M user requires auto focus SLR

[woodda]

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I am interested as I am currently use an M but need also to use a auto focus SLR. I would greatly appreciate if people might confirm the following to help me decide. I am conscious this might seem like heracy but hope people do not mind sharing their thoughts.

 

1. Model/Make

2. Primary lense used

3. Primary reason for choosing manufacturer

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Shootist]

Nikon D200

Nikkor 50mm f/1.8, Nikkor 18-70mm kit (It's OK), Tokina 12-24 F/4 (Good lens if you get a good copy and Tokina will stand behind it. I had a bad sample at first, sent it in to service and they sent me a new lens that is as perfect as this lens gets), Nikkor 18-200VR (It's going up for sale. It's not a bad lens. Just not what I want), 70-200VR f/2.8 (great zoom telephoto but big. I only take it with me when I know I'll need it).

I owned Nikons years ago, before I bought my first M3, and when I was looking at going higher end digital, I had a P&S Canon for about 3 years, I liked the way the D200 felt in my hands. I didn't like the way the Canon's felt.

When I started looking into higher end digital cameras I first look for a Leica M style camera. When I could find a Leica that suited me I went DSLR.

[jlancasterd]

I am interested as I am currently use an M but need also to use a auto focus SLR. I would greatly appreciate if people might confirm the following to help me decide. I am conscious this might seem like heracy but hope people do not mind sharing their thoughts.

 

1. Model/Make

2. Primary lense used

3. Primary reason for choosing manufacturer

 

You could do worse than take a look at the new Fuji S5. It's based on the Nikon D200 body so is (relatively) cheap and takes Nikon-fit autofocus lenses, so you have a very wide choice at a range of prices. It also has Fuji's innovative dual-pixel system to deliver a much greater dynamic range than most other digital cameras. There's a review in today's issue of Amateur Phbotographer if you are interested

[G Radda]

I have the Canon 5D SLR. Great camera. Most used lens is the EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM. I like Canon for its full frame CMOS sensor, and wide selection of lenses.

[dugby]

I am interested as I am currently use an M but need also to use a auto focus SLR. I would greatly appreciate if people might confirm the following to help me decide. I am conscious this might seem like heracy but hope people do not mind sharing their thoughts.

 

1. Model/Make

2. Primary lense used

3. Primary reason for choosing manufacturer

 

 

With due respect to the Forum Sponsors.

As the OP didn't really specify more than Make and Model of SLR......

 

 

1. The Leica Digilux 3 SLR , or Panasonic DMC-L1 (aka L1 or DMC-L1K)

2. 28-100 Leica Vario Elmarit F2.8

3. Leica / Panasonic make excellent products, just look at the IQ

 

PS jpegs created from the RAW D3/L1 file are many times better than those generated in the Camera, be mindful of this this when evaluating the D3/L1

[reven]

5D

24-105 or 70-200 f4 IS (depends whether you prefer mid range or tele)

Why ? FF, fantastic image quality, especially with the 70-200 unmatched file quality, there is nothing compareble. ( Only perhaps the 70-200 with the 1DsMk2 but that is expensive.)

[petert531]

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Note that only one manufacture makes a FF 35 SLR.

 

Why AF? If the R10 was a FF 16 bit with focus confirmation wouldn't that work for you. I live in hope this arrives SOON.

 

Peter

[chrism]

I guess we would have to know what purpose the DSLR is for to give a sensible answer. I have two relatively unused DSLR's - a Nikon D70 and a Sigma SD10 (bought out of curiosity, I admit. These days it gets used without its IR filter.) I have also just bought a V-Lux-1 for my wife to use on her visits to Kenya - it is light and convenient, with a great telephoto range for wildlife. The light is good enough there that the noise above ISO100 won't be an issue, and I also hope it will let me have another option for non-demanding macro uses at home. I could let her use the D70, but would have to buy a longer lens and then she would refuse to use it saying it would be too heavy/bulky with 2-3 lenses.

 

Chris

[glenerrolrd]

5D 24-105 f4 IS....great file. excellent range ,IS,great flash alernatives..when you just really want to get the moment ..great event solution

[jrc]

If you really like the M experience, with a small handy camera with interchangeable lenses, take a look at the new Pentax K10. Small body, with good very small, fast prime lenses, 1.5x crop. Pentax is about to come out (in May) with an f2.8 50-135 zoom, which will give you an effective field of view of 75-202mm. Camera has internal image stabilization (you can use almost any Pentax lens), weather-proofing, autofocus. The pancake lenses are smaller than equivalent Leica lenses; the 70mm is about 3cm (less than an inch and a half) long without the hood.

