Camera dilema

I have a Pansonic FZ7 which I am very happy with. However I want to buy some lens for it, but I am worried if I buy this sort of stuff I would be stuck with lens and accessories for a none standard camera.

Would I be better selling my beloved Pansonic and buying a Nikon D40 so I can then use standard lens or would stuff my Panasonic work with other cameras?

It uses Lieca lens but I have no idea what mounting system it uses. The lens are fixed but you can buy telephoto lens and filters etc for it.

 

Isn't the FZ7 a bridge camera, with a non interchangeable lens. so as you say you might be a bit limited.

I had a look at a Nikon d40x and a Canon 400d. fwiw I found the 400d felt more comfortable while handling it

One word of warning, it's not the cameras that are expensive its the lenses as I just found out after buying an 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM & an EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

The best place for advice would be @ http://dpreview.com/ & for Canon stuff http://www.the-digital-picture.com/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nogbad_the_bad/ <- my page on flickr

 

AT, I'm a nikon man these days but I wouldn't go for the D40......go D80 (if you can ) or maybe D70 (s), secong hand......or look at the D50.


the D40 sounds too dumbed down.








edit...there are isues with lens cmompatability with the D40...just makes lfe complicated.

edit 2 the kit lenses almost always seem cr*p!

 

The idea is I would buy stuff over the years rather than buy a load of stuff at once.

It sounds like the D40 wont be much better than what I already have so I have decided I will keep my Panny for another year and hopefully SLR prices would have dropped further by then.

I don't want anything dumbed down but I don't care about megapixels, I just want something with total manual control and a focus ring not the stupid firmware controlled focus systems.

 

buy a 400d - it's in a different league

edit - my flick page too!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/weardaleone/sets/

 

AT, go to Jessops, compare a Nikon with a Canon.

Decide for yourself.

My Dad had a beautiful Canon A1 film camera. I just don't think they make them like that any more.

 

The 400d is in a different league to what?

 

I've just got a 400d too, liked the feel a bit better than the Nikon. Tried my friends after some advice on here. Mind you I know the square root of **** all about cameras at the moment.

Got my dad to pick me one up in Singapore, as per usual he grunted through my description of what to get and how much to pay. Cue father purchasing camera and accessories (at lower spec than you can get here), for 50 quid more than canon outlet price!

I thought about asking him to look at lenses but after that thought again.

I lose count of the number of times this has happened and each time it's like he's doing me a favour, aaaararrrrrrrarrrrghhhh! I do love them but sometimes,,,. Do anyone else's parents do this?

My actual input to the thread is to ask if it is better to get Canon Lenses for my new camera or should I consider Sigma or other manufacturers? I'm looking for a wide angle lens for landscapes.

 

sounds VERY familiar

I do assure you, yes, all sorts of stuff.

try these;


http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/

http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/index.html

 

the panasonic...

and most likely the nikon...

 

Quite possible

Meant i think in jest....

I think they are pretty much on one to one.

Just which feels best to you AT.

 

quite possible..? - having owned both - this is a fact...

Nikon vs Canon - very much in jest...

 

im a canon man, and i find the 400D great to hold and elegant to use. I dont like the new nikon D40, but i do have a D50 and its also a pretty nice camera to use, but has a few odd omissions in the spec. ISO wont go below 200, and mirror lockup is complex and painfull to implement if you do it a lot. It does feel better built than the canon though, with a more rugged feel to its outer casework.

Im tied into canon because i have lenses for it, but if i was starting again, i would strongly consider nikon.

 

Really??

 

If I as starting over again, I'd go Canon rather than Nikon: better cameras and lenses, bigger range as well. 20, 30 years ago, Nikon was the one to go for: beautiful mechanical engineering like my FE2 and F2

 

on what basis?

 

You can buy add on lenses for bridge cameras - they are of variable quality with two aditional lenses you can extend the range from 25mm to 730mm this is fine but as you say when the camera is replaced in say 3 years you start again

If you are planning to do lots of photography you would certainly love a fully fledged SLR more because of the additional qualitiy to be had by larger sensors and better optics - This comes at a cost and an increase in size but you can then choose buy lenses to suit your own requirements - If you want to take photographs like you see in camera magazines especially wide angle ones its much easier with an SLR.

Any SLR will be suitable Canon Nikon Sony or Pantax Olympus etc - Do not let the banter between nikonites and canonites confuse you - but choose the one that feels right to you Canon and Nikon have a very wide choice of lenses available so I suggest this is where you start !

Why dont you take a memory card to a camera shop and try a few snaps to review at home?

I think the biggest limitation on the FZ7 is at the wide angle end even with the lens adaptor 25mm isnt very wide nowadays and this is a limitation if you are keen on cityscapes or landscapes

In keeping with sgt rock heres my flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/99697466@N00/

 

wht a stonking idea.......never thought of that.

 

there is a snag course you would need a CF card not sure what the FZ7 has -I have a 128Meg CF card I would be happy to post for free.

Andy