on sports mode and with a daughter who is 17 months old and she is always on the move i can never get a picture with out her face blurred etc and im missing out on so many things , its frustrating because i love photography and i had a 1974 canon tx that was never blurry and i loved the telescopic lens i had with it Im looking at the Canon Rebel the Nikon d3100 or the Sony A330 i want something that is super fast and has multiple photo settings that you can shoot in black and white as you shoot i don't want a compact dslr but something like the Canon Rebel Nikon D3100 or the Sony A330 im just not sure which one is better with Specs and options im looking for more bang for the buck as well as very Professional looking pictures
Ok my budget is up to 600 to 700 hundred dollars n i want pictures to be super clear n less chance of blurry n to be able to zoom up to something as small as a spider on a web or the surfers here out in the water but then be able to blow it up n its still crystal clear i do alot of nature n wildlife pictures as well
The Canon rebel T3 is the one im looking at
Im experienced in taking pictures but iv used a 1974 Canon TX for many many years handed down from my grandfather I bought the kodak digital when my husband deployed so i could get pictures of his daughter he never met n of our two boys and quickly get them to him I prefer film but i want digital instead i know how to use a camera and everything else with a camera im just not liking the kodak due to its always blurry and want a faster better camera and have been wanting a DSLR for quite some time now just wanted peoples opinion on which was a better overall camera

Answer
some of the features you desire don't really have anything to do with the camera. So it makes giving you an answer a little more difficult. Wanting to zoom in on small things like a spider/web and surfers is a function of the lens, and I don't know of one single lens that does it all, and well at that.

Any dSLR will require a good macro lens for tiny subjects, and to allow you to get very close and stay in focus. If you want to reach out and get distant subjects, like surfers or anything else, you'll need a large, expensive telephoto lens.

Also, what are your photographic skills like? A compact can freeze a fast moving child if you understand the settings. Of course image quality could be degraded, but it is possible. If you purchase a dSLR, and plan on shooting in auto mode, you might find yourself disappointed by the results, and you could still be missing shots of your fast moving child. You'll need to put in at least some work, and get to know your dSLR and how it works to get the most out of it. Bottom line, a blurry subject is almost always user error, not a camera error.

There is no perfect camera, Canon, Nikon and Sony alpha each have their pros and cons. I would avoid the A330 and similar, the image sensor performance is lacking. Take a look instead at the Sony A33, A35 and A580. Only Sony has fast phase auto focus when shooting video. Canon and Nikon use slow contrast detect focus when shooting video, and cannot use fast auto focus for video regardless of price. The is crucial for fast moving kids, sports etc.

All three take a great photo. The Canon image sensor is average, Nikon uses better Sony image sensors. Sony is using a sensor that's a step below for the A33 and A35, more like the Canon (all according to DXOmark). So for low light, the entry level Nikons, like the D3100, and 5100 have the best image sensor. Sony uses a really fantastic image sensor in their A580, that's their current bang for the buck dSLR. Avoid the A560, the image sensor performance isn't better than the A33 or A35.

Canon and Nikon will have more lens choices and accessories, especially when you consider walking into a chain store like bestbuy. But that will only affect the hard core shooter, you can get the most popular focal lengths for Sony. The Sony can also use any autofocus minolta lens.

So bottom line, you have more research to do on your own, compare the Canon T2i, T3, T3i, Nikon D3100, Sony A33, A35, A580, compare the features and then make a choice. If you want 'pro looking' images and top notch performance, you'll need to make it happen as well. The best race car, still needs a great driver. Good luck.

First DSLR Camera? Sony, Nikon, and Canon? Help!?

Joyce

Okay so I am 13, a girl, and I really love photography. I was supposed to get my first DSLR camera for Christmas but I don't know what kind to get.
My friend got a Sony a580 or something like that and the pictures are awesome. Except then I heard that Sony isn't as food as Canon and Nikon, since it's new. I was going to get the same camera as my friend because I'm not sure if I need like a bajillion different lenses that Canon and Nikon have.
I was going to get the Samsung ST550, a digital camera that was dual screen, because I heard it has a great "beauty" feature. And I wish that they made a DSLR that also had a beauty feature, because I'm not getting the Samsung. And it's not like I can just bring a DSLR camera to school and take pictures with my friends, so I'm using my iPhone 4 as my "digital" camera. Or like a camera I can take anywhere. I like to take pictures of random things, ahahaha. Self portraits for Facebook profile pictures, my dog, babies and toddlers from church, nature, and flowers, and jumping/moving pictures. And over Spring Break, our whole entire extended family is going to Hawaii and I want to take pictures, and I don't think my phone will cut it.
So what DSLR camera should I get? And I probably wont get a lot of lenses.

I want the Sony a580.
Model Features: 16.2MP, Exmor⢠APS sensor, 1080/60i Full HD movies, two types of Live View, Face Detection, 3D Sweep Panorama, tiltable 3.0" LCD, up to 7 fps continuous shooting, 18-55mm DT zoom lens included.

Sony a55.
Model Features: 16.2MP, Translucent Mirror Technologyâ¢, Quick AF Full HD Movie, GPS tagging, Live View with Phase detection, 10 fps, 15-point auto focus, 18-55mm zoom lens included.

Sony a35
Model Features: 16.2MP, Translucent Mirror Technologyâ¢, Quick AF Full HD Movie, Main sensor Live View with Phase detection, Face Detection, 3D Sweep Panorama, 3.0" LCD, up to 7 fps continuous shooting, 18-55 zoom lens included.

So it's up to those 3. You can suggest another brand/model.anything!

Answer
Well. you're proving my point. Sony is very good at marketing cameras with just the right feature set to appeal to the uninformed bebinner.

It all depends. If you want to get serious about photography then look at a nikon d3100 with an 18-105 lens. If you want to stay in the "let\s keep it on full auto and pump out a steady stream of shots typical for my age" then any DSLR will do and sony will add the bonus of perhaps the best liveview system

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