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Buyers Guide to DSLR Cameras
If you want to take your Digital Photography to the next level, you need to get a Digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera. The picture quality of DSLR cameras is a huge jump from regular compact “Point-and-shoot” cameras.
Most of the new DSLR cameras have the ability to shoot high quality HD video as well. You effectively get an Indi-filmaker quality Video camera and a stunning photo camera all rolled into one. In my full DSLR Buyers Guide (to be published soon) I’ll look at which cameras are best for Video. In the meantime, I have included a brief list of DSLR models below to get you started.
These are my recommendations for Digital SLRs for photographers of various levels – these cameras would be considered the best of their class with equivalent Canon and Nikon Models (there are other players in the DSLR field, that I’m sure make great cameras too, but you can’t really go wrong with a Canon or Nikon IMHO).
My full ebook discussing these Digital SLR Camera recommendations and “must have” accessories will be published shortly and will be FREE
Beginner
or
Enthusiast
Canon
EOS 60D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6
IS UD Zoom Lens
or
Nikon
D7000 Digital SLR Kit w/18-105mm f/3.5-5.6 DX VR Nikkor Lens
Semi-Pro
Canon
EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6
IS UD Zoom Lens
or
Nikon
D300s 12.3MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm
f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II Lens
Professional
Canon
EOS 5D Mark II 21.1MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF
24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens
or
Nikon D700 12.1MP Digital SLR Camera with 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IF VR Nikkor Zoom Lens
High-end Professional
Canon
EOS 1D Mark IV 16.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and
1080p HD Video (Body Only)
or
Trade in your Car! Professional
Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III 21.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
or
Nikon D3X 24.5MP FX CMOS Digital SLR with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only)
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Preview of Fujifilm Finepix Real 3D W3 Digital Camera
I bought a Fujifilm Finepix Real 3D W3 Digital Camera a few weeks back and I am working on a Video review that I will post soon. I have been a 3D enthusiast (Stereoscopic 3D, that is) for many decades mostly using SLR cameras taking pairs of Slide photos.
The options I used were:
- To ‘strap’ two cameras together and rewire two remote shutter release cords to fire the two cameras simultaneously – which was good for moving subjects. But the distance between the center of the camera lenses was over eyes distance creating a slightly exaggerated 3D effect, or
- Using the “cha-cha” method as it has become known where you lean on one leg and take a photo and then the other leg and take another – this method is not precise and usually needs alignment in the computer. You can get closer to eyes distance apart (more realistic 3D) but does not work for moving objects as the photos are taken at different times
Obviously both methods are not ideal and a dedicated solution is better. In steps the Fujifilm Finepix Real 3D W3 Digital Camera.
Well, as you know 3D has hit the Digital Age and seems to be going strong thanks to the surge in Hollywood with films like Avatar, How to Train your Dragon, Toy Story 3, Megamind and a bunch of others (mostly computer animated). Up to this point, few manufacturers have actually produced a 3d Digital Camera for photos. Fujifilm introduced their Finepix Real 3D W1 at the end of 2009 and has now released the NEW and improved W3.
I will mention that my first impressions are good – the high quality 3D display on the back gives you instant feedback on your 3D photos and does not require 3D glasses (auto-stereoscopic display that uses a parallax method to send the appropriate view to each eye).
Browsing the photos amongst my family caused hoots and lots of “lemmi see“! It definitely has WOW factor.
Aside from the 3D LCD screen on the camera the images and video (720P 30fps 3D) can be played on recent 3D HD TVs via a HDMI cord. Fujifilm has a printing option where you can get actual 3D prints that have a lens layer called lenticular lenses that let you see the photo in 3D without glasses – a bit like those 3D postcards or 3D DVD covers you see (I will let you know what they are like when I get may hands on some of those prints).
I think it’s great to be able to record photos and video of my family and travels in 3D. I’m sure later when display technologies improve and 3D becomes more common place that I will be happy to look back at all these captured memories as if I they were still in front of me in actual 3d space!
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