 

Downside: although it has the same number of pixels as the M8, the images are softer, and low-light response is not as good. I don't think ultimate image quality is as good as the D200, although you might have to spend some time determining that.

 

Upside: I got a new body and three new pancake prime lenses (21, 43 and 70) for $2500.

 

JC

[morffin]

Canon 5D

17-40... great lens..very sharp. Canon also makes a 16-35 that is faster but much more expensive.

70-200 2.8 is

85 1.8 amazing potrait lens..sharp, fast.

 

Why?

 

The 5D is the most reliable camera I have ever used..never failed me from sub zero shoots in Vermont to the tropical heat of Florida. Amazing image quality, super fast focus and not nearly as big as most pro level dslr. Great battery life too.

 

These cameras and lenses take a beating and keep on clicking...or whatever the hell digital cameras do.

[deoman]

Canon 1Ds MII; 50mm f:1.4; 24-105 f:4. Pricey but fantastic output. The 50mm lens is as good as it gets.

[wag]

I owned a Canon 5D before the M8. Both are great in their way. The Canon with a

17-40 is versatile and amazing. I am about to buy a 70-300 DO lens and then I'm done.

[35mmSummicron]

the canon EF 50mm F1.4 lens is TERRIBLE wide open VERY SOFT, and very ugly focus falloff.

 

but given the price, you get what you pay for--it is good if you stop down. the better 50mm is the EF 50mm 1.2 L, although it is 4 times the price.

 

 

Canon 1Ds MII; 50mm f:1.4; 24-105 f:4. Pricey but fantastic output. The 50mm lens is as good as it gets.

[Artichoke]

uses the D200 body but with an outstanding Fujifilm high DR sensor, that has been turbocharged by Fujifilm's engineers

it has a 14 bit ADC like the M8 and produces colors that are outstanding

from early reports its seems that Fujifilm upped the ante from the already outstanding files they got from this sensor with the S3 and even increased its resolution

it is a stellar high ISO performer, which while not quite as noiseless as the 5D it does seem to render colors better at high ISO and has unquestionably greater dynamic range ...it also makes outstanding jpgs, which is a good thing as its RAW files are 25 MB!

I think it closest to an M8 in the film like quality of the files it produces of any presently available DSLR

I have had an S3 for over 2 years and love it ...I am still under the thrall of my M8, but may well spring for an S5 as well given the extremely enthusiastic reception it has from early adapters on dpreview's FSLRT forum

[marknorton]

Canon and Nikon are the two obvious choices because when you buy a dSLR, you want both great image quality and the ability to adapt to a wide range of shooting roles.

 

I've been using Nikon for years and my D2x has been completely bullet-proof. The only firmware upgrade it has needed has been to give it some of the functionality in the later D2xs, not to fix anything. It even does AWB!

 

Important to realise though with Nikon (probably Canon as well) that they serve different markets and different price points and not every lens is a winner by Leica standards. Zooms predominate but in Nikon land, I'd recommend the 17-35mm f2.8, 70-200 f2.8 VR, 105mm f2.8 micro and 85mm f1.4. The 18-200 VR is a great travel lens.

 

Also interesting in Nikon land is a great integrated and extendible flash system, wireless LAN connectivity and so on.

[Jamie Roberts]

Canon 1Ds MII; 50mm f:1.4; 24-105 f:4. Pricey but fantastic output. The 50mm lens is as good as it gets.

 

The 1ds2 is a fantastic dSLR.

 

The 50 1.4, well, not so much, IMO. Build quality is poor. Flare resistance is non-existant, pretty much, especially wide open. This makes for some nice effects, sometimes

 

My Canon recommendation?

 

A 5d: 99% of the 1ds2 performance and a fraction of the price.

 

If you have the $$ to spend on a 1ds2, get the 5d and some of Canon's really good glass--like the 35 1.4L, the 50 1.2L and the 85 1.2L. The telephotos are good too; I'm partial to the 70-200 IS 2.8 L.

 

And the best part is when you do want to use R glass (to really see a 50 or 100 as good as it gets!) then you just buy a focus-confirming adapter and voila! Full frame Leica goodness on a Canon AF body.