After using both kinds of camera, I find myself asking questions. While I love the features and the shoot/keep/delete option of DSLR, I was trying to compare the two. I started off with a very basic SLR many years ago. The Praktica MTL 5 B was as basic an SLR you will get. Shutter speed of 1/1000th and the 50mm lens which was Tessar 2.8/50 Carl Zeiss Jena and produced some nice shots. The appature was a maximum of f22 if memory serves me correctly. Flash sync was a respectable 1/125th of a second and you could attatch a remote direct into the Shutter release. Manual wind on only and TTL metering based on an average light level. Of course you could use a light meter if you so desired.
The grand cost of my camera was around 50 pounds sterling. I have taken many a happy snap and some more serious shots on it. sadly the camera no longer sits by my side. I moved upto a Minolta kit. The XD7 and accessories. Powerwinder 3.5fps and 50mm, 28mm, 135mm. The 50mm lens had issues, I think it had been knocked or worse. Thankfully I located a replacement and for a good price. The Minolta XD7 or XD11 in the US never let me down and always produced some good photographs and slides. I used to go out on a walk and reel off 5 – 7 rolls of film, sometimes more. The days when processing was hard to find a decent and cheap provider.
There were times when you would dread picking up your prints, as you would know there would be a quality control sticker smeared all over your prints, because you know you told them when you dropped them off to be processed, that you had used filters and other techniques, but no! Would they listen? No! So what you had laboured to produce was a beautiful label – sticky – really sticky over your work of art. Ahh but why not use Slides. Ahh Hmm Yes, tried that and they would invariably slice the slide the wrong way, because as a budding semi pro you would use a technique called moving the camera round to a vertical condition – namely Portrait and Landscape. Luckily Kodak didn’t always screw you over they sometimes managed to get the orrientation right.
Which now brings me onto my next two favourite cameras. Yes Minolta again and one of them being my all time favourite. Dynax 7000i and the still current in my arsenal Dynax 8000i.
Firstly the 7000i was superb and as far as I know the only camera in its time to boast plugin cards, along with the 8000i. I used to have 2 7000i’s and had the chance at getting my 8000i which was second hand. I also managed to get the big flash gun for it, again Minolta with strobe and zoom and slave options. The 7000i helped me cut my teeth into Portraits both Pet and human, plus a Christening which went really well. Mostly my time was spent taking landscape and candid shots. My only complaint about the 7000i was the viewfinder, it always appeared dark for some reason, moreso after using the 8000i.
And onto the 8000i. What can I say. I still have it. It works, it does all I ask of it and if it stuffs up a shot, then its my fault. I have taken many photo’s on this camera, not once has it been serviced, which doesnt really concern me, as it never really gets hard worked. I love the feel and weight of the camera, its 1/8000th of a second top shutter speed down to Bulb and remote allows me even longer. The 3 lenses 50mm, 35-105 and 135mm. The 135 is f2,8 and gives me all the light I need for what I use. The 50mm is f1.7, again a nice quick responsive lens and sharp. The 35 to 105 is nice, never really like the zoom lenses, they always seem plastic to me.
Ok, so I suppose at some point I have to move onto DSLR. Granted there are many models, Canon, Nikon et al, all vying for the top spot, but one thing lets them all down. After all its all point and shoot, if you mess up the shot, you can always delete, preview on your PC/Mac decide and move on. Where is the fun in that? Yes it cheats the overpriced processing companies who invairably stuff your fotos up anyway.
Having used the Dynax 8000i and placed it alongside the canon 400D, only for the fact that processing is expensive, I would still use the Dynax and not have bought the Canon.
Don’t get me wrong. The Canon is a great camera, it has lots of features, too many to be messing around with whilst you are out. Trying to remember the Manual whilst out and about is a nightmare. KISS – Keep it Simple Stupid!!
Yes the top wheel has plenty of options and yes you can choose B&W and Sepia and natural, vivid and so on. But it would be nice to hold a camera and not have to fiddle around too much. Spot metering would be good to have (Dynax 8000i does), focus is just below par of the 8000i, for a camera older than the Canon, it is a bit dissapointing. Predictive Focusing? Doesnt appear to be as good or at all (Dynax wipes the floor with all other brands for that).
This is the one thing that annoys me about DSLR’s You really have to pay through the nose to get a compairable camera based on SLR’s from the past. Why? The Technology is there, here and now, yet they simply refuse to allow this tech into cameras available for the general public. If you are a Pro Photographer, sure. spending $4000.00 plus on a body is acceptable, yet for someone who wants this tech because they are an Amateur photographer or Semi Pro, can you imagine the questions you have to ask yourself?
My Point is. Camera Manufacturers love to extort money from the little guy. The electronics is most probably in the camera you have now, just no room on the outside of the camera to add the feature. Its time for people to say no and get these money hungry companies to give us what we want, without a stupid price tag, keep it real!
